many thought The Templars were thus suppressed and four Years after the same Pope (h) Autographis in Archivis Scaccarii The Popes Bull to confer the Templars Lands upon the Hospitalers on the 17th of the Kalends of June 7 Pontificatus directs three Bulls one to the King another to the Arch-bishops Bishops c. and a third to the Nobility Earls and Barons of England the purport of which Bulls was that having had consultation whether it were better for the Professors of the Orthodox Faith in Hierusalem and for the relief of the Holy-land to give the Goods of the Templars to the Order of the Hospitalers of St. John of Jerusalem or to unite them to an Order to be Created anew as some affirmed it to be more profitable the business was debated in the Council at Vienna and the Pope grants them to the Hospitalers the Holy Council approving it and so hath thought fit to grant apply and unite their Goods to the said Hospitalers excepting till further order those within the Kingdoms of Castile Arragon Portugal and Majorca being without the Kingdom of France So the Pope intreats and perswades them to deliver to the Master and Brethren or Priors and Praeceptors of the said Hospitalers and their Proctors all the Goods of the said Templars entirely and peaceably (i) Sic igitur in praemissis vos promptos paratos exhibeatis quod praeter retributionis aeterni praemium quod inde merebimini vobis laudis humanae cumulus augeatur and that they would in the premises shew themselves ready and prompt whereby besides the praemium of Eternal reward which they should thereby Merit an Accumulation of human praise might be encreased to them Having thus considered what the Pope did about the Templars I shall shew you what the Parliament here did After reciting Statutum de terris Templariorum 17 Ed. 2. that the Military Order of Templars ceased and was dissolved c. Great Conference was had before the King in presence of the Prelates Earls Barons c. whether the King and Lords of the Fees or others which held those Lands which were the Templars might retain them by the Law of the Realm and with safe Conscience Whereupon the greater part of the Kings Council as well the Justices as other Lay persons being Assembled together the said Justices affirmed precisely that the King and other Lords of the Fees might well and Lawfully by the Laws of the Realm retain the foresaid Lands as their Escheats in regard of the ceasing and dissolution of the Order aforesaid But because the Lands c. were given to the Brethren of the said Order for the defence of Christians and the Holy Land against Pagans and Saracens and other Enemies of Christ and Christians and the Vniversal Holy Church and Canonized to the Augmentation of the Honor of God and liberal Alms-giving It is agreed ordained and established for Law to continue for ever That neither the King nor any other Lords of the Fees aforesaid nor any other person hath Title or Right to retain the said Lands c. Notwithstanding any Law or Custom of the Realm of England Wherefore our Lord the King by the mutual assent of the Earls Barons and Noblemen aforesaid of his Regal Authority in the same Parliament hath assigned and determined to deliver all the foresaid Lands c. To the Order of the Brethren of the Hospitalers of St. John of Jerusalem In which Act we may note that it was the Opinion of the Justices that they were Escheated to the Lords of the Fee and that they were only Transferred to the Hospitalers on account that they might perform the same service as the Templars had done It is probable you will ask me what I bring this relation for Objecti ∣ on since here is no Alienation of Church Revenues but only a suppressing of one Order for the great Crimes the persons were found guilty of as is recited in the first Bull and sequestring their Lands and Goods for some years and then entirely giving them to another Order then in being But if you consider the matter aright Answer ∣ ed. you will find more in it for the King and the Nobility having got the Lands and Goods thus in their Possession made no such Restitution as you think of For (k) Dugdales origines Juridiciales Tit. Temple Ed. 2. gave the Inner and Midle Temple the very chief House of their Order in England to Thomas Earl of Lancaster who forfeiting it shortly after it was granted to Adomar de Valence Earl of Pembrook and after to Hugh le Despencer for life The Temple given to Lay-Peers which Hugh being attainted 1 E. 3. the Right thereof devolved to the Crown and then the King restored it to the Hospitalers Temple-ne-wsom given to the Lord Darcy I might instance in many other places but I shall only do it in one viz. Temple-newsom in Yorkshire the account of which among my Collections I find thus (l) Esc 21. E. 3. n. 54. Inquisition being taken after the Death of John Lord Darcy called le Pere it is thus Recorded that the Manor of Temple-newsom some time was in the Possession of the Templars and after the deposing of them the King seized it into his hands and made a composition with the Brethren Hospitalers and gave it to Mary St. Paul Countess of Pembrook for Life the reversion to John Darcy and his Heirs Besides this in the 18 (m) Cart. 18. E. 3. M. 1. of E. 3. this John Darcy le Pere had free Warren granted him in Temple-newsom and Temple-Hyrst Com. Ebor. and Torksay Com. Lanc. and Ekington Com. Derby and Kirkly Com. Not. all which unless the two last certainly belonged to the Knights Templars And I have seen sufficient evidence that Temple-newsom at least continued possessed by the Family till it was forfeited by the Attainder of Thomas Lord Darcy towards the later end of H. 8ths time Surely you must yield that Alienations and Compositions for Religious Lands have been reputed valid in former Ages when the Canons of the Church and the Popes Authority were no ways questioned by the extruded A part of Lincolns-Inn is owned (n) Bucks univer p. 1072. Part of Lincolns-Inn and Grays-Inn formerly Religious Lands to have appertained to the Dominicans and by them Alienated to Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln and Grays-Inn was part of an Ancient Prebendary of the Cathedral of St. Pauls So that we find the very Houses which are the Nurseries and Academies of the long Robe and where we may justly expect greatest care would be taken to be secure in their right have belonged to Religious Societies or the Dignitaries of the greatest Cathedral in England To descend nearer to our times I have seen the Bull of (o) Ex Autographo in Archivis Scaccarii Dissolution of several Monasteries to endow the College of Winsor Castle and Kings College Cambridge Pope Clement the 7th
an Angel of Peace and Concord by the Counsel and Unanimous assent of our Venerable Brethren the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church and have Impowered thee with all the Faculties which we have thought necessary to the effecting so great a business or are any way seasonable for it and among other things have given Authority and Faculty to thy Circumspection to Accord and Transact with the Possessors of Ecclesiastical Goods concerning all the Fruits unjustly received and the Moveable Goods wasted and them to free and acquit when it can be done as in our Letters thereupon made it is more fully contained Whereas for these beginnings which by the Industry and dilgence and right and constant mind to God of the said Mary and in that matter by thy co-operating Study and Counsel the foresaid work of Reduction in the said Kingdom to this Day hath and the perfection of the said Famous work is dayly more to be hoped and the matter may be known thereby to have more easie progress so much the more as we shew hope of Apostolical Benignity and Indulgence in the Possessions of the Ecclesiastical Goods occupied by the Men of that Province in the confusion of the late times We not willing for any Earthly respects to hinder such a recovery of a Nation the most beloved of us in Christ after the custom of an Holy Father towards Sons of us and the Holy Catholic Church after a long time of dangerous Travel abroad meeting them that look back and return with a wished Embrace In whose excellent Vertue singular Piety Learning Wisdom and Dexterity we having in the Lord full trust at thy own Arbitrement by our Authority give thee full Power of Treating Agreeing Transacting and Compounding with whatever Possessors or Detainers of Ecclesiastical Goods as well Moveable as Immoveable in the said Kingdom for whom the said most Serene Queen Mary shall Intercede and give the full and free Apostolical Authority by the Tenor of these Presents and of certain knowledge to dispense with them that they may retain the said Goods without any scruple for the future and of concluding and doing all and singular other things which in these and about these are any way necessary and seasonable saving however in these matters in which for the greatness and the weightiness of them this Holy See of due may be thought by thee to be consulted our and the said Sees good Will and Confirmation notwithstanding the Letters of Pope Paul the 2d our Predecessor of happy Memory of not Alienating Church-Goods unless by observing a certain Form or any other Apostolical Edicts General or special Constitutions and Ordinations in Provincial or Synâ—dal Councils or any Oath or Apostolic Confirmation of any Churches Monasteries or other Regular or Holy Places or by any other Firmness corroborated Foundations Statutes and Custâ—ms having their Tenors sufficiently expressed to the contrary whatsoever The insincerity of the Author of the Letter to Dr. Burnet From this Breve the Author of the Letter would Insinuate that the Salvo took all away and vacated all the Concession of the Pope to make which the more probable he renders the Salvo thus that he reserves all to the Popes Confirmation and good pleasure in all those things that were of such Importance that the Holy See ought first to be consulted by Pool which even as this Translator renders it may but seem a necessary Reservation because some matter of great Importance might require it but as it is in the (i) Haec sancta sedes merito tibi â—ideretur conjulenda Breve it is onlly in such things as should to the Cardinal seâ—m fit that the Holy See should be consulted and I have not yet Read that the Cardinal found any further cause to consult the Pope or obtain greater Powers For he makes the dispensation general without any such Reservation and it is well known that when the Emperor and Granvillanus Bishop of Arras afterwards Cardinal understood this Breve was sent they said if they had known the extent of it they had not Importuned the Pope any further and our Friend of Dr. (k) Pa. 14. Burnets saith that by Ormanets Letter it appears that these last Powers gave the Emperor full satisfaction and were not at all excepted against only Granvillanus made some difficulty in one Point whether the settlement of the Church lands should be granted as a Grace of the Popes by the Cardinals hands Immediately to the Possessors or should be granted to Philip and Mary and by that means to the Possessors for it seems saith he it was thought a surer way to engage the Crown to maintain what was done if the Pope were engaged for it to the Crown with which he would not venture so easily to break as he might perhaps do with the Possessors themselves But continues he Ormanet gave him full satisfaction in that matter for the manner of settling it being referred wholly to the Cardinal by his Powers he promised he would order it in the way that should give the Nation most content Having thus removed all the difficulties I have met with and the objectiâ—ns against the fulness of Cardinal Pools Powers granted by Pope Julius the 3d. It is full time to consider the Transactions of the Cardinal in order to his Execution of the same Powers to the quieting of the Possessors Consciences and securing them from all Ecclesiastical censures SECT VIII Cardinal Pools confirmation of Abby-lands to the present Possessors and the Act thereupon BEfore I give you an account of the Act it self I think it necessary to shew the Cardinals Progress towards the Reconciliation which was the Foundation of the Confirmation of the Abby and Chantry Lands given to King Henry the 8th and Edward the 6th by the respective Acts of Parliament which Relation I extract out of Duditius in his Life of Cardinal Pool an Author I shall have occasion to mention hereafter (a) Duditius p. 26. A. B. He had been attainted by Act of Parliament and that was taken off two days before viz. 22. Novem. In September 1554. in the Company of the Lord Paget and Hastings sent by the King for that purpose Cardinal Pool arrived at Callice and there met six of the Kings Ships sent for him At Dover the Bishop of Ely and the Lord Montacute met him and at Gravesend the Bishop of Durham and the Earl of Salisbury who brought with them the Act of Parliament for his Restitution under the Broad Seal Then he took Shipping and by their Majesties appointment had the Silver Cross the Emblem of his Apostolic Legatship placed in the fore Deck of his Vessel and accompanied with many Boats and Barges he came to the Court the (b) Id. p. 27. The Reception of the Cardinal Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellor met him at the Shore and presently the King also and the Queen received him at the top of the Stairs Having staid some while with their Majesties
to desire him to Establish the Sale of Abby and Chantry Lands for the Lords and the Parliament would grant nothing on the Popes behalf before their Purchases were well secured As to a Messengers sending no doubt several dispatches were made to and from Rome during this Transaction but I cannot conceive that in so short a time a Currier could go and come from Rome and bring new Powers to the Cardinal yet I will not insist upon that But I believe he Writes truly that what preparation soever was made by Debates Conferences c. concerning the Repeal of other Laws against the See of Rome they never passed into Bills till the Bill for securing Religious Lands was perfected Hence we may conclude the Reason why the Solemn Procession related in Mr. Fox was not till the 25th of January after this Parliament was Dissolved which was on the 16th of the same Month which Procession (m) Hist Reformation part 2. fol. 300. Dr. Burnet saith was to thank God for the Reconciling them again to the Church And to keep up a constant remembrance of it it was ordered that St. Andrews Day should be still observed as the Anniversary of it and be called the Feast of the Reconciliation and Processions with all the highest Solemnities they at any time use were to be on that day Duditius tell us That there was every where great (n) Vita Cardinalis Pol. p. 30. De Angliae ad Pristinam Fidem reditu magna ubique gratulatio facta est magnaque laetitiae significatio Omnibus locis supplicationes decretae ac meritae Deo gratiae actae sunt Praeterea Julius III. Pont. Max. amplissimum Jubilaeum promulgavit rejoycing for the return again of England to the ancient Faith and great expressions of the joy In all places Prayers being decreed and due Thanks returned to God. Besides which Pope Julius III. published a most ample Jubilee upon that occasion And there was good reason for it in all the Territories of the Roman Catholic Communion that had any regard for England since it was the greatest revolution of that Age and no less to be wondred at than that K. Henry VIII could suppress so many Abbies in such a way as he did Having given you this prospect of the conduct of this great affair I come now to the Act if self which in Pulton is entituled All Statutes against the See of Rome repealed The Act wherein Abby-Lands are confirm'dto the Possessors 1 2 Ph. Mar. 6.8 The first supplication for reconciliation Repeal of several Statutes according to promise The Act first recites That much false Doctrin had been preached and written since the 20th of King Henry VIII How Cardinal Pool was sent from Rome Legat de Latere to call the Realm into the right way from whence it had strayed Then relates at length the supplication of the Parliament to the King and Queen to be a mean to reduce them into the Catholic Church by their intercession with the Legat-Cardinal for which I refer you to the Statute Then immediatly follows a Repeal of all Statutes made against the Supremacy and See Apostolic since the time of the Schism in accomplishment of their promise made in their supplication Upon which at the intercession of their Majesties by the Authority of their holy Father Pope Julius III. and of the Apostolic See they were assoyled How they were absolved discharged and delivered from Excommunications Interdictions and other Censures Ecclesiastical which had hanged over their heads for their said defaults since the time of the said Schism mentioned in their supplication Second supplication for taking away all occasion of contention Then follows another supplication to their Majesties That all occasion of contention hatred grudge suspicion and trouble both outwardly and inwardly in mens consciences which might arise among them by reason of Disobedience might by Authority of the Pope's Holiness and by ministration of the same unto them by Cardinal Pool by Dispensation Toleration or Permission respectively as the case shall require be abolished and taken away After some other things follows in these words Concerning Abby-Lands c. Finally when certain Acts and Statutes have been made in the time of the late Schism concerning the Lands and Hereditaments of Archbishoprics and Bishoprics the suppression and dissolution of Monasteries Abbies Priories Chantries Colleges and all other the Goods and Chattels of Religious Houses since the which time the Right and Dominion of certain Lands and Hereditaments goods Chattels belonging to the same be dispersed abroad and come to the hands and possessions of divers and sundry persons who by Gift Purchase Exchange and other means according to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm for the time being have the same For the avoiding of all scruples that might grow by any of the occasions aforesaid or by any other ways or means whatsoever The Petition of the two Houses to the K. Q. to be Intercessors to Card. Pool to confirm Abby-Lands it may please your Majesties to be Intercessors and Mediators to the said most Reverend Father Cardinal Pool that all such causes and quarrels as by pretence of the said Schism or by any other coccasion or means whatsoever might be moved by the Pope's Holiness or by any other Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical may be utterly removed and taken away so as all persons having sufficient Conveyance of the said Lands and Hereditaments Goods and Chattels may without scruple of conscience enjoy them without Impeachment or Trouble by pretence of any General Council Canons or Ecclesiastical Laws and clear from all dangers of the Censures of the Church Before I proceed further I think fit to note That by the consent of both Houses it seems clear that they looked upon those Lands to be well secured according to the Laws of the Land which appears because I find in the Journal of the (p) Second Parliament 1o. Mariae Bill prepared before the Cardinal's arrival Commons House That upon the 25th of April 1555. a Bill was engrossed that Bishops should not convent any person for Abby-Lands and the next day I find the Bill passed their House that the Bishop of Rome nor any other Spiritual Person shall convent any person for Abby-Lands So that what is to be cleared is that for removing of scruples of conscience and preventing the causes and quarrels moved by the Pope See-Apostolic or any other Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction there was effectual course taken The Clergy in Convoâ—ation petition that the Lands may be confirmed Therefore because that part in the Act is put in Latin whereby every Reader of it doth not or will not observe the force of it I shall render the most material passages of it into English First the Bishops and Clergy in Convocation present their supplication to the King 's and Queen's Majesties shewing That they viz. the Clergy were the Praefects of the Church The Clergy petition
shew their duty by the Canons is to preserve the Goods of the Church and the care of Souls was committed to them and they were apointed Defenders Curators of the goods Jurisdictions and Rights of the said Churches by the dispositin of the Holy Canons Therefore they ought with the remedies of Law to recover to the ancient Right of the Church the Goods Jurisdictions Rights of the Church (q) de perâ—â—â—â— amâ—â—â—a spent or lost in the late pernicious Schism The reasons why they desire their confirmation as preferring public Peace before privat commodity Nevertheless having had among themselves mature counsel and deliberation they do ingenuously confess themselves best able to know how difficult and as it were impossible the recovery of the Goods of the Ecclesiastics would be by reason of the manifest and almost inextricable Contracts and Dispositions had upon them and if those things should be questioned the quiet and tranquility of the Kingdom would be greatly disturbed and the unity of the Catholic Church which by the Piety and Authority of their Majesties was introduced into the Kingdom with greatest difficulty could obtain no due progress or finishing Therefore preferring the public quiet before privat commodities and the health of so many Souls redeemed with the precious Blood of Christ before earthly Goods not seeking their own Profit but the things of Jesus Christ They earnestly request and most humbly supplicate their Majesties in their names to communicate these things to the Legat and vouchsafe to intercede Here note by Goods Bona in the Canon-law all Lands as well as Chattels are comprehended That concerning these Ecclesiastical Goods in part or in whole according to his pleasure and the Faculty and Power given him by the most holy Lord the Pope he would enlarge or set at liberty and relax the detainers of those goods preferring public good before private Peace and Tranquility before Dissolution and Perturbation and the health of Souls before earthly Goods They giving their assents to whatever he should do and that in the premises he would not be strict or difficult The Dispensation of the Cardinal Then follows the Cardinal's Dispensation wherein after the recital of the several breaches of the supplication of the Parliament and the uncanonical things that had been done it is added The reasons laid down why the Cardinal dispenseth c. That as to Ecclesiastical Goods they were seized and possessed by divers persons of the Kingdom which tho' by the Constitutions of the Canons they might be declared void yet if they should be revoked into any other State than in which they then were the public Peace and Quiet of the whole Kingdom would be disturbed and the greatest Confusion would follow especially if the possessors of the same Goods should be molested Therefore the Parliament have humbly supplicated their Majesties that they would vouchsafe to intercede with the Cardinal And whereas the Bishop the Clergy of the Province of Canterbury representing almost the whole body of the Ecclesiastics of the Kingdom to whom the cause of those Ecclesiastic Goods do mostly appertain have declared That these Goods cannot be recalled to the Right of the Church but the universal Peace and Quiet of the Kingdom will be disturbed and the cause of the Faith and the Unity of the Church now by the consent of all introduced into the Kingdom shall be brought into extreme danger and have supplicated c. as before is rehearsed The Cardinal's Authority Therefore We who are sent Legat de latere to your Majesties and this most Noble Kingdom from our most holy Lord Pope Julius III. his and the Apostolic See That we might reconcile the Kingdom which hath so long been separated from the Unity of the Catholic Church to God the Church of Christ and his Vicar upon Earth and should with all study procure all those things which appertain to the Peace and Tranquillity of the Kingdom After by the benignity of God and the Piety of your Majesties by the Authority of the said our most holy Lord the Pope whose Person We here represent the Reconciliation is made That we may take care for the Peace and Tranquillity of the said Kingdom and the Unity of the Church from whence the Salvation of so many Souls redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ depends now introduced into this Kingdom may be strengthened and remain safe The stability of the Reconciliation the Peace consists in the assurance of Abby-Lands And whereas the stability of either of them consists mostly in that no molestation be brought upon the Possessors of Ecclesiastical Goods whereby they may not retain them which so many and such grave Testimonies cause us to believe and the Intercession of your Majesties who have so studiously and holily labored for restoring the Unity of the Church and the Authority of the Apostolic See may have that Authority with us that is fit and that the whole Kingdom may know and in truth and reality experience the Motherly Indulgence of the Apostolic See towards it Absolving and judging to be absolved every one to whom these Writings may appertain from all Excommunications Suspensions Interdicts and other Eâ—clesiastic Sentences Censures and Punishments by Law or by Man upon any occasion or cause whatsoever Pronounced if for the cause aforesaid only they be inflicted And so the Cardinal passeth to the particulars in the Supplication And lastly as to the Ecclesiastic Goods adds these words The words of the Dispensation and confirmation of Abby-lands notwithstanding Canons and constitutions c. to the contrary And to whatever person of this Kingdom to whose hands Ecclesiastic Goods by whatever contract either Lucrative or Onerose they have come or they have held or do hold them and all the Fruits tho' unduly received of them in the whole he doth remit and release Willing and decernning that the Possessors aforesaid of the said Ecclesiastic Goods Moveable and Immoveable may not at present or for the future by the Dispositions of General or Provincial Councils or the Decretal Epistles of Roman Bishops or any other Ecclesiastic Censure be molested disquieted or disturbed in the said Goods or the Possession of them nor that any Ecclesiastic Censures or Punishment be Imposed or Inflicted for the detention and Non-Restitution of the same and so by all kind of Judges and Auditors it ought to be adjudged and defined taking from them all kind of Faculty and Authority of Judging otherwise and decerning it to be Null and void if any thing happen to be attempted to the contrary Notwithstanding the foresaid defects or whatever Apostolic Special or General Constitutions and Ordinances Published in Provincial and Synodal Councils to the contrary An Admonition to those that do hold the Goods of the Church and an exhortation to allow maintenance to Parish Parsons and Vicars Then follows the Admonition that tho' all the Moveable things of the Churches were
VIII of famous Memory and several other persons there particularly named sold to the same Sir William Peters Mannors Lordships Advowsons Lands c. belonging to Monasteries particularly also named as appeared by Instruments and public proofs Documenta publica And afterwards our beloved Son Reginald Deacon of St. Mary in Cosmedon called Cardinal Pool Legat de Latere in England of Us and the aforesaid See being authorized to that matter with sufficient power by the Letters of the said See as appears in his Commission And afterwards we generally under certain words expressed in mode and form have (n) (n) By this clause the Bull mentioned in the Journal of the House of Commons must be understood approved and confirmed the Sales Gifts and Exchanges and Grants made to and by him and added to them strength of assurance or firmness as in our Letters made thereupon is said more fully to be contained However as the said Petition subjoyned expresseth the same Sir William who as he affirms is ready to assign and demise the said Rectories to Spiritual Uses desires to have all the Sales Gifts and Grants made to him of those things and all the things in the said Instruments and Documents contained for the better caution specially and expresly to be approved and confirmed And besides hath humbly supplicated to Us That of Apostolical Benignity we would vouchsafe to provide for the Indemnity and Quiet of him and his The Pope's Dispensation and Absolution from Ecclesiastical Censures Therefore We who admit to the favor of our audience the prayers of those devoted to Us and Our foresaid See quit the said Will. from all Excommunications Suspensions Interdicts and other Ecclesiastic Sentences Censures and Punishments either by Law or from any man upon any occasion or cause produced if he be by any of them any ways tied in consequence of any effect of these presents only by the tenor of these presents absolving him and judging him to be absolved Being inclined by those supplications by Apostolical Authority by these presents do perpetually approve and confirm all the Sales Grants and Gifts aforesaid likewise all the Receipts and Procurements of the Possessions and the retaining of them and as they concern them all each singular other matters in all the Instruments Documents and other Writings and things contained in the foresaid Letters of the said Reginald the Cardinal and to them do add the strength of a perpetual and inviolable firmness supplying all and singular defects of Law or Fact necessary to be expressed if by chance any happen to intervene in them and decerning them inviolably to be established without any scruple of conscience as also by the said William Peters and Bishops Chapters Abbots Priors Prioresses and Convents and others which these any way concern or may concern for the future according to the tenor of the Sales Grants and other Dispositions made upon them in all things and by all means perpetually to be observed and so to be judged and ought to be defined by all Judges and Ecclesiastical and Secular Comissaries enjoying any Authority taking from them and every of them every Faculty and Authority of Judging and Interpreting other ways and making it void and null if upon the premises by any one by any Authority knowingly or ignorantly it happen to be attempted The Pope's Command to Bishops to defend Sir Will. Peters Right Wherefore by Apostolic Writ We command Our Venerable Brothers the Bishops of London Exeter and Pisauria that two or one of them or by another or others these present Letters and whatever is contained in them when and where there is need and so often on the part of William Peters and the Heirs aforesaid or any of them it be required solemnly to publish and assisting them in the premisses with maintenance of an effectual Defence by Our Authority they perform it to make them and every of them enjoy them peaceably not permitting any of them by the Bishops Chapters No Religious to molest him Abbots Priors Prioresses or Convents or any other contrary to the tenor of these presents in any wise to be molested vexed or disturbed inflicting upon all contradicters and Rebels by Ecclesiastical Censures and Money-mulct at their pleasure punishments to be applied and by other opportune remedies quieting them postponing all Appeals and by repeated instances aggravating and if need be calling in to this purpose the aid of the Secular Arm. The Clause of Non obstante Notwithstanding any heretofore sent Apostolic Constitutions and Ordinances of what Kind soever or by what other firmness corroborated Statutes and Customs contrary thereto whatsoever or if it be indulged from the said See to Bishops Abbots Priors Prioresses or by any other in common or separately that they may not be Interdicted Suspended or Excommunicated by Apostolical Letters not making full and express mention word by word of the said Indulgence Therefore it shall not be lawful for any man whatsoeever to infringe or contradict by any rash attempt this writing of ours of Absolution Approbation Adjection Supplement and Command If any therefore presume to attempt this let him know that he shall incur the Indignation of the Omnipotent God and of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Dated at Rome at St. Peters the Year of the Incarnation of the Lord 1555. the 4th of the Kalends of December the first Year of our Pontificate 2 and 3 Philip and Mary Subsigned Beltradus Observations from this Bull. From this Bull we may learn there was a General Confirmation by Pope Paul the 4th of Cardinal Pools Assurance of Abby-lands and it is as certain as any thing can be to one that hath not seen that Bull which was sent to Absolve the whole Kingdom that it was as full in the same or such like expressions as are usual in Alienation of Church-lands Dispensations or Absolutions as were requisite or the desire of the Interessed persons security could expect since we find by this to a particular person what care was taken about securing them In further confirmation of this give me leave to acquaint you what * I must own the favor of Dr. Bernard for the loan of this rare Book Andreas Duditius Writes on this Subject whose Testimony is the more Authentic in that he not only Translated out of Italian (i) In praefatione Libri de vitâ Cardinalis Poli Imp. Venetiis 1563. into Latin the Life of Cardinal Pool Writ by Becatellus Arch-bishop of Ragusa but added several things of his own knowledg and by the Information of John Baptista Binardus who were both with the Cardinal in England His words The 3d. proof I render thus into English He viz. the Cardinal omitting nothing which might conduce to the compleat restoring of Piety and the repair of the Ruins of the Church made in late times Dealt with the Queen (k) Illud etiam agere cum Regina Institit ut qua Bona Henricus Pater Ecclesiae