Here begynneth a shorte and abreue table on the Cronycles ...

How y^e pope sēte in to Englonde a legate y^t was called Swalo & of y^e deth of kynge Iohan.

ANd in the same tyme the pope sente in to Englond a Legate / that was called Swalo / and he was preest Cardynall of Ro∣me / for to mayntene kynge Iohans cause / a∣yenst the barons of Englond. But the barons had so huge parte & helpe / thorugh lowys the kynges sone of Fraūce / that kyng Iohn̄ wyst not to ••orne ne go. And so it befell that he wol¦de haue gone to Nycholl· And as he went thy¦der warde / he came by the abbaye of Swynes hede / & there he abode two dayes And as he sa∣te at mete / he axed a monke of y^e hous how mo∣che that a loof was wroth that was sette befo∣re hym vpō the table / And the monke sayd ••hat the loof was wroth but an half peny. O sayd the kynge tho. Here is greate chepe of brede. Now sayde he tho / and I may leue ony whyle suche a loof shall be wrothe .xx. shelynges or half a yere be gone. And so whan he sayd this worde / moche he thought / & often he syghed / & toke and ete of the brede / and sayd by god / y^e worde that I haue spoken / it shall be sothe· ¶The mōke that stode before the kyng was for this worde full sory in hys herte / & thought rather he wolde hym self suffre deth / & thought yf he myght ordeyne therfore some maner re∣medy. And anone the monke wente vnto hys

abbot and was shryuen of hym / and tolde the abbot all that the kynge had sayd. And prayed hys abbot for to assoyle hym / for he wolde ye¦ue the kynge suche a drynke that all Englond sholde be glad therof and Ioyfull Tho yede the monke in to a gardeine / and foūde a grete tode therin / and toke her vp and put her in a cuppe & prycked the tode thorugh with a broche ma∣ny tymes tyll that the venym came out of eue∣ry syde in the cuppe And tho tooke the cuppe & fyllyed it with good ale / and brought it before the kyng knelynge sayenge. Syr sayd he was∣sayll / for euer the dayes of all your lyf dronke ye of so good a cuppe. ¶Begyne monke sayd the kynge. ¶And the monke dranke a greate draught / and toke the kynge the cuppe / and y^e kynge dranke also a greate draught / and sette downe the cuppe. The monke anon ryght wen¦te in to farmere & there deyed anone / on who∣os soule god haue mercy Amen. And fyue mon¦kes synge for his soule specyally / & shall whyle that the abbaye standeth. The kynge rose vp anone full euyll at ease and commaūded to re∣meue the table / and axed after the monke. And men tolde hym that he was deed / for his wom∣be was broken in sondre. ¶Whan y^e kyng her¦de this / he cōmaunded for to trusse / but it was for nought / for is bely began to swelle for the drynke y^t he had drōke / & within two dayes he deyed on y^e morowe after saynt Lukys daye / & had many fayr chyldern of his body begaten / that is to say. Hēry his sone y^t was kyng after Iohan his fader / & Rycharde that was Erle of Cornewaylle / and ysabell that was Empresse of Rome / & Elenore that was quene of Scot∣londe. And this kyng Iohan whan he had reg∣ned .xiiii. yere & fyue monethes & fyue dayes / he deyed in the castell of ne werke. And his bo¦dy was buryed at wynchestre.