der of religion (devised by man)
should break the express law of God, who commandeth all men to honour
and obey their kings and princes, in whom some part of the power of
God is manifest and laid open unto us? And even unto this end the
cardinal of Hostia also wrote to the canons of Paul's after this
manner, covertly encouraging them to stand to their election of the
said Robert, who was no more willing to give over his new bishopric
than they careful to offend the king, but rather imagined which way to
keep it still, maugre his displeasure, and yet not to swear obedience
unto him for all that he should be able to do or perform unto the
contrary....

Hereby you see how King Stephen was dealt withal. And albeit the
Archbishop of Canterbury is not openly to be touched herewith, yet it
is not to be doubted but he was a doer in it, so far as might tend to
the maintenance of the right and prerogative of holy church. And even
no less unquietness had another of our princes with Thomas of Arundel,
who fled to Rome for fear of his head, and caused the pope to write an
ambitious and contumelious letter unto his sovereign about his
restitution. But when (by the king's letters yet extant, and beginning
thus: _"Thomas proditionis non expers nostrae regiae majestati insidias
fabricavit"_[3]) the pope understood the bottom of the matter, he was
contented that Thomas should be deprived, and another archbishop
chosen in his stead.

[3] "Thomas, not innocent of treason, has intrigued against
the majesty of our court."

Neither did this pride stay at archbishops and bishops, but descended
lower, even to the rake-hells of the clergy and puddles of all
ungodliness. For, beside the injury received of their superiors, how
was King John dealt withal by the vile Cistertians at Lincoln in the
second of his reign? Certes when he had (upon just occasion) conceived
some grudge against them for their ambitious demeanour, and upon
denial to pay such sums of money as were allotted unto them, he had
caused seizure to be made of such horses, swine, neat, and other
things of theirs as were maintained in his forests, they denounced him
as fast amongst themselves with bell, book, and candle, to be accursed
and excommunicated. Thereunto they so handled the matter with the pope
and their friends that the king was fain to yield to their good
graces, insomuch that a meeting for pacification was appointed between
them at Lincoln, by means of the