The  oft-mentioned  Master  Martin,  the  pope's  clerk,  was
in  the  mean  time  most  watchfully  and  unceasingly  busying
himself  in  collecting  revenues  in  any  way  he  pleased  for  the
use  of  the  pope,  and  in  bestowing  them  on  the  pope's  rela-
tives. But  of  his  daring  and  injurious  rapacity,  I  think  it
more  honourable  and  safer,  out  of  respect  to  the  holy  church
of  Rome,  to  be  silent,  than  to  offend  the  ears  of  my  audi-
tors, and  to  disturb  the  minds  of  Christians  by  the  relation
of  such  things.  The  revenues  of  the  treasury  of  Salisbiiry,
with  many  others,  as  above  mentioned,  were  seized  on  by
force,  and  were  especially  taken  from  religious  men.  Procu-
rations and  presents  were  required  to  be  sent  to  him  imme-
diately, and  those  who  refused  compliance  were  severely
punished.  The  king,  too,  favoured  his  cause,  and  protected
him  against  all  parties,  perhaps  from  a  hope  of  remunera-
tion ;  and  thus  the  condition  of  the  kingdom  became  most
wretched.
How  a  guard  was  set  over  the  ports  to  prevent  the  pope* s  couriers

from  entering  the  kingdom.
