byshop of Appanna, and Gerard Archebyshop of Aurience, and Iohn byshop of Ebrons, and diuerse other of that stampe, whose replicatiōs and opinions, if they were here put downe, they would appeare, in that behalfe, good and substantiall geare I do warrant you.

In the meane tyme whyle the kynge was thus abroade besely occupied in his affayres, much disquietnes and perturbation happened at home, by reason of the Chauncellour named William, byshop of Ely,  

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William Longchamp

The Foxe Project was not able to complete the commentary on this section of text by the date by which this online edition was compiled (23 September 2008). This commentary will become available in due course from the 'Late Additions and Corrections' page of the edition.

What tyme kyng Rychard was appoynted to set forwarde in his iourney, he committed the custody of his Realme to the hādes of foure men, to wyt, two Prelates, and two lay men, of whom the two Prelates, which were Hugh byshop of Duresme, and William byshoppe of Ely were the chiefe and principall. These two falling at variance betwene them selues for superioritie, at length this order was taken of þ^e kyng, þ^t the B. of Duresme (who a litle before had purchased of the kyng certē free lordships, and also to remayne as iustice without control or checke) should haue vnder his custody from Humbre to the Scottyshe sea: the other byshop whiche was of Ely, the kyng ordeyned to bee his chauncellor, hauing vnder his gouernmēt from the sayde floode of Humber, all the south partes besydes. But the sayde Ely being more ambitious, so practised with þ^e kyng, that with the kynges Ambassadours sendyng his letters to the Pope, he obteined there the autoritie legatiue vpon the whole realme of Englande, as the Popes letters to him agayne directed may appeare.

MarginaliaThe popes letter to the B. of Ely.CLemens Episcopus &c. Iuxta commendabile desiderium charißimi in domino filij nostri illustrissimi Anglorum regis, fraternitati tui, legationis offitium in tota Anglia Walliatam per Cantuarien sem quam per Eboracensem archiepiscopatum, & in illis Hyberniæ partibus, in quibus nobilis vir Ioannes Comes Moretonij, frater ipsius Regis potestatem habet & dominium, autoritate Apostolica duximus committendum. Datum nono Iunij pontif. Nostri anno 3.

Thus this Byshop beyng autorised frō the Pope, toke no litle state vpon hym in the absence of the kyng, in such ambitious and proud sort þ^t he made al the Realme crie out on hym. This William surnamed Langchampe, who cōming of a base stock after he had aspyred to be Byshop of Ely, then to be Chauncellour of England, and after the Popes Legate, hauing now in the absence of the kyng the whole rule and gouernement of the Realme in his owne hand, grew out of measure, in suche pompe & pryde, that he became intollerable both to theClergie and to the Laitie. Fyrst, he begynneth to assemble a generall councell together at Lōdon. The colour and pretēce was for religion: but in very dede saye the olde storyes, the cause was his owne pompe and ambition with importunate oppression of the Clergie. And no lesse troublesome also was he to the Laitie, wōderfully oppressing the commons, abusing the kyngs autoritie, aduansing his own ioylytie & vaine glorie. His vse was to ryde with a thousand horses continually, so that the noble mēs sonnes were gladde to become his slaues. And with the best Barons and Earles. &c. maried he his cosins, neces, and kynswomen, (I wyll not saye his doughters) MarginaliaPlowmen Cowherde& for all that his graūd father was but a poore plowman, and his father a cowherd. And hauing so tyrannously abused his office, fearing least he shoulde haue bene called to his examination, fled with a few of his trusty seruauntes to Douer castel, myndyng to haue stollen ouer the sea: and cōming in the night in a womans apparel, with a pece of cloth vnder his arme, and a meteyarde in his hande, vpon suspicion (as God would haue it) beyng knowen what he was, his kerchef was pulled of his head, MarginaliaBalams marke.his Balams marke or shauē crowne appeared on his head. And then was he drawen along by the sea on the sandes, with a great wonderyng of all the people: some rated hym, some reuiled hym, some bespatteled hym, some drawing him by the armes, some by the legges from place to place, his owne seruauntes not beyng able to helpe hym. At last they brought him to a darke seller, where they couered hym with shame enough, til the counsell of the Realme sent for hym, and after was brought to the Towre of Londō, emprysoned, examined, depriued, and banyshed the Realme and at lengthe restored by kyng Rychard, and after beyng sent to Rome, there by the waye died Anno. 1197.

But of this vayne glorous prelate enough and to muche. Nowe to retourne agayne to Richard, concerning whose worthy actes done abroade, in getting of Cyprus, Accon, and Ptolemaida, in pacifiyng Ioppe &c. partly is spokē before. Mary other valiant and famous actes were by hym and the Frenche kyng acheued, and mo should haue bene, had not those twoo kynges fallyng into discorde, disceuered them selues, by reason whereof Phylippe the Frēch king returned home again within short space. And not lōg after K. Richard þ^e next spring followyng returned also. Who in his returne driuen by distresse of weather about the parties of Austria, in a towne called Synaca, was there taken by Hubald Duke of the same countrey, and so sold to the Emperour for threscore thousand markes. Marginalia1192.Who for no shall ioye thereof, wryteth to Phylippe the Frenche kyng these letters here followyng.