Regesta 30: 1265-1268 | British History Online

Pages 419-422

Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 1, 1198-1304. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1893.

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Citation:

Regesta, VOL. XXX. (fn. 1)

1 Clement IV.



1265. 14. Kal. Aug. Perugia. (f. 8.)	To Ottobon, cardinal of St. Adrian's, papal legate, encouraging him in his mission, and warning him not to admit a treaty of false peace until the pestilent man, with all his progeny, be plucked out of the realm of England. Manfred with his army of Suracens and other infidels is coming; if he gets near to Rome, the pope fears for the meeting with his king, who is more eager than the pope wishes.
10 Kal. April. Perugia. (f. 11.)	To the queen of England. The pope has received and heard the envoys sent by the king and herself, and proposes to send a legate; but remembering the contempt with which the English treated him when he was in a lower office, he thinks it better to wait for a month, by which time he hopes they will have come to a better mind. (See Vol. 33, f. 13.)
Kal. Oct. Perugia. (f. 15.)	To Ottobon, cardinal of St. Adrian's Mandate to enter England and support the king, preaching, if necessary, a crusade, or causing it to be done if he cannot enter the realm. He is to have recourse to the king of France. If the bishops of London, Worcester, Lincoln, and Ely assist him, he is to absolve them; but if they adhered to Simon, late earl of Leicester, or his accomplices, or did not obey the papal interdict, they are to be suspended.
2 Id. Nov. Perugia. (f. 18.)	To the same. The bishops of Worcester, Lincoln, London, and Ely are to be absolved from the sentence of excommunication; but that of suspension is to be continued until the pope sends further orders.
15 Kal. Dec. Perugia. (f. 19.)	To the same, touching the king of Sicily, who is the staff of the pope's old age.
3 Kal. Dec. Perugia. (f. 19d.)	To Ottobon, cardinal of St. Adrian's, papal legate to England, Wales and Ireland, complaining of Simon, Earl of Leicester, who, when the pope was legate, suppressed his letters, and detained his messengers, refusing them access. The bishops of London, Worcester, Winchester, with some nobles, appeared before him at Boulogne, and on being ordered on their return to observe the papal sentences against Simon and his accomplices, treated the orders with contempt. Now that he has become pope, he orders the above cardinal to cite the three bishops, under pain of deposition, to appear before him on Lætare Sunday to receive their deserts. He is ordered to send a full report to the pope.
1265. 5 Id. Dec. Perugia. (f. 20.)	To the same, informing him of the grant of 300 silver marks a year to be assigned to those who, being in need, solicit the pope; and directing him to make provision to Henry bishop of Ostia, and O[ctavian], cardinal of St. Mary's in Via Lata, avoiding scandal as far as possible; and also to write fully to the pope about his mission. The troops from beyond the mountains, coming to help king C. [of Sicily], are close to Milan.
2 Kal. June. Viterbo. (f. 34.)	To the archbishop of York, thanking him for having written in answer to the pope's requests made on behalf of deserving clerks, to which the pope hopes that he will pay attention.

2 Clement IV.



1266. 17 Kal. June. Viterbo. (f. 38.)	To Ottobon, cardinal of St. Adrian's, papal legate. The pope, understanding from his letters that his condition and that of his business are doubtful, points out that if he leaves the country where he came to reform, his object will be completely defeated, the king, queen, and their family delivered to death, and so noble a fief of the Roman church lost without hope of recovery. On the other hand, considering his fears, and his taking refuge in a castle, a proof of uselessness, it would be thought cruel to expose him to death or extreme confusion. He reminds him that, if he leaves, future evils will be ascribed to him. But as God knows all things, and will deal with the legate as he deserves, if the cardinal remains and succeeds, it will be to his merit; if he remains and fails, God will be with him. The pope has sent answers to all his letters, but does not know whether he has received them. He suspends the business of the bishops until he hears more of the state of legate and the realm.
14 Kal. July. Viterbo. (f. 38d.)	Mandate to the same to give benediction to William de Maleberge, abbot elect of Evesham, whose examination was committed by Urban to the present pope [when legate], but could not be carried out by reason of his being forbidden to enter the realm, and by the death of Urban. The form of the election was approved by the late pope, but if the said William be found unfit, his election is to be cancelled, and a fit person appointed.
10 Kal. July. Viterbo. (f. 39.)	To Roger called ‘Bacon,’ a Friar Minor, thanking him for his letters and for the explanation of them given viva voce by G. called ‘Bone Cornules.’ The pope orders him to send a fair copy of the work, which he asked him to communicate to Raymund de Lauduno as soon as possible, and to declare by his letters what remedies he thinks should be applied touching the matters of importance which he has intimated. This should be done secretly. [Rog. Baconi Opera Inedita, p. 1.]
8 Id. May. Viterbo. (f. 40d.)	To cardinal Ottobon, on receiving his letters describing the state of the realm, with the schedule of the agreement to be made between the king and the corsairs (maris latrunculos); also the process against the bishops of London and Chichester, and two others. The pope trusts that the legate will be able to go on with his difficult mission, and encourages him. He adds an account of affairs in Sicily and Italy.
5 Id. Oct. Viterbo. (f. 47.)	To the same, adjuring him to send most secretly the names of persons in England devoted to the apostolic see, with other particulars, so that provision may be made by the pope to windowed sees.
8 Kal. Nov. Viterbo. (f. 49.)	To the same, desiring him to procure that from money collected in England for the Holy Land be paid the stipends of 500 foot crossbowmen, who are about to set out; and telling him to write at once about the state of the realm and the success of his mission.

3 Clement IV.



1267. 5 Id. May. Viterbo. (f. 57.)	To the bishop of Lincoln; reproves him for going to France and joining the enemies of the king of England, disclosing to them his secrets, and allowing them to use his servants to communicate with England. The pope blames him for associating with excommunicated men, and orders him to desist from these practices, and return to his church, and give aid to the king and the cause of peace.
Ibid.	To Ottobon, cardinal of St. Adrian's, papal legate. The pope will suspend the business of the bishop of Lincoln until he has ended those of the bishops of London, Winchester, and Chichester, which he will not do without cause. Gives him news of the king of Sicily and his treaty with the pope.
2 Kal. Aug. Viterbo. (f. 62d.)	To [Boniface of Savoy], archbishop of Canterbury, desiring him to assist the legate. The pope has reserved the benefices which the archbishop's brother P[hilip], now count of Burgundy, then [archbishop] elect of Lyons, held in the diocese of Canterbury, annulling whatever the archbishop or any other may do, or have done, in regard to them. Touching that said to be of greater value, the pope will receive the archbishop's recommendation in favour of some one who speaks English.
9 Kal. Dec. Viterbo. (f. 69.)	To Ottobon, cardinal of St. Adrian's, papal legate, who has asked to he recalled; leaving it to him to do what be thinks fitting for himself, for the good of the realm of England, and for the church; giving him leave to visit Compostella, as he has vowed, or to return to Rome, where his vow will be commuted; but if he goes to Spain, is to give to the pope an account of the fallen state of the churches of that country. Gives news of the movements of the king of Sicily and others.
1268. 19 Kal. Feb. Viterbo. (f. 70.)	To Lewis IX. Conradin, eldest son of the king of England, has asked counsel of the pope about taking the cross; to whom the pope has replied that, since the peace of England is still fresh and the minds of many are prone to bitterness, it would be unsafe to leave his aged father in such hands; nor could he expect the aid he asked, since the English church is subject to four burdens: first, that in the schism the prelates were put to unbearable expenses; second, that all the churches were despolied by robbers; third, that, in fear of a foreign army, a tenth of church revenues was granted to the barons; fourth, that as a penalty of the above excess, the pope ordered another tenth to be given to the king. To help him from former collections for the Holy Land was out of place. The pope requests the king of France to bind himself and his subjects to help the royal house of England if, when the prince joins him in the crusade, fresh strife breaks out in England; but of this the pope has made no mention. Enquiries shall be secretly made as to whether B. queen of Sicily died intestate. News is given of matters relating to France, Spain, and Germany. Will be just to the countess of Leicester and her sons. The king of England has someone to defend him against them in the papal court; but no one has yet appeared for them.
Id. Feb. Viterbo. (f. 72.)	To [Henry III.], whose petitions the pope has answered; but as regards his grievance that the pope had listened to the countess of Leicester pleading against him, and appointed a time within which he had to reply, the pope says that, without meddling with the king's rights, he wishes his own to be preserved, and will send the countess's petition, that the king may show cause, if he can, for declining to appear before the pope. (See Vol. 34. f. 108d.)

4 Clement IV.



n.d. 6 Non. Mar. Viterbo. (f. 77.)	To [Nicholas], bishop of Winchester, who, on the death of John, was appointed by the pope, against whom, when legate in England, he made frivolous appeals. The pope now orders him to act so as to deserve the favour of the apostolic see. (See Vol. 34. f. 117.)