ROGER OF WENDOVER. ΓΛ.Ο. 1220. once the money which was required, that he might send it directly to the pope, and that afterwards they could recover the same in full from the tithes which were to he taken from every one. For he said that the pope was involved in so many debts, that he did not at all know how he should sustain the war which he had commenced. And then dissolving the council all went away murmuring. Of the priev'iits e.eaetinn of the said tithes. After this master Stephen sent letters to each of the bishops, abbats, priors, and religious men of every condition throughout the kingdom, ordering them, under the penalty of excommunication and interdict, to send to him on such a day a certain sum out of the money which had been lately proved, and made by the penny weight, in order that he might satisfy the pope's creditors, and that they might avoid the punishment of an interdict ; in his execution of this business be practised such unjust extortion, that he compelled every one to give him the value of the tenth part, even from the crops of the coming autumn, which were still in the blade. The prelates then, having no other resource, took the chalices, goblets, phylacteries, and other holy vessels from the churches, some of which they sold, and pledged others at interest. The country was filled with incessant, although secret, maledictions, and all prayed that such an exaction might never be productive of advantage to their exactors. Ralph earl of Chester was the oidy one who refused to reduce bis territory to bondage, and did not permit the religious men and clerks to contribute these tithes from his fee, although Kngland and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, were all compelled to pay them. However in this tithing one circumstance gave some slight consolation and comfort, which was that the continental kingdoms and those at a distance were not free from this taxation. When at length the full amount of money collected in this way retched the supreme pontiff, he liberally distributed it to John de Rrieime and the other chiefs of his army, and this caused serious injury to the emperor, for in his absence they destroyed his towns and castles. In the same year, on the 27th of May. Robert de Bingeham bishop elect of Salisbury, was consecrated at Shepton, by W illiani bishop of Worcester, assisted by the bishops Jocelvn of Bath and Alexander of Coventry.* In this year too, on Whit-Sunday, the • Paris adds:—"Who undertook the episcopal office under happy auspices and, with the help of (iod, the kin;;, and tiie people, he vigorously prosecuted the building of the new church which his predecessor. Kiciwud, had, with no small lioidncss, commenced. Hence some poet has composed a clever verse, as follows :—• Ilex Inrgitiir OJM-S, fert pr;n-u! opem, lapicida? Dant operani ; tribus les est opus ut stet opus." It is impossible to express this in lavish.