fice had bene giuen already, yet notwithstanding the possessor therof should be displaced, and the sayd Herrigetto preferred: Yea also, non obstāte that the sayd pope him selfe had before giuen his graunt to the kyng and realme of England, that one Italian should not succede an other in any benefice there, yet for all that the sayd Herrigetto, vpon payne of excommunicatiō, to be placed therin. Ex Paris. fol. 240.

MarginaliaThe Grecians excused and purged in parting frō the church of Rome.And thus much hetherto of these matters, through the occasion of the East Churches and the Grecians, to the entent all men that read these stories, and see the doynges of this western Byshop, may consider what iust cause these Grecians had to seclude thē selues frō his subiectiō, & also cōmunion. For what Christian cōmunion is to be ioyned with him, which so contrary to Christ and his Gospell, seeketh for worldly dominion, so cruelly persecuteth his brethren, MarginaliaThe miseries that haue risen in Englād through subiection vnder the church of Rome.so giuē to auarice, so greedy in gettyng, so iniurious in oppressing, so insatiable in his exactions, to malitious in reuengyng, styrryng vp warres, depriuyng kynges, deposing Emperours, playing Rex in the Church of Christ, so erroneous in doctrine, so abominably abusing excommunication, so false of promise, so corrupt in life, so voyde of Gods feare, and briefly so far from all the partes of a true Euangelicall Bishop. For what semeth he to care for the soules of men, which setteth in benefices, boyes and outlandish Italiās, and further one Italian to succede an other, which neither know the language of the flocke, nor once abyde to see their faces. And who can blame the Grecians then for disseueryng them selues from such an oppressor and a gyant against Christ.

MarginaliaEngland plagued by the Pope when it needed not.Whose wise exāple if this realme had then folowed, as they might, certes our predecessours had ben ryd of an infinite number of troubles, iniuries, oppressions, warres, commotions, great trauails, and charges, besides the sauyng of innumerable thousādes of pounds, which the sayd Byshop full falsely hath raked and trāsported out of this Realme of ours. But not to excede the boundes of my history, because my purpose is not to stand vpon declamations, nor to dilate common places, I will passe this ouer, leauyng the iudgement therof to the further examination of the reader. MarginaliaThe Pope and court of Rome the principall cause of all the publique calamities through Christendome.For els if I listed to prosecute this argument so farre as matter would lead me, and truth peraduēture would require me to say, I durst not onely say, but could well proue, the Pope & Court of Rome to be the onely fountaine and principall cause, I say not of much misery here in Englād, but of all the publicke calamities & notorious mischiefes which haue happened these many yeares through all these West partes of Christēdome, and especially of all the lamētable ruine of the Church, which not onely we, but the Grecians also this day do suffer by the Turkes and Saracens. As who soeuer well considereth by readyng of histories the course of tymes, & veiweth withall the doynges and actes passed by the sayd Byshops of Rome, together with the blind leadyng of his doctrine, shall see good cause not onely to thinke, but also to witnes the same.  

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Louis IX on Crusade

Foxe tells the story of the Seventh Crusade (1248-1254) to show how the petty and worldly desires of the papacy led to the failure of Louis IX in the holy land. Before going on the crusade, Foxe narrates how Louis IX had first attempted to produce peace between Pope Innocent IV (ruled 1243-1254) and Emperor Frederick II (1194-1250). Although the emperor did all he could to reach an agreement the pope would not be 'mollified'. Foxe blames the failure of the crusade on the pope's excommunication of Frederick II, and his refusal to allow him to aid the crusade. 'The Emperor, which could have done most' Foxe explained, 'was deposed by the Popes tyranny' and by such means 'such a fire of mischiefe was kindled against all Christendome, as yet to this day can not be quenched' (1570, p. 378). In other words the pope's argument with the emperor had allowed the Turks to spread out across much of the world unhindered. The interference of Legate Odo is also claimed to have aspirated the failure of the crusade by damaging any attempt to negotiate with the Sultan.

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The story is entirely taken out of extracts from Matthew Paris, Chronica Majora, ed. Henry Richards Luard, Rolls Series (7 vols., London, 1872-1884), vol. 4-5, that was no doubt the most detailed description of the events open to Foxe. It, however, highlighted the role of an English contingent led by William Longespee II (1212-1250). A legend had grown up around Longespee in England after he had died because of the betrayal of the French forces. He became a symbol of chivalry and martyrdom. Foxe took the story from Matthew Paris in its entirety. There is in general a certain amount of anti-French feeling in the account, especially in the arguments between Longespee and Louis IX and the claim that French crusaders stole bounty from the English. The failure of the crusade is therefore also partly blamed on French greed to win more territory and pillage. Such opinion of the French is an extraction from Matthew Paris but Foxe has used it here to further enhance the godliness of the English over other peoples.

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Matthew Phillpott
University of Sheffield

MarginaliaThe sickenes of Lewes the French king.In þ^e which yeare it chaunced, that Lewes þ^e French kyng sonne to Queene Blanch, fell very sore sicke, liyng in a swound or in a traunse for certeine dayes, in such sort as few thought he would haue lyued, & some said he was gone already. Amōgest other there was w^t him his mother, who sorowyng bitterly for her sonne, & giuen somewhat (as commonly the maner of wemen is) to superstitiō, went & brought forth a peece of the holy crosse, with the crowne and the speare, which peece of the holy crosse Baldewynus Emperour of Constātinople (whom the Grecians had deposed a litle before for holdyng with the Byshop of Rome) had sold to theMarginaliaThe superstition of the kings mother, putting her affiance in touching of the outward crosse, crown, and speare.French kyng for a great summe of money, and blessed him with the same, also layd the crowne and the speare to his body, makyng a vow withall in the person of her sonne, that if the Lord would visite him with health, and release him of that infirmitie, he should be croysed or marked with the crosse, to visite his sepulcher, and there solemnly to render thankes in the land which he had sanctified with his bloud. MarginaliaThe king recouereth hys sicknes.Thus as she, with the Bishop of Paris, and other there presēt were praying, behold the kyng which was supposed of some to be dead, began with a sigh to plucke to his armes and legges, & so stretching him selfe, begā to speake, geuing thankes to God, who frō an high had visited him and called him from the daunger of death. MarginaliaThe people of Fraunce blinded with a false miracle.Which as the kynges mother, with others there tooke to be a great miracle wrought by the vertue of the holy crosse: so the kyng amendyng more and more, as soone as he was well recouered, MarginaliaThe vayne vowe of Lewes the French king, to visite the holy land.receaued solemnly the badge of þ^e crosse, vowyng for a freewill sacrifice vnto God, that he, if the coūsaile of his Realme would suffer him, would in his own person visite the holy land: forgettyng belike the rule of true Christianitie, where Christ teacheth vs otherwise in the Gospel, saying: That neither in this moūt, nor in Samaria, nor at Ierusalem the Lord will be worshipped, but seeketh true worshyppers, which shall worshyp hym in truth and veritie. &c. an. 1244. Paris. fol. 182.

MarginaliaThe French king crossed to go to the holy land.After this was great preparaunce and much a do in Fraunce toward the settyng forth to the holy land. For after the kyng first began to be croysed, the most part of the nobles of Fraūce, with diuers Archbyshops and Byshops, with Earles, and Barons, and Gentlemen to a mighty number, receaued also the crosse vpō their sleeues. MarginaliaGreat preparation in Fraunce toward the viage into the holy land.Amongest whom was the Earle Atrebacensis the kings brother, the Duke of Burgundie, þ^e Duke of Brabant, the Countesse of Flaunders with her two sonnes, þ^e Earle of Britanie with his sonne, þ^e Earle of Barrensis, Earle of Swesson, Earle of S. Paule, Earle of Druis. Earle Retel. with many noble persons mo. Neither lacked here what soeuer the Pope could do, to set forward this holy busines, in sendyng his Legates and Friers into Fraunce, to styrre the people to folow the kyng, and to contribute to his iorney. MarginaliaContribution in Fraunce to the kinges viage.Wherupon was graunted to the kyng, to gather of the vniuersall Church of Fraunce by the Popes authoritie, the tenth part of all their goodes for three yeares space together, vpon this cōdition, MarginaliaThe pope maketh prouision for his contribution also in Fraunce.that the kyng likewise would graūt to the Pope the twenty part, for so many yeares after, to be gathered of the sayd Church of Fraunce. Which was agreed. an. 1246. Ex Mat. Paris. fol. 204. b.

Marginaliaan. 1247Shortly after this, in the yeare of our Lord. 1247. folowed a Parlamēt in Fraunce, where the kyng with his nobles beyng present, there was declared, how the kyng of Tartarians or Turkes hearyng of the viage of the French kyng, writeth a letter to hym requiryng that he will become his subiect. MarginaliaThe time of the kinges viage appointed.In the which Parlamēt time was prefixed for taking their iorney, which should be after the feast of S. Iohn Baptist, the next yeare insuing. Also they that were croysed, were sworne to persiste in their purpose and sentence of the Popes great curse denounced to all them that went from the same. Paris. fol. 211. MarginaliaThe French king ready to recompense all iniuries done to his subiectes.Fathermore for the better speede in his iorney the kyng through all his Realme caused it to bee proclamed, that if any Marchuant or other had ben iniured at any tyme by the kynges exactours, either by oppression or borowyng of money, let him bryng forth his Bill shewyng how or wherin, and he should be recompēsed. MarginaliaWilliam Longspath with other noble Englishmen, prepared to the same viage.At which time William Longspatha a worthy warrier, with the Bishop of Worcester and certein other great men in the realme of Englād, indued with the example of the French men, prepared them selues likewise to the same iourney.

The next yeare after this insuyng, which was. 1248 the French kyng yet still remainyng in his purposed iourney, Lady Blanche his mother, also the Byshop of Paris the brother, with the Lordes of his coūsaile, and