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the said bishop had received charge of by the universal wish of the kingdom, and intrusted it to be taken care of by brother Geoffrey, the Templar, and John Lexington, together with the emoluments belonging to the chancellorship, and the income assigned to the bishop as chancellor. Following up his violence as he had begun, he sent Simon the Norman, and Alexander a secular, two hired lawyers, to the court of Rome, who, by large gifts and promises of money, deprived a just man of his right, quashed a just decision, and corruptly annulled the aforesaid demand.

The Milanese desire to be reconciled to the emperor Frederick.

At this time the Milanese, fearing the imperial mightiness, sent to the emperor, with all possible earnestness, begging him, whom they openly declared to be their true and natural lord, to avert his anger from them, to cease to attack them, and to cherish and protect them, as his liege subjects, under the wings of his mighty protection. They declared that they would thenceforth, as formerly, serve him as their lord and emperor, with all reverence; that, in token of this obedience, and that they might be protected in the arms of his affection, and that their previous rebellion might not be remembered, they would freely give him all the substance they possessed in gold and silver; moreover that, as a sign of their subjection and obedience, and of the imperial victory, they would collect all their standards and burn them at the feet of the emperor. Besides this, that they would, when he, the emperor, was again fighting in the service of the cross in the Holy Land, find him annually ten thousand soldiers for the advancement of the Church and for his own honour, on the condition that he would love the citizens without any dissembled malice, and that the state of the city and citizens should be maintained. But the emperor proudly refused all these offers, demanding unalterably that the citizens, in common with their city and all their property, should resign themselves and theirs absolutely to his pleasure. To this piece of tyranny of his, the citizens, with one consent, replied that they would on no account do this, for, said they, We have learned by experience, and fear your cruelty; we would rather die under our shields by the sword, or spear, or by javelins, than by treachery, famine, and flames." From that

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time the emperor began to lose favour with many, because he had become a tyrant; and the Milanese, for their humility, were extolled and gained strength. According to the words of the Gospel, "God resisteth the proud, but gives grace to the humble." The Milanese, then, seeing that it was a matter of life and death, fortified their city more eagerly than usual with arms and trenches, and by entering into alliance with other cities.

The event of brother John, of the order of Preachers.

About this same time, one of the order of Preachers, named brother John, a learned and eloquent man, and pleasing in his office as a Preacher, enjoyed very great reputation in Italy; so much so, that he appeased wars amidst the citizens, and God worked miracles for him, for he crossed rivers dryshod, and compelled vultures flying in the air to descend to the earth at his bidding. At length, however, by the wiles of the devil, he became elated by his renown, and weakened by intimacy with his carnal friends, and thus deservedly lost the love of God, the honour of mankind, and also the respect of the prelates.

A certain villain attempts to murder the king in his bedchamber.

In the same year, a perilous adventure happened to the king, throwing all people into great alarm. For, on the day after the Nativity of St. Mary, a certain learned esquire, as it is said, came to the king's court at Woodstock, pretending that he was insane, and said to the king, "Resign to me the kingdom, which you have unjustly usurped, and so long detained from me;" he also added, that he bore the sign of royalty on his shoulder. The king's attendants wanted to beat him and drive him away from the royal presence, but the king prevented those who were rushing on him from violence, saying, "Let the insane man rave as becomes him, for such people's words have not the influence of truth." In the middle of the night, however, this same man entered the king's bedchamber window, carrying an open knife, and approached the king's couch, but was confused at not finding him there, and immediately began to look for him in the several chambers of his residence. The king was, by God's providence, then sleeping with the queen. But one of the queen's maids, named Margaret Biseth, was by

chance awake, and was singing psalms by the light of a candle (for she was a holy maid, and one devoted to God), and when she saw this madman searching all the private places, to kill the king, and frequently asking in a terrible voice where the king was, she was greatly alarmed, and began to utter repeated cries. At her dreadful cry the king's attendants awoke, and leaped from their beds with all speed, and running to the spot, broke open the door, which this robber had firmly secured with a bolt, and seized the robber, and, notwithstanding his resistance, bound him fast and secured him. He, after some time, confessed that he had been sent there to kill the king, after the manner of the assassins, by William Marsh, son of Geoffrey Marsh, and he stated that others had conspired to commit the same crime. On learning this, the king ordered him, as guilty of an attempt to murder the king's majesty, to be torn limb from limb by horses, at Coventry, a terrible example, and lamentable sight to all who dared to plot such crimes. In the first place, he was dragged asunder, then beheaded, and his body divided into three parts; each part was then dragged through one of the principal cities of England, and was afterwards hung on a gibbet used for robbers.

A heavy storm of wind.

About the feast of St. Matthew (Sept. 21), a storm of wind raged with such destructive violence that, without mentioning other incalculable and irreparable damage, more than twenty ships were sunk at Portsmouth.

Simon de Montfort returns into England.

On St. Calixtus's day (Oct. 14), Simon de Montfort returned from the continent, and was received by the king and all the royalists to the kiss of peace. He then set out with all haste to his wife Eleanor, who was staying at Kenilworth, very near her confinement.

The abbats of the Black order are cited before the legate, at London. In the same year, the legate Otto, by authority of the pope, cited all the abbats of the Black order to appear before him in St. Martin's church, at London, there to consider of the decrees which his holiness the pope, after due deliberation, had ordained for the reformation of the monastic order.

The statutes of the Black order reformed.

When all the abbats of the Black order were assembled, the legate rose, and, urging them all to patience, began an elegant speech, as follows:-"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Whereas, it is a great and difficult matter to fortify the city of God, which is religion, with new and improved bulwarks, against the snares of the wily enemy, who is continually endeavouring both by new and old devices to subdue it, we, Otto, by the divine mercy, cardinal deacon of St. Nicholas, in the Tullian prison, and legate of the Apostolic See, from the duties of the legateship enjoined on us, considering ourselves liable to assist in such a favourable work, have caused to be collected and noted down some statutes from the rule of the holy father Benedict, also some from the sacred councils and canonical decrees, as well as some from the statutes of the abbats of the order of the said Benedict, which, if they be observed, will tend to the assistance and defence of our holy religion."

Who are to be admitted to religious orders.

"In the first place, we have decreed, that, henceforth, no one shall be admitted to a monastery to make his profession before completing his twentieth year, nor to probation before completing his nineteenth year."

When the year of probation is expired, profession shall be made. "Also, whoever has been admitted to probation, shall, immediately on the expiration of the year of probation, make his profession, or leave the monastery; otherwise, the abbat or prior who shall keep any one beyond the year without profession being made, shall be severely punished by the presidents of the chapter, and the novice shall be, nevertheless, compelled to make profession, and shall be considered as professed."

No one to be admitted conditionally, or for payment.

"Also, that nothing at all shall be exacted from any one who wishes to enter a monastery; but those who are to be admitted shall be admitted purely on behalf of God, and without any compact. Nevertheless, if anything be offered

gratis, without any compact, exaction, or taxation, it may be received without blame."

No one to have any property of his own, or private.

"Also, that, henceforth, a monk shall have nothing of his own; and if he have, he shall at once assign it to his superior."

No one to dwell alone in manors or churches.

"Also, that, henceforth, no monk shall presume to receive from his superior any manor, or other possession, to farm; otherwise, he shall be deemed a proprietor and be punished. Also, that monks shall not dwell in manors, nor even in churches, unless there be more than one-at least two."

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Obedientiaries to render account of their administrations.

'Also, that discreet and trustworthy men shall be appointed to office, who, at least thrice in the year, shall render a true account of their administrations and offices to their superior, in the presence of some of the elders; and then, whatever surplus they may have, whether it consists in money, or in any other property, they shall, without dispute, and laying aside all deceit, give up and assign to their superior; and any who act contrary to this, shall incur the punishment for being proprietors."

The prior likewise to render an account.

"The abbat, too, or prior, in case there be no abbat, shall, at least once a year, render a full account of the state of his, monastery and of his administration to the conventual assembly, or some of the elders deputed by the conventual assembly for this purpose."

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Sentence of excommunication against proprietors to be publicly pronounced.

Also, we decree, that the superiors shall, at least once a year, publicly, in the convent, pronounce sentence of excommunication against proprietors, punishing them in other ways, if they do not return to their senses, and chiefly by the disgrace of non-burial."

Silence to be observed according to order.

"Also, we decree, that, according to rule, silence shall be observed in proper places, times, and appointed hours; and all shall endeavour to learn the necessary signs."

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