s protection against an invasion which the king of Castile
made upon that territory. Henry returned into Guienne, and was more
successful in this expedition; but he thereby involved himself and his
nobility in an enormous debt, which both increased their discontents,
and exposed him to greater danger from their enterprises.[**]

* M. Paris, p. 393, 394, 398, 399, 405. W. Heming. p. 574.
Chron. Dunst. vol. i. p. 153.

** M. Paris, p. 414.

Want of economy and an ill-judged liberality were Henry's great defects;
and his debts, even before this expedition, had become so troublesome,
that he sold all his plate and jewels, in order to discharge them. When
this expedient was first proposed to him, he asked where he should find
purchasers. It was replied, the citizens of London. "On my word," said
he, "if the treasury of Augustus were brought to sale, the citizens are
able to be the purchasers: these clowns, who assume to themselves
the name of barons, abound in every thing, while we are reduced to
necessities."[*] And he was thenceforth observed to be more forward and
greedy in his exactions upon the citizens.[**]

But the grievances which the English during this reign had reason
to complain of in the civil government, seem to have been still less
burdensome than those which they suffered from the usurpations and
exactions of the court of Rome. On the death of Langton, in 1228, the
monks of Christ-church elected Walter de Hemesham, one of their own
body, for his successor: but as Henry refused to confirm the election,
the pope, at his desire, annulled it;[***] and immediately appointed
Richard, chancellor of Lincoln, for archbishop, without waiting for a
new election. On the death of Richard, in 1231, the monks elected Ralph
de Neville, bishop of Chichester; and though Henry was much pleased with
the election, the pope, who thought that prelate too much attached
to the crown, assumed the power of annulling his election.[****] He
rejected two clergymen more, whom the monks had successively chosen; and
he at last told them that, if they would elect Edmond, treasurer of the
church of Salisbury, he would confirm their choice; and his nomination
was complied with. The pope had the prudence to appoint both times very
worthy primates; but men could not forbear observing his intention of
thus drawing gradually to himself the right of bestowing that important
dignity.

* M. Paris, p. 501.

** M. Paris,