on our beehalfe with our beeloued sonne that noble Earle of Flanders and instantly perswade him that considering the necessity of vs and the Church hee would endeauor with his liberality somewhat to succor vs for wee doe not thinke hee can doe a more acceptable seruice to Allmighty God then to labor at this present to comforte vs with the worthy supply of his bounty for the defence of the Churches liberty Thus wrote Pope Alexander vnto Saint Thomas and to king Henry of England by the same Legates in this sorte Yeelding gladly to the requestes of your Maiestie and desiring as far as with God and his iustice wee can to satisfy your will in all thinges and showe due respecte to you and your honor wee haue thought good to sende vnto your excellency as Legates into your dominions on this syde the seas our beeloued sonnes William of the tytell of Saint Peter ad vincula Preist with Oddo of Saint Nicholas in carcere Tulliano Deacon Cardinalles men of learning discretion vertue beeing of great authority in the Church of God and well affected to you and your kingdome and whom among the rest of our brethren wee esteeme as very deere and acceptable to vs giuing them absolute power to vnderstand those causes which in former letters wee haue declared to you with all other matters likewise which shall seeme conuenient for them to knowe whom wee haue in all things authorized as vice gerents so far in our steede as euer the Church of Rome was accustomed heeretofore to constitute them or any other Legates of the Apostolike Sea Wherefore wee doe by our Apostolical letters request admonish and in our lord exhorte your Highnes that you will honorably and benignly receaue and as it beeseemeth your royall dignity courteously entertayne them in such sorte as is meete for men of that eminency and Legates of the Apostolicall Sea Soe as the holy Church of Rome may in your beehauiour to her sonnes acknowledge your ancient deuotion to her and your Maiestie together with the landes committed to your gouerment through the goodnes of God reape therby encrease of all thinges and for those matters which they shall propose to your excellency on our behalfe wee doe wish you soe diligently to admitt and promptly to obey them as our lord and his Church may bee therin worthily honored and you with the realmes subiect to your regiment may also thereby gayne abundance of benefits with rewardes from God and prayse and glory beefore men Shewe not the coppy of this letter to any but only Master Gunter because I haue passed therupon as stricte a promise to Master Walter as hee desired Thus wrote the Pope to the king sending likewise an other letter of the same effecte to the Bishops of England which beeginneth it is reported to our eares c. Dated the last yeere in the Kalends of December By all which is euidently apparant that Pope Alexander perswaded a peace in such sorte as no detriment might therupon accrewe to the Church Pope Alexander did wryte withall by the same Legates to the king of France to whom among other thinges hee openeth the desire of his mynde for honoring Saint Thomas with all worthy respectes and decreeing to this holy man the Legantyne authority ouer the whole Church of France if the Bishoppes of that kingdome were soe pleased The letters of his Holines were thus indighted Amonge other renowned tokens of your magnificence and deuotion wee esteeme as cheifest that you haue with so many and soe great honors entertayned our reuerent brother Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury a man most religious discreete and vertuous and to vs and the vniuersall Church in euery respect most deere and acceptable and that out of your boūty you haue vouchsafed plētifully to beestowe soe large and royall benefittes out of your humanity on him for which wee render your Maiestie the greatest and worthyest thanks wee may and for your clemency therin commend you with most exceeding prayses in our lord And this as it is most gratefull to God to whom in his person you haue consecrated the same soe wee accept it as deerely as if you had donne it to our selues and because with all our affections wee desire the peace of the same Archbishop wee haue thought conuenient to send our beeloued sonnes William of the tytell of saint Peter ad vincula and Oddo of Saint Nicholas in carcere Tulliano Cardinalls to our most deere sonne in Christ Henry famous king of England to reforme by the helpe of God all matters beetweene the sayd king and Archbishop indifferently for the honor of them both and for the conclusion of perfect concord and peace and that they may in the same kinges landes on this syde of the seas heare and vnderstand all araysing controuersyes and there inioy the Legantine authority of the Apostolike Sea Wherefore by our Apostolicall letters wee beeseech admonish and in our lord exhorte your Maiestie that for the reuerence of the Church of God and the honor of Saint Peeter and vs you would effectually doe your parte as well with the sayd king as Archbishop and carefully labor in such sorte as to the honor of God and his Church and likewise to the benefit and commodity of them both they may frindly and peaceably agree together and bend their myndes and willes wholly therunto soe it bee donne without impeachmēnt of the Archbishops and the Churches reputation And if by endeauour and labor of the same Cardinalles with your trauell they may returne to peace and agreement the Church which next vnder God is supported with your speciall assistance shall receaue thereby no small encrease and you in the blessed retribution of the iust obtayne of Allmighty God for this a speciall reward But if otherwise which God forbid they cannot accorde soe it may stand with your royall likeing and good pleasure it would bee to vs in euery respect a singular pleasure and very gratefull and acceptable if it may bee without great scandall of the persons of your kingdome that wee might endowe the sayd Arbishop with a particular honor aboue others and make him our Legate vice-gerent in those your partes and therefore doe most earnestly entreate your Highnes if hee cannot a cheyue a peace with reseruation of the honor of himselfe and the Church beeing the thing wee most desire then that you will with all speede signify vnto vs your mynd heerein and in the meane while conceaue this as an exceeding secret Thus wrote the Pope to the king of France The Legates therefore as soone as they touched Frāce presently saluted saint Thomas with their letters and William did in this sorte wryte vnto him Allthough thorough the variable alteration of tymes for doubt least the Church of Rome Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 9. beeing distempered with a Scysme should sustayne the greater damages wee seeme in the conceipts of some to decline from you to the aduerse parte hee knoweth notwithstanding who is the
searcher of hartes how wee conserue still in our breastes a tender affection vnto you For truly as to our remembrance wee haue signifyed often to your wisedome wee haue with all the care wee could labored to eschewe the suspicion of the king of England to the end wee might in processe of tyme bee a more effectuall meane for composing a peace beetween him and you and with all retayne still the deuotion and zeale of soe greate a prince to the Apostolike Sea And beeing now designed together with our reuerent brother Oddo a Cardinall Deacon to passe into his Signioryes for determination of the matters in controuersy beetweene you and him in such sorte as wee shall see most expedient for the Church of God wee exhorte earnestly and perswade your discretion that setting a syde as much as in you lyeth those thinges which are accustomed to beeget the causes of greater dissention you would with dilligent care bee attētiue to that which can best procure a concord For wee will bend our myndes as much as by Gods grace wee may to deale without any respect of persōs for this peace and your profit leauing nothing vndone as the proofe God willing shall make playne which wee can possibly effect for the honor of God and his Church Thus wrote William the Cardinal and Legate to saint Thomas who answered as followes To his reuerent Lord and freind worthy of loue Vvilliam by the grace of God Preist Cardinall of the tytell of Saint Peter advincula and Legate of the Apostolike Sea Thomas by the same grace the humble seruante of the Church of Canterbury wisheth health and courage against the insolency of Princes Ibidem epist The hater letters of Thomas to William the Legate Wee yeelde thankes to your charity for vouchsafing now at the last to visite with your excellencyes letters our poore afflicted person which is measured of many by the state of our present fortune not by what is paste yet God may heereafter out of his mercy when it pleaseth him and to him shall seeme conuenient restore vs agayne to better In that you say wheras many suppose you are not soe throughly affected to vs the reason heereof is the Churches greate vtility least otherwise beeing held in suspicion by the king hee should bee therby lesse deuoted to the sacred Roman Church and not soe much encline to composition of a peace with vs God the searcher of hartes best knoweth and the euent of thinges will declare If at this instant you come into his dominions as your letters signify for decyding the controuersyes beetweene vs and him in such sorte as to the Church you shall see most profitable it is a thing possible But wee are of opinion that wee certainly knowe to what intent you are come and how wee ought to receaue you whereupon wee desire in our lord most instantly to exhorte your wisedome foe to bee haue your selfe in this busines as therby God may hee honored the Church relieued and wee restored to glory amyd the people and in our nation If any fauor or peace fall to vs by your labor and industry wee shall therfore thanke God and your diligent care And wee wish you would weygh with a tender affection and compassion how greate agreiuances wee and the Church of England haue sustayned and doe as yet endure and how much the vniuersall Church is impeached in our sufferance On this busines we cast the eyes of all and all expect the conclusion thereof the insolency of Princes will eyther exalte their hornes or as they worthily deserue bee suppressed And I wish they may rather by this your comming sustayne losse then recouer strength God send you now and euer well to fare that wee and the Church may thereby fare the better Thus saint Thomas But in regard William the Legate not only in his letters to saint Thomas and others but also in wordes did openly vaunte that hee came as a Iudge of this controuersye and did vsually with greater pride and insolency vnaduisedly boaste in this sorte saint Thomas sending a messinger to Rome Saint Thomas complayneth to the Pope against Vvilliam the Legate Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 22. did presently complayne thereof to Pope Alexander by his letters wherin after hee had first set beefore his eyes howe far forth God had assisted him in conquering the pryde of the Emperor who was dreadfull to the whole world hauing experienced thereby that the helpe of Allmighty God was on his syde for the defence of the Church against any Tyrants whatsomeuer hee had now as hee sayde learned not to feare Then hee descendeth to William of Papia I would moreouer haue your Holines vnderstand that what wee dreaded is beefallen vs and what wee foretould is now apparant concerning the pryde and presumption of the lord William of Papia as you may well perceaue by these letters hee sent vs instantly vpon his comming from whom wee expected according to the tenor of your mandate to my Lord the king of France and vs rather comforte for the recouery of peace then confusion for decyding of controuersyes beetweene the king of England and vs. For hee is not the person vnto whose authority in this case wee ought to be subiect especially since hee was rather procured to come vpon the kinges instant intreaty to you then any way compelled or sent by you Wee suppose truly it is not agreable to lawe wee should bee enthralled to the iudgment or examination of him who seeketh to make his commodity of our blood let him not therfore goe about to purchasse to himselfe by the prize of our life the name and glory of iniquity Thus hee wrote because as it appeareth out of other letters it was helde for certayne that the king of England had promised William the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury if hee could depriue Thomas of the same Hee proceedeth Wee doe therfore earnestly beeseech you father if as yet you haue care of vs to abrogate his authority at leaste soe far as it concerneth vs and our causes in controuersy But let vs see what Oddo the Deacon Cardinall the other Legate à Latere did wryte to Saint Thomas who signifyed somewhat though not much by letters of greate note concerning his iourney leauing matters of more secrecy to the relation of the messinger hee sent The letter hee wrote was thus To the worthyly beloued father and his most deare brother Thomas by the grace of God Archbishop of Canterbury Oddo by the same grace Deacon Cardinall of the sacred Roman Church and Legate of the Apostolike Sea sendeth greeting The letter of Oddo the Legate to S. Thomas Ibidem epist 4. Wee certifye your dearely beeloued selfe that after our iourney vndertaken vpon our Lord the Popes commandement passing through hazardable places of exceeding greate danger wee arriued in the end by the conduction of Allmighty God in Venice our enemyes the Scysmatikes lying on euery syde in ambushments ready to intercept vs
as the Churches Aduocate soe long as they dishonored not God but when they could not please the one without offence of the other then they would absolutely preferre God Hee maruayled much hee denyd him the reuerent respect due to his place and summoned a counsell without his authority and aboue all that hee would cyte him to appeare before that Conuentickle The priuiledge of the Church graunted by Christ and continued from saint Peeter to that present age hath euer bin that in Causes Ecclesiasticall the supreame iudgement was euer in the Church and the Church it selfe neuer iudged by any since therefore hee who ought to defend the Church did now offend it and in contemning the Church disparaged his mother hee could not but admire it For appearing at his Courte the Canonicall tradition forbad him And since meaner prelates in matters spirituall doe gouerne they re princes it were intolerable in him to suffer the authority of his place which was purchased with the blood of Christ through his pusilanimity or ignorance to bee subiected to the temporall power Wherefore as his Predecessors had endured death for the Churches liberty soe was hee ready to spend his blood in her cause The Embassadors offended with his answere contumeliously departed comming to Signia adored the the Idoll Octauian The Emperours Embassadors and Otto adore Octauian and soe did Count Otto the Palatine whom the Emperour had sent with his Germanes towards the Citty which exceedingly puffed vp the pryde of this Archhereticke not considering that scysme though at the first it flourysheth yet after a while it vanisheth Thus Fredericke by his Embassadors accepted of Octauian wherefore Alexander had reason to except against Fredericke as no indifferent Iudge The Emperour for aduancement of this Antipope sought to drawe other kinges into his faction The Emperour sought to drawe the King of England into his faction and first vehememtly attempted King Henry of England but in vaine for Arnulphus Bishop of Lexouy a very learned man and of great estimation with the king had soe informed him as hee preuented Fredericke and although there was a firme league of freindship beetweene them yet would king Henry neuer bee induced to yeelde to this scysme but only suppressed The King of England faithfull to Alexander till matters were more ripened his proclamation for publishing Pope Alexander suffering all his subiectes in the meane time to maintayne his right Alexander also vpon the aduice of the Bishop of Lexouy sent his Legates a latere to the realmes of Spayne and France The Bishop of Lexouy most industruous in asisting Alexander and likwise to the Emperour of Constantinople and king of Hungary to make knowne his lawfull election and the wrong hee susteyned by this presumptuous Scysmaticke Whereupon Lewys the most Christian king of France a contrey neuer defyled with scysme together with Henry king of England receaued Pope Alexander as theyr father and pastor of theyr soules All Chrystendome beesides Frederick the Emperialles accept of Alexander moreouer the kinges of Spayne Cecyll and Ierusalem and the Emperour of Constantinople with the Patriarches Bishoppes Prynces Cleargie and Layetie did all acknowledg him the Catholike successor of Peeter Only Frederick with his complices and these fewe scysmaticall Cardinalles the vnlearned children of Belial obstinate still in theyr errour remayning neuerthelesse the cruell persecutors of him and the Church Neyther was this vnpunished in Frederick Frederick vnfortunate after his fall from the Church for euen from the very beeginning of this scysme his successes altered and of a victorious Emperour hee beecame now often vanquished God endeuoring by this discipline to correct him The Popes Legates who went to the kinges of France and England were encountred with some difficultyes becausâ— the Polititians of both kindomes beeing affected to theyr aduersaryes when they could not heerein alter theyr kinges resolutions laboured to deferre the acceptance of Pope Alexander The king of England draweth England France Spayne Ireland and Norwaye to the Popes obedience tyll matters were more fully determynd but the Legates with theyr vertue wisedome and exemplar liues ouercame these assaultes and the king of France referring all to the king of England the king of England drew England France Spayne Ireland and Norwaye to Alxanders obedience And in the kindome of Ierusalem allbeit is whas some wat cuÌ„trouerted because Octauian had there in former tymes won some affection yet preferring the loue of God beefore natures disposition they yeelded to the truth and embraced the lawfull Pope In the yeere of our lord 1160. was held the Conuentickle at Pauy The Conuenticle of Pauy but adiourned from the Octaues of the Epyphany to the Purification of our Blessed Lady William of Newberry our Countreyman wryteth That this controuersy considering the multitude that chose Alexander and the smale number that elected Octauian might easily haue bin ended had not Frederick hated Alexander vpon his old grudge to Rowland Fredericks inueterate hatred to Alexander for Rowland the Chancellor was one of them who did mediate the peace to deliuer Pope Adrian the Cardinalles and the Citty of Beneuent out of the handes of William king of Cecill a matter to Frederick most distastefull and was also one of the Legates sent to Frederick about the sacrilegious abuse offered in Germany to Edward Bishop of London when Count Palatine in the Emperours presence had like to haue murdered one of the Legates these thinges lay vndigested in Frederickes stomacke which made him not endure Rowland now Alexander the thyrd This caused him to assemble his Italians and Germanes at Pauy in showe to determine the controuersy but indeed to crowne Octauian his Victor with the victory according to Newberrys opinion who liued in that age There flocked together the Bishoppes of both Nations with an infinite number of inferiour Prelates vpon the Emperours command who with the Generalles of his armyes strooke a terror into theyr myndes Frederick terrifyeth with power heere in silence were suppressed all proofes and allegatious for Alexander who discreetely absented himselfe and what in truth was wanting on Octauians side was artificially helped Frederick allureth with hypocâ—iticall sanctity Frederick to cast a myste before the eyes of the assembly beegan with fasting and prayer and then with a solemne protestation that hee hauing no authority to intermedle with spirituall matters left all to the iudgment of the Cleargie there present departed the place hauing giuen them beefore examples how to proceede in electing Octauian by his Embassadors and Count Otto After deliberation of seauen days for this Pageant was set out with solemnity they consented as before was conspired to the approbation of Octauian there present The Scysmatickes approue Octauian and condemne Alexander and condemnation of Rowland who beeing cyted refused to appeare beefore them for by these names are they recyted by the author who fauored or feared the Emperour Allthough the diuell in this
the matter Concerning those who scorned they re gold The Cardinalls who abhorred those bribes Ibidem epist 54. among others were Humbald and Hiacinth most renowned Cardinalls of the sacred Roman Church the frindes of saint Thomas of whom an epistle is extant written by the Saint wherin is most honorable mention made of their contempt of gold because to their eternall commendation they not only forbare to touch the kind of Englands golde but alsoe bountefully and charitably beestowed their owne on the English being poore banished men suffering for the Churches cause For Saint Thomas sayth others comfort vs with wordes but your bounty releeueth vs with your substance and your workes you haue lamented our misfortune and the Churches calamity and esteemed heere as your owne the miserys of the poore banished for Christ the most iust Iudge â—ender you in that day the rewardes of your brotherly Charity and the 〈◊〉 of your true coÌ„passion which promiseeth to the mercifull abundance of mercy you haue not wandred after gold with the bayte whereof to our exceeding huâ—â—â—e and the confusion of the Apostolike Sea some haue bin caught by whose procurement the king of England hauing receaued the Apostolicall letters which hee caused to bee read in the streetes of either kingdome vaunted that hee had tryumphed ouer the Church of Rome nor without cause for hee hath obtayned his desire and now at his owne pleasure hee maketh hauocke in the Church of God without controulment of any hoping my lord the Pope which God forbid or my selfe should according to his owne wish in the meane tyme dye And afterwardes hauing rehearsed his lamentable distresses hee wryteth thus againe of the gold bestowed at Rome our Lord knoweth who are his and the Church now partly knoweth who are not hers For the king of England boasteth openly who are his neither is it concealed to how many and to whom his gould was giuen but his bounteous giftes were the spoyles of vs the spoyles of the poore of the crucifyed the spoyles of Christ himselfe yea soe great was the least portion of their spoyles And therefore thus beecause the king heereupon sacriligiously vsurpeth the most ample reuenues of the Archbishopricke of Canterbury wee cannot I say nor ought to excuse these offences soe foule and detestable for who are in this sorte enthralled with the royall golde are become therby leaden and in estimation deformed beeing for their leuity flexible they are in the burden of their conscience heauy to God hatefull exposed to the derision of men and to bee troaden vnder foote as salte wanting taste which is afterwards of no value Destroy them ô Goâ— before they infect the holy Church which is without spott or wrickle Confound them ô God beefore they beetray the Church into the handes of the Layety let these errors of their Predecessors bee a greater example and warning to their Successors ANNO DOMINI 1168. The yeere 1168. Legates sent to the King of England together with the first Indiction now followeth in the beeginning of which yeere and the Kalends of Ianuary the Legates a latere designed to goe from the Citty to the king of England vndertooke theyr iourney the exacte tyme of this their voyage is signifyed in the letters written by Iohn Bishop of Poytiers to Saint Thomas in these wordes Cod. Vrt. lib 1. epist 163. these two Legates I meane William of Papia Preist Cardinall of the tytell of Saint Peter ad vincula and Oddo Deacon Cardinall of Saint Nicholas in carcere Tulliano passed on their way in the Kalends of Ianuary making haste to our partes but although they departed ioyntly together out of the Citty yet went they not one but seuerall wayes deuyded in their trauailing vnto France determining to meete together at the Citty of mount Pessulan But beefore wee proceede farther in the history let vs see what letters Pope Alexander deliuered to the Legates that you may perceaue to what purpose hee sent them the letters of the Legacy are yet extant of which some were directed to S. Thomas others to the king of England which heere wee are to recyte out of the same written booke add first these letters to S. Thomas in these wordes Eib. 2. epist 1. The Popes letters to S. Thomas That wee haue not often with our letters visited your owne person the reason as you may vnderstand was in regarde wee haue bin often carefull to make knowne to you by messingers and word of mouth such thinges as wee thought not conuenient to commit to wryting But now wee would haue your discretion to bee certifyed that wee with all our harty affection desiring your peace haue sent our beeloued sonnes William of the Titell of Saint Peeter ad vincula Preist with Oddo of Saint Nicholas in carcere Tulliano Deacon Cardinalles vnto our most deere sonne in Christ the famous king of England to exercise the office of Legates in his Dominions on this syde the seas which is done especially to make a finall conclusion and agreement beetweene you and the king and by the grace of God to bring all to a charitable end Wherfore in regarde wee esteeme your peace to bee all one with that of the Church neither doe for any cause more desire the same then in that wee suppose the vniuersall Church shall receaue greater vtility therby wee doe by these our Apostolicall letters entreate admonish counsell and command your brotherhood carefully to consider how dangerously the state of this presente tyme standeth and how much the Church committed to your charge wanteth your presence and councell and therefore to endeauor a peace and inclyne your mynde and will to lay a sure foundation of concord beetweene you and the a foresayde king as far as may stand with the reputation of you and your Church And although all thinges doe not heerein succeede according to your hartes desire yet wincke at them for a season intending by godes grace in processe of tyme to reduce to the former state such matters as are to bee amended Neither yet in regarde of the worde which according to your petition wee signifyed to our most deere sonne in Christ the renowned king of Fraece doe you in any case fall of or estrange your mynde or will from peace and the benefit of concord so long as in the couenaÌ„tes thereof you may preserue as wee haue sayde the honor of your selfe Church vntouched because you may heereafter by litle and litle with discretion roote out many misdemeanors which if you should at this instant attempt would bee matters of greate moment And concerning these two Cardinalls you may bee confident in them nether ought you any way to mistrust the aforesayde William because wee haue streyghtly and seuerely commanded him to bend his whole power to the compassing of your peace and this hath hee so faithfully promised as wee can neuer misdoubt the contrary Moreouer wee entreate and admonish your brotherhood that you would carefully deale
following as appeareth by what hath byn sayde for before that tyme was not the Pope certifyed theereof Which letters from his holines when the Legates had receaued by the messanger of sainct Thomas wryting backe to the Sainct they excused themselues with saying that while they remayned with the king they could not put these matters in execution against them on whom the king had beestowed the goods and how this was also the Popes intention that during the tyme they remayned Legates there with him they should endure thereupon at his handes any thing vnworthy of the Apostolike Sea But let vs followe the Legates in their returne homeward wherof Iohn of Salisbuâ—y sayth this in his Epistell to the Archdeacon of Excester The Cardinalles returne Cod. Vat lib 2. Epist 105. called backe not without confusion repeÌ„tance and complayntes that to pleasure the king they depressed to much the cause of the Church for one of them which was Papia obeyed his will in all thinges the other also dealing more remissely then beeseemed a man of so great expectation and hope Thus Salisbury who againe after many other things declareth how farre Oddo the Legate peruailed with the king in these wordes I was like to haue let passe what is not to bee passed ouer which is how my Lord Oddo a fewe dayes before hee departed from the king dealt more seriously with him to conclude a peace with the Archbishop wherunto hee answered that for the loue hee bore to the Pope and Cardinalls hee would permitt the Archbishop to returne in peace to his Sea and to dispose of his Church and all thinges thereunto beelonging And because there hath bin long contention about the customes hee sayde hee and his children would bee contented only with those which his Ancestors had and 〈◊〉 should bee made apparant they soe enioyed by the oathes of a hundred men of the realme of England a hundred of Normandy a hundred of Anione and his other principalityes and if this condition of peace displeased the Archbishop hee affirmed hee was prepared to stand to the arbitrement as well of the Bishoppes of England as those beyond the seas of Roane Bayon and Cenoman and if this were not enough hee would submit himselfe to the iudgment of my Lord the Pope with this reseruation that hee would not impeach his childrens right for during his owne life hee was contented my Lord the Pope should abrogate what hee listed Then demanded the Cardinall how hee would deale with the Archbishoppe and his associates concerning restitution which was due and required of him wherunto hee answered swearing with many exquisite oathes that hee had beestowed all the commodity whatsomeuer hee reaped therof vpon Churches and the poore But let the Iewe Appella beeleiue this for I will neuer The Cardinall replyed vnles hee changed his course and dealt more mildly with the Church of God as well Almighty God as his Church would sooner then hee expected require all these more seuerely at his handes and soe taking his leaue hee departed Afterwardes came William of Papia to him almost in the same manner but the seede of his wordes fell on the sandes Then making their returne by the most Christian kinge of France they recouered his fauour vpon condicions which this bearer shall reporte vnto you Hetherto Salisbury who concerning matters which afterwardes ensued signified moreouer in other letters thus Now doe I endure the first yeere of my exile and wheras I wanted heeretofore nothing now behould I finde abundance of comforte beecause the liberty of the Church seemeth euen now at hand and now hath partly set her foote in the Iland for the king hath renounced as Messingers from the Cardinalls protest certayne most wicked customes which neuertheles hee was beefore accustomed to challenge detesting with an oathe both them and their first authors agreeing withall that heereafter it shall bee lawfull to appeale to the Apostolike Sea that Clearks shall not bee drawne before the secular Tribunalles with the like which I wish hee would soe approue by deede as hee affirmed in worde Thus wryteth hee concerning these affaires And this was lastly the conclusion of this Legantine Embassage other matters ensue in the end of this present yeere Salisbury in an other Epistell hauing discoursed of the state of the Church beeing then imbroyled by Fredericke the Emperour and Paschall the Antipope Cod. Vad. lib. 2. Epist 62. descendeth to the troubles of sainct Thomas Pope Alexander beeing then at Beneuent where sayth hee the Embassadors of the king of England and the Arbishoppes agents mett together in the presence of his Holines and both partyes were gratiously and honorably entertayned and for those appertayning to the king as the iustice of their cause was lesse soe was their pompe with ostentation of their riches much greater But when they were not able with their flatterys and faire promises to winne my Lord the Pope then turned they to threates fayning that their king would rather embrace the errors of Norandinus the chiefe ringleader of the Mahometanes and bee a fellowe of that profane Secte then endure Thomas any longer to enioy the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury But the man of God could neither bee shaken with feare nor seduced with flattery and laying be◠〈◊〉 two ways the one of life the other of death 〈…〉 they might easilie as they had beegune contâ—â—â—â—â— the grace and patience of God make choyse of the way of perdition but hee by our Lordes assistance would not forsake the way of righteousnes Their hope therfore in shorte tyme beegan to quayle and seeing they could not in this course preuayle against iustice they sent into Cicilie the kinges Embassadours and letters for they came armed with these to the end that by the assistance of the king and queene of Cicilie they might obtayne somewhat of my Lord the Pope against the Church But the most Christian king of France seeing this flattery of the malitious commended to the elect of Panorma the cause of the Church and of my Lord of Canterbury as his owne Meane while came the messingers of the Legates whom the king of EnglaÌ„d had procured disagreeing each from other for whatsomeuer one sayde in the Courte the other denyed and of these likewise is it yet vncertayne what they shall relate backe to their Lordes Supplication was therfore made on the beehalfe of the king and the Legates with the assistance of many other intercessors to my Lord the Pope for the Bishop of Salisbury and in the end they obteyned that his Holines forgaue him the iniury and offence donne to himselfe and did alsoe wryte to the Archbishop of Canterbury entreating and conselling him to remitt the wrong the Bishop had offered him and releasing him of the sentence of suspension receaue him into his fauour and freindship allwayes prouided that either in his owne person hee should giue him security for sufficient satisfaction or else disigne two beeing the cheifest of the Clergie of his
for that cause his name exalted in the heauenly countrey Soe the Masters our brethren the Cathedrall Monkes now left as Orphans without a father Allmighty God who raysed from the deade the great Pastor of his stocke our Lord Iesus Christ in the bloode of his eternall testament prouyde a man that I may vse the worde of Moyses to bee ouer this multitude Num. 27. For many complayne and indure it most impatiently that Christes coate without seame is now rent beetweene them and the Bishoppes of the Prouince The Scysme raised in the Church of Cāterbury and that not only the Cowe and the Ramme but also the Turtle and the Doue are deuyded and seperated one from an other That Mistrisse of discorde that mother of hatred that presumptious occasion of scandalls that vsurpation I meane of syding and singular election hath presumed to breake in euen to the very professors of Religion so as contemning and casting away the generall counsell of the Bishoppes and Abbottes they haue made a secret and stollen election contrary to customes enemy to lawes condemned by Decrees reproued by practise All others who accompt now this election made by the Monkes to bee to their derogation and disgrace would willingly and with one consent without any diuision or scandall haue conferred their voyces on the person by them named but as this case standeth I feare least this election which God forbid proue his deiection and this attempting of a fayned liberty turne to Christes Church into a matter of thralldome This plague truly and many others doe at this day generally infecte and corrupt the body of the Church Lay-men intrude themselues into the holy Sanctuarys and the stones of the Sanctuaryes are dispersed apparantly in all high streetes Cloysters are now conuerted to Castles and Market-places Religious men to Ethnickes Pastors to Wolues Lillyes to thornes Gould to drosse Corne to Tares Wine to Vinager Oyle to Lees. Let Allmighty God yet cast an eye backe on the face of his Testament neither let him giue ouer to bee troaden vnder foote the Vyne which hee hath planted with his right hand the Church which hee hath purchased with his pretious bloode let him stirre vp the spiritt of Moyses and erect the horne of that Vnicorne that only high Bishoppe and without comparison most vniuersall soe as his hand may execute iudgment that with his horne hee may blowe ouer Siria thunder against Edom send out lightning against the Calfes of Bethel against the Idolls of Egipt against the fatt Cowes of Samaria against the Preistes of Baal against Shepherdes who feede themselues against iudges who enact vniust lawes against dumb dogges which are vnable to barke against the earthen pott of Zacharie against the vessells of the foolish Pastor against the ambition of Simon Magus against the tyranny of the world against the presumption of the Cloyster against deceytfull dealers against oppressors of the poore against disturbers of the Churches peace against the subuerters of fayth Thus wrote Peeter the rest wee refer to their propper place AN. DOM. 1171. Now followeth the yeere of our Lord 1171. with the fourth Indiction When the horrible murder of the most holy Martyr Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury beeing spread farre and neere all the Westerne world was astonished and the sighes of all deuoute people euery where breathed out especially by letters from all partes and those replenished with lamentations and sent to Pope Alexander from sundry persons beeing such and in such sorte as you may well say they were soe many glorious trumppetts and renowned Epithapes to celebrate the funeralls of this most worthie Martyr Among which receaue heere first what the king of France wrote to Pope Alexander To Alexander by the grace of God High Bishop Lewes by the same grace king of the French sendeth salutations with due reuerence The king of Frances letter to the Pope about the death of saint Thomas The childe reuolteth from the lawe of humane pietie who disgracefully abuseth his mother neither are they myndfull of their Creators benefitts who are not moued with sorrowe for the abuses offered to the holy Church whereuppon wee haue now an especiall cause of lamentation and a new cruelty neuer heard of beefore beegetteth a new sorrowe beecause malice rising against the Saint of God hath run her swordes point into the very aple of Christes eye and no lesse cruelly then fowly slaughtered soe great a light of Gods Church Styrre vp therefore some kinde of exquisite iustice and vnsheath saint Peeters sworde for punishing the murder of the Martyr of Canterbury beecause his blood cryeth out for the whole Church not soe much exclayming reuenge for his owne particular as for all And beehould at the Tombe of this Champion as it is reported to vs the diuine glory shyneth with mirackles and God sheweth from heauen where hee resteth on earth who in his quarrell so couragiously fought The bearers of these letters who are beereft of this their father will relate the whole matter to your Holines yeelde therfore a most gentle eare to the testimony of this truth and as well heerin as otherwise beelieue them as you would beelieue our selues God prosper you euer Thus the king The Earle of Bloyes also wrote to the same effect vnto his Holines More ouer the Bishop of Senon then Legate for the Apostolicke Sea sent two Epistles to the Pope about the death of saint Thomas But omitting these as tēding all to one purpose let vs see the rest the messingers I meane sent by the king of England to Rome who offered the vndergoeing of pennance for killing the martyr as also of the diuers and excellent mirackles now beegun to bee published at the Martyrs sepulcher with other things appertayning therunto The Martyr thus killed in the end of the last yeere there was presently great recourse to the Pope lying in Rome of some as you see detesting and complaying of this damnable sacrilege the accusers were pious princes as the king of France the Earle of Bloys and Bishoppes who were Legates especially hee of Senon others excusers beeing an assembly of Bishoppes among whom hee of Lizieux in all their names wrote thus to Pope Alexander At such time as beeing gathered together with our king The assembly of Bishoppes excusing the king of England wee determined to handle great matters concerning both the Church and kingdome a rumor on the suddaine ouerwhelmed vs all in a lamentable confusion of sorrowe concerning our Lord of Canterbury soe far forth as in a moment our calme was turned in to a turbulent tempest our consultations into sighes For by some returning from England wee were assuredly certifyed that some of his enemyes beeing as they say with his sundry and seuere preceedinges against them prouoked to anger and madnes rashly assaulted his person and what without greife wee cannot nay ought not to speake cruelly persisting did strike and murder him This vnhappy reporte came in the end by the
THE LIFE OR THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF S. THOMAS ARCHBISHOPE OF CANTERBVRY COLLONIAE M.DC.XXXIX TO THE MOST REVERENT FATHER IN GOD RICHARD SMYTH BISHOPE OF CHALCEDONE c. MOST Reuerent and my most honored good Lord I haue alwayes apprehended the life and Martirdome of that most excellent Prelate and vndaunted Champion S. Thomas Archbishope of Canterburie a most perfect Paterne of a good Pastor yea and of a good subiect too as one wisely discerning Gods part from Caesars and giuing to ether their owne without which there can be no Christian iustice Take his owne golden and last words for it written to King Henry his soueraigne Prepared I am not onely to die but also to suffer a thousand deathes and all torments whatsoeuer for Christ's sake Yet whether I die or liue Cod. Vat. l. 5. Epist 54. I am and shall euer be yours and what euer becomes of vs and ours God euer blesse you and your issue So that I haue iudged no tyme mispent in culling the peeces out of the most authenticall and best Authors which haue concurred to the making vp of this litle bulke or Epistolarie processe of his life and death which I hope will appeare most contentfull and satisfactorie to all and fittest to frame a right iudgment in any as not being crooked and fitted to selfe endes by artificall amplifications but furnished by knowne fact and made good by so many and so irâ—eprochable witnesses as it cannot indeed be suspected to be in any part disguised or forced by corruption or malice but to deliuer a naked truth Now amongst all those whom I duely reuerence and honor in earth I could find none to whose patronage this poore worke of myne might laye a more iust clayme then to your Lordship like as in my iudgment your Lordshipe can pretend no Patrone in Heauen to whom you may haue a more confident recourse or with whom you might haue more sympathie being considered such as he liued in this earthly habitation for Religiousnesse zeale contrie cause constancie None which comes more home to your vse in respect of your long delay in banishment and the opposition you haue found euen amongst some of your children and those domesticalls of faith In a word in reading it you will not fayle before your death to reade a great part of your owne renowned life May it I beseech almightie God be long contentfull prosperous in earth and followed out with an eternally blessed one in heauen These are and euer shall be the zealous wishes of all good men and in particular of Your Lords. most humble and deuoted seruant A. B. THE PREFACE TO THE Epistolarie and Ecclesiastical History of sainct Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury INTENDING to present vnto your viewe out of that reuerent an renowned author Cardinall Baronius the great controuersie beetweene the Church and kingdome of England wherein the cheife actors in this our disturbed nation were that mightie King Henry the second and our Metropolitane sainct Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and in forraine countryes that most holy wise Pope Alexander the 3. and Lewes the pious king of France with many Catholicke Princes and among the Scismatickes the potent Emperour Fredericke with his idoll Octauian seeking by all meanes to intrude themselues and put their sickles into this haruest where the Diuel the father of their execrable scysme like a deepe polititian taking aduantage of their hellish discord had in this vnfortunate Iland sowed the cockle of dissention I thought best in regard this canker soe spreade it selfe through the Christian world and this history was collected out of the Epistles written by the cheifest rulers in that age to lay open briefely the state of the westerne Church and kingdomes vnited therein whereby your mindes receauing light may better discouer thinges otherwise obscured First therefore to delineate the time I must somewhat touch the raigne of Pope Adrian Alexanders predecessour who being the only man of our English nation that euer steered saint Peeters ship and was not only for his singular vertues wisedome and learning preferred to the Apostolike Sea but also himselfe the Apostle who conuerted the Norwegyans to the Christian faith I thinke it no vnnecessary digression to treate of his origine progresse and most high preferment At Abbotts Langley in the County of Hertford neere kinges Langley Nicolas Breakespeare afterwards Pope AdriaÌ„ borne in England where Edmund of Langley receaued his first breath from whom all the kinges of England and Scotland haue these many yeeres descended was borne Nicolas Breakespeare who afterwarde exalted to the gouerment of the Church of Rome and called Adrian the fourth ruled in matters of faith and Religion the whole Christian world His father was Robert Breakespeare a yonger brother of the family of Breakespeare whose place concurring with the name is seated neere Vxbridge in Middelsex now in the possession of Ashby His father saith Iohn Stowe after the death of his wife and before the departure as I conceaue of his sonne out of the realme professed a Religious life in the Monastery of saint Abbans wherein Stowe ignorantly not maliciously ran into an errour for Pope Adrians mother as shall bee afterwards showed ouerliued him It appeareth in a Counsell celebrated in Normandie by Pope Alexanders Legates with the Archbishop of Roane and Bishops of the same Prouince anno Dom. 1172. how before that time men might enter into religion leauing their wiues in the world for there was made a Canon afterwards prohibiting it And so might Robert Breakespeare in this precedent age as it is affirmed bee a Monke in saint Abbans and his wife as it is certaine ledd a retyred life vnder the Archbishop in Canterbury The name of Breakespeare beeing truly English and about the time of the Conquest inuincibly proueth they were of the Saxon not of the Norman race Breakespeare it selfe was in the raigne of king Iames the inheritable mansion of a knight and how great in forepassed dayes God knoweth But as sainct Thomas sayth in his Epistle to Gylbert Bishop of London what hath a priest a religious man to doe with these worldly flourishes I will descend to his humiliation which was his ascent first to honor then to heauen All that followeth is collected out of Card. Baronius Leauing as Abraham his countrey and kindred hee trauelled in his youth to pourchase learning and comming to Arnulate professed religion in the Monastery of saint Rufus where hee was called first to bee Prior then Abbot of the house whereupon it fortuned that for serious occasions of the Church commended to his charge hee went to the Apostolike Sea and hauing fully finished all his busines and now intending to returne Pope Eugenius of blessed memory retayned him there and by consent of his brethren Pope Eugenius Adrian Bishoppe of Alba. did consecrate him Bishop of Alba. A while after seeing his vertues and wisedome hee designed him Legate a Latere of the Apostolike Sea into
sinfull counsell tranformed himselfe into an Angel of light sometimes with a preteÌ„ce of exceeding piety otherwhyles with whole boastes of Bishoppes preystes and Religious yet whosoeuer considereth that Alexander was elected by fowerteene Cardinalles and Octauian by three only Three principall approbations of the Romane papacy that Alexander was chosen by all the Bishops Cardinalles Tusculan only excepted That Alexander was consecrated by the Bishop of Ostia and not Octiuian and Alexander established vpon these three principall foundations of the Romane papacy and not Octauian must needes beesides diuers other reasons bee inuincibly perswaded by these that AlexaÌ„der was truly preferred by God and his Church aÌ„d OctauiaÌ„ only bolstered out by the Emperour and the world For no Pope can hee chosen without the Bishop of Ostia I should haue wondred that soe many Bishoppes and Prelates gathered together in this vnlawfull conuenticle could soe bee ouerwhelmed in this Aegiptian darknes as they could not see this apparant light had I not knowne the like afterwardes in our owne countrey But thus it is when Bishopes feeding themselues and not theyr flockes run away at the sight of the Wolfe and beetray Godes cause with theyr slauish feare or flattery The reasons alleaged for this theyr wicked sentence against they re supreme spirtuall head were supported with the horrible periury of many eminent Clearkes a thing most detestable in soe holy a function and a great argument against him was that hee refused to bee iudged by these his subiectes a matter contrary to Religion and all rules of gouerment Heereupon these rebells against the Church excoÌ„municated the Pope out of the Church and imitated in all pointes the actioÌ„s of a true counsell but still grating vpoÌ„ the old quarrell of the league with Cecill against the Empire so was the world euer predominaÌ„t Some also pretended the cause of theyr connyueÌ„ce or coÌ„sent to this coÌ„uenticle was for an vnioÌ„ beetweene the Church and the Empyre which proued on the contrary side the originall of a tedious dissention beetweene them and some wiser then the rest subscribed to the Conuenticle to satisfy the present necessityes of the Empyre with reseruation of theyr sentence to the Churches more serious and further determination The Emperour heereupon not only adored the beaste attributing to his Idoll all honor beelonging to the papacy as kissing his feete The Emperour adoreth Octauian The Emperour persecuteth all Prelates who resiste this scysme Scysmaticks vsurpe Ecclesiastical dignitys Alexander threateneth the Emperour with excommunication The Archbishop of Mountes who first subscribed against Alexander miserablie murdered by his Cittizens CoÌ„rade succeeding the scysmatick in the Archbishoprick of Mounts left all to followe Alexander The Cistercians persecuted for Alexander houlding his styrrop and leading his horse but also proclaymed throughout the Empyre that all the Prelates should accept and reuerence him as Pope threatening banishment for euer to such as refused it And presently ensued the tyme to try the gold in the fire of persecution Now was the corne and chaffe parted For they who preferred theyr soules before theyr worldly substance left theyr countreyes their Churches and all their Ecclesiasticall dignityes which Octauians scysmaticall followers by intrusion inuaded Soe miserable was the face of this deformed Church Neyther was Alexander heerewith discomforted but the more the persecution preuayled the more couragiously hee opposed himselfe against the Emperour for hee prepared to denounce iudgmeÌ„t against him froÌ„ his Apostolicke throne hee summoned him to appeare and refusing to obey threatened him with the swoard of Excommunication Arnold Archbishop of Mountes beeing the first who absolutely subscribed against Pope Alexander for the Patriache reserued his opinion to the Churches iudgment was the first who susteyned due punishment therefore beeing on the Natiuity of saint Iohn the Baptist next following most cruelly murdered by his owne CittizeÌ„s throwne naked out as a prey for Wolues and dogges and his body after diuers abuses offered it in the end stinking aÌ„d scarce to bee knowne by stealth and with great difficulty buryed His next lawfull successor was Conrade the Emperours kinsman who leauing the Emperours scysmaticall faction followed Pope Alexander and for his iust cause endured persecution as alsoe whole Conuentes of the Cistercians who were banished for defence of Alexander But among others was Peeter Archbishop of Tarantasia most to bee admyred who not withstanding hee laboured aboue all others in mayntaining Alexander against Octauian was honored by the Emperour for his singular vertues Thus hee and some others in this ruine of Bishoppes were tryed faythfull in the Churches cause The Archbishop of TaraÌ„tasia most coÌ„stant to AlexaÌ„der yet honored by Frederick for his sanctity OctauiaÌ„ on the other side as it is sayd soe basely beehauing himselfe as hee submitted the Papal insignes to the Emperours will and receaued backe from Fredericke his inuesture by the ryng OctauiaÌ„ receaueth his inuestur froÌ„ Fredericke The king of EnglaÌ„d coÌ„stant to AlexaÌ„der coÌ„teÌ„neth Octauianes Nuntios The Archbishop of SenoÌ„ faythfull to Alexander and a great freind of saint Thomas The Cardinall of Pauy fainting in Alexanders cause proued soe to S. Thomas An. 1162. S. Edward King of EnglaÌ„d aÌ„d CoÌ„fessor canonized WhereupoÌ„ miracles were wrought Miracles wrought by the Archbishop of TaraÌ„tasia prouing the lawfull election of Alexander The Archbishop of Tarantasia confirmeth the Catholikes in obedience to the Pope in Italy Burgundy Loraygne S Anthelâ—â— Bishop of BilliceÌ„s setâ—eth the Carthusians aÌ„d Cistercians in subiectioÌ„ to Alexander winning thereby the western Church Frederick rageth Spayne Gaule and Brytaygne acknowledg Alexander Alexander not able to continue in Rome beeing oppressed by Octauian Alexander enforced to flye into France This appeareth in Alexanders Epistle to the Bishop of Lexouy wherin hee seemeth very much to relye vpon the king of Englandes constancy extolling him with extraordinary prayses For king Henry soe much contemned Octauian as hee made a scorne of his Nuntios and letters Lastly there were two thinges contrary to themselues yet concurring in this yeere which hauing relation to the history of S. Thomas are not to bee passed ouer in silence The one that the Archbishop of Senon beeing now most faythfull to Pope Alexander proued afterwardes as faythfull to saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury the other that William of Pauy Priest Cardinall of sainct Peeter ad vinculum faynting with silence at the Conuenticle of Pauy in the cause of Alexander was afterwardes as faulty in the cause of sainct Thomas King Henry the second of England acknowledging Alexander the lawfull Pope sent this yeere Embassadours to him for canonizing sainct Edward King of England and Confessor beeing 95. yeers after his death whereupon miracles beeing wrought God did with the power of these two Kinges the one in Heauen the other in earth confirme Alexanders vndoubted tytle and our remote Iland one of the vttermost boundes of the world confessed whom some of his Countreymen yea Cittizens wickedly contradicted Now also
brightnes soe in the resurrectioÌ„ the Saintes shall shine like starrs euery one in his proper order and they that haue instructed many to liue well shall bee as the bringhtnes of the Firmament for euer and euer among which ranck saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury may worthely bee placed Saint Thomas of Canterbury who as hee hath bin for Christ a Companion of their tribulation and patience soe is hee now in Christ a fellowe heire of their ioy and consolation whose meritts that they may the better appeare to the world I haue heere set downe the somme of his life and conuersation breifely and succinctly referring those that desire to reade his actes more largely discoursed to larger volumes of him and by him where hee shall bee satisfyed to the glory of Gods grace which breatheth where it will with how great expedition hee dispatched many great affaires it appeareth by his Epistles and by the writinges of other credible Authors also which being read with due attention may stirre vp vs and succeeding ages to vertue and piety Hee was borne in LoÌ„don of noe meane parentage Blessed Thomas was by birth à Londoner a noble issue descended from no meane parents from his tender yeeres hee was endowed with manifold graces of stature hee was tall of personage comely of witt quicke in discourse subtill and pleasant and in beauty of mynd hee was no lesse amiable In his yong yeeres such was the sharpnes of his witt that hee could vnfould strange and intricate questions and therewithall hee had soe happy a memory that what soeuer hee read or heard hee could easily make vse of it when occasioÌ„ was offered which many greater Clerkes could not attaine vnto all men did admire the alacritie of his spirit especially in a man employed in soe many businesses but thus did grace attend and nourish him that was reserued for soe emineÌ„t a place in the Church of God In his Sermons and ordinary discourses as hee vsed often times to say necessary matter was ministred vnto him his mother also as hee vsed to say taught him from his cradle to serue God His mothers Lesson and devoutly to call vpon the Blessed Virgin mother of God as the directer of hiâ—â—yes and patronesse of his life and next vnto Christ to put his cheife confidence in her His charitie and compassion Hee had compassion on those that begged from dore to dore and releiued them effectually so as hee might say with Iob mercy hath growne vp with mee from the beginning and pitty came with mee out of my mother's wombe Leauing the schooles of liberal sciences hee beecame a Courtier He became a Courtier in which profession hee gaue soe great hope of his forwardnes that both in the serious affaires of the Courte and in their disportes and recreation hee excelled far all his companions of his rancke and albeit hee did apply himselfe to the vaine delightes of youth as the frailty of that age did leade him yet was there euer in him a religious zeale and a magnificent mynd Hee was very religious albeeit hee was beyond measure desirous of popularity and as wee read of saint Brice of Tours although hee was proud and vaine and many times amourous in his wordes yet was hee nevertheles an admirable paterne to bee followed in the chastity of his body He was chast of body When hee perceaued that many thinges were attempted in the Courte to the dishonor of the Cleâ—gie and that his liuing there was repugnant to his intended purpose by the instinct and conduction of grace rather then by the motion and aduice of his freindes He was preferred to the seruice of Theobald Arch-Bishop of Can. hee preferred himselfe to the seruice of Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury of happie memory where through his industrie in shorte time hee was receaued into the number of his most familiar freindes which were very fewe how many great trauailes hee sustained there for the Church of God how often hee did visite the sepulchers of the Blessed Apostles He was employed in meighty affaires for the dispatch of necessary affaires with what prosperous successe hee spedd in his negotiations it is not easy to bee related especially by a pen that affecteth breuity purposing only compendiouslie to set downe the cause and manner of his Martyrdome He studyed the Ciuil and Canon lawe for the better preparing of him that was preordained of God to bee soe great a prelate for the decyding of weighty causes and instructing of the people hee gaue himselfe to the study of the Ciuil and Cannon lawe and for the encreasing of his experience in the Ecclesiasticall function the saide Archbishop made him Arch-Deacon of the Church of Canterbury wherin hee was trained vp He was made Arch-Deacon of Cant. Afterward when Henry Duke of Normandie and Aquitaine the sonne of Galfride Earle of Angiou and Mawlde the Empresse succeded king Stephen in the crowne of England the said Arch-Bishop obtained of the king the Chancellorship of England for his Arch-Deacon He was made Lord Chauncellor of Eng. for hee suspected the kinges youth and feared the malice of certaine yong heades by whom hee seemed to bee directed least that by their counsaile hee should bee incited to take vpon him the gouerment of the realme by the lawe of conquest for it seemed vnto him that hee had coÌ„quered the Realme wheras in truth it was nott soe and therfore the Arch-Bishop procured such à Lord Chancellor by whose meanes and industry the new king might bee stayed from attempting any thing against the Church his malice tempered and the insolency of his officers repressed who vnder colour of authority and instice had conspired to make a prey of the Church and common-weal e. At his first entrance into that office hee sustained so great and manifold difficultyes of weighty affaires was enuironed with so many labours oppressed with so many afflictions set vpon with so many wiles and exposed to so many snares of the courte or to speake more properly of the courtiers that hee vsed often times with teares to protest vnto the Arch-Bisbop and others his freindes hee was euery day weary of his life and moreouer that next vnto his eternal saluation he desired nothing more theÌ„ without note of infamy to deliuer himselfe from the alurements of the Courte for albeeit the world seemed to applaude and flatter him with all her enticements yet was hee neuer vnmindfull of his place and the Church committed vnto him wherby hee was constrained continually to contend and striue His allegiance to the king and loue to the common weale for the honor and safetie of the king and secondly for the good of the Church and common wealth both against the king himselfe and his enemyes also and by diuers sleightes to defeate diuers wiles by them intended against him but his greatest greife was that hee was without intermissioÌ„ to fight against the beastes of
the Courte and continually to bee wrestling with a certaine Protheus as the Prouerb 15. so as if the grace of God and his owne industry had not preserued him hee was like euery houre haue bin throwne downe head long into ruyne and destruction In the time of his Chancellorship hee found so great fauour with the king that after the decease of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury hee succeeded in that Sea to gouern the Church of England for the king hauing had manifold tryall of him Hee was made L. Archi-Bishop of Canterb. deemed his fidelity and magnanimity to bee fit for so high a dignity and also that thee would haue a care of his profit and gouerne all thinges in the Church and Common wealth to his good liking and moreouer hee did fore see if it should please God to cut him of by vntimely death that hee would bee a faithfull Tutor for the education of his children for surely hee was a man of wonderfull great experience in the world and one that would wisely coniecture of the euent of things to comme A faithfull Tutor to the kings issue hauing by long experience learned the charge and honor both belonging to his place hee knew also the kings conditions and the pride of his officers and how powerfull the malice of his Parasites was whervppon hee coniectured euidently that by the acceptance of that dignity hee should lose the fauor of God or else of the king for it was impossible for him to please God and to obserue the kinges humor neither could hee please the king and preferre the lawe of God before his He refused that promotion and therefore for a season hee would not accept of the promotion which the king and other of his freindes perswaded him vnto But the prouidence of God preuayled so as by the instant and vrgent perswasion of that honorable Cardinal Preist Pisanus Legate of the Sea Apostolick hee did satisfie the kinges desire and the perswasion of his freindes chusing rather to hazard the kinges displeasure then to giue way vnto the desolation of the Church and resoluing either to protect it from so imminent danger of seruitude or else after the example of Christ to lay downe his life for his sheepe for the lay power beereauing the Church of her ancient priuiledges tooke vpon it to determine all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as temporal and as the people so was the Clergie troaden vnder foote also wherfore hee whom God had preordained to bee so greate à Prelate and Martyr notwithstanding that some of his enemyes did labour against the ordinance of God was elected with the general consent of all men After his consecration forth with His discipline putting of the old man hee put on haire-cloth to Crucify the flesh with the concupiscence therof and remembring that hee had taken vpon him the office of a Pastor and Doctour hee performed the ministerie of à Preacher All the time which hee could spare from his affaires of greatest importance His pronesse to prayer hee beestowed it for the most parte in prayer and reading when hee was solitary hee did maruilousely abound in teares and in his celebration at the Aultar his behauiour was such as if hee had beheld our lordes Passion in the flesh before his eyes Hee did minister the Sacramēts with so great reuerence that the very handling of them was able to informe the faith and manners of them that beheld him Hee kept backe his hand from bribery and giftes and cast away from him the filth of couetousnes in counsell hee was prouidēt Hee was a prouident Counsellor in hearing of causes a diligent and indifferent iudge in questions subtil in answers ready in iudgment iust without respect of persons and a strict executor of the law in all pointes Vnder outward decency of apparrel hee was inwardly apparelled with the armour of à Christian souldier which that the merrit therof might not bee diminished through vaineglory hee was very carefull to hide from the world and that according to the saying of the wise man his outward semblance might bee agreable to the world His charitable releife of the poore whenas inwardly all thinges were contrary In his place hee sat not downe to meate vntill the poore were sent in before him and that they might the better bee releiued with that which was left hee would haue his table th◠more plentifull Such as begged from dore to dore went not away empty handed from his gate Hee caused his seruantes to visit the houses of sicke and feeble persons and hee did visit them himselfe effectually with his beneuolence sustaining many of them dayly with meate drinke and cloth He doubled the largiss of his Predecessor for wheras his predecessor Theobald of happie memory did double the expences of his Predecessor beestowed in almes hee likewise of a certaine religious emulation thought good to redouble the like expences of his Predecessor also for the performance of which charitable worke hee did consecrate the tenth parte of all his reuenues to that purpose Hee daily washt the feete of 13. poore people Hee vsed daily in a certaine secret Cell vpon his knees to wash the feete of thirteene poore folke in remembrance of Christ giuing to euery one of them after they had well dyned fourepēce which if any time hee could not attend in his owne person which seldome hapned hee caused it diligently to bee supplyed by a substitute Hee entertained religious persons with so great a respect as if hee had receaued a dinine presence Hee was very liberal or an Angel in their persons In hospitality and other workes of liberality hee was so plentifull that his riches seemed the common treasury of all mē and albeeit his house was garnished with rich and pretious furniture His contempt of worldly riches He was temperate in his diet yet did hee contemne riches and worldly treasure as dung for Christ vsing transitory thinges to serue his necessity and not to satisfie his concupiscences and pleasure In his diet he was temperate obseruing therewith a mediocrity that by too much austerity hee might not bee taxed of superstition or by ingurgitation esteemed a Glutton He detested hypocrisie Hee detested no lesse the note of hypocrisie then hee did the imputation of dishonesty esteeming it the best kind of fasting to obserue the measure of sobrietie in which attire being poore in spiritt vnder a merri countenance couering a contrite harte in a delicate table preferring penury rising often from the bourde rather empty then full bellied and more often refreshed then satisfyed in keeping himselfe euer within the compasse of sobrietie Hee conformed himselfe to the manners of those hee accompanyed withall after the example of the Apostles who by wholsom dispensation became all vnto all to the intent to gaine all Hee deliuered the poore from the hand of the mighty as one that was truly giuen by God to bee a father to
being very bitterly incensed beegan to vexe him with more greiuous and exquisite molestations in such wise as it was apparant to all vnderstanding men the blood and life of the Archbishop was thirsted after Among other matters the king soe wrought The King incensed against Saine Thomas sendeth an embassage to the Pape as hee sent messangers to Pope Alexander and required two thinges at his hands first that hee would grant the legantine authority which was vsually committed to the Archbishop of Canterbury vnto the Archbishop of Yorke then that the Pope would confirme the artickles of the customes published in the Parliament of Claringtonne Vpon receipt of which message Alexander beeing on all sides beesieged with exceeding extremities seeing this warre now turned on the Apostolicall Sea laboured with his best and most ready endeauours to calme and appease the king and soe to yeeld to him insome what which neuerthelesse should with no preiudice derogate from the Chuch of Canterbury and thereupon did write in this sorte to the Archbishop Lib. 1 epist 4 The Popes epistle to S. Thomas coÌ„cerning the Kinges dedemandes Although in regard of the wisâ—dome of your minde and sincerity of your faith wee would euer loue your persâ—â— with a more plentifull sweetnes of châ—ritie and a more enflamed desire and with a fare more feruent affection seeke the honour and exaltation of you as our most deare brother it is notwithstanding beehoofefull to vs and you who are a greate pillar of the Church warely to weigh the qualityes of the times and with a prouident moderation and dispensation to mitigate the wrath of the incensed king You on whom God hath beestowed a large talent of wâ—sedome and grace doe truly see in your discretion in what sorte our most deare sonne in Christ Henrie the renowned king of England maintaineth an outragious course in the gouerment of his kingdome and desireth to haue the same vnlawfull proceedinges strenthned witâ— the authority of the Church of Rome whereby they may obtaine the greater confirmation and fauour Whereupon when in times past hee more instantly required of vs and our brethren by our reuerent brother the Bishoppe of Lyons and our beeloued sonne the Archdeacon of Poyters that hee might haue the power Legantine of all England graunted to the Arrchbishop of Yorke and beesought alsoe that wee would command as well you as all the Bishops vniuersally to keepe and conserue the ancient customes and dignities of his kingdome because wee did not yeeld to his desire according to his owne will instantly vpon returne of his embassadors scarce hearing the answer receaued from vs hee sent our beeloued sonnes Geffry his Archdeacon and Master Iohn vnto our presence and by them most earnestly required at our handes not only the former but also other far more vnreasonable demands and to the end wee should yeelde an easyer way to his desire hee procured letters vnto vs from your brotherhood and also the foresaid Bishop of Yorke For as hee prayed vs beefore that the ancient customes and dignitys might by our command bee conserued soe now againe of late hee most earnestly requested that in like sorte as your selfe and others had promised to obserue them they might in the same manner bee assured to him and his posterity Hew far the Pope graunted or denyed the Kings requests by the Sea Apostolicke But wee reiected his petition Notwithstanding least wee should incite him to ouermuch bitternes and more passionate trouble of mynde against vs and you least also it might bee suspected that this was any way hindred in regard of your selfe moreouer fearing hee might breake out into a more furious rage against you and beeing therefore desirous to bee more prouident for you and our selues with consideration of the dangerous times wee yealded so far to the king as to grante the Legantine letters to the aforesaid Archbishop And for that subiectes are truly bound to submitt themselues to their Princes desires and obey their wille wee aduise counsail and by all meanes exhorte your wisedome that as a prouident and discreete man measuring the necessity of the time and with faithfull consideration foreseeing what aduersityes may happen by reason thereof to you and your Church you would endeuour to yeelde to your King in all thinges sauing euer the honour of your Ecclesiasticall dignity and instant labor to recouer to your selfe his grace and fauour least in doeing otherwise you disquiet him to the hurte of you and our selues and they who are transported with an other spirit might thereby purchasse power to insult ouer you and vs. And wâ—e truly as oportunity shall serue will diligently and carefully treate with your King for your honor and augmentation and will employ all necessary trauell for conseruation of the lawes and dignityes of your Church and with all conueniency bee watchfull and prouident therein Dated at Senon the third of the Nones of March Reader you beehould Pope Alexander beesett with extremityes either to loose the kinges good will or grante his requestes and yeeld to him who laboureth to extorte a petition against the Churches liberty these two soe intangleing him the one of the kings demaundes hee satisfyed giuing the Legantine authority to the Bishop of Yorke the other hee absolutely denyed beeing the confirmation of the recited customes yea to the end this Legantine power conferred on the Bishop of Yorke might no way preiudice S. Thomas hee thought good soe to restrayne the same in his later letters that hee should vnderstand this Legation of his for England to bee confined with condition that notwithstanding hee should haue no authority graunted him ouer the Archbishop or Dioces of the Church of Canterbury Lib. 1. epist 5 Lib. 1. epist 3â— 40. Pope Alexanders letters importing this restraint are extant which for breuity wee omitt thinking it sufficieÌ„t if wee leaue them heere noted with their numbres in the margent It is alsoo apparant in the same letters of Pope Alexander that hee soe gaue the legation for England to the Bishop of Yorke as neuerthelesse hee would not suffer the Bishopps to bee exempted from the obedience they owed vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury to whom in very true right they were subiecte which rather enkindled the Kinges greater indignation who desired the Apostolicall Legantine authority for the Archbishop of Yorke of purpose to depose the Archbishop of Canterbury For Alexander hereupon inclined more to the cause of Sainct Thomas The Pope endeauoreth to succour S. Thomas and was soe far of from graunting to pleasure the King against him as hee most carefully watched to supporte his prosperity with the libertys of his Church commanding also the principall Monasteries of France to pray for him vnto allmighty God which is witnessed by a messinger sent from S. Thomas to his Holines in the conclusion of whose letter are these wordes worthie of memory Last of all wee petitioning his Holines that hee would commaund you to make your repaire
endeauour for her deliuery Vnlesse perchance you will imagin hee leaueth the shipp who entreth the Cock-boate to drawe her into the hauen This and much more in the beehalfe of saint Thomas wryteth his defendant Iohn of Salisbury But heare what the King of England did Cod Vatis lib 1 epistola 23. vpon the reporte of his departure Henry thus deluded hearing by some that saint Thomas was escaped by flight published his Edictes in this sorte against him and the Clearkes his followers Henry King of England to the seuerall Bishoppes ordayned in England Yee are not Ignorant in what euill sorte Thomas Archbisoppe of Canterbury hath proceeded against mee and my kindome and in what bad manner hee is departed And therefore I coÌ„mand yee none of his Clearkes who after that his flight accompanyd him not any other Clearkes who derogated from the honor of mee and the honor of my kingdome receaue any renttes beelonging to them in your Bishoppickes otherwise then by my permission nor haue any assistance or aduice from yee Hee set out also an other proclamation for sequestring the reuenewes of the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury into the kinges handes Likewise hee published other decrees signifyed to S. Thomas from his friend by wryting in these wordes Please iâ— you to vnderstand Ibid epist 15 ibid. ep 14. Lawes on asted after the flight of S. Thamas that this is the tenor of the commissions sent by King Henry into England to wit That euery hauen bee most carefully guarded least any letters of interdiction bee any way brought into the land and if any Reguler person bringeth them in let his feete bee cut of if hee bee a Clearke let him lose his eyes and priuy members if a laye man let him bee hanged If a Leper let him be burned and if any Bishop for dread of this interdictioÌ„ will trauell out of the realme let him cary nothing with him beesides his staffe It is also his will that all schollers bee compelled to returne into their countrey or else to bee depriued of their Benefices and they that stay shall remayne without euer hope of returne likewise for those Priests who refuse to sing let them lose their priuy partes And let all who rebell bee depriued of their Benefices Thomas in the meane while hauing suffered this banishment sent these letters to Pope Alexander which Roger in his Chronickes of England recyteth the yeere following yet truly appertayning to this present S Thomas concerning hiâ— appeal to the Pope written with these wordes I flye for refuge most holy father vnto your audience that you who with soe greate a hazard of your selfe haue rescued the Churches liberty may now consider the only or cheifest cause of the persecution of my selfe who haue followed your example For I greeued to see the state of the Church by litle and litle to perish and her lawes infringed by the Auarice of Princes and thought this danger of sicknes was to bee preuented and by how much I knewe my selfe more bound to that lord of myne vnto whom next vnder God I am most ingaged soe much the more securely I supposed his vniust attemptes were to bee resisted vntill they preuayled who clowded from mee the cleere beames of his fauor Afterwardes as it is accustomed with Princes they raysed against mee slanders and false accusations whereby they might prosecute mee and I rather chose banishment then to yeelde to iniustice and to multiplye these mischeifes I was as a laye man called beefore the King to makâ— satisfaction and where I hoped in my resistance for most assistance there was I especially deceaued for I found my lordes and fellowe brethren the Bishoppes prepared at the pleasure of the Courtiers to punish mee Thus allmost strangled with the inuasions of soe many I haue fled for succour to the audience of your Holines who neglecteth not those who are plunged in extremityes and vnder whom I stand ready to make good that I am nether to bee iudged there nor by them for what is this else father then to diminish and withdrawe from you the authority of your lawes yea what else then to submit spirituall Power to temporal iurisdiction this once suffered would open an example to many and therefore I iudged Christ fauoreth Caesar not a tia tirant it was with more constancy to bee withstood because the headlong way to doe hurte is to see but a weake resistance But they will say Those thinges are to bee giuen to Caesar which are Caesars yet allthough in many matters the king is to bee obeyed hee is neuerthelesse not to bee obeyed in those by which hee ceaseth to bee a king for such appertayne not to Caesar but to a Tyrant wherein the Bishoppes if not for my sake yet for their owne should haue resisted him For if the last iudgment is reserued for him who hath power to iudge both body and soule shall the highest Tribunal among men bee attributed to him who iudgeth according to his owne sense if these Bishoppes mayntaine the parte of iustice why did they assault mee why doe they reproue mee for appealing vnto him to auoyde whose determination of controuersyes is either vnlawfull or not expedient wherefore they haue vniustly accused mee or distrusted of your iustice for otherwise it were a double confusion to mee to bee conuicted before your Holines And haue I deserued persecution at their handes for whose cause I defended the bullwarke against soe greate a battery and had won the victory if only they would haue assisted but in all case is the head beeing left destitute by the members for how would it bee if the eyes should vse the tongue against thâ— head if they had well foreseene it they deuisâ—d but mischeefe to their owne confusion and our principall aduersaryes abused their assistance to bring them into slauery Because they haue accomplished all this How many wayes the Bishoppes of England offended against S. Thomas vpon soe greate a malice that to vndoe mee they would withall ouerthrowe themselues they haue herein neglected spirituall treasures for temporall trifles and fayled in the end of both Againe what an offence was it that when I cryed out against this iniustice and appealed to your audience they durst in iudgment comdemne mee their father what if they conspire with the Prince our aduersary against the whole Catholicke Church and truly most holy father you might haue bin suspitious thereof Yet wille they say they were bounde to their king as their temporal lord but to him in their bodyes to mee in their soules and to whom could they bee more obliged then to themselues Is it not better to lose corporall then spiritual riches But they will againe reply the king was not in this perilous tyme to bee prouoked O how subtilly doe they argue for their owne slauery yea they prouoke him who by their excesses giue winges to his will and pleasure For they might haue bin quiet had they not to quietly
as he bee consecrated This hee condemned 13. If any noble-maÌ„ of the kingdome shall powerfully ouerbeare any Archbishop Bishop or Archdeacon in matter of iustice so as hee cannot obtaine the right beelonging to him or his the king ought to make him haue his owne according to iustice And if any one will ouerbeare our Lord the king in clayming his right the Archbishops Bishops and Archdeacons ought to procure his Maiesties iustice that his aduersary may satisfy our Lord the king This hee tollerated 14. When any shall forfeit their chattells vnto the king no Church nor Church-yeard ought to detaine them contrary to his Maiesties iustice beecause bee they found in Churches or otherwise all is one they are his Maiesties This hee tollerated 15. Pleadinges in matter of debt which are grounded vpon oath as well as others which are without oathe shall bee handled in the king's court This hee condemned I thinke beecause periury was punished in the spirituall courte 16. The sonnes of Villanes ought not to take holy orders without assent of their Lordes of whose landes they are knowne to bee natiues This hee tollerated How the Pope proceeded with S. Thomas Which beeing read and considered Pope Alexander as beefore beeing very much troubled turning himselfe to the Archbishop vsed these wordes Allthough brother the offence of you and your associate Bishoppes bee great and enormious yet ought wee to proceede more mildly with you who albeeit as you confesse haue fallen yet presently after with rising agayne endeauored to repaire your ruine and by reason thereof endured many greeuous and terrible wronges and presently vpon your fall remayning as yet in England did seeke and deserue from vs as proceeding from our clemency the benefit of Absolution whereupon as it is conuenient wee pardon your offence to the end you in this your aduersity may soe much the more fully and effectually feele the consolation and grace of our clemency aboue other Ecclesiasticall Persons by how much the more you haue lost worldly commoditys and sustayned greater afflictions for the liberty of the Church your faith and deuotion towardes vs. And thus the Apostolicke Prelate first rebukeing with a fatherly seuerity and then recomforting with the sweetenes of a motherly consolation dismissed for that time the Archbishop Soe is the matter there discribed But an other speech far differing from this heere recyted and supposed to bee made by sainct Thomas to Pope Alexander is rehearsed in the fore mentioned volume of Epistles Lib. 1. Epist 30. Then our Author preceedeth The morrow after the Archbishop beeing present with my Lord the Pope and the Cardinalls sittting in a withdrawing chamber vsed these wordes My fathers and lordes S. Thomas resigneth his Archbishopprick before the Pope it is vnlawfull for a man to speake vntruly any where much more before God and in your presence wherefore with teares I confesse that my miserable offence was the originall of these agreeuances to the Church of England I ascended into the fould of Christ but not by the true dore as a person not called by Cannonicall election but intruded by the terror of publick authority and although I vndertooke this burden against my minde neuerthelesse the will of man and not of God induced mee thereunto What wonder then if thinges succeeded contrary to my expectation But if I had vpon the kinges threateninges as my associate Bishoppes instantly persuaded mee renounced at the Princes pleasure and desire the prerogatiue of the Episcopal power soe granted mee I had left to the Catholike Church a pernicious example I differred it therefore vntill I came before your presence but now acknowledging myne entraÌ„ce not to bee Cannonicall and fearing therefore my departure will fall out to bee farre worser perceauing also my ability too weake for vndergoeing soe great a charge least I proue to bee preferred ouer my flocke for their ruine ouer whom I am placed howsoeuer for a Pastor into your handes ô holy father into your handes I say I resigne the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury And pulling withall his ring from his finger hee humbly beesought a fit Bishop might bee prouided worthie of that Church in reguard that hee hauing the name of a Pastor proformed not the office of a Pastor And finishing his speech he inforced my Lord the Pope and all present to like sorrowe yea what man hearing this can abstayne from lamentation The Archbishop afterwardes departing asyde together with his followers who were scandalized at his wordes beecause in reguard heereof they began to dispaire My lord the Pope did heereupon enter into conference with the Cardinalls the matter beeing on both sides through sundry opinions diuersly discussed Some thought occasion beeing thus offered the Kinges indignation might bee more easily appeased while the Church of Canterbury by the election of an other Bishop might bee reconcyled to his fauour and sainct Thomas otherwise prouided with more competent meanes These were the Pharisees soe the Author termeth the aduersaryes of S. Thomas Others whose eyes were opened iudged otherwise saying That if hee who for defence of the Churches liberty exposed to imminent hazard and danger not only his riches and glory with dignity and authority but also his very life should at the kinges pleasure bee depriued of his right as hee should bee made a patterne to others in like case for resisting of Princes if the tytle of his iuste cause were mayntayned intire soe on the other side were hee suffered to fall all other Bishopes would fall after him and none in time to come dare to resist the power of willfull Princes whereby the state of the Church would stagger and the Popes authority perish and therefore say they it is expedient that this man although vnwilling should bee restored to his sea and hee who fighteth for vs by all meanes succoured This sentence was approued by all the Pharisies only excepted The Pope restoreth to S. Thomas his resigned Archbishoppricke Saint Thomas with his followers beeing called in my Lord the Pope thus deliuered his sentence Now at length Brother appeareth to vs the zeale you haue had and doe as yet still continew for the house of our Lord with how sincere a conscience you haue opposed your selfe as a bullwarke against her aduersaries how pure a confession you haue made of your entry into your function making a voluntarie resignation whereby the fault of the offence may and ought to bee purged Now may you securely receaue an w from our handes the charge of your Pontifiâ—all authority wee adiudging you to bee intirely restored and out of all doubt worthily whom wee knowe to bee a man approoued with manifold kindes of temptations a person prouident and discreete beeloued of God and man faithfull in all thinges to vs and the sacred Church of Rome And as you haue bin made a partaker and vndeuided associate in our persecution soe by Gods grace can wee neuer in any thing bee wanting to you as long as the
which the world witnesseth wee neuer deserued at his handes malitiously to depraue and derogate from vs and our renowne But if the sayd Archbishoppe as of his owne accord hee departed the land soe of his owne free will would returne againe and beare him selfe to vs in such sort as he ought to behaue himselfe to his Lord and king wee then would likewise so deale with him as according to the counsell of our Clergie and Layetie as well of our kingdome as our Prouinces beeyond the seas should bee thought conuenient but wee thinke it vnfitting to call him backe whom wee neuer enforced to flye our dominions Wherefore if it â—â—all appeare to vs that wee haue any way offended or exceeded our boundes wee will with the aduice of our Clergie and Barons according to the customes dignityes and excellency of our kingdome willingly satisfy as wee are bound But if any one will attempt to trouble or diminish the lawes customes and dignityes of our crowne wee will esteeme him the publicke aduersary and open enemy of our name honor and kingdome and wee so long as wee liue will neuer endure the least detriment to the dignityes and customes of our regality which the renowned men our Predecessors haue held and inioyed in the raignes of the holy Popes of Rome Lastly in that hee commanded yee to insinuate vnto vs that wee should not afflict the Churches or Ecclesiasticall persons of our kindome or Prouinces nor yet suffer them to bee afflicted God and our Conscience doe witnes that to this very day wee neuer did nor Permitted it to bee donne Hetherto the kinges Apologie to the Cardinalls But as the image of a foule deformed and horrible Monster beeing ouercast with coulors may bee transformed into the showe of a most faire and chaste Virgin and not with standing there lurketh vnderneath what to the eyes would bee dreadfull to beehould yet outwardly it appeareth delectable Soe shall yee playnly see his detestable crymes with a deceytfull style transformed into vertues But what estimation is to bee had of him that which hath allready bin sayd and what heereafter shall bee written will apparently declare There are also other letters extant which passed this yeere in the cause of controuersy beetwene the king of England and sainct Thomas beeing writings truly of great moment and principaly that which Pope Alexander sent to the Bishop of London and is recyted by Roger in these words Alexander Bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to his reuerent brother Gilbert Bishop of London sendeth greeting with an Apostolicall Benediction In that you haue beestowed singular care and diligence about the busines wee enioyned your brotherhood and for that your haue faithfully sollicited and effectually admonished our most deare sonne in Christ Henry the renowned king of England concerning the encrease and exaltation of the Church and vs wee receaue the same as a thing most gratefull and acceptable and thereupon rendring you abundance of thankes wee doe for that cause highly commend and prayse in our Lord your watchfull and endeauouring wisedome And beecause wee loue with a more intire charity this your king as a famous Prince and our dearest sonne therefore wee haue thought good often yea very often to sollicyte and excite him by all meanes to deuotion towards the Church as well by your reuerent brethren the Archbishop of Roane and Bishop of Hereforde and also by our most deare daughter in Christ his mother sometymes the illustrous Empres of Rome And now reioyce and are greatly comforted in our Lord for the godly zeale of the same king signifyed to vs by your letters But beecause wee would haue him as intirely affected to the Church of God and to vs as in the beeginning her was accustomed to bee wee intreate admonish yea command your brotherhood that you will againe and againe both by your selfe and others carefully and diligently stirre vp exhorte and by all meanes perswade him to procure after his wonted manner with his best endeauors the honor and exaltation of the same Church and foster mayntaine and defend with all courage the cause therof that hee would loue and reuerence Churches and Ecclesiasticall persons and conserue their rightes and franchises Likewise that hee would restore to his grace and fauour our reuerent brother the Archbishop of Canterbury and for our parte if hee yeeld to sainct Peeter and vs the respect and honor which heeretofore hee hath done wee will loue him with a most tender affection and labour by all meanes as beeseemeth vs to magnify and aduance him and preserue the kingdome committed to his charge for wee had rather vanquish him with patience and mildnes then any way agreeue him soe long vs wee can possibly forbeare him Dated at Gradus Mercurii XI Kalend. Septemb. Thus wrote Alexander to the Bishop of London who in this manner answered him To his father and Lord the most high Bishop Alexander Brother Gilbert seruant of the Church of London sendeth his dutifull seruice of sincere charity and humble obedience Hauing receaued most deere father in Christ your commandement with dew reuerence wee instantly heard that your sonne our most beeloued soueraigne Lord was leading his army in the confines of France and taking with vs our venerable Brother Robert Bishop of Hereford according to your direction with all attentiue dilligence wee treated with him and laying beefore his eyes whatsoeuer you signifyed to vs by letter partly entreating and as far as beecame subiects to the Maiestie of their king also reprouing wee constantly and instantly perswaded him that hee would bee certifyed in all these pointes and if hee had swarued from the path of reason hee would returne to the way of truth and iustice beeing called backe by your admonition deliuered him by our mouth and beeing piously aduertised by his father 〈◊〉 absolutly desist from wicked actions loue God witâ— a pure harte respect his Mother the holy Church of Râ—â—e with his wonted reuerence and neuer forbid those whâ— were willing to visit her nor hinder appeales made vnto her and reducing charitably from exile our father the Lord of Canterbury hee would remayne constant and vnmoueable in the obedience of sainct Peeter and your Holines and wholy bent to the workes of deuotion would not any way afflict Churches or Ecclesiasticall persons of his kingdome or dominions nor suffer them to bee in any sorte iniured by himselfe or others but with loue defend them vnder his royall protection that hee by whom kinges doe raigne may in this world prosper his temporal Dominion and beestowe on him in heauen an eternall kingdome Otherwise if hee obeyed not your godly and wholsome admonitions your Holines who had hetherto with patience indured could no longer contayne your selfe within the compasse thereof Heereunto wee added that hee was iustly to feare least if hee corrected not his offences hee shoulde shortly incurre the wrath of Allmighty God through which his kingdome would not long continewe nor his bee
same sealed vp to such Messingers as shall bee designed for that purpose And withall commanded to send or deliuer the letters of the sayd Legantyne authority together with the letters of the Archbishop to sundry Bishoppes according to their seuerall directions and not to omitt this vnder payne of infringing the integrity of our state and order Prostrate therefore in harte wee humbly beeseeche at the feete of your Maiestie that you will not in regard of the weighty affaires beelonging to the charge of your kingdome neglect to consyder of vs but to prouide out of your princely piety soe for vs as wee bee not to our eternall infamy throwne from all to nothing which you may conueniently doe if you condescend by your leaue to obey the Apostolicke commandementes and restoring saint Peeters pence and through your mercy the Clearkes to their owne You command all the Bishoppes that if they can finde any thing in the Archbishoppes letters to make against the customes of the kingdome they presently with all confidence appeale vnto the Popes holines or his Legates which are directed vnto vs soe shall you doe a worke of mercy preserue vs from the guilt of disobedience and by the common appeale of all defend our cause from receauing any detriment Our Lord instruct you to doe his will and redeeme vs out of the streightes wherin wee are at this instant plunged Farwell most beeloued Lord in Christ And thus London painting the wall without temperature whilst with the remedy of appeale and not absolute obedience hee counselled the king to redresse this matter But Thomas now strengthened with the most ample power of the Apostolicall Legation setting asyde delay S. Thomas executeth his LegaÌ„tyne authority falled downe what was to bee cult and corrected plucked vp the bastard plantes which had now beeyond all right and reason taken deepe rootes and beeing made a fanne in the hand of our Lord vndertooke with his greate labour to seperate the chaffe from the corne finding in al things not only the kinge himselfe but also the Bishoppes his most bitter aduersaries whom neither by benefitts nor admonitions hee could euer bring to better passe but indured them still as the most vile deprauers of his actions to the king Yet that hee may not appeare negligent in his office hee awaked the slougthfull restrained the wanderers and those whom hee found in regarde of their abhominable crymes altogether vnworthie hee cut them of from the communion of the Catholike Church as rotten members from a sound body All which is signifyed by the letters hee wrote this present yeere out of France into England to the Bishops subiect to his charge which beeing recorded among other his Epistells are to bee read in this sorte Codi Vat. lib. 1. Epist 9â— Thomas by the grace of God the humble seruante of the Church of Canterbury to his reuerent brethren the Bishop of London and other Bishoppes of the whole Prouince of Canterbury wisheth soe to passe through temporall felicity as they loose not eternall My most beeloued Bretthren why rise yee not with mee against the malicious S. Thomas by his Epistel correcteth the Bishops of his Prouince Why staÌ„d yee not with mee against the workes of iniquity Are yee ignorant that our Lord will disperse the bones of them who please men They shall bee confounded beecause our Lord hath despised them Your discretion sufficiently vnderstandeth that an error not resisted is approued and truth not defended is oppressed And by the testimony of saint Gregory Psalm 52. hee seemeth to consent to the erronious who essayeth not to reforme what is to bee amended Heereby is apparant that wee haue too long and too much forborne the king of England nor yet hath the Church of God reaped any commodity by this our enduring It seemeth dangerous and intollerable for vs to leaue any longer vnpunished hetherto wee haue done soe greate excesses of him and his officers against the Church of God and Ecclesiasticall persons especially since wee haue very often endeauored by messangers letters and all manner of meanes as bee came vs to recall him from his peruerse purpose Beecause therefore hee will hardly afforde vs the hearing and much lesse attentiuely listen vnto vs wee haue with inuocation of the grace of the holy ghoste publickly condemned and declared as voyd that deede of wryting together with the authority of that indenture wherin are contayned not customes but rather those wicked deuices by which the Church of England is disturbed and confounded and haue also excommunicated all the obseruers exactors counsellors assistantes and defenders of the same and doe absolue by the authority of God and vs all yee Bishoppes from that promise whereby yee were bound contrary to the constitution of the Church for the obseruation of them For who can make doubt but that the Preistes of Christ should bee esteemed the fathers and Maisters of kinges Princes and all faithfull beeleeuers Is it not a miserable madnes if the sonne should endeauour to bring the father or the scholler the Master vnder his subiection and with vnlawfull bandes to subdue vnto his will the partie by whom his faith telleth him that not only in earth but also in heauen hee may bee tyed and loosed wherefore that yee may not fall into the lapse of this sentence wee haue adiudged voyd the authority of this obligation and the schedule it selfe with all the enormityes contayned therein and haue especially declared it of no force in these thinges ensuing 1. That no man shall appeale to the Apostolike Sea vpon any cause without the kinges licence 2. That it shall not bee lawfull for an Archbishop or Bishop to departe out of the kingdome and come at the calling of our Lord the Pope without our Lord the kinges licence 3. That it shall not bee lawfull for à Bishop to excommunicate any one houlding of the kinge in cheyfe without the kinges licence or to interdict his land or the landes of his Officers 4. That it shall not bee lawfaull for a Bishop to punish any one for periury or profaning his faith 5. That Clearkes shall bee bounde to bee tryed beefore secular Tribunalles 6. That the Layety or kinge or any others shall handle causes beeloÌ„ging to the Church or Tythes or others of like nature Wee denounce also as excommunicate and haue excommunicated by name Iohn de Oxeforde who hath fallen into a damnable heresie by making oathe to the Scysmaticks whereby the scysme allmost extinguished in Almayne reuiued againe also by communicating with that infamous Scysmatick Reynold Archbishop of Colâ—n and lastly beecause against the commandement of our Lord the Pope and vs hee vsurped to himselfe the Deanry of the Church of Salisbury which acte as contrary to law and à pernicious example to the Church of God wee haue condemned and declared as voyde commanding the Bishop of Salisbury and his Chapter in the vertue of obedience and perill of their order that vpon sight
these his disorders To the end therefore most blessed father the authority of the Apostolicke Sea and liberty of the Church of God which in our partes are allmost wholy perished may howsoeuer bee againe able to bee restored it is necessary and by all meanes expedient that what wee haue doâ—â— may by you bee absolutely ratifyed and with your letters confirmed And soe wee wish your Holines long to prosper and flourish The reason why saint Thomas did not excommunicate the king which hee was prepared now to doe and was of the king soe much feared is thus declared by Iohn of Salisbury in his Epistle to the Bishop of Exceter Hauing lately assembled to a counsell at Chynon his peeres and familiars who are knowne to haue the sleyght and practise for contriuing mischeefes and are wise to deuise and effecte wickednes hee carefuly inquired many wayes with forerunning threates protestations what wâ—re best to bee aduised to preiudice the Church greeuously complayning not without groanes and many sighes yea very teares as the standers by reported of the Archbishop of Canterbury saying that Canterbury would depriue him both of body and soule in the end hee affirmed they were all traytors who would not with their vttermost endeauors and diligence seeke to deliuer him from the molestation of this one man HeereupoÌ„ my Lord of Roane was somewhat moued in regard of these wordes reprouing him but mildy according to his fashion in the spiritt of lenity whereas the cause of Allmighty God required rather the spirit of seuerity aÌ„d the authority of à Bishop to bee applyed to his wound who languisheth both in reason and in faith for the greife was the greater by the pressure of the feare conceaued out of the letters written by Canterbury to him and his mother the coppies wherof are sent you for hee feard and not without cause least by the authority and commandement of the Popes holines the sentence of Interdiction should bee instantly pronounced against his land and the like of Accursing against his person Caught therfore in these streyghtes the Bishop of Lexouin sayd there remayned one remedy which was to stay this sentence now ready to strike him with the barre of Appeale So I knowe not how but that truth the more it is resisted the more it excelleth and iustice the more resisted the more preuayleth While the king endeauored by his ancient customes to ouerthrowe Appeales added greater strength vnto them beeing himselfe for his owne safegard constrayned to flye to the refuge of Appeales And therefore from this Parliament as from the face of God and their king were dispatched in all haste the Bishop of Lexouine and likewise Sagien to the often named Lord of Canterbury to the end that by the interposition of an Appeale they might suspend the sentence vntill the Octaues of Easter The Archbishop of Roane vndertooke this iorney also with them not as an Appealant as hee professed but as mediator for peace a thing hee much desired But our Archbishop beeing euen now in hand to deliuer this sentence trauelled to the citty of Swesson to the end hee might there commend the care of this controuersy by prayers to our Blessed lady whose memory is there renowned to saint Drausius The Pilgrimage of S. Thomas to Swisson vnto whom men in their fightes haue refuge and to saint Gregory the Apostle of the Church of England who lyeth in the same towne intombed saint Drausius is a most glorious Confessor who as they of France and Loraigne beelieue maketh the Champions that watch and pray all night at his reliques inuincible soe as both out of Burgundy and Italy men in such necessityes haue recourse vnto him For Robert de Mount-forte beeing to incounter with Henry of Essex vsed there the same deuotion wherefore by this chance through the worke of Allmighty God was made frustrate the diâ—â—nt exployte of these king-pleasing Bishoppes beecause comming to Pontiniake they found not the Archbishop whom they should appeale but deluded of their purpose they returned with complaynte that they beestowed their money and trauell and profited nothing The Archbishop hauing watched three days nightes before the reliques of these Saintes the morrow after the Ascension hastened his iourney towardes Vizelliac to the end that there hee might on Whitsonday proceede to the sentence of Accursing against the king and his adherents But by the prouidence of God it hapned beeing in the Church at Regitane the fryday before the same feast it was reported to him as a thing most certayne that the king of England was taken with a desperate sicknes soe as hee could not come to a Parlee with the king of France beeing a matter hee greatly desired and deerely purchased but was enforced to send Richard de Poyters and Richard de Humec to make his excuse who proferd by oath to auerre this the cause of his absence by reason therefore of this beeing deliuered to the Archbishop by a Messinger from the king of France hee deferred the denouncing of this sentence against the king Thus far Iohn of Salusbury concerning the delay of this sentence against the king Then hee proceedeth to speake of the excommunication of them whom wee reade to bee specifyed by name in the letters to the Bishoppe of London and of the accursed customes there condemned by him and how with other letters yet againe hee sent his last and peremptory admonition vnto the king But for the king sayth Salisbury whom hee had beefore as well by letters as Messingers with respect of his regality according to the customes of 〈◊〉 Church inuited to satisfaction hee summoned 〈◊〉 now with a publick citation to the fruites of pâ—â—nance threatening hee would shortly pronounce against him the sentence of excommunication vnles hee reformed his abuses and made satisfaction for these soe greate and wicked attempts against the Church which neuertheles hee would not doe but by constraynte against his will neither was any of his seruantes inclyning to bee the Messinger of his sentence as yet suspended saint Thomas in his Epistle to Pope Alexander writeth thus Wee haue not yet pronounced our sentence on the kings person Cod. Vat. lib 1. Epist 138. but it may bee wee will doe it vnles hee conuerteth his errors and vpon these our admonitions embraceth discipline Thus much saint Thomas Cod. Vat. lib. 1. Epist 116. But how the king dreading this interposed an Appeale is declrared in a letter written by Iohn of Salisbury to the Bishop of Excester where hee beeginneth from the Appeale of the Bishops in this sorte How as touching the publicke estate this was afterwardes diuulged by the affirmation of many how all the Bishoppes of England assembled by the kinges commandement The Bishops interpose an Appeale to the end the sentence promulged by my Lord the Pope might not take place they appealed against their Archbishop who for their safety and the liberty of the Church was neither ashamed nor afrayd to expose his
which hee hath granted authority the other to which hee would haue reuerence yeelded hee then who derogateth from the right of the one or the other resisteth Gods ordination Let not then our Soueraigne Lord disdaine to attribute to them vnto whom the highest of all vouchsafeth to attribute calling them often goddes in the holy Scriptures For hee speaketh thus I haue said yee are godes c. And againe I haue appointed thee the God of Pharao Psal 81. Exod. 9. Ibid. 22. And Thou shalt not detract from the Goddes that is to say the Preistes And speaking by Moyses of him who was to sweare hee sayth Bring him to the Goddes Ibidem that is to the Preistes Neither let our king presume to attempt to iudge his iudges For the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed not to powers of this earthe but to Preistes And therefore it is written The lippes of the Preist shall haue the custody of knowledge and from his mouth they shall require the lawe 1. Cor. ◠beecause hee is the Angel of our Lord. And also Paule sayth Shall wee not iudge Angells how much more men Wee would haue you also suggest into the mynde of our Soueraigne Lord that thing worthie of memory and imitation which wee reade in the Ecclesiasticall history of Constantine the Emperor to whom when there were offered vp in wryting accusations against Bishoppes hee receaued the Schedule of the accusations and calling the accused together hee burned it in their sight saying Yee are Goddes ordayned by the true God goe and determine your causes among your selues in regarde it is vnworthy that wee men should iudge the Goddes O mighty Emperor O discreete Gouernor on the earth not fraudulently vsurping on the authority of others and deseruing in heauen an eternall kingdome Let therefore our Lord the king indeauor to imitate soe greate soe discrete soe happy an Emperor whose memory is with prayses renowned on the earth and likewise accounted eternall and glorious in heauen Otherwise let him feare what our Lord hath threatened in Deutronomy Deut 17. saying What man soeuer shall soe deale in his pride that hee will not heare the preist hee shall dye before the iudge For to this purpose is hee called and to this end the tranquility of his temporall kingdome and that magnificency whereof you put vs in mynde are giuē him from heauen Otherwise the king is not saued by his great power although kingdomes are subiect vnto him and nations doe reuerently obey him And thus far concerning these Now whosoeuer haue ioyned with you in the wryting of these afore recyted letters let them knowe that the same answer wee make you the same wee make to them What remayneth brethren wee admonish intreate and beeseech yee that no scysmes may euer seperate vs but that wee bee in our Lord one harte and one soule and that wee harken to him who sayth In the beehalfe of Iustice contend for thy life and fight for Iustice euen to the very death and God will conquer for thee thyne enemyes Eccles 4. Let vs not forget that seuere iudge beefore whose Tirbunal Throne when wee shall appeare Truth only shall adiudge vs all feare and trust of any earthly power beeing then cleane vanished Soe in our Lord wee bid your brotherhood farewell These were this yeere written the rest shall in the yeeres following appeare in their places But the Bishoppes of England directed letters to Pope Alexander inueighing against this afore recyted Epistle written to them by saint Thomas not that they might any way succor the distressed estate of the Church as neede required but only appeale to his Holines against their Archbishoppe For these are their wordes To their father and Lord the high Bishop Alexander The Epistle of the Bishops of England to the Pope the Bishops of the Prouince of their seuerall Dioceses dispersed in sundry parishes as to their Lord and father remember their bounden seruice of charity and obedience Wee suppose father your excellency is not vnmyndfull how you conuented in your letters lōg since directed by the mediation of our reuerent brethren the Bishoppes of London and Hereforde your deuoute sonne and our most deere and renowned Lord the king of England and how with your fatherly compassion you admonished him for the amendment of some matters which appeared to the eyes of your holines as deseruing reformation in his kingdome who receauing your commandement with due reuerence as it is manifest swelled not in anger The Bishoppes commend their king nor with pryde of mynde contemned to obey you but yeelding thankes for your fatherly chastisement humbled himselfe presently to the Churches examination saying that in euery thing which according to the forme of your Mandat was dilligently expressed to him hee would submit himselfe to the iudgment of the Church of his kingdome and what soeuer they should determine to bee amended hee would reforme by their aduise with à commendable denotion and in a Prince worthie great prayse from this purpose hee flyeth not neither recalleth his mynde from his promise but hee who may sit in thrones who may consider and iudge now moued with the reuerence of diuine feare not as a king but as an obedient sonne is ready to yeelde to iudgment obey the lawfull pronounced sentence and as a Prince bounded with lawes shewe himselfe in all thinges a dutifull childe wherefore it is vnnecessary to enforce with interdictions or threates or the spurres of accursinges the man to satisfaction who subiecteth himselfe allready to the censures of the diuine lawes For his actions withdrawe not themselues from the light nor by any meanes desire to bee shrowded in darknes for this king in faith most Christian in the bandes of wedlocke most honest the conseruer of peace and iustice and one who enlargeth the boundes of the same far and neere incomparably indeauoureth with all his power and thirsteth with a feruent desire that scandalls and sinnes together with their fowle followers may bee taken away and rooted out of his kingdome and that peace and iustice may euer take place and all thinges prosper and flourish vnder him in sweete security and quiet tranquillity The Bishops excuse their king Who finding sometimes the peace of his kingdome not a litle molested with the outragious excesses of some insolent Clearkes with due reuerence to the Clergie referred their offences to the Bishoppes iudges of the Church that one sworde might assist an other and the power spirituall ground and establish in the Clergie the peace which hee ruled and fostred in his people Wherin the zeale of thee party came more to light the Bishops persisting in this setled iudgment that murder or any other like cryme should only bee punished in the Clergie by degradation the king on the other syde beeing of opinion that this punishement did not condignly answer the offence neither was it a sufficient prouision for mayntenance of peace if a Reader or
Acolythy killing some famous man renowned for Religion or dignity should escape free with the losse only of this Order The Clergie therefore vphoulding the Order established from heauen and our Lord the king persecuting only the offence as hee hopeth with a iust hatred and intending to plant his peace more deepely a certaine holy contention arose among vs which wee trust the playne intention of both partyes will excuse with your Holines Heereupon not with any ambition of larger dominion not with any concept of oppressing the Churches liberty but with an affection of confirming peace our Lord the king passed soe farre as hee would produce to light the customes of his kingdome and dignityes anciently obserued and quietly and reuerently yeelded by persons Ecclesiasticall to former kinges in the kingdome of England and to the end no longer thread of contention might heereafter bee spunne hee would haue the same to bee openly knowne Wherefore the most ancient Bishoppes and greatest peeres of the realme beeing first adiured by their faith and the hope which they had in Allmighty God and then making search into the state of forepassed tymes the dignityes of the crowne being sought were layd open and by the testimonyes of men of the greatest accompt in the kingdome were published Loe heere the cruelty of our Lord the king against the Church of God which fame hath soe spread ouer the whole world Lo heere his persecution These are his workes soe diuulged for wicked both heere and euery where Yet neuertheles in all these proceedings if there bee any thing contayned either dangerous to his soule or ignominious to the Church hee hath long since with a most sacred deuotion promised and doth still most constantly continewe in the same mynde especially being admonished and moued with your authority for the reuerence of Christ and the honor of the holy Church whom hee professeth to bee his mother and for the redemption of his soule to reforme the same accordingly as hee shall bee aduised by the Counsell of the Church of his owne kingdome And truly father our solicitation had long since as wee hope obtayned the desired end of this wished peace had not our Father the Lord of Canterbury's bitter prouocations stirred vp anew this discorde now layd asleepe and allmost absolutely extinguished For hee from whose patience wee hitherto expected peace from whose modesty the recouery of the kinges fauor assayled him afresh and without respect of his Maiestie at such time as lately hee led his army against the Peace breakers with seuere and terrible letters no whit sauoring of fatherly deuotion or Pastorall patience but most bitterly threatening him with the sentence of Excommunication and his realme with the payne of interdiction Where as on the other side hee rather ought with admonitiōs to haue mollifyed him and with meritts and meeknes ouercome him whose humility if it bee soe requited what will bee then determined against the stuborne and contumatious if the ready deuotion of obedience bee esteemed soe slightly in what manner shall willfull obstinacy bee reuenged Yea to these soe greuous threates are yet added matters far more greeuous for hee inuolued in his Excommunication some of his Maiesties Liege men most inward with our Lord the king the principall of his priuy counsell who managed the mysteryes of the kinges estate and the affaires of his kingdome and denounced them publickly excommunicate beeing neuer cyted nor defended neyther as they call it guilty of any cryme nor conuicted nor confessing any thing Yea hee stepped farther in soe much as hee suspended our reuerent brother the Bishop of Salisbury beeing absent vndefended neither confest nor conuicte from his Preistly and Episcopall Office beefore euer the cause of his suspension was approued by the aduice of those of the same Prouince or any others If therefore this course of proceedinges in iudgmentes soe preposterous I spare to say inordinate bee followed concerning the king and kingdome what will bee the end considering the time is euill and yeeldeth great occasion of exceeding malice but that the band of grace and fauour whereby the kingdome and preisthood haue bin hetherto vnited will bee rent a sunder and wee with the flocke committed to our charge bee dispersed into exile or which God forbid falling of from the faith wee owe to you into the miseryes of Scysme bee cast downe headlong into the bottomles pitt of iniquity and disobedience for this is the ready way to the ruine of all relligion and the subuersion and ouerthrowe as well of the Clergie as Layety In regard whereof least in soe miserable a tyme of your Apostolicall raigne the Church bee ouerthrowne least our Lord the king with the people subiect to him fall away which God forbid from your obedience least what someuer our Lord of Canterbury by the counsell of priuate men deuiseth bee in his wrath executed on vs wee haue as well by word as wryting appealed to your excellency against him The Bishoppes appeale to the Pope against their Archbishoppe and his Mandates importing any detriment to our Lord the king and his kingdome vs and the Churches committed to our care and haue designed for the day of our Appeale the day of our Lordes Ascension chusing rather to humble our selues before your Holines in all thinges which shall bee pleasing vnto you then to bee daily according to the lofty motions of his mynde whyle our merittes deserue nothing lesse tediously afflicted Wee beeseech our Allmighty Lord most beeloued father in Christ long to preserue your health to his Churches prosperity Thus farre the Bishoppes Pope Alexander neuerthelesse perseuering in his opinion when hee perceaued the Appeale of the Bishoppes to bee voyde by reason the Appellants appeared not at the designed day confirmed the sentence which saint Thomas pronounced against them which is wittnessed by Salusbury in his letter to saint Thomas saying As it is signifyed to mee from the Citty soe I remember I certifyed you by wryting that my Lord the Pope hath now confirmed your sentence yea hee hath challenged it as an iniury offered himselfe There are also extant Pope Alexanders owne letters written to Saint Thomas to the same purpose after hee perceaued the Bishops did not prosecute their Appeale His wordes are these Wee haue had intelligence as well by your letters as alsoe the certaine relation of many that you pronounced the sentence of Interdiction against Ioceline Bishoppe of Salusbury in regard hee was disobedient to you and hee notwithstanding hee appealed heereupon to our audience and assigned for the tyme of his appeale the Sunday wherin is sung Ego sum Pastor bonus next ensuing neither himselfe at that instant appeared neither sent any one vnto vs to answer for him wherefore wee refusing absolutely to maintayne him in his disobedience and rebellion against you will by Gods grace ratify and confirme the sentence which vpon this occasion you haue giuen against him and haue thought good to leaue the whole busines concerning
kinges customes the very ground of all this terrible discord Thus therefore by reason of the faire promises and a false pretence of contriuing a peace Pope Alexander was deceaued by him who is found a notorious lyar in this that vpon his returne hee publickly reported how by priuiledge of his Holines hee wâ—â— exempted from the iurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury For that the Archbishoppes authority was only suspended during the continuance of the Lâ—gantine power and no way abrogated what beefore is sayd doth playnly showe And Pope Alexander wryting the next yeere to the Legates against this Iohn of Oxeforde who had dispercing sowed such falshoodes in the myndes of all commanded him to bee punished with a most seuere iudgment And these letters shall also in their proper place bee recyted All this haue wee sayd to wash away the fowle slanders which Iohn of Oxeforde bruted in England against Pope Alexander and which Iohn of Salisbury too credulous relished soe ill for a tyme for although as you haue seene hee spoake hardly against Pope Alexander yet afterwardes againe hee commendeth and in parte excuseth him in regarde what hee did was vpon constraint of necessity For writing to saint Thomas hee sayth Neither haue I any greate confidence of the Courte of Rome whose manners and necessitys are well knowne to vs Pope Alexander indeede is a holy and iust man but his extremityes are soe many and soe greate is the couetousnes and wicked dealing of the RomaÌ„s as sometymes hee stretcheth to the vtermost of his power and procureth by dispensation that which is sayd to bee profitable to the common wealth allthough vnprofitable to Religion And againe neyther bee yee discomforded if yee see in the Roman Courte somewhat worthy of reprehension remeÌ„bring in the Gospell how the faithfull are commanded not to imitate the workes of them who fit in the chaire of Moyses but to followe their doctrine But hee corrected absolutely this and all the rest of his last letters written vpon this occasion after better discouery of the busines handling the whole matter from the very first comming of this most vilde man Iohn of Oxeforde and wryting to Myles Bishop of Moryn in this sorte If any man will dilligently consider the preceedinges at Rome hee shall apparantly see how the Pope albeeit circumuented yet neuertheles most faythfully handled the cause of the Church and vs. For the often recyted Iohn of Oxeford beeing in the end vpon his oath according to the custome absolued swoare againe publickly that hee did nothing in the aforesayd Conuentickle of Scysmaticks against the faith of the Church and the honor and commodity of my Lord the Pope And I would to God hee had not bin periured Afterwardes hee deliuered letters of commendation and Petition from the king wherin was written that credit should bee giuen to him in all thinges as to the king himselfe Then boulstred out with soe greate an authority hee submitteth the cause in controuersy betweene the king and the Archbishop for the wicked customes to the arbitriment of his Holines that at his pleasure they should bee either confirmed or cancelled and binding this also with another oath hee preuayled soe farre as the Pope yeelded to send his Legates to this purpose Thus sayth Salisbury whereby you may see that a man promising soe much and that not idely but fortifyed with the letters of a king and mayntayned with oathes ought not to passe vnrewarded from the Pope which rewarde his Holines beestowed as the same Author witnesseth in the Epistle next ensuing for hee sent him backe into England endowed with a Ring and preferred to the benefice of a Deanry whereupon hee grew to falsify with more confidence and had far better occasions to coulor his deceyptes And I would to God I could excuse as well as the Pope some of the Cardinalls who were corrupted with golde but God forbid I should purge with excuse that which deserueth exceeding reprehension yea I haue euer sayde these deade flyes loosing the odor of their oyntmentes are to bee prosecuted with most bitter inuectinnes The king of England endeauoreth to corrupt the Cardinalls with bribes The king of England sent therefore by the Embassadors to Rome certayne poundes of gould to bee distributed among the Cardinalls Many entertayned fowly these giftes others to their great commendation absolutely refused them beecause they beelieued these rewardes of kinges turned to the reproach of the Apostolicke Sea which assuredly soe happened for by reason heereof were raysed most greeuous scandalls and the face of the holy Church the spouse of Christ was much darkened for marke I pray you heereupon the iust complaynte of saint Thomas vttered in his epistle to the Archbishop of Mountes I speake sayth hee with greife a thing much to bee lamented Ibidem epist 21. the Citty of greate renowne which hath conquered allmost the whole world is surprysed beeing ouerthrown with the couetousnes of earthly fauor and shee who could neuer perish with the swoard yeeldeth thorough the infection of an accidentall poyson O greife in her fall is euery where found the losse of the Churches liberty for the grace of a temporall commodity A breach is made to her ruine by the subtell sleyghtes of riches shee practiseth dishonestly as a harlot who lyeth openly in the streete to the lust of many euery mighty man committeth fornication with her These and other the like with great bitternes of his mynde did Saint Thomas euen now at the poynte of his glorious Martyrdome poure out into the eares of his faithfull frind vpon occasion of this gould so sent by the king of England to corrupt the Courte of Rome Heare you also the complayntes of the Bishop of Poytiers wryting there of to Lumbardâ— in this sorte Ibidem epist 32. The king moreouer vaunted that hee had such frindes in the Courte as could quashe all the attemptes of the Archbishop of Canterbury and were so diligent in following all his busines as the Arbishop could not deliuer a petion nor obtayne the least fauor but hee had present intelligence thereof by his frindes yea wee knowe they re names whose assistance he vseth and haue lately dealt in courte that the cause of God and the power of Christ might be soulde at a vylde rate neither truly was there a multitude in the commutation of them and was it possible there should bee such ounces of golde as could enforce them to fall who should haue bine the very pillars of the Church And the king is soe puffed vp with this tryumph as they cannot conceale in his Pallace but must needes blab what Cardinalls they were who would not taste of that pestiferous and infamous gold and on the other syde who they were who disposed of the money in what sorte it should bee distributed to some more to some lesse according as euery of them did more or lesse deserue in this worke of the subuersion of iustice Thus wryteth hee of
eternall prayse and glory Dated at Lateran in the Nones of May. These letters beeing receaued and diuulged in France did breede a singuler ioy in all deuoute myndes as the epistles of diuers doe testify Moreouer it so fell out as the Popes Legates vpon occasions did often mention in excusing themselues to the king of England that theyr authority was by his Holines diminished Yea although the letters of Alexander were not extant it is neuertheles most assured that the Legates haue professed the same in the presence of the kinges both of England and France as it appeareth out of the epistle heereafter to bee recyted But the Legate of Papia allbee it is his authority was very much lessened by the Apostolicall letters did notwithstanding leaue nothing vndone to obtayne for the king of England his hartes desire with the ouerthrowe of the cause of Saint Thomas who in the meane tyme was encouraged with the Popes letters wryting in this sorte Although the calamity of aduersityes and labors seemeth more terribly to threaten and preuayle against you set neuerthelesse beefore your eyes the sundry examples of the holy fathers who like your selfe suffering for the zeale of iustice many distresses and afflictions deserued therby to win with great felicity an euerlasting crowne in the kingdome of heauen Wherfore wee desire and admonish your wisedome that hauing in your sight the saying Blessed are they who suffer persecution for iustice you will not let your mynde be broaken with crosses nor fall from her setled estate with any tribulations but strengthen the same with the vertue of fortitude and constancy Where you knowe assuredly the iustice and liberty of the Church to haue receaued detriment doe not there in any case endeauor to renew a peace with the king of England to the suppression and abridgment of the Churches dignity but on the other syde so far as it may stand with the honor of your degree and liberty of the Church humble your selfe and labor by all meanes to recouer his grace and fauor neither conceaue of him a needelesse feare nor require more security then is conuenient beecause as wee beelieue after hee hath once reconcyled himselfe vnto you he neither will himselfe offend nor suffer any other to offend you and for vs as wee haue often signifyed to you both by message and wryting wee will euer loue you as our dearest with a sinceare charity and procure the conseruation of your honor with the encrease of your liberty and dignity so far as God will permitt vs. This was Alexanders Epistell worthy so renowned a Pope But to the matter let vs now see what ensued heere vpon After long indirect wayes and perplexityes the Legates who were sent from the Citty did hardly at the length in the Kalends of Ianuary and end of Autumne come together to the king of England for managing the busines wherin they were employed But how matters passed beetweene them and the king they re owne reporte to Pope Alexander in the name of the Legates of the Apostolike Sea declareth Ibidem epist 28. which beeing written by one of them William of Papia with a mynde extreamly bent against the Archbishop layeth all the blame on Saint Thomas in so much as wee ought not to make any reckoning thereof vnles hee bee withall admitted to audience who beeing innocent was accused as culpable Yet heare his relation or rather a most bitter accusation of Saint Thomas To our most blessed father and lord Alexander by the grace of God the most high Bishop William and Oddo by the same grace Cardinalles wishing prosperity remember the humble and deuoute seruice of theyr subiection The reporte of Vvilliam the Legate to the Pope with an inuectiue against Saint Thomas Comming to the dominions of the most renowned king of England wee founde the controuersy beetweene him and Canterbury aggrauated in far worser sorte beelieue vs then willingly wee could haue wished for the kinge with the greatest parte of his followers affirmed how the Archbishop with greate vehemency incensed the most worthy king of France against him and in like sorte induced his cosyn the Earle of Flanders who beefore did beare him no malice to fall out with him and rayse the most powerfull warre hee could against him and this hee knewe of certaynty as a thing apparant by euident demonstrations For wheras the Earle departed from the king with shew of freindship the Arbishop comming in his prouince to the very seate of the warre incyted as much as in him lay as well the king of France as the aforesayde Earle to armes when therfore wee first entred into parlee with the king at Cane wee deliuered into his handes as best beeseemed vs the letters froÌ„ your Holines which when hee had diligently and considerately read finding in the perusall of them that they somewhat differed and disagreed from others which hee had receaued from your Holines formerly concerning the same matter beegan to bee styrred with greater indignation and that the more because as hee sayde hee was assured how the Archbishop after our departure from your Holines receaued letters whereby hee was absolutely exempted from our iudgment and was no way bound to answer before vs. Hee affirmed moreouer that the informations deliuered to your Holines concerning the ancient customes of England were rather boulstred out with falshoodes then supported by truth which the Bishoppes there present did witnes The king offered alsoe that if any customes since his tyme were deuysed contrary to the Ecelesiasticall lawes hee would submitt them to the iudgment of your Holines to bee confirmed or cancelled The Legates appoint a tyme for parlee with Saint Thomas Calling therefore vnto vs the Archbishoppes Bishoppes and Abbotes of the kinges Dominions to the end the king should not absolutely depriue vs of all hope of peace but rather suffer himselfe to bee drawen might haue a conference with the Arbishop as well concerning the peace as the iudgment Sending therfore letters vnto him by our owne Chaplaynes wee appointed a certayne and safe place where wee might haue conference with him in the feast of Saâ—â—â— Martin Hee neuertheles pretending excuses putt of thâ—â— Parlee vntill the Octaues of this Saint which truly molested the king more then wee could imagine but when wee sawe the Archbishoppe although wee offered hiâ— safe conductes would neuertheles giue vs no meetinges in any parte of the kinges dominions which confyned on France wee beeing willing to yeeld to him to the end there might bee nothing wanting in vs which might redounde to his profit came to a place in the realme of France which himselfe appointed The parles beetween the Legates and S. Thomas Where being at the parlee wee first beegaÌ„ most earnestly to perswade and instantly exhorte him that hee would beehaue himselfe to the king who had bin his singuler Benefactor with such humility as might minister vnto vs sufficient matter whereupon to ground our petition of peace at
Hungarians which at the day of Iudgment cannot excuse vs if wee preferre the barbarisme of Tyrantes before Apostolicall constitutions and beeleiue the vsurping pryde of wordly powers to bee rather a rule to directe our life then the Eternall Testament confirmed with the bloud and death of the sonne of God To frame therfore a lamentable end to our former discourse let your Holines now consider if this ought to bee the fruite of our labour trauayle and exile thus to bee iudged naked miserable depriued of our whole estate and these extremityes in our tryall only beecause wee attempted for the liberty of the Church to withstand a most fierce oppressor of the same Yea wee who daylie expect comforte from this desolation ioy for this misery with a iust reuenge from God and you against the Churches Aduersaryes for their iniury done to Christe Could it not sufficiently satisfy them who sought our life that they haue murdered some of vs nor yet could they content themselues with our pouerty and calamity beeing scarse able to liue by releife from the almes of strangers but that wee must moreouer with this Legantyne authority which would it had neuer bin bee in vayne protracted and delayed from yeeres to yeeres from greife to greife from misery to confusion Yea our right and iustice to be turned to the ruine of vs and our wretched Associates Good God what will bee the end of this dolor Aryse ô Lord adiudge thy cause reuenge the bloud of thy seruantes thus impiously killed together with those who through intollerable afflictions doe euen now fainte since there is none but our Lord the Pope and some few left with him who will deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemyes God grante your Holines for many yeeres well to liue and prosper that wee with our vnfortunate fellowes may liue and recouer This was the reporte of Saint Thomas vnto the Pope In the meane while the Legates Cardinalls signifyed to Saint Thomas how the king of England had obtayned from his Holines which as wee see by all meanes possible hee bruited abroad that the authority of Saint Thomas concerning the affaires of the English Church was wholy interdicted There is extant a restraynte in this manner which was sent by them to Saint Thomas written in these wordes To our reuerent and most beeloued brother the Archbishop of Canterbury William and Oddo Cardinalls send greeting The king was certifyed of your answer as well concerning the agreement as alsoe the cause Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 29. if soe it pleased him to proceede against you and wheras hee was before hy reason of your other actions as hee sayde incensed enough and too to much hee beecame now enraged with a greater and more vehement indignation accusing peremptorily the erection of your mynde against him and our Lord the Popes nrglect of his affaires Moreouer the Bishoppes and Abbottes of the kingdome of England hearing you would haue noe dealing with them nor yet stand to our iudgment read openly in our presence our Lord the Popes letters wherin as hee sayth hee commandeth you to forbeare interdicting the land They demanded alsoe of vs if they might by vs or either of vs thorough this our Legantine authority bee defended against these your molestations of them in England wherunto when wee answered wee had no power at all concerning any matters in the realme of England they appealed there instantly both for themselues and the whole kingdome vnto our lord the Pope sheilding themselues and the realme vnder the protection of his Holines and vs assigning for their day the feast of Sainct Martin wherfore wee command your dearly beeloued selfe and enioyne you on the beehalfe of the Pope and our selues that answering the foresayd Appeale and respecting the restraint which our Lord the Pope as hee affirmeth hath layn vpon you you attempt no interdiction or excommunication against the realme of England before you haue appeared in the Apostolike presence and vnderstood the pleasure of his Holines and the Church of Rome heerein The Bishoppes likewise and Abbottes themselues haue sent their especiall messangers to denounce to you this their Appeale made in our presence together with the determined day This was the Mandate of the Legates But when this newes of the inhibition or restraint of the authority of Saint Thomas was not only by letters signifyed vnto him but also as before you haue heard reported euery where to the scandall of all good men who fauored the Churches liberty S. Thomas beeing heerewith exceedingly afflicted did wryte lamentable letters replenished with complaintes heereof as well to Pope Alexander himselfe as also to all the Cardinalls of the Romane Church wherin hee discouered the bitter sorrowe of his mynde all which especially wee can readylie declare beeing extant in the end of the same often recyted booke of Epistles and were by error of the wryter omitted in the second booke after the 45. epistle as the corrector of that error hath admonished vs. The epistle of Saint Thomas to Pope Alexander is in this wise To his most beeloued lord and holy father Alexander by the grace of God high Bishop Thomas the humble seruant of the Church of Canterbury a wretched and miserable banished man together with his exiled Associates wisheth prosperity and all felicity Saint Thowryteth to the Pope expressing his sorrowe We send to your holines the bearers heereof beeing two persons faithfull to vs and fellowes of our miserable exile such at this instant as wee could gett and them whom wee haue assigned to deliuer in your presence the certayne and pittifull relation of matters concerning vs now lately acted and withall the necessity of our calamityes beeing assuredly aboue measure that wee may thervpon receaue if it please you with speede redresse by your meanes from this oppression of the Church and vs which helpe though most due is yet too long delayed and obtayne withall through the hand of your mercy releife in our greiuous distresses least being otherwise cruelly and abouer sure depressed we fainte in this tribulation a greater then which we haue not since the first beginning of our long continued afflictions endured For we are deferred the tyme is now tedious as your excellency vnderstandeth we are put of and prolonged no lesse cruelly then vniustly from yeeres to yeeres in misery and dolor that if perchance by that way in length of protracted tyme our life may perish through tribulation and we thus worne out altogether be extinguished and fall to dust as absolutely spent in the extremitys of our disasters while death in the meane tyme which God forbid may depriue you of authority whose power through the mercy of God shall before it expireth redeeme vs and ours out of this lake of misery and breake the snares of the malitious cōtrary to the desire of the wicked Bēd downe therfore ô Lord thyne eare and heare open thyne eyes and see if there hath bin an iniquity equall to
durst appeale to the exemples of the Archbishoppe of Canterburyes Predecessors of whom it is euident that many of them did constantly resist the kinges who did violate the Ecclesiasticall liberty and vpon that occasion suffred many yeeres exile and banishment among whoÌ„ what great afflictions sainct Anselme and after him Lanfrancke who liued vnder this king Henry's Granfather for the same cause endured is in the former Tome sufficiently declared But let vs returne to Alane who Proceedeth thus in Quadrilogus While the Archbishop for a litle space seemed silâ—â—â— the king of France burst out in these wordes My Lord Archbishop will you bee greater then holy men Will you bee better then Peter what question make you Loe peace is euen at the dore To whom the Archbishop replyed True it is quoth hee my Lord my Predecessors were much better and greater then my selfe and many in their ages allthough they did not absolutely destroy all yet neuertheles did cut of some weedes which were extolled against God for had they cleane rooted out all what had bin now left to enkindle against mee this fire of temptation wherby now beeing tryed in the same fornace with them I may with them bee found alsoe worthie of the same praise and glory yea God much better prouiding for mee it is come to passe that I haue labored soe securely in their lot and meritt as I may bee partaker of their trauell and rewarde neither yet if any of them came shorte or exceeded in any thing am I bound to followe him in his want or excesse for wee reproue Peter in deniyng Christ but wee commend Peter by all meanes who resisted the Tyranny of Nero with the losse of his life and why truly but beecause Peeter would not yeeld to him in that wherin hee could not without the losse of his soule dissemble and therfore with conquering his enemyes hee dyed as to the flesh and with such pressures as these the Catholike Church hath rysen and encreased Our fathers haue suffered beccause they would not endure the name of Christ should bee drawne into subiection and should I bee restored into the fauour of a man with suppressing the honour of Christ God forbid quoth hee God forbid Wherupon the peeres of both kingdomes turned all against the Archbishop imputing the want of the peace to his arrogancy one Earle among the rest openly protesting that in regard the Archbishoppe resisted the counsell and determination of boâ—â—â—domes hee was not heereafter worthy of assistaâ—â—â— from either but cast out of England should no longer now bee entertayned in France whervnto is added by Herberte When the parlee therefore was thus dissolued euery one returned home not without great murmuring the Archbishoppes associates in exile beeing lefte in exceeding dispaire The kinges had no sooner ended this conference but they hastily tooke horse and departed neither saluting nor yet beeing saluted of the Archbishoppe Yea also the king of England who beefore slandered the Archbishoppe fowly to his face now in his departure among other thinges insulting sayde how hee had that day reuenged him on his traytor in like sorte the Courtiers who had bin Mediators for the peace did at the last in his presence deepely charge him that hee was euer proude allwayes high-mynded wise in his owne conceypte à follower of his priuate fancy and opinion adding moroeuer it was an exceeding mischeife and an immeasurable dommage and danger to the Church that hee was euer instauled a gouernour thereof and that the same beeing partly ruinated allready by him would now bee instantly and vtterly ouerthrowne But the Archbishoppe setting a watch beefore his mouth whenas sinners banded against him was made to those who vpbrayeded and insulted ouer him as a man not hearing and with humility answered gently saying Beeware brother least the Church of God bee destroyed by you for by mee God willing it shall neuer bee and the man to whom hee directed his speech was Iohn by birth an Englishman but then Bishop of Poytiers one by reason of long acquaintance and society very familiar deere and acceptable to the Archbishoppe But 〈◊〉 others who reuyled him hee made no answer beeing vndoubledly his Disciple who when hee was cursed accursed not againe and when hee suffered threatened no reuenge And thus hee departed from the parlee in France as hee did beefore from the Parliament in North-Hamptonne beeing made a reproache to the rich and contemptible to the proude and hee with his associates returning followed the king of France whose lodginges were prepared in the Castle of Mount-Mirable The Archbishop had beefore lodged in this Castle with the king who by his Courtiers did euer prouide him liberally of all necessaries But the king did not then condescend as in other parlees hee had bin accustomed to see the Archbishop in his lodging whereupon it was presently coniectured that the king stood not soe well affected to him now as beefore yet neuertheles the Archbishop shewed himselfe pleased and contented neither was his countenaÌ„ce proceiued to bee any whit altered in this respecte wherin may bee considered the constancy of this renowned man together with the inuincible courage of his mynde who in a world thus exceedingly crossing him shewed none or very little trouble or signe of care Departing on the next morrowe from the Castle and comming that day to Charters many of the people according to the custome mett together to see the passengers and asking who they were when they vnderstood the Archbishoppe of Canterbury was there they pointed at him with their fingers who knewe him not that hee was the man and saying though softly among themselues Loe heere the Archbishoppe who yesterday in parlee would not deny God for the kinges nor subiect the diuine honor to their willes And many times after as hee trauelled thorough France diuers of the people in this sorte extolled him Leauing Charters hee came with the best speede hee could to Senon The Compiler of the epistles addeth thus When hee had therfore passed three dayes in the company of the king of France in such sorte as neither the king himselfe not any in his name came to visitt him and whereas in busines of this nature my lord of Canterbury was wont to bee maintayned by the kinges liberality now after the parlee and for the tyme that I tould you hee had nothing at all beestowed on him but that sometymes the Archbishop of Senon otherwhile the Bishoppe of Poytiers or such like his brethreÌ„ moued with his misery in passing by him releiued him as a Beggar a thing terrible to all his followers beeing quite distitute of all worldly helpe Hauing thus ended the third day of this lamentable iourney whyle they sate in their lodging discoursing together heereof and deuising whether to goe my lord of Canterbury with a well contented countenance as if hee had tasted no aduersity at all and absolute against all Fortunes power applying his speech to his mournfull company smyling sayde
of Quadrilogus wherunto all other wryters who reporte the life of saint Thomas agree And that not only hee who dyed at Consentia but also the other three who sayled to Ierusalem liued not aboue three yeeres after they had martyred the Saint is constantly alleaged in the aforementioned history soe as they exceeded not the limitts of the nexte yeere following For they beeing vpon the Popes commandement restrayned in a place called the Black-Mountaine a pryson of pennance did there as penitents finish their dayes and were graced with a seemely buryall beefore the dore of the Temple with this inscription as Roger sayth ouer them Heere lye the wreched men who martyred blessed Thomas Archbishoppe of Canterbury Soe let this bee the period of this yeeres history AN. DOM. 1173. Next followeth the yeere 1173. with the sixt Indiction The Cannozation of S. Thomas Whenas Pope Alexander vpon returne of the Legates late sent to the king of England hearing of them what miracles were wrought by God with a mighty hande and a high arme in Thomas the new Martyr and therupon taking aduice with his brethren the Cardinalls of the sacred Roman Church by the generall consent of them all Cannonized him among the number of the holy Martyrs Treating therfore heereof let vs first make dilligent search of precedent matters After this bloode soe shed sayth Edward God by many miracles published his sanctity but at the first they lay concealed as not purchaceing creditte till by the multitude of them the impiety of his aduersarys was vanquished and the mouthes of the wicked stopped for so far truly the number and greatnes of his miracles grewe manifest as in their open showe saint Thomas seemed not only nothing inferior to other renowned Saintes but also excelled them as wittnesseth Peeter of Bloyes an eye witnes and Iohn of Salisbury sometimes the holy Martyrs secretary for Peeter with greate confidence wryteth thus to Richard Bishop of Siracusa saying Reioice England and let the Westerne worlk tryumph beecause the East hath visited vs from high India and the Easterne regions gloryed in Thomas the Apostle But hee hath respect to the Wersterne Church who dwelleth in heauen and looketh downe on the humble God hath beestowed on England our Thomas wee enuy not India for their Thomas let Thomas the Apostle possesse India Let Thomas our Martyr inhabite Englād that by these two witnesses of Christe euen frō the rysing of the sun to the setting therof the name of our Lord may bee praysed Some there are who trauell into India to gayne the suffrages of the blessed Apostle so lōg a pilgrimage is to paynfull for mee my Thomas sufficeth me Hee touched our lordes syde ād the piercinges of the nayles and beecause hee saw beelieued Blessed is hee who not seeing beelieued nor euer doubted but offered hinselfe to Christ and for Christ a sacrifice I labor not to compare a Martyr with an Apostle an Apostle euer excelling a Martyr but it is glorious for vs to enioy a Martyr who bearing the name of an Apostle imitateth or rather exceedeth an Apostle in miracles The Apostle is not offended beecause our Lord himselfe is not offended with Apostles and Martyrs if at any tyme the holy Ghost poureth out himselfe more fully often on any in the operation of vertues and sayth our Lord you shall doe these and greater then these Thus Peeter recyted by vs to declare the famous miracles so wrought which God in his new Saint then shewed But let vs heare Iohn of Salisbury somewhat moued against Pope Alexander as seeming too slowe in the Canonizatiō of the Martyr since God abundantly published as it appeared by soe great and soe many miracles that hee had receaued him into heauen among the number of his Martyrs Yet the Pope was to bee excused if hee deferred the same vntill the returne of the Cardinalls his Legates by whose relation hee might exactly and securely vnderstand all Neuertheles let vs see Salisburys complaynt poured out with greate assurance to the Legate of the Apostolike Sea To his reuerent Lord and most deere father William by the grace of God Archbishop of Senon Legate of the Apostolicall Sea Iohn of Salisbury sendeth greeting with the obedience of his most ready deuotion Allthough a huge desolation hath confounded hetherto the English Church Iohn of Salisburys Epistle of the miracles wrought b◠S. Thoma◠her sorrowe neuerthles hath now for the most parte bin altered into ioy and her lamentation chāged with a blessed and pleasing transmutation into Cāticles for miracles soe seldome heard of are at our Martyrs memoriall soe often showed as others otherwhere heard of can hardly bee compared to his for as in euery thing his noble mynd euer endeauored to excell all who liued in his age soe now that I may speake it by the leaue of other Saintes hee exceedeth others of whom wee haue read or hearde of in miraculous operations which I am easily perswaded are therfore effected that God may styrre vp in many of these in our partes of the world fayth not layde asleepe but allmost extinguished that hee might more soundy confirme charitie and stoppe the mouthes of the wicked who detracted the holy man in his life and for priuate hatred persecuted the cause of Christ For who can now misdoubt the Christian doctrine to bee otherwise then true and faythfull since hee rewardeth with soe greate felicity a man knowne to vs and constant to him Who vnles misled by the diuell will say the cause was vniust the Patron whereof God hath crowned with soe great a glory Many haue questiond whether our Lord the Popes tytle for which wee contend bee grounded on iustice but this glorious Martyr hath cleered it from any suspition of scysme beecause had hee bin a supporter of scysme hee could neuer haue shined with so great miracles Moreouer hee was a man of that excellent wisedome as hee could not easily bee supplanted with error in a matter soe neere concerning his soule I should assuredly very much maruayle why our Lord the Pope hath not allready commanded him to bee numbred in the Catalogue of Martyrs but that I remember I haue read in the Ecclesiasticall history that when Pylate sending a relation of proceedinges asked aduise of Tyberius Cesar if Christ who had don soe many and so greate miracles and was of very many worshipped as God ought to bee honored as God the Senate beeing asked by the Emperor their opinion answered hee was verely to bee reuerenced as God but that diuers of sundry Prouinces had allready without the Senates authority presumed to doe it which was truly by the diuine prouidence soe answered that the Deity of Christ whose name was to bee preached to the Iewes and Gentilles should not seeme to be◠subiect to any earthly power neither the Gentills vaunt it was obtayned by petition which against their willes they were compelled to heare Beecause our Lord hath raigned let the people bee angry and the