On S. Valentines euen, a great earthquake happened here in England, and namelie about London, on the Thames side, with the which manie buildings were ouerthrowen. These earthquakes, the seldomer they chance in England, the more dreadfull the same are, and thought to signifie some great alteration. A litle before this earthquake, the sea had ceassed from ebbing and flowing for the space of thrée moneths togither, by a long tract néere to the English shore, to the great maruell of many, for either it flowed not at all, or else so little that it might not be perceiued. And after the earthquake, there followed such a season of foule weather, that the spring séemed to be changed into winter for scarse was there anie daie without raine, till the feast of the translation of S. Benet. [Sidenote: Acts made to restraine presumptuous authoritie of the spiritualtie.] [Sidenote: The popes collectors.] [Sidenote: A shift by forbearing the name of legat.] There were at this time diuerse ordinances decréed and enacted by waie of prohibition, to restreine the authoritie of spirituall persons, as that no ecclesiasticall iudge should determine in causes of anie temporall man, except touching causes of matrimonie and testaments. They were also prohibited to sue anie actions touching tithes, before anie spirituall iudge, and the writ whereby they were prohibited, was called an Indicauit. Sundrie other such ordinances were deuised, which for bréefenesse we omit. What spéed or answer so euer the messengers had that were sent to Rome with the letters deuised in the late parlement, truth it is, that the pope sent ouer into England such of his agents as gathered no small sums of monie amongst the cleargie, as one Marinus, and an other named Iohannes Anglicus a frier minor, the which were not intituled by the name of legats, to saue the priuileges which the king had, that no legat might come into the realme without his licence. The comming ouer of these men, bicause it was to gather monie, contented not manie mens minds, as well appeared in a parlement called at Oxford about reformation thereof, but yet notwithstanding it was there agréed, that the pope should haue eleuen thousand marks to be leuied amongst them of the spiritualtie, exempt persons and places reserued. [Sidenote: The emperor of Constantinople commeth into England.] [Sidenote: A cardinall c[=o]meth into England, receiuing an oth not to preiudice ye realme.] [Sidenote: The kings halfe brethren came to sée the king.] [Sidenote: The cardinall maketh shift for monie.]