58 THE ANNALS OF BURTON ABBEY 
Pandulf: You allege you are bound to obey the Lord Pope in spiritual 
matters but not in temporal matters. We say you ought to obey the Lord 
Pope in temporal as well as spiritual matters. Did you not swear faith to 
God, obedience to the Pope, and to respect the rights of the Church when 
you assumed the reins of government. 
The King: Yon offer threats, do you wish to make me subject to you as 
you have done to my nephew Otto, the Emperor. For I have heard from 
him that you have elected another Emperor in Germany. 
Pandulf: It is true, and the Pope believes, and it is certain that as he has 
made that man an Emperor so he can make another. . . . The Pope 
has excommunicated you, and the sentence takes effect as soon as it is 
delivered to you. 
The King: And what more? 
Pandulf: From this day we absclve all Englishmen from holding com- 
munication with you, and those who do hold communication with you let 
them know that they are excommunicated. 
The King: And what more ? 
Pandulf: From this day we absolve all earls, barons, knights, clerics 
all free men, and all men of the Christian faith dwelling in your territories 
from all service and homage which they owe toyou . . For the last 
two years dukes, earls, and barons have asked the Pope to absolve them, so 
that they might enter your land with a strong force, and they would bestow 
the kingdom on whomsoever the Pope’s choice fell The Pope indeed 
intends to send his army into England; Holy Church wisely wishes to 
declare its right and with its children to assert its right. When the Pope 
will send his army into England you must all be present and render 
fealty to the leader of the army. If you do not so you will be consigned 
to everlasting punishment ! 
The King; What more can you do? 
Pandulf: In the name of God we tell you that neither you nor any heir 
whom you may beget can after this be crowned King. 
The King: It had been intimated to me by my messengers, or rather 
hirelings, that you at the Roman Court would advance my cause, and that 
you loved me. Now indeed I see that you do not favour my cause, but you 
wish me never to reign for the future, but by Him who rules over all if you 
enter my territory I will make you and yours hang. I have not asked you 
to announce such things to me. but to defend my cause.” 
The chief European event during the reign of Henry III. was 
the long and bitter dispute between the Emperor Frederick II. and 
the Pope, and it was for the purpose of raising money for the Pope 
in this contest that the clergy of England and the monasteries were 
so heavily taxed by the Papal legates, At the Council of Lyons 
