second, to sée reformation in certeine points touching the church: but
his cheefe errand was to correct preests that still kept their wiues
with them. At his first comming ouer he soiourned in colledges of
cathedrall churches, and in abbeies, addicting himselfe to lucre &
wantonnesse, reaping where he had not sowen. At length, about the feast
of the natiuitie of our ladie, he called a conuocation of the cleargie
at London, where making an oration, he inueihed sore against those of
the spiritualtie that were spotted with any note of incontinencie. Manie
thought themselues touched with his words, who hauing smelled somewhat
of his secret tricks, that whereas he was a most licentious liuer, and
an vnchast person of bodie and mind, vet he was so blinded, that he
could not perceiue the beame in his own eies, whilest he espied a mote
in another mans. Herevpon they grudged, that he should in such wise call
other men to accompts for their honest demeanor of life, which could not
render any good reckoning of his owne: insomuch that they watched him so
narrowlie, that in the euening (after he had blown his horne so lowd
against other men; in declaring that it was a shamefull vice to rise
from the side of a strumpet, and presume to sacrifice the bodie of
Christ) he was taken in bed with a strumpet, to his owne shame and
reproch. [Sidenote: But this shuld not séem to be any iust excuse, for
_M.P._ saith that the same day he consecrated the Lords bodie, &
therefore he must néeds be a préest.] But being reprooued thereof, he
alledged this excuse (as some write) that he was no preest, but a
reformer of preests. Howbeit to conclude, being thus defamed, he got him
backe to Rome againe from whence he came, without any performance of
that whereabout he was sent.

But to returne to king Henrie, who whilest he remained in Normandie
(which was a long time after the apprehension of the two foresaid
earles) vnderstood that his sonne in lawe Henrie the emperour was