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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	abbey_n	abbot_n	bishopric_n	21	3	9.8580	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56127	The antipathie of the English lordly prelacie, both to regall monarchy, and civill unity: or, An historicall collection of the severall execrable treasons, conspiracies, rebellions, seditions, state-schismes, contumacies, oppressions, & anti-monarchicall practices, of our English, Brittish, French, Scottish, & Irish lordly prelates, against our kings, kingdomes, laws, liberties; and of the severall warres, and civill dissentions occasioned by them in, or against our realm, in former and latter ages Together with the judgement of our owne ancient writers, & most judicious authors, touching the pretended divine jurisdiction, the calling, lordlinesse, temporalities, wealth, secular imployments, trayterous practises, unprofitablenesse, and mischievousnesse of lordly prelates, both to King, state, Church; with an answer to the chiefe objections made for the divinity, or continuance of their lordly function. The first part. By William Prynne, late (and now againe) an utter-barester of Lincolnes Inne.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1641 (1641)	Wing P3891A; Wing P3891_vol1; Wing P4074_vol2_CANCELLED; ESTC R18576	670,992	826

Cardinall ordered all things appointed every Officer and growing into credit did in like sort at other times dispose of the Common wealth and Bishoprickes as seemed best liking unto him Whereupon the Earle of Leneux taking part with the English opposed himselfe against the Cardinall whereby ensued sharpe wars the Cardinall still supporting and counselling the Governour Which troubles somewhat abated when the Earle of Leneux went into England The Cardinall led the Governour to Saint Andrewes to the end if it were possible to binde the Governour more firmely to him During the time they were there the Cardinall caused in the Lent season all the Bishops and Prelates of the Realme to assemble at Saint Andrewes where a learned man named Master George Wisc●art that had beene in the Schooles of Germany was accused of Heresie which he had as was alledged against him publikely Preached and privately taught in Dundee Brechin and divers other parts of Scotland since his returne home This matter was so urged against him that he was convict and burnt there in the Towne of Saint Andrewes during the time of that convention or assembly When these things were thus done the Cardinall although he greatly trusted to his riches yet because he was not ignorant what were the mindes of men and what speeches the Common people had of him determined to increase his power with new devices Wherefore he goeth into Angus and marryeth his eldest Daughter as saith Buc●anan to the Earle of Crawfords Sonne Which marriage was solemnized with great preparation almost answerable to Kingly magnificence During which time the Cardinall understanding by his Spies that the English did prepare to invade the Scottish borders on the Sea and specially did threaten those of Fife therewith returned to Saint Andrewes and appointed a day to the Nobility and such as dwelled about the Sea Coasts to assemble together to provide in common for the defence thereof and to prepare remedy for that hastened evill for the easier and better performance whereof he had determined together with the Lords of that Country to have sayled himselfe about the Coasts and to have defended such places as were most convenient Amongst others that came unto him there was a noble young Gentleman called Norman Lesle Sonne to the Earle of Rothseie This man after that he had many times imployed his valiant and faithfull diligence in the behalfe of the Cardinall grew to some contention with the said Cardinall for a private cause which for a time did estrange both their mindes the one from the other this same contention did Norman being thereto induced with many faire promises afterwards let fall But certaine monthes afterward when he returned to demand the performance of such liberall promises they began to grow from common speech to bra●lings and from thence to bitter ta●nts and reproaches not fit to be used by any of them both Whereupon they departed with the grieved mindes of every of them for the Cardinall being intrea●ed more unreverently than he would or looked for and the other threatning that being ove●taken by deceite he would revenge it they bo●h returned discontented to their owne people Whereupon Norman declaring to his partakers the intollerable arrogancy of the Cardinall they easily agreed all to conspire his death● wherefore to the end that the same might bee lesse suspected they departed in sunder afterward This No●man accompanied onely with five of his owne traine entred the towne of Saint Andrewes and went into his acc●stomed Inne and lodging trusting that by such a small traine hee might cunningly dissemble the determination of the Cardinalls death but there were in that towne ten of those which had consented to his conspiracy which closed in secret corners som● in one place and some in another did onely expect the signe which was to be given un●o them to execute this devise with which small company this Norman fea●ed not to adventure the death of the Cardinall in the same towne furnished in every place with the servants and friends of the Cardinall Whereupon the 13. of May the Cardinall being within his Castle of Saint Andrewes certaine of his owne friends as hee tooke them that is to say the sayd Norman Lord Kirkandie● the young Lord of Grange and Kirkmichell with sixteene chosen men entred the Castle very secretly in the morning tooke the Porter and all the Cardinalls Servants thrusting them out of the place by a Posterne gate and that done passing to his Chamber where he lay in bed as he got up and was opening his Chamber doore they slue him and seized upon the Artillery and Munition where with that Fortresse was plentifully furnished and likewise with rich hangings houshold-stuffe of all sorts Apparell Copes Jewels Ornaments of Churches great store of gold and silver plate besides no small quantity of treasure in ready coyne Sir Iames Leirmouth Provost of Saint Andrewes assembled all the people of that Towne for the rescue of the Cardinall after he had heard that the Conspirators were entred the Ca●●le but they shewed the dead body of the Cardinall over the walls as a spectacle to the people and so they made no further attempt sith they saw no meanes how to remedy or revenge the matter at that present The cause that moved the Conspirators thus to kill the Cardinall was thought to be partly in revenge of the burning of Mr. George Wischart ●●aring to be served with the same sawce and in the end to bee made to drinke of the same Cup. Partly it was thought they attempted it through counsell of some great men of the Realme that had conceived some deadly hatred against him His body after he was slaine was buried in the Castle in a dung-hill The governour considering that his deere Coze● the Cardinall was thus made away assembled the great Lords of the Realme● by whose advice he called a Parliament and ●orfeited them who had slaine the Cardinall and kept the Castle of Saint Andrewes And withall he beseiged those that murthered him in the sayd Castle three moneths space but it was so strongly furnished with all manner of Artillery and Munition by the Cardinall in his life time that they within cared little for all the inforcements that their Adversaries without could enforce against them After his death the Governour Anno. 1546. promoted Iohn Hamilton the Abbot of Parslew his Brother to the Bishopricke of Saint Andrewe● and gave the Abby of Arbroth granted before to Iames Beton the slaine Cardinals Kinsman to George Dowglasse bastard sonne to the Earle of Angus which things were afterwards occasions of great troubles in the Realme To appease which Anno 1550. the Queene by the advice of her Counsell to stop all occasion of publicke dissention ended the controversies moved about the Archbishoprickes of Saint Andrewes and Glascow and the Bishoprickes of Dunkeld and Brechine by bestowing them upon Noblemens children and upon such persons as worthily deserved them This Arch-bishop 1543. comming out of France

to prophane uses because they are consecrated and dedicated to God But who knoweth not that Holidayes are after the same manner consecrated and dedicated unto God and to be spent in no other but in holy workes which of you if he should see any one enter into the Church with encredible audacity and use the consecrated vestments in steed of prophane garments Temples for a Taverne the Altar for a Table the Corporals or Alterclothes for Mappes eating in sacred Patens drinking in the Holy Chalices which of us would not tremble who would not exclaime And now we behold the most solemne the most famous the most sacred Holy-dayes dedicated to God that they might be spent in Prayers Meditations reading of holy things Hymnes and Psalm●s and spirituall Songs to be prophaned with sacrilegious Dances Morrisses Caperings Feasts Drinking-matches uncleannesses scurrilities and yet no man trembles no man is moved no man wonders O immortall God! What part hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse what fellowship hath light with darkenesse what agreement hath Christ with Belial what hath the merriment of the flesh to doe with the gladnesse of the spirit what the solemnities of God with the feasts of Bacchus and his crue What now those dayes wherein wee ought to please God most shall we in them more provoke him unto anger with our wickednesse on those dayes in which the spirit is to be fed and recreated in them shall we more overwhelme him with wine and uncleannesses c. What a madnesse is this what infirnall furies scare us out of our wits Thus and much more this Romish Cardinall Bellarmin to the eternall infamy of our prophane English Prelates to whom this Cardinall in point of Dancing and Pastimes especially on sacred Dayes is not onely a Puritan but a Saint And thus much for the Prelates of Winchester I shall next survey the Bishops of Durham and see whether they have been better qualified than these their Brethren Durham Kenulph the tenth Bishop of Durham Anno. 750. was taken by Edbert King of the Northumbrians belike ●or some great Treason or misdemeanour for the Monkes conceale the reason and committed prisoner to the Castle of Bebba which King commanded the Church of Saint Peter in Lindisfarne to be besieged which shewes that the Bishop and his Church stood out then in rebellion against their Soveraigne Egelricke the 16. Bishop of Durham was charged with Treason and conspiracy against William the Conqueror and that hee had disturbed the Kings peace and practised pyracie on the Seas whereupon hee was committed perpetuall prisoner to Westminster where by continuall fasting and abundance of teares washing away the guilt of his former misdeeds he wan unto ●imself such a reputation of holinesse as the place of his buriall was much frequented after his death Egelwyn his next successor in this See much opposed himselfe against William the Conqueror to whom afterward hee was in shew reconciled for a time at last the ancient hatred hee bore unto the King boyling in his stomacke hee joyned winh certaine Noble men in a flat rebellion against the Conquerour he and they alleaging at first that they feared imprisonment and hard measure but indeed proposing to apprehend and depose the King to set up an English man in his roome and commit him to perpetuall imprisonment When things succeeded not according to expectation William the Conquerour getting the victory Egelwyn●lyes ●lyes into Scotland the King having banished him the Realme before where out of his zeale hee ●●communicates the King and all his followers as invaders and robbers of the Church The yeare following he comes into England where hee and the Nobles combining with him with many thousands of the Laity and Clergy were faine to hide themselves in woods and secret places being unable to encounter with the Kings forces when they had done many harmes and mischiefes in divers places to the wrong of the King they came at last ●o the Isle of Ely which they fortified● and seized on as the place of their residence and refuge and o●t times issuing out thence much wasted and spoyled the bordering countries building a wooden Castle in the Iland● wherupon the Conqueror comes with all his forces both by sea and land and besiegeth the Iland m●king wayes and passages over bogges and fennes formerly unpassable building a strong Castle at Wi●bitch Egelwyn perceiving the danger tooke ship and departed into voluntary exile committing some pyracies by the way he set his course for Colen but was forced by contrary winds to land in Scotland thence returning againe to Ely hee was at last there taken prisoner by the Conquerour and committed close prisoner to Abingdon where An. 1071. refusing to take any sustenance for meere griefe and anger he died Before his death the Conquerour having deprived him of his Bishopricke caused one Walcher to be consecrated in his place hee attending more worldly affaires than the charge of his flocke as many of our Prelates do now gave himselfe altogeher to temporall businesse wherein hee wholly occupied himselfe contra dignitatem Pontificalem writes Matthew Paris He bought of the King the Earledome of Northumberland being by this meanes both a Spiritual and a Temporall Lo●d and ingrossing both jurisdictions into his hands and then making himselfe a secular Judge tooke upon him to sit in the Court and to determine all causes at his pleasure dealing with all very corruptly and taking that course as might be most for his owne gaine hereupon he geatly enriched his coffers but purchased to himselfe extreme hatred among the Common people whom hee much impoverished with his extortions which was his destruction in the end There was a Gentleman of great account called Leulfus who had married the Earle of Northumberlands daugh●er that for very devotion to the end hee might live neere the Church in his latter time came to Durham to dwell he keeping company very much with the Bishop who loved him much for his wisedome equity and vertues Leofwin the Bishops Chaplain whom he trusted with all his houshold matters and Gilbert the Bishops kinsman that dealt in his Temporall affaires very corrupt men envying the credit that Leulfus had gotten with the Bishop every where opposed and traduced him and his actions both in words and deed and at last conspired to murther him which they did in a barbarous manner assaulti●g him in his house with armed men and murthering not onely the innocent Gentleman himselfe but also his servants and who●e houshold the newes of this horrible outragious cruelty comming to the eares of the Bishop amazed him so as turning about to Leofwin hee said to him Thou hast already slaine mee with thy tongue and doubting the danger got him into his Castle and dispatched messengers to the friends and kindred of Leulfus protesting that the fact was committed without his knowledge and that hee was heartily sory for it and if any suspect him hee could be

Prelates practises Stephen and Maud came to a mutuall agreement Of which you may read more largely in Roger of Salisbury The See of Lincolne continuing voyd almost seven yeeres after the death of Robert de Chisney Geoffry Plantagenet Archdeacon of Lincolne base sonne to King Henry the second was elected Bishop thereto who contenting himselfe with the large revenues of the Bishopricke never sought consecration well knowing that he might so fleece the sheepe though he listed not to take the charge of feeding the sheepe Seven yeeres he reaped the fruits of that See by colour of his election and then by the Popes commandement to Richard Archbishop of Canterbury to compell Geoffry either to resigne his ●ishopricke or immediately to enter into orders and to take the office of a Bishop on him he resigned all his interest in the same the copy of which resignation you may read in Roger Hoveden After which he turned Couttier for eight yeeres space and at last returning to the Church againe became Archbishop of Yorke● How he carried himselfe in that See I have before in part expressed page 185 186. and now shall give you some further account t●ough somewhat out of course out of Roger Hoveden and others He was no sooner setled in Yorke but there fell out a great contestation betweene him and Henry deane of Yorke and Buchard the Treasurer whom he excommunicated for refusing to give over singing and to begin their Service afresh upon his entering into th● Church whereby the Church that day ceased from Divine Service This difference being composed Buchard and Geoffry soone after fell ou● againe whereupon Ge●ffry excommunicating him the second time he goes to the Pope for absolution and so farre prevailed with the Pope that he would neither confirme Geoffries election nor suffer him to be consecrated And withall the Pope exempted Hugh Bishop of Durham from making any profession of subjection to Geoffry elect of Yorke during his life though he were consecrated because he h●d formerly once made his profession to the Church of Yorke and to S. William the Archbishop of Yorke and to his successors Queene Elenor K. Richards mother hereupon passeth from Messana through Rome to intreat and humbly beseech the Pope in the Kings behalfe to confirme his brothers election to Yorke and either to consecrate him Archbishop thereof by himselfe or some other which the Pope doing Geoffry shortly after cites Hugh Bishop of Durham peremptorly to appeare before him at a Synod in the Cathedrall Church at Yorke thereto professe his obedience to him which he endeavoured to substract and to exempt himselfe by all meanes from his jurisdiction Hugh refuseth to come thither or to make his profession or obedience to him being as he said not bound by Law to doe it and thereupon appeales the first second and third time to the Pope and submits his cause to him The Archbishop hearing of it in great fury excommunicates him notwithstanding this appeale threatning to compell him to make profession and obedience by Ecclesiasticall censures notwithstanding this appeale The Bishop of Durham on the other side would not obey the 〈◊〉 but in contempt thereof boldly celebrated and caused to be celebrated Divine offices as before The Archbishop hereupon overturnes all the Altars where the Bishop of Durham had celebrated and breakes the Chalices within his Diocesse wherein any other had celebr●ted in the Bishops presence and held his brother Iohn Earle of Morton for an excommunicate person because he had ea●en with the Bishop of Du●ham after that sentence and would not communicate with him untill he gave him satisfaction and came to be absolved When the Bishop of Durham saw that many refused to speake eate or drinke with him he sent messengers to the Pope who relating to him first in secret then before all the Cardinals how indiscreetly and Archbishop had excommunicated him slighting his appeale the Pope and all the Cardinals adjudged that sentence a meere nullity and that it ought not to be observed and thereupon the Pope writ a letter to the Bishops of Lincolne Rochester and others to declare this sentence of excommunication voyd in their Churches by vertue of the Popes Apostolicall authority and to command the people to communicate with the Bishop of Durham notwithstanding it as they did before and to declare that the Bishop for the injuries done unto him by the Archbishop in overturning the Altars and breaking the Chalices should be exempted from all subjection to him during life Whereupon these Bishops and delegates met at Northampton and after much debate departed without any final agreement In Lent following this Archbishop being summoned to appeare at London by the Kings Justices came to Westminster with his Crosse carried before him whereupon the Bishop of London and the other Prelates prohibited him to presume to carry his Crosse within the Province of Canturbury who contemptuously answered them that he would not let it down● for them yet by the advice of his followers he hid it from the face of the people left a tumult should arise among the Clergy The Bishop of London accounting him excommunicate for this transgression suspended the new Temple where the Archbishop lodged both from Divine Service and the tolling and ringing of Bels so as he was forced to goe out of the City After this the Archbishop levied a great Army fortified Doncastre and would have besieged Thifehill Castle belonging to Earle Morton which Hugh Bardalfe and William St●●ville refusing to doe he departed with his men in a 〈◊〉 from them calling them traitors to the King and Kingdome Soone after the Deanery of Yorke being voyd the Archbishop first gave the Deanery to Simon Apull and after that to one Philip whom the King recommended The Canons of Yorke pretending the right of electing the Deane to appertaine to them elected Apul against the Bishops will The Archbishop hereupon appeales to Rome the Canons notwithstanding proceed in their election of Apul the Archbishops messengers and Apul meeting with the King in Germany in their passage towards Rome he inhibited all their appeales to Rome saying that if any attempted the contrary he should not returne into the Realme againe In the meane time the Canons of Yorke suspended the Cathedrall Church from all their accustomed Divine service and their Bels likewise from their usuall office of ringing for which the whole City was in an uproare they likewise uncloathed their Altars locked up the Archbishops stall in the Quire barred up the doore by which he used to enter into the Church out of his Pallace and Chappell and did many other things in contempt of him which the Archbishop hearing of being ready to take ship to passe the seas returned to the Church admonishing and commanding the Ministers of this Church to minister therein after the ancient manner who contemning his admonition and precept left the Church voyd and destitute of Divine service Hereupon shortly after the Archbishop by

though maliciously placed that the King tooke yet more offence with him than before insomuch that he led him with him into the Parliament house for then was that Court holden and there before the Lords accused him of no small misdemeanor towards his person by his rude and threatning speeches but the Bishop eagerly denieth the Kings Obiections which he still avoucheth upon his Honour and in the end confirmes his Allegations by Witnesses whereupon he was banished from the Kings presence during his naturall life by verdict of that House In the meane time the Dutchesse hearing what was done beginneth anew to be dealing with him and in a brabling fray betweene their servants one of her men were slaine for which the Bishop was called before the Magistrate as chiefe accessary unto the fact but he fearing the sequell of his third cause by his successe had in the two first hideth himselfe after he had sold all his moveables and committed his money unto his trusty friends and being found guilty by the Inquest the King seizeth upon his possessions and calleth up the Bishop to answer unto the trespasse To be short upon safe conduct the Bishop commeth to the Kings presence where he denie●h that he was accessary to the fact either before at orafter the deede committed and thereupon craveth to be tried by his Peeres But this Petition is in vaine for sentence passeth against him also by the Kings owne mouth whereupon hee craveth helpe of the Archbishop of Canterbury and priviledges of the Church hoping by such meanes to be solemnly rescued But they fearing the Kings displeasure who bare small favour to the Cleargie of his time gave over to use any such meanes but rather willed him to submit himselfe to the Kings mercy which he refused standing upon his innocencie from the first unto the last Finally growing into chollor that the malice of a woman should so prevaile against him hee writeth to Rome requiring that his Case might be heard there as a place wherein greater Justice saith he is to be looked for than is to be found in England upon the perusall of these his Letters also his accusers were called thither but for so much as they appeared not at their peremptory times they were excommunicated Such of them also as died before their reconciliations were taken out of the Church-yards and buried in the Fields and Dunghills Vnde timor turba saith my Note in Anglia For the King inhibited the bringing in and receipt of all Processes Bulls and whatsoever instruments should come from Rome Such also as adventured contrary to this Prohibition to bring them in were either dismembred of some joynt or hanged by the neckes which rage so incensed the Pope that hee wrote in very vehement manner to the King of England threatning farre greater curses except hee did the sooner stay the fury of the Lady reconcile himselfe unto the Bishop and finally make him amends for all his losses sustained in these b●oyles Long it was ye● that the King would be brought to peace neverthelesse in the end he wrote to Rome about a reconciliation to be had betweene them but ye● all things were concluded God himselfe did end the quarrell by taking away the Bishop Anno 1388. the Nobles being assembled at Westminster said to King Richard the second that for his honour and the weale of the Kingdome it behoved that Traytors Whisperers Flatterers Malefactors● Backbiters● and unprofitable persons should be banished out of his Palace and company and others substituted in their places who knew were willing to serve him more honourably faithfully which when the King had granted Licet merens they determined that Alexander Nevell Archbishop of Yorke● Iohn Fordham then Bishop of Durham and afterwards of this See of Ely Thomas Rushoke the Kings Confessor Bishop of Chichester who being conscious to himselfe fled away and hid in Yorkeshire Richard Clifford Nicholas Lake Deane of the Kings Chappell all Clergy men whose words did many things in the Court should be removed all these they sent to divers prisons to be strictly garded● till they should come to their answers the next Parliament Nicholas West Bishop of Ely in Henry the eig●h his dayes who kept daily an hundred servants in his house to attend him and gave them great wages fell into the Kings displeasure for some matters concerning his first marriage who for griefe thereof fell sicke and died Thomas Thirlby was advanced by Queene Mary not onely to the Bishoppricke of Ely but also made of her privy Councell After her death for resisting obstinatly the reformation intended by our gracious Soveraigne Queene Elizabeth hee was committed to the Tower and displaced from his Bishoppricke by Parliament● Having endured a time of imprisonment neither very sharpe nor very long his friends easily obtained license for him and the late Secretary Roxall to live in the Archbishops house where they had also the company of Bishop Tunstall till such time he died To these I might adde Bishop Buckeridge Bishop White and Bishop Wren late Prelates of this Sea who occasioned much mischiefe and distraction in our Church and State but I shall referre them to another place● and passe on to the Prelates of Exeter Exeter About the yeare 1257. Walter Bronscome 12. B of Exeter had a Fryer to his Chaplaine and Confessor which died in his house of Bishops Clift and should have beene buried at the Parish Church of Farringdon because the said house was and is in that Parish but because the Parish Church was somewhat farre off the wayes foule● the weather rainy or for some other causes the Bishop commanded the corps to be carried to the Parish Church of Sowton then called Clift Fomeson which is very neere and bordereth upon the Bishops Lordship the two Parishes there being devided by a little Lake called Clift At this time one Fomeson a Gentleman was Lord and Patron of Clift Fomeson and he being advertized of such a buriall towards his Parish and a leach way to be made over his Land without his leave or consent requited therein calleth his Tenants together goeth to the bridge over the Lake betweene the Bishops Land and his there meeteth the Bishops men bringing the said corps● and forbiddeth them to come over the water The Bishops men nothing regarding this Prohibition doe presse forwards to come over the water and the others doe withstand so long that in the end my Lords Fryer is fallen into the water The Bishop taketh this matter in such griefe that a holy Fryer a religious man his own Chaplaine and Confessor should so unreverently be cast into the water that he falleth out with the Gentleman and upon what occasion I know not he sueth him in the Law and so vexeth and tormenteth him that in the end he was faine to yeeld himselfe to the Bishops devotion and seeke all the wayes he could to curry the Bishops good will

was Elfrid mother of Edward for the which Elfrid he was staied and kept backe from his Coronation by Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury the space of seven yeares and so the said King beginneth his raigne in the sixteene yeare of his age being the yeare of the Lord 959. was crowned at his age One and thirty Anno. Dom. 974. as is in the Saxon Chronicl● of Worceter Church to be proved For the more evident declaration of which matter concerning the Coronation of the King restrained and the presumptuous behaviour of Dunstan against the King and his pennance by the said Dunstan injoyned yee shall heare both Osburne Malmesh and other Authors speake in their owne words as followeth Perpetrato itaque in virginera velatam peccato c. After that Dunstan had under●tanding of the Kings offence perpetrated with the professed Nun he comes to the King who seeing the Archbishop comming eftsoones of gentlenesse arose from his regall seat towards him to take him by the hand to give him place But Dunstan refusing to take him by the hand and with sterne countenance bending his browes spak after this effect of words as Stories import unto the King You that have not feared to corrupt a Virgin maide hand fast to Christ presume you to touch the consecrated hand of a Bishop you have defiled the Spouse of the Maker and thinke you by flattering service to pacifie the friend of the Bridegroome No Sir his friend will not I be which hath Christ to his enemy c. The King terrified with these thundring words of Dunstan and compuncted with inward repentance of his sinne perpetrated fell down with weeping at the feet of Dunstane who after he had raised him up from the ground againe began to utter to him the horriblenesse of his fact and finding the King ready to receive whatsoever satisfaction he would lay upon him injoyned him this Pennance for seven yeares space as followeth That he should weare no Crowne all this space that he should distribute his Treasure left to him of his Ancestors liberally unto the poore he should build a Monastery of Nunnes at Shafts-bury that as be had robbed God of one Virgin through his transgression so should he restore to him many againe in times to come Moreover he should expell Clerkes of evill life meaning such Priests as had wives and children out of Churches and place covents of Monkes in their roome c. It followeth then in the Story of Osberne that when the seven yeares of the Kings pennance were expired Dunstan calling together all the Peeres of the Realme with Bishops Abbots and other Ecclesiasticall degrees of the Clergy in the publike sight of all set the Crowne upon the Kings head at Bath which was the one and thirtieth yeare of his age and thirtenth yeare of his reigne so that he reigned onely but three yeeres crowned King All the other yeares besides Dunstan belike ruled the land as he listed As touching the Son of the said Elfled thus the Story writeth● Puerum quoque ex peccatrice quadam progenitum sacro fonte regeneratum lavavit aptato illi nomine Edwardo in filium sibi adoptavit i.e. The child also which was gotten of the harlot he baptized in the holy Fountaine of regeneration and so giving his name to be called Edward● did adopt him to be his sonne Ex Osberno But of this Dunstan See more in Cante●bury p. 3 4.5 Living the 23. Bishop of Worceter Anno. 1040. was accused for procuring the death of Alfred the eldest sonne of King Elthelred and King Hardeknutes brother● his accusers were Elfricke Archbishop of Yorke with many others Whereupon the King being very angry degraded him and gave his Bishoppricke to Elfricke● he died at Tauestocke March 2● 1046 At which time just as he gave up the ghost there was such an horrible tempest of thunder and lightning as men thought that the day of Doome had beene come Alfred Bishop of Worceter was expulsed that See by King Hardicanute for his misdemeanor and oppositions against him till his money had purchased his peace This Bishops hands as was said was deepe in the murther of Alfred the Kings halfe Brother who had his eyes inhumanely put out his belley opened and one end of his bowells drawne out and fastned to a stake● his body pricked with sharpe needles forced about till all his entralls were extracted in which most savage torture hee ended his innocent life for which barbarous act this Bishop was for a time deprived af●er which being restored he went fought with Griffith King of South-Wales but with such successe that many of his Souldiers were slaine and the rest put to flight● which made the Welchmen farre more bold and Rese the brother of Griffith to make incursions to fetch preyes out of England till at length hee was slaine at Bulenden and his head presented to King Edward at Glocester Not to mention Wulstan the 19. Bishop of this See surnamed Reprobus the reprobate belike for his leude reprobate actions S. Wulstan the 24. Bishop refused obstinatly to yeeld consent to his election a long time protesting he had rather lay his head upon a blocke to be chopt off then to take so great a charge as a Bishopprick upon him At last undertaking it by the perswasion of one Wullsius an Anchorite he permitted publike drinking in his Hall after dinner for whole houres together and made as if he dranke in his turne but in a lesser cup to make the guests the merrier pompam ra●litum secum ducens leading still a stately traine of Souldiers with him who with their annuall stipends and dayly provision wasted a hugh masse of money In his time Edward the Confessor falling sicke and continuing speechlesse for two dayes space on the third day rising as it were from the dead and groaning exceedingly he began to speake thus O Almighty God if it be not a fantasticall illusion which I have seene give me leave to relate it to those that stand by or if on the contrary it be false I beseech thee substract from me the power of uttering it As soone as he had ended his speech speaking expeditely enough and very articulately he said I beheld two Monkes standing by me whom when I was young I saw live very religiou●lly in Normandy and I knew that they died most Christianly These affirming themselves to be Gods Messengers sent unto me added because the chiefe men of England Duces EPISCOPI Abbates non sunt Ministri Dei sed DIABOLI the Dukes Bishops and Abbots are not the Ministers of God but of the Devill God hath delivered this Kingdome in one yeare and in one day into the hand of the enemy and Devills shall wander over this whole Land And when I answered I would shew this unto the people that so sinners having made confession and condigne satisfaction might repent and obtaine mercy

like the Ninivites they replied neither of these shall be because neither shall they repent neither shall God have mercy on them And I demanding when remission of so great calamities might be expected To this they answered concerning this it shall be so as in case of a greene tree if it be cut in the midest and the part 〈◊〉 off be carried farre from the Trunke when that without any helpe shall be reannexed to the Trunke and begin to flourish and bring forth fruit then a remission of such evills may be hoped for The truth of which prophesie writes Matthew Wstminster the English soone after had experience of in this that England became the habitation of strangers and the dominion of forreiners for a little after no English man was either a Duke Bishop or Abbot upon the comming in of the Conqueror neither was there any hope of ending this misery The Conqueror comming to the Crown had some contests with this Bishop whom he would have removed from his Bishoppricke for insufficiency in point of learning but being found more able than he was reputed he held his Bishoppricke and recovered some Lands from the Archbishop of Yorke taken by the Archbishops from this See which some three or foure Archbishops before had held in Commendam with Yorke The Cathedrall of Worceter being stately built a new from the ground in his time the Monkes thereupon forsaking their old habitation built by Oswald which they pulled downe betooke themselves to this new stately building Which Wulstan seeing burst out into teares and being demanded a reason thereof by some that told him he had rather cause to rejoyce our predecessors saith he whose Monuments wee deface rather I doubt to set up the banners of our vaine-glory than to glorifie God they indeede quoth he were not acquainted with such stately buildings but every place was a Church sufficient for them to offer themselves a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice unto God we contrariwise are double diligent in laying heapes of stones so to frame a materiall Temple but are too too negligent in setting forward the building of that lively Temple the Church o● God In King William Rufus time this Bishop arming such an number of people as the city of Worceter could afford caused to sally out and set upon Roger Earle of Mountgomery and others who attempted to take it whom they discomfited killing and taking a number of them prisoners Maugere the 36. Bishop of Worceter was one of those foure Bishops who Anno. 1208. upon the Popes command excommunicated King Iohn and put the whole Kingdome under interdict whereupon his goods and temporalities were seised and he inforced to flie the Realme dying at last in exile at Pontiniac in ●rance during the time of this interdict the King writes Matthew Parts had most wicked Councellors Qui Regi in omnibns placere cupientes cousiliura non pro ratione sed pro voluntare dederunt who d●sirous to please the King in all things gave counsell not according to reason but will among these he reckons up Tres Episcopi curiales three Court Bishops to wit Philip Bishop of Durham Peter Bishop of Wincester and Iohn Bishop of Norwhich Walter de Cantelupo the 40. Bishop of Worceter as he stoutly opposed the Popes exactions in England so in the yeare 1264. he tooke great paines to worke a peace betweene the King and the Barons in whose behalfe when he had offered the King conditions as he thought most reasonable which might not be accepted he addicted himselfe unto their party exhorted them to fight valiantly in the cause and promised heaven very confidently to them that should die in defence of the same For this he was after justly excommunicated by the Popes Legate and being sicke unto death repenting much this fault of disobedience unto his Prince he humbly craved and received absolution from that excommunication whereupon ensued bloody warres and rapines so● as Matthew Paris writes Nec Episcopi nec ahbates nec ulli religiosi de villa in villam progred● potuerunt quin à vespilionibus praeda●ontur And concludes this yeare thus Trans●it annus iste frugifer benè temperatus sanus● sed in cunctis eventibus Angliae dispendiosus propter bellum commune propter rerum coramunium privatarum flebilem direptionem Most of the succeeding Bishops of Worceter as Adam de Orleton that Arch-traytor and such like were translated to other Sees where I shall meete with them and therefore pretermiting them here I passe to those of Hereford The Bishops of Hereford Iune 16. An. 1056. Griffin King of Wales having overthrowne the forces of the Engishmen about two miles from Hereford immediatly assaulting the city tooke it slew Leovegar the Bishop and seven of the Canons there who denied him entrance into the Church and held it against him spoiled it of all the reliques and ornaments that were portable and lastly fired both Church City and all This See continued voyd foure yeares after the death of Leofuegar after which Walter Chaplaine to Queene Edith was consecrate at Rome by the Pope in the yeare 1060. his end was much more unhappy than his Predecessors He chanced to fall in love with a certaine comely woman that he met in the street A long time he contended with this vile and unseemely affection and he thought hee had quenched the same when a small occasion renewed it to his destruction having certaine linnen to cut out this woman was commended to him for a very cunning Seamster He sent for her and his old flame of filthy desire easily kindling by this little sparke he found errands to send his men out of the way while he set upon her first with words and they not prevailing by force she resisted what shee might but finding him too strong for her thrust her Sheeres into his belly and gave him his deaths wound The King being desirous it should be esteemed false forbid the report of it by a Proclamation which afterwards came to be Chronicled Raynelmus the 30 Bishop of this Diocesse received that Bishoppricke at the hands of King Henry the first who bestowed it freely on him and was invested into it as the manner of those times was by the delivery of the Ring and the Crosier Anselme then Archbishop refused to consecrate him and divers others who received their investitures in this manner from the King he was so farre from importuning him in this matter as being now perswaded this his election to be insufficient he renounced the same delivering againe unto the Kings hands the Ring Crosier that he had received Herewith the King was so offended as he had cause that presently he banished him the Realme after much ado betweene the King and Anselme a reconciliation was wrought and this man consecrated Gyles de Bruse the 30. Bishop of Hereford in the Barons warres was a great stickler wjth them against

Oath first and then administred it to others saying that he was glad in his heart that this Oath was imposed upon all the Clergie of England for now the true Children of the Church would bee knowne from the spurious and bastards And further hee hath de●yed to conferre Orders upon such who refused to take the said Oath as namely upon one Mr. Gibbon● And hath enforced the sayd Oath upon divers he hath ordained Ministers since the making thereof That the sayd Bishop hath beene a great fomentor and incourager of the late divisions and wars betweene the Kingdomes of England and Scotland conventing and urging the Clergie of his Diocesse in the yeares of our Lord 1638. 1639. to contribute a liberall benevolence towards the maintenance of the sayd wars using this speech as one motive to induce them to this contribution that it was Bellum Episcopale and saying that what ever cause the King had expressed in hi● Declaration yet in truth this war was for Vs meaning Vs the Bishops And whereas some of the Clergie denyed the payment of so large a Benevolence●s ●s the sayd Bishop demanded in regard of their poverty and because they were still in their first fruites when they were free from Subsidies the sayd Bishop threatned by his power to put more Armes and horses upon them saying that if they would not serve the King with their purses they should serve him with their Armes And thereupon compelled them to pay the summes he demaunded of them against all Law as namely Mr. Roswell Mr. Ioanes Mr. Abbot and others And not contented herewith the sayd Bishop pretending that there were divers poore Vicars and Ministers in his Diocesse that were no● able to pay the Benevolence ●o as hee could not raise the summe he expected thereupon directed his Letters to divers of his wealthier Cle●gie causing some of them to pay a second contribution 13. That the sayd Bishop not content with this first Benevolence hath since that in the yeare of our Lord 1642. compelled divers of his Clergie to pay all or part of the sixe illegall subsidies or Benevolences imposed by the late pretended Synod without confirmation of Parliament threatning to excommunica●e and deprive them ipso● facto who fayled paymen● of it at the dayes prefixed by the Synod and sent out a processe to Master Newton Minister of Tau●ton even whiles the sayd Town● was much visited by the Pestilence long before the sayd Subsidy or Benevolence was due to enjoyne him to pay it punctually at the day or else he would inflict on him the penalties prescribed by this Synod and used these speeches that if they did not pay the sayd Subsidie or Benevolence they should be ground to powder And the sayd Commons by pro●esta●ion s●●ing to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the sayd Bishop And also of replying to the answeres that he the sayd Bishop shall make unto the sayd Articles or to any of them and of offering proofes also of the premisses or any of them or any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them as the cause shall according to the course of Parliaments require doe pray that the sayd Bishop may be put to answere to all and every t●e premisses And that such proceedings examinations tryalls and judgements may be upon every of them had and used as is agreeable to Law and Justice By these Articles of impeachment you may easily discover what a prophane impious turbulent Prelate this Bishop is even such a one whom no age I thinke in many particulars is able to parallell whose prodigiously prophane speeches and actions proclaime to all the world that our present Prelates impieties have made them fit for judgement yea to be castout and trampled under feere of men as the very excrements and off-scouring of all things I have now runne through all our ancient Bishoprickes with that of Chester lately revived and given you a briefe account of the extravagant actions of some of those Lordly Prelates who possessed them I shall now in the close of this Chapter give you but a touch of some of the late Bishops of Oxford Bristoll Peterborough and Glocester which Bishopricks were erected out of dissolved Monasteries by King Henry the eight towards the end of his Reigne and so conclude Oxford TO passe by the first Bishops of this See none of the best there have beene three successions of Bishops in Oxford since I left the University Houson Corbet and Bancroft all of them Patriots of Innovations Erronious Popish Arminian Doctrines superstitious Ceremonies prophane Sports Revels and Bacchanals on the Lords day scandalous in their lives notoriously given to the flesh enemies to frequent preaching and the true Practise of Piety Of the two first of them I have given a touch in Durham and Norwich page 519. to which I shall referre you and for the last of them a Non-preaching Prelate who for ought I can learne never preached above one or two Sermons if so many all his life time he had a finger in the late Canons Oath lone in pressing whereof he was not negligent and had not death arrested him with the other two I doubt not but the Parliament had bin troubled with many complaints against them all which now being buryed together with them I will not revive Bristoll THE Bishopricke of Bristoll was first possessed by Paul Bush who was deprived in Queen Maries dayes for being married Iohn Holy-man a Papist succeeded him after whose death the See continued voyd some foure yeares Anno 1562. Richard Cheyny Bishop of Glocester and Iohn Bullingham his successor held Bristoll in Commendam so as it stood void o● a Bishop otherwise than as it was held by Commendam● one and thirty yeares Richard Fletcher next enjoyed it till he was translated to Worcester Anno. 1593. After which it stood vacant ten yeares to 1603. and then Iohn Thorneborough Bishop of Limbrick in Ireland and Commendatory Deane of York was translated to it This Bishop and some of his successors had great contests with the Major Aldermen and Citizens of B●istoll whom he would force to come every Lords day morning and solemne Holiday to the Cathedrall Sermon to dance attendance and doe their homage to their Lordships which they for some yeares refused till at last after sundry complaints to the King and Councel the Bishops and they according the Major and Citizens yeelded to come to the Colledge now and then on solemne days if the weather were faire and sometimes in the Sommer season Robert Wright one of the late Bishops of this See had a great contestation with the Deane and Chapter of Bristoll and Master George Salterne Steward of the City for opposing him in setting up Images in the Cathedrall and other Churches which gave great offence to the people he was a great Innovator and maintainer of Superstitious Ceremonies at Bristoll to humor