On July 26, 1245, a few weeks before Martin’s expulsion, Innocent IV. opened a general council at Lyons, in which Frederick was deposed from the imperial dignity.  Grosseteste, the chief English prelate to attend the gathering, was drawn in conflicting directions by his zeal for pope against emperor and by his dislike of curialist exactions.  This attitude of the bishop is reflected in the remonstrance, in the name of the English people, laid before Innocent, declaring the faithfulness of England to the Holy See and the wrongs with which her fidelity had been requited.  The increasing demands for money, the intrusion of aliens into English cures, and Martin’s exactions were set forth at length.  Innocent refused to entertain the petition, forced all the bishops at Lyons to join in the deprivation of the emperor, and required every English bishop to seal with his own seal the document by which John had pledged the nation to a yearly tribute.  No one could venture to stand up against the successor of St. Peter, and so, despite futile remonstrance, Innocent still had it all his own way.  In 1250 Grosseteste again met Innocent face to face at Lyons, and urged him to “put to flight the evils and purge the abominations” which the Roman see had done so much to foster.  But this outspoken declaration was equally without result.  Bold as were Grosseteste’s words, he fully accepted the curialist theory which regarded the pope as the universal bishop, the divinely appointed source of all ecclesiastical jurisdiction.  He could therefore do no more than protest.  If the pope chose to disregard him, there was nothing to be done but wait patiently for better times.  The plague of foreign ecclesiastics was still to torment the English Church for many a year.

The king’s difficulties were increased by fresh troubles in Scotland and Wales.  The friendship between Henry and his brother-in-law, Alexander II., was weakened by the death of the Queen of Scots and by Alexander’s marriage to a French lady in 1239.  At last, in 1244, relations were so threatening that the English levies were mustered for a campaign at Newcastle.  However, on the mediation of Richard of Cornwall, Alexander bound himself not to make alliances with England’s enemies, and the trouble passed away.  In Wales the difficulties were more complicated.  Llewelyn ap Iorwerth died in 1240, full of years and honour.  In the last years of his reign broken health and the revolts of his eldest son Griffith made the old chieftain anxious for peace with England, as the best way of securing the succession to all his dominions of David, his son by Joan of Anjou.  Henry III., anxious that David as his nephew should inherit the principality, granted a temporary cessation of hostilities.  After Llewelyn’s death David was accepted as Prince of Snowdon, and made his way to Gloucester, where he performed homage, and was dubbed knight by his uncle.  Next year, however, hostilities broke out, and Henry, disgusted with his