A.D. 1294. PETEB DE ΜϋΒΟΒΓ ELECTED POPE. 503 crable sacrilege took place in the church of God, throughout the entire kingdom of England, such as had not happened before, and such as it is believed had not been committed for many preceding ages. And this measure did not, as we believe, proceed from the conscience of the lord the king ; but rather, the author of this proceeding was Master William de March, at that time treasurer of the lord the king, who, in reference to this action, ought not to be spoken of as bishop of Bath, but as a tyrant, who did not defend, but who offended the church. At all events, he was the actor, whoever he may have been by whose authority it was done. And because he thus violated the temple of the world, he had better beware of the anathema of Saint Paul, who has said, "If any one violates the temple of the Lord, God will destroy him." At this time the king of England was staying at Portsmouth, constantly waiting for a fair wind, from the feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist to that of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross ; for, during the whole of that time, it was contrary to the wishes of himself and his people. Therefore the king, for the further increase of his army, commanded the release of all who were in prison, and promised pardon to all the malefactors and fugitives, on condition that when he first crossed the sea, they should also cross with the king's faithful subjects ; and they all rejoiced, and unanimously promised to do so. And accordingly, many thousands of such persons soon flocked in to the king ; but after a short time they murmured against the good man of the house for their daily pence, and so went back and departed from their dependence on the king. Therefore the king, being pricked in his heart with grief, and taking care for the future, swore that from that time forth he would never grant dismissory letters to such wicked men. At this time, Lord John de Sanfbrd, archbishop of Dublin, having been attacked by a severe illness, went the way of all flesh. The same year, also, a certain monk, named Peter de Mnron, of the order of Saint Benedict, who had lived for a long time in the solitude of a hermitage, was, in the city of Aquileia, elected and created supreme pontiff, on the day of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist, and assumed the name of pope Celestine the Fifth. He was a man of simplicity and uprightness, and one who feared God, and was distin guished for his virtues. On his way to the court, he did not