About Easter the barons of the land with consent of the péeres, discharged sir Hugh Spenser of his office of chéefe iustice, and placed in his roome sir Philip Basset without the kings assent, he being not made priuie therevnto. Wherevpon a new occasion of displeasure was ministered to kindle debate betwixt the king and his lords, but by the policie of the king of Almaine and some prelats, the matter was quieted for a time, till after at Hallowentide next insuing, which was the 46 yeare of K. Henries reigne. At that time the barons tooke vpon them to discharge such shiriffes as the king had elected & named gardians of the countries and shires, and in their places put other shiriffes, and besides that would not suffer the iustice which the king had admitted, to doo his office in kéeping his circuit, but appointed such to doo it, as it pleased them to assigne, wherwith the king was so much offended, that he laboured by all means to him possible about the disanulling of the ordinances made at Oxford, and vpon the second sundaie in Lent, he caused to be read at Paules crosse a bull, obteined of pope Vrbane the fourth, as a confirmation of an other bull before purchased of his predecessour pope Alexander, for the absoluing of the king, and all other that were sworne to the maintenance of the articles agréed vpon at Oxford. This absolution he caused to be shewed through the realmes of England, Wales & Ireland, giuing streight charge that if any person were found that would disobeie this absolution, the same should be committed to prison, there to remaine till the kings pleasure were further knowne. [Sidenote: _Matth. West._] [Sidenote: Many gouernors pernicious to a common-wealth.] Suerlie the most part of those péeres which had the rule of the king and kingdome thus in their hand, perceiuing the enormitie that dailie grew of so manifold heads and gouernours, were minded of themselues to dissolue those prouisions and ordinances so made at Oxford, in somuch that there were but fiue which stiffelie stood in defense of the same, that is to saie, the bishop of Worcester, and the earles of Leicester and Glocester, with Henrie Spenser, and Peter de Montfort, the which by no meanes could be brought to confesse that they might with a safe conscience go contrarie to those ordinances which they had confirmed with their solemne oth, notwithstanding the popes dispensation; whereas the same oth was rather a bond of iniquitie (as saith Matth. Westminster) deuised to conspire against Christ and his annointed, that is to saie, their naturall liege lord and lawfull king, than any godlie oth aduisedlie taken, or necessarie to be receiued of good meaning subiects, yea and of such a friuolous oth it is said, that In aqua scribitur & in puluere exaratur. [Sidenote: The king of Almaine goeth ouer into Germanie.] [Sidenote: _Fabian._] [Sidenote: The king hauing licence passeth ouer into France.] [Sidenote: He falleth sick of a feuer quartane.]