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A09061 An ansvvere to the fifth part of Reportes lately set forth by Syr Edvvard Cooke Knight, the Kinges Attorney generall Concerning the ancient & moderne municipall lawes of England, vvhich do apperteyne to spirituall power & iurisdiction. By occasion vvherof, & of the principall question set dovvne in the sequent page, there is laid forth an euident, plaine, & perspicuous demonstration of the continuance of Catholicke religion in England, from our first Kings christened, vnto these dayes. By a Catholicke deuyne. Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. 1606 (1606) STC 19352; ESTC S114058 393,956 513

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visitation of the Ecclesiasticall estate and persons and for their reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of errors heresies c. is given to the Queene with full power and authoritie to assigne nominate and authorize others also to exercise and execute vnder her highnes all and all manner of Iurisdiction priuiledges and preheminences in anie wise touching or concerning anie spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction and to visit reforme redresse order correct and amend c. 19. Which words may seem by their often naming of visitation and visiting that they meant onlie to make the Queene a visitrix ouer the Cleargie which importeth much limitation of supreme power and yet on the other side they giue her all Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall that euer hath been heertofore or may be exercised by anie Ecclesiasticall authoritie or person and that both she and her substitutes haue all and all manner of Iurisdiction priuiledges and preheminences concerning spirituall affaires as you haue heard So as on the one side they seeme to restraine and limitt not calling her head of the Church as before in the stile of K. Henrie and K. Edward was accustomed but rather a supreme Visitrix as by these words appeereth And on the otherside they giuing her all and all manner of Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall that by anie power or person Ecclesiasticall hath euer heertofore been vsed or may be vsed including no doubt therin both the Pope and all other Bishops or Archbishops that euer haue exercised Iurisdiction in England they make her spirituall head of the Church in the highest degree giuing her the thinge without the name and dazeling the eyes of the ordinarie Reader with these multitude of words subtilie couched togeather And why so thinke yon I shall breefly disclose the mysterie of this matter 20. When K. Henry the eight had taken the Title of Supreame head of the Church vpon him as also the gouernours of K. Edward had giuen the same vnto him being but yet a child of 9. years old the Protestants of other Countries which were glad to se England brake more and more from the Pope whome they feared yet not willing insteed therof to put themselues wholie vnder temporall Princes but rather to rest at their owne libertie of chosing congregations and presbyteryes to gouerne began to mislike with this English stile of Supreame head as well the Lutheranes as appeereth by diuers of their writings as also the Zuinglians and much more afterward the Caluinists whereupon Iohn Caluin their head and founder in his Commentary vpon Amos the Prophet inueigheth bitterlie against the said Title and authoritie of supreame head taken first by King Henry and saith it was Tyrannicall and impious And the same assertion he held during his life as after by occasion more particularlie shall be shewed And the whole body of Caluinists throughout other Countryes are of the same opinion and faith though in England they be vpon this point deuided into Protestants and Puritans as all men know 21. This then being the State of thinges when Q. Elizabeth began her Raigne those that were neerest about her and most preuailed in Counsell inclining to haue a change in Religion that therby also other changes of dignities offices and liuings might insue and desiring to reduce all to the new Queens disposition but yet finding great difficultie and resistance in many of the Caluinists to giue the accustomed Title of headship in respect of Iohn Caluins reprobation therof they deuised a new forme and featute of words wherby couertly to giue the substance without the name that is to saie the whole spirituall power iurisdiction of supreame head vnder the name of Visitrix or supreame gouernesse as in the Oath of the same Statute is set downe where euery man vnder forfiture of all his lands and liuings and life also in the third time is bound to sweare and professe that he beleiueth in his cōscience that the said Qneene is supreame gouernesse in all causes Ecclesiastical in this sense and that there is no other Spirituall power or Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction ouer soules in England but this of the Qneene or such as commeth from her And this was also the high iniquitie of this tragicall Comedye among other that the whole Realme being almost all Catholike and of a contrarie beleife at that time was forced to sweare within thirtie daies after the said Act to this fantasticall deuise of giuing supreame authoritie Spirituall to a woman wherof by naturall diuine and humane law she is not capable as in the next chapter shall bee proued being a deuise of some few in a corner first and then procured by negociation to passe in Parlament or els to incurre the daunger of the foresaid penalties that is to saie either sacrilegiouslie to forsweare themselues against their consciences or to vndoe themselues and theirs in wordlie affaires a hard and miserable choise 22. But now to the point it self what reall and substantiall difference thinke you can their be imagined between the spirituall Authortie of Head-ship giuen vnto K. Henry the 8. by the Statute of the 26. yeare of his reigne and this of visitrix or supreame gouernesse giuen to Q. Elizabeth in the first of her reigne Was not the self-same power and Iurisdiction ment to be giuen And if there bee no difference in the thing it self why doe they fly the word in this which they vsed in that and why doe they vse such large circumloquutions of visiting ordering redressing and the like For as for K. Henries statute it beareth this Title An act concerning the Kings highnes to be supreame head of the Church of England c. And in the statute it self it is said Be it enacted by the Authoritie of this present Parlament that the King our soueraigne Lord his heirs and successors shall be taken accepted and reputed the onlie supreame head on earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia And the same Title was 9. or 10. years after giuen in like manner to K. Edward the sixt by the same Authoritie of Parlament if in this Case it had anie authoritie anecting also therunto all Iurisdiction spirituall whatsoeuer as it appeereth by a certaine declaration therof made in the Statute of the first year of the said King It saith thus That for so much as all authoritie of iurisdiction spirituall and temporall is deriued and deducted from the Kings Maiestie as supreame head of these Churches and Realmes of England and Ireland and so iustlie acknowledged by the Cleargie therof and that all Courts Ecclesiasticall within these said two Realmes be kept by no other power and authority either forreine or within the Realme but by the Authoritie of his most excelent Maiesty Be it therfore enacted that all sommons and citations and other processes Ecclesiasticall in all causes of Bastardy Bygamye and such like called Ecclesiasticall shall be made in the name of our King c. And that in
though more fitlie the same might haue byn shewed out of many Christian authors of more authoritie that this heathen Yet let M. Attorney ioyne issue with me vpon antiquitie in this our controuersie which he ought to doe as well in regard of this sentence as also for that euery where he iterateth the name and sound of the ancient and most ancient Common-lawes of England and then will the matter be quicklie decided as the proofe will afterward declare whervnto I remit me and doe end my answere to M. Attorneys Preface returning him his freindlie Farewell as also to the Reader OF THE STATE OF THE QVESTION IN GENERALL Concerning Spirituall and Temporall Povver and Iurisdiction their origen and subordination one to the other And how they stand togeather in a Christian Common-wealth CHAP. II. TO the end that the prosecution and issue of the particular controuersie we haue in hand about the Spirituall authoritie of Q. Elizabeth may be more cleere it shall not be a misse perhapes in this very beginning to set downe breiflie what Catholike Deuines and other learned men doe write and holde of Power and Iurisdiction in generall and of the origen ofspring author diuision and partes therof wherin M. Attorney is wholie silent vsing no explication or distinction at all and consequently giueth occasion therby to some confusion 2. First then our Deuines affirme that almighty God is author of all lawfull Power whatsoeuer both spirituall and temporall according to that generall proposition of S. Paul Non est potestas nisi à Deo There is no power but from God For that as it pleased his diuine maiestie to imparte with man other sparkes of his excellencyes as wisdome reason knowledge prouidence and the like so vouchsafed he also to make man partaker of his power and authoritie not only to gouerne all other creatures of his in the worlde but mankynde also and this both in body and soule temporall and eternall things vnder him in this world as his liestennant and substitute 3. The differences which are betweene these two Powers Iurisdictions Spirituall and Temporall Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill are diuers and sundry taken from the diuersitie of their ends obiect The end of Spirituall Power being to direct vs to euerlasting saluation both by instruction discipline and correction and of the Temporall or Ciuill by like meanes and helps to gouerne well t●e Common-wealth in peace aboundance order iustice and prosperitie And accordinge to these ends are also their obiects matter and meanes As for example the former hath for her obiect spirituall things belonginge to the soule as matters of faith Doctrine Sacraments and such other and thy latter handleth the Ciuill affaires of the Realme and Common-wealth as they appertaine to the temporall good and prosperitie thereof 4. The ancient learned Father S. Gregorie Nazianzen in a certaine Oration of his doth expresse the nature and conditions of these two Powers Spirituall and Temporall Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill by the similitude of spirit and flesh soule and sense which he saith may be considered either as two distinct Common-wealths seperated the one from the other or conioyned togeather in one Common-wealth only An example of the former wherin they are seperated may be in Beasts Angells the one hauing their Common-wealth of Sense onlie without soule or spirit and their end and obiects conforme thervnto which are the nourishment and preseruation of the body And the other Common wealth of Angells being of spirit only without flesh or body but in man are conioyned both the one and the other And euen so in the Common wealth of the Gentiles was onlie authoritie politicall earthlie and humane giuen by God to gouerne worldlie and humaine things but not spirituall for the soule wheras contrarywise in the Primitiue Christian Church for almost 300. yeare togeather none or few Kings being yet conuerted onlie spiritual authoritie was exercised by the Apostle and Christians Bishopps their successours for gouerninge the Church in Ecclesiasticall affaires without temporall accordinge to the saying of S. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles speaking to Bishops Vos posuit Spiritus Sanctus Episcopos regere ecclesiam Dei The holy-ghost hath appointed you that are Bishops to gouerne his Church 5. And this Spirituall Iurisdiction in respect of the high end and obiect therof aboue the temporall did the same Apostles by instructiō of the same Holie Ghost so highlie esteeme as the same S. Paul writinge to the Corinthians and reprehendinge them for going to law about temporall things before the heathen magistrate said that in secular matters they should appoint for iudges such as were contemptible in the Church that is to say men of meane account which was spoken by him not for that he contemned temporall Power as the heretical Anabaptists out of this place would proue for so he should be contrarie to himselfe who a litle before as you haue heard auowed that all power is from God and in other places that the King and temporall magistrate is to be honoured and obeyed as Gods minister and the like but onlie he saith this in comparison the one of the other and of their ends and obiects so different in dignitie worthines as you haue heard And this continued in the Primitiue Church to witt Spirituall Iurisdiction without Temporall vntill Constantine the Great and other Emperours and Kings after him being conuerted to the Christian faith entred into the said Church retaininge their Temporall States and Temporall Power which before they had but submitting themselues in spirituall and Ecclesiasticall matters vnto the spirituall gouernment and gouernours which they found to haue been in the same Church before their conuersion 6. Furthermore besides these differences of the end and obiects of these two Powers the forsaid Deuines doe shew another no lesse considerable then the former which is that albeit both of them be of God and doe proceed from him as the Author origen as hath been said yet far differentlie for that Ecclesiasticall authoritie is immediatlie from God and was giuen by Christ immediatlie to his Apostles and Bishops as before you haue heard out of S. Paul who addeth in the same place that Christ gaue them this Spirituall Iurisdiction ouer that Church quam acqui fiuit sanguine suo which he had bought and purchased with his bloud to make them and others in respect of this dreadfull circumstance to esteeme and respect the more this Spirituall Iurisdiction ouer soules which Iurisdiction Christ also himself God and man did exercise in person vpon earth wholie seperated from the vse of all Temporall Iurisdiction notwithstanding he was Lord of all as the same Deuines out of the Ghospell doe proue S●ewing therby and by the long continuance of his Church without the said Temporall Authoritie that Spirituall Iurisdiction is wholy independent therof and vtterlie distinct by her owne nature 7. And albeit Ciuill Power and
that such as should be named for commissioners must be naturally borne subiects Which his counsell said did not appeere by the special verdict of the Iury to haue been obserued consequentlie that the sentence was not good and auailable in law Heervnto saith M. Attorney a threefold answere vvas giuen and resolued by the vvhole courte First that they which were Commissioners and had places of iudicature should be intended to be subiects borne and not aliens c. Quia stabitur praesumptioni donec probetur in contrarium The common presumption must bee followed vntill the contrarie be proued Heer you see how much this answere weigheth It seemeth to me that this matter might easilie in foure years haue been verefied if the Iudges had listed whether these Commissioners were aliens or borne Subiects not to reiect the Plainteife now with this shaddow of common presumption that they might be presumed or supposed to be naturally borne 15. Secondlie saith M. Attorney the Iurors haue found that the Queene by her said letters Patents did authorize them secundum formam Statuti praedicti according to the forme of the said Statute that authorized her and therfore it doth by a necessarie consequence amount to as much as if they had found that they had been subiects borne For if they were not subiects borne saith he they could not be so authorized secundum formam Statuti praedicti This is the second answere somewhat weaker as to mee it seemeth than the former of presumption and common intendement For heere insteed of prouing that the Commissioners were borne subiects and consequentlie well anthorized he subsumeth and inferreth the contrary to witt that they were authorized by the Queene secundum formam Statuti praedicti ergo they were borne subiects as who would saie the Queen or those that counselled her could not be deceiued or euill informed or negligent in this point about the obseruing of that clause and yet this is all that was answered by the Court to this matter Which themselues belike considering fell to deuise a third answere more absurde and paradoxicall than all the rest which haue giuen the ground or argument of this Sage fable or Comedy which M. Attorney hath heere partlie reported and partlie exhibited vnto vs in this his booke to the laughter of such as reade it and doe consider the exorbitant vanitie therof I shall set it downe in very few words 16. When the forenamed Sages did perceiue that the former two answers to Cauderyes fourth exception against the Queens commission made out vpon vertue of the statute in the first yeare of her raigne that gaue her all kinde of Spirituall power and Iurisdiction did not satisfie they fell vpon this third that albeit the said Queene had not obserued the clauses and conditions specified in the said Statute for authorizing others in the like Iurisdiction yet had she authority otherwise to make out such a Commission in that she was Queene and this by the vertue of her Crowne according to the auncient Common laws of England You shall heare M. Attorneys owne words in this resolution This Act saith he of the first yere of the late Queene concerning Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction was not an act introductorie of a new law but declaratorie of the olde which appeereth as well by the Title of the said Act videlicet An Act restoring to the Crowne the auncient Iurisdiction ouer the State Ecclesiasticall spirituall c. As also by the body of the Act in diuerse partes therof for that this Act doth not annex anie Iurisdiction to the Crowne but that which in truth was or of right ought to be by the auncient laws of the Realme parcell of the Kings Iurisdiction and vnited to his Imperiall Crowne c. so as if the said Act of the first yeare of the late Queene had neuer been made it was resolued by all the Iudges that the King or Queene of England for the time being may make such an Ecclesiasticall commission by the auncient prerogatiue or law of England Thus hee 17. And trulie I am sorye that he affirmeth this strange Paradox to haue been the resolution of all the Iudges there present But to the end that all may not seeme to haue entred into this solemne folly it were good that their particular names were knowne that resolued the same For certainlie it will bee the most notorious iest vnto forraine lawyers of all sortes vnto other graue learned men when it shall come abroad in other countryes as shortelie it will for that M. Attorney hath caused it also to be published in Latin which hath happened in many years if not ages much laughter it will cause will celebrate solemnlie M. Attorneys name that is the Reporter therof For this matter toucheth not onlie England and English-laws but all other Countryes besides who haue runne ioyntlie with England for many hundered years in the self same conformity of Catholicke Religiou and of temporall lawes confirming the same in ech Countrey and particularlie in this point of the Popes Spirituall Authoritie vniuersally receiued So as for so much as their kingdomes being entyre Empires and Monarchies as ours is they must needs be said to haue had this Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction also in the highest degree included in their Kinglie right as parcell of their Imperiall Crowne wherof insueth that either they and their learned Counselours Lawyers and Sages did not see or know the same which had been great Ignorance or esteemed it not which had been great negligence or which is most likely that our lawyers now will be thought by them ridiculous to set forth such a strange Paradox to the worlde contrary to that which so many thousand Sages of former tymes both in generall Councells and otherwise haue resolued decreed and determined vpon better deliberation and more searche both of diuinity history and lawe than these temporall Iudges could doe vpon the suddaine in Cauderyes case howsoeuer M. Attorney doth magnifye the same whoe as I heare by some that will seeme to reporte it from his owne mouth he that is the Reporter is in great parte also the author or at least wise affecteth to be thought so as of a new witty inuention hauing often and vnto many promised to proue it and now hath begun to sett vpon it We shall see with what euent THE SECOND PART OF THIS CHAPTER Vvith a more cleere explication of the Question §. I. 18. But before wee come to treate of proofes we must consider of one circumstance of the matter more which is of no small importance for iudging of the whole and this is the circuite of words and multitude of darke and dazeling phrases which the foresaid Statute vseth in deliuering and setting downe the Ecclesiasticall power Iurisdiction giuen to Q. Elizabeth to wit that all such Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall as by anie spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power hath heertofore been or may lawfully be exercised for the
reliques to witt of S. Peter and of S. Paul S. Laurence S. Iohn S. Pancratius and S. Gregory and vnto your Queene our spirituall daughter we haue sent a crosse and golden key hauing in it some parcells of the sacred chaines wherwith the Apostlds S. Peter and S. Paul were bound 25. Thus wrote the Pope at that tyme not being able to giue them an Archbishop fitt for the present but afterwards saith Bede he being very carefull therof and enquiring amongst learned men whome he might choose he first cast his eye vpon one Adrian an Abbott of a monastery neere vnto Naples which Adrian was by natiō an African but very skillfull in the Latin Greeke tongue well instructed as well in Monasticall as in Ecclesiasticall functions But this man flying the dignity of Archbishop named vnto the Pope one Theodorus a Monke borne in Tharsus of Cilicia as S. Paul th'Apostle also was a man of excellēt learn●●● and vertue whome Pope Vitalianus commaunded to take the charge vpon him of being Archbishop of Canterbury and Metropolitan of the English Church which thinge he refusinge for a tyme yet at length accepted it with condition that the forsaid Adrian should goe thither with him and so he was consecrated and sent with authority to create other Bishops thorough-out England as he did He arriued there vpon the yeare 669. and wa● ioyfully receaued by the foresaid Kings and Christian people liued twenty yeares in that sea Neither were there euer saith Bede after the English-mens arryuall into Britany more happy tymes then these when our nation had most valiant Christian Kings that were a terrour to barbarous nations and when all men desires were enflamed with the loue of Christes heauenly ioyes lately reuealed vnto them so as whosoeuer had desire to be instructed in sacred doctrine had maisters ready to instruct them by the diligence of this new Archbishop and not only this but all English Churches also began now by the industry of the Abbot Adrian to learne the tune of singing in the Church throughout the realme which before was only in Kent c. Theodorus also visiting the whole Realme ordeined Bishops in all opportune places and whersoeuer he found any thing not perfect he by their helpes did correct the same Hitherto are the words of S. Bede of this our Christian primitiue Church 26. And all this now is within the first hundred yeres therof when it was most happy feruent and deuoute by S. Bedes iudgement but much more remaineth to be said of the same if I would consider euery particuler Kingdome and what passed therin this first age But if I should passe downe with like search through the other foure hundred yeares that doe ensue befo●e the Conquest I should not be able to conteyne my self within the compasse of this booke and much lesse of one Chapter and of one only argument or Demonstration therof For that euery where during this tyme we shall find that all our Christian Kings in all spiritual matters appertaining to Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction made their recourse to Rome or to the Archbishop● or Bishops of England as subordinate or authorized from th●● Sea nor euer did they by act worde deed or decree signifie that they thought to haue Ecclesiasticall power or iurisdiction to dispose of those affaires themselues except perhaps some tymes and of some things by commission from the other 27. Let amongst others the wise and renowned King Edgar the first publicke author of English lawes be an example who hauing in hand a most important consultation how to reforme the liues of Clergie men of this realme but especially of certaine secular Priests in those daies procured first that S. Dunstan the Archbishop of Canterbury should call a Synode about the same who resoluing that the best meanes would be to put in religious men to witt Monkes into euery Cathedrall Church in place of the other that liued disorderly the King tooke not vpon him to doe it himself by his owne kingly authority or to giue commission to any of the said Bishops to doe the same but made his recourse to Rome to Pope Iohn the 13. praying him to authorize the two holy Bishops of VVinchester VVorcester to wit S. Ethelwold and Oswald to make this reformation which he would neuer haue done if he had thought that by his owne Kinglie power descending from his Crowne it had belonged to himself or that his Parlament might haue giuen him the said authority of visiting and reforming altering and disposing as it did to Q. Elizabeth 28. And this may be shewed from one to one in all this time throughout the raignes of aboue an hundred Christian Kings before the Conquest as hath byn sayd if the breuity of this place did permitt me to prosecute the same And my aduersary is not able to shew me one instance out of all this time truly sincerly alleadged to the contrary in this I chalenge him if he thinke himself able to answere me And so shall I passe to the fourth argument if first I recite one example more out of the second age after our conuersion for it is of eminent circumstance and declareth fully what was the sense of our Kings and their nobilitie and Clergie in those dayes 29. Next after K. Ethelbald who was the fifth Christian King of the Mercians and to whome S. Bonifacius called VVinfred before martyr Apostle of Germany wrote so sharpely to amend his life as in all our English histories is to be seene there succeded K. Offa who did great matters in his dayes and as Malmesbury writeth had both great vices and great vertues and among other things he bearing a grudge to the people of Canterbury and to their Archbishop Lambert he pretended to seperate from the obedience of that Sea all the Bishops and Bishoprickes that were within the Kingdome of Mercia which were the grea●er 〈◊〉 of the Suffraganes of that Sea and to procure them by the consent and authority of Pope Adrian to be subiect to the bishop o● LICHFIELD as to the chief Metropolitan of his dominion● and so many reasons he alleadged and vrged for the same togeather with his might and power that the said Pope Adrian as after you shall heare began to yeld somewhat to his demaund notwithstanding the often appellations of the said Archbishop Lambert but Pope Adrian dying Leo the third being chosen in his place Offa dyed in like manner soone after as also the Archbishop Lambert in Offa his place succeded Kenulphus a most noble King and to the Sea of Canterbury for Lambert was chos●● Athelardus that had byn Bishop of VVinchester before one of the rarest men if we beleeue famous Alcuine maister to Charles the Great that euer our nation bred 30. This Archbishop then hauing made his appeale also to Rome as his predecessour had done for recouering the ancient honours and
certayne words in the charter of K. Kenulsus to the Monastery of Abindon would seeme to persuade himself others that our English Kings in those dayes did take vpon them spirituall iurisdiction to giue priuiledges exemptions from Episcopall authoritie vnto Monasteryes and consequently that they had all supreme iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall in as ample manner as Q. Elizabeth tooke vpon her or was giuen vnto her by Act of Parlament which is a most euident dreame as you see The fifth Demonstration 49. Now then to passe to the fifth argument which maketh matters yet more manifest the same is taken from the consideration of Appeales when any controuersie fell out either betwene the King and his Bishops or betwene any lay power and Ecclesiasticall or betwene Bishops and Churches themselues which Appeales shall neuer be read to haue byn made in these times before the Conquest either to the King or to his secular Courtes but rather to the Archbishop of Canterbury or to the Pope for the tyme being 50. And albeit in this time of religious feruour of our Eng●●●● Kings there were fewer occasions giuen of Appeales to the Sea Apostolicke then after the Conquest when Kings were lesse deuout and sometymes more violent as may appeare by the examples of S. Anselme S. Thomas S. Edmond all three Archbishops of Canterbury Thurstan S. VVilliam Gaufred Archbishops of Yorke S. Richard of Chichester Hugh of Durham to speake nothing of that notorious Appeale betwene Richard of Canterbury against King Henry the third and Hubert Earle of Kent and diuerse others as is euident by the histories of our Countrey in which we fynde that alwaies the Bishops for remedy of such aggrieuaunces as either by the Kings Nobility or others after the said Conquest were layd vpon them or their Churches made their recourse for succour to the Sea Apostolicke yet before the Conquest also though the occasions as I said were not so frequent sometimes they were driuen to vse the benefit of this remedy as we see in the two Archbishops of Canterbury Lambert and Athelard before mentioned vnder King Offa and Kenulfus of the Mercians and before that againe in the famous cause of S. VVilfryd Archbishop of Yorke who in the very first age after our conuersion was twice put out of his Bishopricke and forced to appeale to Rome first by Egfryd King of the Northumbers and then by Alfryd his successour with the concurrence against him of certaine Bishops And both times he appealed vnto Rome as S. Bede declareth and to follow his appeales went thither twice in person and was twice absolued first by Pope Agath● in a Synode of an hundred twenty and fiue Bishops vpon the yeare of Christ 679. and the second tyme by Pope Iohn the seuenth six and twenty yeares after to wit vpon the yeare 705. Of the first absolution S. Bede himself writeth that he was not only found innocent and thervpon cleered by the Pope and whole Synode as hath byn said but that they thought good likewise to giue him his place in the said Councell and to note his absolution and the speciall respect borne vnto him in the very acts of the sayd Councel holden against the Monothelites in these words VVilfryd the beloued of God Bishop of the Citty of Yorke hauing appealed to the Sea Apostolike in his cause and being absolued by the authority of this Councell in all things both certaine and vncertaine was placed in his seat of Iudgemēt togeather with an hundred twenty fiue his fellow-Bishops in this Synod and hath confessed the true and Catholike faith and confirmed the same by his subscription for himselfe and all the north partes of Britanny and Ireland which are now inhabited by English-men Britanes Scotts and Picts 51. Thus relateth Bede of S. VVilfrids first appellation and most honourable absolution in Rome and that then retourning to his countrey he conuerted the kingdome of the South saxons and that afterward againe being inuyted by King Alfred that succeeded Egfryd to returne to his Bishopricke of Yorke heat length vpon persuasion of good men accepted therof But after fiue yeres he was expulsed againe by the said Alfred and appealed againe to the Sea Apostolike and went to Rome to Pope Iohn the seuenth as hath byn said who hearing his cause in the presence of his aduersaryes and accusers togeather with many Bishops that did sit in Iudgemēt with him Omnium iudicio probatum est c. saith Bede It was proued by the iudgement of all that his accusers had deuised certaine calumniations against him whervpon he was absolued and letters were written saith Bede by the foresaid Pope Iohn vnto Alfred and Edelrede Kings of England that they should cause him againe to be receaued into his Bishopricke for that he had byn vniustly condemned This is the summe of the story breifly sett downe by S. Bede But VVilliam of Malmesbury writeth the same to witt both these appellatious of S. VVilfryd much more at large telling how the first persecution against this holy Bishop had beginning from the enuy of Queene Ermenburga second wife to King Egfryd of the Northumbers who vnderstanding that his first wife Ethelreda did loue reuerence much this good man she thought it a sufficient cause for her to hate him and so incensing first the King her husband against him by saying that he was rich and that many gaue their goods vnto him to build Monasteryes she drew by little little the King to mislike him as also she did by like meanes sleights incense the good Archbishop Theodorus of Canterbury to impugne and contradict him 52. The same Malmesbury also setteth downe the particulars that passed in that Councell wherin he was absolued at Rome and how at his retourne into England with the Popes letters the said Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury repented himself much that he had byn drawne against him and wrote earnest letters vnto King Alfred that had succeeded Egfrid that he would admit him againe into his Archbishopricke of Yorke saying among other words Et ideo charissime te admoneo in Christi charitate pracipio tibi c. And therfore most deere King I doe warne you and in the loue of Christ doe commaund you Ego Theodorus humilis Episcopus decrepita aetate hoc tuae beatitudini suggero quia Apostolica hoc sicut scis commendat auctoritas vir ille sanctissimus in patientia sua possedit animam suam c. I Theodorus humble Bishop of Canterbury in this my broken old age doe suggest this vnto your Happines or Maiesty both for that the authority of the Sea Apostolike as you knowe doth commend it to be done and the holy man VVilfryd hath according to the saying of our Sauiour possessed his soule in his owne patience and most humbly and myldly forgetting the iniuries done vnto him hath followed the example of his head and maister Christ and hath expected the
tyme of the Danes as before I noted King Canutus the Dane as Ingulphus testifyeth which liued presently after him was so carefull to haue this duly payed with other dutyes belonging to the Church as being in his iourney towardes Rome he wrote backe to his Bishops and other officers in these words Nunc igitur obtestor c. Now then I doe beseech all you my Bishops other officers and all gouernours of the Kingdome by the faith which you doe owe vnto God me that you will so prouide that before my arriuall at Rome all debts be payed which according to auncient lawes are due That is to say the accustomed almes for euery plough the tythes of beastes borne euery yeare the Pence which you owe to S. Peter at Rome whether they be due out of the cittyes or the Countrey that by the middest of August you pay the tythes of your corne that at the feast of S. Martine you pay the first frutes of your seed to the Church and parish in which euery man liueth which payment is called K●ke-seet And if these things be not performed by you before I retourne assure your selues that my Kingly authority shall punish ech man according to the lawes most seuerely without pardoning any Fare you well Vpon the yere of Christ 1032. So he And marke good Reader that he saith he will punish according to the lawes yea and in his former words that there are auncient lawes for these Dutyes to Rome which M. Attorney cannot bring for his assertion against the Pope so as in auncient common lawes we are now before him But let vs goe forward end this Demonstration 73. About thirty yeres after this againe King Edward the Confessor wrote to Pope Nicolas the second in these wordes Ego qu● que pro modulo meo augeo c confirmo c. I also for some small gifte of myne doe encrease and confirme the donations of paying such money as S. Peter hath in England and doe send vnto you at this time the said money collected togeather with some Princely gyfts of our owne to the end that you may pray for me and for the peace of my Kingdome and that you doe institute some continuall and solemne memory before the bodyes of the Blessed Apostles for all the English-nation c. So good S. Edward 74. And when not long after him King VVilliam of Normandy obteyned the crowne he forgott not this law among the rest as afterward when we come to talke of him and his raigne in particuler we shall more at large declare For his tenth law in order hath this title De denario Sancti Petri qui Anglicè dicitur Rome-scot● of the Penny of S. Peter called Rome-scot in the English tongue And then he beginneth his law thus Omnis qui habuerit triginta dena●● vinae pecuniae in domo sua de proprio suo Anglorum lege dabit denarium Sancti Petri lege Danorū dimidiam marcam c. Euery man that shal h●u● the worth of thirty-pence of liuely money of his owne in his house shall by the law of English-men pay the penny of S. 〈◊〉 and by the law of the Danes shall pay halfe a marke And this penny of S. Peter shall be summoned or called for vpon the solemnity and feast of S. Peter and Paul and gathered vpon the feast of the Chaines os S. Peter so as it shall not be deteyned beyond that day c. thus the Conquerour in confirmation of that which other English Kings had done before him appointing also in the same place that his Iustice should punish them that refused to pay the said money or paid it not at the due day appointed 75. And to conclude this matter this tribute was continually paid from the first institution therof not only before the Conquest as now you haue heard but afterwards also by all the Norman Kings their Successours vnto King Henry the 8. as out of Polidor we haue seene And the same King Henry himself duely paid the same in like manner for more then twenty yeres togeather vntill he brake from the Pope and Sea of Rome vpon the causes which all men know Wherevpon this our Demonstration inferreth that all this while it is not likely they paying so willingly and deuourly this temporall tribute vnto the Popes of Rome that they denyed his spirituall iurisdiction or held him in that iealosie of competency for vsurping therby vpon their Crownes as now we doe And lastly that the supreme spirituall authority of Queene Elizabeth without any Act of Parlament was warrantable by these Kings lawes which is the mayne paradoxicall conclusion of M. Attorneys whole discourse against which we haue yet a Demonstration or two more so an end The nynth Demonstration 76. The nynth Demonstration then about this matter shall be the consideration of our English Kings their singular and extraordinary deuotion before the Conquest to the Sea of Rome which was such as diuers of them left their Crownes and Kingdomes after many yeres that they had raigned and ruled most gloriously at home and went to liue and dye in that citty some in religions habit and profession of Monasticall life as Kenredus King of the Mercians and Offa King of the East angles some in secular weed but of most religious deuout and exemplar conuersation as Inas and Ceadwalla Kings of the VVest-saxons some others went thither of deuotion with intention to retourne againe as the other great Offa King of the Mercians Adelnulph alfred and Canutus Monarches of all England and lastly good King Edward the Confessor had determined vowed a iourney thither in pilgrimage but that his Kingdome greatly repyninge therat in respect of the daungerous tymes two Popes ●● and Nicolas decreed that he should not come as before we haue touched but rather bestow the charges of that voyage vpon some other good worke namely the encrease of the Monastery of VVestminster 77. And here I might enlarge my self much in the declaration of these particulers which we haue named and of many others that we haue omitted in this kind I meane of English Kings that leauing their temporall Crownes haue submitted themselues to the sweet yoke of Christ in religious life Iohn Fox in his Actes and Monuments doth recount nyne crowned Kings that became Monkes within the first two hundred yeres after Englands conuersion to Christian faith though all of them went not to Rome and some eighteene or twenty Queenes or daughters to Kings or Queenes that tooke the same course contemning whatsoeuer pleasures or preferments the world could giue them But of such Kings as went to Rome and made themselues religious there the foresaid Kenredus of the Mercians and Offa of the Eastangles were the most famous who agreeing togeather vpon the yere 708. as Florentins after S. Bede doth recount the history lest both their Kingdomes wiues children honours goods and the
nothing to the point wherevnto M. Attorney should haue brought it he remaineth destitute of any instance out of this Kings raigne as well as out of his Predecessour Successour of which Successour we haue now also to say a word or two to end this Chapter withall OF THE RAIGNE OF KING STEPHEN The fourth King after the Conquest §. II. 25. After K. Henry raigned K. Stephen his Nephew that is to say the sonne of his sister eighteene years somewhat more wherin the misery and vncertainty of humaine designements is seene that K. Henry the first who had laboured so much to establish after him his owne succession in England by his sonnes the like in the Empire by marriage of his daughter Maude to Henry the 5. Emperour as you haue heard and to this effect was induced to cut of so many noble men and houses both in England and Normandy and to pull out his owne brothers eyes for more assurance therof holding him almost thirty years in perpetuall prison vntill his death hauing heaped togeather infinite riches and treasures saith Malmesbury to wit aboue a hundred thousand pounds in ready-money besides plate and Iewels to establish these his designements c. that now notwithstanding all was dashed vpon the suddaine his male children being drowned vpon sea and his daughter returning without issue from Germany 〈◊〉 dispossessed in like manner of her inheritance to England by 〈◊〉 neerest kinsman Stephen that first of all other had sworne ●●mage vnto her in her Fathers dayes 26. This man then hauing gotten the possession of the Crowne albeit he had infinite troubles therewith and the Realme much more by this means and by his instability of nature who was wont saith Malmesbury to begin many things goe through with few to promise much and perfourme little yet held he out for more then 18. years togeather as I haue said And in all this time though he had little leasure to attend peculiarly to Ecclesiasticall matters and lesse will oftentymes being wholy intangled in matters of warre yet his whole course and race of life sheweth euidently that in this point either of beleife or practice concerning Ecclesiasticall power he did not differ or dissent from his auncestors or from other Christian Catholike Princes that liued round about him in those dayes Nay he was held for so religious in this behalfe before he was King as the opinion therof did greatly further him to gaine the Kingdome For that saith Malmesbury Henry Bishop of VVinchester which now was Legate of the Sea Apostolicke in England that principally was the cause of his preferment to the Crowne was induced therevnto by most certaine hope that Stephen would follow the manners of his grand-father the Conquerour in gouerning the Crowne but especially in preseruing the discipline of Ecclesiasticall vigour and vpon this hope did the said Bishop interpose himself as mediatour and pledge for Stephen with VVilliam Archbishop of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops and nobility exacting of him a strict oath De libertare reddenda Ecclesia conseruanda For restoring and conseruing the liberty of the Church which VVilliam Rufus by his loose gouernment had much infringed 27. The same Malmesbury also that liued with him setteth downe the mutuall oathes both of him and his nobility the one to the other surauerunt Episcopi fidelitatem Regi saith he quamdiu ille libertatem Ecclesiae vigorem disciplina conseruaret The Bishops did sw●●● homage and fidelity to the King as long as he maintained the liberty of the Church and vigour of discipline therin But the Kings oath was large concerning his election admission crowinge by the Archbishop of Canterbury as Legat Apostolicall that he was particularly confirmed by Pope Innocentius c. And then it followeth Ego Stephanus c. respectu amore Dei Sanctam Ecclesiam liberam esse c. I King Stephen doe graunt and confirme for the respect and loue I beare to allmighty God to maintaine the freedome of his Church doe promise that I will neither doe nor permit any symmoniacall act of selling or buying benefices within the same I doe testifie also and confirme that the persons and goods of all Clergy-men be in the hands power and iustice of their Bishops c. And I doe confirme by these presents and their dignityes priuiledges and auncient customes to be inuiolably obserued c. 28. This oat● made he at his first entrance as Rufus others had done before him wherby they testified not only their iudgment but also their obligation though afterward in obseruance therof many times they failed vpon particular interest or passion mouing them to the contrary For so writeth Malmesbury also of this King Penè omnia ita perperàm mutauit posteà quasi ad hoc tantum iurass●t vt preuaricatorem Sacramenti se Regno toti ostenderet He did afterward in his life so peruersly breake all that he had sworne as though his swearing had byn only to this effect to shew himself an Oath-breaker to the whole Kingdome But yet presently after he excuseth him againe Sed haec omnia non tam illi quam Confiliarijs eius ascribendae put● But I doe thinke all these things to be ascribed rather to euill Counsellours then to himself 29. One notable case fell out vpon the 4. yeare of his raigne to wit in the yeare of our Lord 1139. when holding his Courte in the Citty of Oxford and expecting dayly the comming out of Normandy of Robert Earle of Glocester in fauour of Maude the Empresse I meane that famous Robert base sonne of K. Henry the first most excellent in wisedome and feats of Armes and a great fauourer of learned men to whome both Malmesbury and Geffrey of Monmouth dedicated their books the King being persuaded I say by certaine il Counselours and souldiars about him to lay hands vpon the goods and Castles of two rich and potent Bishops the one Roger of Salisbury that had byn Chaplaine to King Henry and the other Alexander of Lincolne his nephew and the Kings Chauncelour he followed at length their counsaile and caused both Bishops to be apprehended and forced to deliuer vp the keyes of their Castles and treasures therein pretending feare and doubt least they would otherwise hape kept the same for the said Earle of Glocester and Maude the Empresse● 〈◊〉 30. And albeit these two Bishops power greatnes had 〈◊〉 much misliked also by the Cleargie it self yet seeing saith Malmesbury this violence to be vsed against the Canons they admonished the King therof by diuers waies especially by his brother Bishop of VVinchester now also Legate of the Sea Apostolicke a likewise by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury that had succeeded William who went so far and were so earnest in this matter saith Malmesbury then liuing vt suppliciter pedibus Regis in cubicul● effusi orauerunt vt misereretur Ecclesiae
heat and resolution to goe through therin by his power and authority with the Pope yet when he saw the said Pope to mislike his proceedings and to stand constant against him he amayned and and humbled himself presently and this in respect of his conscience and feare of God as himself caused to be written by his Bishops to the said Pope Alexander For there is extant in Houeden a large epistle of all the Bishops Suffragans of Canterbury that were subiects to Thomas the Archbishop written vnto Pope Alexander in the Kings name of his prompt obedience towards him and the Sea of Rome in all things saying Ad vestra quidem mandata non itatus intumuit non elatus obedire contempsit verum gratias agens paterna correctioni Ecclesia se statim submisit examini when the King receiued your commaundements he did not swell with anger nor proudly contemned to obey but giuing thankes for your Fatherly correction did presently submit himself to the examination of the Church And againe Ipse diuini reuerentia timoris 〈◊〉 Maiestatempreferens sed vt filius obediens se iudicio sistere legitimaeque parere sententiae seque legibus alligatum Prinscipem praesto est in omnibus exhibere He for reuerence and respect of the fear of God did not prefer the maiesty of his Kingly State but as an obedient sonne is ready in all things to stand to iudgement and to obey lawfull sentence acknowledging himself though he be a Prince to be bound to the lawes of the Church 11. This then was his disposition of mind in this behalfe which he presently shewed in fact by sending a most honorable Embassage to the Pope to wit the Archbishop of Yorke Bishops of VVinchester London Chichester and Excester with the Earles Arundell the Gundauell de Sancto Valerico and many others both gentlemen and Clarks And as Houeden affirmeth Appellauit pro se regno suo ad Praesentiam Summi Pontificis He appealed for himself and for his kingdome to the Pre●ence of the Pope desiring that two Legats might be sent into England to iudge of the cause between him the Archbishop And soone after when the Archbishop vpon pacification made was returned and within a few moneths after wikedly slaine in his owne Church of Canterbury the same Pope Alexander taking vpon him as lawfull Iudge to examine punish the fact vpon the person of K. Henry himself sent two Cardinall-Legats for that purpose into Normandy named Graetianus Viuianus as Houeden at large setteth downe the history Wherof K. Henry being aduertised that was present then in those partes beyond the Seas and fearing the euent Ad Praesentiam Summi Pontifi●● appellauit appealed againe as once he had done before to the presence of the Pope himself from his said Legats Wherby we see that he graunted acknowledged the Popes authority ouer him in that matter And the same writer addeth in the same place that the said King fearing also notwithstanding his appeale the seuerity of the Sea Apostolicke in this case passed ouer presently into England giuing straite order and commaundment that no man should be permitted to enter with any Bull or Bre●● of the Pope of what sorte soeuer except first he gaue caution security that he would thereby bring no hurte or greiuaunce to the King or Kingdome 12. But after this againe to omit many other things and iu●d●dicall Acts which passed in this affaire set downe by the said Houeden and other authors of that time two other Cardinall-●●gats Theodinus and Albertus were finally directed from the said Pope Alexander into Normandy to giue the last sentence vpon the matter Vnto whome K. Henry being then in Ireland and cited to appeere came purposely to present himself in person which notably signifieth his obedience And there by his oath he purged himself swearing first that his intention was neuer to procure the said Archbishops death and secondly promising diuers things by the same oath to be performed in satisfaction of his fault in hauing giuen some occasion therof by angry words against the same Archbishop Thomas All which is set downe in the said Author vnder this title recorded likewise by Peter Blesensis Purgatio Henrici Regis pro morte Beati Thomae The purgation or satisfaction of K. Henry for the death of S. Thomas therevpon ensueth Charta absolutionis Domini Regis The charter of absolution of our Lord the King by the said Legats in the Popes name 13. And amongst other six or seauen points whervnto the King sware at this time one is set downe in these words He sware also that he would neither let nor permit to be letted any Appellations to be made in his Kingdome to the Bishop of Rome in Ecclesiasticall causes with this condition that if any that doe appeale be suspected to the King they should giue security that they would not seeke or procure any hurte to him or his Kingdome And so was that controuersie ended and the lawes abolished which the King would haue established against the liberty of the Church Wherby we se cleerly what persuasion K. Henry had of the Popes supreame authority in Ecclesiasticall affaires and his loyall obedience thervnto which is so much the more to be esteemed if we consider the circumstances of the tyme wherin he exhibited the same which was such as he might easily haue declined himself if he would from the force of Pope Alexander his authority that pressed him so much by adhering to some one of his enemyes the Antipopes that by faction of a few were chosen set vp against him three or foure one after another naming themselues Victor the 4. Calixtus the 3. and Pascalis the 3. and held out against him for more then 17. years togeather by the power and peruersity of Fredericus Barba-rossa the first Emperour of that name who often also allured K. Henry to be partaker of his Schisme but he refused followinge heerin his Catholicke auncestors VVilliam the Conquerour that stood constantly with the true Popes of his tyme Alexander the 2. and Gregory the 7. against those that by sedition of Henry the 4. Emperour were set vp against them to wit Cadolus calling himself Honorius the 2. and Gilbertus that was named Clement the 2. K. Henry also the first obaied the true Popes of his tyme Paschalis the 2. G●lasius the 2. Calixtus the 2. Honorius the 2. Innocentius the 2. against six schismaticall intruders calling themselues Clement the 3. Syluester the 3. Gregory the 8. Celestinus the 2. Anacletus the 2. Victor the 4. all set vp maintained by the German Emperours Henry the 4. and fifth and by Lotharius the 2. after them But our Kings of England obayed allwayes their true and lawfull Pastors of Gods Church and were highly commended for it And now K. Henry the 2. followed their vertues wisedome religion and magnanimity in that behalfe and found no doubt his
reward in the life to come for it And so much of this 14. But now to passe to another consideration about the same King it seemeth to me that nothing sheweth more this King● true affection deuotion and confidence towards the Pope and Sea of Rome then his owne recourse thervnto in his greatest affliction before mentioned of the conspiracy of his wife and children against him For then he wrote a very lamentable letter vnto Pope Alexander beginning thus Sanctissimo Domino suo Alexandre Dei gratia Catholicae Ecclesia Summo Pontifici Henricus Rex Angliae c. Salutem deuotae subiectionis obsequium In which letter among other things he saith thus Vbipleniorem voluptatem contulerat mihi Domm●● ibi grauius me flagellat quod sine lachrymis non dico contra sanguine●●●eum viscera mea cogor odium mortale concipere c. Where God hath giuen me greatest pleasure and contentment there doth he most whip me now and that which without teares I doe not speake vnto you I am constrained to conceiue mortall hatred against my owne bloud and my owne bowels My freinds haue left me and those of myne owne house doe seeke my life this secret coniuration of my wife and children hath so intoxicated the minds of all my most familiar freinds as they prefer their traiterous obedience to my sonne and would rather beg with him then raigne with me and enjoy most ample dignities c. Abse●● corpore presens tamen animo me vestris aduolno genibus I being absent in body but present in mynd with you doe cast my self at your knees Vestrae iurisdictionis est Regnum Angliae c. Experiatur Anglia quid possit Romanus Pontifex The Kingdome of England is vnder your iurisdiction Let England learne by experience what the Bishop of Rome can doe Promitto me dispositioni vestra in omnibus pariturum I doe promise to obay your disposition in all hings 15. Thus he wrote at that tyme with teares as you haue heard wherewith Pope Alexander being greatly moued sent commaundement to Richard Archbishop of Canterbury to write earnestly vnto K. Henry the sonne to recall him from his rebellion vnder paine of excommunication as before we haue shewed And this confident recourse of K. Henry to the Pope in so great an affaire declareth well the opinion he had of his authority And conforme vnto this were all the rest of his actions and doings concerning Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction when he was out of passion and perturbation acknowledging none at all in himself but only from the Sea Apostolike And heervpon he fouuded the security of all his hopes by his first marriage with the Queen Eleanor as hath byn said whose diuorce from King Lewes was vpon the Popes sentence declaringe the same to be inualide and no marriage at all by reason that they were married within degrees of consanguinity prohibited by the Church 16. And soone after this againe about the 6. yeare of his raigne the same King as Stow relateth procured dispensation of the said Pope by his Legat-Cardinalls Henricus Pisanus and Gulielmus Papionensis to make a marriage between Henry his eldest sonne of seauen years old and Margaret the French Kings daughter that was yet but of three years old which he would not haue done by all likelihood with so manifest perill of his whole succession therby if he had either doubted of the Popes authority therin or presumed of his owne 17. And not many years after this againe the said King being very desirous to remoue from the Church of VValtam in Essex certaine secular Chanons that liued not with edification and to place in their roome regular Chanons presumed not to doe it of himself or his owne authority which yet might seeme a small matter but by the authority of the Pope Rex saith Houeden ex authoritate Domini Papae instituit in Ecclesia de VValtham Canonicos regulares The King did appoint regular Chanons in the Church of VValtham by the authority of the Pope And the same doth testifie VValsingham vpon the yeare 1177. that it was done in the vigil of Penticost Authoritate Summi Pontificis sub praesentia Regis By the authority of the Bishop of Rome the King being present at the doing 18. And the same VValsingham two years after that againe doth record another iudiciall Act of the said Pope Alexander in England which is that he exempted from the obedience of the Archbishop of Canterbury Roger that was Prior of the monastery of S. Augustine in the same Citty which had byn subiect to him saith he for fiue hundred years before And it is probable that neither the King nor Archbishop did like thereof but could not let the same 19. And finally to goe no further in this matter of this Kings obedience and deuotion towards the Church when he was out of choller and passion and free from such other perturbations as did draw him strōgly oftentimes to the doing of certaine things which after he repented I shall end with one shorte narration only of the foresaid VValsingham or a strange extremity and aduersity of fortune from which God deliuered him at one tyme by means of his deuout mynd towards the blessed Martyr S. Thomas of Canterbury vpon the year 1174. which was three yeares after his said martyrdome at what time the Kings state was this as partly before you haue heard Lewys King of France cōioyning himself with Henry the third King of England and the rest of his brethren against their Father pressed him sore with great armies in Normandy and other partes of his Dominions in France And at the very same time his wife Queen Eleanor in England conspiring with her said sonnes incited by her example many other Princes and noblemen to doe the like who raised diuers rebellions And besides all the rest VVilliam King of Scotland came in with a great Army on the North-side and Philip Earle of Flaunders was entered with another on the South-side At which time K. Henry seeing himself in these straites and not well knowing what to doe yet resolued at the length to passe from Normandy into England and first to succour the principall parte But being on the Sea there arose such a tempest as seing himself in great daunger Erectis in caelum luminibus saith VValsingham lifting vp his eyes to heauen he desired God that saw his intention to be mercifull vnto him as his meaning and purpose was to seeke the peace both of the Clergy people of England c. And God saith our Author admitted presently the prayer of this our humbled King and brought him safe to Hampton-port with all his people who from that day forward giuing himself to pennaunce vsed saith he a very thinne diet to wit bread and water only and casting of all temporall cares nor entring into any one Citty as he went by the way neuer ceased vntill he came to
against all Clergy-men as he seased 〈◊〉 most parte of their goods throughout all England And 〈◊〉 Pope Innocentius wrote diuers letters to pacifie him 〈…〉 angerly to him againe Affirmae●s saith our 〈…〉 electione simul promotione N●rvicensis Episcopi 〈…〉 reuocari Affirming that he could not be 〈…〉 〈◊〉 and promotion of the Bishop of Norwich whome he vnderstand to be profitable vnto him Quod pro libertatibus Corona sua ●●abit 〈◊〉 fuerit vsque ad mortem That he would stand if need should be for the libertyes of his Crowne euen vnto death Et si de prae 〈◊〉 fuerit exa●ditus omnibus Roma●● petentibus maris semitas angu 〈◊〉 That if he may not be heard in the premisses he threatned to ●●●iten the passage of sea to all them that would goe to 〈◊〉 So he 58. In all which we see notwithstanding his great displeasure taken he doth not deny the Popes authority spirituall nor ascri 〈◊〉 the Supremacy therof vnto himself but only standeth vpon the libertyes of his Crowne which was as there he signifieth that the Archbishop of Canterbury should not be chosen without his consent or li●●ing though the election therof he tooke not to himself but left it free to the said monkes to whome from the very beginning of Christianity in England the said election appertained And truly many godly and wise men at that time did wi●h that Pope Innocentius had not stood so hard with K. Iohn in 〈◊〉 point as this was for contending him with a person gratefull vnto him in that Archbishopricke For from this disgust proceeded all the disorders and miseries that afterward ensued as namely the Kings raging against all the Clergie the particulars wherof are strange and lamentable the interdict of the whole Realme that lasted for fiue or six years without celebrating of deuine seruice in the Churches and finally the excommunication of the King himself and other infinite troubles therof ensuring the said King so raging on the otherside for diuers years togeather as he seemeth not to be well himselfe specially after he saw his Nephew Otho to be depriued also of the Imperiall Crowne by the said Innocentius 59. Many strange acts are recounted of K. Iohn in this time as for example that he sent from time to time to all noble men and gentlemen whom he any wayes suspected to be offended with him commaunding them to giue him for pledges their sonnes or daughters or next of l●yn And for that the wife of one VVil●●●● Erause Bar●● cast out a word that she doubted least her children might be vsed by Duke Geffreys children were to wit 〈…〉 his 〈◊〉 the King sent to apprehend them all and they 〈…〉 he 〈◊〉 them so hardly as he tooke 〈…〉 and caused them to be starued to death in VVindes●r castle And the same author of ●●●●ris who liued at that time writeth the Kings fury to h● 〈◊〉 great to commit such horrible acts of cruelty vt 〈…〉 extuteret Tyrannorum That it would make euen Tyrants to 〈◊〉 he addeth further Muk●rum nobiliam vxores s●ti● appr●●●●● 〈◊〉 did oppresse and vse violence not only to the lands good● 〈◊〉 honours of noble men but to their wiues and daughter 〈◊〉 He telleth further that being one day at Nottingham and 〈…〉 that the Welch-men began to styr he cōmaunded to be brought forth 28. faire young children which he had for pledges of the cheifest nobility of that nation and all to be hanged togeather vpon one gallowes in the yeare 1212. 60. He caused in like manner all the Iewes through 〈◊〉 glaud both men women and children to be taken and ●●●●●ted to know where there money vvas vvho commonly 〈…〉 the violence of the said tortures gaue him all that they had and more too And when in Bristow they had tortured one by 〈◊〉 sortes of torture the King gaue this sentence vpon him that e●ery day he should haue one of his teeth pulled out with the 〈◊〉 test despite and torment that might be vntill he had paid 〈◊〉 ten thousand markes of money and when the Iew had 〈◊〉 seauen teeth to be so pulled out in seauen sundry dayes 〈◊〉 to auoyd the torment of the eight tooth bound himself to pay the ten thousand markes 61. The same author relateth in like manner that the said King meeting one day a company of men which were the 〈◊〉 officers that led bound a murderer towards prison that had robbed and slaine a Priest vpon the high way said vnto them It is no matter he hath killed an enemy of mine let him go●●●● and so they did And at another time being at Oxford and ●●●ring that a certaine Clarke by meere chaunce had 〈◊〉 woman to death and thervpon fled and the Iustice hauing 〈◊〉 three other Clarkes whom they found dwelling in the 〈◊〉 house though vtterly guyltlesse of the fa●● the King com●●●●ded them all three to be hanged And mo●●ouer when the ●●●●dome was put vnder interdict Rex quasi in f●riam v●●sus saith 〈◊〉 author in verba blasphemia pr●●upit iura●per 〈…〉 〈◊〉 King being turned as it were into fury did 〈…〉 blasphemous words swearing by the teeth of God● 〈…〉 ●●●soeuer he should find any Romanes in any of his land● he 〈◊〉 〈…〉 to Rome with their eyes pulled out and nosthrels 〈…〉 He spake also words as though he beleiued not the resurrection of the next life So 〈◊〉 our Author 62. But aboue all fury and wickednes was that resolution which he tooke soone after to wit vpon the yeare 1213. when he sent Syr Thomas H●●thington and Syr Raph Nicholson Knights and Syr R●●●rt of London Priest for his Embassadours to the great Ma●●●●●● King of Africke Morocco and Spaine named Miramumilinus offering to be of his religion and to make his Kingdome tributary vnto him and to be his vassall hold it of him if he would 〈◊〉 with an army by sea to assist him But when the said Ma●●●●●tan great Prince being a very wise man informing himself of the particular● of his person state showed contempt therof 〈◊〉 also of his offer as our Author that spake with one of the Ambassadours setteth downe at large K. Iohn tooke another resolution and passed to the quite contrary extreame resoluing not only to obey the Pope in spirituall iurisdiction but in temporall also and to make his Kingdome tributary and feudatory to the Sea of Rome by payment of a thousand markes euery yeare ther vnto which he bound himself and his heirs to doe vnder a 〈◊〉 large Charter sealed with the great seale of England in gold sending the same to Rome to Pope Innocentius vpō the yeare 1214. 63. And by this and other such tokens of his heartie conuersion and sorrow for thinges past he so gained the said Pope that suruiued him as he had him his most earnest defendour all daies of his life after both aginst the King of France his
should incurre the forfaiture of as much as they may forfaite towards the King c. So saith the Statute 21. And now heere I would aske the discreet Reader whether M. Attorney ouerthroweth not himself by alleadging such matters as these are For heere King Henry alloweth manifestly the repaire to Rome of Bishops Archbishops Abbots other Prelates for their induction admittance to their dignityes which he would neuer doe if he had taken himself to haue supreme authority Ecclesiasticall in that behalfe of giuing them spirituall iurisdiction immediately from himself And albeit he doe binde them to pay at Rome no more then the ordinary accustomed paiments for such their admittance therby perhaps to induce the said Courte of Rome to aske no more of them when they should vnderstand that it was forbidden vnto them to pay it yet doth he allow not only their recourse to Rome in such affaires but to make likewise the ordinary payments which were accustomed to be paid in old times past according to the words of the Statute which is sufficient to proue our purpose and ouer-throw M. Attorneys And thus much for the tyme of K. Henry the 4. For as for an other instance alleadged by M. Attorney conteyning a prohibition that Buls for exemption of tythes from Parish Churches should not be put in execution for that the effect therof is repeated againe in the next obiection out of the raigne of K. Henry the fifth one answere shall serue for them both Out of the raigne of K. Henry the fifth that was the fourtenth King after the Conquest §. II. The Attorney In an act of Parlament made in the third yeare of K. Henry the 5. it is declared that wheras in the time of K. Henry the 4. Father to the said King in the 7. yeare of his raigne to eschew many discordes debates and diuerse other mischeifes which were likely to arise and happen by cause of many prouisions then made or to be made by the Pope and also of licence therevpon graunted by the said late King amongst other things it was ordained and established that no such licence or pardon so graunted should be auailable to any benefice full of any incumbent at the day of the date of such licence or pardon graunted Neuerthelesse diuers persons hauing prouisions of the Pope of diuers ●●n●fices in England and elswhere and licences royall to execute the same prouisions haue by colour of the same prouisions licences and acceptations of the said benefices subtily excluded diuers persons of their benefices in which they had byn incumbents by a longe season of the collation of the very patrons spirituall to them duely made to their intent to the finall destruction and eneruation of the states of the same incumbents The King willing to auoid such mischeifes hath ordained and established that al the incumbents of euery benefice of holy Church of the patronage collation or presentation of spirituall patrons might quietly and peaceably enioy their said benefices without being inquieted molested or any wayes greiued by any colour of such prouisions licences and acceptations And that all the licences and pardons vpon and by such prouisions made in any manner should be voide and of no valour And if any feele himself greiued molested or inquieted in any wise from thenceforth by any by colour of such prouisions licences pardons or acceptations that the same molestors greiuers or inquieters euery of them haue and incurre the paines punishments contained in the Statutes of Prouisors before that tyme made as by the said Act appeareth The Catholicke Deuine 22. This Statute maketh as little for M. Attorneys purpose of supreme authoritie spirituall as anie of the former and I haue set it downe at large to the end you maie see what smal store of stuffe he hath to furnish his booke when he filleth paper with such impertinencyes for that the whole subiect of this Statute tendeth onlie to the reforme of certaine abuses in some quarreling and troublesome people who meaning to molest others that were in quiet possession of their benefices went to Rome and there framing manie complaints calumniatiōs and accusations against them and against the lawfullnes of their hauing those benefices and pretending that the due collation thereof appertained to the Sea Apostolicke for diuers respects demaunded onlie that the same Sea would giue her right vnto them and so got out prouisions oftentimes to that effect which prouisions it seemeth by the words of this statute that K. Henry the 4. was content they should runne and gaue royall licences for the same and that the title should be tried not withstāding the prohibitions of such prouisions made vnder K. Edward and King Richard as you haue heard and all this maketh against M. Attorney But now K. Henry the 5. being informed of the inconueniences that ensued therof and that diuers incumbents were therby excluded of their benefices and the patrons spirituall of their presentatiōs ordained that for the time to come no such incumbents or patrons should bee disquieted or molested by colour of such prouisions from the Pope of benefices that are not actually voide or by vertue of licences from the King for prosecuting the same This is the Statute and you see how little helpe M. Attorney getteth by it But let vs see another instance out of this Kings raigne as wisely alleadged as the former The Attorney A Statute was made for extirpation of heresie and Lollardy wherby full power and authoritie was giuen to the Iustices of peace and Iustices of assise to inquire of those that hold errors heresies or Lollardy and of their maintainers c. And that the Sheriffe or other officer c. maie arrest and apprehend them Infoelix lolium steriles dominantur auena Virgil. Et careant lolijs oculos vitiantibus agri Ouid. The King by cōsent of Parlament giueth power to Ordinaries to inquire of the foundation erection and gouernance of Hospitals other then such as be of the Kings foundation and thervpon to make correction and reformation according to the Ecclesiasticall law The Catholicke Diuine 23. If M. Attorneys store-howse of arguments were not extreme poore emptie he would neuer alleadge such matter as this is for demonstratiue proofes which before he promised vs in his Preface For out of the later example that Ordinaries are appointed to inquire of the foundation execution and gouernment of Hospitals what can be deduced for M. Attorneys purpose or against vs For so much as the foundation erection and gouernment of Hospitals were for the most part meere temporall things except some priuiledges graunted vnto them by the Sea Apostolicke 24. And that in the former example Iustices of peace and assise were commaunded by the King to inquire after Lollards VVickcliffians and such other hereticks it was to apprehend and imprison their persons and not to iudge of their heresies which belonged to their Bishops and Ordinaries
should bee able to get authoritie ouer so manie other Bishops his equals throughout so manie and different nations so far off from him and so little fearing his temporall power or that so manie People Citties Kingdomes Common-wealths Prouinces and Nations would bee so prodigall of their owne libertie as to subiect themselues to a forraine Priest as now so manie ages they haue done or to giue him such authoritie ouer thēselues if he had no right therevnto at all 7. But what shall I stand to dispute with Luther in this matter Or what importeth it what he saieth or beleeueth therin for so much as through anger and enuie he knoweth not himself what he thinketh or saith but declareth well the saying of the Apostle to be true in himself Cor ipsius insipiens obscuratum itaditumque in reprobum sensum That his foolish heart is darkned and deliuered ouer vnto a reprobate sense So King Henry pronouncing as you see a heauy iudgment against Luther now and himself afterwarde when he fell into the same darknes and not only obscuritie of vnderstanding but inconstancie also of proceeding which heer so eagerly hee obiecteth to Luther for this he writeth of him Quis non eius miretur inconstantiam c. who will not wonder at Luthers inconstancie for a little before he wrote in his bookes that the Papaltie though it were not by diuine right yet was it by humane to witt by humane consent for the publik good of the Church and therevpon condemned and detested the sect of the Hussites in Bohemia for that they had cut themselues off from the obedience of the Roman Sea affirming that they sinned damnably whosoeuer obaied not the Pope This he wrote verie lately since his fall from Catholicke religion but now he is run into that which then he so much detested And like inconstancy he hath shewed in another point also which is that hauing preached of late in a certaine Sermon to the people that the Popes excommunication was to bee obaied and patiently be borne as a medecine in a disease Whē himself afterwards was most worthily excommunicated he tooke that sentence of the Pope so impotently as seeming to be mad or fallen into rage he brake forth into such contumelious speaches and blasphemies as no Christian eares can abide to heare the same so as by his furie he hath made it euident Eos qui pelluntur gremio matris Ecclesia statim furijs corripi atque agitari daemonibus That those which are cast out from the lap of their mother the Church are taken presently with suries and vexed with diuells Thus far K. Henry and much more to this effect which for breuityes sake I pretermit 8. And now let vs with greife of mind some terror of conscience looke ouer and reflect vpon that which happened afterward vnto this King himself and into what extremes of passion and choller he fell in his writings and Statutes against this very Supremacy of the Pope when he was excommunicated by him which heere he defendeth against Luther though in other points of doctrine he remained still opposite to Luther euen vnto his dying day 9. It is worthy the noting also what mutability and inconstancy he vsed not only in the whole thing to wit in d●●●ing the Popes Supremacy but in the very manner also of falling into that extremity For first for many yeares after the writing of this his booke which was in the yeare of Christ 1521. he continued so deuout and obedient to the said Sea of Rome as no King in Christendome more as may appeare by the mutuall good offices of loue friendship that passed between them And when six yeares after this againe Rome was spoiled by the army of the Duke of Burbon Pope Clement the seauenth held as besieged in the Castle of S. Angelo no King or Prince of Christendome was more forward in the ayd of the said Pope then K. Henry of England as may appeare by his great and famous Embassadge sent that very yeare into France by Cardinall VVolsey about that matter in the yeare 1527. to draw the King of France into the association of that aid and help 10. And when againe the next yeare after King Henry began to moue his doubt or question about the lawfullnes of his marriage with Queene Catherine he referred the whole matter to Rome and procured Iudges to be sent from thence as namely Cardinall Campegius that was directed from Rome the selfsame yeare into England for Legat with like commission for Cardinall VVolsey to be ioyned with him as deputyes from Pope Clement to heare and iudge the matter before whome sitting in iudgment both K. Henry and Queen Catherine being cited personally to appeare they made their appearance in the Church of the Black-Friars in London in the moneth of Aprill anno Domini 1529. which was the one and twentith of King Henryes raigne And albeit King Henry being offended that by this means of these two Legats the Pope accepting of the Appeal of Queen Catherine recalling the matter to himself he could not haue his wil did put from his fauour soone after Cardinall VVolsey when the other was departed and brought him to the miserable end which is well knowne yea condemned for his sake the whole Clergy of England in a Premunire that is to say the losse of all their goods which afterward they redeemed with a submission and payment of a hundred thousand pounds for that they had acknowledged the said Cardinals Legantine authority which himself had procured from Rome yet did not he for this surcease to send other Embassadours to continue the solicitation of the same suite of diuorce in the said Court of Rome and namely among others Doctor Stephen Gard●●● the Kings chiefe Secretary soone after made Bishop of VVinchester who was sent thither as Stow and others doe testifie presently after the departure of Cardinall Campegius in the same yeare 1529. Neither did King Henry leaue of to hold his Embassadours Lawyers and Procurators there about this matter for two or three yeares after this againe vntill he saw there was no hope to get his diuorce by that means and on the otherside was resolued to marry the Lady Anne Bullen whatsoeuer came of it and so did in the yeare 1533. and 24. of his raigne 11. Thus then you see the beginning and progresse of the cause of King Henryes breach with the Sea Apostolicke which probably would neuer haue byn if he could haue obtained his will that way but falling into despaire therof tooke resolution to cut the knot which otherwise he could not vndoe But the manner of his proceeding may be best seen by two Acts of Parlament set downe heer by M. Attorney the one of the 24. the other of the 25. yeare of King Henryes raigne for that in the former which was in the yeare of his marriage with Lady Anne Bullen as hath byn said he prohibited
the memorie of Queen Mar●e without mentioning her at all so could I haue done also but that my purpose is to passe through the raignes of all our Princes without ouerpassing of anie And it maie serue also to our purpose to consider therby the broken and interrupted succession of this new headshipp in the Father sonne and daughters For as the Father by his Act had contradicted all his auncestors Kings of England before him from the beginning of their Conuersion vnto his daies so his sonne though succeeding him in the participation of that act yet contradicted him in all the rest that hee decreed touching matters of religion by vertue of that headshipp after him then came th' elder daughter who cōtradicted them both and restored all to the auncient state againe wherin it had cōtinued throughout the race of al her auncestors progenitors of England and Spaine for a thousand yeares and more So as heer M. Attorneys prescription can bee verie small for so much as his whole thrid therof was broken and cut of by Q. Marie and consequently he must begin againe with Q. Elizabeths raigne as the fountaine of all his deduction 32. And for so much as Queen Marie hauing as a deuout obedient and Catholicke Princesse returned al things belonging to religion to their auncient state and cōdition wherin her Father found them and her Grand-father left them shee repealed and mortified all such Statutes of innouations and new deuises as shee found to haue been made vpō anie occasion or fansie what soeuer during the time of her said Father and brother reducing her self in obsequium fidei to the humble obedience of that only faith which had been held and practised in Christs vniuersall Church and namely also in England from the beginning vnto her said Fathers daies punishing likewise diuers of the heads and authors of those new innouations and alterations that had been made and mamely and aboue others the chiefe author and instrument of all Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie who entring Catholikly as was thought into that dignity was the first Archbishop that euer failed or dissented in his faith frō the rest or from the obedience and subordination to the Sea Apostolicke and so by gods iudgmēt came to bee a stange example of a miserable end to bee burned publikly for his heresies and for that in particular against which his noble and learned predecessours Lanfrancus Anselmus and other Archbishops of Canterburie had foughten most famously aboue other learned men when it first sprang vp in Berengarius the first author and inuentor therof in the daies of VVilliam the Conquerour I meane the deniall of the Reall presence in the blessed Sacrament which of all other heresies was most hatefull vnto him for whose sake Cranmer first of all declined to schisme and heresie I meane King Henry the eight yea and to himself also for a tyme after the others death as may appeare by the foresaid first Statute made cheifly by his authority in the first yeare of King Edwards raigne in fauour of the said Reall presence against the Sacramentaryes 33. All which being so euery man may behold what ground or certainty there was in those dayes or is now for men to leave the Catholicke knowne religion and cast the saluation of their soules vpon such alterations as these were For that after Queen Mary who had restored all to the auncient state as hath byn said came her younger sister Queen Elizabeth a Lady of some fiue and twenty yeares of age who by little and little altered all againe agreeing in all points neither with the one nor with the other neither with them that had made the former alterations but brought in a new and distinct forme and fashion of beleiuing worshipping God peculiar to it self in diuers points and differing from all in some Of which innouation by the said younger sister against the elder they being the only two Queens that euer haue raigned in their owne right within our land since the beginning of Christianity we shall now passe to speake a few words and so end this whole discourse of our English Princes and their religion Of the raigne of Queen Elizabeth who was the three and twentith Princesse after the Conquest and last of King Henryes race §. v. 34. This Lady being the daughter of King Henry and Queene Anne Bullen comming to raigne after the foresaid Queen Mary her sister was persuaded to resume and take to her self that supreme spirituall power and iurisdiction which Queen Mary her elder sister had refused and caused to be restored to the place and persons from whom it was taken by her Father and brother And I say she was persuaded therevnto for that it is the opinion of many men that knew her and conuersed with her both before and after her entrance to the Crowne that she had neither great desire to take it at the beginning nor opinion that she might doe it but only that she was told it was necessary to her present state at that time in regard of diuers Popes sentences past against her legitimation the lawfullnes of her Parents marriage and the pretense of the Queen of France and Scotland at that tyme vpon 〈◊〉 supposed desect to the Crowne of England as due to her ●●ough the others illegitimation 35. For remedy of all which it was made a matter necessary that she should take the said authority Ecclesiasticall from the Pope and Sea of Rome and place it in her self especially when by negociation of some that desired the change it was brought about that the Parlamēt should offer it vnto her vnder this plausi●● Title of An Act for restoring to the Crowne the ancient iurisdictiō of the 〈◊〉 Ecclesiasticall and spirituall and the act it self so cunningly and ●●●ertly penned as before hath byn said as throughout the same ●●re is not found so much as once mentioned or named The head of the Church which euery-where is iterated vrged in the Statutes that gaue the same power to her Father and brother but in steed therof commeth in the deuise before mentioned of Supreme Gouernesse with authority to visit reforme correct errors heresies c●●ses c. And al this for sweetning the matter as a man may say to this Lady at the beginning who besides the other reason of Caluins mislike reprehension therof before mentioned in King Henry the eight had little opinion or appetite of the matter in those dayes not being ignorant for that she was of excellent wit how strange a thing it would seeme in the world to haue one of her sex Supreme in sacred and Ecclesiasticall matters i● ijt ●ua sunt ad Deum to vse S. Pauls words in this case that is to say in those things that are to be handled with God for men or between God and man 36. But being tolde by some in good sadnes at that time and M. Attorney offereth to stand to it
charge And in this point I will remit me to the iudgement and censure of the best most learned Deuines of all Christendome at this day either Protestants or Catholickes whether restitution of fame iustice or innocency violated by him be not in this case necessarily to be made Quia non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum 15. As for example if M. Attorney in presenting his booke to his Maiestie laying open the same did say Lo Syr heer is all this ranke of English laws to proue that the Kings of this land did and might from tyme to tyme take vpon them Supreme spirituall iurisdiction no lesse then Queen Elizabeth did by peculiar Act of Parlament in the first yeare of her raigne yf he vsed this or the like speach as I haue byn informed that he did and that now it be proued that no one of those laws nor al put togeather doe proue that Conclusion and if he affirmed moreouer that by the said auncient English-laws whosoeuer did not ascribe Supreme spirituall authority to Queen Elizabeth did deny the perfection of temporall Monarchy in her and consequently were guilty of treason or Laesae Maiestatis which no auncient English-law euer spake or meant but all the contrary 16. If in like manner he told his Maiestie as he did and made him beleiue that it was true that no person of what persuasion soeuer in religion did refuse at any tyme for the first eleuen yeares of the Queens raigne to goe to the Church and that then their motiue was for that they held her not for Queen If these suggestions I say assertions were then made and lest imprinted in the royall mind and memory of his maiestie now are proued to be far otherwise I am cōtent as I said to remit my self to any learned Deuine whatsoeuer that knoweth what cases of Conscience doe meane to determine what M. Attorneys obligation of restitution is in this behalfe 17. Neither may he solace himself as I thinke he will not in this point thinking that these are but veniall sinnes for Purgatory and to be purged in the transitory fire if he omit these restitutions for that S. Augustine in many places expresly excepteth and excludeth the same and saith that sinnes of this quality committed against charity are for hell-fire and not for the transitory purging fire if they be not amended and satisfied for in this life and to that sense interpreteth he the place of S. Paul 1 Cor. 3. If any man buyld vpon the foundation which is Christ not gold and siluer but wood straw and chaffe his works shall burne c. And thus much of this first expostulation THE SECOND EXPOSTVLATION In the behalfe of all English Catholickes in generall §. II. 18. As the former expostulation was in the name of Recusant-Catholickes especially for that the charge most concerned them in particular so now am I to adioyne some few lines more in behoofe of all Catholickes in generall that prosesse or defend the said religion by word or pen either at home or abroade whome M. Attorney accuseth in his Preface not only of Error and of her inseparable twynn Ignorance to vse his phrase but of intollerable and miserable malice also if it were true as it is not to wit that they impugne the knowne truth against their owne consciences and this either vpon discontentment for not attaining their ambitious and vniust desires or for deserued punishments and disgraces iustly laid vpon them by the State for their vices and wickednes To which vniust vncharitable charge though I haue answered somewhat before in the Preface and first Chapter of this booke yet doe I remember to haue made promisse also in that place to say somewhat more in this for giuing satisfaction in that behalfe to all charitable indifferent people especially in this point that our standing out against the current of the present time to vse M. Attorneys phrase is not either of so gr●sse ignorance and lacke of instruction as hee would haue men to beleiue by his often repetition therof and so I presume will in parte appeare by this our answere to his Booke or of ambitious desires frustrated which Catholicke English men of all other sortes of people can best bee content and haue best learned by theyr sufferings in these our daies to moderate laie aside so that i● other points their consciences were not racked galled and molested and finally much lesse of punishments and disgraces receiued from the Sate for their vices and wickednes in which Kind it may bee auerred I weene by good records that fewer haue been and are punished for those causes then of anie other sorte of men or religion whatsoeuer 19. Wherefore laying aside all passion and animositie of part-taking and sincerely to ioyne franke issue with M. Attorney in this point wee say and affirme out of the testimonie of a good conscience in the sight of him that seeth all hearts and cogitations that his accusations and charges are false in this behalfe and that our only staie and stopp from not running with him and others in this their prosperous Current of the present time is the barre of conscience only which if wee could remoue or hee for vs who would not bee glad to take parte of so faire and pleasing fortunes as hee and others enioy by that Current And wee might also euery man in his degree and ranke according to the merit qualitie talent and industrie of ech one of vs enioy our partes therof yf this obstacle of conscience were not or if the onlie feare and dread of allmightie God and his iudgment did not terrifie vs from breaking through the same by violence of will against the testimonie of our said consciences and iudgment 20. The same God also doth know how great a greife it hath been and is vnto vs in respect of the world that wee haue not been able to conforme our selues in these externall things concerning the profession of our religion vnto the iudgment tast and will of our temporall Prince and State being withholden and terrified from it by those two knowne threats of our Sauiour and his Apostle the one telling vs that if wee denie wee shall bee denied the other that our consciences must bee the sole wittnesses to condemne or deliuer vs at the last daie which consciences wee finding to repine and resist are forced to hearken vnto them now to the end they may stand for vs and not against vs at that day 21. And if the iudgment of auncient Christian writers and Fathers and namelie Eusebius in the life of our Constantine the Great that liued with him was good in commending so highly his Father Cōstātius for that being yet a Pagan he more esteemed those Christians throughout his gouernment that professed freely their religion and refused to doe against the same at his commaundement then hee did the other that dissembled obaied
16. Ioan. 21 〈◊〉 20. 1. Cor. 12. V●●●ersall 〈…〉 ●gainst M Attor●●● 〈◊〉 dist 〈◊〉 Yno 〈◊〉 S●●●ole D●●●ors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Doctors Fathers and expositors Chrys●● 5. ser. Quid regulares famina viris non ●●habitant A notable discourse of S. Chrys. l. ● de sacordo●i● sub initiu●● Ioan. 21. 〈◊〉 cō●●●dable 〈◊〉 good ●●stor A vvomē 〈◊〉 ex●●●led 〈◊〉 ●●urch-g●●ern●●nt Hovv much S. Chrysost. authoritie ought to be esteemed in this point The municipall lavvey of England * Infra ● 6. demonstrat 10. in cap. 7. Manifest reasons A vvoman can not be Priest A●●●rdi●●●f cōse●● 〈◊〉 A ●●eat 〈…〉 Consent of Protestant vvriters Caluin in cap. 6. Amos epist. 54. ad mycon●●● Beza in ●●fes●r●ne cap. 5. de pr●sb fol. 32. 43. Viretus Dialog 3. 〈…〉 ad 〈…〉 burg 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 The repetition and cōclusion of all A point vvorthy of laughter K. Henry ● Ed●●●d 6. ●●●tvvin 〈…〉 cap 1. A point ●●rthy of 〈◊〉 The oath of supremacy exacted of Q. Elizabeth The finall consideration vpon all * Monsieur La●sa● Embassador of the K. of Frāce and others vvherof see more Infra cap. 15. Reportes fol. 1. Of English Kings before the Conquest Reportes fol. 9. The Charter of K. Kenulphus anno 755. Stamford lib. 3. c. 39. fol. 1012. This charter vvas pleaded 1. H●nr 7. 23. 25. 〈◊〉 The first pointe of M. Attorneys collection refuted Bed lib. 4. hist. Angl. cap. 5. Th● secōd po●nt ansvv●●●d 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 third 〈…〉 Of diuers sortes of exemptiō● granted to pious vvorks by Popes Ossa K. of Mercians Paris i● hist. Angl. anno 794. 〈◊〉 Gul●●l 〈◊〉 l. de 〈◊〉 talibus 〈◊〉 ast S. ●●ustin 〈◊〉 Char. 〈◊〉 K. ●●●elbert ●605 ●●ainst ●●●●ders 〈◊〉 Abbey 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 Harpe●sel● hist. Angl. saculo 10. c. 9. ex Mariano Scoto K. Kenulfus gaue his Charter to Abindon by authority of the Pope The instance of K. Edvvard the confessors charter examined Alredus 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 S. Edo●●●ds ●●●g Ed●●rd the ●●●●●ssors ●●●●ection 〈◊〉 the ●●pe 〈◊〉 1033. 〈◊〉 S. ●●●vards 〈◊〉 19. cap. 2. Rom. 13. Rog. Houed part 1. ant al. in vit Hen. 2. Ioan. Fox in Act. Monument The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 King Edvvards gouernment 〈…〉 Ch●●ch vva● by 〈…〉 Se● Baron 〈…〉 97. The K. of Spaine his Ecclesiasti●●ll Iu●●●●●●tion 〈…〉 Hovv little M. Attorney proueth Ten demonstrations be●o●● the conquest 1 Of the lavves made by auncient Kings before the conquest Malmes l. ● de gestis Regum Anglorum c. 2. in I●● Differences of lavves and lavv-makers before the conquest Fox Acts and Mon. pag. 149. See the Conquerours Ecclesiasticall lavves cap. sequent● What the 〈◊〉 he● 〈…〉 Fox vbi supra * Cap. 5. Roger Hodon par 1. Annal. in vita Henr. 2 Magna carta cap. 1. Confirmation of Churches libertyes in England Articuli Cleri an 9. Edvvard ● 2 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Eccles●●●●ca 〈…〉 coun●●●●●ine 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 P●e●●● See Bede lib. 1. histor Angl. c. 2● Of Recourse made to Rome presently after our English Church vvas founded Ibidem The ansvvere of Pope Gregory cōcerninge French Bishops Beda lib. 1. hist. cap. 27. Grego● in Regist. lib. 12. c. 15. 〈◊〉 Grego●●●● com●i●sion to Augu●●ine Bede lib. 2. hist. Anglicana cap. 5. The conuersion of other Kingdomes after that of Kent Anno 600. Anno 604. Anno 709. Anno 606. Anno 635. Anno 662. ●up cap. 2. ● 4. ●cclesia●ticall ●●vves all ●●ne though in ●●●serent ●ingdo●es M. Attorney his euasion ansvvered 3 That all Ecclesiasticall vveighty matters vvere referred by our Kings people to Rome ● Augu●●ine appointed his succes●ors by or●●r au●horitie to Rome Anno Do●●ni 604. 〈◊〉 lib. 1. 〈…〉 p 4. Anno 610. 〈◊〉 de 2. hist. ● Ethel●●rt and Sebert ●ovv they ●epended ●● Rome K. Eadbald an Apostata reclaymed Beda lib. 2. hist. cap. 8. Autho●ity giuen by the Pope to make Bishops in England Malmesb. in fas●is anno Christi 621. K. Edvvyn demaunded Bishops frō Rome Beda lib. 2. ● cap. 17. Pope Honorius his ●riuiledges graun●ed to K. Edvvyn Anno Domini 665. Bede lib. 3. hist. cap. 29. Bede ibid. anno Domini 665. The Pope sendeth reliques to the King and Qeeene promiseth an Archbishop Bede lib. 4. histor Anglican● c. 1. Abbott Adrian Theodorus sent for Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 669. ●eda lib. 4. ●●st cap. 2. A happy ●ate of ●he English Church Malmesb. lib. 2. de Regib●s Anglorum c. 8. K. Edgar sent for authority to Rome to reforme the Clergie M. Attorney challenged K. Ethelbald See Stovve anno 71● Malmesb. lib. 1. de gest●s Regum Anglorum lib. 1. de gostir Pontific●● The at●●mpte of ●●ng Offa againsts the ●●risdictiō of Canterbury See diuers ●auses of Al●uins ●pistle to ●thelard ● Malmesb lib. 1. de gostis ●●●tificu● The epistle of K. Kenulphus to Pope Leo. The humble petitiō of King Kenulphus Key of knovvledge The determination of Pope Leo 3. for Archbish Athelarde Kings and Princes subiects to the Archb of Canterbury in spirituall matters Missions made by authority of the ●●pe ●●●rent in ●●r●n in ●ngl Dispen●●tions of ●ost im●ortance ●●ocured 〈◊〉 Rome Malmesb. lib. ● de vltis Pontifi●um in S●●thu●● Malmesb. ibidem Stovv in anno ●39 Malmesb. lib. 2. d●gestis Regum Anglorum cap. 2. Alredus Ri●uall in vita D. Edvvard● Polidorus alij ●● Iohan●● Tvvo ex●mples af●er the ●onquest ●●anderus lib. 1. de 〈◊〉 4 〈…〉 ●riuiled●es 〈◊〉 of Churches Monasteryes Hospitalls c. by the ●ope Abbott Biscopus sent to Rome for priuiledges Bed● lib. 4. hist. Angl. cap. 10. Bede t●m 3. in vita S. Bertolph● The priuiledges of S. Bertolphus his Monastery Ceadwalla Inas Malmesb. 1. de g●stis ●●gum Anglorum c●p 2. Malmesb. 〈◊〉 Adel●●us his booke of virginity Malmesb. ●● 2. histo●● nouella Florentius in chronico anno 70● Priuiledges of the Abbey of Euesham The priuiledges of S. Albanes founded by King Offa. Math. Vestmonasteriensis in historia anno 794. ●at Paris vita Hen●●●●ter●●s ●●no 1256. Malmesb. 〈◊〉 2. de 〈◊〉 Regum anglorum ●●p 1. Priuiledges grāted to Glastenbury at the petition of K. Edgar Malmes i● vita Edgar● Ingulphus in historia de Cr●yland King Edgar charter confirmed the Popes charter The priuiledges of VVestminster procured by K. Edvvard Alredus Rieuell in vita S. Edwards Anno Domini 1054. Ibidem Mutuall letters betvvene Pope Nicolas and King Edvvard Priuiledges of VVestminster vvith a terrible curse to the breakers 5 Appeales and complaints to the Sea of Rome about controuersies that fell out Appeales more frequēt since the Conquest Appeales before the Conquest Bede lib. 4. historia cap. 11. 13. S. VVilfrides Appeales to Rome anno 679. Beda lib. 5. histor Ang. cap. 10. Beda ibid. The second Appeale of S. VVilfride to Rome Bede ibid. Malmesbur lib. 3. de gestis Pontif. Anglorum in Vvilfrid● Malmesb. 〈◊〉 The epi●●le of S. ●●eodorus 〈◊〉 fauour VV●l●●id S. 〈◊〉 vvho●e he had ●mpu●ned S. VVilfrid restored
to his Bishoprick of York the secōd tyme. Malmesb. ibidem fol. 152. The Decision and cōmaundement of Pope Iohn The humilitie obedience of our Kings in those ancient dayes S. Elflede Supra ●●m●n 3. Many examples of Appeales Malmesb. lib. 3. de gestis Pontif. anno 745. Malmesbu de rebus ges●is Regum Anglor lib. 2. Pope Formosus did excōmunicate K. Edvvard the first and hovv the matter vvas amended * This he speaketh in respec● of the cōuersation vvith Danes that vvere Infidells Malmesb. lib. 1. de gestis Pontificum Anglorum Decrees and ordinances of Pope Formosus for the church of Englād The vigilancy of ancient Popes ouer England Beda lib. 4. ●●st Angl. cap. 8. 20. 23. A consideration of moment 6 VVhat Kings Archbishops Bishops liued togeather and vvhat lavves they vvere like to make The concurrence of Kings and Bishops in Kent and London for the first age of English Christianity 1 A necessary inference 7 The concourse vvith other Kings Princes and Catholicke people abroade The vniuersall authority of the Sea of Rome during the time of our Christian kings before the Conquest Marke the consequence 8 The ma●ing tributary to the Sea of Rome the Kingdome ●● Englād The beginning of Peter-pence Polidor Virgil lib. 5. de hist. Angl. Stovv in Inas 〈◊〉 705. K. Inas his lavves in fauour of the Pope Kings Offa his cōfirmation of the tribute of Peterpēce anno Dom. 77● The greatnes of K. Offa. The confirmation of Peter pence by King Adelnulfe anno Dom. 947. Polidor 〈◊〉 5. historia A speciall note Ingulfuri● histor Monasteri● de Cr●yland fol. 50● The great care King Ca●ulus the Dane had that Peter pence or other Ecclesiasticall dutyes should be paied an 1032. Auncient lavves against M. Attorney Alredus in vita S. Eduard● S. Edvvards confirmation of Peter pence and other duties an 1062. R●●●rius Houiden par 2. Annal in vita Henries 2. Peter pence confirmed by the Cōqueror anno 1070. Peter pence continued after the Conquest vntil K. Henry the eight Anno Domini 1532. 9 The going of diuerse Kings and Princes to Rome for deuotion to that Sea * Supra Demon. 3. Acts and Monumēts pag. 121 Beda lib. 4 histo Augiscana cap. 29. The admirable ●oing of 〈◊〉 kings to Rome S. Egvvyn Bishop of VVorcester Supra D●mon 4. Platina ●● Constantino PP Floren. in Chron. anno 723. Malmesh lib. 1. de gestis Regum Anglorum Beda lib. 5. hist. Angl. cap. 7. K. Inas his going to Rome The history of Ceadwalla his going to Rome dying there Beda ibid. The seruour of English men tovvardes Rome in these dayes An euidēt deduction out of the premiss●● 10 The assertion and asseueration of diuerse Kings for preheminence of spirituall povver Apud Harpesf●ld●● in histor Angl. Sacul 9. cap. 5. ex Asserte Menem Florentino Marianus in anno 9●5 Apud Alridum Retuallo s●r● de Regibus Angli● An excellēt speach of K. Edgar to his Bishops cōcerning reformation of the Clergie Tvvo svvordes of S. Peter and Constantine acknovvledged by K. Edgar Rogeri●● Houeden part 2. Annal in vita Henries secundi VVilliam Conquerors iudgement of this matter Q. Eleanor anno 1194. Blesensis epist. 146. Tertull lib. de pudiciti● cap. 17. Cyprian de Vn●ala Ecclesia The Conqueror began his raigne 1066. and raigned 21. yeares vnto the yere 1087. K. VVilliam boisterous but truly Catholik Florent 10●6 S●ovv an 20●7 in vita Guliel Conquestoris Boisterous actions of K. VVilliam Ex Registro apud Bar. in Annal. anno 1084. Ex epist. Lanfran apud Baro● An. 1070. The pitifull state of Englād for manners vnder the Conqueror The desire of Lan●rank to ●●e ●id of ●his charge Lanfrankes feare of the Conquerors ●●ough ●ature 〈◊〉 an 1087. ●he Con●●erours ●●ni●ent ●●each at ●●s death Satisfaction Stovv ibid. Greg. septimus lib. 7. epist. 1. A sharpe reprehension of Pope Gregory the 7. to the Conqueror Ibidem epist. 2● The arguments of K. VVilliā against Harold Matth. VVestmo●ast anno 1065. Malmesb. lib. 3. in vita Guhelme Conquest Stovv in the life of Harold K. VVilliam offered to stād to the Popes iudgement for his Crovvne Lan●b●●t in Chron. anno 1076. Deposing of Stigand and other Bishops by authority of the Pope Malmesb. in vita Guliel 1. In epist. Lanfranci apud Baronium in an 1070. Lanfranke proposeth his doubts to the Pope The palls of Englād accustomed to be taken at Rome Sea Baron in annal T●m 11. an 1070. Malmesb. l. 3. hist. in vi● Gui●l Baron ●● 1071. Stovv 〈◊〉 1071. A Councell gathered by the Popes cōmaundement Stovv an 1083. Charters frō Rome confirmed by the King Stovv in anno 1087. ●xfra mentis de vita Gu●e●●i The Conquerors accusation of his brother for n●●ting the Church Stovv Ibid●m R●g Houeden annal pa●● 2. in vi● hen● 3. fol. 342. VVhat the peace of the church is Tvvo svvordes the one subordinate to the other The priuiledge of Ecclesiastical men in tēporal Courtes Tenant● of the Church priuiledged Diuer● other lavves Sāctuary Breakers of Priuiledges Tythes Peterpēce The Conquerors humility tovvards his Archbishop Nu●e●g Re●u● Anght l. 1. c. 1 Stovv in vit Guliel in sine The Conquerours last speech of his deuotiō tovvards the Church 7. ● 9. ●● Qua●●●●pedes 19. M. Attorneyes Instance of no force Povver vvaies by vvhich a lay man may Confer benefices Appropriation of Benefices Sup. cap. 6. Demon. 4. Collations of benefices Cap. Intet cap. Licet extrau de trāslat epise extrau de electione cap. Cum in cunctis * Extrau de elect cap. postquam cap. Intet Canonicos cap. Scriptum est Ex capite qualiter extrau de elect Election confirmetion and consecration of a Bishop by vvhomel Extrau de postula one prelatorum cap. pennl Cap. vlt. extrau de Iure patronatus Glossa dist●n●● 63. cap. quāto extrau de postul prelatorum cap. Bonae memoriae Inuestitures desired by Princes but denyed by Popes Bald. l. rescrip in penul col in versi● Et ideo rex Angl. ●od de preci bus Imper. auferēdis 32. de●●n cap. prater 〈◊〉 paragraph vetum d●stinct 96. cap Bene quidem 1. Ioan. 2. K. VVilliam Rufus began his raigne an 1087. and raigned 13. yeare to an 1100. K. VVilliam Rufus a good King for a time Florentius vvigorn an 1093. in annal Anglis Stovv an 5. Guliel Rufi Cōmendation of S. Anselme Malmesb. l. 4. de Guliel 2. Florentius an 1095. Malmesb l. 1. de g●stis Pontif. Edmerus in vita Anselm● S. Anselm his pall brought him from Rome by the Popes Legat. S. Anselm his plaine dealing with K. Rufus VValsing i● Ypodig Neus●ria an 1●97 The pitifull death of K. Rufus K. Henry the first began his raigne an 1100 and raigned 25 years vnto 1135. Florent in Chron. an 1100. The good beginning of K. Henry the first In vita Henri●● primi Pope Pascalis his letter to K. Henry the first Malmesb. li. 5. annal in vit
Hen. 1. Florent 〈…〉 an 1106. S. Anselm and the King reconciled Prosperous successe of K. Henry vpon his amendement Flo●ent VV●●● in Chron. an 1107. Malme●b in ●it Hen. 1. l. 3. Hovv K. Henry of cōscience resigned inuestitures Houeden part 1. a●nal fol. 272. The meeting of K. Henry and Pope Castus at Gesòrse in Normādy Mal. lib. 5. annal in vita Henr. 1. Polid. virgil l. de inuento●ib Retū Gratian disti●● 65. cap. 22. Adrian Sigebert in Cron anno 1111. Baron in annal an 774. The beginning of inuestitures by secular Princes The vse of Inuestitures graunted only by the Se● Apostolicke Malmesb. l. 5. hist. in vit ●en ● fol. 94. A consideration of much moment Florent in ●●on 〈◊〉 ●11 1213. Diuers proofes of K Henry acknovvledging the Popes Supremacy The Charter of Hen. I founder of the Abbey of Reading in the 26. yeare of his raigne and an Dom. 1125. VVeake and impertinent proofe Founders had authority to giue Charters Supra cap. ● This in●●●nce of ●o valevv Supra Ibid. K. Stephen began his raigne an ●●35 and held it 1● yeres and more vntill ●●54 Vncertainty of humane designement● Malmesb. in Stephene Malmesb. l. 1. Hist. Nouell Malmesb. Ibid. The oath of K. Stephen for the libertyes of the Church Malmesb. Ibid lib. 1. Nouell Inconstancy of King Stephen by euill coūsailors A violent act of K. Stephen Malmesb. Ibidem The K. cited to appeare before the Bishopps The kings plea by his Attourney before the Bishops K. Stephen grāted an appeale to Rome but doubteth the same Differēce betvvixt K. Stephens Attourney and ours Ibidem Florent an 11●9 VValsingh in ●pod●g Neustriae an 1142. VVilliam Archb. of York the Kings nephevv depriued by the Sea Apostolick Nuberg l. 1. hist. caep 1● 26. Pol●d l. 12. hist. versus finen● Be●●ard epist ●●4 235 237 238. 139. 251. This King raigned from the yeare 1154. vnto 1189. vvhich vvas 35. years K. Henry his temporall greatnes Nubergens l. 3. c. 25. The same handleth much more largely Petrus Bles●●sis Archdeacō of Bath that vvas his latin Secretary many years epist. 47. K Henry punished in that vvherin he tooke most delight Rhetemag Lexomen epist and Henr. 2 ep●●t 253. apud Ble●●●s ●ct Blese● epis●●la 164. Excōmunication threatned to the Queene Stovv in v●● Henr. 2. Nuberg l. 3. 6. 25. K. Henry his lamētable end His vertues Lavves attempted by King Henry against the Church K. Henry vehement contentiō to haue these lavves take place 〈◊〉 port 2. A●nal in ●● 1164. K. Henry the secōd made Legate of the Pope K. Henry his humility to the 〈◊〉 Apostolick K. Henry himselfe appealeth to the Pope Houed part 2. annal in v●● H. 2. K. Henry appealeth the secōd time K Henry commeth from Ireland to appeare before the Popes Legates Pet. Bloson Epist. 136. The purgation absolutiō of King Henry A circumstance notably cōmending the true obedience of K. Henry to the Church of Rome Pet. ●●esen ●pistola 136. A letter of K Henry the secōd to the Pope vvritten in great affliction Stovv a● 1160. K. Henry founded al his state vpon the Popes authority Houed in vi● Hon. 2. VValsing in Ypod●g●● noustr an 1177. Di●erse things done by authoritye of the Pope in England The straites vvhervnto King Henry vvas driuen VVasing in Ypodig 〈◊〉 an 11●4 K. Henry strangely deliuered The earnest and ● syncere penaunce● of King Henry The vvonderfull successes of K. Hen. vpon his penance See Nuberg l. 2. hist. ● 25. 33. ● Blesensi● epist. 153. This King raigned from the yere 11●9 vntil 1199. that is 10. yeres Misfortunes of K. Richard King Richard deuout and obedient to the Church of Rome See Blesen epist. 64. ad Celest. PP Reg. Ho●ed part 2. Annal. in vit Rich. 2. King Richards behauiour oath at his coronation King Richard goeth to Ierusalem by the Popes procurement The Kingdom commended to the Popes protectiō See Houed and math Paris anno 1190. Houed i● vit Rich. 1. fol. 375. Diuers Appellations from the King to the Pope Houed Ibid. fol. 376. King Richard sent his mother to Rome to entreate the Pope Houed part 2. An. pag. 392. Houeden Ibid. fol. 326. King Richardes letter to P. Clement the 3. Pope Celestines letter to the Realme of England The Bishop of Ely fauored defended by the Pope and the King Nubergens reiū Angl. l. 4. cap. 17. Geffrey the kinges brother by authority of the P. made Archbishop of Yorke Nubergens Ibidem cap. 25. King Richards fortunes letted by his brothers ambition enuy of the K of France King Richards captiuity in Austria See Pet. Blesen epest 144. ad Celest. PP Q Eleanores cōplaints vnto Pope Celestinus ●les epist. 145. Q. Eleanora her petition to Pope Celestinus Ibid. epist. 146. Matt. 16. Epist. 6● ad Celest. ●P The speach of the Archbishop of Reane in K. Richards behalfe cōcerning S. Peters povver Sap. ●●p 6. 〈◊〉 10. A manifest inference vpō the premises against M Attorney Hou●d in vt R●●● 1. fol. 445. Hovv small and little spirituall iurisdiction King Richard pretended Paris i● vit Rich. 8. Hunting and hauking reproued by the Pope in our English Bishops ●●u●d in vita Ru●ar 1. fol. 428. Ibid. fol. 176. Geffrey restored to his Bishopricke by Pope Innocentius Disgust appeale of the Archb. of Roane against K. Richard This King began his raigne an 1199. and raigned 18. yeres vnto an 1216. Variablenes of K. Iohn The pretences of the Dolphin of France to England K. Iohns obeyng the Sea Apostolick Houed 2. part Annal. fol. 458. K. Iohn pretended no supremacy Ecclesiasticall A councel h●ld against the kings prohibition Houed in vi● Ioan. fol. 461. The piety of K. Iohn in the beginning of his raigne K. Iohne humility and liberalitye K. Io●ns mutation to the vvorse See vvalsing in ●pedig anno 1204. and Math. Paris anno 2215. The first occasiō of K. Iohns breach vvith the Church churchmen Great offence and indignation of K. Iohn against Clergie men Houed Ibid. Many vvish that Pope Innocentius had dealt more myldly vvith K. Iohn Extreme acts of K. Iohn in his indignation Paris in vit Ioan. an 1210. Paris Ibid. an 1212. Math Paris Ibid Paris anno 1213. in vit Ioan. King Iohn offered subiection to the K. of the Moores The strāge cōtrariety of King Iohn The aydea that King Iohn receaued from P. Innocentius The church-liberties confirmed by K. Iohn and the Pope Paris an a● 15. See Fox his pageants of the toade skinned to prepare the poisō vvith other circūstances pag. 133. of his Acts and monuments All anciēt English lavves against M. Attorney K. Henry the third began his raigne 1216 and dyed anno 1●7● hauing 56. yeres The coronation beginning of King Henry the third Math. Paris in vit Hen. 3. an 1216. Temporal homage done to the Sea Apostolick by King Henry the third Bles epist. 136. ad Alex. PP Vvalsing●m in 〈◊〉 Nous●ria
Chancellour and Treasurer he was only abiured the Realme for euer The Catholicke Deuine 22. This case related out of Brookes Reporte if so it be there for I haue not the booke is but a particular case and shewed only de facto and not de iure whereas M. Attorneys booke notwithstanding is intituled De iure as often I haue and must still put him in mynd True it is that he noteth here in the margent that this was done by the Common-law of England before any Statute made But what reason can he bring or any man imagine why we should beleeue this to wit that this fact of bringing in a Bull of excommunication from Rome against a subiect in those dayes should be adiudged treason by the auncient Common-law of England For a man may demaund what is that Cōmon-law or auncient Cōmon-law not made by Statute nor introduced by any common custome that can be proued How was it made By whome where at what time vpon what occasion For to auouch a Common-law and auncient common-law without beginning author cause occasion or recorde of the introduction therof is a strange Metaphysicall contemplation for that lawes doe not growe vp without beginning but must needs be made or admitted by some Prince or people And whereas we haue shewed from time to time that all our English Princes people haue byn Catholicks from their first conuersion vnto this Kings time and vniforme also in this point of acknowledging the spirituall iurisdiction of the Sea of Rome and nothing more ordinary among them then censures and excommunications from Rome when necessity seemed to require how could this auncient common-law come in vre among them yea and be auncient in K. Edward the first his tyme contrary to the grounds and practise of the religion then in vse and euer before and no mention euer made therof in all antiquity till ●ow by M. Attorney and that only in the ayre as you see 23. Moreouer we read in Mathew of VVestminster that when this King Edward was in his most heat against the Clergy for denying him the halfe of their rents and goods as before hath byn said which they did vpon the prohibition of Pope Bonifacius he fearing least some men might bring in an excōmunication against himself and them of the Clergy that yelded to pay the same and therby had bought his protection againe he only forbad Subpaena incarcerationis ne quis contra ipsum Regem ces qui iampridem suam protectionem quaesiêrant excommunicationis sententiam promulgaret prouocatione sacta pro se ad Romanam Curiam pro ipsis He prohibited vnder paine of imprisonment that no man should publish my sentence of excommunication against the King himself or those that had newly sought his protection yea his Maiesty made a prouocation or appeale also as well for himselfe as for them that stood on his side to the Courte of Rome So as if the King by speciall decree of his owne appointed only the paine of imprisonment for such as should publish any sentence of excommunication against himself for himself also appealed to Rome it is not likely that the auncient Common-lawes of England had made it treason before against the King his crowne and dignity to publish an excommunication against a subiect that was a thing most vsuall in those dayes 24. Well it may be that for repressing the vnquiet spiritts of some particular subiects that vpon light occasions and false suggestions would procure Bulls of excommunication from Rome some order might be taken at that tyme for seuere punishment of them that rashly without shewing the same to Iudges appointed for that purpose should publish the said Bulls in England as we see also at this d●y to be obserued in Spaine Naples Sicily France and other Catholike Realmes where no man may publish such things without a view and Placet of the Magistrate appointed to that effect and this not for denying or restrayning the said authority of the Sea Apostolicke but for keeping peace and orderly proceeding among subiects as is pretended and for better enforming his Holines if false suggestions haue byn giuen And that some like order might be at this time in England may appeere in parte by another obiection which M. Attorney hath afterward in the life of K. Edward the 3. saying that in an attachement vpon a prohibitiō the defendant pleading the Popes Bull of excōmunication of the plaintiffe the Iudges demaunded of the defendāt if he had not the certificate of some Bishop within the realme testifying the excōmunicatiō c. Wherby it may appeare that priuate men were obliged to shew their Bulls vnto some Bishop before they published the same 25. But howsoeuer this be it is euident by this very Reporte of M. Attorneys text of Common-law cited by himself out of the one and thirtith yeare of King Edward the third which was many yeares after this other case that the bringing in or seruing of a Bull of excommunication against a particular subiect was not held for treason in those dayes Neither did the iudges make any such inference which is like they would haue done if it had byn treason against the King his Crowne and dignity by the ancient Common-lawes of England in the tyme of K. Edward the first aboue fifty yeares before the later case fell out And thus much for law though it might be that de facto in those dayes of suspition when K. Edward feared excommunication as you haue heard some man ad terrorem might be so sentenced by some chief Iusticer or Iudge as would be ready to pleasure the King in all things as most of them were though yet the party were not executed as here is confessed or else that there was some other particular aggrauant circumstance in this facte which here is not set downe though it may be also that the Reader shall find somewhat therof in M. Brookes booke if he looke it ouer out of whome this obiection without all circumstance is so barely cited And thus much of this first instance Now let vs contemplate the second as wise no doubt as the former The Attorney The said King Edward the first presented his Clerke to a benefice within the prouince of Yorke who was refused by the Archbishop for that the Pope by way of prouision had conferred it on another The King thervpon brought a Quare non admisit The Archbishop pleaded that the Bishop of Rome had long time before prouided to the same Church as one hauing supreme authority in that case and that he durst not nor had power to put him out which was by the Popes Bull in possession For which his high contempt against the King his Crowne and dignity in refusing to execute his Soueraignes commaundement fearing to doe it against the Popes prouision by iudgement of the Common-law the lands of his whole Bishopricke were seased into the Kings handes and
lost during his life which iudgement was before any Statute or Act of Parlament was made in that case And there it is said that for the like offence the Archbishop of Canterbury had byn in worse case by the iudgement of the Sages of the law then to be punished for a contempt if the King had not extended grace and fauour to him The Catholicke Deuine 26. Here againe is another case or two de facto wherof M. Attorney wil needs inferre de iure The Archbishop of Yorke his lands saith he were seased by the King and lost during his life for that he admitted not to a benefice within his Diocesse a Clerke presented by the King whereas the same benefice had an incumbent before put in by the Popes prouision according to the custome of those dayes which incumbent the said Archbishop pleaded that he could not put out and for this high contempt against the King his crowne and dignity in refusing to execute his soueraignes commaundement saith M. Attorney by iudgement of the Common-law he lost the landes of his whole Bishopricke But here I would aske M. Attorney what high contempt could this be against the King his crowne and dignity if the Archbishop pleaded that he could not doe it eyther in right or in power Not in right for that nothing was more receaued at that tyme in England then for the Bishop of Rome to prouide certayne benefices in England and not only benefices but also Bishopricks and Archbishopricks as before in the life of this King and his ancestours hath byn declared And as for power no maruaile if the Archbishop durst not vse violence in those dayes against the Popes prouisions wherby he might incurre excommunication for so much as the King himself so greatly respected the same and made such diligent premunition least my such excommunication should come against him as in the answere to the former instance hath byn declared 17. And besides this if the Archbishop did put the matter in plea to be trayed and to the Kings writt of Quare non admisit did yeelde so reasonable a cause as is here touched that the King himself had admitted diuers Bishops and Archbishops by like prouision of Popes how and with what reason can M. Attorney call this answere of the Archbishop so high a contempt against the King his crowne and dignitie Or how could the Common-law condemne the same with so great a punishment And still I must demaund what is this Common-law by whome was it made how came it in where is it founded either in reason vse consent of the people or authority of law-giuers For if it consist in none of these but only in the particular will and iudgement of the Prince himself neuer so passionate and in the approbation execution of these Sages which here M. Attorney mentioneth then any thing that displeased the said Prince may be called high contempt against his person crowne and dignity And so may be iustified all the most passionate actions not only of this King Edward before recited but of all other Kings whosoeuer And by the same meanes M. Attorney maketh his auncient Cōmon-law which often he calleth our birth-right and best birth-right to be nothing else in effect but the Princes pleasure frō time to time and the execution of his Sages which commonly in those auncient times for I will speake nothing of our dayes were to wise and Sage to withstand the Princes will in any thing 28. Sure I am that in this particular fact of seasing Bishops lands and temporalityes vpon any offence or displeasure taken by the King as it hath byn vsed by some English Princes in their anger so hath it bin condemned also in diuers Parlaments lawes and Statutes as in the first yeare of King Edward the third where it is thus expressed Because before this time in the time of King Edward Father to the King that now is he by euill Counsellours caused to be seased into his handes the temporalty of diuers Bishoppes with their goods and cattell c. The King willeth and graunteth that from hence forth it be not done c. And againe in the 14. yeare of the same raigne VVe will and graunt for vs and for our heires that from henceforth we shall not take nor doe to be taken into our handes the temporalities of Archbishops Bishops Abbot c. without a true and iust cause according to the law of the land c. 29. And to the end that M. Attorney may not say that this case of his is excepted it followeth in an other Statute in the 25. yeare of the same King saying VVhereas the temporalities of Archbishops and Bishops haue beene oftentimes taken into the Kings hand for contempt done to him vpon writts of Quare non admisit and for diuers other causes c. The King willeth and graunteth in the said Parlament that all Iustices shall from henceforth receaue for the contempt so iudged reasonable fyne of the party so condemned according to the quantity of the trespasse and after the quality of the contempt c. Which last words may be thought to be added for that the King had right to present to diuers benefices at that tyme as particular patrone therof ex iure patronatus for that the said benefices were fouuded or erected by himself or his auncestors and in those cases the Bishops not admitting such Clerkes as he presented might doe some iniury or trespasse against him and therin shew contempt worthy some fyne or for-faite which the law doth here appoint especially for so much as it is be ore recorded that Pope Innocentius the 4. presently vpon the first Councell of Lyons wrote as you haue heard in the life of K. Henry the third that he would not let by his prouision the right of any patrone in presenting to any benefice wherof he had the aduowson or Ius patronatus 30. And as for the other example alleadged heere by M. Attorney for strengthning his instance of the Archbishop of Canterbury saying that for the like offence the Archbishop of Canterbury had byn in worse case by the iudgement of the Sages of the law then to be punished for a contempte if the King had not extended grace and fauour to him If he vnderstand the displeasure taken against Archbishop VVinchelsey before mentioned by K. Edward for resisting his demaund of the one halfe of all Ecclesiasticall rents for which before we haue heard out of Mathew of VVestminster that all his lands and goods were seased into the Kings hands you haue heard also how the same King afterward repented both that and other like facts of his and asked pardon publikly with teares But if he meane the other offence againe after this when he accused the said Archbishop VVinchelsey to the Pope and caused him to be called to Rome and to be suspended from his office as before we haue declared then doth this