After that king Henrie had continued there for his pleasure certeine daies, he returned to England, landing at Douer in Christmasse wéeke. This iournie into Gascoigne was verie costlie, and to small purpose (as writers haue recorded) for the kings charges amounted to the summe of 27 hundred thousand pounds and aboue, except lands and rents, which he gaue vnaduisedlie to those which little deserued, but rather sought the hinderance both of him and his realme, besides the gift of 30 thousand marks, which he bestowed vpon his halfe brethren by the mothers side, not reckoning the lands nor rents, neither yet the wards nor the horsses, nor iewels which he gaue to them besides, being of price inestimable. Thus in two iournies which he made, the one into Poictou, which countrie he lost; and the other into Gascoigne, which he hardlie preserued; he spent more treasure than a wise chapman would haue giuen for them both if they had béene set on sale (as Matthew Paris writeth) so that it might be verified in him that is meant by the old prouerbe, Qui procul excurrit, sed nil mercatur ibidem, Si via longa fuit, rediens tristatur hic idem. [Sidenote: The pope offereth ye kingdome of Sicill vnto the king of England.] [Sidenote: The K. maketh great shift for monie to send to the pope.] Moreouer to increase the kings vaine charges, so it fell out, that pope Innocent bearing grudge towards Conrade king of Sicill, offered that kingdome (as before is partlie touched) to Richard duke of Cornewall, who refused the offer, as well for other causes, as chieflie for that the pope would not agrée to such conditions as earle Richard thought necessarie for his assurance. Wherevpon the pope granted that kingdome vnto king Henrie, with manie goodlie promises of aid to his furtherance for atteining the possession thereof. King Henrie ioifullie receiued that grant, and called his sonne Edmund openlie by the name of K. of Sicill, and to furnish the pope with monie for the maintenance of his war against Conrade, he got togither all such sums as he could make, as well out of his owne coffers, and out of the excheker, as by borrowing of his brother earle Richard, and likewise what he could scrape from the Iewes, or otherwise extort by the rapine of the iustices itinerants: all which he sent to the pope, who not content herwith (when he began eftsoons to want) wrote againe to the king for more. [Sidenote: He sendeth to the pope a warant to take vp monie.] [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] [Sidenote: The pope is liberall of an others mans pursse.] [Sidenote: Manfred proclaimed king of Sicill.]