gave the Archbishop a personal command to execute the Excommunication which he delayed to do whereupon they suspended him King John complained to the Pope of the Barons obstinacy and how the Archbishop refused to Excommunicate them Soon after there was a General Council held at Rome to which the Archbishop was summoned and there suspended from his Archbishoprick upon the King's complaints against him When this suspension of the Archbishop was executed the Pope commanded all his Suffragans and Subjects to disobey him till by his humiliation and giving sufficient caution for his future deportment he should demerit it A just retaliation inflicted by God's providence on this arch-Arch-enemy to King John The Archbishoprick of York becoming void the King by his Letters Patents granted the Chapter of York a License to elect a new Archbishop in the presence of five Commissioners therein specially named and with their consents to prevent the Election of Simon Langton the Archbishop's Brother this being the first License after his forecited Charter to the Archbishop and Bishops for the freedom of Elections After which the King sent his Patent of Appeal to the Chapter of York in general termes not to Elect any Person for their Archbishop suspected to be an enemy to him to avoid all misconstructions of his former Charter for freedom of Elections He also secretly prohibited them to Elect Simon Langton by name to whom he would never give his Royal Assent This Chapter notwithstanding the King 's and Pope's Inhibition likewise to gratifie Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury Elected Simon Langton his Brother Archbishop of York And the Canons of York appearing in the Council at Rome justified their Election and presented Simon Langton to the Pope for their Archbishop Elect and pressed his Confirmation of him The Covent and Monks of Durham affronted King John in the Election of their Bishop whereupon he was enforced to make use of the Pope's and Legate's power and yet could not effect his ends But the Pope obtains His to dispose of all Elections and Bishopricks at his pleasure The same year the King with some strugling procured R. de Marisco to be Bishop of Winchester Yet we find not in any of our Historians that he was ever Consecrated Bishop of Winchester notwithstanding his Election and the King's approbation and Letters to the Pope's Legate on his behalf so that he miscarried in this design as he did in that of Hugh Foliot to St. Davids Neither did he succeed in his recommendation of three several Persons to the Prior and Covent of Ramsey Then the Monks of Glastonbury prevailed with Money to have their Abbey severed from the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells and to be governed by an Abbot as formerly parting with no less than four Manors and the Patronage of six Benefices to Joceline Bishop of Bath and Wells and his Successors by way of composition to obtain this disunion Then the Pope exempted King John's Chappels from Episcopal Excommunication and Jurisdiction without the Pope's special commandâ— which by the Lawes of the Realm were exempted from them long before The Barons and the Londoners slighted the Pope's Excommunication and so doth Lewis of France the Inibition of the Pope and his Legate not to invade England In the mean time Lewis his Proctors at Rome pleaded that King John had no good Title to the Crown of England shewing Lewis his Title thereunto which put Pope Innocent to a great dilemma But the Pope himself became King John's Advocate as well as Judge not as King of England but onely because he was his Vassal Then was England miserably wasted by Lewis and his Army in the East and South and by King John in the West and North whereupon forty of the Barons became sensible of their error in rejecting King John and in calling in and Crowning Lewis for their King and being likewise informed by Viscount Melun on his death-bed upon his Salvation That Lewis and XVI others of his chief Barons and Earls whereof himself was one had taken an Oath That if ever the Crown of England were quietly setled on his Head he would condemn to perpetual Exile all the English who now adhered to him against King John as Traitors to their Lawful Sovereign and would actually extirpate all their kindred advising them timely to prevent their miseries and lock up his words under the Seal of secrecy thereupon addressed themselves with their Letters of submission to King John but before these Letters were delivered or any Answer returned the King was poisoned by one Simon a Monk of Swinshed-Abbey in Lincoln-shire of which poison he died When he saw his Death approaching he with penitent Confession of his sins and great Devotion received the holy Eucharist having the Abbot of Croxton both for his Bodily and Ghostly Phisitian and then not onely forgave all his Mortal Enemies but also sent Command to Henry his Son to do the like to whom he caused all present to Swear Fealty and sent Letters to all his Officers abroad to assist him After which he commended his Soul to God and his Body to be interred in the Church of Worcester Where he was afterwards solemnly buried near the Body of Bishop Wolston In this year 1216. flourished Walter Mapez Archdeacon of Oxford a very Witty Man who in his Verses painted forth in lively Colours the Life of the Pope the Affections and Rape of the Court of Rome the Excess and Pride of the Popish Prelates as may be Read in his Book Entitled Diverse Poems of the corrupt state of the Church He composed a Treatise Entitled Apocalypsis Pontificis Goliath by which name he signified that Antichrist was revealed in the Pope Also Praedicationem Goliath and other Treatises against the Pope and his Court and of the dayes of the Court of Rome Giraldus Cambrensis mentioneth him in his Mirror of the Church and saith That he was a Man in that Age in great estimation His Poetical description of the City Popes and Court of Rome I shall here set down Roma caput mundi sed nil caput mundum Quod pendet a Capite totum est immundum Trahit enim vitium primum secundum Et de fundo redolet quod est juxta fundum Roma capit singulos res singulorum Romanorum Curia non est nisi forum Ibi sunt venalia jura Senatorum Et solvit contraria copia nummorum In hoc consistorio si quis causam regat Suam vel alterius hic inprimis legat Nisi det pecuniam Roma totum negat Qui plus dat pecuniae melius allegat Romani capitulum habent in decretis Vt potentes audiant manibus repletis Dabis aut non dabitur petunt quando petis Qua mensura seminas eadem tu metis Munus petitio currunt passu pari Opereris munere si vis operari Tullium nec timeas si velit causari Munus Eloquentia gaudet singulari Nummis in hac Curia non est qui
Excommunications of Pope Gregory IX against him in England and all other Kingdoms and Churches endeavoured to vindicate himself and his innocency against the Pope's calumnies by dispatching Letters into all parts and particularly into England These proceedings of the Pope against the Emperor so exasperated the Citizens of Rome that they expelled the Pope from the City and chased him to Perusium Anno 1228. died Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury after whose death there grew a new contest between the King and Monks of Canterbury about the Election of a new Archbishop The Monks chose Walter de Hevesham a Monk whom the King refused to allow of resolving to make Richard his Chancellor Archbishop Walter posting to Rome to get Confirmation and Consecration from the Pope and the King's Proctors there excepting against him pressing the vacating of his Election and making Richard Archbishop with much importunity they could not prevail with the Pope or Cardinals to stop Walter 's Confirmation or promote Richard till they had promised in the behalf of the King unto the Pope the tenths of all things moveable from both his Kingdomes of England and Ireland Whereupon the Pope and Cardinals forthwith vacated Walter 's Election for his insufficiency and made Richard Archbishop So the Pope got two years payment of his annual pension granted by King John and a Tenth in promise Yet where the King gave his Royal assent to Bishops duly Elected by his License where there was no competition the Pope interposed not This Archbishop Richard going to Rome to complain against the King that all affairs of his Kingdom were disposed by the counsel of his chief Justice Hubert when he had there accomplished his designes against the King was presently taken away by sudden Death Then the King issued out a prohibition to the Monks of Canterbury not to do any thing prejudicial to the rights of his Crown nor to elect any Person Archbishop without his special License nor to send any Monks to Rome by the Pope's command to Elect an Archbishop there The Monks in pursuance of this Prohibition by the King's License elected John their Prior Archbishop whom the King by his Letters Patents approved desiring the Pope to confirm him and likewise made new Proctors in the Court of Rome concerning this Election And the King to promote his Affairs the better in the Court of Rome granted Annuities to some Cardinals to obtain that justice from them by such Pensions which he could not procure without them But yet the Pope vacated this second election as well as the first Hereupon the Monks proceed to a third election but this third Person was also cashiered by the Pope This See continued three years after Richard's death and Edmond 〈…〉 being nominated Archbishop by the Pope who sent him a Pall was consecrated by Roger Bishop of London in April Anno 1234. the King being present with thirteen Bishops in Christ-Church Canterbury In the year 1232. the Cavrsines first came into England proving the Fuller Church-Histor lib. 3. â— bane of the Land These were Italians by birth terming themselves the Pope's Merchants driving no other Trade than letting out of Money great Banks whereof they brought into England differing little from the Jews save that they were more merciless to their Debtors Now because the Pope's Legat was altogether for ready Money when any Tax by Levy Commutation of Vows Tenths Dispensations c. were due to the Pope from Prelates Convents Priests or Lay-persons these Cavrsines instantly furnished them with present Coin upon their solemn Bonds and Obligations These Cavrsines were generally hated for their Extortions Roger Black that learned and pious Bishop of London once excommunicated these Cavrsâ—nes for their oppression but they appealing to the Pope their good friend forced him after much molestation to desist These Cavrsines were commonly known by the name of Lombards from Lombardy the place of their nativity in Italy And although they deserted England on the decaying of the Pope's power and profit therein yet a double memorial remaineth of them one of their Habitation in Lombard-street in London the other of their Employment a Lombard unto this day signifies a Bank for Usury or Pawns still continued in the Low-countries and elsewhere See here the Pope's hypocrisie forbidding Usury as a sin so detestable under such heavy penalties in his Canon Law whilst his own Instruments were the most unconscionable practisers thereof without any controul Elias Rubeus an English-man wrote a Book wherein he said That 2. â— 3. â— 4. the Monks had converted Religion into superstition making salvation to consist in things of themselves vain and indifferent that there was no kind of men more blind in concupiscence or infamous for uncleanness than the Popish Clergy c. Certain years after one Laurence an English-man in a Sermon of his admonished the Church That a great danger hung over her head by the Monks that they were seducers and the Ministers of Anti-christ Matthew Paris informs us That Hubert de Burgo Anno 1232. being chief Justice of England the King 's principal faithful Counsellor the greatest opposer of the Pope's Usurpations and Extortions was by the power of the Pope and of Peter Bishop of Winchester suddenly removed from all his Offices and impeached of several Crimes some of them amounting to high Treason Hubert to prevent the rage of his Enemies fled to the Church of Merton and there took Sanctuary Whence the King commanded the Mayor of London by his Letters the Londoners being his mortal Enemies to pull him out forcibly and bring him to him alive or dead Which the Mayor and Citizens readily undertaking and marching thither with great Forces the King by the advice of the Earl of Chester suddenly countermanded them thence to their great discontent After which Godfry of Cranecumb whom the King sent to apprehend him in Essex with three hundred men armed finding the Chappel doors shut violently brake them open apprehended Hubert and carried him thence bound with cords a prisoner to the Tower of London This breach of Sanctuary being made known to Roger Bishop of London whose Diocess it was he tells the King that if the Earl were not restored to the Chappel he would excommunicate all the Authors of that outrage The Earl is accordingly restored but the Sheriffs of Essex and Hertford at the King's command with the Powers of their Countreys besiege the Chappel so long that at last the Earl was compelled to come forth and render himself bearing his affliction patiently Hubert is again imprisoned in the Tower Nothing could appease the King's Ire but that Mass of Gold and other Riches which the Knights Templers had in their custody upon trust which Hubert willingly yielded up This mollified the King's mind toward him Hereupon he had all such Lands granted unto him as either King John had given or himself had purchased There undertook for him as Sureties the Earls of Cornwall and Warren Marshal and Ferrars
likewise to Preach or by way of reading in Churches or other publick or private places except in Schools of the Universities to Interpret or Teach any Scripture or any points of Doctrine concerning Religion Hereupon many of the people in divers places received their old Religion erected again their Altars and used the Mass and Latin Service as was wont to be in King Henrie's time In Cambridge the Vice-chancellor chalenged one Peirson on Octob. 3. for officiating the Communion in his own Parish Church in the English Tongue and on the 26. displaced Doctor Madew Master of Clare-hall for being Married In like manner some of the Popish party in King's Colledge on the 28th of the same moneth officiated the Divine Service in the Latin Tongue At Oxford John Jewel was chosen to pen the first gratulatory Letter to the Queen in the name of the University an Office imposed on him by his Enemies Doctor Tresham a Van-eurrier before authority repaired the great Bell in Christ-church and named it Mary Harley Bishop of Hereford and Taylor of Lincoln two of the last of King Edward's Bishops were present at the opening of the Parliament Octob. 10. But no sooner was the Mass begun though not then restored by any Law than they left the Church For which the Bishop of Lincoln being first examined and making profession of his Faith prevented the malice of his enemies by a timely Death And Harley upon information of his Marriage was presently excluded from the Parliament-house and not long after from his Bishoprick also Hereupon Bishop Barlow of Wells and Scory of Chichester passed beyond the Seas followed not long after by Bishop Poinet of Winchester On November 3. Archbishop Cranmer was arraigned at the Guild-hall in London with the Lord Guilford Dudley the late Queen Jane his Wife and others all of them being attainted and condemned of Treason After Peter Martyr had quit the Realm his Wive's Body having been buried in the Church of St. Frideswid was afterward by publick order taken out of the Grave and buried in a common dunghill John a Lasco was forced to dissolve his Congregation and He with his Strangers to quit the Countrey The like hast made the French Protestants also At which time many of the English as well Students as others deparâ—ed also The principal of those were Katherine the last Wife of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Robert Berty Esq Husband to the Dutchess the Bishops of Winchester and Wells as before was said Sir Richard Morison Sir Anthany Cook and Sir John Cheek Doctor Cox Doctor Sands and Doctor Grindal The News of Queen Maries succeeding her Brother to the Crown of England posted to Rome and was very welcome to Pope Julius the Third because it gave him some assurance of his re-admission into the Power and Jurisdiction of his Predecessors in the Realm of England in pursuance of which hopes it was resolved that Cardinal Pool should be sent Legate into England who being of the Blood-royl and a man of eminent Learning and of exemplary life was looked on as the fittest Instrument to reduce that Kingdom The Parliaments first Act was to take away all Statutes passed by the two last Kings wherein certain Offences had been made High Treason and others brought within the compass of a Pramunire This was done especially for Pool's security that neither He by exercising his authority nor the Clergy by submitting to it might be entangled in the like snares as Cardinal Wolsey and the whole Clergy of his time had before been caught Then an Act was passed for repealing certain Statutes of King Edward thereby they took away all former Statutes for administring the Sacraments in both kinds for establishing the first and second Liturgy c. In a word by this one blow the Queen cut down all that had been done in the Reformation in seven years before And then for want of Canonical Ordination on the one side and under colour of Uncanonical Marriages on the other there was presently such a remove among the Bishops and Clergy as it is not any where to be paralelled in so short a time An Act was passed likewise Entitled An Act against offenders of Preachers c which two Acts were seconded by the Queen with two Proclamations December 5. By one of which it was declared that all Statutes made in the time of the late King Edward which concerned Religion were repealed by Parliament and therefore that the Mass should be said as formerly to begin on the twentieth of that moneth And by the other it was commanded that no person should dare from thenceforth to disturb any Priests in saying Mass or executing any other Divine Office Accordingly the Mass was publickly officiated in all parts of the Kingdom and so continued during the Reign of the Queen without interruption Another Act was passed wherein it was Enacted That the Marriage between King Henry the Eighth and Queen Katherine his first Wife was lawful and to stand with God's Laws and his Holy Word c. That the Decree of Divorce heretofore passed between the said King Henry and the said Queen by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury should be reputed to be void and null with a Repeal of all such Statutes wherein the Queen had been diclared to be Illegitimaâ—e There also past another Act in which there was a clause for the invalidating of all such Commissions as had been granted in the time of the late Queen Jane and one in confirming the Attainders of the late Duke of Northumberland Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury c. Together with this Parliament the Queen summoned a Convocation that all matters of Religion might first be debated and concluded in a Synodical way before they were offered to the Parliament In the Writs of which Summons she retained the Title of Supreme Head on Heylin Hist of Q. Mary Earth of the Church of England c. the want whereof in those of the present Parliament occasioned dispute among some of the Members Whether they might lawfully proceed or not in such publick business as were to be propounded to them in that Session The Presidentship of the Convocetion was transferred upon Bishop Bonner priviledged in respect of his See to preside in all such Provincial Synods which were either held during the vacancy of the See of Canterbury or in the necessary absence of the Metropolitan The lower House of the Clergy also was fitted with a Prolocutor of the same affections Doctor Hugh Weston Dean of Westminster in the place of Doctor Cox So partially had the elections been returned from the several Diocesses that we find none of King Edward's Clergy among the Clerks and but six of the Deans and Dignitaries to have suffrage in the Convocation viz. James Haddon Dean of Exeter Walter Philips Dean of Rochester John Philpot Archdeacon of Winchester John Elmer Archdeacon of Stow in the Diocess of Lincoln Richard Cheiney Archdeacon of Hereford one more mentioned by Mr. Fox
Teutonick Tongue as well as in the Modern doth signifie narrow strait or a nook And a Portugal alluding thereunto hath this verse Anglia terra ferax fertilis Angulus Orbis Insula praedives quae toto vix eget orbe A fruitful Angle England Thou Another world art said An Island rich and hast no need of other Countrie 's aid And although after this many errours in Doctrine and corruptions in Worship crept in more and more into our Church and the Pope encroaching by degrees the Churches of God in this Land did much degenerate as they did in other Nations so that in Process of time the whole world wondered after the Beast and they Worshipped the Beast saying who is like unto the Beast Revel 13. 3 4. Yet even in the darkest times when our Church suffered the greatest Ecclipse when her Silver was become Dross and her Wine was mixed with Water it pleased God then to raise up some eminent Persons to stand up for the Defence of the Truth in this Nation and to discover the impostures of the Church of Rome Yea how many were there that suffered Martyrdom for the Gospel here in England who detested Image-worship and other abominations in the dayes of King Henry the fourth King Henry the fift and others afterward long before Luther was born These and the like in other Nations may be called the forlorn Hope who did obequitare Antichristi castra ad pugnam elicere advance up to and ride round about the camp of Antichrist and provoke him to the main-fight What wonderfull deliverances hath God wrought for this Church and Nation in several ways When King Henry the eighth did renounce the Pope's Supremacy what plots were framed by diverse Princes against this Land to ruine it and how gratiously did the Lord protect his people here from such a storm though then he had but a very little flock in this place When Queen Mary matched with Philip of Spain in what apparent danger was this Land to fall into miserable servitude and bondage under the Iron-yoak of the Spainard ' s which diverse nations that have been subject to them have found intolerable The blind and bloody zeal of Queen Mary was likely to have rooted out all the plants of God's right hand in this Land and so have banished hence the true Church and Gospel of Christ and so to have shut this Kingdom out of the bounds of the Church There was great expectation of Issue by that Marriage between the Spanish Prince and Queen Mary who Her self also was a Spaniard by the Mother's side and Solemn Forms of Thanksgiving and Prayer were made for Her Conception and safe â—â—â—lvery and besides an Act passed in Parliament that if â—ueen Mary died in Child-bed King Philip should have the Government of this Land during the Child's Nonage and if these things had succeeded into what misery might this Land have fallen And besides had an Issue of that Marriage lived to Reign over England together with other Dominions of the Spaniard what had England been but an Inferiour Tributary Province to be Governed as it pleased the Spanish Nation even as was attempted in the Low-Countreys with Devilish cruelties to say nothing of their horrible Massacres in the West-Indies But here sâ—e the wonderful goodness of God who dwelt in the midst of this Church as a Refuge All this was prevented Queen Marie's supposed Conception vanished She was soon taken away by death and King Philip of Spain had no longer any Interest in England Queen Elizabeth a Noursing-mother to this Church Succeeded She was born September the seventh 1533. One calleth Her Angliae Delitias Europae Sydus Mundi Phoenicem c. the joy of England the Star of Europe the Phoenix of the World a Glass of God's Providence and the Mirrour of His Mercy And as if the Devil had presaged what a â—courâ—e She would prove to the Roman greatness and suggested it to Pope Clement the seventh he is said to have made a Perâ—mptory Decree against Her whilst She was in Her Mother's bâ—lly This Pope himself being the Bastard of Julian de Mâ—dâ—cis a Florentine he avowed to make Her illegitimate and unâ—apable of the Crown The like did Pope Paul the third attempt viz. To make that Royal Princess illegitimate when She was but two years Old But as the Lord blessed Her then so he did wonderfully preserve her all her Sister 's Râ—ign when many plots were laid to take away her life But as Seneca told Nero it was impossible for him to kill that man that must be his heir so it was impossible for the malice of hell to accomplish the death of the Lady Elizabeth whom the only-wise God had appointed to be her Sister's Heir So great a Ecclesiae Anglicanae reformationem desperasâ—â—t aetaâ— praeterita admiratur praesens obstâ—pâ—scet futura Scultet Annal. Reformation She wrought in England that one saith of it The Gospel had a swift passage here by diligent Preaching by Printing good Books by translating the holy Scriptures into the Vulgar Tongue by Catechizing youth by publick disputations by recording the Martyrs such a thing as even the former age had even despaired of the present age admireth and the future shall stand amazed at It is evident that the Almighty God who delighteth to shew his power in Weakness was pleased in this Renowed Queen and her brother King Edward to let the world see what great things he was able to effect by a Child and a Woman But what a multitude of plots were contrived for the destruction of Queen Elizabeth when the next heir to the Crown was a Papist and an enemy to the truth of Christianity and married to the Prince of France so that had these plots succeeded England in all probability had been subjected to France in point of Civil Government and to the Roman power in matters of Religion Admire again the singular goodness of God in protecting Queen Elizabeth and whilst the enemies of the Church were seeking ruine in the destruction of Her Royal Person the French King that had Married the next heir to the English Crown dieth and leaveth her a Widow without Issue and she not many years after became a prisoner So eminent was Queen Elizabeth that Thuanus a professed Roman Catholick but very ingenious said he heard the old Dutchess of Guise whose sons were of the greatest Enemies that Queen Elizabeth had to say that she was faelicissima gloriosissima faemina a most happy and a most glorious Woman We know who made her to differ and that she had not any thing which she had not received from above therefore let us give the praise of all to God who appointed her I am perswaded to build the old wast places to raise up the foundations of many generations she found the Kingdom weak she left it strong she found it poor she left it rich they that were enemies to her and the Gospel which they professed
XIX year of the Reign of Kymbeline King of Britain Divers Writers of note do tell us that the Gospel Baron Annal. Tom. 1. An. 61. Usser de Brit. Eccles primord c. 1. p. 7. Parker de vetâ—st Eccl. Britan. p. 2 3. Foâ— Act. Monum vâ—l 1. Sir H. Spelm. Concil Tom. 1. Pâ—r Josephum 〈◊〉 lâ—câ—rna primum in Britania accensa est Georg. Major was preached and received in this Land even in the days of the Apostles Baronius and the Learned Archbishop Vsher tell us that St. Peter came into Britain in the twelfth year of the Emperour Nero and staid a long time here many being by him illightned Nicephorus saith that Simon Zelotes carried the Doctrine of the Gospel unto the Western Sea and to the Britannick Islands The Learned Archbishop Matthew Parker Bishop Godwin Mr. Camden and others do assert that St. Paul himself that great Apostle of the Gentiles Preached the Gospel to this Island after his enlargement from his first captivity at Rome where some say he continued Preaching five years And this say they he did at the instigation of Claudia a Noble British Woman Gildas our own Countrey-man Polydor Virgil Mr. Fox Sir Henry Spelman and many others tell us that Joseph of Arimathea that Holy Man after he had buried the body of Christ in his own Tomb came into this Island and Preached the Gospel here being sent hither by Philip and James the Apostles That he waâ—â—n this Land is confirmed not onely by divers Histories but also by Antient Monuments Baleâ—s alledgeth many other witnesses It doth not appear that the first Preachers of the Gospel in Britain did so much as touch at Rome much less that they received any command or commission thence to convert Britain which should lay an Eternal obligation of gratitude on this Island to the Sea of Rome Insomuch that Parsons himself flyes at last to this slight and slender shift That albeit St. Joseph came not immediately from Rome yet he taught in this Island the Roman Faith whereof St. Paul hâ—th written to the Romans themselves that your Faith is spoken of through the whole World Rom. 1. 8. Hereby the Jesuite hopes to keep on â—â—ot the engagement of this Island to Rome for her first conversion But why should he call the Christian Fuller Church Histor â—iâ— 1. Religion the Roman Faith rather than the Faith of Jerusalem or the Faith of Antioch seeing it issued from the former and was received and first named in the latter City before any spark of Christianity was kindled at Rome as Dr. Fuller well observeth CENT II. WE read that the Gospel in our Land had the countenance of publick Authority through the gratious providence of God very early A Learned Writer speaking of the dignity of this Nation Omnium Provinciarum prima Britannia publicitus Christi nomen recepit Sabelâ—lâ— Enn. 7. l. 5. saith That of all the Prâ—vinces of the Roman Empire yea it seemeth of the whole World this Island of Great Britain did first receive the Gospel by publick Authority Lucius King of Britain was the first Christian King we read of in Ecclesiastical Stories He embraced the Faith about an hundred and fifty years after the death of Christ It is said of this King Lucius that at first he shewed himself an enemy to the Christians but observing the holiness of their lives he was enclined to embrace the Christian Faith but was held off for a time partly by the Heathenish superstition of his Ancestors wherein he had been bred up and partly because he found the Christians reputed infamous by the Romans then the Lords of a great part of the World under whom it seemeth he was a tributary King but being afterward informed that many of the Nobles or Senators of the Romans had embraced the Christian Religion he made an open profession of it and made a notable reformation in his Dominions Moreover he being much taken with the Miracles which he beheld truly wrought by pious Christians was the more drawn to embrace their Religion and sent Elvanus and Meduinus men of known Piety and Learning in the Sâ—riptures to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome with a Letter requesting several things of him but principally that he might be â—â—sâ—ructed in the Christian Faith Eleutherius returneth him this Answer That having received in his Kingdom the Law and Faith of Christ Holinsh desâ—rof Brit. c. 7. Annals of England by John Stow. and having now the Old and New Testaments he should by a Council of his Realm take Laws from thence to govern thereby That he was the Vicar of God in his Kingdomes That the People and Nations of the Kingdom of Britain were His even His children That such as were divided he should gather them together unto the Law of Christ his holy Church unto peace and concord and should cherish maintain protect govern and defend them c. When Christian Religion first was publickly received and established in this Land by King Lucius here were then of Heathen institution eight and twenty Flamines and three Archflamines The places of the Flamines the King turned to so many Bishopricks the places of the Archflamines to so many Archbishopricks the one at London translated afterward to Canterbury the other at York the third at Caerleon in Wales where seaven of those Bishopricks with this Archbishoprick were remaining when Austin the Monk came into England Here were Temples also builded for the worship of Paynim-gods of which he made Churches for the service of Jesus Christ Thomas Rudbourn a Monk of Winchester Moratus an old British Writer and others testifie that Denotus was Bishop of Winchester and all the possessions of the Pagan Flamines there were conferred upon him and his Clergy which were so ample that even about the City all the Lands within twelve miles of it on all sides were belonging unto it containing in number 32 Villages And thus the Britains had for their greatest glory the happiness to see and enjoy the first Christian Prince in the World It is reported that King Lucius was the Founder of St. Peter's Church at Cornhil in London placing therein one Thean an Archbishop and that the Metropolitan See continued in a succession of Archbishops there about 400 years until the coming of Austin the Monk who translated the Archbishop's seat from London to Canterbury In that Church was a Table wherein is written that King Lucius founded the same Church to be an Archbishop's See and that it so endured the space of 400 years There are the name of these Archbishops of London Thean Elvanus Cadar Obinus Conan Paladius Stephen Iltut Theodwyn or Dedwin Thedrid Hilary Restitutus Guertelinus or Guitelinus Fastidius Vodinus Theonus c. Elvanus built a Library near St. Peter's Church in Cornhil he was a Godly Learned and Grave Man brought up in the School of Joseph of Arimathea and Converted many of the Druydes to the Christian Faith Bishop Godwin saith That the
them to preserve this Antient right of the Crown descended to him from his Ancestors The same year this King by his Charter commanded all Clerks then Imprisoned for offences throughout England to be delivered to Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury upon his demand of them Likewise he granted a Charter to the Bish of Norwich to recover all Lands and Tenements belonging to that Bishoprick unjustly alienated by his Predecessors The same year Geoffery Plantaginet Archbishop of York King John's base Brother obstructed the Levying of Carvage demanded and granted to the King by common consent paid by all others on the Demesn Lands of his Church or Tenants beating the Sheriff of York's servants excommunicating the Sheriff himself by name with all his Aiders and interdicted his whole Province of York for attempting to levy it Whereupon the King much incensed summoned him to answer these high contempts his not going over with him into Normandy when summoned and also to pay him three thousand Marks due to his Brother King Richard and by his Writs commanded all the Archbishop's servants where-ever they were found to be imprisoned as they were for beating the Sheriff's Officers and denying to give the King of the Archbishops Wine passing through York summoned Geoffery into his Court to answer all these contempts and issued Writs to the Sheriff of York-shire to seize all his Goods Temporalties and to return them into the Exchequer which was executed accordingly The King and Queen repairing to York the next Mid-lent the Archbishop made his peace with the King submitting to pay such a Fine for his offences as four Bishops and four Barons elected by them should adjudge and absolved William de Stutvil the Sheriff and James de Poterna whom he had excommunicated and recalled his former Interdict The same year there fell out a great difference between this Archbishop R. Hoveden Annal. part poster p. 817. the Dean and Chapter of York and the Archdeacon of Richmond The Praecentor's place at York falling void the Dean and Chapter would not suffer him to present Ralph de Kyme his Official to it but themselves gave it to Hugh Murdac Archdeacon of Cleveland the day after he had given it to Kyme And when the Achbishop would have put him into the Praecentor's Stall the Dean told him It belonged not unto him to put any man into a Stall neither shall you therein place him because we have given it by Authority of the Council of Lateran Whereupon when the Archbishop could not have his will he excommunicated Murdac he likewise injured Honorius Archdeacon of Richmond by challenging to himself the Institutions of Churches and Synodals against the ancient Dignities and Customs of the Archdeaconry which the Archbishop pretended Honorius had resigned and confirmed to him by his Charter which he denied The Dean and Chapter and Honorius severally complained of these injuries to the King who thereupon issued two Writs for their relief This Honorius Archdeacon of Richmond complained to the Pope as well as the King of the injurious encroachments of this Archbishop who suspended some of his Clerks interdicted some Churches within his Archdeaconry and excommunicated the Archdeacon all which the Pope in a special Letter requires him to retract as null and void He also sent three Epistles more the first to the Dean and Chapter of York the second to the Bishop of Ely and Archdeacon of Northampton the third to King John himself to defend Honorius his rights against the Archbishop's injuries and encroachments The Pope wrote a menacing Letter to the Archbishop but he was no way daunted at it but proceeded still against Honorius till restrained by the King's Writs Appeals being but then in their infancy and that not as to a supreme judicature but only by way of complaint as a voluntary perswading Arbitrator and that by the King's licence first obtained as learned Sir Roger Twisden truly observes An Historical Vindication oâ— the Church of England in point of Sâ—hism The same year Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury intending to celebrate a Council at Westminster without the King 's special Writ thereupon the King being then in Normandy Geoffery Fitz-Peter Earl of Sussex being then Chief Justice of England sent a Prohibition to inhibit it yet the Archbishop held the Council wherein he made and promulged several Decrees Statuens ea a suis subditis inviolabiliter observari But those Decrees made concerning Procurations Fees for Orders Institutions Inductions Licences of Ministers c. were not esteemed obligatory nor were they regarded Lyndwood Aton and most Histories take no notice of them because made against the King's Prohibition The third year of King John Gilardus Archdeacon of Brecknock pretending himself to be elected Bishop of St. Davids in Wales with the King's consent by provision from Pope Innocent the Third intruded himself into the possession of the Temporalties thereof and likewise endeavoured to make it an Archbishoprick About that time a certain number of Greeks came from Athens into England and asserted that the Latins had erred from the way of Truth in the Articles of Christian Faith and they would shew the right way by invincible Arguments which all should receive if they will be saved This was reported unto King John He answered Our Faith is grounded upon the Authority of Christ and the Saints and I will not suffer that it be tossed with disputes and janglings of men nor will we change the certainty for uncertainty let me hear no more of you So they departed Gilardus had procured Pope Innocent's Procuration and Provision to elect him Bishop of St. Davids at which King John though then in Normandy with his Queen was much incensed and sent out four successive Writs and Proclamations directed to all the Clergy and Laity both of England and Wales in general and the Chapter of St. Davids in special strictly enjoyning them all to oppose and resist Gilardus his rash attempts and innovations against Him to their power according to their Allegiance and no wayes to aid or countenance him therein by advice or otherwise it being unjust to do it Giraldus notwithstanding all his pretended submission to the Archbishop proceeding afresh in the Court of Rome to obtain his ends thereupon the King issued ouâ— a severe Proclamation against him as a publick Enemy and disturber of the Peace of his Kingdom In the same year Pope Innocent takes upon him upon pretext of necessity for relief of the holy Land only to advise and recommend to all the Prelates of the holy Church the levying of the fortieth part of their Estates and Benefices and in what manner to levy â—t not absolutely to impose it to their prejudice Whence Matthew Westminster thus expresseth it Ad instantiam Innocentii Papae data est quadragesima pars redditum omnium Ecclesiarum ad subsidium terrae promissionis Therefore a free Gift not an imposed Tax Neither would the King of England or France suffer it to to be levyed in their Realms
by the Pope's Authority but only by their Royal Order Grant and Assent thereto But no Archbishop or Bishop did put this in execution The same year the King licensed Peter Builler by Charter to enter into what Religion he pleased Rex c. Omnibus c. Sciatis nos dedisse licentiam Petro Builler transferendi se ad quam voluerit Religionem inde has liter as nostras patentes ei rei relinquimus in testimonium Teste meipso apud Barnevil 29 die Octobris The French King perfidiously breaking his Truce with King John made in the first year of his reign to carry on that War he not only demanded a supply of Moneys from his Nobility and Clergy but likewise from the Cistercian Abbots The same year the Church and City of Rhoan being consumed with fire King John granted them his Letters Patents for a liberal contribution throughout all England toward the repair of that Church principally for the Virgin Maries sake to whom it was dedicated then adored more than God himself This is the first Patent of such a Collection that we have yet met with Pious this King was in offering one ounce of Gold to God every Lord's-day and Holy-day which the Archbishop of Canterbury then offered and disbursed for him or claimed as his Fee being allowed it in the Exchequer upon his account In the fourth year of King John some Irish Bishops and Archdeacons Suffragans to the Archbishop of Dublin endeavoured without this King 's precedent License and Assent to elect an Archbishop and get him confirmed at Rome by the Pope against the King's Right and Dignity Whereupon he entred an Appeal against them before himself to Preserve his Right and Dignity therein The same year there being many contests between the Dean and Canons and Geoffry Archbishop of York who by his Archiepiscopal authority and violence did much oppress them the King upon their complaint by his Authority and Letters Patents granted them a Protection against Him and his Instruments In the fifth year of King John Godfrid Bishop of Winchester deceasing Petrus de Rupibus a Knight and great Souldier Vir equestrâ—s ordinis in rebus bellicis eruditus procurante Rege Johanne being chosen to the Bishoprick succeeded him who going to Rome Vbi magniâ— zeniis liberaliter collat is ad Ecclesiam Wintonienseâ—â— maturavit Episcopus consecrari This year the Men of Holderness refusing to pay their Traves due to St. John of Beverly out of their Ploughed-lands to the Farmer of them as they did to the Provost and Chapter before the King issued out a Writ to the Sheriffs of York to seize the Persons and Goods of those the Provost and Chapter should excommunicate and detain them till payment since He and his Tenants duly paid them out of his and their Demesnes In the sixth year of King John the Bishop Dean and Chapter of Durham the Dean and Chapter of York with sundry other Deans and Chapters Abbots and Priors within the Province of York to prevent the unjust arbitrary Excommunications Suspensions and Interdicts of Geoffry Archbishop of York against their own Tenants Lands and Possessions by reason of some differences between them concerning their Jurisdictions and Ecclesiastical Priviledges which they complained the Archbishop invaded appearing before the King at York did there in the King 's own presence appeal him before the See of Rome prefixing a certain day to which the King by his Letters Patents gave his Royal Testimony and Assent they not daring to appeal without his License About two years after King John and his Nobles meeting at Winchester placing his hope and strength in his Treasures required and received through all England the thirteenth part of all Movables and other things as well of the Laity as of all other Ecclesiastical Persons and Prelats all of them murmuring at it and wishing an ill event to such rapines but not daring to contradict it Only Geoffry Archbishop of York openly contradicting it privily departed from England and in his recess Anathematis sententia innodavit actually excommunicated all Men especially within his Archbishoprick making this rapine and levying this Tax and in general all Invaders of the Church or Ecclesiastical things for non-payment of this Tax wherewith this King was so highly offended that he seized his Temporalities and banished him the Realm till his death about seven years after Anno 1205. died Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury Before his body was yet committed to the earth the younger sort of the Monks elected Reginald their Superiour and placed him in the Metropolitan See without the King's License and knowledge who being sent unto by the elder sort of Monks requiring his gracious License to chuse their Archbishop consented thereunto requiring them also instantly at his request that they would elect John Grey Bishop of Norwich into that See which they also did And the King sent to the Pope to confirm it The two Suffragans of Canterbury not being made acquainted with the matter sent speedily to Rome to have both the Elections stopped whereupon arose a great tumult for the Pope condemning both their Elections created Stephen Langton with his own hand in the high Church of Viterbo Upon which occasion the King banished sixty four of the Clergy and Monks of Canterbury out of the Land and sharply expostulated Fox Acts and Monuments with the Pope for that he had chosen Stephen Langton a Man brought up long among his Enemies in France besides the derogation to the Liberties of his Crown threatening except he would favour the King 's liking of the Bishop of Norwich he would cut off the trade to Rome and the profits that came thither from the Land The Pope writeth in the behalf of Stephen Langton a froward and arrogant Letter and not long after sendeth a commandment and charge into England to certain Bishops that if the King would not yield they should Interdict his Realm For the execution whereof four Bishops were appointed viz. William Bishop of London Eustace Bishop of Ely Mauger Bishop of Worcester and Giles Bishop of Hereford who pronounced the general Interdiction through the Realm of all Ecclesiastical service saving Baptism of Children Confession and the Eucharist to the dying in case of necessity No sooner had they interdicted the Kingdom but they with Joceline Bishop of Bath as speedily as secretly fled out of the Land And the King took all the possessions of those Bishops into his hands He also proclaimed that all those that had Church-living and went over the Sea should return at a certain day or else lose their Livings for ever and charged all Sheriffs to enquire if any Church-man received any Commandment that came from the Pope that they should apprehend them and bring them before him and also take into their hands for the King's use all the Church-lands that were given to any man by the Archbishop Stephen or by the Priors of Canterbury from the time of the election of
nâ—n vacet Crux placet Rotunditas placet totum placet Et cum it a placeat Romanis placet Vbi munus loquitur lex omnis tacet Cum ad Papam veneris habe pro constanti Non est bonus Pâ—upâ—ri soli favet dâ—â—i Et si munus praestitum non sit aliquanti Respondet hic tibi sic non est mihi tanti Papa quaerit Chartula quaerit Bulla quaerit Pâ—rta quaerit Cardinal quaerit Cursor quaerit Sed si dares omnibus at uni deerit Totum mare salsum est tota causa perit About that time Nigellus Vireker a Learned Monk at Canterbury wrote a Book De abusu rerum Ecclesiae and sent it to William Bishop of Ely Chancellor of England In this Book he not onely rebuked him but all Teachers under the Pope's Tyranny because they committed the Cure of Souls unto Children Belly-gods and despisers of the Sacred Word Henry the third of that name succeeded his Father King John being about ten years old and was Crowned at Glocester by a part of the Nobility and Clergy upon the perswasion of William Earl Mareshall Earl of Pembrook a Nobleman of great Authority the rest siding with the French Lewis within little more than a twelve Moneth he recovered the entire possession of his Kingdom In Whitsun-week the Pope's Legate encouraged the King's Army to fight the French King's Forces at Lincoln and after a sharp conflict they routed the Barons and Lewis's Forces slew and took many of them Prisoners with the loss onely of three Men and took the City of Lincoln with all the Treasure and baggage of the Enemy The King's Ships watching the French Fleet at Sea transporting Souldiers and supplies unto Lewis took Eustachius a Monk their Admiral Prisoner whose Head the King's Brother Richard cut off with his Sword despising the great sum of Money which he proffered for his Ransom Soon after which defeats by Land and Sea both Parties had a conference at Stanes and came to an Agreement Septemb. 3. and Lewis shamefully departed this Realm But notwithstanding this Agreement with the Barons yet the Pope's Legate exempted all the Bishops Abbots and Clergy out of this Act of pacification for their contempt of the Pope's Authority that he might dispose of their Ecclesiastical promotions and Benefices to his Instruments and put them to excessive fines at the present to fill the Pope's and his own Coffers This Legate Gualo did bear chief sway in the King's Council and the 〈◊〉 Anno 1. â—â— â— m. 21. â—â—â— 1. â—â— 3. m. 16. â—ntus King sealed some Letters Patents Sigillis venerabilium Patrum Domini Gualonis Sancti Martini Presbyteri Cardinalis Apostolicae sedis Legati Domini Petri Wintoniensis Episcopi and sent them abroad under their Seals in the first year of his Reign because as yet he had no Seal The Canons of Carlisle contemning both the Pope's and his Legates Authority and Censures contumaciously celebrating Divine Service and Sacraments notwithstanding their Interdicts adhering and Swearing Fealty to the King of Scots King Henrie's and the Pope's declared enemy yea electing an interdicted Clerk for their Bishop against the King's and Legate's Wills and dividing the Revenues of the Bishoprick among themselves The King's Council thereupon sent an Epistle to Pope Honorius the third who succeeded Innocent the third that year in the King's name totally to remove these Schismatical Canons and place Prebends in their rooms to augment the Bishop's Revenues which were small and displace the intruded Bishop Upon which Letter the Pope ordered Gualo his Legate by the King 's Royal assent to constitute Hugh Abbot of Beaulieu Bishop of Carlisle In the second year of King Henry III. the Archbishop of Dublin in Ireland and other Bishops there Usurping upon the King's Crown and Temporal Courts presumed to hold pleas in their Courts Christian of Lay fee whereupon there issuing Prohibitions from the King's Court to stay these Suits they proceeded contemptuously notwithstanding upon which there issued out a Writ of Attachment against them to appear before the chief Justice of Ireland to answer the contempt In the third year of King Henry the third the Bishoprick of Leismore united formerly to the Bishoprick of Waterford by the Pope's Legate in Ireland while the Bishop was in England at the Consecration of the Bishop of Carlisle Macrobius a Canon of Leismore procuring an election from the rest of the Canons pretending the See to be then void obtained the Legate's and King 's Royal assent to the Election and Restitution of the Temporalties whereof the Bishop of Waterford complaining to the King the King nulled that election and commanded the Bishop to be put in possession of his Temporalties The Bishop of Ely going into France after Lewis his return thither reported King Henry to be dead and laboured to stir up a new War against him whereupon the King wrote to the Pope to deprive him and bestow his Bishoprick by provision upon some other in which Letter the King acknowledgeth the Pope's great favours and assistance to him during his Infancy puts himself and his Realms under the protection of his wings and by way of Complement stiles them the Patrimony of the Church of Rome to gain the Pope's readier protection and assistance in his Suits and Wars In the fourth year of his Reign King Henry taking notice of diverse Usurpations upon the right of his Crown in Ireland by Covents Deanes and Chapters electing Abbots and Bishops as they became void and the chief Justices approving them without his Privity License or Royal assent he issued out a Writ to his chief Justice of Ireland to reform and prevent this dangerous Usurpation for the future This year the Earl of Albemarle refusing to deliver up to the King some of his Castles and Lands committed to his custody for which he was Excommunicated by the Bishop of Norwich and the Pope's Legate thereupon the King issued out a prohibition to all his Barons and Subjects in Lancashire and five Counties more not to Aid him or his complices but to avoid them as Excommunicated Persons till they had submitted to the King Ecclesiastical Censures were then commonly inflicted in that Age for Temporal Offences and Rebellions to reduce Men to obedience to the King as well as to the Church and Pope At last the Earl came to the King under the conduct of Walter Archbishop of York and by the mediation of Pandulphus the Legate was reconciled to him Anno Domini 1221. The King being under the Wardship of Peter Bishop of Winchester was on Whitsunday Crowned the second time at Winchester by Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury Soon after which there being a difference concerning the Bishoprick of Ely between Galfridus de Burgo Archdeacon of Norwich and Robert of York the Pope at last nulled both their Elections and conferred the Bishoprick upon John Abbot of Fontain who was Consecrated at Westminster The same year and day Hugh Bishop
and himself Spâ—â—d's â—â—â—â—or in H. 3. was committed to the Castle of Devizes there to abide in free Prison under the custody of four Knights belonging each of them to one of these four Earls Afterwards though he was restored to the King's favour yet upon new accusations of his Enemies he was condemned to give to the King Blanch Castle Grosmount in Wales Skenefrith and Hafield and then also was deprived of Title of Earl of Kent King Henry erected a special Church House and form of Government for the Jews converted to the Christian Religion The Bishops meeting together at Glocester Anno 1234. the King being jealous that they intended to consult of some other things prejudicial to his Crown State and Dignity sent a Writ of Prohibition to them not to treat of any thing of this nature After this the King and Bishops meeting at a Conference at Westminster the King charged some of the Bishops with a design to deprive him of his Crown which they denied whereupon one of them in a great rage excommunicated all those who raised such a report of them Then the King commanded all common Whores and Concubines of Priests to be imprisoned and banished out of the University of Oxford 〈◊〉 18. H. 3. Mâ—mb 1â— by his temporal Officers unless they had Lands therein and by Oath and other security have good assurance for their chast and honest demeanour for the future and not to resort to Clerks Lodgings If a Clerk or Beneficed person were indebted to the King or incurred his just displeasure the King commanded the Bishop of the Diocess to sequester all his Ecclesiastical Benefices till his debt was satisfied his displeasure remitted and the sequestration discharged by special Writ The Pope was grown so proud in this Age by his Usurpations that he would not vouchsafe to hear and admit the King's Proctors and Agents sent to Rome upon his urgent Affairs without most humble suits and supplications in his Letters of credence and procurations The King made a Remonstrance to the Pope of the several injuries done to him by the Earl of Britain in seizing on his Castles and revolting to the King of France desiring the Pope by his Ecclesiastical censures to compel him to restore his Castles to him The Pope instead of excommunicating this treacherous Earl sent for him to Rome and made him General of the Crossadoes by Sea and Land against the Grecians The Pope commanded Peter Bishop of Winchester to assist him both with his purse and advice in his Military affairs against the Grecians and Romans The Pope as he encroached upon the election and confirmation of the Archbishops and Bishops of England so did he likewise upon the election and confirmation of Abbots who must go to Rome to attend his pleasure for their approbation and confirmation as in the case of the Abbot of St. Albans doth appear The Pope condescended to the Abbot's election but upon this condition that he should take an express Oath of Fealty to the Pope and Church of Rome and his Successors prescribed in his Bull directed to the Bishops which Oath suddenly tendered to him by way of surprise he took publickly before the Covent and all the Clergy and People at his Consecration and Instalment related by Matth. Paris p. â—â—â— Matthew Paris a Monk of this Monastery This new Oath of Allegeance to the Pope and See of Rome being the highest encroachment upon the King 's Rights and Prerogative making all who take it the Pope's Subject and Vassals not the King 's was concealed both from the King and Abbot till the very nick of his Consecration and Benediction for fear it should be opposed and refused The Prior of the preaching Friers presuming to arrest and imprison some persons in York-shire pretended to be Heretical when he had no legal power to arrest or imprison such the King thereupon issued a Mandate to the Sheriff of York-shire to arrest and imprison all Heretical persons till his further order therein Anno 1236. the Archbishop of Canterbury being sued by the Prior and Monks of Canterbury for certain Advousons of Churches Possessions Pryn. claus 20. H. 3. m. 12. dorso Rents and Services in the Ecclesiastical Court by authority of the Pope's Letters despising the remedy of the King's Court where they ought to sue for them thereupon the King issued forth his prohibition to the Archbishop prohibiting him in his Faith and Allegeance to him not to answer them in that Court it being prejudicial to his Crown and Dignity c. The King by several Writs of Prohibition countermanded the Pope's own Bulls and Delegates as contrary to the Rights and Dignities of his Crown and prohibited their proceedings which gave some check to his Usurpations of this Kind The King's Clerks and Houshold Chaplains in those dayes wearing Pat. 21. H. 3. m. 3. dorso Long Hair and Peruwigs forbidden in the clergy long Hair and Peruwigs thereupon the King to reform this abuse issued out a Writ to William de Perecat authorizing and strictly commanding him to cut their Hair and pull off their yellow Peruwigs under pain of being shaven and polled himself The Monks and Converts of the Cistercian Order contrary to their Vows and Rules becoming common Merchants buying and selling again Wools and Skins to the prejudice of other Merchants and scandal of their Profession the King for redress thereof issued out a Writ of Prohibition to all the Sheriffs of England to seize the Goods and Moneys of those Monks and Converts to his use who should offend therein There being a great difference between the Bishop of Clochor in Ireland and the Archbishop of Armagh and their Tennants concerning injuries and grievances touching their Churches the Archbishop of Armagh procuring the King's Letters to his Chief Justice by misinformation whilst he was excommunicated the King thereupon revoked his former Letters and commanded his Chief Justice in Ireland to hear and determine the Controversies between them Upon the death of Richard Bishop of Durham the King upon the Petition of the Prior and Convent granted his License to elect a new Bishop The Bishop of Norwich dying this year the Monks elected Simon their Prior for their Bishop whom the King disapproving made a special Proctor against him before the Archbishop to hinder his confirmation and to appeal against him to the See of Rome if it were expedient where he likewise constituted his Proctor Then the Pope upon the King's request under a pretext to rectifie some of those abuses against which there was an universal complaint sent Ottobone his Legat into England who soon proclaimed himself a ravening Wolf as well as his Predecessors Then was a Council called by the Pope's Legat unto St. Paul's Church in London where most of the Prelates Abbots and Priors assembled together The Canons that were made and promulged in this Council who so please may peruse at leisure in Matthew Paris and in Johannes de Aton
and Kingdom of Scotland in Causes and Inheritances which concerned the Church Clergy or Religious Persons as well as in Secular mens cases notwithstanding any Pretences or Appeals to Rome where Justice was delayed or refused to them by the King of Scots whereof there are sundry Presidents in the Patent and Plea-Rolls of Scotland in this and succeeding years Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury was no sooner consecrated at Rome but he procured a Bull from Pope Celestine the Fifth by Vid. Godw. Cataâ—â— â— â—27 his Papal provision to confer the Bishoprick of Landaff which had been void for nine years space and thereby devolved to the Pope by lapse as he pretended on any Person he should think meet for that employment Whereupon without the King 's previous Authority he conferred it by way of provision upon John de Monmouth Yet the King was not forward to restore the Temporalties of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury to this Archbishop oâ— of Landaff to John de Monmouth thus intruded into it against his Prerogative but detained them near two years after in his hands as vacant receiving the profits and presenting to the Benefices belonging to them Upon the death of Robert Burnel Bishop of Bath and Wells the King's Chancellor William de Marchia then Treasurer of England was elected to succeed him in that Bishoprick This year John de Langton succeeded Robert Burnel in the Chancellors Office of England The King in the twenty two year of his Reign notwithstanding a Matth. Wâ—sâ—m Subsidy granted to him wanting Moneys searched all the Monasteries and Churches throughout England where any Moneys were deposited by Religious persons or others and forcibly carried it away to supply his occasions by the advice of his Treasurer William de Marchia Bishop of Bath and Wells The same year the King granted Protections to divers Abbots and Clergy-men who aided him with their Contributions against the French He also desired the assistance of their devout Prayers unto God for a blessing upon him and his Military Forces in defence of his Inheritance against their armed Powers as appears by his Writs under his Privy Seal issued to his Bishops and other Religious persons John Duke of Brabant the King 's dear Friend and Kinsman dying this year the King issued Writs to all his Bishops and sundry Abbots and Priors to make Prayers and chaunt Masses for him according to the superstition of that Age. Then the Roman See through the Cardinals divisions continuing void about three years and three months after the decease of Pope Nicholas the Fourth the Cardinals at last elected Peter de Murone an Hermite and Monk of the Order of St. Benedict whom they named Celestine the Fifth He during his short continuance in the Papacy granted our King Edward the First a Disme for seven years from all the Clergy of England out of zeal to the relief of the Holy Land But his Wars with the French Welch-men and Scots wasted all these Dismes Pope Celestine in the month of September created twelve Cardinals among whom were two Hermits But the Cardinals being weary of this precise reforming Pope perswaded him to resign his Papacy as being unfit to manage it without the Churches ruine and his own destruction So after he had sate five months and seven dayes he resigned the Papacy Then Benedict Cajetan his grand Counsellor was chosen Pope and called by the name of Boniface How unsutable yea contradictory his actions were to both his good names he immediately discovered which occasioned this Distich to be made of and applied to him Audi tace lege bene dic bene fac Benedicte Aut haec perverte male dic male fac Maledicte Celestine returned to his Cell from whence Boniface drew him forth and cast him into a close Prison where he abode till his death whence it is reported that Celestine prophecied of him Ascendisti ut Vulpes Regnabis ut Leo Morieris ut Canis Thou hast ascended into the Papacy like a Fox thou shalt reign like a Lion and die like a Dog and so it came to pass This Pope Boniface by his Bull having appropriated the Church of Wermington to the Abby of Peterburgh whereof they had the Patronage the King authorized them accordingly to appropriate it to them and their Successors against him and his Heirs notwithstanding the Statute of Mortmain This Pope sent two Cardinal Legats a latere first to the King of France and from him to the King of England then engaged in Wars against each other under a specious pretext of mediating a Truce between England and France but instead thereof these Cardinals did twice prey upon the English and Irish Churches and Clergy and transported their Treasure into France to enrich themselves and the King's Enemies there Then King Edward sent Writs to his Archbishops Bishops Abbots and others to make Prayers sing Masses and do other Works of Piety for the Soul of his Brother Edmond and after that of Margaret Queen of France according to the superstition of that Age. In the twenty fourth year of King Edward's Reign there arose a great Tâ—o Walsingh Hist Angl â— â—4 Sedition and Combat between the Scholars and Townsmen in the University of Oxford wherein many were slain on both sides and the Goods of the Scholars plundered and carried away upon complaint whereof to the King by the Scholars he sent his Justices thither to punish the Malefactors and repair the Scholars damages King Edward strenuously opposed Pope Boniface's Anti-monarchical Constitution against demanding or imposing Subsidies on the Clergy Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury was stout in the prosecution of the Popes Bull which he had procured for it for which all his Tempoporalties were seized and he being forced to hide his head and reduced to great extremities was restored to the King's favour by the earnest mediation of his Suffragan Bishops on his behalf Whereupon the King issued out Writs to restore his Temporalties with all his Oxen Goods and Chattels formerly seized in the state now they were In the twenty fifth year of this King's Reign Henry de Newark being elected Archbishop of York and his election approved by the King his Proctors sent to Rome procured the Pope's confirmation of his election together with a License to be consecrated in his own Church at York by the Bishop of Durham The King upon the receipt of the Pope's Bull issued a Writ for the restitution of his Temporalties Pope Boniface having confirmed the election of David Martyn to the Bishoprick of St. Davids in Wales the King upon notice given accepted thereof The Bishoprick of Ely becoming void by the death of William Luda the minor part of the Chapter elected John their Prior but the better John de Langten the King's Chancellor The King confirmed the election of his Chancellor The King by his Prerogative having granted a License to the Bishop of Anno Reg. 26. Coventry and Lichfield to hold the Hospital of St.
about the marriage of Henry Earl of Richmond with the eldest daughter of King Edward IV. But the Duke was surprized by King Richard and beheaded before this marriage was compleated More cunning was Bishop Morton to get himself over into France there to contrive the union of the two Houses of York and Lancaster In the year 1485 Henry Earl of Richmond landeth with small Forces at Milford-Haven From Milford he marcheth North-East through the bowels of Wales and both his Army and the fame thereof encreased by marching Into Leicester-shire he came and in the navel thereof is met by King Richard The next day the Armies joyned in battel The scales of Victory seemed for a long time so equal that none could discern on which side the beam did break At length the coming in of the Lord Stanley with three thousand fresh men decided the controversie on the Earl's side King Richard fighting valiantly in the midst of his enemies was slain and his Corps were disgracefully carried to Leicester without a rag to cover his nakedness The Crown ornamental being found on his head was removed to the Earl's and he Crowned in the field and Te Deum was solemnly sung by the whole Army The body of King Richard lay for a spectacle of hate and scorn by the space of two days bare and uninterred At last without solemn funeral pomp scarce with ordinary solemnity by the charity of the Gray-friers he was inhumed in their Monastery there King Henry VII coming to London the Mayor and Companies received him at Shoreditch whence with great Honourable attendance Lord Vâ—â—â— Histor of Hâ—â—r VII and Troops of Noblemen and persons of quality he entred the City himself not being on horseback or in any open Chair or Throne but in a close Chariot as one that chose rather to keep State and strike a reverence into the people than to fawn upon them He went first into S. Paul's Church where he made offertory of his Standards and had Orizon and Te Deum again sung and went to his lodging prepared in the Bishops palace Thomas Bourchier Cardinal and Archbishop of Canterbury Crowned the King on the last of October At which day for the better security of his person the King did institute a band of fifty Archers under a Captain to attend him by the Name of Yeomen of his Guard The Archbishop also Married King Henry to the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward the fourth And then having sate in a short Synod at London wherein the Clergy presented their new King with a tenth died having sate in his See two and thirty years He gave to the University of Cambridge an hundred and twenty pounds which was joyned with another hundred pound which Mr. Billingforth Master of Bennet-Colledge had some years before given to the said University John Morton born at S. Andrews Milbourn in Dorset-shire succeeded him in the See at Canterbury He was formerly Bishop of Ely and appointed by King Edward IV. one of the Executors of his will and on that account hated of King Richard the third the Executioner thereof He was as aforesaid imprisoned because he would not betray his trust fled into France and returned and was justly advanced by King Henry first to be Chancellor of England and then to be Archbishop of Canterbury He was also created Cardinal of S. Anastasius Now began the Pope to be very busie by his Officers to collect vast summs of money in England presuming at the King's connivance thereaâ— whom he had lately gratified with a needless dispensation to legitimate his marriage with the Lady Elizabeth his Cousin so far off that it would half pose a Herauld to recover their kindred The Pope in favour of the King and indeed of equity it self ordered concerning Sanctuaries 1. That if any Sanctuary man did by might or otherwise get Lord Vâ—rul in Henry VII out of Sanctuary privily and commit mischief and trespass and then come in again he should lose the benefit of Sanctuary for ever after 2. That howsoever the Person of the Sanctuaay-man was protected from his Creditors yet should not his goods out of Sanctuary 3. That if any took Sanctuary for cause of treason the King might appoint him keepers to look to him in Sanctuary The King Confined the Queen Dowager his wives mother to a Religious house in Bermondsey because three years since she had surrendered her two daughters out of the Sanctuary at Westminster to King Richard A Synod was holden by Archbishop Morton at London wherein the Antiq. Briâ— pag. 298. Luxury of the London Clergy in Cloathes with their frequenting of Taverns was forbidden Such Preachers also were punished who inveighed against Bishops in their absence John Giglis an Italian about this time employed by the Pope got an infinite mass of money having power from the Pope to absolve people from all crimes whatsoever saving smiting of the Clergy and conspiring against the Pope This Giglis gat for himself the rich Bishoprick of Worcester Yea in that See four Italians followed each other 1. John Giglis 2. Silvester Giglis 3. Julius Medices afterwards Pope Clement VII 4. Hieronymus de Negutiis The Pope gave power to Archbishop Morton to visit all places formerly exempt from Archiepiscopal jurisdiction and to dispence his pardons where he saw just cause Hereupon Râ—chester-bridge being broken down the Archbishop bestowed Remission from Purgatory for all sins whatsoever committed within the compass of fourty dayes to such as should bountifully contribute to the building thereof King Henry VII desired much that King Henry VI. might be Canonized Camd. Brit. in Surry But Pope Alexander III. delayed and in effect denyed the King's desire herein The reason given by Mr. Camden was the Pope's Covetousness who demanded more than thirfty King Henry would allow This King removed the Corps of Henry VI. from Chertsey in Surrey where it was obscurely interred to a place of greater note viz. Windsor Chappel But the Saintship of Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury was procured by Archbishop Morton on cheaper terms King Henry was submissive to Pope for his own ends never servile The deserving Clergy he employed in State affairs more than his Nobility To the vitious Clergy he was very severe ordaining that Clerks Convict should be burnt in the hand both that theâ— might taste a Corporal punishment and carry a brand of infamy To the Lollard's so godly men were called â—e was more cruel than his Predecessors for he not only in the beginning of his Reign connived at the cruel persecutions which John Halse Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield Anno 1494. raised against them but in the middle and towards the latter end of his Reign he appeared very bloody to them An Aged old man was burnt in Smithfield and one Joan Boughton widow mother to the Lady Young who was afterward Martyred she being fourscore years of Age was burnt for an Heretick In the year 1497. Janu. 17. being Sunday Richard
eight Choristers twenty four Almes-men at this present Students of all sorts with Officers and Servants of the Foundation to the number of two hundred twenty three John Higdon first Dean of this Colledge was a great Persecutor of Protestants viz. John Clark John Frith Henry Sumner Baley + John Fryer Goodman + Nicholas Harmar + Michael Drumme William Betts Lawney Such whose names are noted with a-Cross did afterwards turn zealous Papists Richard Cox Richard Taverner All these were for their Religion imprisoned in a deep Cave under-ground where the Salt-fish of the Colledge was kept Some of them died soon after with the stench thereof and others escaped with great difficulty Taverner was well-skilled in Musick on which account he escaped though vehemently accused the Cardinal pleading for him that he was but a Musitian though afterward he repented to have set Tunes to so many Popish ditties The example of Wolsey's haughtiness made the English Clergy so Martin's Chr. in Henry 8. proud and insolent that their labours formerly applyed to the studies of moral verâ—ues and of Divinity were now employed to devise curious fashions in their behaviour in their apparrel and in their diet In the fifteenth sixteenth and seventeenth year of King Henries Reign this proud Cardinal under colour of the King 's partaking with the Emperor in his Wars against the French King of his own authority and wiâ—hout the King's commandement granted forth Commissions under the Great Seal of England into every Shire and Province of the Kingdome and directed them unto the chiefest men And therein every man was required to depose the true value of their Estates and then of every fifty pounds there was demanded four shillings in the pound And in London he made himself the chief Commissioner The like Commissions he granted forth against all the Clergy of the Land of whom he demanded four shillings in the pound of all their livings These things grieved the Clergy and Common People at the heart The Cardinal perceiving this recalled those Commissions and sent forth others which also being not endured the King by his Letters directed into every County commanded a present cessation of all executions of the said Commissions and protested they were granted forth without his knowledge or consent But if they would by way of a Benevolence of their own accord enlarge themselves towards him he would take it as an infallible proof of their love toward him The Cardinal now resolved to revenge himself on the Emperor Charles the Fifth for not doing him right and improving his power in preferring him to the Papacy according to his promises and intends to smiâ—e Charles through the sides of his Aunt Katharine Queen of England endeavouring to alienate the King's affections from her Wolsey now put this scruple into the head of Bishop Longlands the King's Confessor and he insinuated the same into the King's Conscience King Henry greedily resented the motion and principles of pure Conscience puts him upon endeavours of a divorce The business is brought into the Court of Rome there to be decided by Pope Clement the Seventh But the Pope at this time was a prisoner to the Emperor who constantly kept a guard about him Yet after some delay the Pope dispatched a Commission to two Cardinals Wolsey and Campegius an Italian to hear and determine the matter at London The Pope draws back the cause unto himself and the King being impatient having the consent of both Universities as also of that of Paris he forsaketh Katharine and Marrieth Anna Bolen Anno 1533. And in the year 1534. he denieth obedience to the Pope and chargeth all his Subjects that they send no Money unto Rome nor pay Peter-pence unto any of the Collectors which vexeth the Roman Court. Then he published an Edict whereby he declares himself under Christ The supreme Head of the Church of England and chargeth upon pain of Death that no man ascribe any Power to the Pope within England and commandeth all the Collectors of Peter-pence to be gone These things were confirmed by the Parliament who also enacted That the Archbishop of Canterbury should invest all the Bishops of England and that the Church-men shall pay to the King yearly one hundred and fifty thousand pounds for defence of the Kingdom Wolsey was accused in Parliament for exercising his power Legantine without leave to the prejudice of the King's Crown and dignity Mr. Cromwel Servant to the Cardinal being a Burgess defendeth his Master yet were all his goods of inestimable value confiscated to the King and he outed of most of his Ecclesiastical promotions His enemies get the King to command him away to York leaving him the whole revenues of York-Archbishoprick then worth little less than four thousand pounds yearly besides a large pension paid him out of the Bishoprick of Winchester As he was preparing there in a Princely Equipage for his Installation he is Arrested by the Earl of Northumberland by Commission from the King in his own Chamber at Cawood By slow and short Journeys he setteth forward toward London and coming to Leicester he died where he was obscurely buried Then John Fisher Bishop of Rochester was imprisoned for refusing the Oath of Supremacy The Clergy in the Province of York did a long time deny the King's Supremacy Edward Lee Archbishop of York fomented this difference He was a virulent Papist one that wrote against Erasmus and a persecutor of Protestants witness John Bale Convented before him for suspition of Heresie who in vain pleaded Scripture in his own defence till at last he casually made use of a distinction out of Scotus which the Archbishop more valued than all which he had before more pertinently alledged out the Old and New Testament The King wrote a fair and large Letter to the Convocation of York claiming nothing more than what Christian Princes in the Primitive times assumed to themselves in their own Dominions so that it seems he wrought so far on their affections that at last they consented thereunto Soon after the Clergy in the Convocation so submitted themselves to the King that each one severally promised in verbo Sacerdotis never henceforth to presume to Alledge Claim or put in ure any new Canons unless the King 's most Royal assent might be had unto them and soon after the same was ratified by Act of Parliament After the Statute of Praemunire was made which did much restrain the Papal power and subject it to the Laws of the Land Archbishops called no more Convocations by their sole and absolute command but at the pleasure of the King as oft as his necessities and occasions with the distresses of the Church did require it Yea now their meetings were by verâ—ue of a Writ or Precept from the King For it was Enacted in the Parliament of the twenty fifth of Henry the Eight That all Convocations shall be thenceforth called by the King 's L. Herbert's Hist of Hen. 8. Writ and that in them
consequence were enacted 1. Against Usury 2. For Tithes in London 3. For an exchange of Lands betwixt the King's Majesty and Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Holgate Archbishop of York and Edmond Bonner Bishop of London which the King annexed to the Dutchy of Lancaster 4. An Act for union of Churches not exceeding the value of six pounds 5. That Doctors of the Civil Law might exercise Ecclesiastical jurisdiction At this time also by the King's command were the Stews suppressed The Favourers of the truth among the Noblemen were the Earl of Fox Acts and Monuments Suffolk Viscount Beauchamp Viscount Lisle Lord Russel Treasurer Lord Awdley Chancellor Lord Paget and Sadler and Thomas Cranmar Archbishop of Canterbury The Patrons of Popery were the Bishop of Winchester and Durham the Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Southampton Anthony Brown William Pawlet John Baker Richard Chancellor of the Augmentation Winckfield Vice-chancellor Four and twenty were Executed for Traitors in the time of King Henry for the cause of Supremacy Adam Damlip who before had escaped and lay hid in the West-countrey teaching a School about a year or two by the miserable Inquisition of the six Articles was again taken and brought up to London where he was by Stephen Gardiner commanded to the Marshal-sea and after two years space he was Condemned and Executed for Treason One Henry was burnt at Colchester and one Kerby at Ipswich for the Testimony of the Truth In the year 1546. in June Anne Ashcough alids Kyme Daughter of Sir William Ashcough of Kelsey in Lincoln-shire of the age of 25. years whose Wit Beauty Learning and Religion procured her much esteem on the Queens side of the Court and as much hatred from the Popish Bishops was burned for the profession of the Truth in Smithfield with three men Nicholas Belevian Priest of Shrop-shire John Lacels Gentleman of the houshold of King Henry the Eighth and John Adams a poor Tailor of London Her several examinations penned by her self are extant in Mr. Fox Then began the troubles of Queen Katherine Parr whom the King had married some two years since She was one of great piety beauty and discretion next to the Bible she studied the King's disposition observing him to her utmost yet sometimes she would presume to discourse with the King about points of Religion defending the Protestant Tenets by Scripture and sometimes would hold up the King very close hard at it This displeased him who loved looseness and liberty in his Clothes Arguments and Actions and was quickly observed by Gardiner and others the Queen's enemies Hereupon Gardiner drew up Articles against her and got them subscribed with the King 's own hand to send â—her to the Tower But Chancellor Wriothesley put the paper of those Articles in his own bosom which casually fell out was taken up by one of the Queen's Servants and brought to the Queen who on her sickness and submission to the King obtained his Pardon Signed and Sealed unto her with many kisses and embraces And her enemies that came to attach her were sent back with the Taunts and Threats of the enraged King against them King Henry made his Will and died a moneth after and was buried at Windsor After the Death of King Henry succeeded King Edward his Son Sir John Haywâ—â—d's Hist of K. Edw. 6. being scarce ten years old full of as much Worth as the model of his Age could hold He attained not onely commendable Knowledge but speech in the Greek Spanish and Italian Languages having always great Judgment in measuring his Words by his Matter his Speech being alike both fluent and weighty such as best beseemed a Prince As for Natural Philosophy Logick Musick Astronomy and other Liberal Sciences his perfections were such that the great Italian Philosopher Cardan having tasted him by many Conferences seemed to be astonished between admiration and delight and divulged his abilities to be miraculous These his acquirements by industry were very much enriched and enlarged by many excellent Endowments of nature for in disposition he was mild gratious and pleasant of an heavenly wit in Body beautiful but especially in his Eyes which seemed to have a Starry liveliness and lustre in them Generally he seemed to be as Cardan reported of him A Miracle of Nature Because he was young he was committed to sixteen Governours the Lord Edward Seimour Duke of Sommerset his Unckle was assigned unto him Protector by whose endeavour the six bloody Articles forementioned were abolished This King restored the holy Scriptures in the English Tongue he abolished Masses and such as were banished were received home as John Hooper Miles Coverdale c. He changed most part of the Bishops of Diocesses and compelled dumb Priests to give place to those that would Preach he suppressed Idolatry restored the Gospel and worship of God encouraged Godly Preachers sent for Eminent Men both for Learning and Piety from beyond the Seas to Teach in both Universities viz. Peter Martyr in Oxford and Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius in Cambridge and was a Refuge to all the Godly that fled for Religion out of other Countries and therefore is called by Melchior Adam Summae spei Princeps qui omnibus piis doctis Polanis Melch. Adam in vit Germ. Theolog. Germanis Gallis Scotis Italis Hispanis hospitium patrocinium dederat A Prince of singular hope who gave protection and entertainment to all Godly and Learned Men Polonians Germans French Scots Italians Spaniards In consideration whereof an eminent Martyr in Queen Maries days in an effectionate Speech of His before a Popish Persecutor cried out Blessed be God for King Edward This King was much enclined to Clemency especially in matters of Blood and most especially if iâ— were for Religion insomuch that albeit he was greatly affected to that Religion wherein he had been brought up yet none were executed in his time for other Religion but onely two blasphemous Hereticks Joan Butcher and George a Dutch-man And when Joan Butcher was to be burned all the Council could not procure him to set his hand to the Warrant wherefore they employed Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury to deal privately with him for his subscription But the King remained firm in resolution affirming That he would not drive her heaalong to the Devil The Archbishop was violent both by perswasions and entreaties and when with meer importunity he had prevaled the King in subscribing his name said That he would lay all the charge thereof upon the Archbishop before God Then the Professors of the Gospel were in all places relieved and many Prisoners appointed to die were enlarged and preserved Onely Thomas Dobby Fellow of St. John's in Cambridge committed to the Counter in Bred-street and condemned for speaking against the Masse died of a natural death in Prison his speedy death prevented the pardon which the Lord Protector intended to send him The Lord Protector ordered all in Church and State The King in
with him to St. Johnstons where a grand Convention is held and divers of the Royal Nobility are received into the favour of this Assembly Cromwel fortifieth Lieth and lays close siege to Edinburgh Castle Mr. John Guthry Mr. Patrick Gelespy Mr. Samuel Rutherford with many other Ministers withdrew from the Assembly at St. Johnstons and in print remonstrated in the name of themselves and the Western Churches against the present proceedings and with these Colonel Ker Straughan the Laird of Warreston Sir John Chiesly and Sir James Stuart and others Confederated By this division Cromwel's Conquest was made very easie and his fomenting that Rent in their Church made their subjection to his Authority more lasting than otherwise it would have been The King was desirous to compose this disorder or at least to prevent the dividing so great a Force as was under Ker and Straughan from his Service and to that end the Earl of Cassels the Lord Broody and Mr. Robert Douglas the Minister were sent to treat with them but they were somewhat averse to a composure yet they declared against any conjunction with Cromwel professing equally against Malignants as they called the King 's Loyal Subjects and Sectaries Soon after Colonel Ker being defeated was taken prisoner by Major General Lambert Mr. Rutherford wrote divers consolatory Letters to him during his imprisonment both in Scotland and in England Edinburgh Castle was surrendered by Dundasse the Governor Son in Law to old Leven upon conditions unto Cromwel on December 24. 1650. Shortly after all the Forts on this side of Sterling were taken by the English The King was solemnly Crowned at Scoone near unto St. Johnstons the accustomed place of the Coronation of the Kings of Scotland his Coronation being celebrated with loud Acclamations Bonfires shooting off of Guns and with as much pomp and Ceremony as the present State of things would permit About the beginning of June the Parliament of Scotland ended having Addition to Sir 〈…〉 Chron. before their dissolution given large Commissions and Instructions for the pressing of men in all parts of the Kingdom beyond Fife aâ—d in the Western parts for a new Army which was to consist of 15000 Foot and 3000 Horse and Dragoons Then was the intended rising in Lancashire unfortunately disapointed Aâ—no 651 by the taking of a Ship at Ayx in Scotland which had been bouâ—d to the Earl of Darby in the Isle of Man and the seizing of Mr. Berkinhead an Agent in the business by whose Letters all was detected and thereupon were apprehended Mr. Thomas Cook of Grays-Inn Mr. Gibbons a Tailor and Mr. Potter an Apothecary together with Mr. Christopher Love Mr. William Jenkin Mr. Thonas Case Dr. Roger Drake and some other Presbyterial Ministers who were brought before a High Court of Justice and tried for their lives and about the latter end of July Potter Gibbons and Mr. Love were sentenced to death and a while after Gibbons and Love were executed After the defeat of Sir John Brown by Lambert and the taking of Brunt-Islaâ—d and Inchgarvy-Castle by the English Cromwel resolved to set upon St. Jâ—hnstons which after one days siege he gained Hereupon the King leaves Scotland and enters England with his Army by the way of Carlile on August 6. 1651. At his first entrance upon English ground he was Proclaimed King of Gâ—eat Britain at the Head of the Aâ—my with great Acclamations and shooting off the Canons on August 22. he came to Worcester The Earl of Darby coming with Forces to the King was routed by Colonel Lilburn Cromwel having with the conjunction of the Militia of divers Counties drawn together an Army of fifty thousand men surroundeth the City of Worcester Duke Hamilton who behaved himself with undaunted courage received a shot on his thigh whereof presently after he died The King's Army being over-powred they were forced to retreat into the City and many of Cromwel's Army got in with them About seven at night the Cromwellians gained the Fort Royal at which time his Majesty left the City passing out at St. Martin's gate accompanied with about Sixty Horse of the chiefest of his Retinue The Town was taken and miserably plundered There were slain in the Field in the Town and in Pursuit some two thousand and about eight thousand were taken prisoners in several places most of the English common men escaping by their Shibboleth But at Newport there were taken in the pursuit the Earls of Lauderdale Rothes Carnworth Darby Cleveland Shrewsbury the Lord Spyne Sir John Pakington Sir Ralph Clare Sir Charles Cunningham Colonel Graves Mr. Richard Fanshaw Secretary to the King and many others Six Colonels of Horse eight Lieutennant Colonels of Foot six Majors of Horse thirteen Majors of Foot thirty seven Captains of Horse seventy two Captains of Foot fifty five Quarter-masters eighty nine Lieutenants There were taken also some general Officers with seventy six Cornets of Horse ninety nine Ensignes of Foot ninety Quartermasters eighty of the King's Servants with the King's Standard which he had set up when he summoned the Countrey the King's Coach and Horses and Collar of S. S. but the King's person God wonderfully preserved delivering him from the Hand of all his Enemies and after many difficulties he is safely transported from Bright-helmston in Sussex into France by Tattersall Cromwel comes with his prisoners to London and having left Lieutennant General Monk in Scotland Sterling with the Castle was surrendred unto him and Dundee was taken by Storm and soon after St. Andrews Aberdeen with other Towns Castles and Strong places either voluntarily submitted or rendred upon summons The Earl of Darby was beheaded at Bolton in Lancashire The Isles of Man and Jersey c. are surrendred to the Parliament The Isle of Barbadoes is yielded up to Sir George Ascough Now the Parliament of England resolves upon an union of England and Scotland and an incorporating of both Nations into one Common-wealth This was much opposed and remonstrated against by the Scotch Kirk but in vain Anno 1652. began the War with Holland An Act was passed entitled An Act against unlicensed and scandalous Books and Pamphlets and for the better regulating of Printing Anno 1653. The Officers of the Army consult about change of Government on April 20. Cromwel Lambert Harison and eight Officers more of the Army entred the House of Commons and after a short speech made by Cromwel shewing some reasons for the necessity of their dissolution he declared them dissolved and required them to depart but the Speaker would not leave the Chair till Harison pulled him out by the Arm. Then Cromwel commanded the Mace to be taken away and no more to be carried before him Then they caused the doors of the Parliament House to be locked up and placed a Guard thereon to prevent the reassembling of the Members The first thing done after this change was to constitute a Council of State of the chief Officers of the Army These agreed upon
Saxon Eremite in England 21 Robert Grosthed Bishop of Lincoln 80. 81 The Gun-powder plot 270. 271 Archbishop Grindal a patron of prophecyings and how they were modelled 241 Godfrey Goodman Bishop of Glocester committed to the Gate-house for refusing to subscribe the Canons made Anno 1640. 320 He dies a Papist ibid. H. HArold the Son of Earl Godwyn King of England he is slain at Battel in Sussex 36 Hardiknout the last of the Danish Kings in England 35 Alexander Hales an English-man Master to Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure 107 Honorius Archbishop of Canterbury divided England into Parishes 16 Helvetia converted by Gallus ib. Hengist Captain of the Saxons invadeth Britain 8 He is King of Kent 9 An Heptarchy established in Britain 9 Swallowed up in the West Saxons Monarchy 10 Robert Holcot a learned English man 112 Duke Hamilton Earl of Holland and Lord Capel beheaded 348 Hubba the Dane killeth Hedda the Abbot of Peterborough and eighty four Monks with his own hand 25 King Henry the Third his story from 68. ad 86 Henry the Fourth his story from 118. ad 123 Henry the Fifth his story from 123. ad 127 Henry the Seventh his story from 135. ad 140 Henry the Eighth his story from 141. ad 157 Sir Henry Slingsby and Dr. Huet beheaded 361 Hospital at Greenwich founded by William Lambert 250 Hospitals of Christ-church in London and St. Thomas in Southwark founded 176. 177 The Statute made Pro Haeretico comburendo 119 Death of Prince Henry 280 John Hooper and Iohn Rogers founders of Non-conformity 169 Bishop Hall's Book in defence of the divine right of Episcopacy 317 Dr. Iohn Hacket defendeth Deans and Chapters 325 A sad contest between Mr. Rich. Hooker and Mr. Walter Travers 255 King Charles the First his Dispute with Mr. Alexander Henderson 342 I. KIng James his birth page 230 His story from 261. ad 293 Impropriations bought in to maintain a preaching Ministry 301 The Impostures of Hacket Arthington and Coppinger 253 Ilfutus a profound Scholar 11 Ina King of the West Saxon sets forth his Saxon Laws 20 He first granted Peter-pence to the Pope out of this Kingdom 22 Iohannes Scotus Erigena murthered in the Abbey of Malmesbury 30 Iohn King of England his story from 51. ad 68 Jews crucifie a Child at Oxford their punishment 85 Their banishment out of England ibid. Ioachim Abbot of Calabria 49 Ida King of Northumberland 10 Images taken away in most places of England 160 Inquisitors appointed to search out for Hereticks with all Wickliffs Books 123 Many Italians held the best Livings in England a Statute made against it Four Italians followed each other in the See of Worcester 137 Iohn Iewel chosen to pen the first gratulatory letter to Queen Mary by his enemies page 184 He subscribeth the Popish Tenets 187 He bewails his fall in the Congregation at Franckford he is made Bishop of Sarum 187 His chalenge 218 His Apology 226 Such Irish Impropriations as were in the Crown restored to the Church 304 Dr. William Juxon Lord Treasurer ib. K. COlonel Ker taken prisoner by Lambert 351 Kingdom of the South Saxons comprehending Sussex and Surrey when it began 9 The beginning of the Kingdom of Kent 9 Kentigern Bishop of Elwy in North Wales 11 John Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury built the Divinity School in Oxford and Pauls Cross 132 Kenulphus King of the West Saxons conferreth large priviledges on the Monastery of Abingdon 169 Kings of England of old sent their Crowns to St. Edmond's shrine 34 Kimbeline King of Britain at the birth of our Saviour 1 Kyngils King of the West Saxons is baptized by Birinus 16 Order of the Knights Templars abolished throughout Christendom 106 Their Lands in England conferred on the Knights of St. John of Ierusalem ibid. Iohn Knox at Franckford preacheth against the English Liturgy as imperfect and superstitious He is rebuked by Dr. R. Cox He is accused to the State for High Treason against the Emperor Knox departeth the City 199 And setleth himself at Geneva 200 Kets Rebellion 166 Kilian the first Bish of Wortsbuâ—g first instructed the people of East France in the Christian Faith 17 The Bishop of Wortsburg carried a Sword and a Priest's Gown in his Badge ibid. L. HVgh Latimer resigneth his Bishoprick of Worcester rather than he would yield to the passing of the six Articles 169 Iohn Lambert his Martyrdom 153 Divers Liturgies in use in England till King William the Conqueror's time 39 Lollards after Abjuration forced to wear the fashion of a Faggot wrought in thread on their sleeves 141 The Scottish Liturgy translated into the Latin Tongue 317 An Apology for vindicating the Liturgy commended to the Kirk of Scotland 317 A publick Liturgy framed in King Edward his days 164 Iohn a Lasco with his Congregation of Germans setled at London the West part of the Church of Austin-friars allotted them p. 170 His Congregation dissolved 184 Iohn Lewis an Arrian burnt at Norwich 246 Levellers rouâ—ed by Colonel Reinolds at Burâ—ord 349 Latimer and Ridley burnt at Oxford 194 Adam Loftus Archbishop of Dublin and Chancellor of Ireland 255 Matthew Lenox made Regent of Scotland 236 Earl of Leicester goes over into the Low-countries with a great Army 248 Mr. Love and Gibbons beheaded 352 Bartholomew Legatt an Arrian burnâ— 279 Londoâ— burnt 381 The Commissioners of the High Commission at St. Pauls violently assaulted by Lilburn and the London Apprentices 321 Archbishop Laud impeached and sent to the Tower 323 And beheaded on Tower-hill ib. Lucius the first Christian King of Britain 2 His story 3. 4 Lâ—â—pus Bishop of Troys cometh into Britain and refuteth the Heresie of Pelagius 7 English Liturgy translated into Frenâ—h for the Isles of Iersey and Guâ—rnsey 309 The Liturgy translated into Welch 175 Luther when he arose 142 M. GEneral Monk his story from page 363. ad 371 Marquess of Montrâ—sse defeated condemned and executed 350 Queen Mary her Reign from 180. ad 206 Maximus a Christian Prince Governor of Britain 9 Marianus Scotus 35 Walter Mapez his verses setting forth the Church of Rome in her colours 67 Thomas Merks Bishop of Carlile faithful to King Richard the Second 108 Medvinus sent to Rome 2 Kingdom of Mercia why so called and what Counties it contained 9 Mercia divided into five Bishopricks 19 The Goods of three Orders of Monks seized into the hands of King Edward the Third 110 The number of Monasteries suppressed in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth 153 The number of those that suffered Martyrdom for the Gospel in Queen Maries days 194 Peter Martyr sent for into England made Canon of Christ-church in Oxford 169 Quits the Realm in Queen Maries days 184 His Letters to Queen Elizabeth 220 His Wives body taken out of her grave and burnt after his departure 184 Bishop Morton contrives the Union of the two Houses of York and Lancaster 135 Nine hundred Monks slain in S. Augustines Abbey in Canterbury 33 Murrey Regent of Scotland 233
Pâ—yâ—nâ—'s History Book 3. ch 3. new devises to effect their designs by fraud and terror to which purpose they procured sundry Letters from divers Quarters to be brought unto him whilst he sate at dinner at Nottingham intending to set upon the Welch-men with a potent Army whom they had stirred up to rebel against him and invade England to divert him from his design all to this effect That there was a secret Plot laid to destroy him He marched to Chester where he met with new Letters to the like effect which caused him to dismiss his Army and design against the Welchmen Besides the Popish Priests set up one Peter an Hermite a counterfeit Prophet to terrifie the King and alienate the peoples hearts from him by his false Prophesies This counterfeit Sooth-sayer prophesied That King John should reign no longer than the Ascension-day within the year of our Lord 1213. which was the fourteenth from his Coronation and this he said he had by Revelation When the Ascension-day was come the King commanded his Regal Tent to be spread abroad in the open field passing that day with his noble Council and Men of Honour in the greatest solemnity that ever he did before solacing himself with musical Songs and Instruments most in sight of his trusty Friends This day being past in all prosperity and mirth the King commanded that Peter the Hermite that false Prophet should be drawn and hanged like a Traitor Now behold the misery of King John perplexed with the French King 's daily preparation to invade England assisted by many English male-contents and all the exil'd Bishops Hereupon he sunk on a sudden beneath himself to an act of unworthy submission and subjection to the Pope For on Ascension-Eve May 15. being in the Town of Dover standing as it were on tiptoes on the utmost edge brink and label of that Land which now he was about to surrender King John by an Instrument or Charter sealed and solemnly delivered in the presence of many Prelats and Nobles to Pandulphus the Pope's Legat granted to God and the Church of Rome the Apostles Peter and Paul and to Pope innocent the Third and his Successors the whole Kingdom of England and Ireland And took an Estate thereof back again yielding and 〈◊〉 Church History Booâ— 3. paying yearly to the Church of Rome over and above the Peter-pence a thousand Marks Sterling viz. seven hundred for England and three hundred for Ireland In the passing hereof the King's Instrument to the Pope was sealed with a Seal of Gold and the Pope's to the King was sealed with a Seal of Lead This being done the King took the Crown off his Head and set it upon Pandulphus his Knees at whose feet he also laid his Scepter Robe Sword and Ring his Royal Ensigns as John de Serres relates and these words said he in hearing of all the great Lords of England Here I resign up the Crown and the Realm of England into the hands of Pope Innocentius the Third and put me wholly in his mercy and in his ordinance Then Pandulph received the Crown of King John and kept it five dayes in his hands and confirmed all things by his Charter Now the Pope's next design was how to take off and pacifie the French King from his intended Invasions and so sent the Archbishop and his Confederates into England there to insult over King John as they had done abroad Next year the Interdict was taken off the Kingdom and a general joy was over the Land The seventeenth of August following the exiled Bishops landed at Dover and were conducted in State to the King at Winchester the King 's extraordinary humbling to and begging pardon of them prostrating himself to the ground at their feet and their insolent carriage toward him is related by Matthew Paris The next day after their coming to Winchester the King issued out Writs to all the Sheriffs of England to enquire of their damages There were other Writs sent to the Kings Judges to proceed in the said Inquisition After this general compliance with them the King conceiving he had given them full-content and setled â—ll â—hings in peace resolved to pass with an Army into Picardy whither the Nobles refused to follow him In the mean time the Archbishop Bishop Nobles mâ—eâ—ing aâ— St. Albans about the damages to be restored by the King to the Prelates during their exile fell to demand the confirmation of their Liberties granted by his Grandfather King Henry the first which the King condescended unto Soon after the Archbishop caused all the Bishops Abbots Priors Deans and Nobles of the Realm to meet together at London upon pretext of satisfying his and the exiled Bishops damages but in verity to engage in a new Rebellion against the Crown and confer it on Lewis the French King's Son as they did in the conclusion under pretence of demanding the confirming the Charter and Liberties granted by King Henry the first there produced by the Archbishop which the King had buâ— newly ratified at St. Albans Pandulphus besides his former insolencies endeavoured to wrest out of the King's hand the power of imprisoning Clerks for Fellonies that so they might be at his own disposal and act any villanies wiâ—h impunity King John being thus distressed sent a base and unchristian-like Ambassage to Admiralius Murmelius a Mahometan King of Morocco then very potent and possessing a great part of Spain offering him if he would send him succour to hold the Kingdom of England as a Vassal from him and to receive the Law of Mahomet saith Matthew Paris The Moor offended at his offer told the Ambassadours That he lately had read Paul's Epistles which for the matter liked him well save only that Paul had renounced that Faith wherein he was born and the Jewish profession Wherefore he slighted King John as one devoid both of piety and policy who would love his liberty and disclaim his Religion A strange tender if true But Mr. Prynne proveth it to be a most scandalous malitious forgery of this Monk of St. Albans against the King for sequestring that Abbey Philip King of France together with his Son Lewis and his Proctor and all the Nobles of France Anno 1216. with his own mouth protested against this Charter and resignation to Walo the Pope's own Legat when purposely sent to them by Pope Innocent to disswade them from invading England as being then St. Peter's Patrimony not only as null void in it self for several Reasons but of most pernitious example King John out of his piety to prevent profanations of the Lord's-day removed the Market of the City of Exeter from the Lord's-day whereon it was formerly kept to the Monday This King to ingratiate himself with the Romish Cardinals and Court granted them annual Pensions out of his Exchequer the Arrears whereof he ordered to be satisfied in the first place and likewise gave Benefices or Prebends to their Nephews and Creatures Moreover to
gratifie Stephen Langton his great Enemy he granted the Patronage of the Bishoprick of Rochester to him and his Successors and to the Bishop of Ely he granted the Patronage of the Abbey of Torney Mr. Prynne who kept the Records of the Tower tells us that upon strictest search he could find no payment of the foresaid Annuity or Oblation to Pope Innocent by King John himself who granted it but only for one year before hand when he sealed his Charter who dying about three years after during which time his Kingdom was infested with Civil Wars between him and his Barons invaded by Lewis of France who was made King by the Barons in his stead his Lands Rents seized his Treasure exhausted and the People every where miserably plundered it is probable that there neither was nor could be expected any other punctual payment of it The Pope and his Legat Nicholas having in a manner bereaved King John of his Regal Dignity and Authority began forthwith to play Rex they usurped the Sovereign Authority both in Church and State presenting to all Bishopricks Abbies Spiritual promotions and Benefices Mâ—â—th Paris Hâ—st Anglic. p. 237 238. then void without the Patrons consent by way of Provision and Collation to the prejudice of the Crown and enthralling of the Church of England not vouchsafing to consult either with the King himself the Archbishop or Bishops concerning their disposal This was the very original of Pope's Provisions and disposals of Bishopricks Abbies with all sorts of Spiritual promotions and Benefices in England no Pope presuming to confer any Bishoprick Benefice or Prebendary in France or England Vsque ad tempora Domini Innocentii â—ertii qui primus assumpsit sibi jus istud in tempore suo as the French Agent remonstrated to Pope Innocent the Fourth These Provisions soon overflowed the Church of England and France too for many succeeding Ages notwithstanding all oppositions and complaints against them Which the Archbishop and Bishops foreseeing perceiving withall the Legat more ready to gratifie the King and his Clerks in the disposal of Bishopricks and Ecclesiastical preferments than themselves meeting together at Dunstaple drew up an Appeal against his proceedings which he slighting and sending to Rome by Pandulphus together with King John's Charter so highly magnified the King and made such complaints to the Pope against the Archbishop and Bishops as frustrated their Appeal King John having satisfied and secured the damages of the Exiled Bishops and Monks before the Interdict released according to his agreement other Abbots Priors Clergy-men and Lay-men repaired to the Legat craving full satisfaction also for their damages sustained by the King's proceedings during the Interdict though never insisted on before The King issued out two Writs on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Lincoln to restore them to the possession of their Temporalties in the Cinque-ports and other places Yet on the contrary all the Bishops and Clergy-men who saithfully adhered to the King and communicated with him or any other excommunicated person or received any Benefices from them during the Interdict were by these Prelates now made their Judges and Pope's censures ordered to be suspended from all their Ecclesiastical Offices Benefices Preferments and ordered to appear personally at Rome before the Pope to be examined â—re their Suspensions released except only such as had given satisfaction to the Church for this offence The turbulent Archbishop stirred up the Barons to a new Insurrection against the King about their Liberties who coming all to the King after Christmas Anno 1215. demanded the confirmation of their Charter who craved time to advise thereon till after Easter the Archbishop and two more becoming his Sureties that then he should give satisfaction to all of them The Barons against the time rather preparing themselves for a Battel than Conference with the King assembled together at Stamford with a mighty Army having Archbishop Stephen their principal Abettor who yet seemed to side with the King and was most assiduous about him The Barons marching as far as Brackley the King sent the Archbishp to treat with them who brought back a Schedule of their claimed Liberties with this Message That if he presently confirmed them not to them by his Charter they would force him to it by seizing all his Castles and Provisions Whereupon the King replied Why do they not also demand the Kingdom swearing never to enslave himself to such a concession The Archbishop returning with this peremptory Answer the Barons forthwith seized Bedford-Castle and were admitted into London the Citizens siding with them Whereupon the King appointed to treat with them at Running-mead whither the Barons came with armed multitudes from all parts of the Realm where after some parley the King granted them their desires not only for their Liberties specified in Magna Charta and Charta Forrestae which he then sealed and by his Writs commanded to be put in due execution but also that twenty five Peers elected by them to whom all were sworn to obey should force the King to observe these Charters if ever he receded from them by seizing all his Castles Juratum est a parte Regis Quod Anglicana Ecclesia libera sit c. It was sworn on the Kings part that the Church of England is free and all men of our Kingdom have and do hold all the foresaid Liberties Rights and Customs well and peaceably freely and quietly fully and wholly to themselves and their Heirs c. All the Barons and Commons of the Realm then and afterwards taking the same Oath The Archbishop and Barons thrust into this new Charter many Articles and Clauses for their own the Churches and Pope's advantage not extant in the Charter of King Henry the First as may be seen in Matthew Paris his History This Charter though it saved a great part of the King's Prerogative to petition him and his Heirs for Licenses to elect and for his Assent gave a great wound to his Ecclesiastical Supremacy and made all Chapters Covents Bishops Monks yea Popes and their Agents to slight his Regal Authority and Licenses too insomuch that he could prefer no person to any Bishoprick Monastery or elective Dignity but whom the Electors pleased to make choice of King John withdrawing and obscuring himself from his Bishops and Barons in the Isle of Wight sent Messengers secretly to Rome to complain and appeal to the Pope against their Treasons Rebellions and the Charters forcibly extorâ—ed from him whilst under the Pope's protection who thereupon vacated the Charters Then the Archbishop to demonstrate his gratitude to King John for the Patronage and Royalty of the Bishoprick of Rochester newly conferred on him and his Successors delivered up Rochester Castle with all the Ammunition therein to the Barons King John after three months siege took it by force out of the Barons hands who proceeding in their Rebellions against the King the Pope excommunicated them The Pope's Agents