Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/116

70 an expedition to the Holy Land, and for his encouragement, granted him the tenths of the revenues of England for three years. Upon this, in a very public and ſolemn manner, he took upon him the croſs; but ſome ſaid that he only wore that badge upon his ſhoulders as a good argument to get money. And he ſwore, “That after midſummer, he would begin his journey for the following three years, unleſs he were hindered by death, ſickneſs, or ſome other reaſonable impediment.” This oath he took both after the faſhion of a prieſt with his hands upon his breaſt, and after the manner of a layman, laying his right hand upon the book and kiſſing it; and yet ſays the hiſtorian, the ſtanders-by were never the ſurer.

But though the King afterwards produced the pope’s mandate, wherein by the power given him of, he granted the King his tenth, yet the biſhops oppoſed it as an unſufferable uſurpation; which put the King into the moſt frantic and impotent rage that ever was deſcribed: and though afterwards he cloſetted them, yet he could not prevail. At laſt about Eaſter a parliament was called. After fifteen days debate, the conſent of the whole parliament ſettled in theſe reſolves, “That