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
which hee hath granted authority the other to which hee would haue reuerence yeelded hee then who derogateth from the right of the one or the other resisteth Gods ordination Let not then our Soueraigne Lord disdaine to attribute to them vnto whom the highest of all vouchsafeth to attribute calling them often goddes in the holy Scriptures For hee speaketh thus I haue said yee are godes c. And againe I haue appointed thee the God of Pharao Psal 81. Exod. 9. Ibid. 22. And Thou shalt not detract from the Goddes that is to say the Preistes And speaking by Moyses of him who was to sweare hee sayth Bring him to the Goddes Ibidem that is to the Preistes Neither let our king presume to attempt to iudge his iudges For the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed not to powers of this earthe but to Preistes And therefore it is written The lippes of the Preist shall haue the custody of knowledge and from his mouth they shall require the lawe 1. Cor. ◠beecause hee is the Angel of our Lord. And also Paule sayth Shall wee not iudge Angells how much more men Wee would haue you also suggest into the mynde of our Soueraigne Lord that thing worthie of memory and imitation which wee reade in the Ecclesiasticall history of Constantine the Emperor to whom when there were offered vp in wryting accusations against Bishoppes hee receaued the Schedule of the accusations and calling the accused together hee burned it in their sight saying Yee are Goddes ordayned by the true God goe and determine your causes among your selues in regarde it is vnworthy that wee men should iudge the Goddes O mighty Emperor O discreete Gouernor on the earth not fraudulently vsurping on the authority of others and deseruing in heauen an eternall kingdome Let therefore our Lord the king indeauor to imitate soe greate soe discrete soe happy an Emperor whose memory is with prayses renowned on the earth and likewise accounted eternall and glorious in heauen Otherwise let him feare what our Lord hath threatened in Deutronomy Deut 17. saying What man soeuer shall soe deale in his pride that hee will not heare the preist hee shall dye before the iudge For to this purpose is hee called and to this end the tranquility of his temporall kingdome and that magnificency whereof you put vs in mynde are giuē him from heauen Otherwise the king is not saued by his great power although kingdomes are subiect vnto him and nations doe reuerently obey him And thus far concerning these Now whosoeuer haue ioyned with you in the wryting of these afore recyted letters let them knowe that the same answer wee make you the same wee make to them What remayneth brethren wee admonish intreate and beeseech yee that no scysmes may euer seperate vs but that wee bee in our Lord one harte and one soule and that wee harken to him who sayth In the beehalfe of Iustice contend for thy life and fight for Iustice euen to the very death and God will conquer for thee thyne enemyes Eccles 4. Let vs not forget that seuere iudge beefore whose Tirbunal Throne when wee shall appeare Truth only shall adiudge vs all feare and trust of any earthly power beeing then cleane vanished Soe in our Lord wee bid your brotherhood farewell These were this yeere written the rest shall in the yeeres following appeare in their places But the Bishoppes of England directed letters to Pope Alexander inueighing against this afore recyted Epistle written to them by saint Thomas not that they might any way succor the distressed estate of the Church as neede required but only appeale to his Holines against their Archbishoppe For these are their wordes To their father and Lord the high Bishop Alexander The Epistle of the Bishops of England to the Pope the Bishops of the Prouince of their seuerall Dioceses dispersed in sundry parishes as to their Lord and father remember their bounden seruice of charity and obedience Wee suppose father your excellency is not vnmyndfull how you conuented in your letters lōg since directed by the mediation of our reuerent brethren the Bishoppes of London and Hereforde your deuoute sonne and our most deere and renowned Lord the king of England and how with your fatherly compassion you admonished him for the amendment of some matters which appeared to the eyes of your holines as deseruing reformation in his kingdome who receauing your commandement with due reuerence as it is manifest swelled not in anger The Bishoppes commend their king nor with pryde of mynde contemned to obey you but yeelding thankes for your fatherly chastisement humbled himselfe presently to the Churches examination saying that in euery thing which according to the forme of your Mandat was dilligently expressed to him hee would submit himselfe to the iudgment of the Church of his kingdome and what soeuer they should determine to bee amended hee would reforme by their aduise with à commendable denotion and in a Prince worthie great prayse from this purpose hee flyeth not neither recalleth his mynde from his promise but hee who may sit in thrones who may consider and iudge now moued with the reuerence of diuine feare not as a king but as an obedient sonne is ready to yeelde to iudgment obey the lawfull pronounced sentence and as a Prince bounded with lawes shewe himselfe in all thinges a dutifull childe wherefore it is vnnecessary to enforce with interdictions or threates or the spurres of accursinges the man to satisfaction who subiecteth himselfe allready to the censures of the diuine lawes For his actions withdrawe not themselues from the light nor by any meanes desire to bee shrowded in darknes for this king in faith most Christian in the bandes of wedlocke most honest the conseruer of peace and iustice and one who enlargeth the boundes of the same far and neere incomparably indeauoureth with all his power and thirsteth with a feruent desire that scandalls and sinnes together with their fowle followers may bee taken away and rooted out of his kingdome and that peace and iustice may euer take place and all thinges prosper and flourish vnder him in sweete security and quiet tranquillity The Bishops excuse their king Who finding sometimes the peace of his kingdome not a litle molested with the outragious excesses of some insolent Clearkes with due reuerence to the Clergie referred their offences to the Bishoppes iudges of the Church that one sworde might assist an other and the power spirituall ground and establish in the Clergie the peace which hee ruled and fostred in his people Wherin the zeale of thee party came more to light the Bishops persisting in this setled iudgment that murder or any other like cryme should only bee punished in the Clergie by degradation the king on the other syde beeing of opinion that this punishement did not condignly answer the offence neither was it a sufficient prouision for mayntenance of peace if a Reader or
calamityes Adrian was constrayned for redeeming himselfe The Pope constrained to craue peace vppon vniust conditions the Clergy and inhabitants to receiue from the victorious king a peace vpon most vniuste termes neither could the Pope inuironed with these streyghts include his associates with in the precincts of these conditions but thus left to themselues were forced to seeke forraine countryes for refuge where the Prince of Capua more miserable then the rest falling into the hands of the kinges freinde was violently depriued of his eyes and throwne into perpetuall imprisonnement Godes reuenge vpon the king of Cecyl for oppressing the Church But this attempt of the king of Cecyl against the Church was by gods vnsearchable iudgement seuerely punished for in the second generation was his Norman race of kinges rooted out and the Crowne trāsferred to the Sweuians his ancient capital enemys Moreouer during his owne life there neuer ceased rebellious tyrans to ryse against him whom allthough hee conquered yet like Hydras heades they still encreased vntill inthralling him in handes they crowned Roger his sonne in his throne and afterwards reskued by the people out of captiuity hee killed his owne child to recouer his kindogme soyling his purple robe with his sonnes blood lastly Mayius his Amirant the cheife contryuer of this mischeife ended his dayes with a most cruel death But this peace soe established with the King of Cecyll very much displeased the Emperor Fredericke beecause the Pope making of this miserable calamity some commodity The Emperour displeased at the peace with Cecyl had got heereby the king to strengthen him against the Emperour if hee should attempt any thing against him or the Church for otherwise the Emperour had bin euer of power to haue commāded the Cleargie Heereupon grew the dissention among the Cardinals some fauouring the Emperour others this vnion with Cecil The Cardidinalles deuided which discord after Adrians death bred the terrible scysme that rente Christendome in sunder The Emperour a trangressor of the Ecclesiasticall Cannons thought to awe the Pope that hee should not correct but condescend to his affayres An. 3. Had. 4. For to omitt the dismission of his wife and the mariage of an other beecause it is a matter controuerted in regard they were within degrees of consanguinity Edward Bishop of Lōdon imprisoned by the Emperiales was à cause of dissention betweene the Pope and Emperour I will come to Edward Bishop of London who passing in his returne from the Sea Apostolike through the Emperours dominitions was assaulted with naked swordes robbed of all his goods and violently detayned a prisoner whereupon the Pope wrote to the Emperour requiring the Bishoppes release and condigne punishement for the offendors But the Emperour neglected all whereby the malefactors being encouraged withheld the Bishop still in captiuity The Pope not enduring soe greate a wrong and indignity addressed two Legates the one Rowland Priest Cardinal of the tytle of saint Marke Chancellor of the Romane Church afterwards Alexander the third whose very person in this case yeelded matter to the ensuing dissention the other Bernard Priest Cardinal of the tytle of saint Clement sending by them letters wherin hauing expostulated this heynous and sacriligious offence with the impunity therof as yet tollerated hee descended to the benefittes latety conferred by the Church on the Emperour namely that hee receaued the fullnes of his dignity and honor together with the ensigne of his Emperiall Crowne from the Popes handes nor yet did it repent him if hee had conferred greater benefitts on him considering what singular augmentations and commodityes might by him bee rendred to the Church againe These wordes the princes of the Empyre tooke to the harte as if the Emperour should receaue from the Pope the Empyre of Rome and kingdome of Italy remembring withall certayne verses and a picture in Rome made to that purpose which beeing offensiue to the Germanes Pope Adrian had beefore commanded to bee abolished The Emperour and Emperialles vehemently incensed against the Pope and Cardinalles leaste soe vayne a trifle should otherwise breede matter of discord among Princes But all these now concurring in one and beeing tumultuously argued among the prime nobility adding still fire to the fewel one of the Legates is said to haue answered And from whom hath hee his Empire if not from my Lord the Pope At which wordes one of them and as it was reported Otto Count Palantine of Baioaria outragious in anger was drawing his sword threatning to kill him had not the Emperour interposing his authority appeased the broyle commanding the Legates to bee safe conducted to theire lodging and the next morning early to departe and goe on strayght to Rome neither declyning on the right nor left hand to the Palaces of Bisoppes or Monasterys of Abbottes The Emperour also prosecuted his indignation conceaued against the Pope and Legates for this cause by sending letters signifying these wordes and his displeasure vehemently distasting the same euery where to his Prelates and Princes soe whetting their myndes to execute with him the malice which vpon the next occasion offered he violently pursued venting the very bowelles of his mother the holy Church yea the Clergy from the Church by Octauians scysme Thus hee diuulged the wrong offered him by the Pope and Legates concealing the reason of the Legation beeing for the deliuery of a vertuous English Bishop restrayned in his dominions impiously and vniustly in pryson Hee sent out also his Emperiall Edict that no Clearke or Religious man should trauail to Rome faynedly pretending it was to exempt them from charges and that the religious should not leaue their Monasticall discipline and so layd watch and ward to debarre them The Legates on the other syde returning home appealed to the Pope for redresse of the iniuryes they susteyned whereupon the courte of Cardinalls was deuided for some fauouring the Emperour imputed the fault to the Legates carelesse folly others aggreed with the Pope who wrote heereupon to the Bishoppes of Germany persuading them to recall the Emperour from his sinfull proceedinges and cause Reynold his Chancellor and the Count Palantine who had openly abused the Legates and vomited blasphemyes against the Church of God to make therefore publicke satisfaction intimating also by them to the Emperour that if hee would rebell against the Church it was all in vaine since shee was founded on soe firme a rocke as neither hee nor hell it selfe could euer ouerthrowe her The Bishoppes blinded with affection and feare to their Emperour confessed that although saint Peeters ship could not bee drowned yet they themselues were neuerthelesse shaken with this tempest and reporting the Emperours Apologie of his regal power beesought the Pope to mollify and sweeten those wordes of his letter which the Emperour and Germans could not disgest and soe certifying the absence of Count Palantine in warres by reason whereof hee could not cleere himselfe and that Reynold the Chancellor was
ioy departed The Pope trauelling from thence to towers celebrated there the feast of Christmas This yeere also lewis king of France and Henry king of England meeting Pope Alexāder at Tociacke which is situated on the riuer of Loyre both kinges attending on foote did leade the Popes horse hee ryding thereon That kinges of Frāce and Englād together lead ioyntly the Popes horse The Pope vniteth the kinges of France and and Englād in perfect amity the king of France houlding the right and the king of England the left cheeke of his brydle and soe conducting him to a Pauylion prepared for him where hee by godes assistance vnited them in a perfect leage of amity Soe these two kinges diuided long in bloudy warres agreed both in one to honor in this sorte ioyntly together Christes vicar A thing though often vsed by Emperours and kinges to Popes yet neuer beefore excecuted by two kinges at once Soe God did honor him whom the Emperour sought to depresse rewarded the kinges for theyr humble seruice with a Benediction of Peace Now heere is to bee showed how Waldemar king of Denmark sonne of king Canutus the Martyr beeing deluded by the Emperour and Octauian Waldemar king of Dēmarke deluded by the Emperour beecame his homager yet deliuered by God from his scysme was drawne within the Lyons pawes and soe inforced to bee his homager yet mercifully deliuered by Christ from the contamination of this scysme The king beeing sollicited by the Scysmatickes and not vnderstanding the matter sent Rafe his secretary a man of more wordes then wisedome to the Emperour where ouercome with the curtesies and rewards of Fredericke and Octauian and allured also with large promises made to the king his Master of a Prouince in Italy and the gouerment of Sclauia and beeing moreouer informed how pyous an acte it was and how well beeseeming the zeale and great discretion of soe worthy a kinge to come and yeeld his assistance for vniting the Catholikes thus disioynted neyther yet Octauians humility submitting himselfe to the counsell nor Alexanders refusal to obey their iudgments beeing forgotten was thus perswaded and sent backe to relate all this to his king who more bold heerin then discreete and not soe much vpon a Religious yeale as a curiosity to see the fashons of other countreys entertayned these suggestions At that tyme Octauians Legate was in Denmarke Absolon Bishop of Rochildens a wise and vertuous Prelate but rather scorned then accepted After whose dimission the king went to Absalon Bishop of Roschildens his foster brother and faythful freind a man of rare vertues grauity and wisedome to whom laying all open hee declared his intended iourney desiring the Bishop to accompany him The Bishop discouering Frederickes deceytes condemned them assuring hee could not without violating his religion entertayne the Emperours freindship beeing more passionately then iustly transported with this scysme and for his owne parte that hee was altogether vnprouided for such a iourney The king offering to furnish him with all thinges necessary the Bishop answered hee would not hazard his soule among the professed enemyes of Gods Church The king replying hee therfore desired to haue him along beecause if his conscience should bee any wayes endangered the Bishop might rescue and deliuer him the Bishop ouercome with his importunity happily yeelded whereupon the king with a royal trayne sett forward neyther with any dangers or dissuasiōs of his faythfull counsellors could hee be-recalled but neuerthelesse preceeded on with great iustice and religion which purchassed him in all Countreyes where hee passed both loue and reuerence for though his company encreasing amounted in showe to an army yet would hee not suffer them to offer the least wrong to any The singular iustice of the king of Denmarke yea his seuere equity was such both at home and abroade as when afterwardes vpon want of prouision for his horses complayning to the Emperour hee desired hee might haue the same for money and the Emperour willed that his seruantes as others who followed those warres should gett it by spoyle of the Countrey hee cryed out hee was no theife nor would purchase by robbery and although in eases of necessity this was tolerated yet would hee not allow that in other nations which hee condemned in his owne or suffer his subiectes with forraine offences to corrupt their domesticall lawes Wherupon the Germane Princes admyring protested that happy was the Realme where such a king gouerned But to returne to the purpose After a tedious iourney approaching the Emperiall Campe hee found contrary to his expectation a cold entertaynment For Absolon the good Bishop accompanyd with Rafe that ill Embassador deliuered beefore the Emperour the cause of his lords coming But Frederike condemning first the kinges neglecte and delay sayd that hee who held his kingdome by seruice to the Emperiall Maiestie forgot himselfe much in omitting thus long his attendance Absolon answering The Emperour should haue signifyd soe much to the king before hee vndertooke his iourney and not to inuite him with such faire and large promises The Emperour wondering answered who fed the king with such hopes and promises Absolon produced Rafe saying this is hee who with your high promises abused the goodnes of our credulous king But Rafe abashed at the Emperours denyall gaue the Bishop leaue to vnfould the whole matter The Emperour still gaynsaying all Absolon desired his kinge might haue then a safe conduct backe into his Countrey But Fredericke yeelding to nothing affirmed that as hee medled not with his comming soe hee would not assist him in his goeing Heerupon the king repenting his rashnes sayd allthough the swoard hung ouer his head neuertheles hee would rather dye then inthrall his countrey to bondage And for a remedy to this mischeife lying with the Emperour on the confines of France determined by Absolons counsell to flye thither by stealth for refuge But the Emperour altering his mynde sought to win him by giftes whom hee could not bend by terror and giuing the gouerment of Sclauia allured the king to doe him Homage yet soe as it should neyther preiudice his posterity nor kingdome alleadgeing for example the glorious king of Englād who in like case for his principallityes in France did Homage to the king of France And now to descend to Octauians absurd conuenticle where the Archbishop of Clen declaymed of the iniury offered the Romane Emperour by other kinges who would intermedle with choosing the Pope of Rome where the Emperour on the contrary side neuer interposed himselfe about the elections of any Bishoppes in Cittyes subiect to their dominions And the Emperour saying also that hee doubted not but the kinges there present assembled by him for that purpose would concurre with the Bishoppes in ratifying Octauians authority When Octauian heereupon proceeded in his counterfeit solemnity to accurse Pope Alexander The king of Denmarke by the aduise of Bishop Absolon flyinge Octauian followeth Alexander the king
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
matter it selfe had now fallen out more fouly But in respect hee could not as hee ought not compell vs to condescend to his intended purpose hee attempted to retorte the blame of his rash presumption on my lord the king on vs yea on the whole nation wherefore to giue a coulor to the infaming of our mutuall brotherhood no man enforcing him no man threatening him hee fled the land Proueâ—b 27. according to that saying the wicked hath fled and no man persecuted him Heere my Lord the Pope interuping him sayd Forbeare Brother and London answered I will my Lord forbeare him Wherunto his Holynes replyed I bid you not forbeare him but forbâ—are to wrong your selfe At the sound of this Apostolicall trumpet Londons senses were soe amaysed by Allmighty God as hee could not after pronounce one word Wherefore Hilarie Bishop of Chichester floweing in eloquâ—nce more confident of his Rhetoricke then of the truth and honesty of his cause as appeared by the sequel pursued the matter saying My lord and father it beehoueth your Holines speedily to reduce to the orderly state of peace and concord whaâ—soeuer is disorderly landled to the destruction of the vniuersall body leastâ— such immoderate presumption may produce with the ouerthrowe of many the scysme also of the whole Catholike Church â—hiâ—h my loâ—d of Canterbury full little considâ—â—eâ—h while leauing all grauer aduice hee buildeth only on his owne braine that thereby hee may rayse more turbulent stormes and anxietyes to himselfe and his the king and kingdome the people and Cleargie and truly in a man of his eminent authority this was not seemely neither was it opportune neither can it heereafter at any time bee euer opportune Soe gaiely Hylary of Chichester played the Grammarian with his opportune adding moreouer neither yet was it opportune to his Cleagie were they well aduised to yeeld in such a case assent vnto him Heareing therefore this gallant Grammarian soe leape from porte to porte by often iterating opportune they could no longer abstayne from laughter among whom one breaking out sayd Now Sir at length you are ill arriued in the porte At which word our Lord soe abashed the Prelate as presently hee beecame silent and dumbe The Archbishope of Yorke seeing them both soe foyled before him endeauored to abate the fury of his minde and in few wordes only taxed the improuidence of the Archbishop and they in like sorte who discoursed afterwardes whom for breuity I heere ouerpasse yet ioyning all finally in this they beesought that his Holines would make a Legate a latere and send him into England to vnderstand the busines beetweene the king and the Archbishop whom they would needes haue returned backe into the same land there to receaue his iudgment which allthough they instaÌ„tly intreated yea and partly threatened that otherwise the king would breake out into scysme the Pope neuerthelesse would not yeelde to deliuer vp into their handes innocent Thomas but that they should expect his Sommons into that Courte there to haue his cause before his Holines determined whereunto they refused to agree and with disdayne departed without receauing his Apostolicall benediction There is among other epistles to bee seene the Libell farced with poyson which these Prelates offered vp to Pope Alexander against S. Thomas S. Thomas came afterwardes vnto his Holines who as saith Alane in Quadrilogus was entertayned coldly by the Cardinalles but admitted freely to my Lord the Popes presence who receaued him with a most kind and fatherly affection casting a tender compassion on his manifould afflictions and his long pilgrimage soe dangerous troublesome and tedious and while these matters were thus to fro discoursed hee was at the length coÌ„manded to lay the next day open beefore his brethren the causes of his banishment wherefore on the morrowe while it was questioned amoÌ„g his associates which of them should first vnfould the cause euery one pretending excuses the bulke of this busines fell on the Archbishop himselfe Instructed therefore by God allthough of himselfe absolutely vnprouided while placed next vnder my lord the Pope hee would for reuerence haue rysen beeing commanded to sit dow againe and soe to pleade his cause hee thus beegan Although not abounding in wisedome yet are wee not soe vndiscreete as for a trifle to leaue the king of England S. Thomas pleadetae his cause in the Consistory his Courte and commodityes for if wee would in all respectes submet our selues vnto his pleasure there is not hee within his dominions or kingdome who would refuse to bee obedient to our will and during the tyme that vnder this condition wee serued his turnes what was there that answered not our wished desires But after wee entred another course of proceedinge thorough the dewe remembrance of the profession and obedience which for the seruice of God wee haue vndertaken his former affection hee bore vs beegan assuredly to wax cold And yet truly if wee would flye backe from our intended purpose wee neede not the intercession of any for recouery of his fauour but because the Church of Canterbury hath bin accustomed in tymes past to bee the Sun of the west and her brightes in this our age is very much clowded wee had rather in thee name of God suffer any torments yea thousand seuerall deathes if soe many were offerred vs then euer with dissimulation to indure the afflictions which at this instant shee sustayneth And that wee may not seeme with curiosity or a pretence of vayne glory to haue beegun this our entreprise it is conuenient that with an eye-witnessing testimony the effecte bee made apparant And producing the writinges contayneing the customes the cause of this contention with teares hee sayd Loe heere what lawes the King of England ordayned The rroyal customes of the kingdome of England examined in the Consistorie against the liberty of the Catholike Church Bee iudges your selues if it bee lawfull to dissemble in matters of this moment without the losse of a mans soule Which once heard they were all moued to the very effusion of teares neither yet could they contayne themselues who before were to their power vehement on the contrary parte all with one voyce praysing our Lord for reseruing yet one person to himselfe who durst in this tempest of persecution stand in defence of his holy Church and they who seemed before to bee in this controuersie deuided now consented in this one opinion that in the person of the Archbishop of Canterbury the vniuersall Church was at this tyme to bee succoured But my lord the Pope hauing read and often perused and with greate diligence and attention heard and considered seuerally these customes beeing exceedingly moued instantly burst out into anger against the Archbishop reprouing him with sharpe reprehension for that yeelding an assent to these vnworthie the name of customes but truly tyrannical vsurpations hee as hee there confessed together with the other Bishops had renounced their preistly dignity and cast
of an Idoll nor yet will there fayle some who possessing our seates and vsurping our chaires will with all the deuotion of their myndes obey him Many there are who doe now foretaste this wishing that scandalls would once arise and playne ways bee peruerted to crooked pathes Wherfore father wee doe not lament or bee wayle our owne misfortunes but vnles you preuent these mischeifes wee doe forseeing dread a foule subuersion to threaten and hang ouer the Church of God neither sooner would wee wish a day of this loathed life to perish then that wherin wee were borne to see such manner of spectacles Allmighty God deare father in Christ preserue you long in health and prosperity And thus wrote the Bishop of London to Pope Alexander But Pope Alexander who sought by the Bishop of Londons meanes the kinges recouery desired much more by his owne pastor sainct Thomas to perfect the same who neuer fayled of his office and as at all tymes hee admonished him by his letters soe now more amply in wryting hee thought good to perswade his king in manner following To his beeloued Lord Henry by the grace of God King of England Duke of Normādy and Aquitayne and Earle of Anioue Lib. 1. Epist 65. Thomas by the same grace the humble seruant of the Church of Canterbury sometimes temporally his but now much more wisheth him in our Lord all true repentance with amendment Expecting wee haue expected that our Lord would looke vpon you The Epistell of sainct Thomas to King Henry and that beeing conuerted you would doe pennance departing from your peruerse wayes and that you would cut off from you the wicked by whose suggestestion and counsell as it is tought you are now fallen downe allmost into the depth But God forbid it should bee into that depth whereof it is sayde Prouerb 18. The sinner when hee commeth into the depth will contemne And allthough wee haue hetherto forborne in vayne considering in silence and with all affection expectin if any messinger would come and reporting say your sonne king and Lord beeing now long inueagled with deceiptes and drawne on to the Churches destruction by the inspiration of the heauenly clemency in the abundance of exceeding humility hasteneth himselfe for the Churches deliuery with making all satisfaction and amendes Allthough there is yet no such thing wee not withstanding will neuer cease with humble and daily deuotion to beeseech Allmighty God that what wee haue long and earnestly wished both of you and for you wee may with a speedy and fruitefull effect obtayne And beehould thereupon it cōmeth to passe that the care of the Church of Canterbury ouer whō our Lord hath at this present placed our preistood though vnworthie while you doe there rule the temporall estate doth not soe neerely touch vs in regard of our continued discommodious exile as otherwise moue vs to direct to your Maiestie letters of admonition exhortation and correction that wee bee not to great a dissembler of your offences if any there bee which in verie deede are beeing the ground of our no smale greife those yea cheefely those wee say which concerne the Church of God and his Clergie beeing diuers ways committed by you without regarde of person or dignity and that wee appeare not theerin too negligent to the hazard of your soules saluation For hee is doubtlesse guilty of the facte who forbeareth to amend what hee ought to correct It is written Not only they who doe but those who consent are adiuged partakers of the crime And truly they consent who when they may and ought resist not or at the least reproue not the offendor for the error beeing not resisted is allowed and truth beeing not defended is oppressed neither auoydeth hee suspition of secret association who forbeareth to withstand a manifest offence For as most excellent Prince a small Citty cannot lessen the prerogatiue of a potent kingdome soe ought not your royal power to disturbe or alter the bounds of the Churches religious gouerment It is euer consonant to the rules of iustice that iudgment bee ministred to the preistes of God by a preistly councell The iurisdiction of the Preisthood distinguished from the iurisdiction of the kingdome For Bishopps whatsoeuer they are although as men they run astray yet if they fall not from their faith neither can nor ought they to bee censured by the secular power It is the parte of a good and godly Prince to repaire ruinous and decayed Churches to build them anew to honor the preistes of God and supporte them with all reuerence like Constantine that vertuous Emperor of most famous memory who sayd when a cause of the Clergie was brought beefore him yee ought not to hee iudged by any secular authority who are only reserued to the iudgment of Allmighty God And wee reade that the holy Apostles and their successors whose power is warranted by the word of God himselfe doe command That no persecutions nor disturbances bee raised nor yet that any should enuy them who labour in the feild of our Lord nor that the stewardes of the eternall king should bee banished from their Seas For who maketh question but that Preistes are the Masters and fathers of kinges and all faithfull beeleiuers and is it not then a point of miserable madnes for the sonne to endeauour to bring his father into subiection or the scholler his Master and with vniust lawes to reduce him vnder his rule who as hee ought to beelieue hath power to loose and bind him not only in earth but in heauen alsoe If you are a good and Catholike king and soe will remayne as wee beelieue and hope you will let vs say vnder your Maiesties correction you are a chylde and not a Bishop of the Church and ought to learne of Preistes and not to teach them and in matters Ecclesiasticall to follow them not to guyde them You haue the priuiledges of your power which you haue obtayned from God for administring your temporall lawes to the end that beeing not vngratefull to him for his benefitts you should vsurpe nothing contrary to the disposition of his heauenly order but that with a more sober mynde you should vse those things which now rather perchance through the counsell of the malitious then the inclination of your owne mynde you abuse against his ordinance yeelde therefore speedely with all humility and all manner of satisfaction least otherwise the hand of God beeing bent against you shoote his arrowe at you as at a marke for the Allmighty hath bent his bowe to strike you openly with his arrowe if you repent not Bee not ashamed whatsoeuer the malignant suggest in your mynde and the Traytors not only to you but also to God himselfe doe whispering murmer in your eares to humble your selfe vnder the mighty hand of God for it is hee who exalting the humble throweth downe the prowde who in reuenge for iniuryes offered to him and his beereaueth Princes of their
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
of our letters they neuer heereafter for that reason repute him Deane Wee haue likewise denounced excommunite and haue excommunicated Richard de Iuecester for his fall into the same damned heresie for communicating with Reynold the Scysmaticke of Colen and for deuising and practising all mischeefes by combining with the Scysmatickes and those Allmaynes to the ouerthrowe of God and his Church and especially the Church of Rome and by contracting couenantes beetweene our Lord the King and them Wee haue in like sorte excommunicated Richard de Lucy and Ioceline de Baliol who haue bin the authors and framers of those wicked deuises and Raynulph de Broc who possessed and with houldeth the goods of the Church of Canterbury which are by right the almes of the poore and hath apprehended our followers as well of the Clergy as Layety and detayneth them prisoners Wee excommunicate moreouer Hugh de Clare and Thomas Fitz-Bernard who haue also seized on the goods and possessions of the Church of Canterbury without our conniuence and as yet with hould the same wee haue lastly inuolued in this sentence of excommunication all such as shall heereafter lay violent handes without our will and consent on the possessions and goodes of the Church of Canterbury Afterwardes hee inserteth the decrees of the Bishoppes of Rome wherein such as these are sayde to bee condemned for excommunicate and wherby the sentence pronounced by him is approued All which beeing rehearsed hee addeth thus And wee inioyne you Brother and Bishop of London in the vertue of obedience that presently you manifest and shew these our letters to all our reuerent brethren and associate Bishoppes of our Prouince Farewell in Christ and instantly pray for vs. Thus wrote hee to London and other Bishoppes of his Prouince Saint Thomas did also certify the Archbishop of Rome of this excommunication soe denounced Beesides hee sent a letter to Pope Alexander of the same subiecte beeseeching him to confirme the sentence which hee had published against them Also to Hyacinth and Henry of Pysa Cardinalles And other letters are extant which were directed to the Bishop of London and the like to the Chapter there And to the same effect did hee write to Robert Bishop of Hereforde concerning this excommunication which Roger recyteth in the Annalls of England the yeere following But the letters to Pope Alexander for excommunicating the king of England are thus indighted To his most deerely beeloued Father Alexander by the grace of God high Bishop Thomas the humble seruant of the Church of Canterbury sendeth his dewe and deuoute obedience Long and ouerlong haue I endured most beloued father expecting the reformation of the king of England nor reaped any fruite at all of my patience but rather exceedingly encreased the losse and vtter ouerthrowe of the authority and liberty of the Church of God while I haue thus vnaduisedly forborne often haue I admonished him by religious and conuenient messingers and many tymes inuited him to make due satisfaction I haue also made knowne to him by letters the coppyes whereof I haue sent to your holines the diuine and seueere iustice and reuenge of God vnlesse hee amended his life But hee neuerthelesse waxed still worser and worser treading more vnder foote and depressing the church of God and continuing his persecution against my selfe and those exiled with mee in such sorte as hee attempteth by threates and terrours to beereaue of their benefittes and cōmodityes the seruantes of the Allmighty who for Gods sake and yours prouyde vs sustentation For hee did wryte to the Abbot of the Cistercians that as hee tendred the Abbeyes of his order which were within his dominions hee should banish vs from all benefitt and society of his sayd order What neede I more wordes The hard and cruell dealinges of the kinge and his officers haue encreased to that heygth by our endurance as by reporte of religious men who if it pleaseth your holines shall affirme the same by oathe shall bee in order deliuered vnto you And I wonder if your holines will giue credit to soe strange a thing soe constantly declared Considering therefore in great streightes and grefe of mynde and weyghing the danger as well of the king as of your holines I publicky condemned those pernitious not customes but subtell deceyptes and wicked deuises by which the Church of England is disturbed and confounded together with the instrument it selfe and the authority of the obligation the ground of their confirmation And did generally excommunicate as well the obseruers as the Exactors together with the Patrons fauorers counsellore and abettors of the same of what estate soeuer they were either of the Clergie or Layety And absolued our Bishops from that oathe whereby they were violently bounde to the obseruation of them And these are the thinges which in that wryting or obligation I haue especially condemned 1. That they shall not appeale to the Apostolicke Sea without the kings licence 2. That it shall not bee lawfull for Bishops to question any man of periury or violating his faith 3. That it shall not bee lawefull for a Bishop to excommunicate any man houlding of the king in cheife or to inderdict his land or the landes of his officers without the kinges licence 4. That Clearkes or Religious men bee drawne to the secular Iudgments 5. That the Layety the king or any others handle causes concerning the Church or tythes 6. That it shall not bee lawfull for an Archbishop or Bishop to departe the lād and come at the calling of our Lord the Pope without the kinges licence With others of this fashion The names of the excommunicated And namely I haue excommunicated Iohn de Oxeforde who communicated with that excommunicated Scysmaticke Reynold of Colen and contrary to the commandment of your holines and vs vsurped the Dearny of the Church of Salisbury and made oath in the Emperors courte for renuing the Scysme Wee haue also denounced for excommunicate Richard de Iuecester beecause hee fell into the same condemned heresy by communicating with that infamous Scismatick of Colen deuysing and contriuing all mischeises with the Scismatick and those Allmaynes to the destruction of the Church of God especially of the Roman Church by meanes of couenantes contracted beetweene the king of England and them Wee haue pronounced likewise the same sentence on Richard de Lucy and Iocelin de Baliol who were fauorers of the kinges tyrany and framers of those hereticall offences with Raynulph de Broc Hugh de sainct Clare and Thomas Fitz-Bernard who vsurped without our licence and consent the possessions and goodes of the Church of Canterbury and lastly wee haue excommunicated all who contrary to our will and assent lay handes on the possessions and goods of the Church of Canterbury Concerning the king himselfe wee haue not as yet personally excommunicated him expecting awhile his amendment whom neuerthelesse wee will not forbeare to excommunicate vnles hee speedely reforme himselfe and receaue discipline for
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
Acolythy killing some famous man renowned for Religion or dignity should escape free with the losse only of this Order The Clergie therefore vphoulding the Order established from heauen and our Lord the king persecuting only the offence as hee hopeth with a iust hatred and intending to plant his peace more deepely a certaine holy contention arose among vs which wee trust the playne intention of both partyes will excuse with your Holines Heereupon not with any ambition of larger dominion not with any concept of oppressing the Churches liberty but with an affection of confirming peace our Lord the king passed soe farre as hee would produce to light the customes of his kingdome and dignityes anciently obserued and quietly and reuerently yeelded by persons Ecclesiasticall to former kinges in the kingdome of England and to the end no longer thread of contention might heereafter bee spunne hee would haue the same to bee openly knowne Wherefore the most ancient Bishoppes and greatest peeres of the realme beeing first adiured by their faith and the hope which they had in Allmighty God and then making search into the state of forepassed tymes the dignityes of the crowne being sought were layd open and by the testimonyes of men of the greatest accompt in the kingdome were published Loe heere the cruelty of our Lord the king against the Church of God which fame hath soe spread ouer the whole world Lo heere his persecution These are his workes soe diuulged for wicked both heere and euery where Yet neuertheles in all these proceedings if there bee any thing contayned either dangerous to his soule or ignominious to the Church hee hath long since with a most sacred deuotion promised and doth still most constantly continewe in the same mynde especially being admonished and moued with your authority for the reuerence of Christ and the honor of the holy Church whom hee professeth to bee his mother and for the redemption of his soule to reforme the same accordingly as hee shall bee aduised by the Counsell of the Church of his owne kingdome And truly father our solicitation had long since as wee hope obtayned the desired end of this wished peace had not our Father the Lord of Canterbury's bitter prouocations stirred vp anew this discorde now layd asleepe and allmost absolutely extinguished For hee from whose patience wee hitherto expected peace from whose modesty the recouery of the kinges fauor assayled him afresh and without respect of his Maiestie at such time as lately hee led his army against the Peace breakers with seuere and terrible letters no whit sauoring of fatherly deuotion or Pastorall patience but most bitterly threatening him with the sentence of Excommunication and his realme with the payne of interdiction Where as on the other side hee rather ought with admonitiōs to haue mollifyed him and with meritts and meeknes ouercome him whose humility if it bee soe requited what will bee then determined against the stuborne and contumatious if the ready deuotion of obedience bee esteemed soe slightly in what manner shall willfull obstinacy bee reuenged Yea to these soe greuous threates are yet added matters far more greeuous for hee inuolued in his Excommunication some of his Maiesties Liege men most inward with our Lord the king the principall of his priuy counsell who managed the mysteryes of the kinges estate and the affaires of his kingdome and denounced them publickly excommunicate beeing neuer cyted nor defended neyther as they call it guilty of any cryme nor conuicted nor confessing any thing Yea hee stepped farther in soe much as hee suspended our reuerent brother the Bishop of Salisbury beeing absent vndefended neither confest nor conuicte from his Preistly and Episcopall Office beefore euer the cause of his suspension was approued by the aduice of those of the same Prouince or any others If therefore this course of proceedinges in iudgmentes soe preposterous I spare to say inordinate bee followed concerning the king and kingdome what will bee the end considering the time is euill and yeeldeth great occasion of exceeding malice but that the band of grace and fauour whereby the kingdome and preisthood haue bin hetherto vnited will bee rent a sunder and wee with the flocke committed to our charge bee dispersed into exile or which God forbid falling of from the faith wee owe to you into the miseryes of Scysme bee cast downe headlong into the bottomles pitt of iniquity and disobedience for this is the ready way to the ruine of all relligion and the subuersion and ouerthrowe as well of the Clergie as Layety In regard whereof least in soe miserable a tyme of your Apostolicall raigne the Church bee ouerthrowne least our Lord the king with the people subiect to him fall away which God forbid from your obedience least what someuer our Lord of Canterbury by the counsell of priuate men deuiseth bee in his wrath executed on vs wee haue as well by word as wryting appealed to your excellency against him The Bishoppes appeale to the Pope against their Archbishoppe and his Mandates importing any detriment to our Lord the king and his kingdome vs and the Churches committed to our care and haue designed for the day of our Appeale the day of our Lordes Ascension chusing rather to humble our selues before your Holines in all thinges which shall bee pleasing vnto you then to bee daily according to the lofty motions of his mynde whyle our merittes deserue nothing lesse tediously afflicted Wee beeseech our Allmighty Lord most beeloued father in Christ long to preserue your health to his Churches prosperity Thus farre the Bishoppes Pope Alexander neuerthelesse perseuering in his opinion when hee perceaued the Appeale of the Bishoppes to bee voyde by reason the Appellants appeared not at the designed day confirmed the sentence which saint Thomas pronounced against them which is wittnessed by Salusbury in his letter to saint Thomas saying As it is signifyed to mee from the Citty soe I remember I certifyed you by wryting that my Lord the Pope hath now confirmed your sentence yea hee hath challenged it as an iniury offered himselfe There are also extant Pope Alexanders owne letters written to Saint Thomas to the same purpose after hee perceaued the Bishops did not prosecute their Appeale His wordes are these Wee haue had intelligence as well by your letters as alsoe the certaine relation of many that you pronounced the sentence of Interdiction against Ioceline Bishoppe of Salusbury in regard hee was disobedient to you and hee notwithstanding hee appealed heereupon to our audience and assigned for the tyme of his appeale the Sunday wherin is sung Ego sum Pastor bonus next ensuing neither himselfe at that instant appeared neither sent any one vnto vs to answer for him wherefore wee refusing absolutely to maintayne him in his disobedience and rebellion against you will by Gods grace ratify and confirme the sentence which vpon this occasion you haue giuen against him and haue thought good to leaue the whole busines concerning
shortly speake against his immoderate proceedinges And thus far Iohn for this yeere but after this ensued a wonderfull mutation of matters For in the meane tyme the king of England misledde with most wicked connsell that hee might auoide the sentence of Excommunication thus threatening him searcheth out new remedys inuenting other sutle and more potent deuices which was to addresse an other embassage and send an other Sinon to Rome to deceaue Alexander with vntrue oathes and corrupt as hee could the Cardinals with money To set this sinne abroach is chosen the worst of men periured excommunicated Iohn of Oxeforde the vsurper of a Deanry as beefore is mentioned who furnished with lyes and false promises and also with gould might ouerthrowe the whole iudgment and recall Pope Alexander from pronouncing his sentences of excommunication and interdiction beeguyling him with pretended promises of peace and absolute restitution of all the Churches priuiledges inuaded by the king Pope Alexander gaue credit to this Embassadors oathe suspended his iudgment allready beegun and determined the legation desired for effecting this busines But allthough hee designed according to the kings request William of Papia Preist Cardinall of the tytle of Saint Peeter ad Vincula whom hee esteemed most conuenient to moue the king his affected freind for composing a peace betweene him and Saint Thomas neuertheles because this Cardinall in regarde of the kinges fauor might growe into some suspicion with the contrary parte hee ioyneth with him for an associate a man of singular integrity very much renowned in the Church of Rome and passing well knowne through the whole Christian world for his vertuous life Otto I meane Deacon Cardinall of saint Nicholas in carcere Tulliano who if occasion were might with his worthynes restrayne the other and confine him within the stricte boundes of iustice But allthough Pope Alexander proceeded thus warely in sending his Legates notwithstanding this which might seeme soe passing commendable by reason of the false reportes forerunning the Legates appeared to the credulous as a matter not beeseeminge such a singular Pope in soe much as all as well by wordes as wrytinges exclaymed against him yea his very freindes and those most forward for the Catholicke cause but how vniustly will bee easily perceaued by this Popes letters which shall heereafter bee recyted yet how beefore this was throughly vnderstood the tongues of men yea of the wise were let loose against him you shall see by what next ensueth and thereby learne how euery one yea though most holy is sett vp as a marke and as well his freinds as foes will sometymes shoote at him the arrowes of detraction For heare what the Champion of the Ecclehasticall liberty and defender of the lawes of the Roman Church spoake though sincerely yet bitterly Thomas I say the Archbishop of Canterbury when Iohn of Oxeforde in his returne from the Citty into England euery where boasted that hee had obtayned of Pope Alexander as well for the king as himselfe whatsomeuer hee desired intermingling many falshoodes with truthes concerning the authority conferred in the king which beeinge blazed abroade and beelieued Saint Thomas as one oppressed with exceeding sorrowe did thus wryte to Iohn a man of his owne Prouince Thomas by the grace of God the humble seruante of the Church of Canterbury to Iohn of Canterbury sendeth greetinge Cod. Vat. lib. 1. epist 164. How wee are made a reproach to our neighbors and a scorne and scoffe not only to them who are round about but also allmost to all the people of both kingdomes as well France as England and it may bee to those likewise of the empyre and what fame I say not infamy and scandall rangeth vp and downe thorough the eares and mouthes of all men against our lord the Pope beeing to vs a greater cause of greife God hee knoweth then that of our owne person with a slaunder to the whole Courte raysed by those who rage and insulte and cast irreuocable dartes of disgrace against them you may some what see out of this that followeth and secretly intimate the same to our Lord the Pope and our freindes if as yet perchance wee haue any Hee addeth thereunto what by faithfull reporte hee lately heard out of England saying Beehould Iohn of Oxeforde and other the kinges Embassadors returned lately from the courte extolling themselues aboue all whatsoeuer is called or honored as God vaunting they had obtayned of the courte all they desired that is to say concerning the band of excommunication how the king was exempted from the authority of all Bishoppes excepting only that of the Pope and his Maiestie should haue the Legate hee requested I meane William of Pauy our inueterate enemy with ample power ouer all the kinges dominions to buyld and plant and especially to pull out and pluck vp by the rootes without euer any remedy of Appeale but aboue all to decyde the controuersy now gtowne beetweene the king and vs with all matters whatsoeuer incident thereunto without any exception of preiudice as it is sayd which may herafter happen And with this pomp and pryde returned Iohn of Oxeforde into England and landing in a certayne hauen there hee found our Brother the Bishop of Hereforde expecting yet secretly a prosperious winde to passe ouer daring not openly to attempt it beeing forbidden by the kinges officers on his Maiesties beehalfe by vertue of his letters and finding him Oxeforde first commanded him in the kinges name and then in the Popes that hee should not crosse the seas the Bishop asking as his messinger comming afterwarde to excuse his lord deliuered to vs whether hee had the Popes letters to warrant this hee answered yea and that our Lord the Pope did thereby forbid both him and all other Bishoppes of England to appeare at our call or any way to obey vs vntill the comming of the Legate a latere whom the king had obtayned from the Pope and who should also determine the cause of the Appeale lately made and the mayne controuersy beetweene the king and vs and all thinges beelonging thereunto with full power and without any further barre of Appeale The Bishoppe vrging to see the letters hee replyed they were not ready at hand but that hee had sent them with his caryages to winchester 12. myles distant from the hauen of South-Hampton the Bishop taking aduice of his freindes sent with Iohn of Oxeforde to Winchester Master Edward his Clearke as wee thinke an honest faithfull man who sawe the letters and soe did likewise the Bishop of London beeing then also at the pointe of passing the seas and London perusing the letters with reioyceing burst out into these wordes now Thomas from hence forth shall bee no more my Archbishop And Iohn moreouer added that hee was a priuiledged person nor could heereafter bee excommunicated nor conuented by vs but only in the presence of our lord the Pope and likewise had free power to beestowe the Deanry of the Church
of Salisbury on whom hee listed and for our dignity that it was in euery point diminished vntill the Legates comming All this did the Bishop certify vs by his Chaplayne beeing a Cannon Regular and a Religious man whom hee sent to excuse his forbearance of comming to vs at our cyting for wee cyted him once and agayne and lastly the third time with a peremptory Mandate to appeare beefore vs beetweene that and the feast of the Purification as a man of great authority the kinges familiar and one who should mediate a peace beetweene his Maiestie and us if possibly it might bee compased All this the Cannon is ready to testify by oath that thus hee receaued the same from the mouth of the Bishop to bee deliuered on his beehalfe to vs. Which if it bee true then doubtles our lord the Pope hath choaked and strangled not our person only but alsoe himselfe with all the Clergy of both the kingdomes yea verily both Churches as well of France as England for animated with this most foule example what will not other Princes of the world dare attempt against Ecclesiasticall persons To whom shall they haue refuge How can they hee confident of the Church of Rome that hath soe forsaken and left destitute vs who maintaine her cause with fighting therefore to the very death What will beefall if these vnspeakeable and detestable priuiledges standing good together with the oppressions as well by the king as others vnder any pretext it should soe happen which God forbid that the Pope should dye or the Citty runne into confusion of troubles All these would then descend on their heires nor would euer heereafter bee wrested out of their hands And what is far worse other Princes stirred vp with this example would extorte the like priuiledges to bring the Church whether shee will or no into subiection Soe shall the Churches whole liberty vtterly decay together with the iurisdiction and power of Bishoppes no man remayning who is able to controule and restaine the outrages of Tyrants whose whole intention is at this day bent to make hauocke of the Church and Clergy nor will they haue brought them like others into bondage What will bee the end wee know not but this wee knowe that our greife exceedeth measure bee these thinges true or false which are thus propounded For wee are neither obeyed nor respected in any thing as wee were wont by Bishoppes or Abbotts or others of the Clergy of England beeing now assured of our deposition But let our Lord the Pope bee perswaded that wee will neuer on any condition passe ouer into the kinges Dominion to haue there our cause decyded nor will wee euer abide the iudgment of our enemyes and especially of Papyan who thirsteth nothing but our blood thereby to obtayne our seate which in truth as wee heare is allready promised him vpon condition the king may bee deliuered of vs. Wee haue also an other exceeding greiuance The nobles as well temporall peeres as Bishoppes with other Prelates of the kingdome of France as it were despairing now of vs shake of and send vs backe againe the Associates of our exile whom they haue heatherto mercifully relieued and what will these but perish heereafter with cold and famyne as others their fellowes haue formerly donne Intimate all these thinges diligently to our Lord the Pope that hee may prouyde vs some remedy against these mischeifes according to our request if as yet any zeale of God remayneth in him as wee hope it doth and wee pray God our hope confoundeth not Farewell and with all speede returne vs backe this messanger againe who may as well in these as other matters certify vs who rest streyghtned in great extremitys if thinges are soe as wee heare them reported And thus Saint Thomas wrote to his agent being lieger for him in the Citty But heere ended not the complaints poured out against Pope Alexander For now remayneth to be recyted an other epistle of Lumbard SubdeacoÌ„ of the Sea Apostolike who liued at this present in France and wrote thence to the Pope for it is first thus intytuled To Pope Alexander Lumbard Subdeacon of the Roman Church And afterwardes beeginneth thus To the reuerent father and Lord Alexander by the grace of God High Bishop Lumbarde his faithfull Clearke remembreth his seruice of obedience Cod Vat. lib. 1 epist 165. Whereas I am seruante to your Holines and in Christ the worke of your handes I neither can nor ought to dissemble the slanders openly spread to the reproch of your renowne and derogation of your name and such mischeifes as are subtilly deuised to the detriment of the whiâ—â— Church For Iohn of Oxeforde insolently vaunteth hee is returned from Rome with the honor of a Deanry and the fullnes of your fauor adding arrogantly withall that hee is fortifyed with your priuiledge against my Lord of Canterbury and euery Bishop and beeing as it were litle inferior to the Courte of Cardinalls that hee is subiect to you only and your Apostolike power glorying moreouer in his pryde hee affirmeth hee hath procured that for the king which neuer kingdome could yet obtayne which is the confirmation of a Mariage by your authority beetweene the king of Englandes sonne and the Earle of Britaines daughter beeing Cosyns in the third degree And lastly that Legates such as he desired were to bee sent to heare and determine whatsoeuer it should please the king to deuise against my lord of Canterbury without any remedy of Appeale All this most holyfather vpon Iohns returne from Rome was diuulged which by how much they were the more vnusuall how much the more rare to bee compased soe much they more amazed the heares myndes whereupon the king of France the deuoute childe of your Holines and of the Church was soe passionatly moued as hee sayd hee would presently addresse a message to forbid your Legates to enter his Realme and more hee did which I willed this Bearer by word of mouth to deliuer Hee resolued moreouer to assemble his Archbishoppes and Bishoppes beefore whom hee would lay open and declare how the Church of Rome rayseth alofte the malicious enemyes as well of him as her selfe endeauoring to depresse his power saying and doth hee not seeke my dishonor who subtelly compasseth to worke the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury an innocent man banished for iustice and the Churches liberty by yeelding him wickedly vp into the handes of his persecuting enemyes whom not in respect of any fauour receaued by him hauing rather bin wronged by him whyle hee serued the king who now seeketh his ouerthrowe but moued with reuerence of the most iuste cause hee mayntaineth with admiration of his vertue and the loue of my Lord the Pope who instantly entreated mee for him I constantly resolued to entertayne honorably and decently as long as hee remayned in exile and to noursih him as it were in my bosome as I haue allready beegunne denouncing to all and openly protesting
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
of peace establshed at Easter but vpon new occasions broke out a rupture of warre againe whereupon it was necessary the couenantes after our Lordes Ascention should once more bee reuiued sauing the king of France would not bee obliged to beestowe his daughter on Richard the king of Englands sonne Thus is it there related at large And yet although Pope Alexander as hath bin sayde admonished by letters his Legates who were sent into France that setting other busines a parte they should only bend their forces to reunite the kinges soe rent in warres neuertheles one of the Legates William of Papia not performing as it was beeseeming the office of a Mediator far from indifferency which declineth in affection to neither parte beecame presently an absolute partaker with his frind Henry king of England Vvilliam the Legate taketh partâ— with the king of England Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 32. The discourse of the incounter of the two kinges whereupon the king of France was somewhat moued against him There remayneth a perfect declaration of all this in wryting contayning other thinges worth the knowledge and is set downe in the letter of Iohn of Salisbury sent to Master Lumbard in these wordes When the kinges were come to the place appointed for conference Ewdo earle of Britane and Rowland of Dynamen broke into many and greeuous coÌ„playntes to the king of FraÌ„ce against the king of England but Edwo especially beewayled that his daughter who beeing yet a virgen was deliuered into his handes for a pledge of peace was afterwardes gotten with child by him beeing therin a Traytor adulterer and intestious For the king and Ewdoes wife were borne of two sisters But the Earle of Angolysme and Marche with the Vice-count of Doway Robert de Sylly Geffrey de Licimacke Henry de Rancore and the Abbot of Caroffy pleaded for restitution of losses they incurred by the king of England and his subiectes after the truce was taken For the Abbot affirmed his Monastery appertayned to the Dominion of the king of France since the tyme of Charles the greate who was their founder And a little after The king of France hauing there vnderstood that the Cardinall sate in the king of Englandes counsell incensed sayde hee had not deserued of the Church of Rome that the Cardinall as hitherto hee had euer donne should fauor his enemyes and that at this instant hee woulde not receaue any thing for the loue hee bore to the Earle or Cardinall but only for his owne right c. And after many matters hee addeth that the parlee of the kings beeing ended the king of England with greate ostentation vaunting shewed the Popes letters wherby hee had enioyned Saint Thomas not to publish any excommunication or interdiction against the king or any of his English soe long as the Legates remayned there suspending him thus from his authority and boasted that hee had with tryumph in a sorte obtayned of the Church of Rome whatsomeuer hee desired of the Pope The procurer of these letters was one of the Legates William of Papia Iohn of Salisbury openeth and deliuereth the whole matter in his epistle to the Archdeacon of Excester where wee thus reade It is apparant the letters whereby the king gloryeth that hee hath restrayned my Lord of Canterburys power vntill hee reconcyleth himselfe vnto his royall fauor were purchased by this deuice The often mentioned Papia knewe how my Lord of Canterbury had obtayned authority from the Apostolike Sea to publish against the king the sentence of excommunication and against his kingdome the like of Interdiction vnles the kinge within a tyme limited by the letters made full restitution to the Church of all thinges taken away with ample satisfaction wherfore hee wrote to my lord the Pope beeseeching him with a lamentable petition to proceede with the king in a milder fashion otherwise the king to the shame and eternall disgrace of the Church of Rome according as hee hath resolued if hee were more rigorously handled would caste as well himselfe as his Associate Oddo into chaynes and prisons where they should passe a life abridged with miseryes yea a tyme more terrible then death it selfe perswading thefore his Holines that the king intended thus to tyrannize hee obtayned for contenting him and continuing the free liberty of himselfe and his associate whereby they might the easyer trauell in these affaires this Apostolicall letter which hath so much afflicted the myndes of you and all other true Catholikes Soe wryteth Salisbury of this letter so fraudulenty procured from his Holines by William of Papia one of the Legates By reason heereof the king of France grewe wonderfully discontented with Pope Alexander which the elected Bishoppe of Charters perceauing certifyed his Holines thereof wryting thus of the king of France Among all the kingdomes of this world in my opinion there is not one which hath continually shewed a faith more sinceare a charity more feruent a deuotion more plentifull to the Sea Apostolike then that of France There is not one among the kinges and princes who obeyeth your Mandates with more humility honoreth the Church and Ecclesiasticall persons with more deuotion and defendeth them with greater endeauors then our most Christian king There is not a Church which hath bin more seruiceable to the Church of Rome in all her distresses then that of France This Church of France and the king himselfe beecame sutors to your Holines on the beehalfe of my Lord of Canterbury who hath for the Churches liberty and defending the dignity of your Maiestie continued a banished man in exile now fower whole yeeres There pleadeth against him before your Holines a Tyrant a persecutor of the Church and to the kingdome of France open enemy whose iniquity is notorious to all men And yet notwithstanding which I am ashamed to speake and greiue to see malice hath hetherto preuayled in vanity For why when as hee lately came to a parlee with the most Christian king where by the mediation of the Earle of Flanders who inuited my Lord of Canterbury thither The king of England vaunteth of the suspeÌ„sion of S Thomas from proceeding against him there was earnest endeauoring to renew a peace to the Church hee caused to bee read in the hearing of his Bishoppes and Peeres the Apostolicall letters wherin was decreede that the aforesayde Canterbury should not publish any sentence against him or his land nor yet any way molest any person vnder his Dominion untill hee were reconcyled to the king Vpon the hearing whereof the most Christian king was confounded and the whole realme together with all the children of the Church conceaued exceeding greife to see a iust man a reuerent Bishoppe suspended without cause and that there proceeded from the Apostolike Sea a wryting that would proue soe pernicious a President Cod Vat. lib 2. epist â—0 Thus wrote William the Elect of Charters whose singular commendation Iohn of Salisbury in his letter to Iohn Bishope of
consecrated king if it may bee termed a consecration which is ministred by the Excommunicate who are odious to the holy Ghost and enemyes to the Church and this with the notorious iniury of the Church of Canterbury and of my Lord the king of France whose Daughter that aduersary of God and man would not admitt to bee partaker of this consecration This consecration or rather execration was ministred by yorke and as they say with your authority where London some others named Bishoppes whose memoryes are buryed in malediction assisted him Haue a care therfore ô father heereafter of this Church which hath perished i◠your handes least the bloud thereof bee required of you which wee thinke cannot bee otherwise done for the redemption of your fame and soule vnles with your Apostolicall power you confound the foresayde Malefactors Thus wrote Senon to the Pope There are letters yet to bee seene written in the Popes name to the Archbishop of Roane for absoluing London on certaine conditions Cod Vat. l. 3. Epist 16. and others likewise sent by Roane to his holines signifying how hee was absolued on Easter day but there is the letter of saint Thomas to Roane affirming the absolution to bee voyd Ihid Ep. 19. beecause the Popes conditions were neuer proformed Ibid. Ep. 24 And moreouer beesides all these an other letter of saint Thomas wherin hee complayneth to the Pope concerning these abuses Yet bee assured all this was but a slaunderous reporte And first as it was false that the Archbishop of Yorke euer consecrated the king by the Popes authority as the letters before recyted written both by the Pope and also by a frind to saint Thomas apparantly declare soe make no doubt it is as manifest a falshood that London and his Associate were euer absolued by the Popes Mandate and therfore loe heere the Epistle of Apologie sent by his Holines to the Bishop of Senon Wee haue gratefully receaued Ibid. Ep. 26. and with dilligente care and attention considered the letters which your deuotion sent as concerning the busines of our venerable brother the Archbishop of Canterbury The Pope purgeth himselfe of a false imputation But in regard the Bishop of London is not yet come vnto vs wee haue determined nothing in the cause If hee had appeared before vs wee would haue endeauored to preserue the iust tytle of the Archbishoppe of Canterbury soe far forth as wee might haue done with the safety of our conscience But yet how far wee haue proceeded in that controuersy wee suppose wee haue made sufficiently knowne to him in parte and also to our most deere sonne in Christ Lewes the famous king of France in such sorte as wee enioyned you by word of mouth to deliuer for wee haue therin altered nothinge since your departure nor haue wee thought good to change any thing heereafter allthough the foresayd king of England did sollicite vs most earnestly by the Consuls of Lumbardy beeing present before vs with his agents as also by the Embassadors of our most deere sonne in Christ Emmanuel the illustrous Emperour of Constantinople to graunt him a longer tyme of repite And in regarde wee esteeme the Archbishoppes cause as our owne and the Churches cause wee command your brotherhood by these our Apostolicall letters that you admonish carefully and instantly exhorte by worde of mouth or otherwise by letters if they are not personally present the Archbishop of Roane and Bishop of Niuers dilligently and speedily to execute our commandement and if as yet they haue no way proceeded in the busines omitt not in any case to reprehend them sharpely and seuerely reproue them But if they haue allready pronounced according to our commandement the sentence of interdiction vpon the sayde kings lands then doe you firmly and streightly obserue this sentence and cause as far as it lyeth in your power the same to bee obserued without any partiality at all throughout the kinges landes which are knowne to ly in your Prouince setting all excuse and appeale a syde Thus far Pope Alexander purged himselfe to Senon and allthough the Pope commanded excommunicated London to bee absolued to the end hee might bee an instrument of peace as in an other place hee sayth what offence was this especially considering hee commanded the same to bee done vpon certayne conditions Nay did not saint Thomas himselfe this very yeere at such time as the Pope commanded the excommunication to bee reiterated on London and Salisbury beeseeche his Holines to forbeare the same for feare of disturbing the peace now vndertaken Soe as it appeareth not only Alexander but also saint Thomas himselfe did vpon diuers occasions command and perswade the Excommunicated to bee bound and loosed for these are his owne wordes Allthough the Bishop of Lomdon hath bin the cheife Leader of this sedition that wee may forbeare to call it Scysme wee neuerthelesse beeseech it may bee lawfull for vs to haue cōpassion on him and Salisbury if they cannot bee punished according to your commandement without renewing of Scisme But the modesty of Pope Alexander was vndoubtedly admirable who although hee felt himselfe ouerladen with soe huge a burden of wrongfull accusations yea and was most vniustly afflicted with the cōplayntes of this soe Saintly a man signifyed by the Apostolicall Legate as also those of the king people and Clergy of France allmost wholy with clamors inueyghing against him beeing made neuerthelesse as a man not hearing nor hauing any refutations in his mouth hee handled his cause with that vnspeakeable myldnes as hee abstayned absolutely from retorting reproofes or any other spytefull replication allbeeit hee was gauled with the spurres of most sharpe letters soe as it may without all controuersy bee affirmed of him which was once sayde of Moyses that hee was of all men the meekest But whence will you say arose then this reporte so bruted in the mouthes of all that the Bishoppe of London was absolued by the Pope It is layde open in the Epistle of Iohn of Salisbury Secretary to saint Thomas wrytten to the Archdeacon of Excester and dated this yeere where among other occurrents 〈◊〉 this tyme hee inserteth this of this same It was commonly giuen out that the kinges Agents had then obtayned absolution for the Bishoppe of London and all others Cod. Vat. lib. 5. Ep. 18. and how the Archbishoppes authority for proceeding against the kingdome with the persons of his realme was withdrawne But they were presently refuted as manifest vntruthes by letters sent from his Holines yea before such tyme as the Bishoppe of London vndertooke his iourney to the Courte who doubtles would haue spared that labor and cost if as some fayned hee might haue bin absolued without soe greate difficulty Thus sayth Salisbury for clearing Alexander from the iniurious slanders raysed of him by the king of Englands Agents Whereunto may bee added the testimony of saint Thomas expostulating with king Henry thus My Lord if you hasten
was likewise necessary for his owne saluation with the good of his children and for the establishment and prosperitie of the authority graunted him from Allmighty God to recompense the holy Church of Canterbury for that most greeuous wrong wherewith hee had lately damnifyed her for hee caused his sonne to bee without all order crowned contrary to the most ancient custome and priuiledge of our Church c. Hee setteth downe in like sorte a matter of long debate beetweene the king and himselfe concerning this whom in the end hee perswaded soe farre as hee promised to make voyde and frustrate the Coronation which was solemnized by the Pope and especially executed by the Archbishoppe of Yorke and to cause againe a Canonicall consecration to bee celebrated wherin the Archbishoppe of Canterbury should crowne the kinges sonne together with his Queene and wife But of this heereafter Hee dilated also of other particulars which happened in that in meeting to bee donne by the king as where hee speaketh thus When I therefore alighting from my horse did humble my selfe at his feete hee catching my stirrop inforced mee to get vp againe and seeming to shedde tearres sayde what needeth any more my Lord Archbishoppe let vs renewe our old mutuall freindshippe and doe all the good wee can one to an other forgetting cleane this forepassed discorde but this let mee entreate you to doe mee honor beefore the company who beehould vs a farre of Beeing Saules wordes to Samuel when hee sayde Honor mee beefore the people 1. Reg. 15. Hee proceedeth And in regarde wee sawe some there present whose name this bearer will deliuer you that had bin louers of debate and sowers of discorde passing to them hee sayde If I seeing the Archbishoppe ready to right mee euery way should not on the other syde bee likewise good to him I may truly bee esteemed worser then others and shall verify the ill reportes which are raysed of mee neither can I conceaue any counsell to bee more honest and profitable then to endeauor to surpasse him in curtesy and exceede him in Charity and benefittes Which wordes of the king were receaued by allmost all there present with very greate congratulation whereupon hee sent this Bishoppes to aduise vs to make our petition in that publicke assembly and if wee woulde haue followed the Counsell of some of them wee should haue referred to his owne arbitrement our selues absolutely and the whole cause of the Church For from the beeginning to this very day iniquity hath issued from his Scrybes and Pharises and gathered strength from the authority of Seniors who ought to gouerne the people but blessed bee God who hath not suffered our soule to passe thorough their counsell nor permitted vs to expose the Churches liberty and Gods iustice to any creatures will Dismissing them and aduising our selues with my Lord of Senon and the poore of Christe the Associates of our peregrination wee resolutely determined not any way to submitt to his will the controuersy of the customes or the dammages which hee had donne to our Church or the iniury offered vs by the vsurped consecration or the losse of the Ecclesiasticall liberty with the ecclipse of our honor And soe comming to the king and his Lordes Concerning restitution of possessiōs to the Church of Canterbury wee did with all humility beeseech him by the mouth of my Lord of Senon who was our speaker that hee would vouch-safe to restore vs his fauor with peace and security to vs and ours together with the Church of Canterbury and her possessions which beeing set downe by vs in wryting his Maiestie had read and that hee would mercifully reforme what was presumtiously downe against vs and our Church in the consecration of his sonne promising him all loue and honor with whatsomeuer seruice may bee performed in our Lord by an Archbishoppe to his king and Prince The king accepting all in good parte yeelded vs our request receauing vs with all ours there present into his fauor and in regarde your Holines commanded vs not that hee should restore what was wrongfully taken from vs and ours wee would not require it neither on the other syde by Gods grace could wee bee content to remitt it Soe according to your Mandate those thinges were for the tyme put of but not put away for had you absolutely written as in your last letters you signifyed that they should bee restored without doubt satisfactiō had bin also made with an exāple for all ages heereafter very profitable to the whole Catholike Church and especially to the Apostolike Sea The king therfore hauing had much and long conference with vs after wee two had continewed in talke alone according to our ancient accustomed familiarity vntill allmost the Euening wee agreed in one that hee beeing departed wee should returne to rēder due thankes vnto the most Christian king and others our benefactors and vpon the setling of our busines to come backe to his Maiestie and remayne a while with him before wee passed into England to the end the world might take notice into how great and intire fauor hee had receaued vs. Wee intend to expecte in France the returne of our Messingers whom wee haue sent to receaue our possessions for wee are determined not to repaire to our king so long as hee detayneth one foote of Ecclesiasticall landes for by the restitution of our landes wee shall easily perceaue how sincerely hee meaneth to deale with vs. And thus farre concerning their meeting wherin a peace was concluded There is also in the same booke of Epistles an other reporte of this meetinge which beeing only gathered from the beare sayings of others and not testifyed by an eye wittnes seemeth to bee of lesse credit then the former Cod Vat lib. 3. Epist 46. And what king Henry promised saint Thomas in wordes the same did hee also performe in wryting by sendinge these letters vnto the king his sonne Ibid Ep 43 The king writheth to his sonne about the peace cōcluded betwene him and S. Thomas Knowe yee that Thomas Archbishoppe of Canterbury hath ratifyed his peace with mee according to myne owne desire wherfore I command that hee and all his inioy this peace and that you cause the Archbishop and all those who departed the land with him to haue restitution of all their estates as fully quiety and honorably as they possessed the same three monethes beefore the bishop departed out of England And that you call beefore you some of the most ancient and sufficient knightes of Lyore and Salts kind and make them vpon their corporall oathes to certify what is there heald in Fee of the Archbishoppe of Canterbury and what shall bee founde to bee of his fee you cause to bee rendred to the same Archbishoppe agayne Thus wrote the king to his sonne And with these letters did saint Thomas send his Agents into England but how many aduersaryes they found there they signifyed by their letters backe
to bee called at Claringtone concerning the time of which conuocation thus much is rehearsed in the first booke of Epistles The detestable â—onueâ—â—ckle at Claringtonne after the eleuenth epistle In the yeere of our lords Incarnation 1164. the fifte yeere of Pope Alexander and the tenth of the m st famous king of England Henry the second concerning the day this is added in the end These thinges wâ—ere handled the fourth day before the Purification of S. Mary tâ—e perpetuall Virgin to wit the 30. day of Ianuarie For those whoe were present at this assemblie they are recounted to bee all the Bishoppes of Engâ—and together with the Earles Barons Magistrates and nobility For the matteâ—s then in action receiue them thus from the wordes of Vvilliam in Quadrilogus Tâ—e king â—â—erefore as iâ— sâ—emed feruently thirsting after an â—gâ—eement beetweene â—he kingdome and the preistâ—ood but lesse prouideÌ„t for the state of himselfe and his Archbishoppe 1 ParliameÌ„t summoned at Claringâ—onne a Parliament of the whole nation Whither when the Bishopes and peeres were come the King importunately required that thinges promised to him might bee performed But the Archbishop allthough hee promised to consent to the King beeing neuerthelesse suspitions of the promise which the King exacted and beecause Kinges very often exceeding all measure extend their power to thinges vnlawfull rather made choyce to hazard the kinges indignatioÌ„ then to offend the law of God and to breake the brazen serpent in peeces rather then wickednes should bud out among the people of God Now although hee feared banishment and imprisonnement yet preferring God beefore these hee absolutely withstood it The King threateneth he refuseth the King raueth the other in secret craueth Gods assistance In the meane while the Bishoppes of Salisbury and Norwich fearing a new punishment for an old grudge and dreading much by reason of this distempered tyme with weeping words beesought the Archbishop to haue compassion on his Cleargie to relent from the willfullnes of his minde least himselfe should incurre imprisonment his Cleargie banishment themselues the iudgment of an opprobrious death And withall two Earles the mightiest of the kingdome assayling him said that vnlesse hee would conforme himselfe to the kinges pleasure they themselues by his Maiesties commandment should bee constreyned to that violence which would brand the King and themselues which an eternall infamie This man therefore of inuincible constancy The frailty of S. Thomas and grownded in the worke of Christ moued neither with the sunshine of flattery nor the stormes of terrors is notwithstanding in the end pulled away from the bosome of truth and the brest of his mother vnto whose liberty hee had soe louingly cleaued and lest beeing a conquerour in these listes hee should bee puffed vp with pride of mynde fainting then when hee sbould cheifely haue fought is lefte for an hower to fall that after a faulting fall hee might rise againe that falling hee might acknowledge humane frailtie and r seing vnderstand the deuine mercy towards him In like sotte because no man should haue confidence in his owne strength Peeter the prince of the Apostles and holy Dauid fell and soe S. Thomas is lefte destirute to his temptation for a tyme that afterwards beeing mindefull of his frailty hee might arise with more courage to the combate Wherefore beeing the third tyme admonished by Richard a man of great accompt and Prior as then of the Temple of Ierusalem to haue a care of himselfe and compassion on the Clergie hee endured no longer their submissiue petitions their often kneeleinges for they seemed to crye out as if euen now they sawe the very swoardes threatening ouer his head and lamented the intended murder as a present death Whereupon moued rather with commiseration on the Clergie then on himselfe hee consented by perswasion of their counsail to submitt himselfe to the Kinges pleasure And therefor beefore all the rest the Archbishop bound himselfe first in that prescribeb forme that is to say hee would obserue the custome of the Crowne in good faith suppressing those wordes sauing the prerogatiue of his order Adding allso this caution with an oath that hee promised to performe this in the word of truth soe heapeing sin vpon sin And all the Bishops seuerally in semblable manner sware the same And incontinently an obligation beeing drawne in this forme The Recognition and â—ngrossement â—f the Royal â—ustomes by certaine Peeres of the realme who as their offices required were lerned in such proceedings there was made a Recognisance of the royall customes that as publickly soe they might expressely bee recited But when many were now rehearsed and more yet as it seemed to bee set downe the Archbishop interrupting said that hee neither was one of the auncientes of the kingdome whereby hee could knowe the old customes of the Crowne neither had hee continued long in his Archbishoppricke and therefor said hee was in these matters ignorant Moreouer because the day was soe far spent it was conuenient a busines of soe great importance should bee referred vnto the next morning His motion was liked and thereupon they retired themselues to their lodginges Returning on the morrowe to prosecute the busines beegunne the customes of the Crowne which were lefte the day before vnrecited were recounted expressed and reduced into a writing made after the manner of an obligation and styled with the name of the kings customes NotwithstaÌ„ding many of them as it is said were not the kinges but the vomite of emulation and poyson of enuy for hatred of the Archbishop and to bring the Church into bondage yea the king himselfe beeing absolutely ignorant of them because some men intended by this sinfull suttlety to sowe the cocke of dissention betweene him and the Archbishop Neither yet the king who was yet but a yong man nor the Archbishop who was lately elected could know the customes of the kingdome but by their relation And if any one is desirous to see what these kingly customes were hee shall finde them sett forth in the end of the history Wherevpon a litle after hee saith and wee heere will declare them Then hee thus proceedeth in his intended discourse The customes beeing therefore written and drawne into the forme of an obligation the king requireth of the Archbishop and Bishops that for the more surety and confirmation of them they would sett to their seales But the Archbishop allthough exceedingly moued with greife neuerthelesse dissembleth it beeing as then vnwilling to discontent the the king nether absolutely denying said it was awhile to bee delayed and albeeit they were ready to doe it Eccles 32. hee affirmed notwithstanding in reguard of the weightines of the busines it was conuenient to bee deferd a tyme. Since according to the wise man without counsell no matter of importance is to bee performed And afterwards some deliberation beeing had hee and the Bishops might more decently bee required to accomplish it Notwithstanding bee tooke
with him one parte of the deede conteyning the afore said customes to the end hee might cary with him his cause the other parte of this obligation the Arrchbishop of Yorke receiued the third the king himselfe reteyned to be enrolled among his royall Charters And soe that day they were dismissed Heere first of all you may disproue that which Roger writeth in the Chronikles of England to witt that S. Thomas promised those vnlawfull thinges to the king by Pope Alexanders perswasion for if hee did it not only by the consent but also by the perswasion of the Pope why did hee pennance beefore the said Pope for the same as a most heynous sinne if the Pope himselfe should bee the author of his offence but let vs heare what remayneth Beesides the history of Quadrilogus mentioned by vs there is added in the end thereof a more exact narration of all thinges which hapned after the dissolution of the same detestable conuentickle held at Claringtonne vntill the departure of Pope Alexander out of Fraunce from whence wee haue inserted the history heere to bee recited beeginning with the pennanâ—â— of S. Thomas in these words And hee departing from â—he Courte of the king his followers by chance beegan to â—urter among themselues some affirming according to â—he custome that in regard of this distressed tyme matters â—ught to bee thus caryed others disdaining that for the â—leasure of a man the authoritie of the Ecclesiastical liberâ—y should perish Among whom one instantly pressing more earnestly said The publick power disturbeth all â—niquitie rageth against Christ himselfe the Sinagog of Saâ—han profaneth Gods sanctuarie princes haue sate and assembled in one against Christ our Lord no man is safe who â—oueth equity in the iudgement of the world they are accounted wise and are at this time worshipped who flatter Princes in following their pleasures yea this tempest hath shaken the very â—illars of the Church while the Pastor is fled the scattered sheepe are subiect to the wolfe to conclude what place remaineth now secure for innocency who shall fight in defence of this Bullwarke or who shall triumphe in this battell the general beeing ouercome And thus hee expostulated the matter who caryed the Crosse beefore my lord of Canterbury the rest beeing silent for sorrowe and with great libertie hee added assumeing in this sorte a parable what virtue saith hee hath the man reserued to himselfe who hath lost his constancy and renowne whom meane you by this my sonne quoth the lord of Canterbury Euen your selfe answered bee it concerneth you because this day you haue for euer lost both conscience and fame hauing left beehind you to â—osteritie an example odious beefore God and contrarie to â—onesty while your handes consecrated to almightie God were stretched out to obserue those accursed customes and â—our selfe conniued with the Ministers of sinfull Sathan for â—he confusion of the Ecclesiasticall liberty This was assuâ—edly the Cocke at whose croweing Peeter awakeâ—ed did weepe bitterly For the Author proceedeth my lord of Canterbury therefore wayled and lamented S Thomas recouereth his laps imposeth pennance on himselfe and with sighes and groanes said I repent mee yea greiuously and trembling with the horror of mine offence I comdemne my selfe as vnworthy to serue heereafter aâ— a Preist at hiâ— altar whose Church I haue soe basely sould I will rest silent therefore sitting downe to sorrowe vntill Allmightie God shall visit mee from aboue that I may deserue from our lord himselfe or from my lord the Pope to receaue absolution And presently thereupon hee sent a messinger to the Sea Apostolicke Pope Alexander had lerned all this beefore by the relation of others Libr. 1 epist 20. and moued with exceeding compassion did write these letters to S. Thomas whereby hee recomforted him now drowned thus in sorrowe and absolued him from the oath The letters are these Pope Alexander absolueth S Thomas froÌ„ this sinne Your Brotherhood vnderstandeth how wee haue heard and by the reporte of some bin certifyed that in consideration of a certaine offence you haue determined to forbeare the celebration of Masse and abstayne from the consecration of the body and blood of our lord Which truly of what importance it is especially in a man of your eminency and how great a scandal may ensue thereupon I would haue you with carefull consideration to ponder and weigh the same with your watchfull discretion For you ought with prudence diligently to conceaue that there is very great difference where sinnes are wilfully committed with deliberation and where on the other side they are donne out of ignorance or necessity For it is apparant that wee ought to proceed in one sorte with these which are acted by a mans owne free will and in an other manner with those which as it is sayd are of ignorance or the compulsion of necessity and one way the first an other way the last are by men of iudgment and wisedome to bee handled and measured as by the testimonyes of holy Scriptures wee are taught Your intention giueth the name to your worke for as in an other place wee reade Sinne is soe far voluntarie as if it bee not voluntarie it is no sinne and our allmighty Lord respecteth not the action of the worker but rather considereth the intention and discerneth the will If therefore you call to minde that you haue committed anything whereof your owne conscience ought to accuse you whatsoeuer it is wee aduise you to confesse it in the Sacrament of Pennance to a Preist of discretion and prudence which beeing performed our mercifull Lord who looketh much more to the harte then to the facte will through the commiseration of his accustomed pitty forgiue it you and wee beeing confident of the meritts of S. Peeter and S. Paule his Apostles doe absolue you from what is committed and release your brotherhood thereof by the Apostolicke authority counselling and commanding that heereafter you abstayne no more in this respect from the celebration of Masse Dated at Senon the Kalends of Aprill Thus wrote Alexander But Iohn of Salisbury in his epistle to Peeter the writer I thinke of Bloys which beeing omitted in the often recited booke of epistles is afterwards placed in the end of the volume affirmeth the sinne of S. Thomas not bee excused but rather declared to bee purged by pennance for hee saith I cannot excuse his promise at Claringtonne whereunto hee was drawne by the counsell of the Bishopps because such a promise was not to bee made but confession washed away the offence hauing receiued soâ—emne pennances from the Popes holynes who in the presence of many by the Apostolical authority condemned those peruerse customes Soe writeth Iohn Now the former recited history proceedeth thus The King in the meane time perceaued that my Lord of Canterbury would flie of from this promise especially in that hee openly refused to seale the charter of these customes according to the agreement Whereupon his Maiestie