cuppe vnto the king chanced in the middle of the floure to stumble with one foote helping and recouering himselfe with the other saying in these wordes Thus one brother as ye see helpeth an other These wordes being thus spokeÌ„ in the hearing of the king so moued his mind that forthwith he commaunded the false accuser of his brother to be had out to execution Whose iust recompence I would wish to be a warning to all men what it is to sowe discorde betwixt brother and brother King Ethelstane besides his vij yeares lamentation for this acte builded the two Monasteries of Midletone and of Michelenes for hys brothers sake or as the stories say for his soule Whereby it may appeare what was the cause most speciall in those daies of building monasteries to wit for releasing the sinnes both of them departed and them aliue which cause howe it standeth wyth the grace and veritie of Christes Gospell and of his passion let the Christen reader trie examine with himselfe This cruell fact of the king towarde Edwyne caused him afterwarde to be more tender and careful toward his other brethren and sisters left in his handes vnmarried Which sisters as is partly in the Chapter before declared he richly bestowed in great mariages As one to the king of NorthumberlaÌ„d Sithericus an other he gaue to Lewes King of Aquitania the thirde to Henricus Duke of Almaine for hys sonne Otho who was the first Emperour of the Germanes Whereby it is to be vnderstand that the Empire at this time began first to be translated from Fraunce where it remained about C. yeares and halfe vnto Germanie where it hath euer since continued The fourth of his sisters being a virgine of singulare benty Hugo the French king required to be geuen vnto him sending to King Ethelstane pretious and sumptuous presents such as were not before seene in England Among the which presents gifts besides the rare odours of sondry fauours fine spices and besides the precious costly gemmes namely of Smaradges of most redoleÌ„t grene besides also many and great coursers and palfries richly trapped especially of one iewell as wryters make inention which was a certaine vessell finely and subtilly made of the precious stone Onichinus so radiantly wrought that in it appeared the liuely corn growing and mens images walking c. Ouer and besides was sent also the sworde of Constantine the great with the name of the possessor wrytten in golden letters where in the hast of the same al beateÌ„ in gold was one of the yron nailes wherwith our Sauiour on the crosse was nailed Of the veritie whereof I am not disposed at thys present muche to say what I suspect but that this in the Ecclesiasticall storie of Eusebius is euideÌ„t That two of the foresaid nailes of Christ was speÌ„t on the bridle of Constantine the 3. he cast into the Sea in a raging tempest Wherfore if Christ were nailed with 4. nailes perhappes this naile might be one If he were nailed but with iij. I see not how this storie can stand with other stories neither howe this fourth naile can stand with truthe Among the rest moreouer was the speare as is reported wherwith the side of our Sauiour was opened which also the sayd ConstaÌ„tine was woÌ„t to cary in the field against his enemies with a portion likewise of the holy crosse inclosed in Cristall Also a part of the crowne of thorne in like maner inclosed c. Of the whych Reliques part was geuen to Winchester part to the Church of Malmesbury where king Ethelstane was buried As this King was indued and enlarged by the gift of God the serter vp disposer of all kings with great victories of worldly renowne hauing vnder hys subiection both the Scottes and Britons and the whole Monarchie of the land So he deuised diuers good and holesom lawes for the gouernment of the same as wel concerning the state of the orders Ecclesiasticall as also of the secular or lay people Whereby it is to be vnderstaÌ„d that the vsurped power of the bishop of Rome did not then extend it selfe so largely nor so proudly to derogate froÌ„ the authority of kings princes but that euery one in his owne dominion had vnder God and not vnder the Pope the doing of all matters within the same his dominion contained whether they were causes teÌ„poral or spiritual As by the decrees and constitutions of this king also of other as well before him as after him may euidently be testified as where hee among other lawes thus ordeineth â—ouching the bishop in wordes as folowe Episcopo iure pertinet omnem rectitudinem promouere Dei videlicet ac seculi In primis debet omnem ordinatum instruere quid ei â—it agendum iure quid hominibus secularibus iudicare debeant Debet etiam sedulò pacem concordiam operari cum seculi iudicibus qui rectum velle diligunt in compellationum allegationem edocere ne quis alij perperam agat in iureiurando vel ordalio Nec pati debet aliquam circumuentionem iniustae mensurae vel iniusti ponderis Sed conuenit vt per consilium testimoniuÌ„ eius omne legis rectum burgi mensura omne pondus sit secundum ditionem eius institutum valde rectuÌ„ ne quis proximum suum seducat pro quo decidat in peccatum Et semper debet Christianis prouidere contra omnia quae praedicta sunt ideo debet se de pluribus intromittere vt sciat quomodo grex agat quem ad Dei manum custodire suscepit ne diabolus cum dilaniet nec malum aliquod superseminet Nunquam enim erit populo benè consultum nec dignè Deo conuersabitur vbi lucrum impium magis falsum diligitur Ideo debent omnes amici Dei quod iniquum est eneruare quod iustum est eleuare nec pati vt propter falsum pecuniae questum homines se forisfaciant erga verè sapientem Deum cui displicet omnis iniustitia Christianis autem omnibus necessarium est vt rectum diligant iniqua condemnent faltem sacris ordinibus euecti iustum semper erigant praua deponant Hinc debent Episcopi cum iudicibus iudicia dictitare interesse ne permittant si possint vt illinc aliqua prauitatuÌ„ gramina pullulent Et sacerdotibus pertinet in suo Dioecesi vt ad rectum sedulò quemcumque muent nec patiantur si possint vt Christianus aliquis alij noceat non potens impotenti non summus infirmo non praelatis subditis non Dominus hominibus suis seruis aut liberis Et secundum ditionem per mensuram suam conuenit per rectum vt necessaria serui operentur super omnem scyram cui praeest Et rectum est vt non sit aliqua mensurabilis virga longioâ— quà m alia sed per
departure began to be knowne and noysed abroad the kinges officers came to Canterbury to season vppon hys goodes in the kinges behalfe But as it chanced the night before their comming Becket being returned and founde at home they did not proceede in their purpose Upon this the Archbishop vnderstanding the kyng sore bent agaynst hym and the seas not to serue hym made hast to the court lying then at woodstock Where the king receaued him after a certayne maner but nothing so familiarly as he was wont taunting him gestingly merily as though one realme were not able to hold them both Becket although he was permitted to go and come at his pleasure to the court yet could not obtaine the fauour that he would perceiuing both in himselfe and confessing no lesse to other how the matter would fall out so that eyther he should be cōstrayned to geue ouer with shame or stoutly stand to that which he had so holdly taken in hand The Archbishop of Yorke in the meane time going betweene the kyng and the Archbish. laboured to make a peace loue betweene them but the King in no case would be reconciled vnlesse the other would subscribe to his lawes So the while neyther the K. would otherwise agree nor yet the archb in any wise would subscribe there was a foule discorde Where the fault was let the reader here iudge betwene thē both The K. for his regall authoritie thought it much that any subiect of hys should stand agaynst him The Archb. agayne bearing himselfe bold vppon the authoritie especially vpon the letters of the P. lately writtē to him thought hym strong inough agaynst the king all hys realme Againe such was his quarell for the maintenance of liberties and glory of the Church that he could lacke no setters on fauourers in that behalfe in so swete a cause amongest the clergy Wherfore the Archb. trusting to these thinges would geue no place but by vertue of his Apostolike authoritie gaue censure vpon these lawes and constitutions of the king condemning some other some approuing for good and catholicke as is before declared Besides this there came also to the K. Rotrodus Archbishop of Rotomage sent from the Pope to make peace betweene the K. and Canterbury Whereunto the king was well content so that the Pope would agree to ratifie hys ordinances But whē that could in no wise be obtayned at the Popes handes then the king beyng stopped and frustrate of hys purpose by reason of Beckets Apostolike legacie being Legatus a Latere thought good to send vp to the pope and so dyd to obtayne of hym that the same authoritie of the Apostolike Legacy might be conferd to an other after his appointment which was the Archbishop of Yorke But the pope denied Notwithstanding at the request of the kings Clergy the Pope was content that the king should be Legate hymselfe whereat the kyng tooke great indignation as Houeden writeth so that he sent the Pope hys letters agayne Here the Pope was perplexed on both sides If he should haue denied the kyng that was to hote for him For the Pope vseth always to hold in with kings howsoeuer the world speedeth Agayne if he should haue forsaken such a churchly chaplen the cause being so sweete and so gainefull that should haue bene agaynst himselfe what did he thē Here now commeth in the old practise of popish prelacy to play with both hands priuily he cōspireth with the one and openly dissembleth with the other First he granted to the kings ambassadors their request to haue the Legate remooued and to place in that office the Archbishop of Yorke after his owne contentation and yet notwithstanding to tender the cause of Tho. Becket he addeth this promise withall that the sayd Becket should receiue no harme or damage therby Thus the Pope craftily conneying the matter betwene them both glad to further the Archbishop for his owne aduantage and yet lothe to deny the king for displeasure writeth to the king openly and also secretly directeth another letter to Becket the contents wherof here follow Alexander the Pope to Thomas Archb. of Caunterbury ALthough we condescending to the kings request haue graūted the gifte of our legacie after his minde from you yet let not your minde therby be discomforted nor brought into sighes of dispaire For before that we had graunted that or gaue oure consent thereunto the kings ambassadours firmely promised in the word of trueth ready also to be sworne vpon the same if I would haue so required that their letters also which he had obtained should not be deliuered to the Archbishop of York without our knowledge and consent therein This is certaine and so perswade your self boldly without any scruple doubt or mistrust that it was neuer my minde or purpose nor euer shal be God willing to subdue you or your Church vnder the obedience of any person to be subiect saue onely to the Bishop of Rome And therfore we warne you and charge you that if you shall perceiue the king to deliuer these foresaide letters which we trust he will not attempt without our knowledge to doe forthwith by some trustie messenger or by your letters you will geue vs knowledge therof wherby we may prouide vpō the same both for your person your Churche and also your citie committed to you to be clerely exempt by our authoritie Apostolicall from all power iurisdiction of any legacie Upon these letters and such other as is sayd before Becket seemed to take all his boldnesse to be so stoute and sturdy against his Prince as he was The Pope beside these sent secretly this Chaplaine of hys and directed an other letter also vnto the king granting and permitting at his request to make the Archbishop of Yorke Legate Apostolicall The king after he had receiued his letters sent from the Pope beganne to put more strength to his purposed procedings against the Archbishop first beginning wyth the inferiors of the clergy such as were offenders agaynst his lawes as fellons robbers quarellers breakers of peace and especially such as had committed homicide and murders wherof more then an hundred at that time were prooued vpon the clergy as witnesseth Guliel Neuburgēsis in his booke de gestis Anglorum lib. 2. cap. 16 vrging and cōstraining them to be arreigned after the order of the lawe temporall and iustice to be ministred to them according to their deserts as first to be depriued and so to be committed to the secular hands This seemed to Becket to derogate frō the liberties of holy church that the secular power should passe in causes criminall or sit in iudgemēt against any ecclesiasticall person This law the roisters then of the clergy had picked and forged out of Anacletus Euaristus by whole falsly alleaged and pretensed authoritie they haue deduced this their constitution from the Apostles which geueth immunity to all ecclesiasticall persons to be free from
newe to honour the Priestes and with great reuerence to defend them after the example of the godly prince of most happy memory 4 Constantinus which sayd when a complaint of the Clergy was brought to him You said he can be iudged by no secular iudge which are reserued to the only iudgement of God And for so much as we doe read that the holy Apostles and their successors appoynted by the testimonie of God cōmanded that no persecution nor troubles ought to be made nor to enuie those which laboure in the fielde of the Lorde and that the stewardes of the eternall King shoulde not be expelled and put out of their seates Who then doubteth but that the Priestes of Christ ought to be called the fathers and maisters of all other faithfull princes Is it not a miserable madnesse then if the sonne shoulde go about to bring the 5 father vnder obedience or the scholer his maister and by 6 wicked bondes to bring him in subiection by whome he ought to beleue that he may be bounde and loosed not only in earth but also in heauen If you be a good and a catholike king and will be such a one as we hope or that we rather desire you should be be it spoken vnder your licence you are the childe of the church and not the ruler of the Church You ought to learne of the priestes and not to teach them you ought to 7 folow the Priests in ecclesiasticall matters and not to goe before them hauing the priuiledge of your power geuen you of God to make publike lawes that by his benefites you shoulde not be vnthankfull against the dispensation of the heauenly order and that you shoulde vsurpe nothing but vse them with a wholesome disposition Wherfore in those things which contrary vnto that you haue through your malitious counsel rather then by your own mind wickedly vsurped with all humilitie satisfaction speedily geue place that the hande of the most highest be not stretched out against you as an arrowe against the marke For the most highest hath bended his bowe openly to shoote against him that will not confesse his offences Be not ashamed whatsoeuer wicked men say vnto you or that traitors do whisper in your eare to humble your selfe vnder the mightie hande of God For it is he which exalteth the humble and throweth downe the proude which also reuengeth himselfe vpon Princes he is terrible and who shall resist him You ought not to haue let slip out of your memorie in what state God did finde you howe he hath preferred honoured and exalted you blessed you with children enlarged your kingdome and established the same in despite of your enemies In so much that hetherto in a maner all men haue sayd with great admiration that this is he whome God hath chosen And howe will you reward or can you reward him for all these things which he hath done vnto you Will you at the prouocation and instaunce of those which are about you that 8 persecute the Church and the ecclesiasticall ministers and alwaies haue according to their power persecuted them rendring euil for good bringing oppressions tribulations iniuries and afflictions vpon the Church and church men do the like Are not these they of whome the Lorde speaketh he that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eie Verely forsaking al that thou hast take vp thy crosse that thou maist folow thy God our Lorde Iesus Christ. Yet wil it scarsely be or not at all that thou shalt appeare a thankefull recompencer of the benefits receaued at his hand Search the scriptures of such as are learned and you shall vnderstande that 9 Saul albeit he was elect of the Lord pearished with his whole house because he departed from the waies of the Lord. Ozias also king of Iuda whose name is spoken of and spread ouer all through the manifould victories geuen him of God hys heart was so puffed vp to his destruction because the Lorde did helpe and strengthen him in euery place that he contemning the feare and reuerence of the Lord would vsurpe vnto himselfe that which was not his office that is to say the priesthoode to offer incense vpon the altar of the Lord for the which he was stricken with a leprosie and cast out of the house of the Lorde Manie other kings and holy men of great substaunce because they haue walked aboue their estate in the meruails of the world presuming to rebel against God in his ministeries haue perished and at the last they haue founde nothing of their substance in their power Also king Achaz because he did vsurpe the office of Priesthoode was likewise striken with a leprosie by God Oza also albeit he was not king yet for somuch as he touched the arke and held it when it would haue fallen by the vnrulines of the Oxen which thing perteined not vnto him but vnto the ministers of the Church was striken by the wrath of God fell downe by the Arke O king it is a famous prouerbe that a man forewarned by an other mans misfortune will take the better heede vnto himselfe For euery man hath his owne busines in hand when his neighbours house is on fire Dearely beloued king God woulde haue the disposing of those things which pertaine vnto the church to belong only vnto priests and not vnto the secular power Do not chalenge vnto thy selfe therefore another mans right neither striue against him by whom al things are ordained least thou seeme to striue against his benefites of whome thou hast receiued thy power For by the common 10 lawes and not by the seculare power and by the bishops and priests almighty God would haue the cleargie of the christen religion to be ordered and ruled And Christian Kings ought to submit al their doings vnto ecclesiastical rulers and not to preferre themselues for it is written that none ought to iudge the bishops but onely the Church neither doeth it pertaine vnto mans law to geue sentence vpon any such Christian princes are accustomed to be obedient vnto the statutes and ordinaunces of the church and not to prefer their owne power A prince ought to submit himselfe vnto the bishops not to iudge the bishops for there are two things wherwith the world is chiefly gouerned that is to say the sacred authoritie of bishops and royall power 11 In the which the bishops charge is so much the more waighty in that they shal at the latter iudgement render accompt euen of the kings themselues Truely you ought to vnderstande that you depend vpon their iudgement and can not reduce them vnto your owne will for many Bishops haue excommunicated both Kinges and Emperours And if you require an especiall example thereof Innocentius the Pope did excommunicate Arcadius the Emperour because he did consent that Iohn Chrisostome should be expulsed from his seate and S. Ambrose also did
the sayd Iohn Wickliffe to be apprehended and cast in prison And that the king and the nobles of England should be admonished by them not to geue any credite to the saide Iohn Wickliffe or to his doctrine in any wise c. ¶ Beside this Bill or Bull of the Pope sent vnto the Archbyshop of CaÌ„terbury and to the Byshop of London bearyng the date 11. Kalend. Iuni. and the 7. yeare of the raigne of the Pope I finde moreouer in the sayd story two other letters of the Pope concernyng the same matter but differyng in forme sent vnto the same Byshops and all hearyng the same date both of the day yeare and moneth of the raigne of the sayd Pope Gregory Whereby it is be supposed that the Pope either was very exquisite and solicitous aboue the matter to haue Wickliffe to be appreheÌ„ded which wrote three diuers letters to one person and all in one day about one businesse or els that he did suspect the bearers thereof the scruple wherof I leaue to the iudgement of the Reader Furthermore beside these letters writteÌ„ to the Uniuersitie and to the Byshops he directeth also an other Epistle bearyng the same date vnto kyng Edward as one of my stories sayth but as an other sayth to the kyng Richard whiche soundeth more neare to the truth forasmuch as in the 7. yeare of Pope Gregory the xi which was the yeare of our Lord. 1â—78 Kyng Edward was not aliue The copy of his letters to the kyng here followeth The copy of the Epistle sent by the Byshop of Rome to Richard kyng of England to persecute Iohn Wickliffe VNto his welbeloued sonne in Christ Richard the most noble kyng of England health c. The kyngdome of England which the most highest hath put vnder your power and gouernaunce beyng so famous and renowmed in valiancy and strength so aboundaunt and flowyng in all kynde of wealth and riches but much more glorious resplendent and shynyng through the brightnesse and clearenesse of all godlynesse and fayth hath accustomed alwayes to bryng forth men endued with the true knowledge and vnderstandyng of the holy Scriptures graue in yeares feruent in deuotion and defenders of the Catholicke fayth The which haue onely directed and instructed their own people through their holesome doctrine and preceptes into the true path of Gods commaundementes but also as we haue heard by the report and information of many credible persons to our great grief hart sorow that Iohn Wickliffe Parson of Lutterworth in the Dioces of Lincolne professor of diuinitie I would to God he were no author of heresie to be fallen into such a detestable and abhominable madnes that he hath propounded and set forth diuers and sundry conclusions full of errours and coÌ„teinyng most manifest heresie the which do tende vtterly to subuert and ouerthrow the state of the whole Churche Of the whiche some of them albeit vnder coloured phrase and speache seeme to smell and sauour of peruerse opinions and the foolishe doctrine of condemned memory of Marsilius of Padua and Iohn of Ganduno whose bookes were by Pope Iohn the 22. our predecessour a man of most happy memorye reproued and condemned c. ¶ Hetherto gentle reader thou hast heard how Wickliffe was accused by the Byshop Now you shall also heare the Popes mighty reasons and argumentes by the which he did confute him to the kyng It followeth Therefore for so much as our Reuerend brethren the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Byshop of London haue receiued a speciall commaundement from vs by our authoritie to apprehend and committe the forenamed Iohn Wickliffe vnto prison and to transporte his confession vnto vs If they shall seeme in the prosecution of this their businesse to locke your fauour or helpe we require and most earnestly desire your maiestie euen as your most noble predecessors haue alwayes bene most earnest louers of the Catholicke fayth whose case or quarell in this matter is chiefly handled that you woulde vouchsafe euen for the reuerence of God and the fayth aforesayd and also of the Apostolicke seat and and of our person that you will with your helpe and fauour assist the sayd archbishop and all other that shall goe about to execute the sayd busines Wherby besides the prayse of men you shall obtayne a heauenly rewarde and great fauour and good will at our hand and of the sea aforesaid Dated at Rome at S. Mary the greater the 11. Kal. of Iune in the 7. yeare of our Byshoprick an 1378. The Articles included in the popes letters whiche he sent to the Bishoppes and to the king against Wickliffe were these as in order do follow The conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe exhibited in the conuocation of certayne Bishops at Lambeth ALl the whole race of mankinde here on earth besides Christ hath no power simply to ordayne that Peter and all his ofspring should politickely rule ouer the world for euer 2. God cannot geue to any man for him and hys heyres anye ciuill dominion for euer 3. All writinges inuented by men as touching perpetuall heritage are impossible 4. Euery man being in grace iustifiyng hath not onely right vnto the thing but also for his time hath right in deede aboue all the good thinges of God 5. A man cannot onely ministratoriously geue any temporal or continuall gift eyther as well to his naturall sonne as to his sonne by imitation 6 If God be the temporall Lordes may lawfully and meritoriously take away the riches from the Church when they do offend habitualiter 7. We know that Christes Vicar cannot neyther is able by hys Bulles neyther by his owne will and consent neither by the consent for his colledge eyther make able or disable any man 8. A man cannot be excommunicated to his hurt or vndoyng except he be first and principally excommunicate by himselfe 9. No man ought but in Gods cause alone to excommunicate suspend or forbid or otherwise to proceede to reuenge by anye ecclesiasticall censure 10. A curse or excommunication doth not simply binde but in case it be pronounced and geuen out agaynst the aduersarye of Gods law 11. There is no power geuen by any example eyther by Christ or by his Apostle to excommunicate any subiect specially for the denying of any temporalties but rather contrariwise 12. The disciples of Christ haue no power to exact by anye ciuill authoritie temporalties by censures 13. It is not possible by the absolute power of God that if the Pope or any other Christian doe pretend by any meanes to bynd or to lose that thereby he doth so bynde and loose 14. We ought to beleue that the Vicar of Christ doth at suche tymes onely bynde and loose when as he worketh conformably by the law and ordinaunce of Christ. 15. This ought vniuersally to be beleued that euery priest righly and duely ordered according vnto the law of grace hath power according to his vocation whereby he may minister the sacramentes and
Wherfore sir by the bidding of Christ by the example of his most holy liuing also by the witnessing of his holy Apostles and Prophets we are bounde vnder full great payn to exercise vs after our cunning and power as euery Priest is likewise charged of God to fulfil duely the office of priesthood We presume not here of ourselues for to be estemed neither in our owne reputatioÌ„ nor in none other maÌ„s faythful disciples special folowers of Christ. But sir as I sayde to you before we deeme this by authority chiefly of Gods word that it is the chief duety of euery priest to busy theÌ„ faythfully to make the law of God knowne to his people so to commune the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of God charitably how that we may best where wheÌ„ and to whom that euer we may is our very duety And for the will busines that we owe of due debt to do iustly our office through the styrring and speciall helpe as we trust of God hoping stedfastly in his mercy we desire to be the fayth full disciples of Christ and we pray this gracious Lord or his holy name that he make vs able to please him with deuout prayers charitably Priestly works that we may obtaine of him to folow him thankefully ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me Lâ—ud losell whereto makest thou such vayne reasons to me Asuâ—â—h not Saynt Paule how shoulde Priestes preache except they be sent But I sent thee neuer to preache For thy venemous doctrine is so knowne throughout England that no Bishop will admitte thee to preache by witnessing of theyr letters Why theÌ„ lewd Idiot willest thou presume to preach since thou art not sent nor licensed of thy soueraigne to preache Sayth not S. Paul that subiects ough to obey theyr soueraignes and not onely good vertuous but also tiraunts that are vicious ☞ And I sayd to the Archbishop Sir as touching your leâ—ter of licence or other Bishops which ye say we shoulde haue to witnes that we were able to be sent for to preache We know wel that neither you sir nor any other bishop of this land wil grauÌ„t to vs any such letters of licence but if we should oblige vs to you and to other bishops by vnlefull othes for to passe not the bondes and termes which ye sir or other bishops will limit to vs. And since in this matter your termes be some to large some to strait we dare not oblige vs thus to bee bounden to you for to keepe the termes which you will limit to vs as you do to Friers such other Preachers And therefore though we haue not your letter sir nor letters of any other bishops writreÌ„ with inke vpon parchmeÌ„t we dare not therfore leaue the office of preaching to which preaching all Priests after their cunning and power are bouÌ„d by diuers testimonies of Gods law and great Doctors without any mention making of Bishops letters For as mikle as we haue taken vpon vs the office of Priesthood though we are vnworthy thereto we come and purpose to fulfill it with the helpe of God by authority of his own law and by witnesse of great doctors and Sayntes accordingly hereto trusting stedfastly in the mercy of God For that he commauÌ„deth vs to do the office of Priesthood he will be our sufficient letters and witnes if we by example of his holy liuing and teaching specially occupy vs faythfully to do our office iustly yea that people to whom we preach be they faythfull or vnfaythfull shall be our letters that is our witnesse bearers for the truth where it is sowne may not be vnwitnessed For all that are conuerted saued by learning of Gods word by working thereafter are witnes bearers that the trueth and sothfastnesse which they heard and did after is cause of theyr saluation And agayne all vnfaythfull men and women which heard the truth told out to them and would not do therafter also all they that might haue heard the truth would not hear it because that they would not do therafter All these shall beare witnes agaynst themselues the truth which they woulde not heare or els heard it despised to do therafter through theyr vnfaythfulnes is shal be cause of theyr damnation Therfore sir since this aforesayd witnessing of God and of diuers Sayntes and Doctors of al the people good euill suffiseth to al true preachers we thinke that we doe not the office of Priesthood if that we leaue our preaching because that we haue not or may not haue duely Bishops letters to witnesse that we are sent of them to preach This sentence approueth Saint Paul where he speaketh of himselfe of faithfull Apostles and disciples saying thus We need no letters of commendatioÌ„ as some preachers do which preach for couetousnesse of temporall goods and for mens praysing And where ye say Syr that Paule biddeth subiectes obey theyr soueraignes that is soth and may not be denied But there is two maner of soueraignes vertuous soueraignes and vicious tyrauntes Therfore to these last soueraignes neither meÌ„ nor womeÌ„ that be subiect owe to obey in two maners To vertuous soueraignes charitable subiectes owe to obey wilfully and gladly in hearing of their good counsel in coÌ„senting to their charitable biddinges and in working after their fruitfull workes This sentence Paul approueth where he sayth to subiectes Be ye mindefull of your soueraignes that speake to you the word of God follow you the fayth of theÌ„ whose coÌ„uersation you know to be vertuous For as Paul sayth after these soueraignes to whom subiectes owe to obey in following of the maners worke besely in holy studying how they may withstand and destroy vices first in theÌ„selues and after in all their subiectes and how they may best plaÌ„t in them vertues Also these soueraignes make deuout and ferueÌ„t prayers for to purchase grace of God that they and their subiects may ouer all thing dread to offend hym and to loue for to please him Also these soueraignste whoÌ„ Paul biddeth vs obey as it is said before liue so vertuously that all they that will liue well may take of them good example to know to keep the coÌ„maundements of God But in this foresayd wise subiectes ought not to obey nor to be obedient to tyrantes while they are vitious tyrants since their will their counsell their biddinges and theyr workes are so vicious that they ought to be hated lefte And though such tyrantes be maisterfull and cruel in boasâ—ing and manasing in oppressions diuers punishinges S. Peter biddeth the seruauntes of such tyrauntes to obey meekely such tyrantes sufferinges paciently their malitious cruelnes But Peter counselleth not any seruaunt or subiect to obey to any Lord or Prince or soueraign in any thing that is not pleasing to God ¶ And the Archbishop sayd vnto me If a soueraigne byd his subiect do that thing that is
downe to yâ— Archbishop praying him that he would deliuer me to him for to say Martins with him he would vndertake that within three dayes I shoulde not resist any thing that were commaunded me to do of my Prelate And the archbishop sayd that he would ordayn for me himselfe And then after came agayne the Constable and spake priuily to the Archbishop And the archbishop coÌ„maunded the Constable to lead me forth thence with him so he did And when we were gone forth thence we were sent after againe And wheÌ„ I came in agayne before the archbishop a Clerke bad me kneele downe and aske grace and submit me lowly and I should finde it for the best ☞ And I sayd theÌ„ to the archbishop Syr as I haue sayd to you diuers times to day I will wilfully lowlye obey and submit me to be ordeined euer after the cunning and power to God to his law and to euery member of holy Church as farre forth as I can perceiue that these members accord with their head Christ and will teach me rule me or chastise me by authority specially of Gods law ¶ And the archbishop sayd I wist wel he would not with out such additions submit him And then I was rebuked scorned manassed on euery side and yet after this diuers persons cried vpon me to kneele downe and submit me but I stood still and spake no word And then there was spoken of me and to me many great words I stood and heard them manasse curse and scorne me but I sayd nothing Then a while after the archbishop sayd to me Wilt thou not submit thee to the ordinaunce of holy Church ☞ And I sayd Syr I will full gladly submitte me as I haue shewed you before ¶ And then the Archbishop bad the Constable to haue me forth thence in haste And so then I was led forth and brought into a foule vnhonest prison where I came neuer before But thanked be God when all meÌ„ were gone forth then from me had sparred fast the prison doore after them By and by after I therin by my selfe busied me to thinke on God to thanke him of his goodnesse And I was then greatlye comforted in all my wits not onely for that I was then deliuered for a time from the sight from the hearing from the presence from the scorning and from the manassing of mine enemies but much more I reioysed in the Lord because that through his grace he kept me so both among the flattering specially and among the manassing of mine aduersaryes that without heauinesse and anguish of my conscience I passed away from them For as a tree layd vpon an other tree ouerwharte or Crosse wise so was the Archbishoppe and hys three Clerkes alwayes contrarye to me and I to them Now good God for thine holy name and to the praysing of the most blessed name make vs one together if it be thy will by authority of thy word that is true perfite charity and els not And that it may thus be all that this writing read or heare pray hartely to the lord God that he for his great goodnesse that can not be with tongue expressed graunt to vs and to all other which in the same wise and for the same cause specially or for any other cause be at dystauÌ„ce to be knit made one in true fayth in stedfast hope and in perfite charity Amen ¶ Besides this examinatioÌ„ here aboue described came an other treatise also to our hands of the same W. Thorne vnder the name and title of his testament which rather by the matter and handling thereof might seme to be counted a complaynt of vicious Priestes which treatise or Testament in this place we thought not meere to be left out MAthew an Apostle of Christ and his Gospeller witnesseth truly in the holy Gospell the most holy liuing and the most wholesome teachyng of Christ. He rehearseth how that Christ likeneth theÌ„ that heare his wordes and keepe theÌ„ to a wise maÌ„ that buildeth his house vpon a stone that is a stable and a â—ad ground This house is mans soule in whome Christ delighteth to dwell if it be grounded that is stablished faythfully in his liuing in his true teaching adourned or made faire with diuers vertues which Christ vsed and taught without any medling of any error as are chiefly the conditions of charity This foresaid stone is Christ vpon which euery faythful soule must be builded since vpon none other ground then vpon Christes liuing and his teaching no bodye may make any building or housing wherein Christ will come and dwell This sentence wytnesseth S. Paule to the Corinthians shewing to them that no body may set any other ground then is set that is Christes liuing and teaching And because that all men and women shoulde geue all their businesse here in this life to build them vertuously vpon this sure foundation S. Paule knowledging the seruent desire and the good will of the people of Ephesye wrote to them comfortablye saying Now ye are not straungers guestes nor yet comelinges but ye are the Citizens and of the householde of God builded aboue vpon the foundement of the Apostles and Prophetes In which foundement euery building that is builded or made thorough the grace of God it encreaseth or groweth into an holy teÌ„ple that is Euery body that is grounded or builded faythfully in the teaching and liuing of Christ is there through made the holy temple of God This is the stable grouÌ„d and stedfast stone Christ which is the sure corner stone fast ioyning holding mightely together two walles For through Christ Iesu meane or middle person of the Trinitye the Father of heauen is pitious or mercifully ioyned and made one together to mankinde And through dread to offeÌ„d God and seruent loue to please him meÌ„ be vnseparably made one to God and defended surely vnder his protection Also this foresayd stone Christ was figured by the square stones of whiche the temple of God was made For as a square stone wheresoeuer it is cast or layd it abideth and lyeth stably so Christ and euery faythfull member of his Church by example of him abideth and dwelleth stably in true fayth and in all other heaueÌ„ly vertues in all aduersityes that they suffer in this valley of teares For loe when these foresayd square stones were hewen and wrought for to be layde in the walles or pillers of Gods temple none noyse or stroke of the workeman was heard Certaine this sileÌ„ce in working of this stone figuâ—eth Christ chiefly and his faithfull members which by example of him haue bene and yet are and euer to the worldes end shall be so meeke and pacient in euery aduersity that no sound nor yet any grudging shall any time be perceiued in them Neuerthelesse this chiefe and most worshipfull corner stone which onely is ground of all vertues proude beggers repriued but
not to be proued either by you or any other that statute to be law or warrant sufficient to burne anye person or persons committed to the seculare power by the Clergy And that I proue thus for although the same statute of king Henry the fourth in the bookes printed appeare to baâ—e law and authority sufficient by the ful assent both of the king of the Lordes and of the coÌ„mons yet being occasioned by M. Cope to search further in the statutes I haue found that in the Rolles and first originals of that Parliament there is no such mention either of any petitioÌ„ or els of any assent of the commons annexed or contained in that statute according as in the printed bookes vsual in the Lawyers handes to craftely and falsely foysted in as by the playne wordes thereof may well appeare For where the said statute an 2. Henry 4. chap. 15. beyng thus intituled in the Rolles Petitio cleri contra haereticos and assented vnto in this forme hath these wordes Statut. an 2. Henri 4. cap. 15. Intituled in the Rolle thus Petitio Cleri contra heteticos and assented vnto in this forme QVas quidem petitiones praelatorum cleri superius expressatas do noster Rex de consensu magnatum aliorum procerum regni sui in praesenti Parliamento existentium concessit in omnibus singulis iuxta formam effectum eorundé ordinauit statuit de caerero firmiter obseruari and so forth according to the petition and moe wordes are there not in the statute Rolle Wherfore wher as the statute booke printed hath thus Super quibus quidem nouitatibus excessibus supereus recitatis videlicet in the petition of the Prelates clergy praelati clerus supradicti ac etiam communitates dicti Regni in eodem Parliamento existen dicto Domino Regi supplicarunt c. Qui quidem Dominus Rex c. ex assensu magnatum aliorum procerum eiusdem Regni c. concessit ordinauit c. These wordes Ac etiam communitates dicti Regni c. are put in further then the Rolle doth warrant and seemeth to be the practise of the clergie to make that as an Acte of Parliament and to seeme to haue the force of a law which was neuer assented vnto by the commons And thus you see howe this foresayd statute Printed both in English and in Latine among the Prouincial councels of Oxford by the vertue whereof so many good men haue bene burned so long in England doth vtterly ouerthrow it selfe for that it swerueth from the recorde bothe in forme and in matter and lacketh the assent of the commons Which doubt I thought at this present to propound vnto you mayster Cope for that you haue so vrged me to the searching out of the statutes by your declayming agaynst the Lord Cobham Moreouer vnto this statute aforesayd ioyne also with all an other Memorandum of like practise done an 5. Rich. 2. In the which yeare where as a statute was concluded yâ— parliament an 5. Rich. 2. chap. 5. agaynst certayne preachers specified in the same statute which going about in certaine habites from place to place did drawe the people to sermons And commissions were made and directed in the sayd parliament to the shrines to arrest all such preachers and to imprison the same at the certifications of the Prelates Here is then to be noted that the same statute an 5. Rich. 2. cap. 5. was reuoked by the king in the parliament an 6. Rich. 2 vpon the wordes of the commons being these videl Forasmuch as the same statute was neuer assented ne graunted by the commons but that which therein was done was done without their assent and now ought to be vndone for that it was neuer their meaning to be iustified and to bind themselues and their successors to the prelates no more then their auncetours had done before them Ex Rotul And yet thys foresayd reuocation notwithstanding in Queene Maryes tyme they inquired vppon that statute In searching of these statutes as you haue accasioned me to find out these scruples so being fouÌ„d out I thought here not to dissemble them for so muche as I see and heare many now a dayes so boldly to beare themselues vpoÌ„ this statute and thinking so to excuse themselues do say that they haue done nothing but the law the law to the intent that these men seeing now how inexcusable they be both before God and man hauing no law to beare them out may the soner repent their bloudy and vnlawfull tyranny exercised so long agaynst Gods true seruauntes yet in time before that the iust law of God shall finde out their vniust dealinges which partly he beginneth already to do and more no doubt will doe hereafter In the meane tyme this my petition I put vp to the Commous and to all other which shall hereafter put vp any petition to the ParliameÌ„t that they being admonished by this abuse wil shew theÌ„selues heare after more wise circumspect both what they agree vnto in Parliamentes also what commeth out in their name And as these good Commons in this time of king Henry 4. would not consent nor agree to this bloudy statute nor to anye other like For so we read that the Commons in that bloudy time of king Henry 4. when an other like cruell byll was put vp by the Prelates in an 8. Hen. 4. against the Lollards they neither consented to this and also ouerthrow the other so in like maner it is to be wished that the commons in this our time or such other that shall haue to do in parliaments hereafter following the steppes of these former times will take vigilant heede to such cruell billes of the Popes prelacy being put vp that neither their consent do passe rashly nor that their names in any condition be so abused CoÌ„sidering with themselues that a thing once being passed in the parliament cannot afterward be called back And a litle inconuenience once admitted may grow afterward to mischiefes that cannot be stopped And sometime it may so happen that through rashe consent of voices the ende of thinges being not well aduised such a thing being graunted in one day that afterward many dayes may cause the whole realme to rue But I trust men are bitten enough with suche blacke parliamentes to beware of afterclaps The Lord Iesus onely protector of his church stop al crafty deuises of subtile enemies and with his wisedom direct our Parliamentes as may be most to the aduauntage of his word and comfort of hys people Amen Amen And thus much hauing sayd for the defence of the Lord CobbaÌ„ of syr Roger Acton knight maister Iohn Browne Esquier Iohn Beuerly preacher and of other their fellowes agaynst Alanus Copus Anglus here I make an ende with this preseÌ„t Interim till furthur leysure serue me here after Christ willing to pay him the whole Interest which I owe
wherwith heretickes are punished or are wont and are commaunded by canonical sanctions to be vsed and if they be clerkes by degradation doe correcte and punishe and cause them to be corrected and punyshed with all dilligence Furthermore that you do rise vp stoutly and couragiously agaynst such heretickes and the goodes as well of them as of the lay men according to the canonicall sanctioÌ„ made agaynst heretickes and their followers vnder the which we will and commaunde them and their partakers to be subiect And also such persons as shall be infamed of the heresies or errors aforesayd or any of the premisses shall be bounde to purge themselues at your arbitrement but the other which either be witnesses or by their owne confessions or other allegations or probations shal be conuicted of the foresaid heresies or articles or of any the premisses they shal be compelled to reuoke and abiure publikely and solemnly the sayd articles and erroures and to suffer condigne penaunce and punishment yea euen to perpetuall imprisonment if need be for the same And to the intent that they shall not nourish any kinde of heresies hereafter either in word deede or gesture or shall induce other either in worde or deede priuely or apertly directly or indirectly to beleeue the same they shal be forced to put in sufficient suretie Who if it so chaunce that they wil not publikely and solemnly renounce and abiure their articles and errors and take at your handes condigne penaunce though it be to perpetual or teÌ„poral punishment according to your discretion neither wil be coÌ„tented to put in sufficient suretie that they will not hereafter holde nor nourish those erroures and heresies neither wil induce other by word or deed priuily or apertly directly or indirecly or by any other maner of colour to beleue the same that then you shall proceede agaynst them according to the qualty of their erroures and demerites yea and if you see it so expedient as against heretickes as infected with heresie by our authoritie according to the canonical sanctions suâ—marily and simply and plainly sine strepitu figura iudicij of office all appellatioÌ„ or appellations whatsoeuer ceasing and that you punish the same according to the sanctions traditions canonicall yea if neede be in leauing and committing them to the secular power and agayinst such as be superiors or learned doctors laying the censures of ecclesiasticall excoÌ„munication al appellation set aside also innocating if neede shall require ayd of the secular arme The constitution as wel of our predecessor P. Boniface 8. of blessed memory wherein is decreed that no man without hys City or dioces except in certayne cases or in places being one daies iornye distant from thence where he inhabiteth shal be called into iudgement that no man do presume to depute iudges froÌ„ the sea Apostolicke wtout the city dioces where they are deputed to proceede agaynst any or do presume to coÌ„mit their authority to any other person or persoÌ„s or to fetch remoue any man beyond one dayes iorny froÌ„ out his Dioces where he dwelleth or at most two dayes iourny if it be in a generall councell as also all other constitutions of any byshop of Rome touching as well Iudges delegate as persons not to be called to iudgement beyond a certaine number or els any other edict indulce priuelege or exemption generall or special graunted from the Apostolike sea for anye person or persons not to be interdicted suspended or excommunicated or cited vp to iudgement without the compasse of certaine limites or els what soeuer thing otherwise may hinder stop or impeache your iurisdiction power and free proceeding herein by anye meanes to the contrary notwithstanding Dat Constant. the first yeare of our popedome ¶ This bloudy and abhominable commission of pope Martine which I haue copied out of a certaine olde monument remaining in the handes of Maister Hackluyt student in the Temple seemeth to be directed and geuen out to the publike destruction of all faithful Christen men about the latter end breaking vp of the councel of Constance an 1418. By the which the prudent reader hath this to note and consider what labour what pollicie what couÌ„saile what lawes haue bene set what wayes haue bene takeÌ„ what seueritie hath bene shewed how mens power wit and authoritie of the whole world haue conspired together from time to time coÌ„tinually by all maner meanes to subuert and supplant the worde and way of the Lorde And yet notwithstanding man hath not preuayled but all his force deuised pollicies haue bene ouerthrown dispatched and with the councell of Achitophell and Ammon haue bene brought to nought and contrary to the furye of the world the gospell of Christ hathe still increased Neither yet for all this will the Pope cease to spurne and rebell still against the kingdome of Christe and of hys Gospell agaynst which neyther he nor yet the gates of hell shall euer preuayle The Lord of hostes be mercifull to hys poore persecuted flocke Amen Agaynst this pestilent Bull and Inquisition of Pope Martine the great antechrist I thought good here to adioyne and annexe an other contrarye writing of the Bohemians bearing the name and subscription of Procopius Conradus and other Captaynes of the Bohemians which seemeth not long after the death of Zisca to be written agaynst the pestiferous sea of Rome the tenour whereof here followrth A fruitfull and Christian exhortation of the Bohemianes to kinges and princes to stir them vp to the zeale of the Gospell THe almighty God the father by hys welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ may in hys holy spirite open the vnderstanding both of you and of all Christians lighten your hartes with the light of hys doctrin of righteousnes and may make you to continue therin surely established to the end This we desire of you for your saluation all ye honourable wise honest noble men al the Comminaltie ye rich and poore heare and consider with dilligent heede the wordes of this present letter which is sent vnto you from the Country of the Bohemianes It is manifest and well knowne to you and many other citties Kynges princes and Lordes that now a certayne number of yeares there hath ben great discord betwixt vs and you and there haue bene some which haue moued you by letters and prouoked you to make warre against vs and to destroy vs. And as well on your part as on ours many men as wel noble as vnnoble haue foolishly lost their lyues Yet neuer hetherto haue ye in any parte vnderstoode our fayth by our owne confession neither whether we be able to proue the same out of the scriptures yea or no and yet in the meane time kinges Princes Lordes and Citties haue sustayned great dammage And hereof we greatly meruaile that ye do so much trust and beleue the pope and hys priestes which geue you drinke full of poyson and
write or do any good but either by flattering a man must offend the Godly or by true speaking procure hatred with the wicked Of such stinging Waspes and buszing Drones I had sufficient triall in my former edition before who if they had found in my book any iust cause to carpe or vpon any true zeale of truth had proceded agaynst the vntruths of my story and had brought iust proofes for the same I could haue right well abide it For God forbid but that faultes wheresoeuer they be should be detected and accused And therfore Accusers in a Common wealth after my mind do serue to no small stead But then such Accusers must beware they play not the dog of whom Cicero in his Oration speaketh which being set in Capitolio to fray away Theeues by night left the Theeues and fell to barcke at true men walking in the day Where true faultes be there to bay barcke is not amisse But to carpe where no cause is to spye in other strawes and to leape ouer theyr owne blockes to swalow Camels and to strayne gnattes to oppresse truth with lyes and to set vp lyes for truth to blaspheme the deare Martyrs of Christ and to Canonize for Sayntes whom Scripture would scarce allow for good Subiectes that is intollerable Such barcking Curres if they were well serued would be made a whyle to stoope But with these brauling spirites I entend not at this time much to wrastle Wherefore to leaue them a while till further leasure serue me to attend vpon them thus much I thought in the meane season by way of Protestation or petition to write vnto you both in generall particular the true members and faythful Congregation of Christes Church wheresoeuer either coÌ„gregated together or dispersed through the whole Realme of England that forsomuch as all the seeking of these Aduersaryes is to do what they can by discrediting of this History with slaunders sinister surmises how to withdraw the Readers froÌ„ it This therfore shal be in few wordes to premonish and desire of all and singuler of you all well minded louers and partakers of Christes Gospell not to suffer your selues to be deceiued with the big brags and hyperbolicall speeches of those flaundering tongues whatsoeuer they haue or shall hereafter exclame agaynst the same But indifferently staying your iudgement till truth be tryed you will first peruse then refuse measuring the vntruthes of this Hystory not by the scoaring vp of theyr hundreds and thousandes of lyes which they geue out but wisely weying the purpose of theyr doinges according as you finde and so to iudge of the matter To read my bookes I allure neither one nor other Euery man as he seeth cause to like as he list If any shall thinke his labor to much in reading this history his choyce is free either to read this or any other which he more mindeth But if the fruite thereof shall recompence the Readers trauell then would I wish no man so light eared to be caryed away for any sinister clamour of Aduersaryes who many times depraue good doinges not for the faultes they finde but therefore finde faultes because they would depraue As for me and my history as my will was to profite all and displease none so if skill in any part wanted to will yet hath my purpose bene simple and certes the cause no lesse vrgent also which moued me to take this enterprise in hand For first to see the simple flocke of Christ especially the vnlearned sort so miserably abused and all for ignoraunce of history not knowing the course of times and true discent of the Church it pittyed me that part of diligence so long to haue bene vnsupplyed in this my countrey Church of Englande Agayne considering the multitude of Chronicles and story writers both in England and out of England of whome the most part haue bene either Monkes or Clientes to the sea of Rome it grieued me to behold how partially they handled theyr storyes Whose paynefull trauell albeit I cannot but coÌ„mend in committing diuers thinges to writing not vnfruitful to be knowne or vnpleasant to be read yet it lamented me to see in theyr Monumentes the principall poyntes which chiefly concerned the state of Christes Church and were most necessary of all christen people to be knowne either altogether pretermitted or if any mention thereof were inserted yet were all things drawn to the honor specially of the Church of Rome or els to the fauor of theyr owne sect of Religion Wherby the vulgare â—ort hearing and reading in theyr writinges no other church mentioned or magnified but onely that Church which here florished in this world in riches and iollity were drawne also to the same persuasion to thinke no other Church to haue stand in all the earth but onely the Church of Rome In the number of this sort of writers besides our Monkes of England for euery Monastery almost had his Chronicler I might also recite both Italian and other countrey authors as Platina Sabellicus Nauclerus Martinus Antoninus VinceÌ„tius Onuphrius Laziardus Georgius Lilius Pollid Virgilius with many more who taking vpon theÌ„ to intermeddle with matters of the church although in part they expresse some truth in matters concerning the Bishops and sea of Rome yet in suppressing an other part they play with vs as Ananias and Saphira did with their mony or as Apelles did in Pliny who painting the one halfe of Venus comming out of the sea left the other halfe vnperfect So these writers while they shew vs one half of the B. of Rome the other halfe of him they leaue vnperfect vtterly vntold For as they paynt him out on the one part glistering in welth and glorye in shewing what succession the Popes had from the chaire of S. Peter when they first began and how long they sate what Churches and what famous buildings they erected how farre theyr possessions reached what lawes they made what councels they called what honour they receiued of Kynges and Emperours what Princes and Countryes they brought vnder theyr authority with other like stratagemes of great pompe and royalty so on the other side what vices these Popes brought with them to theyr seat what abhominatioÌ„s they practised what superstition they mainteined what Idolatry they procured what wicked doctrine they defended contrary to the expresse word of God to what heresies they fell into what diuision of sectes they cut the vnity of christian Religion how some practised by Simony some by Necromancy and Sorcery some by poysoning some indenting with the Deuill to come by theyr Papacy what hypocrisy was in theyr liues what corruptioÌ„ in theyr doctrine what warres they raysed what bloudshed they caused what treachery they trauersed agaynst their Lordes and Emperours imprisoning some betraying some to the Templaryes and SaraceÌ„s in bringing other vnder theyr feet also in beheading some as they did with Fredericus and Conradinus the heires and ofspring of the house of Fredericus
preached After theyr death and Martyrdom it pleased the Lord to prouide a generall quietnes to his Church wherby the number of hys flocke began more to encrease In this age then followed here in the sayd land of Britayne Fastidius Niuianus Patricius Bacchiarius Dubricius Congellus Kentigernus Helmotus Dauid Daniell Sampson Elnodugue Asaphus Cildas Heulanus Elbodus Dinothus Samuell Niuius and a great sort moe whiche gouerned the Churche of Britayne by Christen doctrine a long season albeit the ciuil gouernours for the tyme were then dissolute careles as Gildas very sharply doth lay to theyr charge and so at length were subdued by the Saxons All this while about the space of foure hundred yeares Religion remayned in Britayne vncorrupt and the word of Christ truely preached till about the comming of Austen and of hys companions from Rome many of the sayd Britayne preachers were slayne by the Saxons After that began Christen fayth to enter spring among the Saxons after a certayne romish sort yet notwithstanding some what more tollerable thē were the times which after folowed through the dilligent industry of some godly teachers which then liued amongest them as Aidanus Finianus Coleman Archbishop of Yorke Beda Iohn of Beuerlay Alcuinus Noetus Hucharius Serlo Achardus Ealredus Alexander Neckam Negellus Fenallus Alfricus Sygeferthus such other who though they erred in some few thinges yet neither so grossely nor so greatly to be complayned of in respect of the abuses that followed For as yet all thys while the error of Transubstantiation and leuation with auriculer confession was not crept in for a publicke doctrine in Christes Church as by theyr owne Saxon Sermon made by Aelfricus set out in the second Volume of this present history may appeare pag. 1114. During the which meane time although the Bishops of Rome wer had here in some reuerēce with the Clergy yet had they nothing as yet to do in setting lawes touching matters of the Church of England but that only appertayned to the kings and gouernours of the land as is in this story to be seene pag. 754. And thus the Church of Rome albeit it began then to decline a pace frō God yet during all this while it remayned hitherto in some reasonable order till at length after that the sayd Bishops began to shout vp in the world through the liberalitie of good Princes and especially by Mathilda a noble Duches of Italy Who at her death made the Pope heyre of all her landes and indued his sea with great reuenewes Then riches begot ambition Ambition destroyed Religion so that all came to ruine Out of this corruption sprang forth here in Englād as did in other places more an other romish kind of Monkery worse then the other before being much more drowned in superstition and ceremonies which was about the yeare of our Lord. 980. Of this swarme was Egbertus Aigelbert Egwine Boniface Wilfrede Agathon Iames Romayne Cedda Dunstane Oswold Athelwold Athelwine Duke of Eastangles Lanfrancke Anselme and such other And yet in this tyme also through Gods prouidence the Churche lacked not some of better knowledge and iudgement to weigh with the darcknes of those dayes For although king Edgar with Edward his base sonne being seduced by Dunstane Oswold and other Monkish Clerkes was thē a great author and fautor of much superstition erecting as many Monasteries as were Sondayes in the yeare yet notwithstanding this continued not long For eftsoones after the death of Edgar came king Ethelrede and Queene Elfthred his mother with Alferus Duke of merceland and other peeres and nobles of the Realme who displaced the Monkes againe and restored the maryed Priests to their old possessions and liuings Moreouer after that followed also the Danes whiche ouerthrew those Monkish foundations as fast as king Edgar had set them vp before And thus hetherto stode the condition of the true Church of Christ albeit not without some repugnance and difficultie yet in some meane state of the truth veritie till time of pope Hildebrand called Gregory 7. which was nere about the yeare 1080. And of Pope Innocentius 3. in the yeare 1215. By whome altogether was turned vpside downe all order broken dissipline dissolued true doctrine defaced Christian faith extinguished Instead whereof was set vp preaching of mens decrees dreames and idle traditions And whereas before truth was free to be disputed amongest learned men now libertie was turned into law Argument into Authoritie Whatsoeuer the Byshoppe of Rome denounced that stode for an oracle of all men to be receaued without opposition or contradiction whatsoeuer was contrary ibso facto it was heresie to be punished with fagot and flaming fire Then began the sincere fayth of this English Church which held out so long to quayle Then was the clerre sunne shine of Gods word ouershadowed with mistes and darcknes appearing like sacke-cloth to the people which neither could vnderstand that they read nor yet permitted to read that they could vnderstand In these miserable dayes as the true visible Church beganne now to shrinke and keep in for feare so vpstart a new sort of players to furnish the stage as schole Doctours Canonistes and foure orders of Friers Besides other Monasticall sectes and fraternities of infinite variety Which euer since haue kept such a stirre in the Church that none for them almost durst rout neyther Caesar king nor subiect What they defined stode What they approued was Catholicke What they condemned was heresie whom soeuer they accused none almost could saue And thus haue these hetherto continued or raigned rather in the Church the space now of foure hundreth yeares and odde During which space the true Church of Christ although it durst not openly appeare in the face of the world oppressed by tyranny yet neyther was it so inuisible or vnknown but by the prouidence of the Lord some remnaunt alwayes remayned from tyme to time which not onely shewed secret good affection to sincere doctrine but also stode in open defence of truth agaynst the disordered Churche of Rome In which Catalogue first to pretermit Barthramus and Barengarius which were before Pope Innocent 3. a learned multitude of sufficient witnesses here might be produced whose names neyther are obscure nor doctrine vnknowne as Ioachim Abbot of Calabria Almericus a learned Byshop who was iudged an hereticke for holding agaynst Images in the time of the sayd Innocentius Besides the Martirs of Alsatia of whome we read an hundred to be burned by the sayd Innocentius in one day as writeth Hermanus Mutius Adde likewise to these Waldenses or Albigenses which to a great number segregated themselues from the Church of Rome To this number also belonged Reymundus Earle of Tholose Marsilius Patiuius Gulielmus de S. Amore Simon Tornacensis Arnoldus de noua villa Ioannes Semeca besides diuers other preachers in Sueuia standing agaynst the Pope Anno. 1240. Ex Cranz Laurentius Anglicus a Mayster of
and condemned by any person or persons let the indifferent Reader iudge simply As touching the decretal epistles which be intituled vnder the name of these foresaide bishops who so well aduiseth them and with iudgement will examine the stile the time the argument the hanging togither of the matter the constitutions in them contained little seruing to anye purpose and nothing seruing for those troublous dayes then present may easely discerne them either in no part to be theirs or much of the same to be clouted and patched by the doings of other which liued in other times speciallye seing al the constitutions in them for the most part tend to the setting vp and to exalt the sea of Rome aboue al other Bishops and churches and to reduce all cames appeals to the said sea of Rome So the epistle of Caius beginnyng with the commendation of the authoritie of his sea endeth after the same tenor willing and cōmaunding all difficult questions in al prouinces whatsoeuer emerging to be referred to the sea Apostolicall Moreouer the greatest part of the said epistle from this place Quicunque illi sunt ita obcaecati c. to the ende of this periode Quoniam sicut ait B. Apostolus Magnum est pietatis c. is conteyned in the epistle of Leo vnto Leo the Emperour so rightly agreeth in al poynts with the stile of Leo that euidēt it is the same to be borrowed out of Leo out of the epistle of Caius or to bee patched into the epistle of Caius taken out of Leo. Likewise the epistle of Marcellinus to get more authoritie with the reader is admixed with a great part of S. Paules epistle to the ephesians worde for worde And howe is it like that Marcellinus which died in the 20. yeare of Dioclesian coulde write of consubstantialitie of the diuine persons when that controuersie and terme of Consubstantialitie was not heard of in the Church before Nicene councell which was 23. yeares after him But especially the two epistles of Marcellus bewray themselues so that for the confuting therof needeth no other probation more then onely the reading of the same Such a glorious stile of ambition therein doth appeere as it is easie to be vnderstoode not to proceede either frō such an humble Martir or to sauour any thing of the misery of such a time His wordes of hys first epistle written to the brethren of Antioche and alleaged in the popes decrees by Gratianus are these We desire you brethren that ye doe not teach nor conceiue any other thing but as yee haue receiued of the blessed Apostle S. Peter and of other Apostles fathers For of him ye were first of all instructed wherefore you must not forsake your owne father and followe others For hee is the head of the whole Church to whom the Lord sayd Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church c. whose seate was first with you in Antioche which afterward by the commaundement of the Lord was trāslated frō thence to Rome of the which church of Rome I am this day placed by the grace of god to be the gouernour Frō the which church of Rome neither ought you to separate your selues seeing to the same church all maner causes ecclesiasticall being of any importance Gods grace so disposing are commonded to be referred by the same to be ordered regularly from whence they tooke their first beginning c. And followeth consequently vpon the same And if your Church of Antioche which was once the 1. wil now yeld her self vnto the sea of Rome ther is no other Church els which will not subiect it selfe to our dominion to whom all other Byshops who so euer listeth and as they must needes do according to the decrees of the the Apostles and of their successors ought to flee vnto as to their head and must appeale to the same there to haue their redresse and their protection from whence they tooke their first instruction and consecration c. Whether this be like matter to proceed from the spirit of Marcellus that blessed martyr in those so dreadfull dayes I say no more but onely desire thee gētle reader to iudge In hys second Epistle moreouer the sayd Marcellus writing to Maxentius the bloudy tyraunt first reprehendeth him for his crueltie sharpely admonishing him howe what to do to learne and seeke the true religion of God to mayntayne hys Churche to honor and reuerence the Priestes of God and specially exhorteth him to charitie and that he would cease from persecution c. All this is possible and like to be true but now marke good reader what blanched stuffe here followed withall as where hee alledging the statutes and sanctions of hys predecessors declareth and discusseth that no byshop nor minister ought to be persecuted or depriued of hys goodes And if they be then ought the to haue their possessions and places againe restored by the law before they were bound by the law to aunswere to their accusations layd in agaynst thē And so after that in conuenient tyme to be called to a councell The which councell notwithstanding without the authoritie of the holy sea cannot proceede regularly albeit it remayne in hys power to assemble certayne Byshops together Neyther can he regularly condemne any Byshop appealing to this hys Apostolicall sea before the sentence diffinite do proceede from the foresayd sea c. And it followeth after and therefore sayth he let no Byshop of what crime soeuer he be attached come to hys accusation or be heard but in hys owne ordinary Synode at hys conuenient time the regular and Apostolicalll authoritie beyng ioyned withall Moreouer in the sayd Epistle writing to Maxentius hee decreeth that no lay men or any suspected Byshop ought to accuse Prelates of the Church so that if they be either laye men or men of euill conuersation or proued manyfest enimies or incensed with anye hatred their accusations against any Byshops ought not to stande Wyth other such matters moe concerning the disposition of iudiciall court Which matter if Pope Gregory the seuenth had written to Henrye the third Emperour or if Pope Alexander the third had written to the Emperour Predericus the first it might haue stand with some reason and opportunity of time But nowe for Marcellus to write these decrees in such persecution of the Churche to Maxentius the Heathen and most cruell Emperour howe vnlyke it is to bee true and howe it serued then to purpose the Reader may soone discerne And yet these be the epistles and constitutions decretal whereby vnder the pretensed title of the fathers al churches of late time al ecclesiastical causes haue beene yet are in this realme of england to this day gouerned directed and disposed The like discussion examination I might also make of the other epistles that followe of Eusebius and Miltiades which al tende to the same scope
to saue himselfe beyng promised also of his friendes to bee safely conueyed awaye if he would thereto agree To whome Edwyne said whether shall I flee which haue so long fleene the handes of myne enymies through all prouinces of the Realme And if I must nedes be slayne I had rather that he should doe it then an other vnworthy person Thus he remayning by himselfe alone solitarie sitting in a great study there appeared vnto him sodainely a certaine straunger to hym vnknowne and saide I knowe well the cause of thy thought and heauines What wouldest thou giue him that should deliuer thee out of this feare should recoÌ„cile king Redwald to thee againe I woulde gyue him saide Edwyne al that euer I coulde make And he saide agayne And what if he make thee a mightier king then was anye of thy Progenitours Hee aunswered againe as before Moreouer saith he and what if hee shewe thee a better kind and way of life then euer was shewed to any of thine aunceters before thee wilt thou obey him doe after his counsell yea said Edwyne promising most firmely wyth al his hart so to do TheÌ„ he laying his hand vpon his head when said he this token hapneth vnto thee then remember this time of thy tribulation the promise which thou hast made and the word which now I say vnto thee And with that he uanished out of his sight sodainely After this so done as Edwyne was sitting alone by him selfe pensiue and sad his foresaid friend which moued him before to fle commeth to him bidding him be of good chere for the hart said he of king Redwaldus which had before intended thy destruction was nowe altered through the counsell of the Queene and is fully bent to keepe his promise wyth you whatsoeuer shall fall thereupon To make the story short Redwaldus the King although Fabian following Henry Huntyngton saith it was Edwyne with al conuenient speed assembled an host wherwith he sodainly comming vpon Ethelfride gaue battaile vnto him aboute the borders of Mercia where Ethelfryde king of Northumberlande also with Reyner Redwaldus sonne was slaine in the fielde By reason wherof Edwyne his enimies now being destroyed was quietly placed in the possessioÌ„ of NorthumberlaÌ„d All this while yet Edwyne remained in his old Paganisme albeit his Queene being as is aboue declared king Ethelbertes daughter a Christen woman with Paulinus the byshop ceased not to stirre and perswad the king to christian fayth But he taking counsell with his nobles and counsellers vpon the matter was hard to be wonne Then the Lord who desposeth all things after his purpose to bring al good things to passe sent an other trouble vpon him by meanes therof to cal him For by affliction God vseth coÌ„monly to call them whom he wil saue or by whom he wil worke saluation vnto other So his diuine wisdome thinketh good to make them first to knowe themselues before they come to know him or to teach him to other so it was with Paule who was striken downe before hee was lyfted vp with Constantinus Edwynus and many moe Howe long was Ioseph in prison before he bare rule How hardly escaped this our Queene nowe being Queene Elizabeth by whoÌ„ yet notwithstanding it hath pleased god to restore this his gospel now preached amongst vs In what conflictes and agonies inwardly in his spirite was M. Luther before he came to preach the iustification of Christ openly And so be all they most commonlye which come to anye liuely feeling or sensible working of Christ the Lord. But to returne to Edwyne againe The occasion of hys trouble was this Quicelinus with Kynegilsus his brother Kings of Westsaxons as aboue is mentioned in the table of the Saxon kings conspiring the death of Edwyne now king of Northumberland vpon enuy and malice sent vpon an Easter day a swordman named Emner priuelye to slay the said Edwyne This swordman or cutthrote came to a Citie beside the water of Darwent in Darbishire there to waite his time and lastly founde the king smallye accompanied and inteÌ„ded to haue runne the kiâ—â— through with a sword inuenemed But one Lilla the kinges trustye seruaunt disgarnished of a shield or other weapon to defeÌ„d his maister start betwene the king the sword and was strikeÌ„ through the body and died and the king was wouÌ„ded with the same stroke And after he wounded also the third which was a knight so was taken and confessed by whom he was sent to worke that treason The other knight that was secondly wounded died and the king lay after long sicke or he were healed After this about whitsontide the king being scantlye hole of his wounde assembled his host intending to make against the king of westsaxons promising to Christ to be Christened if he would giue him the victory ouer his enimies And in token therof caused his daughter borne of Edelburge yâ— same Easter day when he was wouÌ„ded named Eufled to be baptised with xij other of his familye of Paulinus Thus Edwyne proceded to the battel against Quicelne and Kynegilsus with his sonne Kenwalcus and other enimies who in the same battell being al vanquished put to flight Edwyn through the power of Christ returneth home victorer But for all this victory other things gyuen to him of God as he was in wealth of the worlde forgat his promise made and had little mind therof saue only that he by the preaching of Paulinus forsoke his maumentry And for his excuse saide that he might not clearly deny his olde lawe which his forefathers had kept so long and sodeinly to be Christened without authority and good aduise of his counsaile About the same season Pope Boniface the 5. sent also to the sayd Edwyne letters exhortatory wyth sundrye presentes from Rome to him and to Edelburge the Queene But neither would that preuaile Then Paulinus seyng the king so hard to be conuerted poured out his praiers vnto God for his coÌ„uersion who the same time had reuealed to him by the holy ghost the oracle aboue mentioned which was shewed to the King when hee was with Redwaldus king of the Eastangles Wherupon Paulinus comming afterward to the king on a certaine day and laying his haÌ„d vpon the kings head asked him if he knew that tokeÌ„ The king hearing this remembring wel the token was ready to fall downe at his feete But Paulinus not sufferyng that did lift vp hym againe saying vnto him behold O king you haue vanquished your enimies you haue obteined your kingdome now performe the third which you haue promised that is to receaue the faith of Christ and to be obedient to him Wherupon the king conferryng with his Counsell his nobles was baptised of the said Paulinus at Yorke with many of his other subiectes with hym Insomuch that Coyfi the chiefe of the Prelates of his olde maumentry armed him selfe wyth hys other Idolatrous Bishops and bestrode
the porte of Southhampton But as Polydorus sayeth and Fabian affirmeth the same that it was by Thames side at London When his flatterers comming about him began to exalt him vp with high wordes calling him a king of all kings most mighty who had vnder his subiection both the people the land and also the sea Canutus reuoluing this matter in his minde whether for pride of his heart exalted or whether to trâ—e and refell their flattering words coÌ„maunded his chaire of estate to be brought to the sea side at what time it should begin to flowe Polydore sayth that no seate was brought but sitting vpon his garments being folded together vnder him there charged and commaunded the floudes arising comming toward his feete that they shoulde not touch neither him nor his clothes But the water keeping his ordinary course came nearer and nerer First to his feete and so growing higher began to wash him welfauoredly Wherewith the king abashed partly also afeard starte backe and looking to his Lordes Loe sayth he ye call me such a mighty king yet can I not commaunde backe this litle water to stay at my worde but it is ready to drowne me Wherfore all earthly kings may know that all their powers be but vaine and that none is worthy to haue the name of a king but he alone which hath all things subiect to the power authoritie of his word which is the Lord of heauen earth the creatour aboue of all thinges the father of our Christ and Lorde who with him for euer is to be glorified him let vs worship and extoll for our king for euer After this as histories witnes he neuer suffred the crowne to come vpon his head but went to Winchester or as some say to Canterbury but both those may be true for his going to CaÌ„terbury was to acknowledge that there was a Lorde much higher of more power then he himselfe was and therewithal to render vp his crowne for euer With that Egelnothes Archbyshop of Canterbury informed him of the image of the Crucifix before meÌ„tioned which dissolued the matter betweene maried Priests and life of Monkes and did many other myracles moe being then at Winchester Wherewith the King prouoked to go to Winchester to the roode there resigned vp hys regall Crowne and made the roode king ouer all the land Here is also to be noted in this Canutus that although as is said he coÌ„descended in the beginning of his raigne vpon king Edgares lawes yet after in proces of time hee set forth peculiar lawes of his own Among which diuers there be that concerne as well causes Ecclesiasticall as also temporal Whereby it may appeare that the gouernmeÌ„t of spirituall matters not to depende then of the Bishop of Rome but to appertaine to the lawfull authoritie of the temporall Prince no lesse then of matters and causes temporall As for example by these ordinaunces of the foresayd Canutus may be well considered as here folowe Pecunia sepulturae iustum est vt aperta terra reddatur Si aliquod corpus a sua parochia deferatur in aliam pecunia sepulturae c. In English It is mete and right that in funerals money be geuen for opening the earth If anybody or corse be caried from his owne Parishe into an other the money of the buriall shal pertaine by the law to his owne Parish Church All ordinaunces and ceremonies of God let them be obserued as neede in all things requireth Uppon the Sonday we forbid all publique â—ayres or markets all Synodes or conuenticles huntinges or any such seculare actions to be exercised vnlesse vrgent necessitie compell therunto Let euery ChristeÌ„ man prepare himself thrise a yere to approche to the receauing of the Lords body so to eate the same as not to his iudgemeÌ„t but to his wholsome remedy If a minister of the altare doe kill any man or haue intangled himselfe in any notorious crime let him be depriued both from his order and dignitie If any maried woman her husband being aliue haue committed adultery be proued with the same to her opeÌ„ shame in the world let her haue her nose and eares cut of Let euery widow after the death of her husband so remaine sole xij monethes or if shee marrye let her loose her ioynter And heere an ende of the Danish kyngs Nowe to the English kings againe whose right line coÌ„meth in againe in Edward here following King Edward called the Confessor FOr so much as God of his mercye and prouidence who is onely the maker of heires thought it so good after the wofull captiuitie of this Englishe nation to graunt now some respite of deliuerance in taking away the Danish kings without any issue left behind them who reigning here in EnglaÌ„d kept the english people in miserable subiection about the space of xxviij yeares and that from their firste landing in the time of King Brightricus wasting and vexing this land the terme of cc. â—v yeres Now their tiranny here comming to an ende the next election right of the crowne fell as appertained to Edwarde the yonger sonne of king Egelred and Emma a meere Englishman who had bene now long banished in Normandy as is aboue declared A man of gentle and soft spirite more appliable to other mens couÌ„sailes then able to trust to his owne of nature condition so geuen from al warre and bloudshed that being in his banishment he wished rather so to continue all his life long in that priuate estate then by warre or bloudshed to aspire to any kingdome This Edward after the death of Canutus the seconde or Hardecanute being sent for of the Lordes into NormaÌ„die to take possession of the Realme although he something mistrusted the vnconstant and fickle heads of EnglishmeÌ„ yet hauing sufficient pledges laid for him in Normandie came ouer with a few Normands accompanied and not long after was crowned at Winchester an 1043. by Edsius then Archbishop of Cant. And not long after that he maried Goditha or Editha daughter of Earle Godwyne whome he entreated after such sort that he neither put her from his bed nor yet delt with her fleshly Whether it 〈◊〉 for hate of her kin as most like it was or for loue of chastitie it remaineth vncertaine But most writers agree that he continued his lyfe without offence with women â—or the which he is highly exalted among our story writers and called holy king Edwarde After he had thus taken vpon him the gouernement of the realme he guided the same with much wisedome and iustice the space of 24. yeres lacking two monethes from whome issued as out of a fountaine much godlinesse mercy pitie and liberalitie towarde the poore gentlenes and iustice toward all men and in all honest life he gaue a vertuous example to his people He discharged the Englishmen of the great tribute called Dane gelt which before
horrible for the which we are all worthy to be burned alyue meanyng of the Sacrament of the body of Christ which Sacrament Hildebrand when he thereof inquired a diuine aunswer agaynst the Emperour and would not speake threw into the fire and burned it contrary to the perswasion of the Cardinals that were present and would haue resisted the same In the second holy day in the Easter weeke when the clergy the people were assembled at S. Peters Church to heare masse after the Gospell he went vp into the pulpit as he was in his pontificall attire and in the presence of diuers bishops Cardinals a great company both of the Senate and the people of Rome beyng gathered together openly preached among manye other wordes of diuination that the kyng whose name was Henry should die without all peraduenture before the feast of S. Peter next ensuyng or els at least wise that he should bee so deiected from his kingdome that he should not be able any more to gather together aboue the number of vj. knights This he preached to the bishops and cardinals and all that were present crying out of the pulpit in these wordes Neuer accept me for Pope any more but plucke me from the aulter if this prophesie be not fulfilled by the day appointed About the same tyme he went about by helpe of priuy murtherers to kill the Emperour but God preserued him And many there were eueÌ„ at that tyme which thoght Pope Hildebrand to be guiltie and to bee the deuiser of the treason because that then he before the deed put in execution presumed of the death of the kyng beyng by him falsly prophesied of before which wordes of his wounded many mens hartes And it came to passe that Hildebrand by his wordes was openly condemned in the congregation which as is sayd gaue iudgement of himselfe to be no Pope neither that he would be counted for Pope any longer but thought to be both a belyer and a traitour vnlesss that before the feast of S. Peter next comming the Emperour should dye or els should bee depriued of all kingly honour In so much he should not be able to make aboue 6. knights on his part And thus by the appoyntmeÌ„t of God it came to passe that by his owne mouth he was condemned for an heretike Thus sayth the Lord The prophet which of arrogancie will prophesie in my name those things I haue not commauÌ„ded him or els will prophesie in the name of other Gods let him be slaine And if thou shall say with thy selfe how shall I know what thyng it is that the Lord hath not commaunded to be spoken This token shalt thou haue to know it by Whatsoeuer thing the Prophet in the name of God shal prophesie the same come not to passe that mayest thou be sure the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath imagined through the hautinesse of his owne mynde therfore thou shalt not be afrayd of him When the tyme was expired that Hildebrand in his diuination had set and that neither the king was dead neither the power of the Empire empayred and fearing least by the wordes of hys owne mouth he should be reprehended and condemned subtleâ—y turned his tale saying and perswading the ignorant people that he ment not of the body of the king but of his soule as though the soule of the king had lost all sauing 6. of his knights or souldiours or els had bene dead during that space and thus by these sleights he beguiled the ignorant people Against such Prophets S. Gregory vpon Ezechiel sayeth Betwene true Prophetes and false this difference there is that true Prophets if they speake any thing vpon their owne mynd they be soone rebuked but the false prophets both they tell lies and not hauyng the spirite of truth they perseuere in their falsitie Ouer and beside the sayd Hildebrand iudged to death 3. men before they were conuict or els confessed their crime wythout the sentence of any secular iudge and caused them to bee hanged vpon a paire of gallowes ouer against the Church of S. Peter in a place called Palatiolum without any delay or aduisement contrary to the lawes which commaund that euery publike offender should haue 30. dayes space before he be put to execution Which thing euen amongst the Paganes is in vre and obserued as teacheth the authoritie of S. Ambrose and the Martyrdome of holy Marcelianus and Marcus He cast Centius the sonne of Stephen the Alderman into prison beyng before his trusty friend and in a vessell being thick set with sharpe nayles he tormented him to the poynt of death who after that he was escaped apprehended the sayd Hildebrand Of this apprehension before he was let at liberty he openly forgaue all the conspiratours Which thing afterwardes contrary to his fidelitie he brake and reuenged caused Centius to whome he had forgeuen all offences to be taken and hanged him 9. of his men vpon the gallowes before S. Peters porch There was at the apprehension of Pope Hildebrand a certain widowes sonne to whom and others moe for their penaunce he enioyned a yeares banishment Which tyme beyng explete or run out the widow in tokeÌ„ of more ample satisfaction thinking therby to haue appeased the mynd of Hildebrand put a halter about her sonnes necke and drawyng her sonne by the rope to the foot of Hildebrand sayd My Lord Pope at your hands will I receaue agayne my sonne which one whole yeare hath endured banishment and other penaunce by your holynesse enioyned Then the sayd Hildebrand for that instant because of those which were with him in company dissembling his wrath deliuered her her sonne very churlishly saying get thee hence woman I bid thee and let me be in rest After this he sent his officers appreheÌ„ded the widowes sonne and gaue commaundement to the Iustices to put him to death who altogether makyng aunswer sayd that they could no more condemne or meddle with him for that hee had for his crime committed appealed once to the Pope abidden the banishment and done the penaunce by him enioyned Hereupon this glorious Hildebrand beyng displeased wyth the Iudges caused the foote of the widowes sonne to be cut off makyng neyther repentaunce nor the lawes and ordinaunces to be of any estimation with hym And thus his foote beyng cut off he dyed within three dayes after with the payne thereof Many other wicked deedes did this Hildebrand vpon whom the bloud of the church cryeth vengeance shed by the sworde that is the miserable trecherie of his tong For which things and that iustly the church refused to communicate with him Haec Benno An other Epistle of Benno to the Cardinals TO the reuerend fathers of the Church of Rome and to hys beloued in Christ and to his brethren that shall for euer be beloued Benno the Cardinall of the Churche of Rome wisheth faythfull seruice
life commeth therof Also of the vnconsiderate promotion of euill Prelates and of their great negligence in correcting and reformyng the euill demeanour of the people Item of the great wantonnes lasciuiousnes in their seruauts and families concerning their excessiue wearing of apparell Item complaineth also of the outragious and excessiue gaynes that Prelates and other vnder them take for their seale especially of officials scribes such like which geue out the seale they care not how nor wherfore so they may gayne money He complaineth in like maner that prelates be so slack and negligent in looking to the resideÌ„ts in their benefices Farther lamenteth for the rash geuing of benefices to parlons vicars and curates not for any godlines or learning in them but for fauour or friendship or intercession either els for hope of some gayne whereof springeth this great ignorance in the Church After this he noteth in prelates how they wast and expend the goods of the church in supersluities or vpon theyr kinsfolke or other worse wayes which should rather be spent vpon the poore Nextly in the x. chapter he coÌ„plaineth for that through the negligence of men of the church especially of the church of Rome the bookes and monuments of the old Councels also of the new are not to be found which should be reserued and kept in all cathedrall Churches Item that many prelates be so cold in doing their duties Also reprocheth the vnchast and voluptuous demeanor of Ecclesiasticall persons by the example of Storkes whose nature is saith he that if any of their company leauyng his owne mate ioyneth with any other all the rest flieth vpon him whether it be he or she beateth hym and plucketh his fethers off what then sayth he ought good prelates to do to such a person of their company whose filthinesse and corrupt life both defileth so many and stinketh in the whole Church Againe forasmuch as we read in the booke of Esdras lib 2. cap 9 that he purging Israel of strange womeÌ„ began first with the priestes So now likewise in the purging correcting of all sortes of men first the purgation ought to begin with these according as it is written by the prophet Ezechiel Begin first with my sanctuary c. Moreouer how that in the tyme of Phillip kyng of Fraunce the whole Realme was interdited for that the kyng had but one woman in stead of his wife which was not his wife by law And againe â—eyng in these our dayes the king of Portingale hath bene sequestred from his dominion by the authoritie of the church being thought not sufficient to gouerne what then ought to bee sayd to that Prelate which abuseth other mens wiues virgines and Nunnes which also is found vnable insufficient to take vpon him the charge of soules About the yeare of our Lord 1128. the orders of the knights of the Rhodes called Joannites also the order of Templars rose vp After Honorius next in the same vsurpation succeded Pope Innocentius 2. an 1130. But as it was with hys predecessours before hym that at euery mutation of newe Popes came new perturbations and commonly neuer a Pope was elected but some other was set vp against him sometymes 2. sometymes 3. Popes togethey so likewise it happened with this Innocentius for after he was chosen the Romains elected another pope named Anacletus Betwixt these two Popes was much ado and great conflicts through the partaking of Rogerius Duke of Sicile takyng Anacletus part agaynst Innocentius vntil Locharius the Emperour came who rescuing Innocentius droue Rogerius out of Italy Our stories recorde that king Henry was one of the great helpes in setting vp and maintayning this Pope Innocentius against Anacletus Gisburnens Amongst many other things this Pope decreed that whosoeuer did strike a Priest or Clerke beyng shauen he should be excommunicate and not to be absolued but only of the Pope himselfe About the tyme of doyng of these thynges beyng the yeare of our Lord 1135. king Henry being in Normandy as some say by taking there a fall froÌ„ his horse as other say by taking a surfet in eating Lampries fell sicke died after he had raigned ouer the realme of England 35. yeres and odde monethes leauyng for his heyres Matilde the Empresse his daughter with her young sonne Henry to succeed after hym to whom all the Prelates and Nobilitie of the Realme were sworne But contrary to their oth made to Molde in the presence of her father before William the Archbishop of Cant. and the nobles of the realme crowned Stephen Erle of Boloyne and sisters sonne to king Henry vpon S. Stephens day in Christmas weeke Which Archbishop the next yeare after dyed beyng as it was thought iustly punished for his periury And many other lordes which did accordingly went not quite without punishment In like iustice of punishmeÌ„t is numbred also Roger bishop of Salisbury who contrary to his othe beyng a great doer in the coronation of Stephen was apprehended of the same kyng and miserably but iustly extermined A certaine written English story I haue which addeth more and faith that king Stephen hauing many foes in diuers quarters kepyng there holdes and castels agaynst him went then to Oxford tooke the Bishop of Salisbury and put a rope about his necke so led him to the castle of Uice that was his and commanded them to render vp the castle or he would slay and hang their Bishop Which Castle beyng geuen vp the kyng tooke the spoyle thereof The like also he did to the Bishop of Lyncolne named Alexander whom in lyke maner he led in a rope to a Castle of the Bishops that was vpon Trent and bad them deliuer vp the Castle or els he would hang their Lord before the gate Long it was before the castle was geuen vp yet at length the king obtaining it there entred and tooke all the treasure of the Bishop c. Roger Houeden Fabian alleagyng a certayne olde Authors whom I cannot finde referreth a great cause of this periury to one Hugh Bigot Steward sometyme with king Henry Who immediatly after the death of the sayd Henry came into England and before the sayd Archbishop and other Lordes of the land tooke wilfully an othe and sware that he was present a little before the kings death when king Henry admitted for his heyre to be king after him Stephen his nephew for so much as Molde his daughter had discontented him Wherunto the Archbishop with the other Lordes gaue to hasty credence But this Hugh sayth he escaped not vnpunished for he dyed miserably in a short tyme after Ex Fabia Albeit all this may be supposed rather to be wroght not without the practise of Henry bishop of Winchester other Prelates by his settyng on which Henry was brother to King Stephen c. King Stephen THus when king Stephen contrary to his oth
Church Brethren seeke not to confound your selues and the church of God so much as in you is but turne to me you shal be safe For the Lord sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather he should conuert and liue Stand with me manfully in the warre take your armour and your shield to defend me Take the sword of the word of the mighty God that we altogether may withstand more valiauntly the malignant enemies such as goe about to take away the soule of the church which is her liberty without which liberty she hath no power agaynst them that seeke to incroche to their inheritaunce the possession of Gods sanctuary If ye will heare and follow me know ye that the Lord will be with you and with vs all in the defence of the libertye of his church Otherwise if ye will not the Lord iudge betwixt me and you and require the confusion of his Church at your handes Which church whether the world will or no standeth firmely in the word of the Lord whereupon she is builded and euer shall till the houre come that she shall passe from this world to the Father For the Lord euer doth support her with his hand Wherefore to returne to the matter brethren remember well with your selues which thing ye ought not to forget what daunger I was brought vnto and the Church of God also while I was in England at my departing out of England and after my departure from thence also in what daunger it standeth at thys present day But especially at that time when as at Northampton Christ was iudged agayne in my person before the iudgement seat of the high president Who euer heard the Archb. of Canterbury being troubled for iniuries done to him and to his church and appealing to the Pope of Rome to be iudged condemned appealed and put to his sureties and that of his owne suffraganes Where is this law seene or the authority nay rather peruersity of this Canon heard of And why yet shame ye not at this your enormity Why are ye not confounded Or why doth not this confusion worke in you repentaunce and repentance driue you to due satisfaction before God and men For these and suche other iniuries done to God and to his church and to me for gods cause which with a good conscience I ought to suffer because that without daunger of soule I ought not to dissemble them I choose rather to absent my selfe for a season and to dwell quietly in the house of my Lord then in the tabernacle of sinners vntill the time that their iniquity be complete the hartes of the wicked and the congitations of the same shal be opened And these iniuries were the cause both of my appeale from the king and of my departure from thence which ye terme to be sodaine But if ye will speake the truth which ye know it ought no lesse then to be sodaine least being foreknowne it might haue bene preuented and stopped And as God turned the matter it happened for the best both for the honor of the king ard better safety of them which seeking my harme should haue brought slaunder to the king If such troubles followed vpon my departing as ye say let them be imputed to him which gaue cause the fault is in the worker not in the departer in him that pursueth not in him that auoydeth iniuries what would ye more I presented my selfe to the court declaring both the causes of my comming and of my appeale declaring also the wronges and iniuries done to me to my Church and yet could haue no auÌ„swere neither was there any that layd any thing agaynst me before we came to the king Thus while we stood wayting in the court whether any would come agaynst me or not they sent to my officials charging them not to obey me in my temporalities nor to owe any seruice to me or to any of mine After my appellation made in the Court my Church was spoyled we and they about vs depriued of our goods outâ—awed both of the Clergy and of the layty men women and infantes the goods of the Church that is the patrimony of the crucifix confiscate and part of the mony turned to the kinges vse part to your owne cofers Brother Byshop of London if this be true that we here of you and that to the vse of your owne Churche ye conuert this money we charge you and require you forthwith by vertue of obedience that within fourtye dayes after the sight of these letters all delaye and excuse set aâ—ide ye restore agayne within the time aforesayd all suche gooddes and percelles as you haue taken away For it is vnmeete and contrarye to all lawe one Churche to be enriched with the spoil of an other church If ye stand vpon the authoritie that set you a worke you must vnderstand that in matters concerning the church goods he can geue no lawfull autoritie which committeth violent iniurie c. What authoritie and what scripture geueth this prerogatiue to PrinceÌ„s vpon Church goodes which you would attribute to them What will they lay for them the remedie of appeale God forbid It were euill with the Church of God if when the sacrilegious extorcioner hath violently inuaded other mennes goodes especially the goods of the church he shoulde after defend him with the title of appeale c. Doe not brethren so confounde altogether the right of the Church and of the temporall regiment For these two are muche differeÌ„t one borowing his authority of the other Read the scriptures and ye shall finde what and how many kings haue perished for taking vpon them the priestly office Therefore let your discretion prouide least for this your doing Gods punishmeÌ„t light vpon you which if it come it will be hard for you very easely to escape Prouide also and see to your king whose fauour ye prefer before the wealth profit of the Church least if it happen which God forbid that he doth perish with all his house after the example of them which for the like crime were plagued And if yee cease not off from that ye begin with what conscience can I dissemble or forbeare but must nedes punish you let him dissemble with you who list hauing authoritie so to doe truely I will not there shal be no dissimulation found in me And where you write in your letters coÌ„cerning my promotion that it was against the voice of the whole realme that the church did reclaime against it What should I say to you but that ye knowe right well the lie which the mouth doeth willingly speake killeth the soule but especially the wordes of a Priestes mouth ought euer to goe with verity As touching this matter I appeale to your own coÌ„scieÌ„ce whether the forme of my election stoode not fully with the consent of them all to whome the election belonged hauing also the assent of the prince by his
vp of your letter where ye bring in for your appellation against me a safegarde for you which rather in deede is an hinderance to you that we shoulde not proceede against the inuaders of the Churche goodes nor against the King in like censure as we haue done against the bishoppe of Salisburie as yee say and hys Deane To this I aunswere God forbidde that we haue or els shoulde heereafter proceede or do any thing against the king or his lande or against you or your Churches inordinately or otherwise then is conuenient But what if you shall exceede in the same or like transgression as the Byshoppe of Salesburie hath done thinke yee then your appellation shall helpe you from the discipline of our seueritie that ye shall not be suspended Marke yee diligently whether this be a lawful appeale and what is the forme thereof We knowe that euery one that appealeth eyther doeth it in his owne name or in the name of an other if in hys owne name either it is for some greeuance inferred alreadie or els for that he feareth after to be inferred against him Concerning the first I am sure there is no greuance that you can complaine of as yet God be thanked that you haue receiued at my hand for the which you should appeale frō me neither haue you I trust any cause speciall against me so to doe If ye doe it for feare that is to come least I shoulde trouble you and your Churches consider whether this be the appeale which ought to suspende or stay our power and authoritie that we haue vppon you and your Churches It is thought therefore of wise men and we also iudge no lesse your appeale to be of no force First for that it hath not the right forme of a perfect appellation and also because it is not consonante to reason and lacketh order and helpe of the lawe Furthermore if your appellation be in an other mans name either it is for the King as moste like it is or for some other If it be for the king than ye ought first to vnderstande that appellations are woont to be made to repell and not to inferre iniurie or to release such as be oppressed that they shoulde not be oppressed any more Wherefore if any man shall enter any appellation not trusting to the suretie of his cause but to delay the time that sentence be not geuen vpon him that appellation is not to be receaued For what state will there be of the Church if the libertie therof being taken away the goods of the Church spoyled the bishops driuen from their places or at least not receiued with full restitution of their goodes the inuaders and spoylers therof may defend themselues by appealing thereby to saue themselues from the penalty of their desert What a ruine of the Church will this be See what ye haue done and what ye say Be you no◠the vicares of Christ representing him in earth Is it not your office to correcte and bridle ill doers whereby they may cease to persecute the Church And is it not inough for them to be fierce to rage against the church but that you should take their part setting your selues against vs to the destruction of the church Who euer heard of so monstrous doings Thus it shall be heard and sayde of all nations and countries that the Suffraganes of the Church of Caunterburie which ought to stande with their Metropolitane vnto death in defence of the Churche nowe goe about by the kings commaundement so much as in them doth lie to suspend his autoritie least he shuld exercise his Discipline of correction vppon them that rebell against the Church This one thing I knowe that you cannot sustaine two sortes of persons at once both to be the appeale makers and to be appealed vp your selues You be they which haue made the appellation and you be they against whome the appellation is made Is there any more churches then one and the body of the same And howe meete were it than that you being the members of the Churche shoulde holde together with the heade therof I am afraide brethren least it may be sayde of vs These be the Priestes which haue sayde where is the Lorde and hauing the lawe doe not knowe the law Furthermore this I suppose you being discrete men are not ignoraunt of that such as enter any appellation there are not wont to be hearde vnlesse the matter of their appellation either belongeth to themselues or except speciall commaundement force them thereunto or else vnlesse they take an other mannes cause vpon them First that it belongeth nothing vnto you it is plaine for so muche as the contrary rather pertaineth to your duetie that is to punish and to correct all such as rebell against the Church And if he which subuerteth the libertie of the Churche and inuadeth the goodes therof conuerting them to his owne vse be not heard appealing for hys owne defence much lesse is an other to be heard appealing for him Wherefore as in this case neither he can appeale for himself not yet commaund you so to do so neither may you receiue the commaundement to appeale for him Thirdly as touching the taking of an other mannes cause or businesse vpon you to this I say and affirme that yee ought in no maner of wise so to doe specially seeing the matter pertaineth to the oppression of the Church and whereupon ensueth great damage to the same Wherefore seeing it neither appertaineth to you neither ought yee to receiue any such commaundement nor yet to take vppon you any such cause as that is your appeale is neither to be hard nor standeth with any lawe Is this the deuotion and consolation of brotherly loue which you exhibite to your Metropolitane being for you in exile God forgeue you this clemencie And how nowe will ye looke for your letters and messengers to be gently receiued heere of vs Neither doe I speake this as though there were any thing in hande betwixt your part and oures or that we haue done any thing inordinately against the person of the king or against his lande or against the persones of the Church or intende by Gods mercie so to doe And therefore we say briefly affirme constantly that our Lorde the king can not complaine of any wrong or iniurie to be done vnto him if he being often called vpon by letters and messengers to acknowledge his fault neither will confesse his trespasse nor yet come to any satisfaction for the same haue the censure of seueritie by the Pope and vs laide vpon him For no man can say that he vniustly is entreated whome the lawe doeth iustly punish And briefly to conclude knowe you this for certaine that extortioners inuaders detailners of the Church goodes and subuerters of the liberties therof neither haue any authoritie of the lawe to maintaine them neyther doth their appealing defend them c. ¶ A briefe Censure vpon the
him agayn with great successe felicitie and long raigne In so much the he beyng yong as he was playing at Chesse with a certayne souldior of his sodainly hauing no occasion geuen rose vp and went his way who was not so soon voyded the place but incontinent fel down a mighty stone from the vawt aboue directly vpon that place where he sate able to haue quashed him in peeces if he had caried neuer so little more In the proseruation of whome as I see the present hand and mighty prouidence of the huing God so in the kinges order agayne I note a fault or error worthy of reprehension For that he receiuing such a liuely benefite at the hand of the liuing Lord going therefore on pilgrimage to walsingham gaue thanks not only to our Lady but rather to a rotten blacke Ibidem Of the gentle nature of this couragious prince sufficient proofe is geuen by this one example that what time he being in hys desport of hauking chaunced sharpoly to rebuke the negligence of one of his gentlemen for what fault I cannot tell about his hauke the gentleman being on the other side of the riuer hearing his manassing wordes was glad as he sayd that the riuer was between them with this answer the couragious bloud of this Prince being moued vppon present hear he leaped straight into the floud both a swift streame and of a dangerous deepnesse and no lesse hard in getting out Notwithstanding either forgetting his owne life or neglecting the daunger present but hauing a good horse ventreth his own death to haue the death of his maÌ„ At length with much difficultie recouering the bank with his sword drawn pursueth his prouoker Who hauing not so good an horse and seeing himselfe in daunger of taking reineth hys horse submitteth his necke vnder hys hande to strike The prince whose feruent stomack the water of the whole riuer could not quench a little submission of his man did so extinct that the quarrel fell his anger ceased and his sword put vp without any stroke geuen And so both returned to theyr game good friendes agayne Auesb. Nich. Triuet In the first beginning of his raigâ—e this Kyng had much adoe in Wales where he had diuers conflictes wyth the welshmen whom at last he subdued cut down theyr woodes suppressed rebellions vanquishing theyr kings Lewline and his brother ordeined his eldest sonne Edward borne in the same Countrey to be Prince of Wales This Lewline Captayne of the welshmen here mentioned rebelling agaynst king Edward asked counsayle by way of coniuration what euent should come vpon his attempt To whom it was tolde that he should goe forward boldly for doubtlesse he should ryde thorough Chepeside at London with a crowne on his head Whiche so came to passe For he being slayne hys head was caried through Chepe with a Crowne of siluer to London bridge whereby men may learne not to seeke nor stick to these vayne prophesies which though they fall true yet are but the traynes of the deuill to deceyue men About this time was a great earthquake and suche a rotte that consumed a great multitude of sheep in the land through the occasion as they say of one scabbed shepe that came out of Spayne The king returning from Wales to England ordred certayne new lawes for the wealth of the realme Among many other this was one that authoritie was geuen to all Maiors Bailiâ—es other officers to see execution and punishment of all Bakers making bread vnder the sise with pillory Of Milners stealing corn with the tumbrel c. And within two yeares after the statute of Mortinayne was first enacted which is to meane that no man should geue vnto the Churche any landes or rentes without a speciall licence of the king About which tyme also being the 7. yeare of his raigne 297. Iewes for mony clipping were put to execution In whiche same yeare began first the foundation of the blacke Friers by Ludgate And the towne of Bosten was greatly wasted the same yeare with fyre The halfepeny and farthinges began first to be coyned the selfe tyme which was the 8. yeare of hys raygne The great conduit in Chepe began the fourth yeare after to be made anno 1248. And the yeare next following the newe worke of the Churche of Westminster begon as is afore premonished in the thyrd yeare of Henry 3. was finished whiche was 66. yeares in edifiyng the Iewes were vtterly banished this Realme of England the same tyme for whiche the commons gaue to the kyng a fifteene anno 1291. After that the country of Wales was brought in a full order and quiet by the hewing downe of the woodes and casting down the old holdes and building of new whiche all was brought to perfect end about the 24. yeare of thys kings reigne then ensued an other broile as great or greater with Scotland to the great disquiet of the king and the realme of England many yeares after This trouble first began by the death of Alexander king of Scots who dyed without issue left aliue behinde him Although Fabiane in that 7. booke of hys Chronicle affirmeth that he left 3. daughters the eldest maryed to sir John Bailol the secoÌ„d to Robert Bruce the thyrd to one Hastinges But this in Fabian is to be corrected as which neyther standeth with it selfe is clearely conuinced by the witnes and history of Rob. Auel bury and also 〈◊〉 Giâ—burne For first if king Alexander had left his eldest daughter marked to Syr Iohn Bailol then what coÌ„trouersie might rule among the Lords about succession needing so diligent and anxious deciding by the king of England Secondly what clayme or title could the king of Norway haue to the crowne of Scotland which was one of the chalengers claiming the sayd crowne in the behalfe of Margaret the nece of the forsayd king Alexander her graunfather if the eldest daughter of the father had heue left aliued Thirdly what can be more playn when by the affirmance of the foresaid story is testified that K. Alexander had 2. wiues Of the second whereof he had no issue Of the first had two Children Alexader which died before his father and Margaret maried to the kyng of Norway whiche died also before her Father of whom came Margaret the â—ece of Alexander and daughter to the king of Norway afore mentioned And the also dyed in the iourny betweene Norway and Scotland the fourth yeare after the decease of her grandfather Wherfore as this matter standeth most cleare so let vs now returning froÌ„ whence we digressed prosecute the rest that foloweth After that AlexaÌ„der thus as is said departed without issue also Margaret his â—iece in Norway was deceased the matter came in a great doubt among the nobles of Scotland especially 12. by name to whome the right of the crowne should next pertayne After much variaunce among parties at length the election
seÌ„ding out their monition of excommunication against theÌ„ that stand bound concerning the same contractes 6. Item the Byshoppes and Prelates decree prouinciall couÌ„cels and Sinodall Statuts enacting ordering therin many thinges to the high great preiudice of the temporall iurisdiction wherin they ought to haue no cognitioÌ„ at all neither to intermeddle themselues therwith 7. Item the foresayd Officials take vpon theÌ„ before Notaries to sweare persons for performance of contractes bargaynes made by them in places vnder the iurisdiction temporal concerning the sale of inheritance or otherwise incroching thereby vpon their iurisdiction when verelye they haue nothing to do with any contracts and obligations but with such as are made and agreed vpon within the compasse of their owne seat and iurisdiction 8. Item the sayd Officials of ther meere office call before them the laity to aunswere to such matters of correctioÌ„ as shal be layd to theyr charge the cognition where of as they say doth appertayn vnto them And when the sayd persoÌ„s do appeare before them deny the crime obiected against them the Officials deteyne them and put them in prison although in such cases they are to be released and that imprisonment appertaineth onely to the temporall power not to them 9. Item in the cases aforesayd although by making of their purgations and other the proces therein they be fouÌ„d cleare of that which is layd to theyr charge and are acquitted these yet the said officials will in no wise discharge and dismisse theÌ„ before they haue to the vttermost payd for the writings and proces in that behalfe a good piece of mony when by law it ought to be done gratis and for nothing 10. Item it must not be forgotten to talke of the senteÌ„ce of excoÌ„munication which is decreed by vertue of one only citation so often times as a man sayleth in his appearance 11. Item mentioÌ„ is to be made of those kinde of obligatioÌ„s De nisi whereby a man is excommunicated by and by if he make not payment at the day prefixed although he be not able so to do 12. Item whosoeuer by vertue of excommunicatioÌ„ in the Bishops court is excommunicate and he â—â— excoÌ„municate do not satisfy the summe due about the excommunication by by the summ is doubled And the secular power charged by the bishops or their officials that they vnder paine of excoÌ„mmunication compell the excoÌ„municate by attaching their goods to pay the sayd summe and not to misse a iote which monitioÌ„ if the layry refuseth to put in executioÌ„ they themselues are then excommunicate in no wise to be absolued before they disburse that mony the which the principall excommunicate person should haue payd 13. Item if the Balifes Hedborowes or other the kings officers and iudges of the temporaltye receiuing the foresayd monitions do put the same in execution finde those that be excoÌ„municate to be beggerlye and nothing worth the sayd officers are bound at their owne proper costs and charges to resort to the Bishops sea or consistory where soeuer it is there to take a corporall oath that the partyes excoÌ„municate are nothing worth This if they fayle those officers are sure to be excommunicate and therby inforced to disburse the due of the first excommunicate persons 14. IteÌ„ if two lay men be in sute together before a temporall iudge about an action either reall or personall one of theÌ„ after contestation of law and great proces therin do appeale vnto an ecclesiasticall iudge he will presume then to deteine before him the plea of such cases actions both reall personal causing by vertue of his monitions authority the temporall iudge to cease leaue of from medling therein which if the secular iudge obeyeth not he is pronounced excommunicate compelled to make satisfaction by occasions wherof the teÌ„poral iurisdiction is much annoyed and cleane loseth the prerogatiue thereof because by law no man may appeale from a spirituall iudge to the temporall law 15. Item if a lay man inhabiter of any the kings townes procureth his debter being also a lay man to be arested by vertue of secular iustice in that place he which is so arrested appealeth causeth also his creditor to be arrested the officials will take vpoÌ„ them to heare this matter And if any thing be atteÌ„pted concerning the appeale they misse not to demauÌ„d cost and satisfaction both of the iustice and also of him to whom the arrest was made And if any of the Princes retinne compelleth them to resist this iniury they are straight wayes pronounced excommunicate 16. Item if the sayd Bishops haue a number of Officials vnder them whom they terme Deanes of the clergy which vsually causeth all sorts of people through the kinges dominions onely by word of mouth to come afore theÌ„ that sometime without commissioÌ„ when that in euery Dioces there ought onely to be but one seat or Consistory wherâ—â— matters should be heard and decided And hereby it hapneth diuers times that many are wrongfully without cause cited to the end that they may pay mony enough to rid themselues thereof which is to the no small preiudice of the Kinges Maiestyes subiectes and the temporall iurisdiction 17. Item the sayd rulers of the clerks sealeth vp the houses of their clergy which are situate in the kinges townes and other of his noble mens villagyes to the preindice of the kinges maiestyes iurisdiction other of his nobility for that in such kinde of places the Bishops haue no suche kinde of iurisdiction 18. Item the sayd Prelates or their officials doe presume to seale vp the moueable goods of maryed Clerkes and of marchaunts where in such cases the order thereof apperteineth to the temporall law 19. Item they compel the laity to put in surety to answere clerkes before them in the spirituall court yea and chiefly the kinges owne seruitures 20. Item they presume to heare and haue the cognition of actions which are reall or at leastwise mixt that is both reall and personall 21. Item the sayd prelates go about to haue cognition of such temporall mens matters as dwel in hospitals almes houses the kings peculiars and in villagies of his subiectes although the plea thereof apperteineth to the King himselfe and his subiects forbidding vnder payne of excoÌ„munication great forfeits no man so hardy to commeÌ„ce any sute agaynst any of them but before theÌ„selues in pain of a great summe of mony 22. Item to the end the Clergye and Ecclesiasticall rule should be multiplied they conferre a number of Tonsures to children vnder age some of them being sonnes of bondmen other some bastardes borne yea and to many more maried folkes insufficient vnable and vnlearned 23. Item they do cause by the gouernors of their clerkes widow women to be inforced defiled and will haue the discussing therof as in like maner they will determine the matters
38. Item the foresayd Officials call by Citation afore thē the honest wedded aswell man as woman charging thē that they haue committed adultery to the perpetuall infamy of theyr husbands and wiues And for nothing els but by extortion to wring mony from them 39. Item mention must be made of the multitude number of Proctors which eate and deuoure vp all the world with their citations catching vp clientes and keeping abroad in the countryes courts and Assises who for mony returne not the citations which by extortion they receiue of them which are cited 40. Item there be many other griefes and enormityes which the Chapiters Abbotes Priors Prouostes and other ecclesiasticall persons in the Realme of Fraunce practise agaynst the people As whē they cause to be cited before them many of the kinges burgesies other in diuers places being priuiledged that is to say Baiocēses Manmectans in Britaine Lugdons Masticous with other more But specially the Prouos of hospitals vse more cōmonly this trick then any other do wherby the people is much endamaged and wil be euery day more and more if remedy be not had therein 41. Item ecclesiasticall magistrates labor to haue cognition of causes of iniury in whatsoeuer cause it be whether the iniury be committed by word or fact Likewise they take vpon them to heare the causes of maried clerkes and of their wiues although they both vse marchaundise And if at any time such couples be taken by the secular Magistrates the Officiall causeth a suspension to be denounced in that Parish by force of the councell Siluanecten 42. Item they chalenge to haue cognition concerning widowes goods both moueable and vnmoueable And if it happeneth at any time that a Marchaunt widow in any the kings peculiars by way of rest procureth any temporall man to be conuented before the secular iudge and the matter so farre trauised that he should haue bene condemned by the sentence of the secular iudge then come to the eare of the ecclesiasticall magistrates how before whom the widow did conuēt him The sayd temporal iudge shal be constrayned to withdraw the same And by their monitions and censures to correct the same and this oftē times happeneth 43. Item many of the tenaunts inhabitours of the Bishops landes calleth one an other to the court of the Officials by a kinde of appellation By vertue wherof the Officials take vpon them to proceede in the same and to haue cognition thereof to the preiudice of the temporall iurisdiction of our soueraigne Lord the king 44. Item if any man be apprehended by secular iustice in shedding of bloud by thē if he be Lay he is to be ordered If he be a Clerke he is to be restored to the Ecclesiasticall iudge But whether he be a temporall man or clerke that is so takē and appealeth to the Officials court They will be so bold to haue cognition therof requiring herewith amends of the secular court which enterprised the foresayd apprehension If this be suffered the malefactor shal neuer be punished For by and by they will appeale and immediatly after the appellation flye and auoyde away 45. Item when they cause many of Office to be cited before them they will admit them to haue no Proctors To whom when they come at the day of appearance they obiect the crime of vsury And except they answer as the promotors wil thēselues they are trodē vnder feet although they be mere lay and shall not be dismissed before they fine euen as the Officials list themselues although they be no vsurers But if any be vsurers they take of them satisfaction and bribes and so be permitted to vse their vsury no lesse then before So that they may haue their olde fees and bribes 46. Item they procure theyr officers to apprehend clerks in whatsoeuer soile they be foūd albeit by iustice they may appeal therefro But if by any they be let of their will here in they do forthwith by sentence of excommunicatiō cause them to desist therfore 47. Item as often times as any temporall Magistrate doth apprehēd any person which afterward being required of the clergy is quietly deliuered vnto them yet for all that the Officials causeth those Magistrats to be denoūced excommunicate by law 48. Item the Prelates geue order of Tonsures aswell to men of 30. yeares as vpward as also to maried men whē they come vnto them for feare of imprisonment punishment due vnto them for their criminal offences before cōmitted And this is often times put in practise 49. Item if it happen any of the kings seruants or any other to be excommunicate would fayne be absolued being glad to pay reasonably for the same The Clergy will not receiue but such satisfaction as shall please thē wherby many of them remayne still excommunicate 50. Item when two persons haue bene at strife and law together for the possessiō of land and the matter contentious be put into the handes of the king by some seruant or officer of the king for the taking vp of the matter then do the Prelates admonish the one part not to trouble the other which is in possession Otherwise if he do they do excommunicate him 51. Item the foresayd Prelates Deanes Chaplens and other the rout of the Clergy putteth the kinges officers to so much trauaile and expenses in trying out the kinges vsurped iurisdictiō as they terme it that often times many of them spend and consume in the trauaell of the right and title thereof all that they haue and more to 52. Item if any secular iusticer in a true and iust cause at the request of the party putteth in his helping hand cōcerning the inheritaunce of Clerkes the Ecclesiasticall Iudges and their Ministers sendeth out monitiōs in writing agaynst the sayd Iusticer yea vnder payne of excōmunication forfeiture to take away his hand and leaue of Enioyning him further to suffer the other party quietly to enioy the sayd things Otherwise they denounce him excommunicate shall not be absolued before he haue well paid for it euen as pleaseth maister Officiall to the high preiudice of the authority of our soueraigne Lord the king 53. Item the Ecclesiasticall magistrates so soone as they heare any rich or fat Cob to dye or thinke that he will not liue long send out forthwith letters vnder seale to theyr chaplain commaūding him in any wise not to presume to bury him although he made his Testament and receiued the rites of the Church And when afterward the frendes and kinsfolkes of the dead resort vnto them to know the cause of their inhibition they declare vnto thē that he was an vsurer and that he kept not the commaundementes of holy Church And so long keep they the corpes of the dead vnburyed while the frendes of him buy it out with good store of mony heaping hording by these meanes aboūdance of riches 54. Item if there be any
Sigillo all or any of which wordes being vtterly wanting in this place as may be seene in the kinges Recordes of that time it must therfore be done eyther by warrant of this foresayd Statute or els without any warrant at all Whereupon it is to be noted that wheras the said Statute appointed the commissions to be directed to the Sheriffe or other ministers of the kings or to other sufficient persons learned for the aresting of suche persons the sayd commissions are directed to the Archbishop and his Suffragans being as it appeareth parties in the case autorising theÌ„ further without either the wordes or reasonable meaning of the sayde Statute to imprison them in their owne houses or where els pleased them Besides also what maner of law this was by whome deuised and by what authoritie the same was first made and established iudge by that that followeth Viz. In the Utas of S. Michell next following at a parliament summoned and holden at Westminster the sixt yeare of the said king among sondry petitions made to the king by his commons whereunto he assented there is one in this forme Articl 52. Item prayen the commons that wheras an Estatute was made the last parliament in these wordes It is ordayned in this present Parliament that commissions from the king be directed to the Sheriâ—fes and other ministers of the king or to other sufficient persons skilfull and according to the certificates of the Prelates thereof to be made vnto the Chauncerie from time to time to arest all suche preachers theyr fautoures maintenors and abbettours And them to deteine in strong prison vntill they will iustifie themselues according to reasoÌ„ law of holy church And the king willeth and commaundeth that the Chauncellor make such commissions at all times as shal be by the prelates or any of them certified and thereof required as is aforesayd The which was neuer agreed nor graunted by the commens but what soeuer was moued therein was without their assent That the said statute be therfore disanulled For it is not any wise their meaning that either theÌ„selues or such as shal succeed theÌ„ shal be further iustified or bound by the Prelates then were their ancesters in former times whereunto is answered il plâ—ist aa Roy. 1. the king is pleased Hereby notwithstanding the former vniust lawe of Anno. 5. was repealed and the fraude of the framers therof sufficiently discouered yet such meanes was there made by the prelates that this acte of Repeale was neuer published nor euer fithence imprinted with the rest of the statutes of that Parliament In so much as the sayd Repeale being concealed like commissions and other proces were made from time to time by vertue of the sayd Basterd statute aswel during al the raign of this king as euer sithence against the professors of religion As shall hereafter by the grace of God appeare in the second yeare of king Henry the fourth where the Clergy pursued the like practise And now againe to the story of our Oxford Diuines and of the Archbishop to whom the king writeth his letters patents first to the Archbishop then to the Uicechauncellor of Oxford in forme as followeth The kinges letters patentes to the Archbishop RIchard by the grace of God king of England and Lord of Ireland To all those to whome these present letters shall come greeting By the petition of the reuerend â—ather in God William Archb. of Caunterbury Primate of England exhibited vnto vs we right well vnderstand That diuers and sondry conclusions very contrary to wholesome doctrine and redounding both to the subuersion of the Catholike fayth the holy Church and his prouince of Cant. in diuers and sundry places of the same of his prouince haue bene openly and publiquely preached although damnably preached Of the which conclusions some as heresies other some as errours haue bene condemned but not before good and mature deliberation first therein had and vsed and by common counsaile of the said Archbishop his suffragans and many doctors in diuinitie and other clerkes and learned men in the holy Scriptures were sententially and holesomely declared Whereupon the sayd Archbishop hath made his supplication vnto vs that both for the coertion and due castigation of such as shall henceforth of an obstinate minde preach or mayntaine the foresaid conclusions that we would vouchsafe to put to the arme and helping hand of our kingly power We therefore moued by the zeale of the catholicke faith whereof we be and will be defendours and vnwilling that any such heresies or errours shoulde spring vp within the limites of our dominion Geue and graunt speciall licence and authoritie by the tenour of these presentes vnto the foresayd Archbishop and to his Suffraganes to arest and imprison either in their owne prisons or any other all and euery such person and persons as shall either priuely or apertly preach and mayntayne the foresayd conclusions so condemned and the same persons so imprisoned there at their pleasures to detayne till such time as they shall repent them and amend them of suche hereticall prauities or els shall be of suche arestes by vs and our counsaile otherwise determined and prouided Further charging and commaunding all and singuler our liegemen ministers and subiectes of what state and condition so euer they be vpon their fidelitie allegeance wherin they stand bound to vs that by no meanes they eyther fauour counsayle or helpe the preachers or els mayntayners of the sayde conclusions so condemned or their fauourers vpon payn and forfaiture of all that euer they haue But that they obey and humbly attend vpon the said Archbishop his Suffraganes and ministers in the execution of these presentes so that due and manifest publication agaynst the foresaid conclusions and their mayntayners without any perturbation may be done and executed as for the defence of our Realme and catholike fayth shal be thought most meete and requisite In witnesse wherof we haue caused these our letters patentes to be made Witnesse our selfe at Westminster the 16. day of Iune and 6. yeare of our reigne * The kinges letters patentes to the Uicechauncellour THe king To the Chauncellour and the procuratours of the vniuersitie of Oxford which now be or for the time being shall be Greeting Moued by the zeale of christian fayth where of we be and alwayes will be defenders and for our soules health induced thereunto hauing a great desire to represse and by condigne punishmeÌ„t to restraine the impugners of the foresaid fayth which newly and wickedly go about and presume to sow their naughty and peruerse doctrine within our kingdome of England and to preach and hold damnable conclusions so notoriously repugnant and contrary to the same faith to the peruerting of our subiectes and people as we vnderstand Before they any further proceed in their malicious errours or els infect others We haue by these presentes appoynted you to be inquisitour generall all
preach no lyes nor vayne iests or other things not authorised but only the law of Christ the minds of the holy doctors And he that doth so preach necessity occationing or mouing him therunto in case there be no Pope or Bishop or in case possible to withstand the preaching of heretickes or false preachers he in so doing doth not vsurpe the office of preaching and in suche case there is no doubt but he is sent of God and this doth also answere vnto that which is consequently sayd that if any man will peradueÌ„ture craftely answere that such preachers are inuisibly seÌ„t of God although not visibly of meÌ„ when as that inuisible seÌ„ding of God is much more better theÌ„ the visible sending of men A man may reasonably answere therunto that forsomuch as that interuall seÌ„ding is secret it is not sufficient for a man onely to say that he is sent of God forsomuch as euery hereticke may so say but he ought to proue the same his inuisible calling by the working of some miracle or by some speciall testimony of the scripture Here it is to be noted according to S. Augustine in his 65. booke of quest vnto Orosius that there is 4. kindes of sending The first is from God onely whereof we read in Moises other which were inspired by God And this kinde sending loseth from the daunger of the statute so that he whom the spirit of God hath enspired this prelate geuing thankes may proceed vnto a better life WherupoÌ„ Pope Urbane sayd 19. quest 2. There be sayd he 2. lawes the one publick the other priuate The publick law is that which is confirmed in writing by the holy fathers such as is the canon law which is only geuen for transgressions As for example it is decreed in the canons that none of the clergy shall go froÌ„ one bishoprick vnto an other without the letters commendatory of his bishop the which was ordeined onely for offeÌ„ders that no infamed persons should be receiued of any bishop For they were wont when they could not celebrate or do their office vnder their owne Bishopricke to go vnto another which now is forbidden by the lawes and precepts The priuate law is that which by the instruction of the holy Ghost is written in the hart as the Apostle speaketh of many which haue the law of God written in their hartes And in an other place Forsomuch as the Gentiles haue not the law of God but naturally doe those thinges which are of the law they are lawes vnto theÌ„selues And afterward he sayth the priuate law is much more worthy then the publicke law For the spirit of god is a law And they which are moued by the spirit of God are led by the law of God And who is he that can worthely resist agaynst the holy Ghost Whosoeuer therfore is led by the spirit of God albeit his bishop do say him nay let him go freely by our authority for the law is not appointed for the iust man for where as the spirit of God is there is liberty and if ye be led by the spirite of God ye are not vnder the law Beholde here it is affirmed that the sending by God through inspiration is not bound vnder the bondage of the law for that law is more worthye then the publicke law Secondly that the law is made for transgressors offenders and not for the iust Thirdly that whosoeuer is ledd by the spirite of God although his Bishop stand agaynst him he may proceed vnto a better life Wherby it is euideÌ„t that a deacon or priest disposed to preach and being led by the spirit of God he may freely preach the gospell of christ without the spiritual licence of his bishop It is euideÌ„t for somuch as it is good that a deacon or priest do liue well preach fruitfully Ergo he may proceede from idlenes vnto the labor office of preaching and so vnto a better life But where as it is sayde afore that for so much as the inward sending or calling is secret therfore it is not sufficient for a man barely to affirme onely the he is sent of god when as euery heretick may so say but it is necessary that he do confirme proue his inuisible sending by the working of some miracle or by some speciall testimony of the scripture Here is to be noted that there are 2. kindes of preachers some true preachers of our sauior Christ other seducers of Antechrist The first sort following the mayster Christ teach the people in truth The other sort being of a corrupt minde and reprobate touching faith resist against the verity And through couetousnes by their fained words do make marchandise of the people And these meÌ„ do geue shal geue miracles as our sauior saith Math. 24. There shall arise false Christs and false prophets the which shall shew great signes and wonders in so much that euen the elect theÌ„selues if it were by any meanes possible shoulde be brought into error And the apostle in â—he 2. to the Thes. 2. as touching their head Antechrist writeth thus whose comming shal be according to the operation of sathan with al power and signes false miracles seducing vnto iniquity those which do perish because they haue not receiued the charity and loue of truth that they might be saued Therfore will the Lord send vpon them the operation of error that they shall geue credit vnto lies That all such as haue not belued the truth but consent vnto wickednes should be iudged Behold how expressely our Sauior by himself and by his Apostle doth teach vs how the disciples of Antechrist with theyr head should shine through their great signes and woÌ„ders But the true disciples of Christ shall not so do in the time of Antechrist For as S. Isidor sayth in his first book 22. De summo bono Before that Antechrist shall appeare all vertues and signes shall cease from the Church that he may the boldlier persecute the same as an abiect For this profit shall all miracles and signes cease vnder Antechrist that thereby the patience of the holy meÌ„ might be known and the lightnes of the reprobate which are offeÌ„ded may be opened also that the cruelty of the persecuters shuld be made more scare Thus writeth S. Isidor S. Gregory in his 24. booke of Morals sayth For why by a terrible examination of Gods secret dispeÌ„satioÌ„ shall all signes of vertue or power be takeÌ„ away from the holy church before that the Leuiathan appeare in yâ— most wicked and damnable man whose shape he doth take vpon him For prophecy is hidden the gift of healing is takeÌ„ away the vertue of loÌ„g abstineÌ„ce is deminished the words of doctrine is put to silence and the wonderfull workes of miracles are extinguished which things nothing can vtterly take away but onely the dispensation of God But this dispeÌ„satioÌ„ is not so openly manifoldly
of warres among the Christiās in any case to be lawful for he himself before hath opēly protested the contrary But that his purpose is to proue the Pope in all his doings teachings more to be addicted to warre thē to peace yea in such cases wher is no necessity of war And therin proueth he the Pope to be contrary to Christ the is to be Antichrist Now he proceedeth further to the second part which is of mercy In the which part he sheweth how Christ teacheth vs to be merciful because mercye as he sayth proceedeth frō charity and nourisheth it In which doctrine of mercye he breaketh not the law of righteousnes for he himself by mercy hath clensed vs from our sinnes from which we coulde not by the righteousnes of the law be clensed But whom he hath made cleane by mercye vndoubtedly it behoueth those same to be also merciful For in the v. chapiter of Mathew he sayth Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtaine mercy And againe in the 6. of Mathew If ye forgeue vnto men their sinnes your father will forgeue vnto you your sinnes And againe in the vij chapter of Mathewe Iudge not ye shal not be iudged condemne not and ye shal not be condemned with what measure ye measure with the same shal it be measured vnto you againe In the xviij chap. of Mathew Peter asked the lord saying Lord how often shal my brother sinne agaynst me and I shall forgeue him seuen times Iesus sayd vnto him I say not vnto thee seuen times but seuentie times seuen tymes Therefore is the kingdome of heauen likened vnto a certaine king which would take accōpt of his seruants And when he had begun to reckē one was brought vnto hym which ought him tenne thousand talents And because he had nothing where withal to pay his maister commaūded him to be solde and his wife and his children and all that he had and the debt to be payd The seruaunt therefore fell downe and besought him saying haue pacience with me and I wil pay thee all And the Lord had pity on that seruant and loosed him and forgaue him the debt But when the seruant was departed he found one of his fellow seruaunts which ought him an hundred pence and he layed handes on him and tooke him by the throte saying pay me that thou owest and his fellowe fell downe and besought him saying Haue pacience with me and I will pay thee all But he would not but went and cast hym into prison till he shoulde pay the debt And when his other fellowes saw the things that were done they were very sorye and came declared vnto their maister all that was done Then his maister called him and said vnto him O thou vngratious seruant I forgaue thee al that debt when thou desiredst mee Oughtest thou nor then also to haue such pity on thy felow euē as I had pity on thee And his lord was wroth and deliuered him vnto the Iaylers till he should pay all that was due vnto him So likewise shall my heauēly father do vnto you except ye forgeue from your hartes eche one to his brother their trespasses By this doctrine it is most plaine and manifest that euery Christiā ought to be mercifull vnto his brother how often soeuer he offendeth against him Because we so often as we offend do aske mercy of God Wherfore for asmuch as our offence agaynst God is farre more grieuous then any offence of our brother agaynst vs it is playne that it behooueth vs to be merciful vnto our brethren if we wil haue mercy at Gods hand But contrary to this doctrine of mercy The Romish bishop maketh confirmeth many lawes which punishe offenders euen vnto the death As it is plaine by the processe of the decrees Distin 23. quest 5. It is declared and determined that to kill men ex officio that is hauing authority and power so to do is not sinne And againe the souldiour which is obediēt vnto the higher power and so killeth a man is not guilty of murther And againe he is the minister of the Lord which smiteth the euil in that they are euill and killeth thē And many other such like thinges are throughout the whole processe of the question determined That for certayne kinds of sinnes men ought by the rigour of the law to be punished euen vnto death But the foundation of their saying they tooke out of the olde law in which for diuers transgressions were appointed diuers punishments It is very much wōderful vnto me why that wyse men being the authors makers of lawes do alwayes for the foundation of their sayings looke vpon the shadow of the lawe and not the light of the gospel of Iesus Christ for they geue not heede vnto the fygure of perfection nor yet vnto the perfection figured Is it not written in that 3. of Iohn God sent not his sōne into the world to iudge the world but to saue the world by him In Iohn the 8. chap. The scribes and phariseis bring in a woman taken in adultery and let her in the middest and sayd vnto Christ Maister euen nowe this woman was taken in adultery But in the lawe Moises hath cōmaunded vs to stone such What sayest thou therfore This they sayd to tempt him that they might accuse him But Iesus stouped downe and with his finger wrote on the ground And while they continued asking him he lift himselfe vp and sayd vnto them let him that is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her And agayne he stouped and wrote on the ground And when they heard it the went out one by one beginning at the eldest so Iesus was lefte alone and the woman standing in the midst When Iesus had lift vp himselfe agayne he said vnto her where be they which accused thee hath no man condemned thee She sayd no man Lord. And Iesus sayd vnto her Neyther do I condemne thee Goe thy way and sinne now no more It is manifest by the scriptures the Christ was promised he should be king of the Iews vnto the kings pertained the iudgements of the law but because he came not to iudge sinners according to the rigor of the law but came according to grace to saue that which was lost in calling the sinner to repentaunce it is most playne that in the comming of the law of grace he would haue the iudgement of the lawe of righteousnes to cease for otherwise he had dealt vniustly with the foresayd woman forasmuch as the witnesses of her adultery bare witnes against her Wherfore seeing the same king Christ was a iudge if it had bene his will that the righteousnes of the law shoulde be obserued he ought to haue adiudged the woman to death according as the law commaunded whiche thing forasmuch as he did not it is most euident that the iudgementes of the righteousnes of
thee and being sold was it not in thine own power why hast thou conceiued this thing in thine hart Thou hast not lyed vnto meÌ„ but vnto God And wheÌ„ Ananias heard these wordes he fell downe and gaue vp the ghost great feare came on all them that heard these things And the young meÌ„ rose vp and tooke him vp and caried him out and buried him And it came to passe about the space of iij. houres after that his wyfe came in being ignorant of that whych was done And Peter sayd vnto her Tel me womaÌ„ sold ye the land for so much And she sayd yea for so much But Peter saye vnto her why haue ye agreed together to teÌ„pt the spirit of the Lord Behold the feete of them which buried thy husbande are at the doore and shall cary thee out And straight way she fel downe before his feete and gaue vp the ghost and the yong men entring in found her dead and they caried her out and buried her by her husbaÌ„d And great feare came on all the church all those which heard these thinges It is meruaile that any man that is wise wyll say that by this processe Peter slue Ananias or hys wife For it was not his act but the act of God who made a wedding to his sonne sent his seruant to cal them that were bidden vnto the wedding and they would not come The king then sent forth his seruantes to the outcorners of the hie wayes to gather all that they could find both good and euill And so they did And the maryage was full furnished with gestes Then came in also the king to view and see them sitting Among whom he perceaued there one sitting hauing not a wedding garment and sayth vnto him frend how camest thou hither And he being dumme had not a worde to speake Then said the king to the seruitures take and binde him hand and foote and cast him into the outward darcknes there shall be weeping and gnashinge of teeth Many there be called but few chosen c. It is manifest that this wedding garment is charitie without which because Ananias entred into the maryage of Christ he was geuen to death that by one many might be informed to learne vnderstand that they which haue fayth not charitie although they appeare to men to haue yet it can not be priuy to the spirite of God that they doe fayne Such there is no doubt but they shal be excluded froÌ„ the mariage of christ as we see this here exemplified in the death of Ananias his wife by the hand of God not by the hand of Peter And how should Peter theÌ„ haue iudged Ananias albeit he had iudged him worthy of death by the rigour of the old law For why by the law he had not bene guilty of death for that part which they fraudulently dissemblingly did reserue to themselues Yea and if they had stolne as much from an other man which was greater neither yeâ— for hys lie committed he had not therfore by the law of iustice bene found gilty of death Wherefore if he did not condeÌ„ne hym by the law of iustice it appeared that he codeÌ„ned him by the law of grace and mercy whiche he learned of Christ. And so consequently it followeth much more apparent that Peter could not put him to death Furthermore to say that Peter put him to death by the meere motion of his own will and not by authoritie of the old law nor by the new it were derogatory and slaunderous to the good fame and name of Peter But if Peter did kill hym why then doth the Byshop of Rome which pretendeth to be successor of Peter excuse himselfe and his priestes from the iudgement of death agaynst heretiques and other offeÌ„ders although they themselues be conseÌ„ting to such iudgements done by lay men For that which was done of Peter without offence may reasonably excuse him and his felow Priestes from the spot of crime Actes 5. It is manyfest that there was another which did more greeuously offend theÌ„ Ananias and that Peter rebuked him with more sharpe words but yet he commanded him not so to he put to death For Simon Magus also remayning at Samaria after that he beleued and was baptised he ioyned himselfe with Phillip And when he sawe that the holye spirite was geuen by the Apostles laying theyr handes vpon meÌ„ he offred theÌ„ mony saying geue vnto me this power that vpon whome soeuer I shall lay my hand he shall receaue the holy Ghost To whom Peter answered Destroyed be thou and thy money together And for that thou supposest the gifte of GOD to be bought with money thou shalt haue neyther part nor fellowshippe in this doctrine Thy hart is not pure before god therefore repeÌ„t thee of thy wiâ—kednesse and pray vnto God that this wicked thought of thy hart may be forgeuen thee for I perceiue thou art eueÌ„ in the bitter gall of wickednes and bande of iniquitie Beholde here the greuous offence of Symon Peters hard sharp rebuking of him and yet therupon he was not put to death Whereby it appeareth that the death of Anamas aforesaid proceeded of God and not of Peter Of all these things it is to be gathered seing the iudgements of death are not grounded vpon the expresse and playn scriptures but onely vnder the shadow of the olde law that they are not to be obserued of Christians because they are coÌ„trarye to charity Ergo the bishop of Rome approuing such iudgements alloweth those that are contrary to the law doctrine of Christ as before is sayd of warres where hee approueth iustifieth that which is coÌ„trary to charity The order of Priesthood albeit it doth iustifie the iudgemeÌ„ts to death of the laity whereby offenders are condeÌ„ned to die yet are they themselues forbidden to put in execution the same iudgementes The priestes of the old law being vnperfect wheÌ„ Pylate said vnto theÌ„ concerning Christ whoÌ„ they had accused worthy death take him vnto you and according to your law iudge him answered that it was not lawful for them to put to death any man Wherby it appeareth that our priests being much more perfect may not lawfully geue iudgemeÌ„t of death against any offenders yet notwithstanding they claime vnto theÌ„ the power iudicial vpon offeÌ„ders Because say they it belongeth vnto them to know the offences by the auricular confession of the offenders and to iudge vpoÌ„ the same being knowne aud to ioyne diuers penances vnto the parties offending according to the quantitie of their offences coÌ„mitted to that the sinner may make satisfactioÌ„ say they vnto God for the offences which he neuer committed And to coÌ„firme vnto theÌ„ this iudicial power they alleage the scriptures in many places wrasting it to serue their purpose First they saye that the Bishop of Rome who is the chief priest and iudge among them hath ful power authority to
Such a stroke heareth ambition in thys Apostolicall see whiche we are wont so greatly to magnifie But of this inough whiche I leaue and referre to the consideration of the Lorde seeing men will not looke vpon it Drawing now toward the latter end of king Richards raigne it remaineth that as we did before in the time of K. Edward the third so here also we shewe forth a summary recapitulation of such parliamentall notes proceedinges as then were practised by publique parliament in this kings time against the iurisdiction of the Bysh. of Rome to the intent that such if any such be that thinke or haue thought the receauing of the popes double authoritie to be such an auncient thing within this realme may diminishe theyr opinion As euidently may appeare by diuers arguments heretofore touched concerning the election and inuesting of byshops by the king As where king Oswin coÌ„maunded Tedde to be ordayned Archbish. of Yorke Also where king Egfride caused Cuchbert was brought to K. Canuce and at his commaundement was instituted Byshop of the same see Ex lib. Malmesb. de gestis pontif Anglorum And likewise Math. Parisiensis testifieth that king Henry the 3. gaue the Archbishopricke of Caunterbury to Radulphus then Bishop of London and inuested him wyth staffe and ring And the sâ—â—re king gaue the Bishopricke of wint to W. Gifford and moreouer following the steppes both of his father and brother before him endued him with the possessions pertaining to the sayd Bishoprick the contrary statute of pope Urbane forbidding that Clerkes should receaue any Ecclesiasticall dignitie at the hand of Princes or of any lay person to the contrary notwithstanding c. Innumerable examples of like sort are to be seen in auncient historyes of this our realme As also out of the parliament tolles in the time of king Edward hath sufficiently bene touched a little before Whereunto also may be added the notes of such parliamentes as haue bene holdeÌ„ in the raygne of this present king Richard the second the collation whereof in part here followeth * Notes of certayne Parliamentes holden in the the raigne of king Richard 2. making agaynst the Pope IN the first yeare of King Richard 2. in the parliament holden at Westminster it was requested and graunted that the popes collector be willed no longer to gather the first fruites of benefices within this realme being a verye noueltie and that no person doe any longer pay them Item that no man doe procure any benefice by prouision from Rome on payne to be out of the kinges protection Item that no Englishman do take to farme of any Alien anye Ecclesiasticall benefice or Prebende on the lyke payne In which byll was rehearsed that the French men had 6. thousand poundes yearely of such liuinges in England Item that remedy might be had against the popes reseruations to dignities electiue the same being done against the treaty of the pope taken with king Edward 3. In the second yeare of the sayd king Richard the secoÌ„d it was by petitioÌ„ requested that some order might be takeÌ„ touchyng Aliens hauyng the greatest part of the Church dignities in their handes Whereunto the kyng auÌ„swered that by aduise of the Lordes he will prouide therfore Item it was enacted that all the benefices of Cardinals and others rebels to pope Urbane that now is shal be seased into the kynges handes An Acte that Pope Urbane was true lawfull Pope and that the liuynges of all Cardinals and other rebels to the sayd Pope should be seased into the kinges handes and the kyng bee aunswered of the profites thereof And that whosoeuer within this Realme shall procure or obtayne any prouision or other instrument from any other Pope then the same Urbane shall be out of the kynges protection Moreouer in the thyrd yeare of kyng Richard the second the Prelates and Clergie made their protestation in this Parliament expressely agaynst a certaine new grauÌ„t to wit their extortions That the same neuer should passe with their assent and good will to the blemishyng of the liberties of the Churche if by that worde extortion they ment any thyng largely to proceede against Ordinaries others of the Church But if they ment none otherwise to deale hereafter therin theÌ„ before that the time had bene done then would they consent Wherunto it was replied for the king that neither for the same their sayd protestation or other wordes in that behalfe the king woulde not stay to graunt to his Iustices in that case and all other cases as was vsed to be done in times past and was bound to doe by vertue of his othe done at his coronation Furthermore in the fourth yeare of the sayd king Richard 2. it was requested that prouision might be had agaynst the popes collectors for leuying of the first fruits of ecclesiasticall dignities within the realme Item that all Priors Aliens might be remoued out of their houses and licensed to depart neuer to reuert And that English men may be placed in their liuinges answering the king as they did And in the 9. yeare of the foresayd king touching matter of the Staple the speaker of the Parliament pronounced that he thought best the same were planted within the realme considering that Calis Bruges and other towns beyond the seas grew very rich therby and good townes here very much decayed and so much for the common profite Touching the king he affirmed that the subsidie custome of wool more yelded to the king wheÌ„ the staple was kept in England by one thousand markes yearely then it did now being holden beyond the seas Item that inquisition and redresse might be had against such religious persons as vnder the licence to purchase 10. li. yearly do purchase 80. li. or 100. li. Item that all Clarkes aduaunced to any ecclesiasticall dignitie or liuing by the king will graunt to the king the first fruites of their liuinges none otherwise then they would haue done to the Pope being aduaunced by him In the 11. yeare of K. Richard 2. it was put vp by the petitions of the commons that suche impositions as are gathered by the popes bulles of Volumus and imponimus of the translations of B.B. and such like might be imployed on the kinges warres agaynst the schismatickes of Scotland And that such as bring into the realme the like bulles and nouelries may be reputed for traytors In the 13. yeare of his raigne followed an other parliameÌ„t in which although the archbish of Canterbury and Yorke for them and the whole Clergie of their prouinces made their solemne protestations in opeÌ„ Parliament that they in no wise ment or would assent to any statute or law made in restraynt of the popes authoritie but vtterly withstood the same willing this protestation of theirs to be enrolled yet the sayd protestation of theirs at that time took no great effect
are to be worshipped with procession bowing of knees offring of frankincense kissinges oblations lighting of candels and pilgrimages and with all other kind of ceremonyes and manners that hath bene vsed in the time of our predecessoures And that geuing of othes in cases expressed in the law and vsed of all men to whome it belongeth in both common places ought to be done vpon the booke of the Gospell of Christ. Contrarye vnto this who so euer doth preache teache or obstinately affirme except he recant in manner and forme aforesayd shall forthwith incurre the penaltie of heresie and shal be pronounced an heretique in all effect of law Item we doe decree and ordaine that no chaplayne be admitted to celebrate in any dioces within our prouince of Caunterbury where he was not borne or not receaued orders except hee bring with him hys letters of orders letters commendatory from his ordinary and also from other Bishops in whose dioces of a long lyme he hath ben conuersaunt whereby his conuersation and maners may appeare So that it may be knowne whether he hath bene detained with any new opinioÌ„s touching that catholick faith or whether he be free from the same otherwise as well he that celebrateth as he that suffereth him to celebrate shal be sharpely punished at the discretion of the Ordinary Finally because those things which newly and vnaccustomably excepeth vp standeth need of new and speedy helpe and where more daunger is there ought to be more mary circumspection and stronger resistance and not â—â—out good cause that lesse noble ought discretly to be cut away that the more noble may the more perfectly be nourished Considering therefore and in lamentable wife shewing vnto you how the auncient Uniuersitie of Oxford which as a fruitful vine was wont to exteÌ„d forth her fruitful braÌ„ches to the honour of God the great perfection and defeÌ„ce of the Church now partly being become wilde bringeth forth bitter grapes which being vndiscreetly eaten of auncient fathers that thought themselues skilfull in the law of God hath set on edge yâ— teeth of their childreÌ„ and our prouince is infected with diuers and vnfruitfull doctrines and defiled with a new damnable name of Lollardie to the great reproofe and offence of the sayd Uniuersitie being known in forren countryes to the great irkesomnes of the studentes there and to the great damnage and losse of the Church of England which in times past by her vertue as with a strong wall was wont to be defended and now like to runne in ruine not to be recouered At the supplication therfore of that whole clergie of our prouince of CaÌ„ terbury and by the consent and assent of all our brethren suffragans and other the prelates in this conuocation assembled and the proctors of them that are absent least the riuer being clensed the fountayne should remayne corrupt and so the water comming from thence should not be pure entending most holesomly to prouide for the honour and vtilitie of our holy mother the Church and the vniuersitie moresayd We do ordeine and decree that euery warden Prouost or maister of euery College or principall of euery hall wtin the vniuersitie aforesayd shall once euery moneth at yâ— least diligently enquire in the sayd College hall or other place where he hath authoritie whether anye scholler or inhabitant in such colledge or hall c. haue holdeÌ„ alleaged or defended or by any meanes proponed any conclusion proposition oâ— opinion concerning the catholick faith or sounding coÌ„trary to good maners or contrary to the determination of the Church otherwise then appertayneth to necessary doctrine And if hee shall finde anye suspected or diffamed herein he shall according to his office admonish him to desiste And if after such monition geuen the sayde partye offende agayne in the same or suche like hee shall incurre ipso facto besides the penalties aforesayd the sentence of greater excommunication And neuerthelesse if it be a scholier that so offendeth the second tyme whatsoeuer he shall afterward doe in the sayd vniuersitie shall not stand in effect And if he be a doctour a maister or bacheller he shall sorth with be suspended froÌ„ euery schollers act and in both cases shal lose the right that he hath in the said College or hall wherof he is Ipso facto and by the warde Prouost Maister principall or other to whoÌ„ it appertayneth he shal be expelled a Catholique by lawful meanes forth with placed in his place And if the sayd wardens Prouostes or Maisters of Colledges or principalles of halles shal be negligent concerning the inquisition and execution of such persons suspected and diffamed by that space of x. dayes froÌ„ the time of the true or supposed knowledge of that publication of these presentes that then they shal incurre that sentence of greater excommunication and neuerthelesse shal be depriued ipso facto of all the right which they preteÌ„d to haue in yâ— colledges halles c. and the sayd Colledges halles c. to be effectually vacant And after lawfull declaration hereof made by them to whom it shall appertayne new wardens Prouostes Maisters or principals shal be placed in they places as hath ben accustomed in colledges and halles being vacant in the sayd vniuersitie But if the wardens themselues Prouostes Maisters or principals aforesayd be suspected and diffamed of and concerning the sayd conclusions or propositions or be fauourers defenders of such as doe therein offend and doe not cease beyng therof warned by vs or by our authoritie or by yâ— ordinary of the place that then by law they be depriued as well of all priuiledge scholasticall within the vniuersitie aforesayd as also of their right and authoritie in such Colledge hall c. Besides other penalties afore mentioned and that they incurre the sayd sentence of greater excommunication But if any man in any case of this present coÌ„stitution or any other aboue expressed do rashly and wilfully presume to violate these our statues in any part thereof although there be an other penalty expressely there limitted yee shal he be made altogether vnable and vnworthy by the spare of three yeares after without hope of pardon to obtayn any ecclesiasticall benefice within our prouince of Caunterbury and neuertheles according to all hys demerites and the quallitie of hys excesse at the discretion of his superiour he shal be lawfully punished And further that yâ— maner of proceeding herein be not thought vncertayne considering with ourselues that although there be a kinde of equallitie in the crime of heresie and offending the prince as is auouched in diuers lawes yet the fault is much vnlike and to offend the deuine maiestie requireth greater punishment then to oftend yâ— Princes maiesty And where it is sufficient for feare of daunger that might ensue by delayes to conuince by iudgement the offender of the Princes maiesties proceeding agaynst hym fully wholy with a
name for to encrease my beliefe and to helpe my vnbeliefe And for because to the praysing of Gods name I desire aboue all things to be a faithfull meÌ„ber of holy church I make this protestaâ—oÌ„ before you all foure that are now here present couering that all men women that now be absent knew the same that is what thing so euer before this time I haue sayde or done or what thing here I shall doe or say at any time hereafter I beleeue that all the olde law and the new law geuen and ordeined by the couÌ„sell of the three persons of the Trinity were geuen and written to the saluatioÌ„ of mankind And I beleue that these lawes are sufficient for mans saluation And I beleue euery article of these lawes to the intent that these articles ordeined and commaunded of these 3 persons of the most blessed trinity are to be beleued And therfore to yâ— rule the ordinaunce of these Gods lawes meekely gladly and wilfully I submit me with all mine hart that whosoeuer can or wll by authority of gods lawe or by open reason tell me that I haue erred or nowe erre or any time hereafter shall erre in any article of beliefe from which inconuenience God keepe me for hys goodnesse I submit me to be reconciled and to be buxum obedient vnto those lawes of God and to euery article of theÌ„ For by authority specially of these lawes I will thorow the grace of God be vntied charitably vnto these lawes Yea sir ouer this I beleeue admit all the senteÌ„ces authorities and reasoÌ„s of the saynts doctors according vnto holy scripture and declaring it truely I submit me wilfully and meekely to be euer obedient after my cunning and power to all these saynts and Doctors as they are obedient in worke and in word to God to his law and further not to my knowledge not for any earthly power dignitye or state thorow the helpe of God But sir I pray you tell me if after your bidding I shal lay my hand vpon the booke to what entent to sweare thereby And the Archby sayd to me yea wherefore els And I said to him Syr a book is nothing els but a thing coupled together of diuers creatures and to swere by any creature both Gods law and mans law is agaynst it But Syr this thing I say here to you before these your clerkes with my foresayd protestation that how where when and to whom men are bouÌ„d to sweare or to obey in any wise after Gods law and saints and true Doctours according vnto Gods law I will thorow Gods grace be euer ready thereto with all my cunning and power But I pray you sir for the charitye of God that ye will before that I sweare as I haue here rehearsed to you tell me how or whereto that I shal submit me and shew me wherof that ye will correct me and what is the ordinaunce that ye will thus oblige me to fulfill ¶ And the Archbishop sayd vnto me I will shortly that now thou sweare here to me that thou shalt forsake al the opinions which the sect of Lollordes holde and is slaundered with so that after this time neither priuilye nor apertly thou hold any opinion which I shal after thou hast sworne rehearse to thee here Nor thou shalt fauor no maÌ„ nor woman young nor olde that holdeth any these foresayd opinions but after thy knowledge and power thou shalt force thee to wtstaÌ„d al such distroublers of holy church in euery dioces that thou commest in and them that wyll not leaue their false and damnable opinioÌ„s thou shalt put them vp publishing them and theyr names and make theÌ„ knowne to the bishop of the dioces that they are in or to that bishops ministers And ouer this I will that thou preach no more vnto the time that I know by good witnesse true that thy conuersation be such that thy hart and thy mouth accord truely in one contrarying all the seud learning that thou hast taught here before ☞ And I hearing these wordes thought in my hart that this was an vnlefull asking and demed my selfe cursed of God if I consented hereto I thought how Susan sayd Anguish is to me on euery side And in that I stoode still and spake not the Archbishop sayd to me Aunswere one wise or other And I sayd Syr if I consented to you thus as ye haue here before rehersed to me I should becom an appealer or euery bishops espy somoner of al EnglaÌ„d For and I should thus put vp and publish the names of men and women I should herein deceiue full many persons Yea sir as it is likely by the dome of my conscience I should herein be cause of the death both of men and womeÌ„ yea both bodely and ghostly For many men women that stand now in the way of saluation if I should for the learning and reading of theyr beleue publish them therfore vp to Bishops or to their vnpiteous ministers I know some deale by experience that they should be so distroubled diseased with persecution or otherwise that many of theÌ„ I thinke would rather chuse to forsake the way of truth theÌ„ to be trauailed scorned slauÌ„dered or punished as bishops and their ministers now vse for to constrayne men women to consent to them But I finde in no place in holy scripture that this office that ye would now enfeaffe me with accordeth to any Priest of Christes sect nor to any other christen man And therefore to do this were to me a full noyous bond to bee bouÌ„deÌ„ with ouer greuous charge For I suppose that if I thus did many men and women would yea Syr might iustly vnto my confusion say to me that I were a traytor to God and to them since as I thinke in mine hart many men women trust so mikle in this case that I would not for sauing of my life doe thus to them For if I thus should do full many men women would as they might full truely say that I had falsly and cowardly forsaken the truth and slaundered shamefully the word of God For if I consented to you to do here after your will for bonchefe or mischief that may befall to me in this life I deme in my coÌ„science that I were worthy herefore to be cursed of god and also of all his Saynts fro which inconuenience keep me and all christeÌ„ people almighty God now and euer for his holy name And then the Archbishop sayd vnto me Oh thine hart is ful hard indurate as was the hart of Pharao and the deuill hath ouercomen thee and peruerted thee he hath so blinded thee in all thy wittes that thou hast no grace to know the trueth nor the measure of mercye that I haue proferred to thee Therfore as I perceiue now by the foolish auÌ„swere thou hast no wil to leaue thine old errors But
all your vicious liuing praying to him euer deuoutly of charitable counsel and contynuance Hoping without dout that if ye coÌ„tinue thus busying you faythfully to know to kepe his biddings that he wil for he onely may forgeue you al your sinnes And this man said to me Though God forgeue men their sins yet it behoueth men to be assoyled of priests to do the penance that they enioyne them And I sayde to him Sir it is all one to assoyle men oâ— their sinnes to forgeue meÌ„ their sinnes Wherefore sined it pertayneth only to God to forgeue sinne It sufficeth in this case to counsel men women for to lâ—aue their sinne and to comfort them that busy them thus to do for to hope stedfastly in the mercy of God And agayne ward Priestes ought to tel sharply to customable sinners that if they wil not make an ende of their sinne but coÌ„tinue in diuers sinâ— while that they may sinne all such deserue payne without any en And herefore Priests should ouer busye them to liue wel and holyly and to teach the people 〈◊〉 truly the worde of God shewyng to all folke in open preaching and in priuy counseling that the lord God only forgeueth sinne And therefore those priests that take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to assoyle meÌ„ of their sinnes blaspheme God since that it perteineth onely to the Lord to assoile men of all their sinnes For no doubt a thousand yeare after yâ— Christ was man no Priest of Christ durst take vpon him to teach the people neither priuily nor apertly that they behoued nedes to come to be assayled of them as Priests now do But by authoritie of Christes word Priests bounde indurate customable synners to euerlasting paines which in no time of their lyuing would busy theÌ„ faithfully to knowe the biddinges of God nor to kepe theÌ„ And again al they that would occupy al their wits to hate to flye al occasion of sinne dreading ouer al thing to offend God and louing for to please him continually to these men women Priests shewed how the Lord assoyleth them of all their sinnes And thus Christ promised to confirme in heauen al the binding and loosing that priests by authoritie of his word binde men in sinne that are indurate therin or loose theÌ„ out of sinne here vpon earth that are verely repentaunt And this maÌ„ hearing these words said that he might well in conscience coÌ„sent to this sentence But he sayd Is it not nedefull to the lay people that can not thus do to go shrine them to priests And I said If a man feele himselfe so distroubled with any sinne yâ— he can not by his own witte auoide this synne without counsel of them that are herein wiser than he In such a case the counsell of a good Priest is full necessarye And if a good priest fayle as they do now coÌ„monly in such a case S. Augustine sayth that a man may lawfully common and take counsel of a vertuous secular maÌ„ But certain that maÌ„ or womaÌ„ is ouerladen and too beastly which cannot bring their owne sinnes into their minde busying them night and day for to hate to forsake al their sinnes doing a sigh for them after their cunning and power And sir full accordingly to this sentence vpoÌ„ MidlentoÌ„ SuÌ„day two yeare as I gesse now agone I hard a Monk of Feuersam that men called Morden preache at CauÌ„terbury at the crosse within Christ Church Abbey saying thus of coÌ„fession That as through the suggestioÌ„ of the feend without counsell of any other body of themselues many men women can imagine and find meanes ways inough to come to pride to theft to lechery and other diuers vices In contrary wise this Monke said Since the Lord God is more ready to forgiue sinne than the feend is or may be of power to moue any body to sinne than whosoeuer wil shame and sorow hartely for their sinnes knowledging them faithfully to God amending them after their power and cunning without counsell of any other body than of God and himselfe through the grace of God all such men and women may find sufficient meanes to come to Gods mercy and so to be cleane assoiled of all their sinnes This sentence I sayd sir to this man of yours and the selfe words as neere as I can gesse ¶ And the Archbishop said Holy Church approoueth not this learning ☞ And I said Sir holy Church of which Christ is head in heauen and in earth must needs approue this sentence For loe hereby all men women may if they will be sufficiently taught to know to keepe the commandements of God to hate to flie continually all occasion of sinne and to loue and to seeke vertues busily to beleue in God stably and to trust in his mercy stedfastly so to come to perfect charitie continue therin perseuerantly And more the Lord asketh not of any man here now in this life And certaine since Iesu Christ died vpon the crosse wilfully to make men free Men of the Church are to bold and to busie to make men thrall binding theÌ„ vnder the paine of endles curse as they say to do many obseruaunces and ordynaunces which neither the liuing nor teachyng of Chryst nor of his Apostles approueth And a Clerke said theÌ„ to me Thou shewest plainly here thy deceit which thou hast learned of them that trauell to sow people amoÌ„g the wheat But I couÌ„sel thee to go away cleane froÌ„ this learning submit thee lowly to my lorde and thou shall finde him yet to be gracious to ther. ¶ And as fast then an other Clerke said to me How wast thou so bold at Paules Crosse in London to stande there hard with thy upper boundeÌ„ about thine head and to reproue in his Sermon the worthy clerke Alkerton drawing away al that thou mightest yea the same day at afternoone thou meeting the worthy Doctour in Watlyng streete calledst him false flatterer and hipocrite ☞ And I said Sir I thinke certainely that there was no man nor womaÌ„ that hated verelye sinne loued vertues heauing the SermoÌ„ of the clerk at Oxford and also Alkersons Sermon but they sayd or might iustly say that Alkerton reproued that clerke vntruely and slaundered him wrongfully and vncharitably For no doubt If the liuing teaching of Christ chiefly and of his Apostles be true no body that loueth God and his law wil blame any senteÌ„ce that the clerke then preached there since by authoritie of Gods word by approued Saints Doctours by opeÌ„ reason this Clerke approued all thinges clearely that hee preached there ¶ And a Clerke of the Archbishops saide to me his Sermon was false and that he sheweth openlye since he dare not stand forth and defend his preaching that he theÌ„ preached there ☞ And I saide Sir I thinke that he purposeth to stande stedfastly thereby or els he scaundereth fouly himself
his Prologue to the sayd Martine in this wise Nec mora longa processit quin statutum publicum per omne regni concilium in publico emanauit edicto quod omnes Wicleuistae sicut dei proditores essent sic proditores regis proscriptis bonis censerentur et regni duplici poenae dandi incendio propter deum suspendio propter regem c. That is And it was not long after but a publicke law and statute came out by the common assent of the general parliameÌ„t of the whole Realme that al Wiclenistes as they were traytours to God so also should be counted traytors to the king and to the realme hauing their goods lost and confiscate vnto the king And therefore should suffer double punishment as to be burnt for God and to bee hanged for the king c. And thus haue you Maister Cope not onely my sentence but also the very wordes of my story confirmed by this author because ye shall not think me to speake so lightly or impudently without my booke And moreouer to confirme the said sentence of Tho. Walden it followeth also in an other place of the foresayde author Tomo 1. lib. 2. De doctrinali fidei Ecclesie Cathol Cap. 46. where he writeth in these wordes Et tamen iam cum regnare coepisset Illustris rex Henricus 5. qui adhuc agit in sceptris et de eoruÌ„ perfidia per catholicos bin doctos legem statui fecit vt vbique per regnum Wickliuista probatus vt reus puniretur de crimine lesae maiestatis c. That is And yet when the noble king Henry the v. who as yet doth liue and raigne began first to raigne began to set forth a law by his learned catholickes which were about him against the falsenes of these men so that whosoeuer was proued to be a Wickleuist through the whole Realme should be punished for a traytour c. What wordes can you haue M. Cope more playne then these or what authoritie can you require of more credite which liued in the same tyme and both did see and heare of the same thinges done who also writing to Pope Martine was by the sayd pope Martine allowed approued solemnly commended as appeareth by the popes Epistle to him wherin yâ— pope declareth how he caused his books Per solennes viros videri examinari That is by solemne persons to be seene and examined c. So that you must needes graunt either this to be true that Walden writeth or els that the Pope tanquam Papa in allowing his writings may erre and be deceaued Chuse ye mayster Cope of these two options whether you will take And if ye thinke this my assertion yet not sufficiently rescued with these authorities aboue sayd I will also here vnto adioyne the testimony of an other writer named Roger Walle who writing De Gestis Henric 5. and speaking of the sayd statute of this parliament some thing more plainly then the rest hath these wordes In hoc etiam Parliamento nobilitas regia hostes Christi sibi reputans proditores volens dare intelligere vniuersis quòd ipse absque cuiuscunque fluctuationis dubio quam diu auras hauriret vitales verus perfectus Christianae fidei aemulator existeret statuit decreuit vt quotquot Ipsius sectae quae dicitur Lollordorum inuenirentur aemuli fautores eo facto rei proditorij criminis in maiestatem regiam haberétur c. In English Also in this parliament the noble K. reputing Christes enemies to be traytors to himselfe to the intent that all men should know withall doubt that so loÌ„g as he liued he woulde be a true and perfect follower of Christen faith did enact decree that whosoeuer shoulde be found followers and mayntayners of this sect whiche is called the Lollards sect Ipso facto should be counted and reputed giltie of treason against the kings maistie c. By these hetherto alledged if M. Cope will not be satisfied yet let the reader indifferent iudge Vâ—rum in hac re magis nugatur Foxus an Copus calumniatur And yet moreouer to make the matter more certayne marke the clamation of the sayd Roger Walle added to the end of those words aboue recited whereby we haue to vnderstand more clearly both what were the proceedings of the king in the said Parliament also what was the blinde affection of moÌ„ks and Priestes at that time towarde their kinge and Prince which was then called princeps sacerdotum in condemning and destroying the poore Lollardes The wordes of the monke be these O verus amicus qui amico illa tam iniuriam sibi inferri coÌ„similiter arbitratur praeiudicium illi intentuÌ„ reputat esse suum ad eius onera conferenda auxiliationis humeros supponere non veretur c. That is O true frend who taketh and reckoneth that iniury no lesse done to him selfe which is done to his frend and that preiudice whiche is intended against him reputeth to bee as his owne And to beare together the burdens of his friend sticketh not to lay to his owne shoulders for the easing and helping of him c. How can it now be denied M. Cope in reading these authors and seeing theyr testimonies but that Lollardery in this Parliament was made both treason and heresie had therfore a double iudgement of punishment annexed to be hanged for for the one and to be burned for the other according as in my former Latin story I recorded and yet I trust I trifled not But you will say agayne as ye doe that there is no mention made for heresie to be made treason nor of anye double punishment to be inflicted for the same In the body of the statute I graunt there is no expresse mention in wordes of heresie to be made treason expresly signified in rigour of wordes but inclusiuely it is so inferred that it can not be denied For first where landes goodes and cattell of the sayd Lollardes were lost and forfeit to the kyng what doth this importe els but treason or felonie And where the Lorde Cobham for whose cause specially this statute seemed to be made did sustaine afterward both hanging and burning by the vigor of the same statute what is here contained but a double penalty Again wherin the beginning of the statute mention is made of rumors and congregations and after vpon the same followeth the seruices of the king whereunto the officers be first worne should first be preferred for libertie of holy Churche punishment of hereticks made before these dayes and not repealed vt supra pag. 000. what meaneth this but to make these congregations of the Lollardes to be forcible entres riotes great ridings vnlawful assembles affrayres of the people armour routes insurrections so sendeth them to the former statutes not repealed that is to the statute an 13. Henr. 4. chap. 7 Where the punishment is left to the discretion
Lord Iesus they be murtheres and theeues Then sayde the Cardinall of Cambray beholde both this and all other articles before rehearsed he hath written much more detestable thinges in his booke then is presented in hys articles Truely Iohn Hus thou hast kept no order in thy sermons and writings Had it not ben your part to haue applyed your sermons according to your audieÌ„ce For to what purpose was it or what did it profite you before the people to preach agaynst the Cardinals when as none of them were present It had bene meeter for you to haue told them theyr faults before them all then before the laity Then aunswered Iohn Hus reuerend father for so much as I did see many prieste other learned men present at my sermons for their sakes I spake those wordes Then sayd the Cardinal thou hast done very ill for by such kinde of talke thou hast disturbed and troubled the whole state of the Church The 18. Article An hereticke ought not to be committed to the secular powers to be put to death for it is sufficient onely that he abide and suffer the ecclesiasticall censure These are my wordes That they might be ashamed of their cruel sentence and iudgement specially for somuch as Iesus Christ byshop both of the old and newe Testament would not iudge such as were disobedient by ciuill iudgement neither condemne them to bodily death As touching the first poynt It may be euidently seene in the 12. Chapiter of S. Luke And for the second it appeareth also by the woman which was taken in adultery of who it is spoken in the 8. chapter of Sainct Iohn And it is sayde in the 18. Chapter of Sainct Mathew If thy brother haue offended thee c. Marke therfore what I do say That an hereticke whatsoeuer he be ought first to be instructed and taught with Christian loue and gentlenes by the holy scriptures and by the reasons draâ—ne and taken out of the same as S. Augustine and others haue done disputing agaynst the heretickes But if there were any which after al these gentle and louing admonitions and instructions woulde not cease from or leaue of their stiffnes of opinions but obstinately resist agaynst the truth suche I say ought to suffer corporall or bodily punishment As soone as Iohn Hus had spoken those thinges the iudges red in hys booke a certayne clause wherein he seeined greeuously to enuey agaynst them which deliuered an hereticke vnto the secular power not being confuted or contricted of heresie and compared theÌ„ vnto the high priestes Scribes and Phariseis which sayd vnto Pilate it is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death and deliuered Christ vnto him And yet notwithstanding according vnto Christes owne witnesse they were greater murtherers then Pilate for he said Christ which hath deliuered me vnto thee hath committed the greatest offence Then the Cardinals and Bishops made a great noyse and demaunded of I. Hus saying who are they that thou dost compare or assimule vnto the Phariseis Then he sayd all those whiche deliuered vp anye innocent vnto the ciuill sworde as the Scribes and Phariseis deliuered Iesus Christ vnto Pilate No no sayd they agayne for all that you spake here of doctors And the Cardinall of Cambray according to his accustomed maner sayd Truly they which haue made and gathered these articles haue vsed great lenitie and getlenes for his writings are much more detestable horible The 19. article The Nobles of the world ought to coÌ„strayne and compel the ministers of the Church to obserue and keepe the law of Iesus Christ. I answere that it standeth thus word for word in my booke Those which be on our part do preach and affirme that the church militant according to the partes which the Lord hath ordayned is deuided and consisteth in these partes That is to say Ministers of the Church which should keepe purely and sincely the ordinaunces and commaundementes of the sonne of God and the Nobles of the world that should compel and driue them to keepe the commaundementes of Iesus Christ and of the common people seruing to both these partes and endes according to the institution and ordinaunce of Iesus Christ. The 20. Article The ecclesiasticall obedience is a kynd of obedience which the priestes and monks haue inuented wtout any expresse authority of the holy scriptures I answer and confes that those words are thus written in my book I say that there be three kindes of obedience spirituall secular and ecclesiasticall The spirituall obedience is that which is onely due according to the lawe and ordinance of God vnder the whiche the Apostles of Iesus Christ dyd lyue and all Christians ought for to liue The secular obedience is that which is due according to the Ciuill lawes and ordinances The ecclesiastical obedience is such as the Priestes haue inuented without any expresse authoritie of Scripture The first kinde of obedience doth vtterly exclude from it all euill as well on his part which geueth the commandement as on his also which doth obey the same And of this obedience it is spoken in the 24. chap. of Deut. Thou shalt do all that which the priestes of the kindred of Leuy shall teach and instruct thee according as I haue coÌ„maunded them The 21. Article He that is excoÌ„municated by the pope if he refuse and forsake the iudgement of the Pope and the generall Councell and appealeth vnto Iesus Christ after he hath made hys appellation all the excommunications and curses of the Pope cannot annoy or hurt hym I aunswere that I do not acknowledge this proposition but in deede I did make my complaynt in my booke that they had both done me and such as fauoured me great wrong that they refuse to heare me in the popes court For alter the death of one pope I dyd appeale to hys successor and all that did profite me nothing And to appeale from the P. to the Councell it were to long that were euen as much as if a man in trouble should seeke an vncertayne remedy And therfore last of all I haue appealed to the head of the Church my Lord Iesus Christ for he is much more excellent and better then any pope to discusse and determine matters and causes for somuch as he cannot erre neyther yet deny iustice to him that doth aske or require it in a iust cause neither can he condemne the innocent Then spake the Cardinall of Cambray vnto hym and sayd wilt thou presume aboue S. Paule who appealed vnto the Emperour and not vnto Iesus Christ Iohn Hus answered for somuch then as I am the first the do it am I therfore to be reputed counted an hereticke And yet notwithstanding S. Paule did not appeale vnto the Emperoure of hys owne motion or will but by the will of Christ which spake vnto hym by reuelation and sayd be firme and constant for thou must go
not onely left such articles and opinioÌ„s wherin he was defamed but also did abstaine from all company that were suspected of such opinions so that he should neither geue ayd helpe councell nor fauor vnto them And moreouer the sayd Iohn was asked by the sayde Archbishop whether he euer had in his house since his abiuration in his keeping any bookes written in Englishe Wherunto he confessed that he would not deny but that he had in his house and in his keeping many english bookes for he was arested by the Mayor of the city of London for such bookes as he had which bookes as he thought were in the Mayors keping Upon the which the Mayor did openly confesse that he had such bookes in his keping which in his iudgement were the worst and the moste peruerse that euer he did read or see and one booke that was well bound in red leather of parâ—chment written in a good english hand and among the other bookes found with the said Iohn Claydon the Mayor gaue vp the sayd booke afore the Archbishop Whereupon the sayde Iohn Claydon being asked of the Archbishop if he knewe that booke dyd openly confesse that he knew it very well because he caused it to be written of his owne costes and charges for he speÌ„t muche money thereupon since his abiuration Then was he asked who wrote it He did aunswere one called Iohn Grime And further being required what the said Iohn Grime was he aunswered he coulde not tell Agayne being demaunded whether he did euer read the same booke he dyd confesse that he could not read but he had heard the fourth part therof red of one Iohn Fullar And being asked whether he thought the contentes of that booke to be Catholicke profitable good and true he aunswered that many thinges which he had hearde in the same booke were both profitable good and healthful to his soule and as he sayde he had great affection to the sayd book for a Sermon preached at Horsaldowne that was written in the sayd booke And being futher asked whether since the tyme of hys sayd abiuration he did commune with one Richard Baker of the City aforesayd he did answere yea for the sayde Richard Baker did come often vnto his house to haue coÌ„munication with him And being asked whether he knew the said Richard to be suspected and defamed of heresy he did aunswere agayne that he knew well that the sayd Richard was suspected defamed of many men and women in the City of LondoÌ„ as one whom they thought to be an hereticke Which confession being made did cause the sayd bookes to be deliuered to maister Robert Gilbert Doctour of diuinity to William Lindewood Doctor of both lawes and other Clerkes to be examined and in the meane time Dauid Beard Alexander Philip and Balthasar Mero were taken for witnesses agaynst him and were committed to be examined to Maister Iohn Escourt generall examiner of Canterbury This done the Archbishop continued hys Session till Monday next in the same place Which Monday being come which was the xx of the sayd moneth the sayd Maister Escourt openly and publickely exhibited the witnesses being openly read before the Archbishop and other Bishops which being read then after that were read diuers tractations founde in the house of the sayde Iohn Claydon out of the which being examined diuers points were gathered and noted for heresies and errors and specially out of the booke aforesaid which booke the said Iohn Claydon confessed by his owne costes to be written and bound which booke was intituled the Lanterne of light In the which and in the other examined were these Articles vnder written conteyned 1. First vpon the text of the Gospell how the enemy dyd sowe the tares there is sayd thus that wicked Antichrist the Pope hath sowed among the lawes of Christ his popish and corrupt decrees which are of no authoritye strength nor valure 2. That the Archbishops and Bishops speaking indifferently are the seates of the beast Antichrist when he sitteth in theÌ„ and raigneth aboue other people in the darck caues of errors and heresyes 3. That the Bishops licence for a man to preach the word of God is the true caracter of the beast i. Antichrist therfore simple and faythfull Priestes may preache when they will agaynst the prohibition of that Antichrist and without licence 4. That the court of Rome is the chiefe head of Antichrist and the Bishops be the body the new sectes that is the monks canons and friers brought in not by Christ but damnably by the pope be the venimous pestiferous tail of Antichrist 5. That no reprobate is a member of the Church but only such as be elected and predestinate to saluation seing the church is no other thing but the congregation of faythfull soules which doe and will keepe their faith constantly as well in deed as in word 6. That Chryst did neuer plante priuate religions in the church but whilest he liued in this world he did root them out By which it appeareth that priuate religioÌ„s be vnprofitable branches in the church and to be rooted out 7. That the materiall churches should not be decked with golde siluer precious stone sumptuously but the folowers of the humility of Iesus Christ ought to worship their Lord God humbly in mean simple houses not in great buildings as the churches be now a dayes 8. That there be ij chiefe causes of the persecution of the christians one is the priestes vnlawfull keeping of teÌ„poral and superfluous goods the other is the vnsatiable begging of the friers with their hye buildings 9. That almes is not geuen vertuously nor lawfully except it be geuen with these 4. conditions first vnlesse it be geuen to the honor of God 2. vnlesse it be geuen of goodes iustly gotten 3. vnlesse it be geueÌ„ to such a person as the geuer therof knoweth to be in charity And 4. vnles it be geueÌ„ to such as haue need and do not dissemble 10. That the often singing in the church is not founded in the scripture and therefore it is not lawfull for priestes to occupy theÌ„selues with singing in the Church but with the study of the law of Christ and preaching his word 11. That Iudas did receiue the body of Christ in breade his bloud in wine In the which it doth playnly appeare that after consecration of breade and wine made the same bread and wine that was before doth truely remayne on the aultar 12. That all ecclesiasticall suffrages do profit all vertuous and godly persons indifferently 13. That the Popes and the Bishops indulgences be vnprofitable neither can they profite them to whom they be geuen by any meanes 14. That the laity is not bound to obey the prelates what so euer they commauÌ„d vnles the prelats do watch to geue God a iust account of the soules of them 15. That Images are not to be
Christ the sonne of God came not to be ministred vnto but to minister to serue how then can his vicar haue any dominion or be called Lord as you Panormitane will affirme forsomuch as the disciple is not aboue his maister nor the seruaunt aboue his Lord. And the Lord himselfe saith be yee not called maisters for so much as your only maister is Christ and he which is the greatest among you shal be your seruant Panormitane being somewhat disquieted with this aunswere the councell brake vp and departed The next day there was a generall congregation and they returned all againe vnto the chapter house after dinner whereas the Archbishop of Lyons the Kings Orator being required to speake his minde after he had by diuers and sundry reasons proued Eugenius to be an hereticke he bitterly complained detesting the negligence and ignauie of those that had proferred such a man vnto the papacie and so moued all their harts which were present that they altogether with him did bewaile the calamities of the vniuersall Church Then the Byshop of Burgen the Ambassadour of Spaine diuided the conclusions into two parts some he called generall othersome personall disputing very excellently as touching the three first cōclusions affirming the he did in no point doubt of them but only that the additiō which made mention of the faith seemed to be doubtfull vnto him But vpon this point he staied much to proue that the Councell was aboue the Pope The which after he had sufficiently proued both by Gods law and mans lawe he taught it also by Phisicall reason alledging Aristotle for witnesse He said that in euery well ordered kingdome it ought specially to be desired that the whole realme should be of more authoritie then the King which if it happened contrary it were not to be called a kingdome but a tirannie so likewise doth he thinke of the Church that it ought to be of more authoritie then the Prince thereof that is to say the Pope The which his Oration he vttered so eloquently learnedly and truly that all men depended vpon him and desired rather to haue him continue his Oration then to haue an end thereof But whē as he entred into the other cōclusions he semed to haue forgottē himself to be no more the same mā that he was for neither was there the same eloquēce in his wordes neither grauitie in Oration or cherefulnes of countenance so that if he could haue sene himselfe he would peraduēture greatly haue marueiled at himselfe Euery man might wel see perceiue thē the power force of the truth which ministred copy of matter vnto him so long as hee spake in the defēce therof But whē as he begā once to speak against hir she tooke away euē his naturall eloquence frō him Notwithstanding Panormitane and the Bishop of Burgen shewed this example of modesty that albeit they would not confesse or grant the last cōclusions to be verities of faith yet they would not that any mā should folow or leane vnto their opiniō which wer but meane diuines but rather vnto the opinions of the Diuines But the king of Aragons Amner being a subtill crafty man did not directly dispute vpō the conclusions but picking out here and there certaine argumēts sought to let and hinder the Councell Against whome an Abbot of Scotland a man of an excellent wit disputed very much and Thomas de Corcellis a famous Diuine alledged much against him out of the Decrees of the sacred Councell and with a certaine modest shamefastnes alwaies beholding the ground did very largely dispute in the defence of the conclusions But now to auoide tediousnes I will only proceed to declare arguments wherby the conclusions were ratified and confirmed not minding to intreate of th v. last cōclusions which cōcerne the person of Eugenius but only vpō the three first whereunto I wil adioine certaine probable argumēts gathered out of the disputation of the fathers In the first cōclusion is the greatest force and first to be discussed touching the which two things are to be required examined The one whether the generall Councel haue authoritie ouer the Pope The other whether the Catholike faith commaundeth it to be beleued As touching that the Pope is subiect to the generall Councell it is excellently well proued by the reason before alledged by the Bishop of Burgen For the Pope is in the Church as a king in his kingdome and for a king to be of more authority then his kingdome it were too absurd Ergo neither ought the pope to be aboue the Church For like as oftentimes Kings which do wickedly gouerne the cōmon wealth exercise cruelty are depriued of their kingdome euē so it is not to be doubted but that the Bishops of Rome may be deposed by the Church that is to say by the generall Councels Neither do I heere in allow them which attribute so ample and large authoritie vnto kings that they will not haue them bound vnder any lawes For such as so do say be but flatterers which do talke otherwise thē they think For albeit that they do say that the moderation of the law is alway in the Princes power that do I thus vnderstād that when as reason shall perswade he ought to digresse from the rigour of the law for hee is called a King which careth and prouideth for the common wealth taketh pleasure in the commoditie and profite of the subiectes and in all his doings hath respect to the cōmoditie of those ouer whom he ruleth which if he do not he is not to be counted a King but a tyraunt whose propertie it is onely to seeke his owne profit for in this point a King differeth from a tyraunt that the one seeketh the commoditie and profit of those whom he ruleth and the other only his owne The which to make more manifest the cause is also to be alledged wherefore Kings were ordeined At the beginning as Cicero in his Offices sayth it is certaine that there was a certaine time when as the people liued without kings But afterward when lands and possessiōs began to be deuided according to the custome of euery natiō then were kings ordeined for no other cause but only to exercise iustice For when as at the beginning the common people were oppressed by rich mighty men they ran by and by to some good and vertuous man which should defend the poore frō iniurie ordeine lawes whereby the rich and poore might dwell together But when as yet vnder the rule of Kings the poore were oftentimes oppressed lawes were ordeined and instituted the which should iudge neither for hatred nor fauour and geue lyke eare vnto the poore as vnto the riche whereby we do vnderstand and know not only the people but also the King to be subiect to the lawes For if we do see a King to contemne and despise the lawes violently rob and
thys Epistle in diuers places of the decrerals as most true and therfore it shal be nothing from the purpose to rehearse other sayings out of the same Epistle where he sayth that he which liueth rebelliously and refuseth both to learne and to doe good is rather a member of the deuill then of Christ and doth shew himselfe rather to be an infidel then a faithful Christian. Vpō which words the glose which Panormitane calleth singular is muche allowed sayeth that if the crime or offence of the bishop of Rome be notorious wherby the Church is offended if he be incorrigible he may be accused therof If then he may be accused Ergo also he may be punished and according to the exigent of the fault deposed Otherwise he should be accused in vaine Now is there no more any place of defence left for our aduersaries but that the Pope may be deposed Notwithstanding it is not yet euident whether hee may be deposed by that councel or no which we now take in hād to discours And first of all the aduersaries will graunt thys vnto vs that the Bishop of Rome may be deposed by the Church for somuch as the Pope being the vicare of the Church no man doubteth but that a Lorde may put out his vicare at his wil pleasure neither is to be douted but that the Pope is more truly called the vicare of the church then of christ But if the church may depose the pope Ergo the coūcel also may do the same Also the glose which Panormitane in his wryting doth so greatly commend hath this sentence that the general coūcel is iudge ouer the pope in al cases Likewise the most sacred Synode of Constantinople whych is allowed of all men doth appoynt the bishops of Rome to be vnder the iudgement of the councel and the councell to iudge and determine of euery doutfull matter or question that doeth arise concerning the bishop of Rome Neither let any mā doubt hereof because this worde deposition is not mentioned for it is sayde of euery doutfull matter or question For if the Synode do iudge of euery doubt Ergo it shall also iudge whether the pope shal be deposed or no for that may also come in doute And because we will not seeke examples farre of Iohn 23. Whom all the world dyd reuerence was deposed of his Papacie by the Councell of Constance Neither yet was he cōdemned for any heresy but because he did offend the Church by his manifolde crimes the sacred Synode thought good to depose him and euer since continually the church hath proceded by like example that their opinion might cease which affirme that the Pope cannot be deposed but onely for heresy But heere is yet one thing not to be omitted that certaine men do affirme the general Councels to be of no effect except the Pope do cal and appoynt them and his authoritie remaine with them Wherupon they said that Dioscorus did rebuke Paschasius the bishop of Cicili and legate of Pope Leo because that hee did enterprise wythout the authoritie of the Apostolicke Sea to call a Councell at Ephesus They also alledge an other testimony of the Sinode of Chalcedone wheras when mention was made of the Councel of Ephesus al the Bishops cried out saying we ought not to call it a Councell because it was neyther gathered by the apostolike authority neither rightly kept By the which authorities they which say that the Councels cannot be holden without the consent of the Pope do thinke themselues marueilously armed Whose sentence opinion if it take place and preuaile as they desire it shall bring with it the great ruine and decay of the Church For what remedy shall we finde if that a wicked Pope doe disturbe the whole Church destroy soules seduce the people by his euil examples if finally he preach contrary vnto the faith and fill the people full of heresies shal we prouide no stay or stoppe for him Shall we suffer all things to runne to ruine and decay with him Who woulde thinke that the bishop of Rome would cōgregate a councell for hys owne correction or deposition for as men are prone vnto sinne so would they also sinne wythout punishment But when as I do peruse ancient hystories and the Acts of the Apostles I do not finde this order that councels should be gathered only at the will of the Pope for the first Councel of all after that Mathias was substitute in the place of Iudas was not congregate at the commandement of Peter but at the commandement of Christ who commanded the Apostles that they should not depart from Ierusalem but looke for the promise of the father The seconde Councell as touching the election of the deacons Peter alone did not congregate but the 12. Apostles for it is wrytten The 12. Apostles calling together the multitude c. The thirde Councell whych was holden as touching the taking away of circumcision other ceremonies of the lawe was gathered together by a generall inspiration for it is written The Apostles and Elders came together c. The fourth Councell whereas certaine thyngs contained in the law are permitted seemeth to be gathered by Iames so discoursing throughout all there can nothing be founde in the primatiue Church whereby it should appeare that the authority of congregating of Councels should pertaine onely vnto Bishoppes of Rome Neither alterwards in the time of Constantinus Magnus and other Emperours was the consent of the bishops of Rome greatly required to the congregating of Councels and therefore it is wrytten thus of the Synode of Chalcedon The sacred and vniuersall Synode gathered together at Chalcedone the chiefe Citie of the prouince of Berthunia according vnto the grace of God the sanctions of the most godly and Christian Emperours Valentinian and Martian doeth not make any mention of the Byshop of Rome although hys consent were there Wherfore if the pope would resist and would haue no Councell congregate yet if the greater part of the Church do iudge it necessary to haue a Councel the Councell may be congregate whether the Pope wil or no. The Councel holden at Pisa was not congregate by the authoritie and consent of any Pope when as Gregorie did condemne it and Benedict cursed it The same also may be sayde of the Coūcel of Constance whych was assembled by the authority of Pope Iohn who in respect of the Spaniardes was no true Pope And if the Councell of Pisa were no true Councell Pope Iohn was no true Pope wherupon his consent to the congregating of the Councel of Constance was of no effect Moreouer it is more then folly to affirme that when the pope hath once geuen his consent if it shuld be called backe that the Councel should then cease for then it is no more in his power to reuoke his cōsent And of necessity he must be obedient vnto the Councel wherof he
and protest before God and mā that you wil be the cause of Schisme and infinite mischieues if you doe not alter change your minde and purpose Almighty God preserue your holinesse in the prosperity of a vertuous man Vnto whose feete I do moste humbly recommend me From Basil the 5. day of Iune Thus endeth the Epistle of Cardinal Iulian wrytten vnto Pope Eugenius Wherein for so much as mention is made howe that the Bohemians had promised to sende their Ambassadours vnto the Councell and as before is partly touched in the Bohemian storie their commyng into Basill and propounding of certaine articles wherein they dissented frō the Pope we doe not thinke it any thing differing from our purpose to annexe a briefe Epitome declaring the whole circumstance of their Ambassade their articles disputations and answeres which they had at the sayd councell of Basil with their petitions and answeres vnto the same Faithfully translated out of Latin by F.W. In like maner Aeneas Syluius also with his owne hand and wryting not onely gaue testimony to the authoritie of thys councell but also bestowed his labour and trauaile in setting foorth the whole storie thereof Notwythstanding the same Syluius afterward being made Pope wyth hys new honour did alter and change his olde sentence the Epistle of which Aeneas touching the commendation of the sayde Councel because it is but short and will occupy but litle roume I thought heere vnder for the more satisfying of the readers minde to inserte An Epistle of Aeneas Syluius to the Rector of the Vniuersitie of Colen TO a Christian man whiche will be a true Christian in deede nothing ought to be more desired then that the sinceritie and purenes of faith geuen to vs of Christ by our forefathers be kept of all men immaculate and if at any time any thing be wrought or attempted against the true doctrine of the Gospell the people ought with one consent to prouide lawfull remedy euery man to bring with him some water to quench the general fire Neither must we feare how we be hated or enuied so we bring the truth Wee must resist euery mā to his face whether he be Paul or Peter if he walke not directly to the truth of the Gospell which thing I am gladde and so are we all to heare that your Vniuersitie hathe done in this Councell of Basill For a certaine treatise of yours is brought hether vnto vs wherein you reprehend the rudenesse or rather the rashnesse of such which do deny the Bishop of Rome and the Consistorie of his iudgement to be subiecte vnto the generall Councell and that the supreame tribunall seate of iudgement standeth in the Church and in no one Bishop Such men as deny this you so confound with liuely reasons and trueth of the Scriptures that neither they are able to slide away like the slippery Eeles neither to cauill or bring any obiection againste you These be the wordes of Siluius Furthermore as touching the autority and approbation of the foresayd Councel this is to be noted that during the life of Sigismund the Emperour no man resisted this Councell Also continuing the time of Charles the 7. the French king the said Councel of Basil was fully wholly receiued through all France But after the death of Sigismund when Eugenius was deposed and Felix Duke of Sauoy was elected Pope greate discordes arose and much practise was wrought But especially on Eugenius part who being nowe excommunicate by the Councell of Basill to make his part more strong made 18. new Cardinals Thē he sent his Orators vnto the Germains labouring by all perswasions to dissolue the councell of Basill the Germaines at that time were so deuided that some of them did hold with Felix and the Councell of Basil other some with Eugenius and the Councell of Ferraria and some were neuters After this the French king being dead which was Charles the 7. about the yeare of oure Lorde 1444. the Pope beginneth a newe practise after the olde guise of Rome to excite as is supposed the Dolphine of Fraunce by force of armes to dissipate that Councell collected against him Who leading an army of xb. M. men in to Alsatia did cruelty waste and spoyle the countrey after that laide siege vnto Basil to expel driue out the prelates of the Councell But the Heluetians most stoutly meeting their enemies with a small power did vanquish the Frenchmen and put them to sword and flight like as the Lacedemonians onely with C C C. did suppresse and scattered all the mighty army of Xerxes at Thermopylyae Although Basil thus by the valiantnes of the Heluetians was defended yet notwithstanding the Councell thorough these tumultes could not continue by reason of the princes Ambassadours which shronke away and woulde not tary So that at lengthe Eugenius brought to passe partly through the help of Fredericke being not yet Emperor but laboring for the Empire partly by his Orators in the number of whome was Eneas Syluius aboue mentioned amongst the Germans that they were content to geue ouer both the councel of Basil and their neutrality This Fridericke of Austrich being not yet Emperour but towards the Empire brought also to passe that Felix which was chosen of the Councell of Basill to be Pope was contented to renoūce and resigne his Papacie to Nicolaus the fift successour to Eugenius of the which Nicolaus the sayde Fredericke was confirmed at Rome to be Emperour and there crowned An. 1451. As these things were doing at Basil in the meane season pope Eugenius brought to passe in his conuocation at Florence that the Emperour and the Patriarke of Constantinople wyth the rest of the Grecians there present were perswaded to receiue the sentence of the Churche of Rome concerning the proceeding of the holy Ghost also to receiue the communion in vnleauened bread to admitte Purgatorie and to yeelde them selues to the authoritye of the Romish Bishop Whereunto notwythstanding the other Churches of Grecia would in no wise assent at theyr comming home In so much that with a publike execreation they did condemn afterward al those Legates which had consented to these Articles that none of them shoulde be buryed in Christen buriall whych was Anno. 1439. Ex◠Casp. Peucer And thus endeth the storie both of the Councel of Basil and of the councel of Florence also of the Emperor Sigismund and of the schisme betwene pope Eugenius and Pope Felix and also of the Bohemians The which Bohemians notwythstanding all these troubles and tumultes aboue said did rightwel and were strong enough against all their enemies till at length through discord partly betwene the 2. preachers of the old and newe citye of Prage partly also through y◠discord of the messengers captains taking sides one against the other they made their eunemies strong and enfebled themselues Albeit afterward in processe of time they so defended the cause of their
punishment vpon them for their bloudy cruelty But before I remoue from the sayde story of the foresayde Duke and of the proud Cardinall his enemy I will hers by the way annexe a certaine instrument by the kyng and aduise of his counsayle made agaynst the sayde Cardinall taking vpon him to enter into this realme as Legate froÌ„ the Pope contrary to the old lawes and customes of thys realme as by the wordes of the sayd instrument here in Latine may well appeare In Dei nomine Amen Per presens publicum instrumentum cunctis appareat euidenter quod an Dom. 1428. Indictione septima pontificatus Sanct. in Christo pat D. nostri D. Martini c. Ego Richardus Candray procurator nomine procuratorio Christianissimi principis Domini Henrici Dei gratia Regis Angliae Franciae Domini Hiberniae Domini mei supremi de assensu pariter aduisamento Illustris potentis Principis Humfridi Ducis Gloucestriae Comitis Penbrochiae protectoris defensoris regni Angliae Ecclesiae Anglicanae caeterorum dominorum meorum de consilio suae Regiae celsitudinis ac consiliuÌ„ eiusdem facientiuÌ„ hac vice representantiuÌ„ dico allego in his scriptis propono quod dictus Christianissimus princepsdominus meus supremus suique inclytissimi progenitores dicti regni Angliae Reges fuerunt sunt tam speciali priuilegio quam consuetudine laudabili legitimeque praescripta nec non a teÌ„pore per teÌ„pus cuius contrarij memoria hominum non existat pacifice inconcusse obseruata sufficienter dotati legitimeque muniti quod nullus Apostolicae se dis Legatus venire debeat in regnum suum Angliae aut alias suas terras dominia nisi ad Regis Angliae pro tempore existentis vocationem petitionem requisitionem inuitationem seu rogatum Fueruntque sunt dicti Christianissimus princeps dominus meus supremus ac sui inclyti progenitores huiusmodi Reges Angliae in possessione quasi iuris facti priuilegij consuetudinis praedictorum absque interruptione quacunque toto omni tempore supradicto pacificè quiete Romanis pontificibus per totum tempus supradictum praemissa omnia singula scientibus tolerantibus iisdem consentieÌ„tibus tam tacite quam expresse ac extra omnem omnimodam possessionem quasi iuris facti LegatuÌ„ huiusmodi vtpraefertur in regnum Angliae aut alias suas terras et dominia mittendi nisi ad vocationem petitionem requisitionem Rogatum Regis Angliae pro tempore existentis Et quia reuerendis in Chri. pat D. D. Henricus Dei gratia c. sancti Eusebij praesbyter Cardinalis sanctaesedis Romanae Legatum se affirmans more Legati insignijs Apostolicae dignitatis vtens absque vocatione petitione requisitine inuitatione aut rogatu Christianissimi domini nostri Regis praedicti inclytum regnum Angliae de facto est ingressus protestor igitur palam publico in his scriptis nomine vice quibus supra ac omnium ipsius domini nostri Regis subditorum quod non fuit aut est intentionis praefati Christianiss principis domimini supremi ac dictorum dominorum meorum de coÌ„silio in derogationem legum iurium consuetudinum libertatum priuilegiorum dicti D. nostri Regis ac regni ingressum huiusmodi dicti reuerendiss patris vt Legati in Angliam authoritate ratificare vel approbare seu ipsum vt Legatum sedis Apostolicae in Angliam contra leges iura consuetudines libertates priuilegia praedicta quouismodo admittere seu recognoscere aut exercitio legationis suae huiusmodi aliquibusue per ipsum vt Legatum sedis Apost actis seu agendis attentatis seu attentandis aduersus praemissa leges iura consuetudines libertates priuilegia in aliquo consentire sed dissentire sicque dissentit dictus dominâ— noster Rex atque dissentiunt dicti domini mei de consilio per presentes c The summe and effecte whereof in Englishe is this that in the yeare of our Lord. 1428. as the King with Duke Humfrey Lord protectour the rest of the counsayle were in the Dukes house in the Parish of S. Bennets by Paules warfe one Richard Candray procuratour in the kinges name and behalfe did protest and denounce by thys publicke instrument that where as the kyng and all hys progenitours kinges before him of thys realme of EnglaÌ„d haue bene heretofoâ—e possessed tyme out of mynde with speciall priuiledge and custome vsed and obserued in thys Realme from tyme to time that no Legate from the Apostolicke sea should enter into thys land or anye of the kynges dominions without the calling petition request inuitement or desire of the kyng and for so much as Henry byshop of Wint. and Cardinall of S. Eusebius hath presumed so to enter as Legat from the Pope beyng neyther called sent for required or desired by the kyng therfore the sayd Richard Candray in the kynges name doth protest by this instrument that it standeth not with the kinges minde or intent by the aduise of hys counsayle to admit approue or ratifie the coÌ„ming of the sayd Legate in anye wise in derogation of the rightes customes and lawes of this hys realme or to recognise or assent to any exercise of this hys authoritie Legantine or to anye actes attempted or hereafter by hym to be attempted in this respect coÌ„trary to the foresayd lawes rightes customes and liberties of this Realme by these presentes c. And thus much as an Apendix annexed to the story of Duke Humfrey and the Cardinal of Wint. extracte out of an olde written volume remaining in the handes of maister William Bowyer ¶ The benefite and inuention of Printing IN following the course and order of yeares we find this foresayd yeare of our Lord. 1450. to be famous and memorable for the diuine and miraculous inuention of printing Nauclerus and Wymselingus folowing him referre the inuention thereof to the yeare 1440. In paralipom Abbatis Vrsp. it is recorded this facultie to be found an 1446. Auentinus and Zieglerus do say an 1450. The first inueÌ„tour thereof as moste agree is thought to bee a Germayne dwelling first in Argentine afterward Cittizen of Mentz named Iohn Faustus a goldsmith The occasioÌ„ of this inuention first was by engrauing the letters of the Alphabet in mettal who then laying blacke incke vpon the mettall gaue the forme of letters in paper The man being industruous and actiue perceiuing that thought to proceed further and to proue whether it woulde frame as well in words and in whole sentences as it did in letters Which when he perceaued to come well to passe he made certayne other of his counsaile one Iohn Guttemberge Peter Schafferd binding them by their othe to keepe silence for a season After x. yeares Iohn Guttemberge compartner with Faustus began then first to broch the matter at Strausbrough The Arte beyng yet
written in his boke intituled Rapularium where as hee wryteth that in the Councell of Basill An. 1536. the Archbyshop of Lions did declare that in the time of Pope Martine there came out of France to the court of Rome 9. millions of golde which was gathered of the Byshops and Prelates besides those whych could not be counted of the poore clergy which daily without number runne vnto the court of Rome carying with them all their whole substance The archbishop of Turonne sayde also at Basil in the yeare of our Lord 1439. that three millions of gold came vnto Rome in his time within the space of 14. yeres from the prelates prelacies wherof no accompt could be made beside the poore cleargy which daily run to that court Let the man which feareth God iudge what a deuouring gulf this is A million containeth x. C.M. And what made Pope Pius the 2. to labor so earnestly to Lewes the 11. the French Kinge who as is aforesayde was a great enemy to the house of Burgoin that he wold according to his former promise abolishe vtterly extinct the constitution established before at the Counsell of Bitures by king Charles the 7. his predecessour called Pragmatica Sanctio but onely the ambition of that sea which had no measure and their auarice which had no ende the storie is this King Charles 7. the French king willing to obey and folow the councel of Basil did sommon a Parliament at Bitures Where by the full consent of all the states in Fraunce both spiritual and temporal a certain constitution was decreed and published called Pragmatica Sanctio wherein was comprehended briefly the pith and effect of all the Canons and decrees cōcluded in the councel of Basil The which constitution the saide king Charles willed and commaunded through all his realme inuiolably to be obserued and ratified for the honor and increase of Christian religion for euer This was An. 1438. It followed that after the decease of thys foresayde Charles the 7. succeded king Lewys 11. who had promised before being Dolphine to Pope Pius that if he euer came to the crowne the foresayd Sanctio Pragmatica should be abolished Wherupon Pope Pius hearing him to be crowned did send vnto him Iohn Balueus a Cardinall wyth hys great letterg patent willing him to be mindful of hys promise made The king eyther willing or els pretending a will to performe and accomplish what he had promised directed the Popes letters patēt wyth the sayd Cardinal to the counsaile of Paris requiring them to consult vpon the cause Thus the matter beyng brought and proposed in the Parliament house the kings Atturney named Ioannes Romanus a man wel spoken singularly witted and wel reasoned stepping foorth with great eloquence and no les boldnes prooued the sayd Sanction to be profitable holy and necessary for the wealth of the realme and in no case to be abolished Unto whose sentence the Uniuersity of Paris adioyning their consent did appeal from the attempts of the Pope to the next generall Councell The Cardinall vnderstanding this toke no litle indignation thereat fretting and fuming and threatning many terrible things against them but al his minatory words notwithstanding he returned againe to the king hys purpose not obtained An. 1438. Ex Ioan. Mario Thus the Popes purpose in France was disappoynted which also in Germanie had come to the like effect if Fredericke the Emperor had there done his part lykewise toward the Germaines Who at the same time bewailing their miserable estate wēt about wyth humble sute to perswade the Emperor that he should no longer be vnder the subiection of the Popes of Rome except they had first obtained certaine things of them as touching the Charter of Appeales declaring their estate to be far worse although vndeserued then the Frenchmen or Italians whose seruants and especially of the Italians they are worthely to be called except that their estate were altered The nobles comminalty of Germanie did instantly intreate with most waighty reasons examples both for the vtilitie and profite of the Empire to haue the Emperours aide and helpe therin for that which he was bound vnto them by an oth alledging also the great dishonor ignominie in that they alone had not the vse of their owne lawes declaring how the French natiō had not made their sute vnto their king in vaine against the exactions of Popes by whom they were defended whych also prouided decrees and ordinances for the liberty of his people caused the same to be obserued the which thing the Emperor ought to foresee within hys Empire to prouide for hys people and states of his empire as well as other Kings doe For what shall come to passe therby if that forreine nations hauing recourse vnto their kings being relieued and defended by them from the said exactions and the Germains states of the Empyre flying vnto theyr Emperour be by him forsaken or rather betraied depriued of their owne lawes and decrees The Emperor being mooued partly ouercome by theyr perswasions promised that he wold prouide no lesse for them then the king of Fraunce had done for the Frenchmen and to make decrees in that behalfe but the graue authoritie of Aeneas Syluius as Platina wryteth in the history of Pius the second brake of the matter who by his subtile and pestiserous perswasions did so bewitche the Emperour that hee contemning the equall iust and necessary requestes of hys subiects chose the sayd Aeneas to be hys Ambassadour vnto Calixtus then newly chosen Pope to sweare vnto hym in his name to promise the absolute obedience of al Germany as the only coūtry as they call it of obedience neglecting the ordinances decrees of their country as before he had done vnto Eugenius the 4. being Ambassadour for the sayd Fredcrike promising that he all the Germaines would be obedient vnto him from hēceforth in al matters as well spirituall as temporall Thus twise Friderike of Austrich contemned and derided the Germaines frustrating them of their natiue decrees and ordinances brought them vnder subiection and bondage of the Pope whych partly was the cause that 7. yeres before his death he caused his sonne Maximiliā not only to be chosen but also crowned king of Romains and did associate hym to the ministration of the Empire least after hys death as it came to passe the Empire shoulde bee transported into an other family suspecting the Germains whom he had twise cōtrary to his lawes made subiect and in bondage vnto the Popes exactions first be fore he was crowned in the time of Eugenius the 4. and again the second time after hys coronation and death of Pope Nicholas the 5. denying their requests Wherupon Germany being in this miserable pouerty and greuous subiection vnder the Popes tiranny and polling with teares and sighs lamenting their estate continued so almost vnto Luthers time as the hystories
with the Sherifte and that the one shall teach them Gods law and the other mans law as ye heard in King Edgars lawes before Many other lawes both Ecclesiasticall and temporall besides these were enacted by these and other Kings heere in England before the Conquest but these be sufficient to geue the vnderstanding Reader to consider how the authority of the Bishops of Rome all this while extended not so farre to prescribe lawes for gouernement of the Church but that Kings and Princes of the Realme as they be now so were then full gouernours heere vnder Christ as well in causes Ecclesiasticall as temporall both in directing orders instituting lawes in calling of Synodes and also in conferring Byshoprickes and benefices without any leaue of the Romish Bishops Thus Odo Dunstane Oswold Ethelwold Aldelinus and Lancfrancus although they fet their palles afterwarde from Rome yet were they made Bishops and Archbishops by Kings only not by Popes And thus stoode the gouernement of this Realme of England all the time before the Conquest till Pope Hildebrand through the setting on of the Saxons began first to bring the Emperour which was Henry 4. vnder foote Then followed the subduing of other Emperours Kings and subiects after that as namely heere in England when Lancfrancus Anselmus and Becket went to complayne of their Kings and gouernours then brought they the Popes iudiciall authority first from Rome ouer this land both ouer Kings and subiects which euer since hath continued till these latter yeares Albeit the sayd Kings of this Realme of England being prudent Princes and seeing right well the ambitious presumption of those Romish Byshops did what they could to shake off the yoke of their supremacie as appeareth by the lawes and Actes of their Parliaments both in king Edward the thirds time King Richard the 2. and King Henry the 4. aboue in their Parliament notes specified yet for feare of other foreine Princes and the blind opinion of their subiectes such was then the calamitie of that time that neither they could nor durst compasse that which faine they would till at last the time of their iniquitie being complete through the Lords wonderfull working theyr pride had a fall as in the next Volume ensuing the Lord so graunting shall by proces of hystorie be declared The Image of the true Catholicke Church of Christ. ¶ The proude primacie of Popes paynted out in Tables in order of their rising vp by little and little from faythfull Byshops and Martyrs to become Lords and gouernours ouer King and kingdomes exalting themselues in the Temple of God aboue all that is called God c. 2. Thessalonians 2. IN the Table of the primitiue Churche aboue described hath bene gentle Reader set forth and exhibited before thine eies the greeuous afflictions and sorowfull tormentes which thorough Gods secret sufferance fell vpon the true Saints and members of Christes Church in that time especially vpon the good Bishops Ministers and teachers of the flocke of whome some were scourged some beheaded some crucified some burned some had their eies put out some one way some another miserably consumed which daies of wofull calamitie cōtinued as is foreshewed neare the space of CCC yeares During which time the deare spouse and elect Church of God being sharply assaulted on euery side had small rest no ioy nor outward safetie in this present world but in much bitternes of hart in continuall teares and mourning vnder the crosse passed ouer their daies being spoiled imprisoned contemned reuiled famished tormented and martired euerywhere who neither durst well tarie at home for feare and dread and much lesse durst come abroade for the enemies but onely by night when they assembled as they might sometimes to sing Psalmes and Hymnes together In all which their dreadfull dangers and sorrowfull afflictions notwithstanding the goodnes of the Lord left them not desolate but the more their outward tribulations did increase the more their inward consolations did abound and the farther off they seemed from the ioyes of this lyfe the more present was the Lorde wyth them wyth grace and fortitude to confirme and reioyce theyr soules And though theyr possessions and riches in this world were lost and spoyled yet were they enriched wyth heauenly giftes and treasures from aboue an hundreth fold Then was true Religion truely felt in hart Then was Christianitie not in outwarde appearance shewed but in inward affection receaued and the true image of the Churche not in outwarde shew pretensed but in her perfect state effectuall Then was the name and feare of God true in hart not in lippes alone dwellyng Fayth then was feruent zeale ardent prayer not swimming in the lippes but groned out to God from the bottome of the spirite Then was no pride in the Church nor laysure to seeke riches nor tyme to keepe them Contention for trifles was then so far from Christians that well were they when they could meete to pray together agaynst the Deuill authour of all dissention Briefly the whole Churche of Christ Iesus wyth all the members thereof the farther it was from the type and shape of this worlde the nearer it was to the blessed respect of Gods fauour and supportation ¶ The first rising of the Byshops of Rome AFter this long tyme of trouble it pleased the Lord at length mercifully to looke vpon the Saints and seruauntes of his sonne to release their captiuitie to release their miserie and to binde vp the old Dragon the Deuill which so long vexed them whereby the Church began to aspire to some more libertie and the Bishops which before were as abiects vtterly contemned of Emperours through the prouidence of God which disposeth all things in his time after his owne willy began now of Emperours to be esteemed and had in price Furthermore as Emperours grew more in deuotion so the Bishops more and more were exalted not only in fauour but also preferred vnto honour in so much that in short space they became not quarter maisters but rather halfe Emperours with Emperours Constantinus the Emperour embrasing Christen Byshops By which words of S. Paul we haue diuers things to vnderstand First that the day of the Lordes cōming was not thē nere at hand Secōdly the Apostle geuing vs a tokē before to know whē that day shall approch biddeth vs looke for an aduersary first to be reuealed Thirdly to shew what aduersary this shal be he expresseth him not to be as a common aduersary suche as were then in his time For although Herode Annas and Cayphas the high Priestes and Pharasyes Tertullus Alexander the Coppersmith Elymas Symō Magus Nero the Emperor in Paules time were great aduersaryes yet here he meaneth another besides these greater thē all the rest not such a one as should be like to Priest King or Emperor but such as farre exceding the estate of all kinges priests and Emperors should be the prince of priests should make kings to
Decretal De transl Epis◠cap. Quanto Do you not see there manifestly expressed how not man but God alone seperateth that which the bishop of Rome doth dissolue and seperate Wherfore if those thinges that I do be sayd to be done not of man but of God What can you make me but God Agayne if Prelates of that churche be called and counted of Constantinus for Gods I then being aboue all prelates seeme by this reason to be aboue all Gods Wherefore no maruell if it bee in my power to chaunge time and times to alter abrogate lawes to dispense with all thinges yea with y◠preceptes of Christ For where Christ biddeth Peter put vp hys sword monished his Disciples not to vse any outward force in reuenging themselues Do not I Pope Nicholaus writing to the byshops of Fraunce exhort them to drawe out theyr materiall swordes in pursuing theyr enemies and recouering their possessions setting against the precepte of Christ the Prophet saying Dissolue colligationes impietatis c Item where Christ was present himselfe at the maryage in Cana Galilea do not I pope Martinus in my distinction inhibite the spiritual clergy to be present at mariage feastes and also to mary themselues Item where matrimony by Christ cannot be losed but onely for whore dome do not I pope Gregorius Iunior writing ad Bonifacium permitte the same to be broken for impotencie or infirmitie of body Item agaynst the expresse caution of the Gospell doth not Innocentius the 4. permitte vim vi repellere Likewise against the old testament I do dispēce in not geuing tythes Itē against that new testament in swearing and that in these 6. causes Pax fama fides reuerentia cautio damni Defectus veri poscunt sibi magna caueri Wherein two kindes of othes are to be noted Whereof some be promissoria some be assertoria c. Item in vowes and that ex toto voto where as other Prelates cannot dispense ex toto a voto I can deliuer ex toto a voto lyke God himself Itē in periury if I absolue my absolutiō standeth Where also note that in al swearing alwaies the authority of the superiour is excepted Moreouer where Christ biddeth to lend without hope of gain vp not I Pope Martinus geue dipensation for the same notwithstanding the Councell of Thuron enacted the contrary yet with two Bustes I disanulled that decrement What should I speake of murder making it no murder nor homicide to slay them that be excommunicate Likewise agaynst the law of nature Item against the Apostle Also agaynst the Canons of the Apostles I can and do despense For where they in theyr Canon commaund a Priest for fornication to be deposed I thorough the authoritie of Siluester do alter the rigour of that constitution considering the mindes and bodyes also of men now to be weaker then they were then Briefly agaynst the vniuersal state of that Church I haue dispensation scilicet quando status ecclesiae non decoloratur And for mariage in the second degree of consanguinitie and affinitie In collateralibus aequali linea that is betweene the brethrens children although not in aequali linea so that the vncle may not mary hys nice vnles for an vrgent and weighty cause As for all such contractes betwixt party and party where that matrimonie is not yet consummate by carnall copulation it is but a small matter for me to dispense withall In summa if ye lyst briefly to heare the whole number of all such cases as properly do apertayne to my Papall dispensation which come to the number of one and fifty poyntes that no man may meddle with all but onely I my selfe alone I will recite them first in Latin then in Englishe as they be set forth in my Canonicall Doctours Casus Papales 51. apud Fratrem Aste sanum siue de Ast. Doctorem solemnem in summa confessionis Item apud Hostiensem De offic legat reperti his versibus comprehensi SI sit Catholicus Papam non iudicat vllus Erigit subdit Cathedras Diuidit vnit Mutat vota crucis i. votam terrae sanctae Restituit i. degradatos Eximit i. episcopos alios Ad se Maiores causae referuntur Legitimatque Promouet i. insufficientes Appellare vetat i. intrantes religionem Prohibet profiteri Deponit transsert suppletque i. defectum regi vacante regno Renunciat illi Praeful Symonia Iuramentum Excommunicatio á Papa facta exemptus Simon Iurans Anathema Vel proprium vel legati vel lex vtriusque tam Papa quam legati Tum neque participans i. soluitur papa Etsi quam sponte salutat Quem Canon damnat sibi soli quando reseruat Soluitur a Papa nec non quem regula damnat qui irrelugaritatem incurrit Addas suspensum Causam scilicet addas cum fertur ad ipsum Rescriptum i. addas fidei dubium i. pluralitatem beneficiorum Confert bona plura Irritat infectum Legem condit generalem Approbat imperium i. imperatorem firmat deponit vngit Consilium generale facit Sacrat quoque canonizat Sanctos Ens non esse facit de aliquo facit nihil non ens fore de nihilo aliquid Pallia semper Portat Concedit Legi non subiacet vlli Appellatur ad hunc medio sine i. immediate Iudiciumque Est pro lege suum de monacho non monachum facit Monachum reuocat renuentem Maius adulterio soluit generaliter i. incestum c. Arctat Et laxat quicquid sponsis nocet i. impedimentum matrimoniale Ordinat extra Tempora dando sacrum i. extra 4. tempora Promotum promouet idem Ordinat atque die qua consecratur ipse Viuentisque i. sacerdotium confert nondum vacans locum concedit Iureque priuat In signit in signia Episcopalia concedit Laico sacro donat i. decimis eximit Chrisma ministro i. praesbytero concedit infantes vngere Summa sede sedet plenusque vicarius extat Si sit Catholicus Papam non iudicat vllus Cases Papale to the number of one and fiftie wherin the Pope hath power onely to dispense and none els besides except by speciall licence from hym FIrst the determination of doubts and questions belōging to faith Translation of a bishop electe or confirmed Likewise of Abbots exempted Deposition of Bishops The taking of resignation of Bishops Exemptions of Bishops not to be vnder Archbyshops Restitution of such as be deposed from theyr order The iudiciall definition or interpretation of his owne priueledges Chaunging of Byshoprickes or dimission of Couentes c. New correction of Bishops seates or institutiō of new Religions Subiection or diuision of one Byshopricke vnder an other Dispensation for vowing to go to the holy land Dispensation for the vow of chastitie or of Religion or of holy
England one for Greeke the other for latine Ex historia Guliel de Regibus Ang. Pleimondus teacher to king Alfred and after Bishop of Canterbury Bookes translated out of latine by K. Alfrede None permitted to haue any dignitie in the court except he were learned Polycron lib. 6. cap. 1. The Psalter translated into English by king Alfrede The cause why the king turned latine bookes into English Learned men sent for and placed about the king The dialoges of Gregory translated Neotus â— Abbot The schole and vniuersitie of Oxford first begonneâ— King Alfrede The newâ— Colledge in Oxford Ioan. â—â—â—tus The aunswere of Ioannes Scotus to the French king Ioan Scotus translated Hierarchiam Dionâ—tij from Greek to Latine The booke of Ioannes Scotus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioannes Scotus adicted more to the Greeke Churche then the Latine Ioan Scotus accused of the pope for an heretike Ioannes Scotus slayne by hys owne scollers Ioan Scotus a Martyr This Ethelwitha builded first the house of Nunnes at Winchester The children of K. Alfrede All hys daughters learned The decease of King Alfred An. 901. Etheredus Plâ—imundus Athelmus Vlâ—elmus Odo Archb. of Canterbury 9. Popes in ix yeares at Rome Fermosus first Pope Ex Chroniâ—oâ— Sigeberti Schismes among the Popes Character indâ—lebilis Whether the pope with hys Cardinals may erre Bonifacius 6. Pope Stephen 6. Pope Ex Chroni Martini panitentiarij Sigebert Ex Polych alijs Pope Theodorus 2. Pope Iohn 10. One councell burneth an others decrees Pope Benedictus 4. Pope Leo. 5. imprisoned and vnpoped by hys own chaplayne Pope Christoferus 1. Pope Sergius Pope Formosus after hys death be headed of Pope Sergius A false fayned myracle vpon the body of Formosus Popish miracles not to be credited Bearing of candels on Candlemas day how it came vp Pope 〈◊〉 Pope Lâ—â—â—do 1. Pope 〈◊〉 11. Harloâ—â— this time ruled 〈◊〉 Rome P. Iohn 1. P. Leo. 6. P. Stâ—â— â— restored Liuthpranâ—dus 〈◊〉 sis lib. 3. P. Steph. â— P. Leo. â— P. Marâ— â— P. Agapetus 2. Ordo Clâ—niacensis beginnâ—â— King Edward the elder The Edwardes before the â—â—quest A comparison betweene Alfrede and hys sonne Edward Vse and long exercise of things maketh perfectnes Clyto Ethelwold rebelleth agaynst K. Edward An. 904. An. 913. Chesâ—er repayred and enlarged The Castle of Herford builded Castles builded vpon the riuer of Auene and Ouse The townes of Towcetour and wigmore builded The newe towne of Nottingham builded Thilwall Manchester repayred Elfleda Cittyes Townes and Castles builded by Elfleda The lawes of king Alfred and K. Edward Note howe kinges of England in tymes past had authoritie in spirituall causes Anno. 925. The Children of K Edward the elder Prince Ethelwald excellâ—nt in learning Galiel de Regib The bringing vp of K. Edwardes Children King Ethelstine or Adelstane Duke Elfrede sodenly stroken by the hand of God for periury Guliel lib. de Regib in vita Ethelstani The copie of an old Cart of K. Ethelstane Anno. 927. Northumberland subdued to king Ethelstane The Scots subdued to the king of England It is more honour to make a king then to be a king A fabulous miracle falsely reported of king Athelstane Bristanus Byshop Anno. 933. A ridiculous miracle forged vpon Bristanus Byshop of Winchester A miracle of soules aunswering Amen A sore battaile sought at Brimford An other vnlike myracle of K. Athelstanâ— sword Odo Archbishop of Cant. Analanus The North Brittaynes brought to tribute The South Brittaynes subdued K. Ethelstane seeketh the death of his owne brother A note to learne not to sowe discorde betwixt brother and brother The cause of building Abbeyes examined Otho first Emperour of the Germaine Precious iewels sent to king Ethelstane from the French K. Concerning one of the nayles wherewith our Sauiour Christ was crucified Kinges of England gouernors as well in 〈◊〉 ecclesiastical aâ—â—â—mporall Extractum on legib 〈◊〉 Athelstane * alias 〈◊〉 * alias minoribus * alias scristes dictionum * alias seruitistimentalas * 〈◊〉 sunt * alias seristes mensia 〈◊〉 * in sua scrysiseyra A lawe how that maisters ought to condiscend and beare sometime with their seruauntes The law of king Ethelstane concerning tythes Tythes The K. woulde vsurpe no mans goodes wrongfully The law of K. Ethelstane concerning fealous stealing aboue xii d. Epitap in Ethelst Sol illustrauit bisseno scorpion ortu Cum regeÌ„ cauda percuâ—â—t ille sua Anno. 940. Edmundus kyng of England Ex historia Cariona Monkes put out of Eusham the yeare of our Lord. 941. The difference betweene Monkes and priestes Chastitie wroÌ„gly defined Holy mariage by the definition of Paphnutius is chastitie Monkes how they differed from Priestes and how they first began in England Guliel de pontiâ—â—â—â— The monâ—stery of Fâ—â—riake Oswaldes Byshop of Yorke a great paâ—â—â—â— of Monkery Guliel lin 3. de pontif The origâ—â— of monkery how it first began in England Dunstane Abbot of Glastonbury The sonnes of King Edmund The impâ—dent vanitie of the Popes Churche in forgyng false myracles Guliel lib. 1. de pont The monastery of Glastonbury Dunstane Abbot of Glostanbury The Abbey of Glostenbury was first builded by K. Iue by the couÌ„sell of Adelmus after beyng destroyed by the Danes Guliel lib. 2. de Regib The lawes of king Edmunde touching as well the state spirituall as temporall Vlstanus Archbishop of Yorke Odo Arch. of Canterbury Guliel de pont lib. 1. Polycron lib. 6. ca. 6. Odo made monke at Floriake after he was Archb. of CaÌ„terbury Guliel de pont lib. 1. Guliel lib. 3. de pont Ebor. The difference of habite and garmentes among men of the Church False and lying myracles noted vpon Odo A note to the reader Transubstantiation not yet receaued The letter of Odo Archb. to the prelates Elsinus Archb. of Caunt elect S. Edmundesbury The children of King Edmund Anno. 946. Edrede gouernour of the Realme Dunstane made byshop of Wirceter and after of London With lye and all K. Edwyne Anno. 955. The king suspensed by the Archbishop K. Edwyne an enemye to Monkes Monkes put out and seculâ—r priestes placed in their roomes The death of K. Edwyne Anno. 959. K. Edgar called Pacificus Dunstane made Bysh. of Worceter and of London Ex hist. Rog. Houenden Spirituall liuinges geuen by the king and not by the Pope Oswaldâ—â— byshop of Worceter and after â— Yorke Ethelwâ—â—â— byshop of Wint. a great â—â—â—tayner of Monkery An. 96â— Ex Guliel Malmâ—sâ—â—rieâ—â— de gostis ponâ—â—â— Aâ—g Monkishe dreames Dreames not necessary to be regarded Difference of dreames How and wheÌ„ monks first began to swarme in England Dunstane Ethelwold Oswald three setters vp of Monkishe religion 40. Monasteries builded and repayred by K. Edgar Priestes thrust out of Cathedrall houses and monkes set in Roger Houeden lib. Continuationum post BedaÌ„ Chronicon Iornalense Guliel de gestis pontifi lib. 1. Oswald Byshop of Wytceter and Archb. of Yorke The pollicy of Oswald in driuing out priestes to place
Henr. Coldyron answereth to the 3. article Iohn Pollomarius answereth to the 4. article Certayne chosen on both sides to determine the matter The oration of Cardinal 〈◊〉 Nicolas the 2. propounder charged by the Cardinall for the commeÌ„cing of Ioh. Wickliffe A prudent answere of the Bohemians to the Cardinall Iulian. The Ambassadours of the Bohemians return without agreement The coÌ„ming of the Legates to Prage Ioh. Rochezanus speaketh Ex Cochleo hist. lib. 7. Polomas answereth to the Bohemians The Bohemians reply againe to Polomar Polomar extolleth the Councelles Generall councelles may erre and haue erred Ex Cochleo hist. lib. 7. The Ambassadours of the councel and the Bohemians could not agree A declaration of 3. articles promised to the Bohemians by the Councell A declaration of the Councell to the Bohemians concernyng the first 3. articles The 2. proposition propounded by the Bohemians with the declaration from the Councell Punishing of publicke offences how and by whom Note here the popes addition The 3. article of the Bohemians with the declaration from the councell Liberty of preaching how farre and to whom at extendeth The 4. article of the Bohemians with the declaration from the Councell Temporal possessions in the clergie mens handes The papists staÌ„d hard for their temporal Lordships The Bohemians take a deliberatioÌ„ of the fourth article A declaration of the councel touching the fourth article of the communion Consecrat dist 2 quia pissus This is to set vp the church aboue the scripture The holie communion requireth amendment of lyfe Holy things nothing profit the wicked The reuereÌ„t receiuing of the sacraments Receiuing vnder one kinde for auoiding two perils Error grounded vpon errour Causes why to minister vnder one kinde Receiuing in both kindes permitted to the Bohemians The condition annexed Doubtes or questions of the Bohemians Aunswere Permission of both kindes granted to the Bohemians not of sufferance but by full authoritie Punishing of offences considered How and by whom offeÌ„ders ought to be punished To doe that God commaundeth is obedience and no sin though it be extraordinary The Israelites dyd steale from the Egyptians without sinne Sampson killed himselfe without sinne Of extraordinary commaundementes no generall lawes to be made Obiection Aunswere How the laitie hath power ouer the clergie and wherin The Pope wil be iudged by his own law Obiection Aunswere Obiection Aunswere Abuse of prelates in inhibiting true preachers Remedie of appeale Obiection Aunswere Actes of secular dominion to be exercised of the clergie after a double respecte â—el per se â—el per alium Obiection Aunswere Coactiue power whether in belongeth to the clergie and how The goods of the church in whose possession they be properly 12. q. 1 cap. expedit The clergie be administratours not Lordes of the temporalties of the Church The agreement betweene the Bohemians and the Councell Anno. 1438. Certaine petitions of the Bohemians put vp to the CouÌ„cell Anno. 1438. The communioÌ„ in both kindes to be generally graunted To haue a good and lawfull pastor and Bishop Free communioÌ„ vnder both kindes to be permitted to all princes The Gospells Epistles to be read in the vulgare tongue The scriptures read in the Slauons tongue of olde time Incorporations to be graunted to vniuersities an vnlawfull request A request for necessary reformation discipline The coÌ„ception of our Lady brought into the Church The visitation of our Lady brought in Vowsons giftes of benefices before they were voide debarred by the couÌ„cell which vowsons here ar called expectatiue graces IncoÌ„uenieÌ„ces that rise by vowsons of benefices No controuersies to be brought to Rome beyond 4. daies iourney from thence No fâ—â—uolous appeales to be made to the Pope Against the superfluous number of errours Against the popes first fruites Pragmatica Sanctiâ— per Carolum 7. An Acte made for the conuersion of the Iewes An Acte for studying the Hebrue Latine and Chaldey Against priestes that kept Concubines An Epistle of Martin Meyr to Aeneas Siluius translated into Englishe the â—atine wher of inextant in the former edition of this booke Ex Orth. Grat. The corruption of the Church of Rome detected The authoritie of the councell of Basill expended The epistle of the Cardinall Iulian to the Pope in the commendation of the councell of Basill Thambassadors of the Councell are returned from Egra What the church is Eugenius prouoketh the Church A strong argument against Eugenius The cause of the long delay of the Prelates The councel of Sene. An epistle of Eneas Siluius in defence of the councell of Basill The tâ—â—â—nal seate standeth not in one Bishop The authoritie of the Councell of Basill maintained by the Emperour and the French king so long as they liued The practise of Pope Eugenius to vndoe the Councell of Basill The Pope stirreth vp warre The Dolphin driueâ— away by a few Germaines The dissolution of tho Councell of Basill Fredericke of Austrich crowned Emperour great grand father to this Ferdinando The Legaâ— of the Greekes coÌ„descend first to the popes law The Greeke Churches refuse the Popes doctrine The inconuenience of discorde Ex Cochleo lib. 8. hist. Hussit Ex Antonin 3. part tit Ex hist. Cas pari Peucer lib. 5. Maruelous feare fallen vpon the popes army Gods holy angels pitch their tentes about them which feare him Psal. The cruell deceite and wicked facte of Mainardus against the souldiours of Boheme Certaine thousandes of the BohemiaÌ„ souldiors brent Ex Aenea Silu. lib. de hist. Boem cap. 51. England noÌ„ted of crueltie Burning slaying in England Anno 1439. R. Wiche Priest Martir Ex Fabian part 7. Ex antiquo alio Chronico Ex Regist. Hen. Chicheslei The bishops coÌ„sult to abolish the lawe of Premuniri facias The king aunswere to the bill of the Clergy touching the law of Premuniri A briefe aunswere to Cope concerning Lady Eleanor Cobham To the third obiection Vid. Centu. 8. Ral. ca. 4. To the 4. obiection M. Coperay leth without a cause See the former edition pag. 371. The 5. obiection The story of the Ladie Eleanor and Rog. Onley here pretermitted A question whether Eleanor the Duches was culpable in treason agaynst the king Certaine coniectures of the crime not to bee true 1. Coniecture 2 Coniecture 3 Coniecture 4 Coniecture 5. Coniecture 6. Coniecture 7 Coniecture 8. Coniecture 9. Coniecture 10. Coniecture A briefe aunswer to Maister Copes cauillations concerning Duke Humfreyes wyfe The contention betwene the Cardinall of Wint. Duke Humfrey Lorde protectour Anno. 1440. Eâ— Polycâ—ra Wint. presumeth to be Cardinall against the minde of his king Wint. incurreth the law of premuniâ—i Wint. intrudeth himselfe to be the kings gouernour The Cardinall defraudeth the king of his iewels The Cardinall deliuereth the K. of Scottes vpon his owne authoritie The Cardinall playeth the marchant The Cardinall a defrauder of the king The Cardinall taketh vpon him like a king The Cardinall traytour to the crowne The Card. a purchaser of of the kingâ— landes Peruerse counsaâ—le of
tripled besides Annates and Palles whiche all together are thought to make the totall summe yearely goyng out of Fraunce to the Popes coffers â—f late yeares x. Myriades or MillioÌ„s euery Myriade mountyng to x. thousand crownes Now what hath risen besides in other Realmes and NatioÌ„s let other men coniecture Wherfore if the Gospell send vs to the fruites to know the tree I pray you what is to be thought of the Churche of Rome with these fruites of lyfe Or if we will seeke the Church in length and number of yeares where was this Church of Rome with these qualities then at what tyme the Church of Rome was a persecuted Church not a persecutyng Church And when the Byshops therof did not make Martyrs as these do now but were made Martyrs them selues to the number of xxv in order one after an other Or when the Byshops therof were elected exalted not by factioÌ„s conspiring not by power or partes taking not by money or frendes makyng as they be now but by the free voyces of the people of the Clergy with the consent of the Emperour ioyned with all and not by a few coÌ„spired Cardinals closed vp in a corner as they be now c. ANd yet if there were no other difference in the matter but onely corruptioÌ„ of life all that we would tollerate or els impute to the common fragilitie of man and charge them no further therein then we might charge our selues Now ouer and beside this deformitie of life wherein they are cleane gone froÌ„ the former steppes of the true Church of Rome we haue moreouer to charge them in greater pointes more nearely touchyng the substauntiall ground of the Church as in their iurisdiction presumptuously vsurped in their title falsely grounded and in their doctrine heretically corrupted In all which three pointes this latter pretenced Churche of Rome hath vtter sequestred it selfe from the Image and nature of the auncient and true Church of Rome and haue erected to them selues a new Church of their owne makyng as first vsurping a iurisdiction neuer knowen before to their auncient predecessors For although the Churche of Rome in the old primitiue tyme had his due authoritie and place due vnto that sea among other Patriarchall Churches ouer and vpon such Churches as were within his precinct bordering neare vnto it as appeareth by the Actes of Nicene CouÌ„cell yet the vniuersall fulnesse and plenitude of power in both the regimentes spirituall temporall in deposing dispensing matters of the Church not to him beloÌ„ging in taking Appeales in geuyng elections inuestyng in benefices in exeÌ„pting him selfe from obedience subiection of his ordinary power Magistrate with his coactiue power newly erected in the church of Rome was neuer receaued nor vsed in the old Romane church froÌ„ which they disagree in all their doings For although Victor theÌ„ bishop of Rome an 200. went about to excoÌ„municate the East Churches for the obseruation of Easter day yet neither did he proceede therein neither was permitted by Irenaeus so to doe And although Boniface the first likewise writyng to the Byshops of Carthage required of theÌ„ to send vp their appellatioÌ„s vnto the Church of Rome alledgyng moreouer the decree of Nicene CouÌ„cell for his authoritie The Byshops Clergy of Carthage assemblyng together in a generall CouÌ„cell called the vj. Councell of Carthage to the nuÌ„ber of .217 Byshops after they had perused the decrees in the autentike copies of the foresayd Nicene Councell fouÌ„d no such matter by the sayd Bonifacius alledged made therefore a publike decree that none out of that countrey should make any appeale ouer the sea c. And what maruell if appeales were forbiddeÌ„ them to be made to Rome wheÌ„ as both here in EnglaÌ„d the kyngs of this land would not permit any to Appeale froÌ„ them to Rome before king Henry the ij because of the murther of Thomas Becket beyng thereunto compelled by Pope Alexander the iij. And also in Fraunce the like prohibitions were expressely made by Ludouicus Pius an 1268. which did forbid by a publicke instrument called Pragmatica sanctio all exactions of the Popes court within his Realme Also by kyng Philip named Le bel an 1296. the like was done which not only restrayned all seÌ„dyng or goyng vp of his subiectes to Rome but also that no money armour nor subsidy should be transported out of his Realme The like also after him did king Charles the v. surnamed the Wise and his sonne likewise after him Charles the vj. who also punished as traytours certaine seditious persons for appealyng to Rome The like resistauÌ„ce moreouer was in the sayd countrey of FrauÌ„ce against the Popes reseruatioÌ„s preueÌ„tioÌ„s other like practises of his vsurped iurisdictioÌ„ in the dayes of pope Martin the v. an 1418. Item when kyng Henry the vj. in England and kyng Charles the 7. in FrauÌ„ce did both accord with the Pope in inuesting in collatioÌ„ of benefices yet notwithstandyng the highe Court of Parliament in Fraunce did not admit the same but still maintayned the old libertie customes of the French Church In so much that the Duke of Beâ—hfort came with the kynges letters pateÌ„t to haue the Popes procurations reseruations admitted yet the court of ParliameÌ„t would not agree to the same but the kyngs Procurator generall was fayne to go betwixt them as is to be sene in their Registers an 1425. the fift day of Marche In the dayes of the which kyng Charles the vij was setforth in Fraunce Pragmatica sanâ—tio as they call it agaynst the Annaâ—es reseruations expectatiues and such other proceedyngs of the Popes pretenced iurisdictioÌ„ an 1438. Wherfore what maruell if this iurisdiction of the Popes Court in excommunicatyng in takyng Appeales and geuyng of benefices was not vsed in the old Church of Rome when as in these latter dayes it hath bene so much resisted And what should I speake of the forme and maner of elections now vsed in the Church of Rome cleane coÌ„uerted from the maner of the old Church of their predecessors For first in those auncient dayes when as yet the Church remayned in the Apostles onely a few other Disciples the Apostles then with prayer and imposition of handes elected Byshops Ministers as by the Apostles Iames was made Bishop of Hierusalem Paule in Creta elected Titus and Timothe in Ephesus Also Peter ordayned Linus and Clement in Rome c. After which tyme of the Apostles when the Church began more to multiply the election of Byshops and Ministers stode by the Clergie the people with the consent of the chief Magistrate of the place and so continued during all the tyme of the Primitiue Church till the tyme and after the time of Constantine the 4. Emperour which Emperour as writeth Platina and Sabellic Enead 8. lib. 6. published a law concernyng the election of the Romane Byshop that
he should be takeÌ„ for true Byshop whom the Clergy and people of Rome did chuse elect without any tarying for any authoritie of the Emperour of ConstaÌ„tinople or the Deputie of Italy so as the custome and fashion had euer bene before that day an 685. And here the Byshops began first to writhe out their elections and their neckes a litle from the Emperours subiection if it be so as the sayd Platina and Sabellicus after him reporteth But many coniectures there be not vnprobable rather to thinke this constitutioÌ„ of Constantine to be forged and vntrue First for that it is taken out of the Popes Bibliothecarie a suspected place and collected by the keeper and maister of the Popes Librarie a suspected author who whatsoeuer fayned writynges or Apocripha he could finde in the Popes chestes of Recordes makyng any thyng on his maisters side that he compiled together and therof both Platina Sabellicus Gratianus take most part of their reportes therefore may the more be suspected c. Secondly where Platina and Sabellicus say that Constantine moued with the holynes of Pope Benedict the first made that coÌ„stitutioÌ„ how seemeth that to staÌ„d with truth when both the Emperour was so farre of from him being at Constantinople also for that the sayd Pope raigned but x. monethes which was but a small tyme to make his holines knowen to the Emperour so farre of And giue he were so holy yet that holynes might rather be an occasioÌ„ for the Emperour so to confirme and maintaine the olde receaued maner of his institution then to alter it The third coniecture is this for that the sayd constitution was not obserued but shortly after by the sayd Benedict was broken in the election of Pope Conon And yet notwithstanding albeit the constitution were true yet the election there by was not takeÌ„ away from the people and limited to the Clergy onely and much lesse might be taken away froÌ„ the Clergie and be limited onely to the Cardinals without the consent of their Prince and ruler accordyng to their owne Rubrice in their Decrees where the Rubrice sayth De ordinatione Episcopi Nullus inuitis detur Episcopus cleri plebis ordinis consensus desiderium requiratur c. That is Let no Byshop be geuen to any people agaynst their wils but let the consent desire both of the Clergy and of the people and of the order be also required c. And in the same Dist. also cap. SacroruÌ„ we read the same libertie interest to be graunted by Carolus Magnus and Ludouicus his sonne not to a few Cardinals onely but to the order as well of the Clergy as of the people to chuse not onely the Bishop of Rome but any other Bishop within their owne Diocesse whatsoeuer and to the Monkes likewise to chuse their owne Abbot settyng aside all respect of persons and giftes onely for the worthynes of life and gift of wisedome so as might be most profitable for doctrine and exaÌ„ple vnto the flocke c. And this continued till the tyme of the foresayd Carolus Magnus and Ludouicus his sonne an 810. of the which two Carolus the father receaued expresly of Pope Adâ—â—â— â—he first full iurisdiction and power to elect ordeine the Bishop of Rome like as pope Leo the ix did also to Ottho â—he first Germain Emperour an 961. The other that is Ludouicus sonne to the foresayd Charles is sayd to renouÌ„ce agayne and surrender from him selfe and his successours vnto pope Paschalis and the Romaines the right and interest of chusing the Romane Bishop and moreouer to giue and graunt to the sayd Paschalis the full possession of the Citie of Rome the whole territorie to the same belongyng An. 821. as appeareth by the decree Ego Ludouicus Dist. 63. But admit that fayned decree to be vnfaynedly true as it may wel be suspected for many causes as proceedyng out of the same fouÌ„taine with the coÌ„stitution of Constantine afore mentioned that is from the maister of the Popes Library of whoÌ„ both Gratianus Volateran by their owne confession take their grounde yet the same decree doth not so geue away the freedome of that election that he limiteth it onely to the Cardinals but also requireth the whole coÌ„sent of the Romaines neither doth he simplely absolutely geue the same but with coÌ„ditioÌ„ so that Omnes Romani vno consilio vna concordia sine aliqua promissione ad pontificatus ordinem eligerent that is whoÌ„ as all the Romaines with one counsaile with one accord without any promise of their voyces grauÌ„ted before shall chuse to be Byshop of Rome And moreouer in the same Decree is required that at the consecration of the same Bishop messengers should be directed incoÌ„tinent to the FreÌ„ch kyng concernyng the same Furthermore neither yet did the same decree albeit it were true long continue For although Pope Stephen the fourth and pope Paschalis the first in Ludouicus time were impapaced thorough discord without election of the Emperour yet they were fayne by message to send their purgation to him of their election And after that in the tyme of Eugenius the ij which succceded next to Paschalis Lotharius sonne of Ludouicus and Emperour with his father came to Rome and there appointed lawes magistrates ouer the Citie Whereby may appeare the donation of Ludouike in geuyng away the Citie of Rome to the Pope to be fayned And after Eugenius pope Gregory the iiij who followyng within a yeare after Eugenius durst not take his election without the consent and confirmation of the sayd Emperour Ludouicus And so in like maner his successours pope Sergius the ij Pope Leo the iiij pope Nicolas the first and so orderly in a long tract of tyme from the foresayd Nicolas the first to Pope Nicolas the ij an 1061. which Nicolas in his Decree beginnyng In nomine Domini Dist. 23. ordained also the same so that in the election of the Bisâ—ops of Rome commonly the consent of the Emperour and the people with the Clergy of Rome was not lackyng After which Nicolas came Alexander the 2. and wicked HildebraÌ„d which Alexander being first elected without the Emperors will and consent afterward repenting the same openly in his preaching to the people declared that he would no longer sit in the Apostolique sea vnlesse he were by the emperor confirmed Wherfore he was greatly rebuked and cast into prison by Hildebrand and so deposed Then Hildebrand and his folowers so ordred the matter of this election that first the Emperor then the lay people after that the Clergie also began to be excluded And so the election by litle little was reduced into the handes of a few Cardinals coÌ„trary to all ancieÌ„t order where euer since it hath remained And like as in elections so also in power iudiciarie in deciding and determinyng of causes of fayth and of Ecclesiasticall discipline the state of the
Archb. Who there required day and place to deliberate vpon the conclusions aforesayd and to geue their answere vnto the same in wryting And also required to haue a copie of the sayde conclusions to be deliuered vnto them The which copy the sayd Nicholas Philip being openly read vnto them receiued Also the foresayd M. Iohn Ayshton lykewise was examined and iudicially admonished by the said Archbishop by vertue of his othe that hee setting aside all sophisticall words suttelties he fully and plainly would say his minde vpon the conclusions aforesayd And being asked moreouer by the said Archbishop whether he would haue a further day to deliberate vpon his answers as the foresaid Nicholas and Philip had before said expresly that he would not but would answer presently to those coÌ„clusions And so for finall aunswere sayde as concerning all these conclusions containing them all together that hys iudgement was in this behalf to hold his peace Wherfore the foresaid Archbishop reputing the saide Iohn herein to be suspected admonished him in form of words as foloweth We admonish thee Iohn Ayshton whome we repute to be defamed notoriously suspected of heresie the first the second and third time that in our prouince of Canterbury hereafter thou do not preach publickely or priuately wtout our speciall licence vnder paine of the greater curse which we denouÌ„ce here by these presents against thy person if thou obey not our monitions for nowe as for then And consequently for as much as the sayd Iohn being asked of the Archb. confessed that hee had heard before of the publication of the Archbyshops Mandate wherein was inhibited that no person prohibited or not sent should preach hereafter the foresayde Archb. assigned to him Friday next folowing which was the 20. day of the same moneth after dinner to appeare before hym either at Lamheth or in the same place to say for himselfe wherefore he myght not be pronounced for an heretick for such a one to be denounced through hys whole prouince Also the said Archbishop assigned to the foresaid Nicholas and Philip the saide day place to answer peremptorily and to say fully plainly to the conclusions aforesayde all sophistication of woordes and disputation set a part ¶ The names of the Friers that sate vpon them Friers preachers 7. Thom. Barnwel William Swynherd William Pitworth Tho. Whatley Laurence Grenham Iohn Leigh Iohn Haker Carmelites 3. Walter Dish Iohn Kinningham Iohn Louey Augustine Frier Thomas Ashborne Doctour In the 20. day aforesaid of the said month of Iune the yere and place aboue prefixed before the foresayde Archbyshop sitting in his tribunall seat in the presence of diuers Doctours of Diuinitie and lawyers both Ciuil and Canon personally appeared M. Nicholas Herford Phillip Repindon Bachelers of Diuinity and Iohn Ayshton maister of Arte. Where the foresaid Nicholas and Philip being required by the sayd Archb. to answere and say fully and plainly their iudgements vppon the conclusions prefixed whereunto the sayde Archbyshop had assigned to the sayd Nicholas and Philip the same terme did exhibite to the sayd Archbyshop there iudicially sitting certaine aunsweres in wryting contained after the maner of indeÌ„ture the tenour whereof here vnder is contained and after the same forme answered to the sayd conclusions The tenour of which Indenture containing the foresaide conclusions vnto them moued as afore foloweth in these wordes ¶ The protestation of Nicholas Philip and Iohn with their Articles and aunsweres to the same WE protest here as before publikely in these preseÌ„ts that we intend to be humble and faithful children to the church and holy scripture and to obey in all things the determinations of the Church And if it shall chaunce vs at any time which god forbid to swarue from this our intention we submit our selues humbly to the correction of our reuerend father Lorde Archbishop of Cant. and primate of all England and of all other which haue interest to correct such swaruers This protestatioÌ„ premised thus we answere to the conclusions aforesayd That the substance of material bread and wine remaineth in the Sacrament of the aulter after consecration After the sense contrary to the Decretall beginning Firmiter credimus we graunt that it is heresie That the accidents doe not remaine wythout the subiect after consecration of the Sacrament Aâ—ter the sense contrary to that Decretall Cum Marthe We graunt that it is heresie That Christ is not in the sacrament the selfe same truly and really in hys owne corporall presence Although this conclusion as the words stand sound to be probable and intelligible yet in the sense coÌ„trary to the decretal in Cle Si dudum We graunt that it is heresy And briefly concerning this whole matter of the Sacrament of the aulter as touching also all other thyngs we professe that we will both in worde and sense holde wyth the holy Scripture with the determination of the holy church and sayings of the holy Doctours Obstinatly to affirme that it hath no foundation in the Gospell that Christ ordained the Masse We graunt that it is heresie That God ought to obey the deuill In this sense that God in hys owne person or essence ought to obey the deuil with the obedience of necessity We graunt that it is heresie If a man be duely contrite that all externall confession is to him superfluous and vnprofitable We graunt that it is heresie If the Pope be a reprobate an euill man and consequeÌ„tly a member of the deuil He hath no power ouer the faithful of Christ giueÌ„ to him of any vnleast it be of Cesar. We graunt that it is heresie That after Pope Urbane the 6. none is to be receyued for Pope but that wee ought to liue after the maner of the Grecians vnder our owne lawes We graunt that it is heresie To say that it is against the holy Scripture for ecclesiasticall persons to haue temporall possessions If obstinacie be ioyned withall wee graunt that it is heresie That no Prelate ought to excommunicate any man vnles he know him before to be excommunicate of God We graunte that it is an errour Understandyng thys knowledge to meane an experimental knowledge so that heerewith may stand the Decree of the Church 11. q. 3. Nemo Episco That he which doth so excommunicate is thereby an hereticke or excommunicate After the sense agreeing with the other before we graunt to be an errour That a Prelate excommunicating a clerke whych appealeth to the king or counsell of the realme in so doing is a traitor to God the king and the realme We graunt it is an errour That they whych leaue off to preache or to heare the word of God the gospel preached for the excommunication of men are excommunicate and in the day of iudgement shal be counted for traytors to God Understanding this coÌ„clusion vniuersally so as scripture and lawes do vnderstand such indefinit propositioÌ„s We graunt it is an errour To
affirme that it is lawful for any Deacon or Priest to preach the word of God without the authority of the sea Apostolique or catholique Byshop or of any other whose authority he knoweth sufficient We graunt it is an errour To affirme that there is no ciuile Lord no Bishop nor Prelate whilest he is in mortall sinne wee graunt it is an errour That temporall Lordes may at their pleasure take away the temporal goodes from Churches offending habitualiter We graunt it is an error after this sense that they may so take away temporall goodes of the churches wythout the cases limited in the lawes of the Church and kingdomes That the vulgar people may correct the Lordes offending at their pleasure vnderstanding by thys word may that they may do it by the law We graunt it is an errour because that subiectes haue no power ouer theyr Lordes That tithes be pure almes and that parishioners may for the offences of their Curates detaine the same and bestow them to others at theyr pleasure vnderstanding by thys word may as before to may by the lawe we graunt it is an errour That special praiers applied to any one person by prelates or religious men do no more profit then the general praiers if there be no let by the way to make them vnlike Understanding thys conclusion vniuersally negatiuely vnderstanding by special prayers the prayers made vpon special deuotion and general praiers of general deuotion then after this sense no such special prayers applied to any one person by special orators do profite more specially the said person then general praiers doe which are made o◠y◠same and for the same persons we graunt it is an errour He that geueth almes to the friers or to any frier that preacheth is excommunicate both he that geueth he that taketh Understanding thys proposition vniuersally or conditionally as is aforesayd We graunt to be an errour That who so entreth into any priuate religiō what so euer is thereby made more vnapt and vnmete to obey the commaundements of God We graunt it is an errour That such holy men as did institute any priuate religions whatsoeuer as well of secular hauing possessions as of friers hauing none in so instituting did sinne Understanding thys reduplitatiuely or vniuersally Wee graunt it is an error After thys sense that what Saint soeuer dyd institute priuate religiōs instituting the sayd religion vpon that consideration as they did did sinne That religious men liuing in priuate religiōs be not of the religion of Christ Understanding the proposition vniuersally as is aforesayd We graunt it is an errour That friers are bound to get their liuings by the labor of their handes and not by begging Understanding this propositiō vniuersally as before We graūt it is an errour These things haue we spoken reuerend father Lord in all humility vnder your gracious supportation and benigne correction according to our abilities slender capacities for this present the honor of god the verity of our belief and safe cōscience in all poynts reserued more humbly yet beseeching you that if any other thing there be that semeth meete vnto your excellency discretion to be more or otherwise said spoken that your gracious fatherhood would vouchsafe to informe vs as children by the sacred scriptures by the determination of the church or authoryties of the holy Doctours And doubtles with redy wils and obedient mindes we wil consent and agree vnto your wholsom doctrine May it therfore please your fatherhode right reuerende in God according to the accustomed maner of your benignity fauourably to accept these our wordes and sayings forasmuch as the foresayde conclusions were neuer by vs either in scholes affirmed or els in Sermons publikely preached ¶ Further examinations and procedings against the foresayd Nich. Herford Phillip Reppindon and Io. Aishton WHen all these answers were made vnto the said lord Archb. of Canterb. the sayde Nicholas and Phillip for that they aunswered not vnto the meaning and words of the first conclusion expresly but contrary to the sense of the decretall Firmiter credimus were there iudicially examined what their sense and meaning was but they wold not expresse the same Then was it demaunded of them according to the sense of the same conclusion declared on the behalfe of the sayd Lord of Cant. whether the same materiall bread in numero whych before the consecration is laid vpon the aulter remaine in the proper substance and nature after the consecration in the Sacrament of the aulter and likewise of the wine To this the said Nicholas Phillip aunswered that for that time they could say no more therein then that they had already aunswered as is afore alledged in writing And for that vnto the sence and wordes of the second conclusion they aunswered not fully and expresly but in a sence contrary to the Decretall Cum Marthe beyng asked what was the meaning would not expresse the same Therfore it was demanded of them according to the sense of the same conclusion declared in the behalfe of the sayde Lord of Caunterbury whether those corporall accidences which formally were in the bread and wine before the cōsecration of them after the consecration were in the same bread and wine or els were subiected in anye other substaunce To this they aunswered that better to answere then before in theyr writinges they already had for that time they could not To the meaning also and wordes of the third conclusion for that they aunswered not playnly and expresly but in sense contrary to the decretall in the Clementines Si dudum being asked what was that sense and meaning woulde not declare the same Wherefore it was then demaunded of them according to the sense of the same conclusion declared on the behalfe of the sayd Lorde of Canterbury Whither the same body of Christ whiche was assumpted of the Uirgine be in the sacrament of the aulter secundum se ipsum euen as he is really in carnall substance proper essence and nature To this they aunswered that for that time they could say no more then that they had sayd as before is specified in writing Furthermore to the sense and text of the sixt conclusion for that they aunswered not fully and expresly beyng asked whether God ought any maner of obedience to the Deuill or not they said yea as the obedience of loue because he loueth him and punished him as he ought And to proue that God ought so to obey the deuill they offered themselues to the fire To the 11. conclusion for that they aunswered not expresly being asked whither a prelate might excommunicate any man being in the state of grace said yea Unto the 20. cōclusion for that they answered not fully simply and expresly being demaunded whether special or genenerall prayers did most profit and were of greater force They would not say but that speciall Unto the last conclusion for that they aunswered neyther simply nor expresly and being demanded