An abridgement of the book of acts and monuments of the ChurchAn abridgement of the booke of acts and monumentes of the Church

These things thus done, anno 1304. §1304about the nativity of the Virgin Mary, came a garrison of harnessed Soldiers well appointed, sent partly by the French king, partly by ⟨p. 240⟩the Cardinals, Columpna whom the Pope before had deposed unto the gates of Auragum, where the Pope did hide himself,¹ because he was borne in the town, the captains of which army was one Schaira brother to the foresaid cardinals, and another William de Longareto, high steward to the French king, who invading the Popes town, and finding the gates open, gave assault to the Popes Frontier, where he with his Nephew or Marquess, and four other Cardinals were immured. The townsmen seeing all their strength to be bent against the pope, caused the common bell to be rung, and so assembling themselves in a common council, ordained Adulphus ²one of the chiefest rulers of the town for their Captain, who (unknown to them) was a great adversary to the Pope. This Adulphus bringing with him Reginaldus de Supina, ³a great Lord in Campania, and the two sons of John Chitan, a noble man, whose Father the Pope had then in prison: at length joined him with the French company against the Pope, and so beset his palace on every side: and first setting upon the palaces of the three Cardinals, which were then chief about the Pope,⁴ rifled, and spoiled all their goods: the Cardinals by a back door, hardly escaped their hands. But the popes palace, through munition and strength of the Marquess, was something better defended. At length, the Pope perceiving himself not able to make his party good, desired truce with Schaira and his company,⁵ which was granted him from one of the clock till nine.

These things thus done, anno 1304. §1304