everywhere protesting that all who had granted anything to the King or any other lay person, against the will of the lord Pope, had thereby surely incurred the sentence of excommunication. The friends of Oliver, Bishop of Lincoln, who also had refused to perform the King's will, persuaded the Sheriff of Lincoln to take a fifth part of the Bishop's goods, and then restore him his possessions and lands. All the monasteries of that same episcopate, and of the whole Province of Canterbury, were taken into the King's hand, and by his command wardens were appointed who allowed to the monks the barest necessaries, while everything else was gathered into the Treasury. Whereupon the Abbots and Priors, driven by necessity, approached the King's Court, and redeemed, not their sins, but their own property, by the payment of a fourth. At that time the clergy received no justice, and clerks suffered many injuries. Churchmen were even robbed of their horses on the King's highway, and were unable to obtain justice, till they ransomed themselves and were received back into the royal protection. THE NOBLES REFUSE TO GO TO GASCONY WITHOUT THE KING (1297). +Source.+--_Walter of Hemingburgh's Chronicle_, vol. ii., pp. 121 _et seqq._ (English Historical Society Publications.) On the Festival of S. Matthew the Apostle in the same year, the King, having summoned the magnates of the kingdom without the clergy, held a Parliament at Salisbury, in which he requested some of the nobles to cross to Gascony. When all began to excuse themselves, the King grew angry, and threateningly told some of them that they would either go or that he would bestow their lands on others who were willing to go. At this many of the Barons were offended, and signs of quarrel began to be apparent. The Earl of Hereford (who was High Constable), and the Earl Marshal gave as their excuse that they would willingly perform the duties which devolved on them by hereditary right, by accompanying the King in person. The King once more repeated his request to the Earl Marshal, who replied: "Gladly will I accompany thee, Sir King, preceding thy royal person in the front rank, as is my hereditary right." "But thou wilt also accompany the others without me." "I am not bound, nor is it my will, Sir King, to set out without thee." Thereat, it is said, the King angrily burst forth: "By God, Sir Earl, thou shalt either go, or hang." "By the same oath, Sir King," replied the Earl, "I will neither go nor hang." Then, without making any agreement, he left the council, which was dissolved for that occasion. Very soon the Earl of Hereford and the Earl Marshal, gathering round them many Barons, and choosing more than thirty bannerets, had collected a great host, to the number of fifteen hundred horsemen armed for battle; and the King began to be afraid, though he concealed his fear. Then the rebels, going to their own estates, refused to allow the King's officials to take wool or hides