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
darke clowdes of his speech Thus did saint Thomas write to the Pope Whereupon saith Alan my lord the Pope modestly answering the kinge affirmed how it was neuer in any age heard that the Church of Rome at the command of any Prince whatsoeuer forbad any person her presence especially beeing banished for the cause of iustice But that it was a priuiledg authority granted from aboue to the Apostolike Sea to succour the exiled oppressed yea from the fury of their soueraignes the violent rage of their malitious enemys The Embassadors therfore repining departed to deliuer this message to their king and my lord the Pope determining to returne to Rome vndertooke his iourney Thus Alan whom saint Thomas followed as far as Bituricum where taking leaue receauing his blessing hee departed backe to Pontiniake neuer after seeing Pope Alexander in this world AN. DOM. 1166. The yeere 1166. ensueth and the 14. indiction When Frederick the Emperour seeing the prosperitie of the Catholicke Pope Alexander daily more and more to encrease and that his holines was now peaceable setled in Rome beeing enraged with anger and enuie commanded a Conuentickle in Witemberge otherwise called Herbolis at the feast of Penticost where hee meant with his Bishops and Princes to assemble for cōfirming the power of this Antipope Guido Wherefore the king of England beeing by the Emperour inuited to this scysme beecause experience taught him that Pope Alexander inclined to the parte of saint Thomas taking aduantage of this fit oportunitie for his excuse sent an ambassage vnto the Citty to Pope Alexander determining if hee refused to yeeld to his demands then to fall off from him to Guido for the better accomplishment whereof hee wrote these letters to the Archbishop of Colen the cheife ring-leader of the scysmatickes for procurring a safe conduct for his Embassadours I haue long since desired to find out some iust occasion for leauing the parte of Pope Alexander and his vnfaithfull Cardinalls whoe presume to maintaine that Traytor Thomas sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury against mee whereupon by the aduice of all my Barons and consent of the Clergie intending now to send to Rome men of great accompt in my kingdome namely the Archbishop of Yorke the Bishop of London the Archdeacon of Poyters Iohn of Oxenford and Richard de Lucy who openly and manifestly on the beehalfe of my selfe and my whole kingdome with all other landes vnder my dominion shall propound and denounce to Pope Alexander and his Cardinalls that they shall no longer defend my Traytor but soe absolutely discharge and free mee of him as I with the counsail of my Clergie may establish an other in the Church of Canterburie and shall moreouer require that they reuoke and make voyd whatsoeuer Thomas hath done and likewise demand that the Pope in their presence cause it to bee sworne publickly that hee and his successors shall conserue for euer as far as to them appertaineth to mee and all my successors the royall customes of Henry my grandfather inuiolable and vntouched and if by chance they will gainsay any one of my demandes that then neither I nor my Barons nor yet my Clergie will euer heereafter yeeld him any obedience yea wee will openly withstand him and his and whosoeuer vnder my gouermēt shall bee found heereafter to follow his parte shall bee banished out of my kingdome I entreate you as my dearest frend all excuses set aparte to send mee speedily brother Ernold or brother Randulph of the hospitall of saint Iohn whon may on the beehalfe of the Emperour and your selfe giue safe conduct to the afore said Embassadors as well in their goeing as returne through the Emperour's dominion This was the kinges letter An Embassage was also sent to Pope Alexander which London and Oxford only executed But soe far was Pope Alexander from beeing any way moued either by the terrors of the kinges thundering letters or other threates vttered by the Embassadors in the kinges name as hauinge rebuked their rashnes hee returned to the king himselfe againe an answer fraughte with sharpe reprehension wherewith beeing terrifyd hee desisted from his wicked intention and gaue therfore great thankes to his Holines promising heereafter to obey euer readily in all thinges whereof the Bishops of England in their epistle sent the next yeere to Pope Alexander are apparant witnesses which afterwards in place conuenient wee determine to declare Meane while sayth our Author Colen requireth the Emperors aduise in what sorte hee should āswer the king of England whereunto the Emperor replyeth that hee ought to satisfy the kinges desire in reguard with how much the more solemnity this matter is accomplished soe much the greater shall bee the Popes confussion if hee condescendeth to the kinges request and it may bee that secretly by some one of the Temple or Hospital or any other whom they could not preuent the king by corruption of money may otherwise obtayne the same Wherefore brother Randolph of the Hospitall was addressed to the king of England who safely conducted the Embassadors whom the king intended to send to the courte of his Holines through the Emperors dominion Thus much there But soe it beefell that the same Embassadors came first into Germany where they were present at the Conuentickle of Witemberge but what matters were there handled the letters patents of Fredericke the Emperor dated at that place declare where among other thinges is thus written of this Embassage Moreouer the honorable Embassadors of our renowned freind the king of England directed from him to vs Cod. Vat. Epist 70. did on the beehalfe of the same king in the presence of the whole court vpon the reliques of Saintes make their publicke oath to vs that the king himselfe together with all his kingdome should continew faithfull to our side and ioyning with vs should euer defend the Lord Pascall whose parte wee take and neuer heereafter intermedle in mayntaining Rowland the Schysmaticke Beccause also wee who haue euer hitherto bin ready to abyde the examinatiō of the vprighteousnes of our cause which the aduersaries of the Church of God and vs bee it either out of their pride or the distrust of their cause haue auoyded are now by reason of their manifest obstinacy compelled to vnacustomed oathes Let therefore heereafter euery man and estate carefully eschew the Communion of Scyfmatickes for their fury allthough it hath seemed hitherto in some sorte pardonable it will heereafter bee alltogether intollerable c. Moreouer in an other letter written by one affected to Pope Alexander is sayd That Fredericke the Emperor gloryeth in the assistance of the king of England whose Embassadors were sworne to the parte of the Antipope c. In an other place likwise Fredericke Couloreth his busines with false prophesies that Pope Alexander should bee taken captiue whereunto not only the vulgar sorte but the king of England expecting the euent hath allmost giuen credit c. And out of Salisbury The
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
againe to saint Thomas beeginning thus Ibid. Ep. 53. Wee haue accomplished as farre as wee could your command c. And vpon this conclusion of matters saint Thomas wrotte these letters to Pope Alexander Ibid. Ep. 52. S. Thomas writeth again to the Pope After the trompet of your Apostolicall Cominatory holy father had throughly sounded in the king of Englands eare and that the seuerity of the Church threatened as well himselfe as his dominion hee concluded his peace with vs assuredly promising hee would not omitt one iott or title of the whole contents of your commandement but absolutely fullfill the vttermost and hauing soe auoyded the blowe of this imminent sentence in some articles hee flewe of from the agreement withoulding from vs as yet certayne possessions of the Church which our Predecessor inioyde without controuersy all the days of his life and wee also afterwardes vntill the violence of this tempest arose against the Church of England And somewhat after wee truly will endeauor to winne the fauor of the man as far as wee can possibly with the preseruation of the liberty and reputation of the Church together with the testimony of a good conscience that wee may therby make tryall if all this can as yet recall him to a gentle temper Your clemency vouchsafed to send vs letters for the correction and chastisement as well of the Archbishoppe of Yorke as other our associate Bishoppes which lynes were vndoubtely inspired conceaued by the holy Ghost and are such as reproue the kinges enormityes with an authority beeseeming Peeters successor and Christes vicar Cod Vad li. 5. Epist 60. These letters as yet remayne beeing registred in the proces of the worke and are treated of in their place To these letters S. Thomas likewise added the letters which hee receaued from his agents sent into England for recouering the Churches goodes and are to bee seene in the same booke And to that purpose may you there reade also the complaintes of S. Thomas made to the king Ibid. Ep. 53. beeing seasoned with very greate modesty and sweetned with mildenes Ibid. Ep. 54. In the meane while before Pope Alexander receaued the letters of S. Thomas cōcerning the peace cōcluded with the king of England the Pope departing from Beneuent towardes Rome The Popes returne to Rome and his letters written on the way Ibid Ep. 65 and comming to Verula a Citty of the Hernicians hee directed his letters from thence to Thomas Archbishoppe of Canterbury beeginning thus Amonge the manifolde c. And excusing afterwardes himselfe in regarde hee did not according to the desire of saint Thomas seeme to proceede more speedily in this cause hee addeth these wordes Whereupon most deare brother if wee haue in the eye of the world proceeded more remissely in the matter concerning your selfe and the Church of England nor yet haue answered your petitions according to your owne will the reason was not in regarde wee reputed not the cause of your selfe and the Church of England to bee our owne and as neerely touching our selues as you or that wee would any way bee wanting to you therin but that wee thought conuenient to vse all patiēce to the end wee might cōquer euill in doeing good Wee feared also least if there grewe any greater breach in the Church it might bee imputed vnto our rough proceeding But now in respect the disturbers of the peace and the oppressors of the Churches liberty are not as it seemeth moued with any contrition at all to amend their fore passed abuses yea extending their sinnes as a long rope insulte more and more as well to your vexation as the depression of the Church of Canterbury soe far forth as they appeare in your case to bee past well-nigh all hope of repentance wee doe heere pronounce the Canonicall sentence and suspend from Apostolicall dignity your brother Roger Archbishop of Yorke with the other Bishoppes who haue bound themselues by oath to obserue the customes and doe still blowe the coales of so greate a mischeife And for the Bishoppes of Salisbury and London who seeme indebted in a greater band of gratuity and yet neuertheles are reported to repay for thankfullnes nothing but ingratitude if so they haue with their presence and ministry furthered the coronation of the new king against the prerogatiue of the Church of Canterbury wee recall them into the sentence of Excommunication from which they were absolued And last hee thus mentioneth the tyme and place where the letter was dated Datum Verulae 4. what the Pope did Verule Id. Septemb. Departing from Verula hee came to Ferentine a Citty seauen myles distant from Verula towardes Rome Cod. Vad. 5. Ep. 66.67 where the letters of Excommunication were dated vnto these English Bishoppes beeing London what 〈◊〉 wrote 〈◊〉 Ferentine Ibid. Ep. 5◠Salisbury and the rest there mentioned with an other letter aparte to the Archbishoppe of Yorke concerning his suspension both beeing dated as appeareth in their conclusion at Ferentine 16. Kaled Octob. These are the letters which saint Thomas in his to Pope Alexander concerning the same commendeth as written with an Apostolicall zeale But in the letter to the Arcbbishop of Yorke hee alleageth the cause of his suspension not to bee only the coronation of the the kinges sonne but that also in the same coronation hee omitted the accustomed caution and condition for defending the Churches liberty or at the least in place therof to make him take another oath vsuall then to bee sworne and which is worser that an oath was there giuen for an exact conseruation of his ancestors customes directly opposite to the Church Going from Ferentine his Holines with a shorte iourney of fiue myles lodged at Anagnia which is declared by diuers Epistles to the same purpose wrytten thence as first for the recalling as well of Clearkes as lay-men into the excommunication from which they were absolued if according to their promise they made not satisfaction in restoring possessions taken away from Churches limitting a terme of xv dayes for performing the same Dated as wee sayde at Anagnia 8. Octobris with other Bishoppes of England for continuing the interdiction vntill the Church were satisfyed Cod Vat li. 5. Epist 40. The morow following also were letters dated at the same place to the Bishoppes of Roane and Senon where after some other matters were these wordes for obseruing such thinges as were promised by the king in his couenants of peace Wee will and command and in the vertue of obedience by our Apostolicall letters inioyne your brotherhoode Ibid. ep 31. that within twenty days after the receipte heereof yee doe with all dilligence conferre with the king in our beehalfe and carefully admonish and instantly exhorte him sincerely to accomplish the peace which hee hath as yet in wordes only concluded with the Archbishoppe and withall that yee incite him afterwardes to restore all thinges wrongfully taken away rapaire the dammages
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
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
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
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
it was no lesse greiuous to him that your Holines sent Legates for managing this cause then if you had designed them for depriuing him of his Crowne Neither were they wantinge who ministred fewel to his enflamed mynde Weertupon was occasion giuen of malice and mischeiuous attemptes against vs and the Church of God to them who from the beeginning had myndes and meanes to hurte vs whose wicked purpose your clemency hath nothing changed although your authority repressed their assaultes All this I receaued from a Clearke who is faithfull and deuoted to your Holines who beeing then present did afterwards pruily deliuer the same to mee This one thing most holy father I assuredly know which I wryte not without teares that the glory of your name is somewhat eclipsed because the detraction of your fame is as it were meate and drinke to backbyters and slanderers who like men intoxicated and drunke with wyne teare in peeces your renowne and deuoure it with the iawes of misreportes and these are not the fauorers of my Lord of Canterbury but also his professed foes and that especially since the tyme of his victory and yours as many beeleiued was now at hand for the day of the Appeale beeing past the king was in that feare to see himselfe excommunicated and his whole dominion interdicted as hee sayd openly Hee neither perswaded nor compelled his Bishoppes to appeale and therefore would not intermedle in the matter the Bishoppes themselues were soe mightily troubled and feared soe much to bee interdicted as some of them sent messingers to my lord of Canterbury others were ready to appeare at his summons When Iohn of Oxeforde as your Legate assembling the Bishoppes commanded them by authority from you as it is reported in France that they should not come to the Lord of Canterbury vpon his citation Whereupon Master Robert Bishop of Hereforde beeing at the seas syde ready to passe ouer was recalled againe as in way of excuse was deliuered from him to the Lord of Canterbury by his Messingers beeing religious men and well knowne I beeing then present and therefore soe great a trouble hath inuaded the myndes of many vpon the feare they conceaue of the kinges subtell deuises to the ruine of the Church of EnglaÌ„d and all Churches within his Dominion together with the ouerthrowe of the Ecclesiasticall liberty and the longer and stronger persecution of the Archbishop For whereas it is sayde by many and that very often that the king hath set vp the rest of his hope on your misfortune and deathe which Allmighty God out of his most mercifull clemency long deferre affirming constantly as it is reported by many that hee will neuer admitt your successor vntill hee hath confirmed all the dignityes and customes of his kingdome It is therefore supposed that craftily and fraudulently hee requesteth the Legates for accomplishing his owne endes and desires as well against the lord of Canterbury as all other Bishoppes of his land or if that fayle yet at the least that hee may put of the excommunication against his person and the interdiction of his dominions and thus winning tyme hee may soe auoyde the authority of the Bishop of Canterbury as if in your Popedome hee bee not bounde hee neede not feare the power of your successor since as many say hee hath resolued not easely to receaue him Wherefore most wise father such as thirst after the spirit of God and peace of the Church desire with all the affection of their myndes that our Lord will styrre vp in you the spirit of Daniel to search out the sleyghts of Bell Daniel 14. and to kill the Dragon For which they beseech God with their deuoute and continual prayers God prosper your Holines with many yeeres Thus far Lumbard whom one reporteth to haue bin the renowned diuine who flourished in Paris and beeing properly called Peter Lumbard liued in these dayes You haue heard the complayntes of the king of France and others expressed in Lumbardes letter Heare now the exulting and insulting of the king of England deriued from this vnfortunate fountaine beeing no litle cause of lamentation to all well disposed myndes For there is extant to this purpose an epistle of Iohn of Salisbury written to Iohn Bishop of Poytiers wherin after other thinges hee sayth thus of the king of England Moreouer the king himselfe toulde the Bishop of Worcester that hee and all other Bishoppes were now exempt from the Lord of Canterburys power and commanded him not to feare any threates for hee had now my Lord the Pope and all the Cardinalls in his purse and soe far hee vaunteth as hee sayth openly hee hath now at last obtayned the priuiledge of his Grand father beecause in his owne land hee was a king a Legate a Patriarcke and Emperor and what hee list Cod vâ—t lib. 1. epist 1â—8 and soe would he bee wherin as it is probable hee aymed at the Church of Rome For what could Octauianus or the Archhereticke of Crema haue don more for him How could their Cardinalls haue pleasured him more then the forenamed Cardinalls sent from Pope Alexander who whetted the tongues of England and made them spitt fire and poyson to terrify the Pope and subiect him to their will This will bee regestred in the Chronickles of the Roman Church and doubtlesse God permitting it there will not want Historiographers to recorde that at the petition and threates of the king of England whose intollerable excesses hee had soe long endured the Champion of liberty the preacher of iustice now liuing with an infinite number of Innocents for the cause of Allmighty God as yet foure yeeres in banishment without any respect of reason or lawe as a man guilty was depriued by the Pope of his office not vpon any offence of his but only to please a Tyrant And yet neuerthelesse vnder his letters patents remayning with vs was granted him to exercise in his ample right the power of his office wherein is expressed that hee neither gaue nor restrayned the mandate for the kings excommunication O good God what a nouelty haue wee heere Isaia 58. The holy Ghost biddeth in his lawe Crye out cease not and loe an other spirit of what fashion I knowe not issuing out from the Citty into the world sayeth to the Preachers cease crye not 2. Tim. 4. The Apostle instructing a Bishop commanding biddeth Accomplish thy ministery And lo the Apostolicall man willeth saying desist from the ministery of thyne office Yet perchaÌ„ce hee supposeth hee can with patience mollify his mynde but hath hee not a sufficient tryall to the contrary in the Bishoppe of Canterbury who hauing bin allmost foure yeeres depriued of his Sea hath felt the remisnes of the Sea Apostolicke and the Tyranny of the king beeing all this while exposed to windes Let therefore I pray you my Lord the Pope bee ashamed of such a conscience and haue a care of his fame honor and preseruation of the Church
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
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
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
of many to diminish the credit of our cause wher on the other parte if it standeth with your pleasure wee are not bound to admitt our aduersary for a iudge neither can wee bee confident of any heerein but only in your presence for by reason of the banishment of vs and ours the king soe frighteth and terrifyeth all men with the vexation and losses of others as none knowing it dareth once affoarde vs a good word Considering deepely all this wee tempered our answer soe as wee neither refused nor accepted this iudgment and dangerous tryall For wee sayde whensoeuer wee who were thus beerefte of Archbishoppricke gouerment and all our goodes were restored agayne to what wee lofte wee would then gladly and when wee ought submitt our selues to your determination or the iudgment of him or them whom by your mandate you should appoint nor could wee nor would wee flye from iustice in the meane tyme wee could not with any reason bee constrayned to a contentious course of lawe neither were our poore meanes able to supporte it neither could the liberality of the most renowned king without molestation extend it selfe soe far as to mayntaine vs with the poore of Christ our banished breathren vpon his expence vnder the roofes of strangers especially since hee aboundeth not at this instant with money for where hee hath plenty of victualls there can he more tollerably defray our charges Then descended they to the third question demaunding if wee would admitt the proces of the Bishoppes who appealed against vs beefore those iudges But wee answered wee receaued no mandate of yours concerning this busines nor yet that our pouerty was able to vndergoe the expences of such a controuersy forth at was the drifte of our Aduerssaryes as wee vnderstood by them who could not bee ignorant heerin to giue a taynte to our person vpon any occasion in the presence of the Legates therby to worke vs any wrong For they coniectured that none of the prouince durst assist vs against the king in regarde wherof they might the sooner procure our ruyne and the king called out only those to this conference who beeing our Aduersaryes from the first raysing of this storme were knowne to bee the inuentors of soe greate a mischeife which were the Archbishop of Yorke with the Bishoppes of London and Chichester the Bishop of Worcester beeing also sent for with them that vnder the vayle of his worthines the malice of the rest might bee shadowed But as your wisedome may remember these who now soe applaude the kinges pleasure and aboue the rest as it is openly knowne thirst our bloud are they who sometymes soe much extolled in their letters full fraught with our prayses the procuring of our Pall and the forme of our election together with our person but now contradicting both truth and themselues through an impudency of lying and flattering they beecome contemptible whilst at the pleasure of the Prince like the slaue in the Comedy now they say now they gaynesay these are they o father who giue hornes to the sinner and if hee bee not made enough incense him more laying softe cushons vnder his elbowe and lulling a sleepe on daynty pillowes the heade that languisheth with sinnes Since therfore they who ought with their counsell assistāce and authority to bee the pillars of the Church doe now with their flattery and expences animate and arme the persecutors of the diuine lawe and of our selues against her and vs it is not safe nor possible for vs to subiect our selues to iudgment but only in the presence of your Holines and to bee examined by your selfe For although the Church may conceaue a great hope of the sinceare proceeding of one of the Legates and wee are confident in him especially in matters appertayning to God neuertheles there is not any man but your selfe to whom wee dare cōmitt this cause of our Lordes and for the other God make him the man who may saue his soule and beeseeme the place of a preist Cardinall of the Romane Church yet let that neuer come to passe which pleaseth it you to remember wee forewarned and feare will yet happen if it should fortune the wisedome eloquence and authority of my Lord William should concurre with the power and willfull disposition of the king of England wee doubt wee saye they will demaunde of vs by their counsell and consent those thinges which either bee greeuous for you to heare and impossible to bee effected or otherwise displeasing to God and odious to the world And because the charge of all Churches resteth on your shoulders turne if it please you your eyes on the west marke and see in what sorte the Church is there handled let it bee tould by the lord Oddo whom wee beeleiue the spirit of God guydeth let him declare what hee behouldeth what hee knoweth concerning the Church and Prouince of Towers what hee heard reported in England what hee hath by experience found in Normandy and wee beeleiue you will say with teares there is no greife like to the greife of this For to let passe the Churches of Canterbury and Towers which hee houldeth in his handes as you haue heard and wee wish you would heare it more fully hee hath now of long tyme retayned to himselfe seauen vacant Bishopprickes in the prouinces beelonging to vs and Roan nor suffereth any pastors to bee ordayned in them the Ecclesiasticall state of the kingdome is giuen his followers to bee trampled vnder their feete and made their prey If wee looke not to this most holy father how shall wee answer Christ in the day of iudgment who will resist Antichrist at his comming if wee suffer thus the vices and offenses of his forerunners with such induring as this Potentates growe prowde the kinges of Nations turne to bee Tyrantes and imagine the Church ought to haue no right no priuiledge but depending only on their pleasure but blessed is hee who houldeth and dasheth the litle ones on the rocke For if Iudas beeing commanded by the lawe rooteth not out the Cannonytes they will growe vp to bee perpetually his Aduersary and his stinge Bee therfore father of good comforte and bee a couragious commander wee haue more on our syde then they haue on theirs God hath broken in peeces Fredericke the hammer of the impious beeing ready also shortly to strike others vnles they amend and haue peace with the Church of God And to conclude wee only expect the sentence of your mouth or of his who hath bin accustomed to beereaue Princes of their spiritts and deliuer the poore from the potent You shall receaue more by word of mouth which wee thought inconuenient to committ to wryting Let your excellency bee thus perswaded that if wee would from the beeginning haue giuen way to these wicked customes wee needed not now intercession of any Cardinall nor yet of any man liuing In vayne God willing doe they lay beefore our eyes the examples of the Cicilians or
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
lastly made by the same Pope Archbishop of Beneuent Next is Iohn of Salisbury a man of mauellous learning and raysed after the Martyrdome of saint Thomas to the Bishoppricke of Charters Then Robert an Englishman created Bishop of Hereford After him Reynold also of England surnamed Lumbard preferred to the Bishoppricke of Bathe whom wee suppose to bee corruptly inserted for wee finde him not any where in the Catalogue of the Saintes familiar frindes who followed him in his persecution for whom beeing rather numbred among his enemyes Peter of Bloyes wrote an Apologie which shall after appeare Geralde insueth who was promoted to the Bishoppricke of Couentry and Huhge by nation à Roman who succeeded Geralde in his Bishoppricke Moreouer Gilbertus Angelus afterwardes Bishoppe of Rochester And likewise Rafe made in his exile Deane of Rhemes Lastly after others who were honored with Ecclesiasticall dignityes is Hubert of Millane first instauled in the Archbishoppricke of that Church and after called to the high Pontificall authority of the Church of Rome by the name of Vrban the third Others are in like sorte remembred as worthy of soe greate a father and Master who as they were partakers of his passion soe were they of his glory Such was the family of this most famous man not seruing him to please the eye but endowed with like constancy as their Master in suffering laborious afflictions truly Apostolicall men gloriously shyning with Apostolicall forces and therfore reputed worthie to bee promoted beefore others in Ecclesiasticall honors Pope Alexander beeing refused by the Romans and lying at Tusculan sent from thence these letters to the Archbishoppe of Biturees and the Bishop of Nyuers vpon occasion of the excommunication denounced by saint Thomas against the afore recyted Bishoppes of England Alexander Bishoppe seruant of the seruantes of God to his reuerent brethren the Archbishop of Biturees and the Bishop of Niuers sendeth greeting with Apostolicall benediction Wee suppose it is not vnknowne to your brotherhood how Thomas of holy memory late Archbishopp of Canterbury vpon our commandement denounced the sentence of excommunication against the Bishoppes of London and Salisbury The Popes letter for absolution of two English Bishops the which wee ratifying and confirming corroborated the same with our Apostolicall authority Now beecause the sayde Bishoppes beeing both aged and one of them sicke cannot trauell to our presence wee haue thought good to commend to yee of whose wisedome and honesty wee are confident theyr absolution for which the Messingers of Henry king of England with the Messingers also of the same Bishoppes haue bin earnest sutors Wherfore by our Apostolicall letters wee command your brotherhoode that if within one moneth after the beares heereof returne home yee heare not our Legates haue passed the Aples which Legates wee haue determined to send to those partes as well to vnderstand the depth of that heynous offence lately committed as also for the kinge absolue them from the bandes of excommunication taking first according to the manner of the Church an oathe of them to obey our Mandate the sentence of Suspension giuen vpon the same cause for which they were lastly excommunicated remayning neuertheles still in the former vigor And if it appeareth vnto yee that the Bishop of Salisbury by reason of his sicknes cannot trauell to yee then which will please vs right well that yee will personally goe vnto him or if yee cannot goe then that yee will send ouer some sufficient men whom wee and yee may confidently trust who taking first an oathe of him publickly in the face of the Church to obey our Mandate may therupon absolue him But if you brother Archbishoppe cannot personally execute this then doe you brother Bishopse taking with you the Abbot of Pontianacke carefully performe it according to these our directions Dated at Tusculan 8. Kalend. Maij. Hetherto Pope Alexander as it is rehearsed in Rogeres Chronicle Now amydd all this The Murderers of S. Thomas flye to the Pope for their remedy these sacrilegious murderers of the Martyr who hetherto remayned in the furthest parte of England on the landes beelonging to one of them when they sawe all men flye their company yea and that the very vnreasonable creatures eschewed them as accursed for dogges albeeit hungry abhorred to eate the bread they gaue them as taynted with the poyson of excommunication and aboue all their owne consciences guylty of this greate sinne inforcing them principally to detest themselues calling on the Saint whom they slaughtered they sought mercy at his handes to whom themselues had bin most vnmercifull and cruell Wherfore amyd their showers of teares and clowdes of sorrowe there shyned out to them a beame of hope for obtayning pardon and one onely way appeared beeing this to trauell vnto Rome to Pope Alexander Christes Vicar and falling downe at his feete and opening the enormity of their offence to receaue from him the medicyne hee would apply to them They came to Rome and fled to that Pastor whom hee from whom hee receaued that supreme power had taught not to kill and spoyle but cary on his shoulders the lost sheepe where that renowned Pastor byndeth vp what is broken strengtheneth what is infirme seeketh out what is lost and recouereth what is cast away this wise Archsurgeon pouring oyle and wyne into the deepe hartes of the wounded soe waked them vp as hee deliuereth them from all euills that may happen They are therfore inioyned for remission of this intollerable sacriledge to trauell beeyōd the seas to the regions which were glorifyed with our Sauiours presence euen to those places that where Christ wrought our saluation in the middest of the earth by shedding his blood for the redemption of mankinde they who had most wickedly shed the most innocent bloode might there bee purged with the bloode of his passion Their death who killed S. Thomas In their iourney one of them and hee the cheefest who encouraged the rest and first wounded the most holy man whose name was William Tracy comming into Calabria and remayning a while at Consentia beeing there taken with a greeuous infirmity of his body was compelled to stay the other three goeing on as they were inioyned Soe truly for an example of the iustice of Allmighty God hee could passe no farther then Italy that the Westerne world might bee admonished and none should heereafter dare for feare of soe seuere a punishment to lay rash and violent handes on our lordes annoynted For God stroke him with soe terrible a sickenes as his flesh rotting and his very synewes and bones appearing the same beeing dissolued from the ioyntes eyther of it selfe fell away or was haled of with his handes beeing impatient of his greife and his owne executioner yet euer vntill the very last gaspe imploring the assistance of saint Thomas whom himselfe had martyred All which beeing published to the Christian world by the Bishops of Consentia is affirmed in the end of the often recyted history