the poore He was a father to poore people and a conforter of those that mourne Hee reproued liberally the sinne of the nobility knowing that where the spirit of God is there is alsoe liberty yet that hee might not seeme to cast holy things to dogges or pearles before swine hee would first prudently considere the nature of those hee did admonish or reprehend and being conducted by the spirituall vnction his communications and sermons did seeme wonderfully lerned to all sortes of hearers Hee was both learned and eloquent both in the weight of matter and eloquent deliuery After meales and his necessarie sleepe vntill his busines called him away hee passed the time in reading of the scripture or else in honest communication lest the enemy should take occasion there at to deride his Sabaoth All the time which hee could without the great detriment of his body hee did bestowe in prayer teares and holy meditation keeping chastity in his body cleanesse in his harte modesty in his wordes and iustice in his workes that hee might moue those by his example which hee was to teach by his doctrine Hee did without ceasing impugne scysme and heresie Hee greatly impugned scysme and heresies and would neuer bee induced to keepe companie with excommunicated persons for whosoeuer was an ennemy to sound doctrine hee did esteeme him as his enemy in Christ and beeing feruent in the zeale of iustice hee endeauoured that euery man should enioy his owne without respect of persons or receauing of bribes S. Thomas retourneth into Englād from the Counsel at Towers And though at his returne from the counsell of Towers into England being the second yeere after his consecration hee was receiued of the king as a father of his sonne with fauourable countenance a good respect and esteeme yet soone after discontentments beegan to arise whilst Saint Thomas without any offence offered to the king exercised the office of an Euangelicall pastor in vndergoing which charge whilst hee endeauoured to recouer the Graunges of the Church vsurped by the layety and wrongfully alienated from his predecessors hee incurred the displeasures of many and mightie mē Yea whē he touched the kinges exchecker to the quicke by litle and litle the king himselfe was moued to indignation against him For in England had the same vnconscionable custome preuailed that the exchecker couetously challenged to it selfe the reuenues arysing from the vacancyes of Churches Wherefore S. Thomas required that for two seas of Bishopprickes beeing now long vacant there might bee speedily Bishops ordeyned The ground of the discord beetweene the king and S. Thomas It did also somewhat trouble the kinges mind when S. Thomas beeing created Archbishop gaue absolutely ouer the office of Chauncellorship according to that of the Apostle no man fighting vnder the banner of God intangleth himselfe in temporal businesses 2. Timoth. 2 For the king desired to retaine him still in his seruice And for a greater addition of dislike Thomas moreouer forbad the vnlawfull exaction of a Tribute Heerewithall at the same time concurred that hee deliuered not ouer to the secular Courte a Preist condemned of murder but beeing degraded committed him to a Monasterie The like hapned concerning one Phillip a Cannon and yet a greeuous offendor whom the Archbishop enforced not to suffer punishment in such sorte as the king would haue it but only chasticed him with Ecclesiasticall censures The king by reason heerof beecommeth wrathfull The causes of the kinges indignation because there was according to the direction of the holy Cannons à milder proceeding with those of the Clergy whoe offended where vpon they might growe more insolent in wickednes Hee beegan to demanund instantly of Thomas the Archbishop that Clearkes committing such crimes might after the Canonicall punishment inflicted on them bee deliuered ouer to the secular Tribunal But this motion of the king was gainsayed by S. Thomas and many other Bishopps associate with him all of them humblie beeseeching his Maiestie to abstayne from these attemptes but hee was rather more enflamed with anger Whereupon Robert writeth in these wordes but the king somewhat moued heerewith yet much more incensed because hee sawe the Archbishop and Bishoppes with mutuall assent as hee supposed bent against him asked of them presently beeing thus constantly vnited whether they would obserue the customes beelonging to his crowne adding that these beeing in the raigne of his grandfather formerly obserued by Archbishops and Bishoppes by priuate and priuiledged persons ought not by tracte of time with a seuere sentence to bee condemned Whereupon the Archbishop hauing first consulted with his brethren answered Hee and his brethren would obserue them sauing the prerogatiue of theire order and the same euery Bishop being asked one by one did turne by turne seuerally answer only Hilarie Bishop of Chichester hearing the king more enraged for these wordes soe vttered alike by them all without aduise of the Archbishopps altered some saying hee would absolutely obserue in good faith the customes of the kingdome and for a seeming good intent truly as I thinke hee said it that hee might yet soe appease the kinges mind But the king was nothing at all calmed yea he waxed more wroth and turning himselfe to the Archbishop and Bishops vpon the hearing of this vniforme and one answer of them all said A battell was ranged against him and that poyson lurked in this captious word Sauing the prerogatiue of their order Wherefor hee required that absolutely without addition they would promise to obserue the customes of the kingdome The Archbishop answered they had sworn to him fidelitie that is to say life limme and earthly honour sauing the prerogatine of their order and that in this earthly honour the customes of the kingdome were comprehended and hee would not binde himselfe to the obseruation of them in any other sorte then they had formerly sworne Now when a great parte of the day was in this fashion passed The Kinges intemperate anger the king beeing all the while vexed without any farwell to the Bishops suddenly departed the Courte in great wrath and indignation The King was accustomed in the disturbance of his minde through the passion of anger to bee vnreasonably and outragiously altered and transported as by an example or two I shall heere laye open beefore you whereby in the very entrance of this controuersie now raised you may vnderstand how difficulte and dangerous it was to contend with him in any case were it neuer soe iust For in the 44. epistle written to S. Thomas concerning the King thus wee reade The King on a certaine day when hee was at Cane and a busines which hee had with the King of Scottes dealte seriously against Richard de Humet whoe seemed to defend the cause of the King of Scottes brake out into disgracefull wordes and openly called him Traitor and heereupon enflamed with his wonted furie threwe his cap from his heade vngirte his belte
and intimate this vnto him with more diligence and perswade my Lordes the Cardinalls to remember the iudgment of Allmighty God to which Tribunal the poore of Christ doe with their prayers dayly flye against all the Aduersaryes of the Churches liberty Thus sayeth Salisbury who somewhat too boldly carpeth the estimation of so◠noble a Pope whom in his epistles hee often commendeth excuseth defendeth But to the end reader you may vnderstand that it is dangerous to speake euill and rashly to iudge of the high Bishop heare I pray you the true defence of Pope Alexander without which it is vnworthy I should inserte all this in the Chronickles of the Church of Rome For I shall not discharge the parte I vndertake for bringing to light the truth of the history if I shall not vntwyning set it free out of the intangling errors and false assertions with which hee and his actes are wronged while thinges layd vniustly to his charge are accepted as certaine without a dilligent axamination of the truth which I will make appeare out of the epistles of diuers persons whereby these reportes blazed abroade by Iohn of Oxeforde will bee reiected as vntrue Marke therefore reader You haue seene for the space allmost of foure yeeres beeing fully three yeeres and a halfe the Controuersy of the Ecclesiasticall liberty beetweene the king and Saint Thomas and together with him the Church of Rome beeing tossed in delaye daylie declyning to the worse the king or Bishoppes neuer con descending to submitt themselues to the iudgment of the Archbishop of Canterbury from whom as you haue heard the king together with the Bishoppes appealed to the Roman Sea and by their deputyes prosecuted the same Appeale desiring by them that a Legate a Latere might bee sent into England In which petition of theyrs it is first a falshood that as it is affirmed the king requested onely a Legate for England which was the Cardinall of Papia For heare the same Salisbury Our king saith hee requireth that Williā of Papia and another Cardinall bee sent as Legates c. And the Pope fearing least one of them beeing the kings frind there might come any damage thereby to the contrary parte his Holines chose such an one to bee his associate as by his eminent vertue might withstand him if hee would attempt any thing against right and equity whom also hee knew to fauor the Bishop of Poytiers treating of both the Legates in his letter to saint Thomas wryteth to this William of Papia sayth hee as it is reported my Lord Oddo the Deacon Cardinal de Carcere Tulliano is associate and I wish it soe for a fauorable and well disposed starre may by coniunction if it cannot extinguish the malice of an euill affected starre yet at the least temper and extenuate the same Moreouer that his Holines designed the same legates not to decyde the controuersy as it was publickly reported according to Iohn of Salisburyes saying but to compose a peace the letters of the same Pope Alexander yet extant doe playnly witnes But to the end saint Thomas might rest secure of any feare from the sayde William the Legate Alexander aboue all other thinges made him promise not to attempt any matter against the Archbishop of Canterbury I will relate the very wordes of Pope Alexander in his epistle to Saint Thomas and truly sayth hee you may remayne absolutely confident in the Cardinalls neyther ought you any way to doubt of the mentioned William because wee haue streyghtly and precisely inioyned him to employ his whole power to worke your peace and hee made vs soe faithfull a promise thereof that wee haue no doubt of the contrary And more that hee might very much preuayle in procuring the peace the matter beeing throughly considered by reason of his intire familiarity with the king the same Salisbury conceaued in his mynde and expressed in wryting to the Legate in these wordes but in the meane tyme I hope this your familiarity with the king which to many is soe suspicious will bee profitable to the Church necessary to you gaynfull to him and to vs glorious Beesides this Alexander endeauouring to make a peace beetweene the Archbishop and the king commanded not as the kings messinger lying fouly sayd that this should bee accomplished with detriment to the Churches liberty but contrarywise would haue aboue all thinges a speciall prouision for the Ecclesiasticall lawes soe as in this pointe saint Thomas had no cause of doubt that the liberty of the Church should heerein sustaine any damage at all as in the same letters the sayd Bishop deliuered Againe that there was nothing granted by Alexander to the Bishoppes excommunicated by saint Thomas as Oxeford falsly affirmed but that at the houre of death they might bee absolued with a caution confirmed by oath as the letters which his Holines wrote by the same Legates to the Bishops of England doe manifest Neither yet was that true which with excessiue boasting Oxeforde did lying spread abroade among all men Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 3. how the king was exempted from the Archbishoppes authority but that his power ouer the king was only suspended while the Legates treated as the peace in like case and space as there is beetweene aduerse armys an abstinence of warre during a parlee And if peace tooke no place that Saint Thomas might then vse his authority against the king Alexander in his letters sent to S. Thomas thus playnly declareth But if perchance which God forbid the king shall determine with a hardened harte to persist in his obstinacy nor yet will as now yeeld any thing to the will of Allmighty God our admonition and his owne honor in his reconciliation to you and yours with the peace of the Church If afterwardes you thinke conuenient to execute the seuerity of a due reuenge vpon the kingdome and the persons of the same subiecte to your iurisdiction bee it either in regard of your Primacy or Legantyne power you shall reuenge the iniuryes offered to your selfe and your Church as you shall thinke fitting with reseruation of grauity and maturity of iudgment becomming your Pontificall dignity And to the pointe that Pope Alexander dealte bountifully with Iohn of Oxeforde the kinges messinger at his comming to Rome beestowing on him the Deanry of Salisbury which beeing extorted from his Bishop hee surrendred vp into te handes of his Holines and that done the wretched and alltogether vnwortthie mā receaued the same from the Pope againe For the Popes excuse heerein Iohn of Poytiers wryteth thus in his letters to saint Thomas Iohn of Oxeforde woon the more grace in the Popes sight in regard hee suggested to his Holines that a peace might bee concluded beetweene you and the king if there were but one to deale faithfully in the busines and promised to doe his owne vttermost endeauor for the performance thereof And addeth hee was absolued from his excommunication by the Pope in respect hee abiured the
durst appeale to the exemples of the Archbishoppe of Canterburyes Predecessors of whom it is euident that many of them did constantly resist the kinges who did violate the Ecclesiasticall liberty and vpon that occasion suffred many yeeres exile and banishment among whoÌ„ what great afflictions sainct Anselme and after him Lanfrancke who liued vnder this king Henry's Granfather for the same cause endured is in the former Tome sufficiently declared But let vs returne to Alane who Proceedeth thus in Quadrilogus While the Archbishop for a litle space seemed silâ—â—â— the king of France burst out in these wordes My Lord Archbishop will you bee greater then holy men Will you bee better then Peter what question make you Loe peace is euen at the dore To whom the Archbishop replyed True it is quoth hee my Lord my Predecessors were much better and greater then my selfe and many in their ages allthough they did not absolutely destroy all yet neuertheles did cut of some weedes which were extolled against God for had they cleane rooted out all what had bin now left to enkindle against mee this fire of temptation wherby now beeing tryed in the same fornace with them I may with them bee found alsoe worthie of the same praise and glory yea God much better prouiding for mee it is come to passe that I haue labored soe securely in their lot and meritt as I may bee partaker of their trauell and rewarde neither yet if any of them came shorte or exceeded in any thing am I bound to followe him in his want or excesse for wee reproue Peter in deniyng Christ but wee commend Peter by all meanes who resisted the Tyranny of Nero with the losse of his life and why truly but beecause Peeter would not yeeld to him in that wherin hee could not without the losse of his soule dissemble and therfore with conquering his enemyes hee dyed as to the flesh and with such pressures as these the Catholike Church hath rysen and encreased Our fathers haue suffered beccause they would not endure the name of Christ should bee drawne into subiection and should I bee restored into the fauour of a man with suppressing the honour of Christ God forbid quoth hee God forbid Wherupon the peeres of both kingdomes turned all against the Archbishop imputing the want of the peace to his arrogancy one Earle among the rest openly protesting that in regard the Archbishoppe resisted the counsell and determination of boâ—â—â—domes hee was not heereafter worthy of assistaâ—â—â— from either but cast out of England should no longer now bee entertayned in France whervnto is added by Herberte When the parlee therefore was thus dissolued euery one returned home not without great murmuring the Archbishoppes associates in exile beeing lefte in exceeding dispaire The kinges had no sooner ended this conference but they hastily tooke horse and departed neither saluting nor yet beeing saluted of the Archbishoppe Yea also the king of England who beefore slandered the Archbishoppe fowly to his face now in his departure among other thinges insulting sayde how hee had that day reuenged him on his traytor in like sorte the Courtiers who had bin Mediators for the peace did at the last in his presence deepely charge him that hee was euer proude allwayes high-mynded wise in his owne conceypte à follower of his priuate fancy and opinion adding moroeuer it was an exceeding mischeife and an immeasurable dommage and danger to the Church that hee was euer instauled a gouernour thereof and that the same beeing partly ruinated allready by him would now bee instantly and vtterly ouerthrowne But the Archbishoppe setting a watch beefore his mouth whenas sinners banded against him was made to those who vpbrayeded and insulted ouer him as a man not hearing and with humility answered gently saying Beeware brother least the Church of God bee destroyed by you for by mee God willing it shall neuer bee and the man to whom hee directed his speech was Iohn by birth an Englishman but then Bishop of Poytiers one by reason of long acquaintance and society very familiar deere and acceptable to the Archbishoppe But 〈◊〉 others who reuyled him hee made no answer beeing vndoubledly his Disciple who when hee was cursed accursed not againe and when hee suffered threatened no reuenge And thus hee departed from the parlee in France as hee did beefore from the Parliament in North-Hamptonne beeing made a reproache to the rich and contemptible to the proude and hee with his associates returning followed the king of France whose lodginges were prepared in the Castle of Mount-Mirable The Archbishop had beefore lodged in this Castle with the king who by his Courtiers did euer prouide him liberally of all necessaries But the king did not then condescend as in other parlees hee had bin accustomed to see the Archbishop in his lodging whereupon it was presently coniectured that the king stood not soe well affected to him now as beefore yet neuertheles the Archbishop shewed himselfe pleased and contented neither was his countenaÌ„ce proceiued to bee any whit altered in this respecte wherin may bee considered the constancy of this renowned man together with the inuincible courage of his mynde who in a world thus exceedingly crossing him shewed none or very little trouble or signe of care Departing on the next morrowe from the Castle and comming that day to Charters many of the people according to the custome mett together to see the passengers and asking who they were when they vnderstood the Archbishoppe of Canterbury was there they pointed at him with their fingers who knewe him not that hee was the man and saying though softly among themselues Loe heere the Archbishoppe who yesterday in parlee would not deny God for the kinges nor subiect the diuine honor to their willes And many times after as hee trauelled thorough France diuers of the people in this sorte extolled him Leauing Charters hee came with the best speede hee could to Senon The Compiler of the epistles addeth thus When hee had therfore passed three dayes in the company of the king of France in such sorte as neither the king himselfe not any in his name came to visitt him and whereas in busines of this nature my lord of Canterbury was wont to bee maintayned by the kinges liberality now after the parlee and for the tyme that I tould you hee had nothing at all beestowed on him but that sometymes the Archbishop of Senon otherwhile the Bishoppe of Poytiers or such like his brethreÌ„ moued with his misery in passing by him releiued him as a Beggar a thing terrible to all his followers beeing quite distitute of all worldly helpe Hauing thus ended the third day of this lamentable iourney whyle they sate in their lodging discoursing together heereof and deuising whether to goe my lord of Canterbury with a well contented countenance as if hee had tasted no aduersity at all and absolute against all Fortunes power applying his speech to his mournfull company smyling sayde
the Courte and continually to bee wrestling with a certaine Protheus as the Prouerb 15. so as if the grace of God and his owne industry had not preserued him hee was like euery houre haue bin throwne downe head long into ruyne and destruction In the time of his Chancellorship hee found so great fauour with the king that after the decease of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury hee succeeded in that Sea to gouern the Church of England for the king hauing had manifold tryall of him Hee was made L. Archi-Bishop of Canterb. deemed his fidelity and magnanimity to bee fit for so high a dignity and also that thee would haue a care of his profit and gouerne all thinges in the Church and Common wealth to his good liking and moreouer hee did fore see if it should please God to cut him of by vntimely death that hee would bee a faithfull Tutor for the education of his children for surely hee was a man of wonderfull great experience in the world and one that would wisely coniecture of the euent of things to comme A faithfull Tutor to the kings issue hauing by long experience learned the charge and honor both belonging to his place hee knew also the kings conditions and the pride of his officers and how powerfull the malice of his Parasites was whervppon hee coniectured euidently that by the acceptance of that dignity hee should lose the fauor of God or else of the king for it was impossible for him to please God and to obserue the kinges humor neither could hee please the king and preferre the lawe of God before his He refused that promotion and therefore for a season hee would not accept of the promotion which the king and other of his freindes perswaded him vnto But the prouidence of God preuayled so as by the instant and vrgent perswasion of that honorable Cardinal Preist Pisanus Legate of the Sea Apostolick hee did satisfie the kinges desire and the perswasion of his freindes chusing rather to hazard the kinges displeasure then to giue way vnto the desolation of the Church and resoluing either to protect it from so imminent danger of seruitude or else after the example of Christ to lay downe his life for his sheepe for the lay power beereauing the Church of her ancient priuiledges tooke vpon it to determine all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as temporal and as the people so was the Clergie troaden vnder foote also wherfore hee whom God had preordained to bee so greate à Prelate and Martyr notwithstanding that some of his enemyes did labour against the ordinance of God was elected with the general consent of all men After his consecration forth with His discipline putting of the old man hee put on haire-cloth to Crucify the flesh with the concupiscence therof and remembring that hee had taken vpon him the office of a Pastor and Doctour hee performed the ministerie of à Preacher All the time which hee could spare from his affaires of greatest importance His pronesse to prayer hee beestowed it for the most parte in prayer and reading when hee was solitary hee did maruilousely abound in teares and in his celebration at the Aultar his behauiour was such as if hee had beheld our lordes Passion in the flesh before his eyes Hee did minister the Sacramēts with so great reuerence that the very handling of them was able to informe the faith and manners of them that beheld him Hee kept backe his hand from bribery and giftes and cast away from him the filth of couetousnes in counsell hee was prouidēt Hee was a prouident Counsellor in hearing of causes a diligent and indifferent iudge in questions subtil in answers ready in iudgment iust without respect of persons and a strict executor of the law in all pointes Vnder outward decency of apparrel hee was inwardly apparelled with the armour of à Christian souldier which that the merrit therof might not bee diminished through vaineglory hee was very carefull to hide from the world and that according to the saying of the wise man his outward semblance might bee agreable to the world His charitable releife of the poore whenas inwardly all thinges were contrary In his place hee sat not downe to meate vntill the poore were sent in before him and that they might the better bee releiued with that which was left hee would haue his table th◠more plentifull Such as begged from dore to dore went not away empty handed from his gate Hee caused his seruantes to visit the houses of sicke and feeble persons and hee did visit them himselfe effectually with his beneuolence sustaining many of them dayly with meate drinke and cloth He doubled the largiss of his Predecessor for wheras his predecessor Theobald of happie memory did double the expences of his Predecessor beestowed in almes hee likewise of a certaine religious emulation thought good to redouble the like expences of his Predecessor also for the performance of which charitable worke hee did consecrate the tenth parte of all his reuenues to that purpose Hee daily washt the feete of 13. poore people Hee vsed daily in a certaine secret Cell vpon his knees to wash the feete of thirteene poore folke in remembrance of Christ giuing to euery one of them after they had well dyned fourepēce which if any time hee could not attend in his owne person which seldome hapned hee caused it diligently to bee supplyed by a substitute Hee entertained religious persons with so great a respect as if hee had receaued a dinine presence Hee was very liberal or an Angel in their persons In hospitality and other workes of liberality hee was so plentifull that his riches seemed the common treasury of all mē and albeeit his house was garnished with rich and pretious furniture His contempt of worldly riches He was temperate in his diet yet did hee contemne riches and worldly treasure as dung for Christ vsing transitory thinges to serue his necessity and not to satisfie his concupiscences and pleasure In his diet he was temperate obseruing therewith a mediocrity that by too much austerity hee might not bee taxed of superstition or by ingurgitation esteemed a Glutton He detested hypocrisie Hee detested no lesse the note of hypocrisie then hee did the imputation of dishonesty esteeming it the best kind of fasting to obserue the measure of sobrietie in which attire being poore in spiritt vnder a merri countenance couering a contrite harte in a delicate table preferring penury rising often from the bourde rather empty then full bellied and more often refreshed then satisfyed in keeping himselfe euer within the compasse of sobrietie Hee conformed himselfe to the manners of those hee accompanyed withall after the example of the Apostles who by wholsom dispensation became all vnto all to the intent to gaine all Hee deliuered the poore from the hand of the mighty as one that was truly giuen by God to bee a father to
to him and direct his letters to you for that purpose hee seemed with greife and great affliction of mynd to answer saying God forbid let vs rather dye then beehould him soe departing his countrye and leauing his Church in that sorte soe desolate And a litle after By the mediation of my lord the Pope there is continual prayer made for you and the Church committed by God to your charge at Clareualle and Pontiniacke Monasteries of the Cistercians Pope AlexaÌ„der in the meane time cherished Thomas comforted him with his letters and reuiued his minde when it was depressed with extreme greife Many of his letters remayne worthie of soe noble a Bishop among which receaue you these beeing in contents the shortest Lib. 1. epist 43. How hee ought to proceede with the King Because the dayes are euill and many thinges are to bee suffered in regard of the quality of the time wee entreate aduise counsell and perswad your discretion that in all actions as well of your owne as those appertaining to the Church you beehaue your selfe warely prouidently and circumspectly and that you doe nothing hastely or rashly but all thinges deliberately and grauely whereby you may recouer the fauour and goodwill of the renowned King of England as much as possibly you may without derogation to the liberty of the Church and the honor of your office and authoritye And that by all meanes you endeauour and labour to endure the violence of the same King vntill the next Easter in such sorte as you deuise not to put any thing in execution against him or his land vntill that perfixed tyme for then our lord will graunt à better and milder season whereby as well you as wee may more safely and securely proceede in our affaires Thus Alexander to Thomas of whom as wee haue sayd it is extant that hee did write other letters to the same effect vnto him But in that the Pope did so certainly promise that times would bee calmer at the next ensueing Easter it is apparant hee did with a Propheticall spirit foreknowe the death of the Antipope which at that time hapned as wee shall heereafter declare But Alexander who soe counselled S. Thomas to forbeare the outragious king did not himselfe forbeare to admonish by his letters the same king in season and out of season instantly reprouing rebukeing and beeseeching him as Reader you may vnderstand by this letter written about the same tyme. ALEXANDER THE SERVANT OF THE seruantes of God Lib 1. Epist 42. to Henry illustrous King of England health and Apostolicall benediction ALlthough the deuotion of a dutyfull childe as well towards vs as your holy mother the Church The Popâ— admonishâ—tâ— the King by writing seemeth of late to weare somewhat cold in you neuerthelesse wee haue not at any time omitted our fatherly affection towards you and the kingdome commended to your gouerment wherefore your excellency diligently weighing that the stripes of a freind are better then the kisses of an enemy may more carefully consider and attentiuely vnderstand that as Clearkes are in life and habit distinguished from secular persons soe the iuditial proceedinges with Clearkes are approoued to bee absolutely different from the iudgmentes of the Layetie and therefore if you desorder these otherwise then it beecommeth and vsurping vnder your power those thinges which beelong to Iesus Christ doe at your owne pleasure ordaine new lawes for the opprâ—ssion of Churches and Christes poore flocke and bring in also those customes which as you tearmed them beelonged to your Progenitors your selfe without all question Prouerb 13 will beefore the last terrible Tribunal which you can no way auoyd bee in like sorte adiudged and the same measure whereby you haue measured others bee returned vpon you But least our admonitions may seeme tedious and rigorous to the eares of your excellency remember how it is written that the father chastiseth the sonne whom hee loueth knoweing assuredly that with how much more ferrent charity wee loue you in our lord and by how much more often and carefully wee call to mind the monuments of your most sincere deuotion many ways and most royally heeretofore shewed to vs and the Church of God soe much the more earnestly wishing with the deuoted affections of our harte your spiritual and eternal saluation wee signifie these vnto your vnderstanding For if the last iudgment bee any ways terrible to you or the crowne of rewards in the eternal rest delightfull it is not only beeseeming but also necessarie for your Maiestie to reuerence truth which is God himselfe and also Iustice to giue euery man his right to leaue to the managing of Ecclesiastical persons all matters Ecclesiastical especially criminal which spring from the breach of faith or periury to yeeld to men of the Church the decisioÌ„ of causes concerning goods and posessions of Churches and not to confound the kingdome with the preisthood for if you would bestowe on the reliefe of the poore or other workes of Charity all the substance which by such compulsions you wrest wring from the treasures of the Church vnto your owne vse you should doe no more acceptable an acte in the sight of God then if you should rob one Altar to garnish an other or crucify Peeter to saue Paule from death for you ought to recount and for an exemple of such proceeding to set before your eyes how king Saul because after the ouerthrowe of Amelech Lib 1. Reg. cap 14. hee would contrary to the precept of God reserue the prey when as for his owne excuse hee pretended to retaine the same for sacrifice was as a reprobate reiected by our Lord and hee yet liuing another chosen vnto his honor and kingly dignity Soe whom the sinnes of the people made a gouernor his owne offâ—nces depriued of the kingdomes gouerment And it is conuenient for your soules health to call to minde how alsoe King Ozias 2. Par. cap. 26. whilst hee would offer incense and vsurpe to himselfe the office of a priest was by the iust iudgment of God strooke with a leprosie If truly you attribute your happie successes to your owne forces and power and not to Almighty God and doe not withdrawe your minde and attemptes from oppressing Ecclesiastical persones and Churches hee doubtles whâ— placed you in gouerment ouer others and ordeyned you a great prince in this world for ruling and not for the wrongfull depression of his faithfull people will with a greiuous vsury demand of you againe the talentes committed to your charge and as it is written of Roboam the sonne of Salomon who for his fathers offence 3. Reg 14. was cast out from his kingdome will transferrre and poure out vpon the heires the vengeance of the fathers sinne Harken not therefore to euery ones wicked suggestions nor open your eares to those who murmur euer mischeifes into your head but diligently attend those thinges which are expedient for saluation and endeauour to
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
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
together with the recyted Cardinalls seales to bee set to the wryting wherin the Articles aforesayde were contayned beeginning in this forme To Henry by the grace of God the renowned kinge of England Albert of the tytle of saint Laurence in Lucina and Theodine of the tytle of saint Vitalis Preistes Cardinalles and Legates of the Sea Apostolicke health in him who giueth health to kinges To the end that thinges donne may neuer bee after questioned These Actes published in wryting it is accustomed and the consideration of the publicke vtility requyreth that they should bee recorded wherupon wee thought it conuenient to drawe the Mandate into wryting which wee doe especially for your sake in regarde you feare malefactors who murdered Thomas of holy memory late Archbishoppe of Canterbury proceeded to the execution of that vnlawfull acte vpon occasion of your anger and distemperature In which action neuertheles you haue of your owne accord in our presence made your purgation that you neither commanded nor wished him to bee killed and when you heard the reporte therof you exceedingly sorrowed Wherfore from this instant feast of Pentecoste to the end of one whole yeere you shall giue soe much mony as by the iudgment of the Templar Knightes will maintayne 200. souldiers twelue monethes for defence of the holy land Touching your selfe you shall from Christmas next three yeeres are fully accomplished take the Crosse and in proper person vndertake your iourney thitherwarde by Gods conduction the next summer vnles you stay by appointment of our Lord the Pope or his Catholicke successor But if vpon vrgent necessity you make warre against the Saracens in Spayne for the tyme you vndergoe that voyage soe long you may deferre your iourney to Ierusalem You shall not hinder Appeales nor suffer them to bee hindred but that they may bee freely made in Ecclesiasticall causes vnto the Pope of Rome in good fayth without fraude or any ill intent that causes may bee handled by his Holines and obtayne their effectes yet soe neuertheles as if you shall haue suspicion of any they shall giue you security that they shall not endeauor to iniure your selfe or your kingdome You shall absolutely disanull the custumes brought in during your tyme the Churches of your land Concerning the possessions of the Church of Canterbury if any haue bin taken away you shall restore them to that fullnes wherin shee enioyed them a yeere beefore the Archbishop departed England Moreouer you shall restore to the Clergie and Layetie of both sexes peace and your gracious fauour with all the possessions which they lost for the Archbishoppes sake All this by the authority of our Lord the Pope wee inioyne you for remission of your sinnes and command you to obserue the same without fraude or deceypte This haue you sworne in a great Audience with reuerence to the diuine Maiesty Your sonne hath likewise sworne the same excepting only what in particular concerned your selfe and yee haue both sworne not to leaue Pope Alexander and his Catholike Successors so long as they shall vse yee as they haue vsed your Predecessors and other Catholicke kinges And that this may bee firmly recorded in the Roman Church yee haue commanded this same to bee confirmed with your seales Afterwards the same Roger addeth the Epistle of the Legates written at that tyme to the Bishop of Reuenna declaring matters then handled in these wordes To the Reuerent in Christ and our beeloued brother Gilbert by the grace of God Archbishop of Rauenna Albert by the diuine goodnes of the title of saint Laurence in Lucina and Theodine of the title of saint Vitall Preistes Cardinalles and Legates of the Apostolike Sea what God hath promised to such as loue him In regarde wee suppose you are desirous to heare of our state and the good successe of the busines commended to our charge wee thought conuenient to signify to your brotherhood by these letters how God hath at this tyme dealte with vs and wrought by the ministery of our vnworthines Bee yee therfore certifyed that after the renowned king of England knewe by certayne relation that wee were come within his Dominion setting asyde all obstacles of delay hee presently returned from Ireland into England lettinge passe the businesses which then imported him and from England arriued on the coaste of Normandy sending instantly sundry Messingers and honorable personages from vs to vnderstand at what place wee thought most conueniently to meete him and treate of these affaires It pleased vs at length to meete at the Monastery of Sauyne that wee might there confer where wee should bee assisted by the prayers of the Religious Wee mett there together and there mett with vs many persons of eyther order of his kingdome and wee treated as dilligently as wee could of what appertayned to the good of him and the charge imposed on vs. But not aggreeing in all pointes hee departed from vs pretending to passe into England wee expected intending the next day to goe to the Citty of Abryncke On the morrowe came to vs the Bishoppe of Lizieux with two Archdeacons and condescending to our request wee passed on to the sayde Citty whether on the Sunday in which is fung vocem iucunditatis wee assembled with very many persons and they also with vs and with soe much humility hee accomplished what was promised as without all doubt wee may beeleeue it was his worke who looketh on the earth and maketh it tremble Truly to declare how much hee endeauored to humble himselfe to God and shewe his obedience to the Church it is not a matter in these few lynes to bee vttered his deedes doe sufficiently manifest it and heereafter will manifest it more fully as wee assuredly hope it will appeare First therfore not vpon any constrainte or request of ours but of his owne free will hee cleered his conscience by an oathe vpon the holy Euangelistes concerning the death of Thomas of blessed memory late Archbishoppe of Canterbury swearing that hee neither commanded nor wished that the Archbishop should bee killed and vpon the reporte therof hee was exceedingly greiued Yet beecause the murder was committed and hee feared hee gaue occasion therof for making satisfaction hee tooke this oathe First hee swore hee would neuer leaue our Lord Pope Alexander and his Catholicke successors so long as they vsed him like a Catholicke and Christian king and this alsoe hee caused his sonne and heire to sweare in the Charter of absolution for the death of blessed Thomas Hee swore likewise other thinges very necessary for the Clergie and Layety all which in order according as hee swore them wee dilligently recorded in the Charter of his absolution Other matters hee likewise promised of his owne accord not conuenient to bee deliuered in wryting But this wee haue written that you may see his obedience to Allmighty God and how hee is farre more incouraged then hitherto hee hath bin to the seruice of his Sauiour Knowe beesides that his sonne