flourished in all abundance till the dayes of Henry the Eighth Then Dooms-day Book was made containing an exact survay of the Houses and Lands in the Kingdom which took up some years before it was compleated King William called a Council of his Bishops at Winchester wherein he was personally present with two Cardinals sent from Rome Here Stigand Archbishop of Canterbury was deposed and Lanfrank a Lombard substituted in his room Sir John Davys in his Irish report A learned Lawyer hath observed that the first encroachment of the Pope upon the Liberties of the Crown of England was made in the time of King William the Conqueror For the Conqueror came in with the Pope's Banner and under it won the battel which got him the Garland and therefore the Pope presumed he might boldly pluck some flowers from it being partly gained by his countenance and blessing Although this politick Prince was complementally courteous to the See of Rome yet 1. He retained the ancient custom of the Saxon Kings investing Bishops and Abbots by delivering them a Ring and a Staff whereby without more ado they were put into plenary possession of the power and profit of their place He said He would keep all Pastoral Staves in his own hand 2. Being demanded to do Fealty for his Crown of England unto Pope Gregory the Seventh he wrote thus unto him That he would not do Fealty unto the Pope because neither had he promised it nor did he find his Predecessors had performed it 3. This King would in no wise suffer any one in his Dominion to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for Apostolical without his command or to receive the Pope's Letters except first they had been shewed unto him And although the Archbishop of Canterbury by his own Authority might congregate Councils and sit as President therein yet the King permitted him to appoint or prohibit nothing but what was according to his own will and what the King had ordained before 4. The King suffered no Bishop to excommunicate any of his Barons or Officers for Adultery Incest or any such hainous crime except by the King's command first made acquainted with the same This King gave unto the Bishops an entire Jurisdiction by themselves to judge all causes relating to Religion for before that time the Sheriff and Bishop kept their Court together He granted the Clergy throughout England Tithes of Calves Colts Lambs Milk Butter Cheese Woods Meadows Mills c. Then Thomas a Norman was preferred to the Archbishoprick of York Betwixt Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury and this Thomas there grew great contention for the Oath of Obedience but in the end Thomas subscribed obedience to the other Then it was decreed that York for that time should be subject to Canterbury in matters appertaining to the Church so that wheresoever within England the Archbishop of Canterbury would hold his Council the Bishops of York should resort thither with their Bishops and be obedient to his Decrees Canonical Then were divers Bishops Seats altered from Villages to great Cities as of Sealsey to Chichester out of Cornwall to Exeter from Wells to Bath from Shirburn to Salisbury from Dorchester in Oxford-shire to Lincoln from Lichfield to Chester which Bishoprick of Chester Robert then Bishop reduced from Chester to Coventry At this time several Liturgies were used in England which caused confusion and much disturbed mens devotions A brawl happened betwixt the English Monks of Glastonbury and Thurstan their Norman Abbot in their very Church obtruding a Service upon them which they disliked eight Monks were wounded and two slain near the steps of the high Altar This ill accident occasioned a settlement and uniformity of Liturgy all over England An uniformity of Liturgy all over England for hereupon Osmund Bishop of Salisbury devised that form of Service which hereafter was observed in the whole Realm Henceforward the most ignorant Parish-Priest in England understood the meaning of Secundum usum Sarum that all Service must be ordered According to the course and custom of Salisbury Church King William brought many Jews into England for before his reign I find none in this Land from Roan in Normandy and setled them in London Norwich Cambridge Northampton In the dayes of Lanfrank Waltelm Bishop of Winchester had placed about forty Canons instead of Monks but it held not for Lanfrank cast out secular Priests and substituted Monks in their rooms He also contested with Odo Bishop of Bayeux though half-Brother to King William and Earl of Kent and in a legal Trial regained many Lordships which Odo had unjustly invaded Although in this King's time there was almost no English-man that bare Office of honour or rule yet he favoured the City of London and granted them the first Charter that ever they had written in the Saxon tongue and sealed with green Wax expressed in eight or nine lines King William died in Normandy and William Rufus his second Son Anno 1088. was crowned King of England He began very bountifully to some Churches he gave ten Marks to others six to every Countrey-Village five shillings besides an hundred pounds to every County to be distributed among the poor But afterward he proved very parcimonious though no man more prodigal of never performed Promises This year died Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury after whose death the King seized the profits of that See into his own hand and kept the Church vacant for some years He kept at the same time the Archbishoprick of Canterbury the Bishopricks of Winchester and Durham and thirteen Abbies in his hand and brought a mass of Money into his Exchequer All places which he parted with was upon present payment He quarrelled with Remigius Bishop of Lincoln about the founding of his Cathedral and forced him to buy his peace And without a sum of Money paid to the King John Bishop of Wells could not remove his Seat to Bath King Rufus coming to Glocester fell very sick hereupon he made Anselm the Abbot of Beck in Normandy one of eminent learning and strictness of life Archbishop of Canterbury The King soon after sent to him for a thousand pounds which Anselm refused to pay Then Herbert Bishop of Thetford removed his Episcopal Seat from Thetford to Norwich where he first founded the Cathedral Herbert Bishop of Thetford founded the Cathedral at Norwich Then died Wolstan Bishop of Worcester an English-man born a mortified man Near this time began the holy War Robert Duke of Normandy to fit himself for that Voyage sold his Dukedome to King William Rufus for ten thousand Marks To pay this money King Rufus laid a grievous Tax over all the Realm extorting it with such severity that the Monks were fain to sell the Church-plate and very Chalices for discharging thereof And when the Clergy desired to be eased of their burdens I beseech you said he have ye not Coffins of gold and Silver for dead mens bones intimating that the same Treasure might
King's Allegiance would not shake his magnanimous resolution nor his Peoples loyalty Pâ—ynne's History Book 3. ch 3. the Pope's Legats Pandulphus and Durance forged 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 Welch-men 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 Fuller's Church History Book 3. And took an Estate thereof back again yielding and 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 all things 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 meeting at 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 but 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 with 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 Modò inspexi lâ—brum in Graeco scriptum cujuâ—dam Graeci sapientis Christiani nomine Pauli cujus actus veroa mihi maximè complacent accepto Vnum tamen de ipso mihi displicet quod in lege sub quâ natus est non stetit sed ad alia taÌ„quam transfuga inconstans avolvit 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
343. much less effected till then Having visited England he passed by Chester into Wales Anno 1284. to reform the state of the Church In this Visitation he made and published a Decree what Ornaments of Churches the Parishoners should provide and pay for and what the Priests or Incumbents King Edward in the twelfth year of his Reign issued Warrants for the payment of two years Arrears of 1000 Marks for England and Ireland granted by King John then due and demanded by the Pope as likewise for payment of seveal arrears of pensions he had granted to Cardinals and others The Archbishop of Canterbury having interdicted some of the Tenants belonging to the Abbey of Fiscan in England the Abbot thereupon Appealed to Rome against him and likewise to the King against this oppression desiring his favour that no Process might issue out of his Court against them and that he might constitute Attorneys in this Case since he could not come into England without great damage to his house The King this year constituted a special Proctor for three years by Patent to defend the Rights and Liberties of his free Chappels and Crown against all Papal and Episcopal invaders and opposers of them The King seizing the Advousons of several Churches in Wales as forfeited by their Patrons Rebellions against him gave them to the Bishop of St. David's with power to appropriate them to his Church of St. David's and Lekadeken Lancaden and make or annex them to Prebendaries there Hereupon the Bishop of St. Davids by his Charter with consent and approbation of the King and his Dean and Chapter made and erected a new Collegiate Church of Canons in Lan Caden in Wales constituted several Canons and Prebendaries therein annexing and appropriating the forecited Churches thereunto the Patronages whereof were granted him by the King who set his Seal to the Bishop's Charter and ratified it with his own Charter to make it valid in Law In the year 1285. a Parliament at Westminster laid down the limits and fixed the boundaries betwixt the Spiritual and Temporal jurisdictions The King having totally subdued the Welsh the Archbishoprick of York becomming void by the death of William Wickwane Archbishop thereof the King applied the profits thereof during the vacancy towards the building of Castles in Wales to secure it This year Stephen Bishop of Waterford was made chief Justice of Ireland In the fifteenth year of this King Henry de Branceston was elected and confirmed Bishop of Sarum The King granted and confirmed to the Bishop of Bangor and his Successors all the Rights Liberties Possessions and Customes they had formerly used and enjoyed In the sixteenth year of this King's Reign Gilbert de Sancto Leofardo was elected and confirmed Bishop of Chichester by the King 's Royal assent This year there was a great contest between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Abbot of St. Augustines about the carrying up his cross First The Abbot opposed the bearing up his own Cross before him in the Monastery of St. Augustines even within his own Metropolis and See of Canterbury when specially sent for thither to dine with the King Secondly Observe the Archbishop's pride and obstinacy in refusing to subscribe such a Letter as the King directed to reconcile this difference and preserve the Abbot's Privildges or repair to the King without his Cross carried before him together with his malice against the Abbot and Covent for not admitting him to carry up his Cross within their Monastery Pat. 17. Ed. 1. Bishop Godwin observes That from the year 1284. the See of Salisbury had five Bishops within the space of five years whereof William de Comer as he stiles him was the fourth But Mr. William de Corner was his name as the King 's Writ for restoring of his Temporalties together with the Patent of the King 's Royal assent to his election assure us The King having Conquered Wales confirmed all the antient Rights Liberties Possessions and Customes of the Church of Asaph to the present Bishop and his Successors which they formerly used and enjoyed and that he might freely make his Testament Pope Nicholas the fourth being setled in his Pontifical Chair in the first year of his Papacy sent a Bull to King Edward the first to demand five years Arrears of the Annual pension of one thousand Marks granted by King John The King hereupon the better to promote his cousin Charles to the Realm of Sicily and expedite his own affairs in the Court of Rome concerning a dispensation for his Son to Marry the heir of the Crown of Scotland and other business touching Gascoign and France for which he had then sent special Ambassadors to Rome with Letters both to the Pope and Cardinals issued a Writ for the payment of these five years Arrears accordingly Mr. Prynne saith That this was the last payment made by King Edward the first of this Annual pension The Pope upon receipt hereof granted a dispensation to the King's Son Prince Edward to Marry with the heir of the Crown of Scotland thereby to unite these two Crowns and Kingdomes and prevent the long bloody Wars between them though within the prohibited degrees of Consanguinity King Edward upon the receipt of this Dispensation sent Letters and Proxies to Ericus King of Norway and likewise to the Guardians of the Realm of Scotland to consummate this Marriage upon diverse Articles and agreements King Edward likewise to perfect the Marriage between his Son Prince Edward and Margaret Queen of Scots with the general approbation of the Keepers Nobles and Natives of that Realm granted and ratified to the Nobles and People of Scotland diverse Articles agreed on by special Commissioners sent on both sides and approved by him by Letters under his great Seal which he took an Oath to observe under the penalty of forfeiting one hundred thousand pounds to the Church of Rome towards the holy Wars Pat. 8. Edw. 1. m. 8. and subjecting himself to the Pope's Excommunication and his Kingdom to an Interdict in case of Violation or Non-performance as the Patent attesteth enrolled both in French and Latine The King after this appointed the Bishop of Durham to be this Queen Margaret's and his Son Prince Edward's Lieutennant in Scotland for the preservation of the Peace and Government thereof At which time he and his Son likewise constituted Proctors to Treat with the King of Norway in his and his Son Edward's Name concerning his Sons Marriage and Espousals with his Daughter Margaret Queen of Scotland To facilitate this Marriage the Bishop of Durham at the King's request obliged himself to pay four hundred pounds by the year to certain persons in Norway to discharge which annuity the King granted him several Manors amounting to a greater value But the sickness and death of this Queen in her voyage toward Scotland and England frustrated this much desired Marriage between Prince Edward and her and raised new questions between the Competitors for the Crown
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 Coventry and Litchfield Anno Reg. 26. to hold the Hospital of St. Leonards in York in Commenda with his Bishoprick during his life out of his free Gift and special Grace confirmed it by his Patents so as this Dispensation should not prove prejudicial to him or his Heirs The Monks of battel-Battel-Abbey by ancient Charters having the custody of the Abby and Lands during the vacancy upon their Abbot's death the King issued a Writ to restore them to their custody Mr. Prynne observeth and relateth diverse things of this year 1. That the Contests between the Archbishop Prynne's Hist of Popes Usurpations Tom. 3. Abbots and Monks of Canterbury about Exemptions Priviledges and Jurisdictions was a great cause of advancing the Pope's usurped Jurisdiction over them both and over the Rights Prerogative of the Crown and Church of England 2. The Pope's Insolency in exempting the Abbots and Monks of Canterbury and all their Lands Hospitals Churches Impropriations Priests Tenants from all Archiepiscopal and other Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and subjecting them solely to the See of Rome as likewise in subjecting the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishops of London and Rochester to the commands and censures of the Abbots of Westminster Waltham and St. Edmond 3. The pride of the Abbots in erecting Deanaries Officials Ecclesiastical Consistories and in prescribing Oaths of Canonical obedience upon the Priests and Curats of their Churches belonging to their Monastery 4. The strange injustice and contradiction of Popes Bulls nulling repealing each other by Non obstantes with all former Priviledges granted by themselves and Contracts made or ratified by others through bribery and corruption CENT XIV IN the beginning of this Century King Edward the First waged cruel Wars against the Scots Then Pope Boniface the Eighth sent his Letters to the King to quit his claim to Scotland to cease his Wars Fox Acts and Monum lib. 1. p. 444 445. and release his Prisoners of the Scotch Nation as a people exempt and properly belonging to his own Chappel He grounded his Title thereunto because it was said Scotland was first converted by the Relicks of S. Peter to the unity of the Christian Faith Hereupon King Edward called a Council of his Lords at Lincoln where he returned a large Answer to the Pope's Letter endeavouring by evident Reasons and ancient Precedents to prove his propriety in the Kingdom of Scotland This was seconded by another from the English Peerage subscribed with all their hands declaring that the King ought by no means to answer in judgment in any case or should bring his Rights into doubt and ought not to send any Proctors or Messengers to the Pope c. The Pope foreseeing the Verdict would go against him wisely non-suited himself Then Pope Boniface sent forth a Declaration in favour of the Archbishop and proceeded so violently against the Abbots Monks Chron. Will. Thorn col 1997. ad 2003. and their Adherents by Excommunications Interdicts c. that he enforced them to submit and sue unto him for Absolution and a friendly agreement between them After the death of Henry de Newark Thomas Corbridge being elected Archbishop of York repaired to Rome for his Confirmation where he was forced to resign his right of Election into the Pope's hands and to receive the Archbishoprick from him by way of provision who thereupon not only confirmed but consecrated him Archbishop at Rome and gave him his Pall and the King restored his Temporalties upon receipt of the Pope's Bull. Thomas Stubs tells us of an high Contest that happened soon after betwixt the King and him about the Chappel of St. Sepulchres in York for which the King seized his Temporalties and detained some of them till his death for obeying the Pope's Provision and Commands before the King 's Writ in refusing to admit his Clerk to this Chappel and to remove the Pope's Clerk whom he had placed therein by his Papal Provision This Archbishop's Liberties in Beverley were seized into the King's hands Anno 29. of his Reign for a contempt committed by him in the King's presence The King's Daughter Mary being a Nun professed at Ambresbury the King granted her forty Oaks each year twenty tun of Wines and several Manors of above the value of two hundred pounds a year for her maintenance In the thirtieth year of the Reign of King Edward the French King Philip with all the Peers Earls Barons Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Clergy University of Paris and the Cities and Commonalty of France did Appeal and Article against Pope Boniface the Eighth his Person Crimes Interdicts Excommunications to the next General Council in the ruffe of his Papal pride as a most detestable Heretick Simoniack Adulterer Sorcerer and Monster of Impiety and soon after seized imprisoned and brought him to a shameful Tragical end The particular Articles are recorded by Mr. Fox Fox Acts and Monuments Vol. 1. p. 450 451. Of this Pope a certain Versifier wrote thus Ingreditur Vulpes Regnat Leo sed Canis exit Re tandem vera si sic fuit ecce chimera Alter vero sic Vulpes intravit tanquam Leo Pontificavit Exiit utque Canis de divite factus inanis Then was the Bishop of Ostia created Pope and called Benedict the Eleventh Of whom one saith A te nomen habe bene dic bene fac Benedicte Aut rem perverte maledic malefac Maledicte The Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Winchelsey having plotted Treason with some others of the Nobility against the King projecting to depose him and set up his Son Edward in his Room lurked in a Covent at Canterbury till fourscore Monks were by the King's Command thrust out of their places for relieving him out of their Charity and were not restored till the Archbishop was banished the Kingdom In the year 1305. the King sent a Letter to the Pope for the Canonizing of Thomas de Cantelupe late Bishop of Hereford deceased famous for sundry Miracles as was suggested that so he and his Realm might enjoy the benefit of his Intercession for them in Heaven according to the Superstition of that blind Age. After the death of Pope Benedict Pope Clement was no sooner elected and enthroned in France but he began to exercise his new Rapines in England by complying with King Edward in granting
most horrible torments before he expired The King after the burning of many Images caused the bones of Thomas Becket Archbishop in the time of Henry the Second to be burned He also seized on that immense Treasure and Jewels that were offered to his Shrine there being few since the time of Henry the Second that passed to Canterbury that did not both visit his Tomb and bring rich Presents to it Among which there being one Stone eminent which it was said Lewis the Seventh coming hither on Pilgrimage from France Anno Dom. 1179. bestowed Our King wore it in a Ring afterwards The number of Monasteries first and last suppressed in England and Wales were as Mr. Camden Camd. Erit accounts them six hundred forty five whereof these had voices among the Peers The Abbot of St. Albans declared the first Abbey of England St Peters in Westminster St. Bennet of Holm Berdsey Shrewsbury Crowland Abingdon Evesham Glocester Ramsey St. Maries in York Tewksbury Reading Battel Winchcomb Hide by Winchester Cirencester Waltham Malmesbury Thorney St. Augustine in Canterbury Selby Peterborough St John's in Colchester Coventry Tavestock Of Colledges were demolished in divers Shires ninety Of Chauntries and Fire-chappels two thousand three hundred seventy four and Hospitals one hundred and ten the yearly value of all which were one hundred sixty one thousand one hundred pounds being above a third part of all our spiritual Revenues besides the money made of the present stock of Cattle and Corn of the Timber Lead Bells c. and lastly but chiefly of the Plate and Ornaments which was not valued but may be conjectured by that one Monastery of St. Edmond's-bury whence was taken five thousand Marks of Gold and Silver besides Stones of great value But the King not only augmented the number of the Colledges and Professors in his Universities L. Herbert's Hist of Hen. 8. but erected out of the Revenues gotten hereby divers new Bishopricks whereof one at Westminster one at Oxford one at Peterborough one at Bristol one at Chester and one at Glocester all remaining at this day save that at Westminster which being revoked to its first Institution by Queen Mary and Benedictines placed in it was by Queen Elizabeth afterward converted to a Collegiate-church and a School for the teaching and maintenance of young Scholars Besides many of the ancient Cathedral-churches formerly possessed by Monks only were now supplied with Canons and some new ones erected and endowed the Revenues allotted by the King to those new Bishopricks and Cathedrals amounting to about eight thousand pounds per Annum Besides the King in demolishing the Abbies did not only prefer divers Learned men which he found there but took special care to preserve the choicest Books of their well-furnished Libraries wherein John Leland a curious searcher of Antiquities was employed Martin's Chronic. in Hen. 8. These Houses Sites Possessions were by the Parliament setled on the King who to prevent the future restoring of them back again to their former uses exchanged them liberally for other Lands with the Nobles and Gentry of his Realm many of whose Estates at this day do wholly consist of Possessions of that nature or else are greatly advanced by those Lands A Match being made up betwixt King Henry and the Lady Anne of Cleeve by the Lord Cromwel's contrivance many Dutch-men flocked into England whose heads were busied about points of Divinity whilst their hands were busied about their Manufactures Soon after they broached their strange Opinions being branded with the general name of Anabaptists This year 1539. their name first appears in our English Chronicles Stow's Chron. p. 576. for I read that four Anabaptists three Men and one Woman all Dutch bear Faggots at Paul's Cross and three dayes after a Man and Woman of their Sect were burnt in Smithfield The King liked not Anne of Cleeve who was a very vertuous Lady but in her countenance not well composed fair nor lovely Some feminine impotency was objected against her though only her precontract with the Son of the Duke of Lorrain was publickly insisted on for which by Act of Parliament now sitting she was solemnly divorced And the Bishops and Clergy of this Land in their solemn Convocation published an authentical Instrument in writing under the Seals of the two Archbishops That the King's Marriage with the said Lady Anne of Cleve was void and of none effect From thenc forth the King frowneth upon the Lord Cromwel Then the six Articles called by some The bloody Statute by others The Whip with six strings by the perswasion of Bishop Gardiner in defiance of Archbishop Cranmer and the Lord Cromwel opposing it was enacted being I. That in the Sacrament of the Altar after Consecration no substance of Bread or Wine remaineth but the natural Body and Blood of Christ II. That the Communion in both kinds is not necessary ad salutem by the Law of God to all persons III. That Priests after Orders received may not marry by the Law of God IV. That Vows of Castity ought to be observed V. That it is meet and necessary that private Masses be admitted and continued in Churches VI. That Auricular confession must be frequented by people as necessary to Salvation The Lord Cromwel was soon after arrested and ten dayes after his Arrest he was attainted of High-treason in Parliament and he with the Lord Hongerford the next week after was beheaded on Tower-hill After the execution of the Lord Cromwel the Parliament still sitting a motly Execution happened in Smithfield three Papists hanged by the Statute for denying the King's Supremacy viz. Edward Powel Thomas Abley Richard Fetherston And as many Protestants burned at the same time and place by vertue of the six Articles viz. Robert Barnes Doctor of Divinity Thomas Gerard Batchelors of Divinity William Jerom Batchelors of Divinity This was caused by the difference of Religions in the King 's Privy Council wherein the Popish party called for the execution of these Protestants whilst the Protestant Lords in the Council cried as fast that the Laws might take effect upon the Papists In the Parliament a Statute was made A Statute made for the recovery of Tithes 32 Hen. 8. c. 7. commanding every man Fully truly and effectually to divide set out yield or pay all and singular Tithes and Offerings according to the lawful customs and usages of the Parishes and places where such Tithes or Duties shall grow arise come or be due And remedy is given for Ecclesiastick persons before the Ordinary and for Lay-men that claimed appropriated Tithes by grant from the Crown in the secular Courts by such Actions as usually Lay-possessions had been subject to This Statute in favour of Lay impropriators was beneficial to the Clergy to recover their Predial Tithes at Common Law A Statute also was made That it was lawful for all persons to contract marriage who are not prohibited by the Law of God for after the time of Pope Gregory
again and leaving the University of Paris took great pains in Reading Disputing and Writing divers Learned Books whereby he became so famous even in Forreign Nations as by Pope Innocent the Second he was sent for to Rome by Celestine the Second made Cardinal Sancti Eusebii Anno 1144. and by Lucius the Second appointed the Pope's Chancellor he died Anno 1150. 4. Two years after the preferment of Bullen Nicholas Breakspear was made Bishop Cardinal of Alba and a while after Pope he was born in Hartford-shire at Abbots-Langley near unto St. Albans a younger brother of the house of Breakspear and the Son of one Robert a married Priest the which Robert waxing old and having lost his Wife became a Monk in St. Albans at which time his Son Nicholas was but a tender youth resorting to his Father for relief and maintenance the old man out of a superstitious conceit that the next way to Heaven was to renounce all care of Friends Children and all things else save what by the rule of their Order was enjoyned in a rude and churlish manner cast him off willing him to try his fortune abroad without expecting from him any manner of succor He being thus turned off to the wide World without all means of livelihood went over into France and travelling through the Countrey found no entertainment till he came to Valentia in Provence where the Monks of the Abbey of St. Rufus seeing him a beautiful and towardly child witty and for his age very industrious took him in and in process of time not onely admitted him into their fraternity but also chose him first Prior and afterward Abbot having in the mean time by painful study attained to much learning But many differences grew between him and his Monks who accused him of many things unto the Pope that then was Eugenius the third He after examination of the cause acquitted the Abbot and sharply reprehended the Monks as froward fellows charging them hereafter to yield unto him as their Governour all dutiful obedience notwithstanding which after a little while they renewed their complaints And as before so now the Abbot answered all their accusations and that with such eloquence discretion and modesty as the Pope taking a great liking of the man he told his Accusers they were unworthy of him and therefore willing them to seek for some other for his place with whom they might better agree he created him Bishop Cardinal of Alba Anno 1146. Soon after which time upon experience of his great Wisdom and Learning he sent him as his Legate into the Countries of Denmark and Norway the Inhabitants whereof being then Pagans he converted unto Christian Religion At his return out of those parts Anastatius the Pope who Eugenius being dead in the mean time had succeeded him together with his Cardinals received him with great honour much approving his doings It hapned that within a few moneths after his return the said Pope died also and this man also taking upon him the name of Hadrian the Fourth was chosen Pope in hi room This was He that brought under his entire obedience the Citizens of Rome that compelled the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to hold his Stirrup and appointed the Abbot of St. Albans to be the first Abbot of England as St. Alban to whom the Abbey was dedicated was the first Martyr of England Having sate four years nine moneths he died at Anagnia being choaked by a fly in his dâ—ink 5. Some report that Geoffry of Monmouth the Author of the British History was a Cardinal at Rome This can hardly be made good but this is evident he was consecrated Bishop of St. Asaph Anno 1151. 6. Busa an English-man saith John Bale Nephew unto Pope Hadrian was made a Cardinal and the Pope's Chamberlain Anno 1155. his Titles were first S S. Cosmae Damiani then S. Crucis in Jerusalem afterwards S. Pudentianae Through his endeavour chiefly Alexander the Third was chosen Pope by the voices of nineteen Cardinals yet another Antipope was set up against him having four voices onely Under him the said Alexander he lived in great authority and favour and died Anno 1180. 7. The book entitled Antiquitates Britannicae ascribed to the late most Reverend Archbishop Matthew Parker reporteth how that William Corbet Archbishop of Canterbury being deceased Henry de Bloys Bishop of Winchester and Brother unto King Stephen procured himself to be made a Cardinal and appointed Legate a latere from the Pope 8. Herebert born at Bosham in Sussex brought up in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor in Divinity was Secretary unto Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury at the time of the said Becket's slaughter the History whereof he wrote besides divers other works mentioned by John Bale Pope Lucius the Third made him Cardinal Anno 1178. and bestowed upon him the Archbishoprick of Beneventum 9. John Cummin an English-man and Archbishop of Dublin was created a Priest-cardinal by Pope Lucius the Third at Velitum Anno 1183. as testifieth that vertuous learned and eloquent man Giraldus Cambrensis 10. Stephen Langton afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury was created Cardinal S. Chrysogoni 1212. 11. Robert Curson a Gentleman well descended and an Oxford-man was made Cardinal of S. Stephen in Coelio monte he was a good Divine and eminent Preacher From Oxford he went to Paris where he proceeded Doctor of Divinity Anno 1219. he was with King Lewis the French King at the taking of Damiata in Egypt after that in the time of Honorius the Third he was here as Legate in England he left behind him a sum of Divinity and a Discourse touching the salvation of Origen certain solemn Lectures and some other Works much esteemed 12. Robert Somerscot made Cardinal of S. Eustachius Anno 1234. he was a man saith Matthew Paris discretus circumspectu omnibus amabilis merito gratiosus He was to have been elected Pope after Pope Gregory the Ninth but that some of the Cardinals caused him to be poisoned in the Conclave where the Cardinals were assembled to make the election 13. Matthew Paris maketh mention of an English Cardinal called John that when the Pope was very angry because King Henry the Third withstood a certain exaction of His and threatned to do great matters against him sought by many effectual reasons to divert him from his publick course but to no purpose till at length the King for fear of his thunderbolts was fain to yield This man died at the Council at Lyons Anno 1274. 14. Atcherius Archdeacon of London where John Bale saith he was born was created Cardinal of S. Praxedis Anno 1261. He died at Rome November 1. 1286. and was buried in the Church to which he was entitled 15. William Bray Doctor of Divinity an English-man between whom and the said Archerus had been a long continued Band of friendship even from their childhood Being Archdeacon of Rhemes he was created by the same Pope Cardinal of S. Mark Anno 1262. He died
Finan converted the East-Saxons 16 Focariae Concubines to the Canons they are imprisoned in the Tower Iohn Frith a learned man burnt in Smith-field 148 First-fruits Office when set up in London 150 Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester beheaded 148 Mr. Iohn Fox with some others settle themselves at Basil in Queen Maries days 200 His death 250 Fifth Monarchy-men apprehended 360 Iohn Ficknam made Abbot of Westminster 196 The troubles of Franckford 197 198 Robert Farrars Bishop of St. Davids imprisoned in King Edward's days and burnt in Queen Maries days 175 Florentius first Bishop of Argentine or Strausburg 17 G. GAsper Haywood the first Jesuite that ever set foot in England 246 Gospel first planted in Britain 1 Britain first received the Gospel by publick Authority 2 Germanus Bishop of Auxerre is sent for into Britain to suppress Pelagianism 7 Gospel first planted by Augustine among the Saxons 12 Five Grammar Schools erected in London 129 Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester he fell sick the same day that Bishop Ridley and Latimer were burnt his sad end 194 A Gun shot at Dr. Pendleton preaching at Pauls cross 193 Lady Jane Gray proclaimed Queen of England 179 She and her husband the Lord Guilford Dudley and her Father the Duke of Suffolk are beheaded 188 Guthlake the first 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 Haenetico 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 Wortsburg 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 routed by Colonel Reinolds at Burford 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 burnt 279 London 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 Lupus Bishop of Troys cometh into Britain and refuteth the Heresie of Pelagius 7 English Liturgy translated into
encreased the number of Christian folk daily waxing greater IX That no man commit Advoutry nor Fornication that no man forsake his own Wife but for onely Fornication as the holy Gospel teacheth And if any Man put away his Wife being lawfully married unto him if he will be a right Christian Man let him be joyned to none other but let him so continue still sole or else be reconciled again to his own Wife This Synod Stapleton calleth the first of the English Nation that is whose Canons are completely extant Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury envyed Wilfrid Bishop of York and endeavoured that the Diocess of York might be divided whereat Wilfrid being offended goes to Rome and in his passage thither by a Tempest he is cast on the Shoar of Freezland in Belgia where the Inhabitants as yet Pagans were by his Preaching converted to Christianity Returning into England he returned not unto York but stayed in the Pagan Kingdom of the South Saxons who also by God's blessing on his endeavours were perswaded to embrace the Christian Faith These South Saxons of all the seven Kingdomes were the last that were converted to Christ and yet their Countrey was next in situation unto Kent where the Gospel was first planted Indeed Edilwalck their King was a little before Christened by the perswasion of Wolpher King of Mercia who was his God-father and at his Baptizing gave him for a gift the Isle of Wight Provinciam Meanvarorum in Gente occidentalium Saxonum but his Countrey still remained in Paganism And although Dicul a Scot with six others had a small Monastery at Bosenham in Sussex yet they were more careful of their own safety than of their Neighbours conversion Wilfrid builded an Abbey in Selsey in Sussex he taught the South Saxons the craft of fishing Cedda the Bishop of West Saxons died and his Deacon Wenfrede was his successor Soon after this time died Wina Bishop of London after whom was Bishop Erkenwald who founded the Monasteries of Chertsey in Surrey and Barking in Essex But that of Chertsey was thrown down by the Danes and re-edified by Edgar King of England Then Theodorus kept a Synod or Council of Bishops at Hatfield by authority of which Council he divided the Province of Mercia that Sexwolphus then ruled alone into five Bishopricks that is one to Chester the second to Worcester the third to Lichfield the fourth to Cedema in Lindsey and the fifth to Dorchester Cadwallader the last King of Wales wearied out with Wars Famine and Pestilence left his own Land and with some small treasure fled to Alan King of Little Britain He was the last King of the stock of Britains After he had reigned three years he went to Rome and there died and was buried in the Church of St. Peter with this Epitaph upon his Tomb. Culmen opus sobolem pollentia regna triumphos Eximias proceros moenia castra lares Quaeque patrum virtus quae congesserat ipse Cadwald armipotens linquit amore Dei The which verses are thus Englished by Fabian Fabian's Chr. part 5. Abounding riches kinred triumph assured Plenteous wealth with clothes richly dyght Houses Castles and Towns strongly mured And other honours which by his Parents Might And his own this Martial vertuous Knight Cadwald the strong descended of Knight's blood For Christ's love renounced all his good About the year 692. Ina King of the West Saxons set forth his Saxon Laws translated into English by Mr. Lambert he enacted many Laws viz. De regula vivendi Ministrorum Dei de Infantibus baptizandis de censu Ecclesiae c. Anno 694. a great Council was held at Becanceld by Withred King of Kent and Bertuald Archbishop of Britain wherein many things were concluded in favour of the Church Five Kentish Abbesses namely Mildred Ethelred Aete Wilnolde and Hereswide were not onely present but subscribed their names and crosses to the Constitutions concluded therein And we may observe that their subscriptions are placed not onely before and above all Presbyters but also above Botred a Bishop present in this Council There was likewise a Council held at Berghamsteed by Withred King of Kent Then Bishop Wilfrid was removed to York again where he continued not long and being thence expelled again he was for a time made Bishop of Leicester CENT VIII WIlfrid was troubled by the Archbishop of Canterbury he appealeth to Rome and is acquitted he is at last restored and died in peace in the LXXVI year of his age having been 45. years a Bishop and was buried in his Monastery at Rippon Camden's Brit. in Wiltshire The Bishoprick of Sherborn having been taken out of the Bishoprick of Winchester by King Ina Adelme his Kinsman was made first Bishop thereof This Adelme was the first of our English Nation who wrote in Latine and the first that taught our English Nation to make Latine verse according to his promise Primus ego in patriam mecum modo vita supersit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas If life me last that I do see That native soil of mine From Aon top I 'l first with me Bring down the Muses nine He wrote many Books one of Virginity another of the Celebration of Easter And about this time the Libraries of Monasteries began to be replenished with Books many being written in that Age. In this age there were many Saints such as they were of Royal or Noble extraction of these Noble Saints St. Guthlake a Benedictine Monk was the first Saxon that professed an Eremetical life in England he was a Monk in the Abbey of Repyndon and the third year after he went to Crowland that is the raw or crude Land a fenny place in Lincoln-shire and there led for a while an Anchoret's life and there finally was buried in which Isle and place of his burying was built a fair Abbey About the year 709. a Synod was assembled at Alncester in Worcester-shire to promote the building of Evesham Abbey which was done accordingly and the same was bountifully endowed by Offa and other Mercian Kings with large revenues And not long after another Synod was called at London to introduce into England the doctrine of Image-worship now first beginning to appear in the publick practice of it Now also flourished another Noble-born Saint viz. John of Beverley Archbishop of York a Learned Man and who gave the education to one more Learned than himself I mean Venerable Bede who acknowledgeth that he received the order of Priesthood from him About this time it was fashionable for Kings and Queens in England to renounce the World and turn Monks and Nuns commonly in Convents of their own Foundation but they had an high opinion to merit Heaven thereby Among the Saxon Princes who thus renounced the World in this and the next Century these nine following were the principal 1. Kinigilsus King of West Saxons 2. Ina King of West Saxons 3. Ceololfus King of Northumberland 3. Edbertus King of
Northumberland 5. Ethelred King of Mercia 6. Kenred King of Mercia 7. Offa King of East Saxons 8. Sebbi King of East Saxons 9. Sigebert King of East Angles Ina builded the Abbey at Glastonbury in the 32 year of his Reign Sir H. Speâ—m in conciliis besides his bounty to other Churches he bestowed on the Church of Glastonbury two thousand six hundred pounds weight in the Utensils thereof of massy Gold and Silver He was the first King of this Land that granted a penny out of every fire-house in England to be paid to the Court of Rome which was called long after Rome-scot or Peter-pence and was to be paid on St. Peters day After this he went to Rome in Pilgrimage in the fellowship of poor Men and there built a School for the English and a Church adjoyning to it to bury their dead But Winnifrid an English Man about this time converted to Christ the Provinces of Franconia and Hassia in Germany About the same time flourished Bede a Presbyter in the Monastery of Weremouth near Durham he was born at Girwy now in the Bishoprick of Durham brought up by St. Cuthbert and was the profoundest Scholar of his Age for Latine Greek Philosophy History Divinity Mathematicks Musick and what not Homilies of his making were read in his life-time in the Christian Churches a dignity afforded to him alone He wrote the Ecclesiastical History and dedicated it to Ceolwolfus King of Northumberland He is generally sirnamed Venerable and is still accounted worthy of that Title He was credulous in believing of false Miracles and slipped into some corruptions of the times as Chrism and Confession yet even in these he differed from the latter times In the Articles of positive Doctrine he was clear He did observe and deplore the growing corruptions of the Church for in an Epistle to Ecbert he did not approve the specious and spacious buildings of Monasteries and else-where he saith Let the Reader behold with tears a thing worthy of tears how far the Church slideth daily into a worse or to speak moderately into a weaker estate He wrote many Books as John Bale testifieth He lived 72 years and died Anno 734. At that time began the general viciousness of the Saxons occasioned by the uncleanness of Ethelbald King of Mercia whose unlawful lust made no difference of Places or Persons Castles or Cloisters Then Boniface an English Man having boldly reproved Ethelbald for Adultery and Tyranny was forced by that King who sought his life to fly to Rome from whence Gregory the second Bishop of Rome sent him into Germany to convert the Saxons He caused the Monastery of Eulda to be built in favour of the English and was slain at Borna being Bishop of Mentz Afterwards Ethelbald reformed himself and not onely so but with Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury called a Council at Cliffe in Kent the Acts of this Synod were 31 Canons four whereof I shall set down as being the chief I. That the Priests learn and teach to know the Creed Lord's Prayer and words of Consecration in the Eucharist in the English Tongue II. That the Lord's day be honourably observed III. That the sin of drunkenness be avoyded especially in the Clergy IV. That Prayers be publikely made for Kings and Princes King Ethelbald and Offa were present and they two with many Dukes and Counts confirm the Decrees with their subscriptions About the year 755 Kenulphus King of West Saxons conferred large priviledges on the Monastery of Abbingdon in Bark-shire Anno 758. Bodies were first brought to be buried in Churches which by degrees brought in much superstition In the year 789. the Danes first invaded England Danes their first arrival in England with a considerable Army The landing of these Danes in England was ushered with many sad Prognosticks Stars were seen strangely falling from Heaven and sundry terrible flames appeared in the Skies Serpents were seen in Sussex and blood reigned in some parts of this Land Lindesfern or Holy Island was the first that felt the fury of these Pagans but soon after no place was secure from their cruelty At this time the Archbishoprick of Canterbury was in part removed to Lichfield by reason of the Puissance and Ambition of Offa King of Mercia commanding in chief over England Ethelbert King of the East Saxons went to Marry the Daughter of Offa and Offa perfidiously caused him to be murdered After which he gave the tenth part of all that he had unto the Church and several Lands to the Church of Hereford and then he went to Rome and there confirmed and enlarged to Pope Adrian the gift of Peter-pence Then was the corps of St. Alban in pompous manner taken up enshrined and adored by the spectators Offa being at Rome procured the Canonization of St. Alban the absolution of his own sins and many murders and visited and endowed the English Colledge there and then returning home he Founded the Monastery of St. Albans bestowing great Lands and liberties upon it as freeing it from the payment of Peter-pence Episcopal jurisdiction and the like Next year Offa died and was buried at Bedford Then flourished Alcuinus or Albinus Scholar to Venerable Bede and Tutor to Charles the Great who in an Epistle written to him calleth him Master of whom Trithemius give 's this character R. Hoveden Annal. part 1. Vir in divinis Scripturis eruditissimus in secularium literarum peritia nulli suo tempore secundus He opposed the Canons of the second Nicene Council wherein the Superstitious adoration of Images was enjoyned He wrote divers Books against the Errors of Felix and Eliphant Felix in reading them wrote a Recantation to the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church His Books de Trinitate are written so clearly that Sixtus Senensis saith they were written by John Calvin and published in the name of Alcuinus but Dr. James saith that ancient Copies thereof were in the Prince's library at St. James and they were Printed at Lions Anno 1525. when Calvin had not begun to write Egbert King of the West Saxons in the year 800. having vanquished Tho. Cooper Mercia Kent Essex and Northumberland made himself sole Monarch of England and fixed the supreme Sovereignty in himself and posterity For though afterward there continued some petty Kings as Kenulph King of Mercia c. yet they shined but dimly and in the next Age were utterly extinguished Egbert commanded this Land to be called Anglia and the Inhabitants Angles or English Men. CENT IX ANno 801. the Archbishoprick was restored to Canterbury at the instance of Kenulph King of Mercia Then Ethelard the Archbishop called a Synod at Clivesho in Kent where by power from the Pope he riveted the Archbishoprick into the City of Canterbury The subscriptions in this Council were the most formal and solemn of any so Antient. There was likewise at Celichyth an eminent Council under Wolphred who succeeded Ethelard Archbishop of Canterbury King Egbert was now
otherwise be better employed At this time there was contention at Rome between two Popes Vrban and Clement the Third Rufus took part with Clement but Anselm stuck to Vrban and required of the King leave to fetch his Pall of Vrban All the rest of the Bishops were against him Mean-while the King had sent two Messengers to the Pope for the Pall who returned and brought with them Gualter Bishop of Alban the Pope's Legate with the Pall to be given to Anselm Which Legate so perswaded the King that Vrban was received Pope through the whole Land But afterwards grew great displeasure betwixt them so that Anselm went to appear to Rome where he remained in exile and the King seized all his Goods and Lands into his own Coffers Vrban gave unto Anselm the Archbishops Pall thereby voiding the Investiture which he received from King William and obliging him there-after to depend on him as also he did whereat the King incensed interdicted to Anselm his entry into England confiscated the Lands of the Archbishoprick and declared that his Bishops held their Places and Estates merely from him and were not subject unto the Pope for the same To which all the Bishops of England subscribed neither did any of them contradict it but the onely Bishop of Rochester as a Suffragan to the Archbishop of Canterbury By the intervention of Friends Anselm made his peace But being returned into England he soon after began to disswade the Clergy from receiving Investitures from the King wherefore he was forced again to fly out of the Kingdom and his estate was again seized upon and confiscated of which he had obteined restitution at his return King William the Conqueror had made the new-forrest in Hant-shire with a great devastation of Towns and Churches the place as Fuller saith being turned into a Wilderness for Men and a Paradise for Deer King Ruffus hunting in this Forrest was here slain by the glancing of an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tirrell and was buried at Winchester He gave to the Monks called De Charitate the great new Church of S. Saviours in Bermondsey with the Manor thereof as also of Charleton in Kent Henry Beaucleark his Brother succeeded him in the throne being one of the profoundest Scholars and most politick Princes in his generation To ingratiate himself to the English he instantly and actually repealed the cruel Norman Lawes the good and gentle Laws of King Edward the Confessor he reduced with correction of them Anselm from exile was speedily recalled and to his Church Lands and Goods was fully restored The late King 's extorting Publicanes whereof Ranulph Flambard Bishop of Durham the principal were imprisoned the Court-corruption reformed Adultery then grown common severely punished CENT XII KIng Henry was Married to Mawd Daughter to Malcolm King of Scots who lived sometime as a Nun under the tuition of Christian her Aunt Abbess of Wilton She was Sister to Edgar Atheling and Grand-child of Edmond Iron-side whereby his Issue might merely be both of the English Blood and of the Ancient Saxon Kings Anselm summoneth a Council at Westminster where first he Excommunicated all Married Priests half the Clergy at that time being Married or the Sons of Married Priests he also inhibited all Lay-men to hear their Masses He also deprived many great Prelates of their promotions because they had accepted their Investitures from the King which was done by receiving of a Pastoral Staffe and a Ring an Ancient rite testifying that their Donation was from their Sovereign in which number were the Abbots of Ely of Romsey of Pershore of St. Edmonds of Tavestock Peterborough Burch Bodiac Stoke and Middleton for which his boldness and for refusing to Consecrate certain Bishops advanced by the King great contention fell betwixt them and Anselm appealed to Pope Paschal and soon after fled to Rome Hereupon the King enjoyned Gerard Archbishop of York to Consecrate William of Winchester Roger of Hereford c. But William Bishop of Winchester refused Consecration from the Archbishop of York and resigned his Staff and Ring back again to the King as illegally from him This discomposed all the rest But not long after by the mediation of Friends the King and Anselm are reconciled the King disclaiming his right of Investiture And now Anselm who formerly refused consecrated all the Bishops of vacant Sees Then did Anselm forbid the Priests Marriage But Anselm died before he could finish his project of Priests divorces His two next Successors Rodulphus and William Corbel went on vigorously with the design but met with many and great obstructions Other Bishops found the like opposition but chiefly the Bishop of Norwich whose obstinate Clergy would keep their Wives in defiance of his endeavours against them But they were forced to forgo their Wives Among those Married Priests there was one Ealphegus flourishing for Learning and Piety he resided at Plymouth in Devon-shire To order the refractory Married Clergy the Bishops were fain to call in the aid of the Pope John Bishop of Cremona an Italian Cardinal did urge the single Life of the Clergy and said It is a vile crime that a Man rising from the side of his Concubine should consecrate the Body of Christ. The same Night he was taken in bed with a Whore after he had spoken those words in a Synod at London The thing was so notorious that it could not be denied saith Matthew Paris This much advantaged the reputation of Married Priests The King taking a fine of Married Priests permitted them to enjoy their Wives About this time the old Abbey of Ely was advanced into a new Bishoprick and Cambridge-shire assigned for it's Diocess taken from the Bishoprick of Lincoln Spaldwick Manor in Huntington-shire was given to Lincoln in reparation of the jurisdiction taken from it and bestowed on Ely One Hervey who had been banished by the Welch from the poor Bishoprick of Bangor was made the first Bishop of Ely Hervey the first Bishop of Ely King Henry bestowed great Priviledges upon that Bishoprick Then Bernard Chaplain to the King and Chancellor to the Queen was the first Norman made Bishop of St. Davids who soon denied subjection to Canterbury and would be an absolute Archbishop of himself But William Archbishop of Canterbury aided by the Pope at last forced the Bishop of St. Davids to a submission King Henry died at the Town of St. Denys in Normandy of a surfeit by eating of Lampreys He was buried at Reading in Bark-shire in the Abbey that himself had there founded and endowed with large possessions Stephen Earl of Bologn hearing of King Henrie's Death hasteth over into England and seizeth on the Crown He was Son to Adela Daughter to King William the Conqueror but Mawd first Married to Henry the Emperor of Germany was the undoubted heir of the Crown She was constantly called the Empress after the Death of the Emperor though Married to Geoffery Plantagenet her second Husband Unto her all the Clergy and
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 â—here 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 Matth. Paris Hist Anglic. p. 237 238. Abbies Spiritual promotions and Benefices 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 tertii 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 faithfully 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 ere 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 whereafter 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 extorted from him whilst under
the Seas commanding them all in general and one of them onely in special by Name to be first provided for in this kind Anno 1246. Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury upon a feigned pretext that his Church of Canterbury was involved in very great debts by his Predecessor but in truth by himself to carry on Forreign Wars and gratifie the Pope procured from Pope Innocent a grant of the first years Fruits of all Benefices that should fall void within his Diocess for seven years space till he should raise out of them the sum of ten thousand Marks besides two thousand Marks yearly out of the Bishoprick N. B. This Grant of first-fruits of Benefices to Boniface made way for Popes appropriating first-fruits and Annats to themselves soon after About this time was Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury Canonized for a Saint by the Pope to gratifie the King and facilitate the imposing and levying of his Papal exactions upon the Clergy and Realm The Bishops and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury to avoid the turbulent visitation and exactions of Archbishop Boniface made a Tax and Collection to defray the expenses of their Appeals and oppositions against him in the Court of Rome Some Abbots and Convents perceiving that Robert Grosthed and other Bishops intended to vex and oppress them by their new powers to visit them derived from the Pope combined together to make a common purse to oppose and withstand them by Appeals to the Pope whom they hoped would back them for Money as the Bishops combibined together to withstand the Archbishop's Visitation in his Province Notwithstanding this combination the Bishop of Lincoln proceeded to Visit both the Monasteries and Nunneries in his Diocess with great severity and Tyranny But although Robert Grosthed at first was a great stickler for the Pope and an oppressor of the Nobility and Laity of his Diocess with his Visitations appeals to Rome and Excommunications yet afterwards he opposed the Pope's Provisions directed to him for which the Pope suspended him from his Bishoprick Whereupon he sent a notable Letter to Pope Innocent rendring him the reasons why he was not bound to obey his unjust Letters and Provisions as most contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles tending to the ruine of Peoples Souls and that no Bishop or other Person was bound to obey any of the Pope's Mandates as Apostolical but what were warranted by the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles The Letter is to be seen at large in Mr. Prynne's late History of Pope's Usurpations c. Tom. 2. A little before his death this Robert Grosthed called some of his Clergy to him and by strong reasons and arguments informed them That the Pope was Antichrist because he was a destroyer of Souls c. Matthew Paris gives this character of him Migravit ab hujusmode mundi quem nunquam dilexit exilio sanctus Lincolniensis Episcopus Robertus secundus apud Bugedonam manerium suum in nocte sancti Dionysii Papae Regis Redargutor manifestus Praelatorum correptor Monarchorum corrector Presbyterorum director Clericorum instructor Scholarium sustentator Populi praedicator Incontinentium persecutor Scripturarum sedulus perscrutator diversarum Romanorum malleus contemptor in mensa refectionis corporalis dapsilis copiosus civilis hilaris affabilis in mensa vero spirituali devotus lacrymosus contritus in officio Pontificali sedulus venerabilis indefatigabilis He died Anno 1253. Vide Ranulph Cestrens Polychron lib. 7. ca. 36. Heur de Knighton de eventib Angliae Lib. 2. ca. 36. Of which year Matthew Paris gives this Character Transiit igitur annus ille Papae Papalibus augurialis The Pope being much incensed against Grosthed wrote a Letter to the King of England to cause his bones to be digged up and to be cast out of the Church whereupon the Bishop's ghost appeared unto him that night expostulated with him pricked him in the side and haunted him till his death The Canons of Lincoln chose Henry of Lexinton to succeed him who was then Dean of the Church of Lincoln the King approved of his Election being Consecrated soon after by Bishop Boniface beyond the Seas Then the King issued out a Writ to the Bishop of Chichester to publish throughout his Diocess the priviledges he had granted to all such who should cross themselves for the holy Land being the same in termes with those the year before sent to the Archbishop of York to publish the Writ running in the same forme In the 38th year of King Henry the third the Archbishops and Bishops having agreed to grant the King a Disme toward the relief of the holy Land by advice of the King's Council in Parliament appointed it to be collected by the Bishops of Norwich and Chichester and Abbot of Westminster for which they assigned them an annual stipend In August following the King issued forth Patents to the Archbishops Bishops Abbots c. in Ireland specially to promote this Croysado and Disme in Ireland and to assist those sent thither to promote it whereof one was the Pope's Subdeacon The King being in France issued his precept to the Barons of the Exchequer to issue Moneys for the repair of the Church of Westminster which he intended to have consecrated before his voyage to the holy Land Prynne's Hist Tom. 2. He issued Writs to enquire of the real values of the Manors Lands Rents and Revenues of Religious persons in nature of Dooms-day Book that he might the better improve them when they fell into his hand by vacancies or deaths of Abbots and Priors towards the debts he contracted by his forreign Wars Matth. Paris Hist Angl. p. 835. Matthew Paris tells us of strange forgeries and devices set on foot by the Pope and his Agents to oppress the Clergy of England and involue them in bonds and debts to the Pope and King who served each others turns and that by the treachery of the Bishop of Hereford and and others to ingratiate themselves with both And the Bishop of Hereford and Rustand the Pope's Legate oppressed the Clergy of England that year 1254. and great complaints were made against them The King being unable by his absence to be personally present at the Feast of St. Edward at Westminster which he annually consecrated constituted several persons to solemnize this Feast and make Offerings Processions and give almes in his stead and commanded the Parishoners of St. Margaret and the Londoners to go to Westminster in Procession with Wax Tapers and other formalities for the honour of this Saint and holy-day The King in the 39th year of his Reign sent a pious Writ to the Cistercians and other Abbots in their general Assembly to make a special devout Prayer unto God for him his Queen and Children The Bishop Elect of Winton having forcibly and unjustly by his power deprived the Prior of Winton and thrust another into his place without his
his Coronation all the Knights Templers The Order of the Knights Templars abolished throughout Christendom throughout England were at once arrested and committed to prison In the General Council of Vienna this Order was utterly abolished through Christendom The French King caused fifty four of that Order together with their great Master to be burnt at Paris And the Pope and Council annexed their possessions to the Order of the Knights Hospitallers called commonly Knights of the Rhodes But in England the Heirs of the Donors and such as had endowed the Templars here with Lands entred upon those parts of the ancient Patrimonies after the dissolution of the Order and detained them until not long after they were by Parliament wholly transferred unto the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem Guy Guy Earl of Warwick surpriseth Piers Gaveston and causeth him to be beheaded Earl of Warwick surprised Gaveston carried him to his Castle of Warwick wherein a place called Blacklow afterwards Gaveshead his head was stricken off at the commandment and in the presence of the Earls of Lancaster Warwick and Hereford A great Battel was fought between the English and Scots at Bannocks-borough There perished in this Battel Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester Robert Lord Clifford the Lord Tiptoft the Lord Marshal the Lord Giles de Argenton the Lord Edmond de Maule and seven hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen of Quality of common Souldiers ten thousand There were taken prisoners Humphry Bohun Earl of Hereford Ralph de Monthelmere who married Joan de Acres Countess Dowager of Oxford with many others The Earl of Hereford was exchanged for King Robert's Wife who was all this while detained in England This disaster was attended with Inundations which brought forth Dearth Dearth Famine Famine Pestilence all which exceeded any that ever before had been known Anno 1313. died Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury in whose room Robert Cobham was elected by the King and Church of Canterbury But the Pope did frustrate that election and placed Walter Reynold Bishop of Worcester About this time died Pope Clement and John XXII succeeded who sent two Legats from Rome under pretence to make agreement between the King of England and the Scots They for their charges required of every Spiritual person four pence in every Mark but all in vain for the Legats as they were in the North parts about Derlington with their whole Family and Train were robbed and spoiled of their Horses Treasure Apparel and whatsoever else they had and so retired back again to Durham thence they returned to London where they first excommunicated all those Robbers Then for supply of those losses they received they exacted of the Clergy to be given unto them eight pence in every Mark But the Clergy would only give them four pence in every Mark So they departed to the Pope's Court again This King Edward refused to pay the Peter-pence In the time of this King the Colledge in Cambridge called Michael-house was founded by Sir Henry Staunton Knight King Edward the Second builded two Houses in Oxford for good Letters Orial Colledge and St. Mary Hall England may dare all Christendom besides to shew so many eminent School-Divines bred within the compass of so few years And a forreign Writer saith Scholastica Theologia ab Anglis in Anglia sumpsit exordium fecit incrementum pervenit ad perfectionem Of these School-men Alexander Hales leads the way Master to Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure He was in the time of Henry the Third At the command of Pope Innocent the Fourth he wrote the Body of all School-Divinity in four Volumes Roger Bacon succeeded him who lived in the time of King Edward the First he was excellently skilled in the Mathematicks The next was Richard Middleton entitled Doctor Fundatissimus Then flourished John Duns Scotus in the time of Edward the Second he was Fellow of Merton-colledge in Oxford He was called Duns by abbreviation for Dunensis that is born at Doun an Episcopal See in Ireland In this King's Reign Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter founded and endowed Exeter-colledge in Oxford It is charged on this King Edward the Second that he suffered the Pope to encroach on the Dignity of the Crown His Father had recovered some of his Priviledges from the Papal usurpation which since his Son had lost back again About that time an English Hermite preached at Paul's in London That some Sacraments that were then in use in the Church were not of Christ's Institution therefore he was committed to prison King Edward went into Scotland with another great Army King Robert thought so great an Army could not long continue therefore he retired into the High-lands King Edward wandred from place to place till many died for hunger and the rest returning home half starved James Douglas followed the English and slew many of them and King Edward himself hardly escaped Then a Peace was concluded at Northampton Anno 1327. That the Scots should abide in the same estate as in the dayes of King Alexander the Third the English should render all subscriptions and tokens of bondage and have no Land in Scotland unless they shall dwell in it In England the two Spencers ruled all things till the Queen and her Son who politickly had got leave to go beyond the Seas returned into England with a Navy and Army landing in Suffolk She denounced open war against her Husband unless he would presently conform to her desires The young Spencer was taken with the King at the Abby of Neath and is hanged on a Gallows fifty foot high Many Persons of Quality were sent down to the Parliament then sitting to King Edward to Kenelworth-castle to move him to resign the Crown which at last he sadly surrendered and Prince Edward his Son is crowned King The late King is removed from Kenelworth unto Barkley-castle where he was barbarously butchered being struck into the Postern of his Body with an hot Spit as it is commonly reported Among the Clergy besides Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter whose head the Londoners caused to be smitten off at the Standart in Cheapside only John Stratford Bishop of Winchester heartily adhered to him Robert de Baldock though no Bishop yet as a Priest and Chancellor of England may be ranked with these who attended the King and was taken with him in Wales Hence he was brought up to London and committed to Adam Tarlton Bishop of Hereford Many of the Bishops ungratefully sided with the Queen against her Husband and their Sovereign Walter Reynolds Archbishop of Canterbury led their Van preferred to that See at the King 's great Importunity and by the Pope's power of Provision Henry Burwash Bishop of Lincoln lately restored to the favour of King Edward yet no sooner did the Queen appear in the field with an Army against him but this Bishop was the first who publickly repaired to her Adam Tarlton Bishop of Hereford was the grand contriver of all mischief against the
of one John Wraw a lewd Priest These destroyed the Houses of the Lawyers they beheaded Sir John Cavendish the Lord Chief Justice of England and set his Head upon the Pillory in St. Edmunds-bury Then Henry Spencer the valiant â—ishop of Norwich gathered together a great number of Men Armed with which he set upon the Rebels discomfited them and took John Littester and their other Chieftaines whom he caused all to be Executed and by this means the Countrey was quieted Jack Straw John Kirkby Alane Tredder and John Sterling lost their Heads Wat Tyler was slain by William Walworth Lord Mayor of London These had to their Chaplain a wicked Priest called John Ball Stowes Chro. in Rich. 2. who counselled them to destroy all the Nobility and Clergy so that there should be no Bishop in England but one Archbishop which should be himself and that there should nor be above two Religious persons in one house and their possessions should be divided among the Lay-men for the which Doctrine they held him as a Prophet But he was executed at St. Albans William Wickham about this time finished his beautiful Colledge in Oxford called new Colledge which giveth the Armes of Wickham viz. two Cheverons betwixt three Roses each Cheveron alluding to two beams fastned together called couples in building to speak his skill in Architecture There is maintained therein a Warden seventy Fellows and Scholars ten Chaplains three Clerks one Organist sixteen Choristers besides Officers and Servants of the Foundation with other Students being in all one hundred thirty five Within few years after the same Bishop finished the Colledge at Winchester wherein he established one Warden ten Fellows two Schoolmasters and seventy Scholars with Officers and Servants which are all maintained at his charge out of which School he ordained should be chosen the best Scholars always to supply the vacant places of the Fellows of this Colledge Anno 1391. There was a Synod in England which because many were vexed for causes which could not be known at Rome ordained That the authority of the Pope of Rome should stretch no farther than to the Ocean Sea and that who so Appealed to Rome besides Excommunication should be punished with loss of all their goods and with perpetual imprisonment Then came the Parliament wherein was Enacted the Statute called the Statute of Praemunire The Statute of Praemunire which gave such a blow to the Church of Rome that it never recovered it self in this Land The Statute of Mortmain put the Pope into a sweat but this put him into a Fever That concerned him onely in the Abbies his darlings this touched him in his person About this time died that faithful Learned and aged Servant of God John de Trevisa born at Crocadon in Cornwal a Secular Priest and Vicar of Berkley painful in Translating the Old and New Testament into English with other great Books The History of William Swinderby Priest in the Diocess of Lincoln whereunto he was forced by the Friars the Process of John Tresnant Bishop of Hereford into whose Diocess he removed had against him in the cause of Heretical pravity as the Papists call it the Articles that were exhibited against him with his protestation and answer to the same The Process against William Swinderby with his answer and declaration to certain Conclusions the Bishop's sentence against him and his Appeal from the Bishop to the King with the causes thereof together with Swinderby's letter to the Parliament may be read at large in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments of the Church Then were there Articles exhibited against Walter Brute of the Diocess of Hereford a Lay-man and Learned touching the cause of Heresie as they called it unto the Bishop of Hereford his examination and answer is also largely described by Mr. Fox Fox in Ric. 2. Then were there two Bulls sent out by Pope Boniface the ninth one against the Lollards another to King Richard the second Queen Anne Wife to King Richard at the same time had the Gospels in English with four Doctors upon the same King Richard wrote a notable Letter to the Pope wherein he sheweth That the election of the Pope was not as before comparing the Popes to the Souldiers that crucified Christ That Secular Princes are to bridle the outrages of the Pope and seemeth to Prophecy of the desolation of the Roman Pope King Richard was not long after deposed and barbarously murdered at Pomfret-castle In the time of the conspiracy against King Richard among all the Bishops onely Thomas Merks Bishop of Carlisle was for him For when the Lords in Parliament nor coâ—â—â—nt to depose King Richard were devising more mischief against him up steps the foresaid Bishop and thus expresseth himself There is no man here worthy to pass his sentence on so great a King as to whom they have obeyed as their lawful Prince full two and twenty years This is the part of Traitors Cut-throats and Thieves None is so wicked none so vile who though he be charged with a manifest crime we should think to condemn before we heard him And you do ye think it equal to pass sentence on a King anointed and Crowned giving him no leave to defend himself How unjust is this But let us consider the matter it self I say nay openly affirm that Henry Duke of Lancaster whom you are pleased to call your King hath most unjustly spoiled Richard as well his Sovereign as ours of his Kingdom More would he have spoken but the Lord Marshal enjoyned him silence and the other Bishops said he discovered having been a Monk more Covent-devotion than Court-discretion in dissenting from his Brethren yet at that time no punishment was imposed upon him But the next year 1400. when some discontented Lord 's arose against King Henry the fourth this Bishop was taken prisoner and judicially arraigned for high Treason for which he was condemned and sent to St. Albans The Pope gave unto him another Bishoprick in Samos a Greek Island But before his translation he died CENT XV. KIng Henry Trassel in vit Henrici IV. the fourth held a Parliament at Westminster during which Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury had convocated a Synod which was held in St. Paul s Church to whom the King sent the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland who declared to the Clergy That they were from the King to acquaint them that the King resolved to confirm all their Priviledges unto them and to joyn with them as they should desire him in the punishment of all Hereticks and opposites to their Religion received for which so doing he craved but their supplications to God for him and his posterity and prosperity of the Kingdom which was by all there present religiously promised In the second year of his Reign King Henry ordained That if any person should obtain from the Bishop of Rome any provision to be exempt from obedience Regular or Ordinary or to have any Office perpetual in
of Basil to which our Ambassadors were to represent both their Sovereign and the English Nation where they were received with honour and respect This was a troublesome Council and continued seventeen years In this Council it was concluded as before at Constance that the General Councils were above the Pope Fourteen Ambassadors were sent from the King unto Basil One Earl not that he was to vote in the Council but only behold the transactions thereof viz. Edmond Earl of Morton Five Bishops viz. Robert Bishop of London Philip Bishop of Lisieux John Bishop of Rochester John Bishop of Baieux and Bernard Bishop of Aix Two Abbots Nicholas Abbot of Glaston William Abbot of St. Maries in York One Prior William Prior of Norwich Two Knights Henry Broumfleet and John Colvil Mr. Thomas Brown Doctor of Laws Dean of Sarum Peter Fitz-Maurice D. D. and Mr. Nicholas David Archdeacon of Constance and Licentiate in both Laws John Bishop of Rochester here mentioned was John Langdon intruded by the Pope into that Bishoprick to the prejudice of the Archbishop of Canterbury But he was indeed a Learned man and died this year in his Ambassy at Basil This Council deposed Pope Eugenius and substituted in his room Amideus the most devout Duke of Savoy who was called Felix the Fifth and was crowned in the City of Basil Anno 1437. Henry Chichley Archbishop of Canterbury founded a Colledge in Oxford by the name of All-souls for a Warden and forty Fellows which number by Statute was never to be augmented or impaired and all void places by death or otherwise once in a year to be supplied Six years did he survive the first founding of this Colledge He founded another Colledge in Oxford called Barnard-colledge suppressed by King Henry the Eighth and renewed by Sir Thomas White who named it St. Iohn's-colledge one of the fairest of the University This Archbishop bestowed much money in repairing the Library at Canterbury Goodwin's Catal. of Bishops and then replenished the same with a number of goodly Books He gave unto his Church many rich Ornaments and Jewels of great price and built a great part of the Tower called Oxford-tower in the said Church He founded a goodly Colledge and an Hospital at Higham-ferries where he was born for eight secular Priests Fellows four Clerks and six Choristers it was so endowed as at the suppression of the same it was valued at 156 pounds per annum The Hospital was for poor people likewise liberally endowed Iohn Stafford Son unto the Earl of Stafford succeeded in the place of Henry Chichley deceased Pope Eugenius the Fourth translated him from Bath and Wells About the year 1446. King Henry the Sixth founded Eaton Colledge incorporate by the name of Praepositi Collegii Regaliis Col. Beatae Maria de Eaton juxta Winsor This Colledge consisteth of one Provost Fellows a School-master and Usher besides many Oppidanes maintained there at the cost of their Friends This Eaton is a Nursery to King's-colledge in Cambridge Humfry Duke of Glocester the King's Uncle at a packt Parliament at Bury was condemned of High-treason and found dead in his Bed not without rank suspition of cruel practices upon his person He gave to the Library in Oxford many pretious voluminous Manuscripts He was buried in St. Albans to which Church he was a great Benefactor The same month with the Duke of Glocester died Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal He was a man of such Wealth that at once he lent King Henry the Fifth twenty thousand pounds who pawned his Crown to him He built the fair Hospital of St. Cross near Winchester The Clergy moved in vain against the recalling of the Statute of Praemunire About the year 1453. began the broyls to break out out between the two Houses of Lancaster and York so mutually heightened that scarce a County betwixt York and London but a set Battel hath been fought therein besides other Counties in the Marches of Wales besides many other Skirmishes Corrivals with Battels so that such who consider the blood lost therein would admire England had any left And such as observe how much it had left would wonder it had any lost In the midst of these Civil wars William Sirnamed Patin from his Parents but Wainfleet from the place of his Nativity now Bishop of Winchester founded the fair Colledge dedicated to Mary Magdalen in Oxford for one President forty Fellows thirty Demies four Chaplains eight Clerks and sixteen Choristers This William Wainfleet first founded Magdalen-hall hard by and afterwards undertook and finished this most stately piece of Architecture There is scarce a Bishoprick in England to which this Colledge hath not afforded one Prelate at the least doubling her files in some places At this day besides those forementioned there are one Schoolmaster and an Usher three Readers viz. of Divinity Natural and Moral Philosophy besides divers Officers and Servants of the foundation with other Students being in all two hundred and twenty Iohn Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury built the Divinity-School in Oxford and Paul's Cross King Henry being conquered in a fatal Battel at Touton in Nottinghamshire fled with his Queen into Scotland and to make himself the more welcome resigned Berwick to the King thereof Edward Duke of York reigned in his stead This King's Reign affordeth very little Church-story This good was done by the Civil Wars it diverted the Popish Prelates from troubling the Lollards Thomas Bourchier Son unto Henry Bourchier Earl of Essex Archbishop of Canterbury kept a Synod of his Clergy at London The Parliament sitting at the same time bestowed many priviledges on the Clergy In the time of this Archbishop Raynold Peacock Bishop of Chichester was afflicted by the Popish Prelates for his Faith and profession of the Gospel after he had laboured many years in translating the Holy Scriptures into English Sir Rich. Baker's Chron. He was accused and convicted for holding and publishing certain Opinions at that time held Heretical which at last openly at Paul's Cross he revoked but was notwithstanding deprived of his Bishoprick only a certain Pension was assigned him to live on in an Abby where soon after he died Fox Acts and Monuments Luke 8.3 About the year 1465. there was here in England one Thomas Holden a Carmelite Friar who preached in Michaelmas Term at Paul's Cross in London That our Lord Iesus Christ was in poverty and did beg in the world A manifest untruth For great is the difference betwixt begging and taking what the bounty of others doth freely confer as our Saviour did from such who did minister unto him of their substance This Sermon caused a great stir The principal Champions on both sides whose Pens publickly appeared were For Mendicants 1. Henry Parker a Carmelite bred in Cambridge living afterward in Doncaster-Covent imprisoned for preaching 2. Iohn Milverton bred in Oxford Carmelite of Bristol being excommunicated by the Bishop of London and appealing to the Pope found no favour but
but generally in specie to the great impoverishing of the Land yearly returned the Tenths and First-fruits of the English Clergy to Rome The Pope being now dead in England the King was found his Heir at Common Law as to most of the power and profit the other had usurped But now as the Clergy had changed their Landlord so their Rents were new rated Commissioners being employed in all Counties the Bishop of the Diocess being alwayes one of them to value their yearly Revenue that so their Tenths and First-fruits may be proportioned accordingly These Raters were the chiefest in all Counties under the degrees of Barons These Commissioners were impowred by the King to send for the Scribes and Notaries of all Bishops and Archdeacons to swear the Receivers and Auditors of Incumbents to view their Register-books Fuller Church history Easter-books and all other Writings and to use all other wayes to know the full value of Ecclesiastical preferments with the number and names of persons enjoying the same They were to divide themselves by Three and Three allotting to every number so many Deaneries and to enquire the number and names of all Abbies Monasteries Priories Brotherships Sisterships Fellowships c. Houses Religious and Conventual as well CHARTER-HOVSE as others these Carthusians being specified by name because pretending priviledge of Papal exemption and meeting together to certifie into the Exchequer at the time limited in their Commission the true value of such places or preferments This work took up some years in the effecting thereof Devon-shire and Sommerset were done in the twenty seventh Stafford-shire and many other Counties in the thirty fourth year of King Henry the Eighth and most of Wales not till the Reign of King Edward the Sixth In Ireland the Commissioners found the work so troublesome that they never came into the County of Kerrey the South-West extremity of that Island so that the Clergy thereof are put into their Benefices without any payments But in England all were unpartially rated and Vicaridges valued very high according to their present Revenue by personal Requisites Idem ibid. In that Age he generally was the richest Shepherd that had the greatest Flock where Oblations from the living and Obits for the dead as certainly paid as predial Tithes much advanced their Income In consideration whereof Vicaridges mostly lyinig in Market-Towns and populous Parishes were set very high though soon after those obventions sunk with superstition And the Vicars in vain desired a proportionable abatement in the King's Books which once drawn up were no more to be altered Now Queen Mary did by Act of Parliament exonerate acquit and discharge the Clergy from all First-fruits As for Tenths the same Statute ordered them to be paid to Cardinal Pool who from the same was to pay the Pensions allowed to Monks and Nuns by her Father at the dissolution of Abbeys yet so that when such persons who were but few and aged all named in a Deed indented should decease all such payments of the Clergy reserved Nomine Decimae should cease and be extinct for ever But her Sister Queen Elizabeth Vide Statut. 1 Eliz. cap. 4. succeeding her was exact to have her Dues from the Clergy Sir Christopher Hatton who was Master of this First-fruits Office was much indebted to her for Moneys received All which Arrears her Majesty required so severely and suddenly from him that the grief thereof cost him his life I say this Queen in the first of her Reign resumed First-fruits and Tenths only with this case to Parsonages not exceeding ten Marks and Vicaridges ten pounds that they should be freed from First-fruits In the months of October and November Anno 1538. the Abbeys and Monasteries in England were dissolved Cromwel being made General Visitor employed Richard Layton Thomas Lee William Detre Doctors of the Law Doctor John London Dean of Wallingford with others giving them instruction in eighty six Articles for visiting Monasteries every where by which they were to enquire into the government behaviour and education of the persons of both Sexes to find out all their offences and to this purpose give them encouragements to accuse both their Governors and each other To command them to exhibit their Mortmains Lord Herbert in vit Henr. 8. Evidences and Conveyances of their Lands to produce their Plate and Money and give an Inventory thereof The King also gave forth Injunctions to be observed some tending to the establishing of his Supremacy Some touching the good Government of the Houses As that no Brother go out of the Precinct That there be but one entrance That no Woman frequent the Monks nor any Man the Nuns c. And some for Education As that a Divinity-lecture be every where read and frequented That the Abbot daily expound some part of the Rule of their Order shewing yet that these Ceremonies are but Introductions to Religion which consisteth not in Apparel shaven Heads c. but in purity of mind That none shall profess or wear the Habit till twenty four years of age That no feigned Relicks or Miracles be shewed no Offerings to Images c. Lee and the rest at their return gave that account of their feigned Miracles and Relicks as well as sinful and sluggish life of the Religious Orders as not only Cromwel said their Houses should be thrown down to the foundation but the whole Body of the Kingdom when it was published to them became so scandalized thereat as they resolve if the King ever put it into their hands to give remedy thereunto Yet were not all alike criminal for some Societies behaved themselves so well as their life being not only exempt from notorious faults but their spare times bestowed in writing Books Painting Carving Graving and the like Exercises their Visitors became Intercessors for them But these being not many were at last involved in the common fate Not long after this the King caused all Colledges Chantries and Hospitals to be visited not omitting to take a particular survey of all the Revenues and Dignities Ecclesiastical within his Kingdom which was returned to him in a Book to be kept in the Exchequer Then King Henry sent Fox Bishop of Hereford to the Protestant Princes in Germany assembled at Smalcald to exhort them to an unity in Doctrine wherein he offered his assistance by conference with their Divines Immediately after the ruine of Monasteries in the Month of November followed the condemnation of John Lambert that faithful Servant of Christ On a set day Lambert was brought forth where he had not only the King 's fierce countenance against him but also ten Disputers against him from twelve of the clock till five at night among which were the Archbishop Stephen Gardiner C. Tunstal Bishop of Durham and J. Stokesley Bishop of London Through Winchester's perswasion to gratifie the people the King himself condemned Lambert and commanded Cromwel to read the Sentence He was burned in Smithfield where he suffered
Bayn of the Stone and Morgan in December following Pool enjoyed the like freedom and died in a good old age Christopherson lived on his Estate Bonner alone was doomed to a perpetual imprisonment the prison proving to that wretch saith Dr. Heylin his greatest Sanctuary whose horrid Butcheries had otherwise exposed him to the popular fury We find no more to have been deprived of their preferments than fourteen Bishops six Abbots Priors and Governors of Religious Orders twelve Deans and as many Archdeacons fifteen Presidents or Masters of Colledges fifty Prebendaries of Cathedral Churches and about eighty Parsons or Vicars The whole number not amounting to two hundred men which in a Realm consisting of nine thousand Parishes and twenty six Cathedral Churches could be no great matter But there was not a sufficient number of Learned men to supply the Cures which filled the Church with an Ignorant Clergy Dr. P. Heylins History of Queen Eliz. whose Learning went no further than the Liturgy or the Book of Homilies but otherwise conformable which was no small felicity to the Rules of the Church And on the other side many were raised to great preferments who having spent their time of exile in such Forreign Churches as followed the platform of Geneva returned so disaffected to Episcopal Government unto the Rites here by Law established as not long after filled the Church with most sad disorders On which account we find the Queens Professor in Oxford among the Non-conformists and Cartwright the Lady Margaret's in Cambridge VVhittingham the Ring-leader of the Franckfort dividers was preferred to the Deanery of Durham Sampson to the Deanery of Christ-church and within few years after turned out for a rigid Non-conformist Hardiman one of the first twelve Prebendaries of the Church of VVestminster deprived soon after for throwing down the Altar and defacing the Vestments of the Church Whether it were by the Pope's instigation or by by the ambition of the Daulphin who had then Married the Queen of Scots the Scottish Queen assumeth unto her self the Style and Title of Queen of England quartereth the Armes thereof upon all her Plate and in all Armories and Eschutcheons as she had occasion A folly that Queen Elizabeth could never forget nor forgive and this engaged her the more resolutely in that Reformation so happily begun And to that purpose she sets out by advice of her Council a certain Body of Injunctions accommodated to the temper of the present time wherein severe course was taken about Ministers Marriages the use of Singing and the Reverence in Divine Worship to be kept in Churches the posture of the Communion-table and the Form of Prayers in the Congregation By the Injunctions she made way to her Visitation Executed by Commissioners in their several Circuits and regulated by a Book of Articles printed and published for that purpose Proceeding by which Articles the Commissioners removed all carved Images out of the Church which had been abused to Superstition defacing also all such Pictures Paintings as served for the setting forth feigned Miracles They enquired also into the life and doctrine of Ministers their diligence in attending their several Cures the decency of their apparel the respect of the Parishioners toward them Heylin's Hist of Q. Elizab. the reverent behaviour of all manner of persons in God's Worship c. by means whereof the Church was setled and confirmed in so good an Order that the work was made more easie to the Bishops when they came to Govern than otherwise it could have been In London the Visitors were Sir Richard Sackvil Father to Thomas Earl of Dorset Robert Horn soon after Bishop of VVinchester Doctor Huick a Civilian and one Salvage a Common Lawyer who calling before them divers Persons of every Parish gave them an Oath to enquire and present upon such Articles and Injunctions as were given unto them In pursuance whereof they burnt in St. Paul's Church-yard Cheapside and other places of the City all the Roods and other Images which had been taken out of the Churches And in some places the Copes Vestments Altar-cloathes Books Banners Sepulchres and Rood-lofts were burned altogether A Peace being concluded betwixt England and France although Queen Elizabeth had just cause to be offended with the young King Francis the Second for causing the Queen of Scots his Wise to take upon her self the Title and Armes of England yet she resolved to bestow a Royal obsequy upon the King deceased which was performed in St. Paul's Church on the eighth and nineth of September in most solemn manner Kellison the Jesuite and Parsons from him slaunderously affirmed That Archbishop Parker was consecrated at the Nags-head Tavern in Cheapside This slaunder was raised on this occasion In order to his Consecration the first thing to be done after the passing the Royal Assent for ratifying the election of the Dean and Chapter was the confirming it in the Court of the Arches according to the usual form in that behalf Mason's Consecration of Bishops in the Church of England lib. 3. cap. 4. Which being accordingly done the Vicar General the Dean of the Arches the Proctors and Officers of the Court whose presence was required at this Solemnity were entertained at a Dinner provided for them at the Nags-head Tavern in Cheapside for which though Archbishop Parker paid the shot yet shall the Church be called to an after-reckoning But the Records of the Archbishoprick declare that he was Consecrated in the Chappel within his Mannor of Lambeth These slaunderers knew right well that nothing did more justifie the Church of England in the eye of the World than that it did preserve a Succession of Bishops and consequently of all other sacred Orders in the Ministration without which as they would not grant it to be a Church so could they prove it to be none by no stronger Argument than that the Bishops or the pretended Bishops rather in their Opinion were either not Consecrate at all or not Canonically Consecrated as they ought to be And now we may behold the face of the Church of England as it was first setled and established under Queen Elizabeth The Government of the Church by Archbishops and Bishops These Bishops nominated and elected according to the Statute in the twenty sixth of King Henry the Eighth and Consecrated by the Ordinal confirmed by Parliament in the fifth and sixth year of King Edward the Sixth never appearing publickly but in their Rotchets nor Officiating otherwise than in Copes of the Altar the Priests not stirring out of doors in their square Caps Cowns or Canonical Coats nor Executing any Divine Service but in their Surplice Heylin Hist of Q. Elizab. The Doctrine of the Church reduced unto it's antient purity according to the Articles agreed upon in Convocation Anno 1552. The Liturgy conform to the Primitive paterns The Festivals preserved in their former dignity observed with their distinct Offices peculiar to them the weekly Fasts the time of
Lent the Embring weeks and Rogation severely kept not now by vertue of the Statute as in the time of King Edward but as appointed by the Church in her publick Calendar before the Book of Common-Prayer The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper celebrated in a Reverend manner the Table seated in the place of the Altar In the Court the Liturgy was officiated every day both Morning and Evening not onely in the publick Chappel but the private Closet celebrated in the Chappel with Organs and other Musical Instruments and the most excellent voices both of men and children that could be got in all the Kingdom The Gentlemen and Children in their Surplices and the Priests in Copes as oft as they attended the Divine Service at the Altar The Altar furnished with rich Plate two fair gilt Candlesticks with Tapers in them and a Massy Crucifix in midst thereof Which last remained there for some years The antient Ceremonies customably observed by the Knights of the Garter in their Adoration toward the Altar were by this Queen retained as formerly in her Father's time The solemn Sermons Preached upon each Wednesday Friday and Lords-day in the time of Lent Preached by the choycest of the Clergy she devoutly heard attired in black according to the custom of her Predecessors The Bishoprick of Carlile was first profered to Bernard Gilpin Fuller Church History of Britain Rector of Houghton in the North but Mr. Gilpin refused the offer not that he had any disaffection to the Office but because he had so much kinred about Carlile at whom He must either connive in many things not without hurt to himself or else deny them not without offence to them It was afterward given to Dr. John Best as was shewed before As for Miles Coverdale formerly Bishop of Exeter he hever returned to his See but remained a private Minister to the day of his death Such of the Scots as desired a Reformation of Religion taking advantage by the Queen's abscence and want of power in the Queen Regent to suppress their practices had put themselves into a Body Headed by some of the Nobility they take unto themselves the name of the Congregation managing their own Affairs apart from the rest of the Kingdom They petition the Queen Regent and the Lords of the Council that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper might be administred in both kinds That divine Offices might be celebrated in the vulgar Tongue and that they might have the choice of their own Ministers The chief of the party well backed by the common people put themselves into Perth the news whereof occasioneth Mr. Knox to leave Geneva and joyn himself to the Lords of the Congregation At Perth he Preacheth against Images Idolatry and other Superstitions of the Church of Rome so bitterly that the people in a popular fury deface all the Images in that Church and presently demolish all Religious Houses in that City Those of Couper hearing of it forthwith destroyed all Images and pulled down the Altars in that Church also The like was done after his Preaching at Craile and St. Andrews in those places They burnt down the rich Monastery of Scone and ruined that of Cambuskenneth demolished all the Altars Images and Covents of Religious persons in Sterling Lithgow Glascough Edenburgh which last they possess and put up their own Preachers into all the Pulpits of that City not suffering the Queen Regent to have the use of one Church onely for her own devotions They alse deprive the Queen Regent of all place and power in the publick Government But she gathering Forces recovereth Edenborough and the chief key of all that Kingdom garisoned by the French In their extremity Maitland and Melvin being dispatched to the Court of England imploring aid from Queen Elizabeth And an Army is sent into Scotland of six thousand Foot and three thousand Horse commanded by the Lord Gray Some Ships were also sent to block up the haven and hinder all Relief which might come by Sea to the Town of Leith At length after divers Articles signed and confirmed for both Kingdoms the French take their leave of Scotland and the English Army was disbanded at Berwick As the Congregation was by the Queen put upon a present confidence of going vigorously on in their Reformation so it concern'd them to proceed so carefully in pursuance of it as might comply with the dependance which they had upon her First Therefore they bound themselves by their subscription to embrace the Liturgy with all the Rites of the Church of England which for a time remained the onely form of Worship for the Kirk of Scotland In the next place They cause a Parliament to be called in the moneth of August for the Boroughs there appeared the accustomed number but of the Lords Spiritual no more than six Bishops of thirteen with thirteen Abbots and Priors and the Temporal Lords to the number of ten Earls and as many Barons Three Acts were passed to the advantage of the Reformation The first was for the abolishing the Pope's Jurisdiction and Authority within the Realm The second for annulling all Statutes made in former times for maintenance of Idolatry and Superstition The third for the punishing the Sayers and Hearers of the Mass To this Parliament also some of the Ministers presented a Confession of the Faith and Doctrine to be believed and professed by the Protestants of the Kirk of Scotland which being put to the Vote was opposed but by three of the Temporal Lords The Popish Prelates were silent in it which being observed by the Earl Marshal he broke out into these words Seeing saith He that my Lords the Bishops who by their Learning can and for the zeal they should have to the Truth ought as I suppose to gainsay any thing repugnant to it say nothing against the Confession we have heard I cannot think but that it is the very Truth of God and that the contrary of it is false Doctrine The Queen was now as active in advancing the Reformed Religion in Ireland as she had been in either of the other Kingdoms A Parliament is therefore held on January 12. where past an Act restoring to the Crown the ancient Jurisdiction over all Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Persons By which Statute were established both the Oath of Supremacy and the High Commission as before in England There past also an Act for the Uniformity of Common-Prayer Heylin's Hist of Q. Elizab. c. with a permission for saying the same in Latin in those Churches where the Minister had not the knowledge of the English Tongue The people by that Statute are required under several penalties to frequent their Churches and to be frequent at the reading the English Liturgy which they understand as little as the Mass by which means the Irish were kept in ignorance as to the Doctrines and Devotions of the Church of England There also past another Statute for restoring to the Crown the first-fruits and twenty
Cap the Episcopal Habit the Churche's Patrimony the manner of proceeding to be held against Papists the Perambulation used in the Rogation week c. in which his judgement was desired But these helps being too far off another project was set on foot Gryndal the new Bishop of London was known to have a great respect to Calvin the business therefore is so ordered that by Calvin's Letters to Gryndal and the friends they had about the Queen way should be given to such of the French Nation as had repaired hither to enjoy the freedom of their own Religion to have a Church unto themselves and in that Church not onely to erect the Genevian Discipline but to set up a Form of Prayer saith Dr. Heylin which should hold no conformity with the English Liturgy This was effected And now there is another Church in London as different from the Church of England in Government and Forms of worship as that of John Alasco was in the Augustine Friars Upon the news of which success divers both French and Dutch came into England planted themselves in the Sea-Towns and openly professed the Reformed Religion But some of them proved to be Anabaptists and others infected with corrupt Opinions of as ill a nature which being made known to the Queen she commands them all by Proclamation to depart the Kingdom whether they were Aliens or natural-born English within twenty days upon pain of imprisonment and loss of all their goods yet notwithstanding many of them lurked in England without fear of discovery especially after the erecting of so many French and Dutch Churches in the Maritime parts The French and Dutch Churches in London were infected with their frenzies and such disputes were among them on that account that Peter Martyr interposed his Authority with them to the composing of those differences which had grown among them for which see his Letter bearing date at Zurich on February 15. next following after the date of the said Proclamation which seemeth to have been about September 16. and superscribed Vnto the Church of Strangers in the City of London By another Proclamation she labours to restrain a sacrilegious kind of people which under pretence of abolishing Superstition demolished antient Tombâ—s razed the Epitaphs and Coat-armors of most Noble Familes and other Monuments of venerable Antiquity took the Bells out of Churches and pluckt off the Lead from the Church-roofs The Abbey of Westminster most renouned for the Inauguration of the Kings of England their Sepulture and the keeping of the Regal Ensignes she converted to a Collegiat Church and there she instituted a Dean twelve Prebendaries a School-master an Usher forty Scholars called the Queen's Scholars whereof six or more are preferred every year to the Vniversities Petit Canons and others of the Quire to the number of thirty ten Officers belonging to the Church and as many Servants belonging to the Colledge-diet and twelve Almes-men besides many Officers Stewards and Collectors for keeping Courts and bringing in of their Revenue The principal of which called the High Steward of Westminster hath ever since been one of the prime Nobility The Dean intrusted with keeping the Regalia honoured with a place of necessary service at all Coronations and a Commissioner for the peace within the City of Westminster and the liberties of it by Act of Parliament The S holars annually preferred by election either to Christ-church in Oxford or Trinity Colledge in Cambridge Since this new Foundation of it it hath given breeding and preferment to four Archbishops two Lord Keepers of the Great Seal of England twenty two Bishops and thirteen Deans of Cathedral-churches besides Archdeacons Prebendaries and other Dignitaries in the Church to a proportionable number The death of Francis the second the young King of France who had married Mary Queen of Scots encouraged the Scots to proceed boldly with their Reformation The Duke of Guise laboured with the Pope to fulminate his Excommunications against Queen Elizabeth as one that had renounced his authority apostatized from the Catholick Religion and utterly exterminated the profession of it out of her Dominions But the Duke sped no better in his negotiation than the Count of Feria did before About this time one Geoffrys was committed Prisoner to the Marshalsey in Southwark and More to the house of Mad-men commonly called Bethlem without Bishop's-gâ—â— in London More professed himself to be Christ Geoffrys believed him to be such and reported him so Having remained a whole year in prison without shewing any sign of their repentance Geoffrys was whipt on April 10. 1561. from the said Marshalsey to Bethlem with a paper bound about his head which signified That this was William Geoffrys a most blasphemous Heretick who denied Christ to be in Heaven At Bethlem he was whipt again in the presence of More till the lash had extorted from him a confession of his damnable error After which More was stript and whipt in the open Streets till he had made the like acknowledgment confessing Christ to be in Heaven and Himself to be a vile sinful man Which being done they were again remitted to their several prisons for their further cure On June the fourth a lamentable fire about four a Clock in the afternoon first shewed it self near the top of the Steeple of St. Paul's Church in London and from thence burnt down the Spire to the Stone-work and Bells and raged so terribly that within the space of four hours the Timber and Lead of the whole Church and whatsoever else was combustible in it was miserably consumed to the great terror of all Beholders Which Church said to be the largest in all the Christian World for all dimensions contains in length seven hundred and twenty foot in breadth one hundred and thirty foot and in height from the pavement to the top of the roof one hundred and fifty foot The Steeple from the ground to the Cross or Weather-cock contained in height five hundred and twenty foot of which the square Tower onely amounted to two hundred and sixty the Pyramide or Spire to as many more which Spire being raised of massy Timber and covered over with sheets of Lead as it was the more apt to be enflamed so was the mischief more incapable of a present remedy The Queen hereupon directed her Letters to the Lord Mayor and City of London to take care therein In obedience to whose Royal Pleasure the Citizens granted a Benevolence and three Fifteens to be speedily paid besides the great bounty of particular persons c. The Queen also sent in a thousand Marks in ready money and Warrants for one thousand load of Timber to be served out of Her Majesties Woods The Clergy of the Province of Canterbury contributing to this work the fortieth part of their Benefices which stood charged with first-fruits and the thirtieth part of those which had paid the same The Clergy of the Diocess of London bestowed the thirtieth part of such of their livings as were
connivency it will press for a Toleration c. Then they propounded Remedies against these some whereof were That for securing the peace at home his Majesty would be pleased to review the parts of their petition formerly delivered to him and to put in execution by the eare of choice Commissioners to be thereunto appointed the Laws already and hereafter to be made for preventing of dangers by Popish Recusants That the Children of the Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdom and of others suspected in their Religion now beyond the Seas may be forthwith called home That the Children of Popish Recusants c. be brought up during their minority with Protestant School-masters That his Majesty will be pleased to revoke all former Licenses for such Children to travel beyond the Seas and not grant any such License hereafter c. The House had sufficient Cause to set forth the danger of true Religion when besides the great wound made in Germany and the cruelties of the prevailing House of Austria the Protestants in France were almost ruined by Lewis the Thirteenth being now besieged in Montauban by the King and in Rochel by Count Soisons and the Duke of Guise And for their Relief the King of England prevailed nothing by sending of Sir Edward Herbert since Baron of Cherbury and after him the Viscount Doncaster Ambassador for Mediation About this time a sad misfortune befel George Abbot Lord Archbishop of Canterbury for shooting at a Deer with a Cross-bow in Bramshil Park belonging to the Lord Zouch he casually killed the Keeper The King made choice of the Lord Keeper the Bishop of London Winton Rochester St. Davids and Exeter Sir Henry Hobart Justice Dolleridge Sir Henry Martin and Doctor Stuart to inform him of the nature of this cause and the scandal that might arise thereupon whether to an Irregularity or otherwise However this consultation was managed the Archbishop was not deprived In this business Bishop Andrews proved the Archbishop's great friend The Archbishop gave twenty pound a year to the man's Widow He kept a monethly fast on a Tuesday as the day whereon this casualty befell About this time young Merick Casaubon set for t a Book in defence of his deceased Father against Herbert Roswed a Jesuite and Andrew Schoppius a notorious railer Julius Caesar Bullinger and Andrew Eudemono Joannes He thought it his duty to assert his Father's memory and to give a brief account of his life and conversation Upon the remove of Richard Milborn to Carlile Doctor William Laud President of St. John's Colledge in Oxford was made Bishop of St. David's He founded in Oxford a Professor in the Arabick Tongue This year died John King Bishop of London He was sworn first Chaplain to King James who commonly called him The King of Preachers And Sir Edward Coke said of him He was the best speaker in Star-chamber in his time When Bishop of London unless hindred by sickness he omitted no Lord's day wherein he did not visit some Pulpit in London or near it The Papists raised a false aspersion upon him That at his death he was reconciled to the Church of Rome but this was sufficiently confuted by those eye and ear-witnesses present at his pious departure George Mountain Bishop of Lincoln succeeded him in his See The same year died William Cotton Bishop of Exeter whom Valentine Carew Dean of St. Paul's succeedeth Robert Townson Bishop of Sarisbury dieth whom John Davenant succeedeth Therein also expired Dr. Andrew Willet a man of great judgement and Industry one that had a large soul in a narrow estate The same year died also Richard Parry Bishop of St. Asaph We will conclude this year with the death of Mr. Francis Mason who wrote that worthy Book De Ministerio Anglicano Anno 1622. Multitudes of Priests and Popish Recusants then imprisoned Rushw Hist Collect. were released which the Spaniards professed to be a great demonstration of the King 's sincere affection to confirm the amity between the Crowns But a General offence was taken at this Indulgence to Papists The next year began with the end of that arrant Apostata in this Land M. Antonius de Dominis Anno 1622. Archbishop of Spalato and his fair riddance out of it He had fourteen years been Archbishop of Spalato in Dalmatia under the State of Venice and had now been five years in England Conscience in shew and Covetousness indeed caused his coming hither He wrote sharply against the Pope Fuller Church Hist An. 1622. out of a particular grudge against Pope Paul who had ordered him to pay a yearly pension of five hundred Crowns out of his Bishoprick to one Audrentius a Suffragan Bishop which this Archbishop refused to do The matter was brought to the Court of Rome where the Archbishop angry that he was cast in his Cause posts out of Italy through Germany into the Low Countries and thence came over into England Here multitudes of people flocked to behold this old Archbishop now a new Convert Prelates and Peers presented him with gifts of high valuation He was Feasted wheresoever he came and both the Universities when he visited them highly honoured him But above all King James was most munificent to him The King consigned him to the Archbishop of Canterbury for his present entertainment and as an earnest of his bounty sent him to Lambeth a fair Bason and Boll of Silver Misit mihi Rex Magnae Britanniae polubrum argenteum ad abstergendas sordes Romanae Ecclesiae poculum argenteum ad imbibendam Evangelii puritatem which Spalato received with this complement The King of Great Britain hath sent me a Silver Bason to wash from me the filth of the Roman Church and a Silver Cup to mind me to drink the purity of the Gospel Preferment is quickly conferred upon him as the Deanery of Windsor and the Master-ship of the Hospital of the Savoy with a good Parsonage at West-Ilsey in Berk-shire being a peculiar belonging to the Episcopal jurisdiction of the Dean of Windsor which Parsonage he collated on himself He improved the profits of his place to the utmost and had a design to question all his Predecessors Leases at the Savoy and began to be vexatious to his Tenants for which he was gravely and sharply reproved by Dr. King then Bishop of London Spalato complained to King James who in some choler said Extraneus extraneus es relinque res sicut eas invenisti You are a Stranger you are a stranger leave things as you found them He would passionately perswade others unto bounty to the poor though he would give nothing himself He now perfects his Books the Collections whereof were made by him at Spalato His works being three fair Folio's De Republica Ecclesiastica give ample testimony of his abilities He delighted in jeering one of his Sarcasms he unhappily bestowed on Count Gondomar the Spanish Ambassador telling him That three turns at Tyburn was the onely way to cure his
of Bavaria was invested in the upper Palatinate Anno 1624. The match with France was concluded and in November the Articles were sworn unto by King James Prince Charles and the French King The Articles for Religion were not much short of those for Spanish match Count Mansfield was at this time in England and the Forces raised in the several parts of the Kingdom for the recovery of the Palatinate were put under his command Dover was the place assigned for their Rendezvous where the Colonels and Captains were to receive their several Regiments and Companies from the Conductors employed by those several Counties where the men were raised These being long pent up in their Ships suffered the want of all necessaries by which means a Pestilence devoured many of them so that scarce a Third part of the men were landed the which also afterwards mouldred away and the design came to nothing At this time upon the death of William Titular Bishop of Calcedon most of the English Secular Priests did petition the Pope that another Bishop might be sent over into England there to ordain Priests give Confirmation and exercise Episcopal jurisdiction Among others Matthew Kellison and Richard Smith were presented Not long after Pope Vrban the Eighth created Richard Smith Bishop of Calcedon and sent him into England with Episcopal Authority over the Priests within the English Dominions King James after he had been troubled with a Tertian Fever four weeks at Theobalds called unto him his onely Son Prince Charles to whom he recommended the protection of the Church of England c. and died on the seven and twentieth day of March He Reigned twenty two years and three days The sad news of King James his death was brought to White-hall when Dr. Laud Bishop of St. David's was Preaching therein This caused him to break off his Sermon in the midst thereof out of civil compliance with the sadness of the Congregation And the same day was King Charles Proclaimed at Whitehall Shortly after King James his death Bishop Land delivered to the hands of the Duke of Buckingham brief memorables of the Life and Death of King James On May fourteenth following King James his Funerals were performed very solemnly in the Collegiate-church at Westminster King Charles in his own person mournfully attended the Funerals of his Father Dr. Williams Lord Keeper and Bishop of Lincoln Preached the Sermon taking for his Text 2 Chron. 9.29 30 and part of vers 31. containing the happy Reign quiet Death and stately Burial of King Solomon In this Sermon he made a parallel between two peaceable Princes King Solomon and King James adding that Solomon's vices could be no blemish to King James who resembled him onely in his choycest vertues Doctor Preston still continued and increased in the favour of the King and the Duke of Buckingham Then a Book came forth called Apello Caesarem made by Mr. Mountague then Fellow of Eaton upon this occasion He had lately written Satyrically enough against the Papists in confutation of The Gagger of the Protestants Now two Divines of Norwich Diocese Mr. Yates and Mr. Ward inform against him for deserting our Cause instead of defending it Mr. Mountague in his own Vindication writes a second Book licensed by Francis White Dean of Carlile finished and partly Printed in the Reign of King James Many bitter passages in this his Book gave great exception At that time a Schedule was delivered to the Duke wherein the names of Ecclesiastical persons were written under the letters of O and P Rushw Collect An. 1625. O standing for Orthodox and P. for Puritans for the Duke commanded that the names of eminent persons to be presented unto the King should be thus digested under that partition On Sunday June 12. Queen Mary landed at Dover Next day the King coming from Canterbury met her at Dover Thence his Majesty conducted the Queen to Canterbury and the same Evening the Marriage was there consummated On June 16. the King and Queen came both to London A Chappel at Sommerset-house was built for the Queen and her Family with conveniences thereto adjoyning for Capuchin Friers who were therein placed and had permission to walk abroad in their Religious habits Then began a Parliament at London wherein the first Statute agreed upon was for the more strict observation of the Lord's day Sir Edward Coke went to the House of Peers with a message from the Commons desiring their concurrence in a petition concerning Religion and against Recusants which being agreed to and presented to the King his Majesty answered That he was glad that the Parliament was so forward in matters of Religion and assured them they should find him as forward Mr. Richard Mountague was brought to the Bar of the Commons House for his Book fore-mentioned which was Printed and dedicated to King Charles But the King rescued him from the House of Commons by taking Mr. Mountague's business into his own hand The Plague increasing in London the Parliament removed to Oxford where Doctor Chalenor died of that infection The Parliament to prevent the growth of Popery presented a petition to his Majesty containing sixteen particulars to which they received a satisfactory answer from the King Mr. Mountagues cause was recommended to the Duke of Buckingham by the Bishops of Rochester Oxford and St. Davids as the cause of the Church of England They affirm boldly that they cannot conceive what use there can be of Civil Government in the Common-wealth or of external Ministry in the Church if such fatal Opinions as some are which are opposite to those of Mr. Mountague be publickly taught and maintained But other Learned men were of a different judgement At Oxford in a late Divinity disputation held upon this Question Whether a Regenerate man may fall away totally and finally from Grace The Opponent u ging the Appeal to Caesar the Doctor of the Chair handled the Appellator very roughly saying That he was a man that studied phrases more than matter That he understood neither Articles nor Homilies or at least perverted both That he attributed he knew not what vertue to the sign of the Cross and concluded with an Admonition to the Juniors That they should be wary of reading that and the like Books The King according to his late answer to the Parliament at Oxford issued out a Commission to the Judges to see the Law against Recusants put in Execution This was read in all the Courts of Judicature at Reading where Michaelmas Term was kept and a letter directed to the Archbishop of Canterbury to take special care for the discovery of Jesuites Seminary Priests c. within his Province In this and the next year many Books from persons of several abilities and professions were written against Mr. Mountague by Dr. Sutcliff Dean of Exeter Mr. Henry Burton Mr. Yates a Minister of Norfolk his Book he entitled Ad Caesarem ibis Dr. Carleton Bishop of Chichester Anthony Wotton Divinity-professor
of such Prohibitions as formerly had been granted by the Courts in Westminster-hall to stop the proceedings of the Court-Christian and specially of the High-Commission and in the next place to deny the Authority of the Commission it self as before was noted Hereupon the Archbishop informs his Majesty both of the Man and of his design how far he had gone in justifying the proceedings of the Scottish Covenanters in decrying the temporal power of Church-men and the undoubted right of Bishops to their place in Parliament his Majesty hereupon gives order to Finch the new Lord Keeper to interdict all further Reading on those points Hereupon it was soon found that nothing could be done therein without leave from the King and no such leave to be obtained without the consent of the Archbishop To Lambeth therefore goes the Reader where he found no admittance till the third Address and was then told That he was fallen upon a Subject neither safe nor seasonable which should stick closer to him then he was aware of Whereupon Bagshaw hasteneth out of Town Short view of the life and reign of King Charles p. 77. The Parliament came together on April 13. 1640. instead of acting any thing for his Majesties service they were at the point of passing a Vote for blasting his War against the Scots To prevent which his Majesty was forced to dissolve them on May 5. the Convocation still continuing who granted him a Benevolence of four shillings in the pound for all their Ecclesiastical promotions to be paid six years together then next ensuing The Convocation sate after the breaking up of the Parliament A new Commission was brought from his Majesty by vertue whereof they were warranted to sit still not in the capacity of a Convocation but of a Synod to prepare their Canons for the Royal assent thereunto But Doctor Brewnrigg Doctor Hacket Doctor Holdsworth Mr. Warmstrey with others to the number of thirty six the whole House consisting of about sixscore protested against the continuance of the Convocation To satisfie these an Instrument was brought into the Synod signed with the hands of the Lord Privy-seal the two chief Justices and other Judges justifying their so fitting in the nature of a Synod to be legal according to the Laws of the Realm Now their disjoynted meeting being set together again they consulted about new Canons I shall set down the number and titles of the several Canons 1. Concerning the Regal power 2. For the better keeping of the day of his Majesties Inauguration 3. For suppressing of the growth of Popery 4. Against Socinianism 5. Against Sectaries 6. An Oath enjoyned for the preventing of all Innovations in Doctrine and Government 7. A Declaration concerning some Rites and Ceremonies 8. Of preaching for Conformity 9. One Book of Articles of enquiry to be used at all Parochial visitations 10. Concerning the Conversation of the Clergy 11. Chancellors Patents 12. Chancellors alone not not to censure any of the Clergy in sundry cases 13. Excommunication and Absolution not to be pronounced but by a Priest 14. Concerning the Commutations and the disposing of them 15. Concerning some Concurrent Jurisdictions 16. Concerning Licenses to marry 17. Against vexatious Citations The Oath it self I shall set down as I find it in the Life of Archbishop Laud written by Doctor Heylin in this form following viz. I A. B. do swear That I do approve the Doctrine and Discipline or Government established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to salvation And that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish doctrine contrary to that which is so established Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Archbishops Bishops Deans and Archdeacons c. As it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand nor yet ever subject it to the usurpations and superstitions of the See of Rome And all these things I do plainly and seriously acknowledge and swear according to the plain and common sence and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And this I do heartily willingly and truly upon the faith of a Christian So help me God in Jesus Christ Toward the close of the Convocation Doctor Griffith made a motion that there might be a new Edition of the Welsh Church-bible some sixty years first translated into Welsh by the endeavours of Bishop Morgan but not without many mistakes and omissions of the Printer The matter was committed to the care of the Welsh Bishops but nothing was effected therein Near the ending of the Synod Godfrey Goodman Bishop of Glocester privately acquainted the Archbishop of Canterbury that he could not in his Conscience subscribe the new Canons The Archbishop being present with the Synod in King Henry the Seventh his Chappel said unto him My Lord of Glocester I admonish you to subscribe and presently after My Lord of Glocester I admonish you the second time to subscribe and immediately after I admonish you to subscribe To all which the Bishop pleaded Conscience and returned a denial Some dayes after he was committed to the Gate-house Soon after the same Canons were subscribed at York and on the last of June following the said Canons were publickly printed with the Royal assent affixed thereunto Fuller Church History ad An. 1640. Various were mens censures upon these Canons But most took exception against that clause in the Oath We will never give any consent to alter this Church-governmet as if the same were intended to abridge the liberty of King and State in future Parliaments and Convocations if hereafter they saw cause to change any thing therein Yet others with a favourable sence endeavoured to qualifie this suspitious clause whereby the taker of this Oath was tied up from consenting to any alteration saying that these words We will never give any consent to alter are intended here to be meant only of a voluntary and pragmatical alteration when men conspire and endeavour to change the present Government of the Church in such particulars as they do dislike without the consent of their Superiors Bishop Goodman on July the tenth made acknowledgment of his fault before the Lords of the Council and took the Oath enjoyned in the sixth Canon for preserving the Doctrines and Discipline of the Church of England against all Popish doctrines which were thereunto repugnant Upon the doing whereof he was restored by his Majesty to his former liberty Yet in the time of his last sickness it is said that he declared himself to be a Member of the Church of Rome and caused it so to be expressed in his last Will and Testament On December 27. 1639. at night and the night following there was such a violent Tempest that many of the Boats which were drawn to Land at Lambeth were dashed one against the other and were broke to pieces
13. 1644. An Ordinance for the Ordination of Ministers pro tempore within the County of Lancaster according to the Ordinance of the second of October for the Ordination of Ministers April 12. 1645. An Ordinance for the Regulating the Vniversity of Cambridge and for the removing of scandalous Ministers in the seven Associated Counties April 23. 1645. An Ordinance appointing Ministers for certain Churches and Lectures Hughe's Abridgement of ordinances of Parlament Part 2. viz. Philip Goodwin to be Vicar of the Church of Watford in Hartfordshire and to receive to himself all Tythes Oblations c. thereunto belonging during his life And Dr. Cornelius Burgess to have yearly allowance of four-hundred pounds paid unto him by the Lord Mayor of the City of London and the Court of Aldermen to be paid quarterly out of the Houses Rents Revenues of the Dean Dean and Chapter of the Church of S. Paul's for and during the term of his life he performing the Lectures in the said Church as by the Lords and Commons he was Ordered to do April 26. 1645. An Ordinance that no person be permitted to Preach who is not Ordained a Minister either in this or some other Reformed Church except such as intending the Ministry shall be allowed for the trial of their gifts by those who shall be appointed thereunto August 19. 1645. Directions of the Lords and Commons after advice had with the Assembly of Divines for the electing and chusing of Ruling Elders in all the Congregations And in the Classical Assemblies for the Cities of London and Westminster and the several Counties of the Kingdom for the speedy setling of the Presbyterial government August 21. 1645. Ordained that the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament of the several Counties of England and Wales shall send Printed books of the Directory of God's Worship fairly bound up in Leather to the Committees of Parliament residing in the several Counties who shall send or cause the same to be delivered to the several Ministers of every Parish c. October 20. 1645 An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons together with Rules and Directions concerning suspension from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in cases of Ignorance and Scandal Also the names of such Ministers and others that are appointed Tryers and Judges of the Ability of Elders in the twelve Classes within the Province of London January 7. 1645. An Ordinance for making Covent-garden Parochical and that the new erected Church within the Precinct of the said new intended Parish shall be a Parish-Church for the said Precinct and that William Earl of Bedford his Heirs and Assigns for ever shall have the Patronage of the said Church c. March 14. 1645. An Ordinance for keeping of scandalous Persons from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper the enabling of the Congregation for the choyce of Elders and supplying of defects in former Ordinances and Directions of Parliament concerning Church-government June 5. 1646. An Ordinance for the present setling without further delay of the Presbyterial government in the Church of England August 28. 1646. An Ordinance for the Ordination of Ministers by the Classical Presbyters within their respective bounds for the several Congregations in the Kingdom of England January 29. 1647. An Ordinance for the speedy dividing and setling of the several Counties of this Kingdom into distinct Classical Presbyteries and Congregational Elderships February 9. 1647. An Ordinance for Reparation of Churches and paying of Church-duties April 3. 1648. An Ordinance for union of Churches in the City of Glocester and maintenance for Preaching Ministers there May 2. 1648. An Ordinance for punishing Blasphemies and Heresies The King on April 17. 1646. In disguise went out of Oxford attended by Mr. John Ashburnham and one more On May 6. His Majesty came to the Scots Army which occasioned the Scotch Commissioners to write to the Parliament about it May 19. the Scots came with the King to New-castle A great dispute was between the King and Mr. Alexander Henderson about Church-matters Sâ—â—underson's Hist of King Charles p. 904. where after several Discourses and meetings many writings passed between them till July 16. concerning these matters by Authority of the Fathers and Practice of the Primitive Church His Majesty concludeth that to him it is incredible that any custome of the Catholick Church be erroneous which was not Contradicted by Orthodox Learned men in the times of their first practice as is easily perceived that these defections were which Henderson mentions And finally that albeit He never esteemed any Authority equal to the Scriptures yet he thinks the unanimous consent of the Fathers and the Universal practice of the Primitive Church to be the best and Authentical Interpreters of God's word and consequently the fittest Judges between him and Henderson until better may be found These disputes were afterwards published in Print to the everlasting Honour of His Majesty and his Cause On February 6. 1646. the Scots according to agreement quitted New-castle and the English possessed it The Parliament voted the King's remove to Holdenby-house with respect to the safety of His Person And the Commissioners appointed for receiving the King's Person came to Newcastle on June 22. The King desireth two of his Chaplains to be with him which was denied him at which he is much troubled His Majesty resolves to keep every Friday a day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation After His Majesty had been neer five moneths at Holdenby near a Thousand Souldiers commanded by Cornet Joyce came to Holdenby to the King and told him that they were come by command from the Army to remove him from that place His Majesty demanded whether they would offer any violence to his Person They all cried None He also desired that his Trunks and Papers might not be Riffled and tumbled They promised to set a guard on them Thirdly he required such servants to attend him against whom there was no just exceptions They answered he should Lastly he desired that nothing be imposed on him contrary to his Conscience They answered it was not their judgement to force any thing against Conscience upon any one much less on His Majesty So at one of the Clock His Majesty went along with them On June 28. 1647. His Majesty was brought to Hatfield the Duke of Richmond attending him and others and from thence came to Casam At this time the Parliament was jealous of the King and the Army lest they should treat without the consent of the Parliament And the Army likewise devised as many jealousies and fears of a private engagement and Subscribing in the City of London and against the Army Then the Parliament Order their Votes of the Militia in the hands of the City to be Null c. The Apprentices clamour at the Houses and gather together in Westminster-hall in such multitudes that the Commons were forced to unvote and null their last Orders Then the Army marcheth nearer London Both Speakers and some Members fly the Army
conform Another Act was also passed for restoring of all such Advousons Rectories Impropriate Glebe-lands and Tithes to his Majesties loyal Subjects as were taken from them and making void certain charges imposed on them upon their compositions for delinquency by the late usurped Power Another Act was passed for preventing Abuses in printing Seditious Treasonable and Unlicensed Books and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing-presses Pamphlets and Books prohibited to be Printed Published or Sold were Heretical Seditious or Shismatical Books or Pamphlets wherein any Christian Doctrine or Opinion shall be asserted or maintained which is contrary to Christian Faith or to the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England or which shall or may tend or be to the scandal of Religion or the Government or Governours of the Church State or Common-wealth or of any Corporation or particular person or persons whatsoever none shall import publish sell or dispose any such Book or Books or Pamphlets nor shall cause or procure any such to be published or put to sale or to be bound stitched or sewed together In the fifteenth year of his Majestie 's Reign an Act was passed for relief of such persons as by Sickness or other Impediment were disabled from subscribing the Declaration in the Act of Uniformity and explanation of part of the said Act. In the sixteenth year of his Majestie 's Reign an Act was passed for suppression of Seditious Conventicles under pretence of exercise of Religion Wherein it was Enacted That if any person being of the age of sixteen years and upwards being a Subject of this Realm at any time after the first day of July 1664. shall be present at any Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion in any other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy or practice of the Church of England in any place within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales c. at which Conventicle Meeting or Assembly there shall be five persons or more assembled together over and above those of the same Houshold then it shall and may be lawful to and for any two Justices of the Peace of the County limit division or liberty wherein the said offence aforesaid shall be committed c. and they are hereby required and enjoyned upon proof to him or them respectively made of such offence either by confession of the party or Oath of witness or notorious evidence of the fact to make a Record of every such offence under their hands and seals respectively And that thereupon the said Justices c. shall commit every such offender so convicted as aforesaid to the Gaol or house of Correction there to remain for three moneths without Bayl or Mainprize unless the said offender shall pay down to the said Justices or chief Magistrate such sum of money not exceeding five pounds as the said Justices or Chief-magistrate who are hereby thereunto authorized and required shall fine the said offender at for his or her said offence which money shall be paid to the Church-wardens for the relief of the poor of the Parish where such offender did last inhabit Upon every second offence the offender to be imprisoned six moneths and to be fined ten pounds And upon the third offence the offender to be transplanted beyond the Seas to any of his Majesties Forreign Plantations Virginia and New England onely excepted there to remain seven years It was further Enacted That the Lieutennants or Deputy-lieutennants or any Commissioned Officers of the Militia or any other of his Majestie 's Forces with such Troops or Companies of Horse and Foot and also the Sheriffs Justices of Peace and other Magistrates and Ministers of Justice or any of them joyntly or severally within any of the Counties or places within this Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales c. shall repair unto the place where such Conventicles are held and by the best means they can shall dissolve and dissipate or prevent all such unlawful meetings and take into their custody such of those persons so unlawfully assembled as they shall judge to be the leaders and seducers of the rest and such others as they shall think fit to be proceeded against according to Law for such offences Every person who shall willingly suffer any such Conventicle to be held in his or her house out-house barn yard c. shall incur the same penalties and forfeitures as any other offender against this Act ought to be proceeded against In the seventeenth year of His Majestie 's Reign an Act was passed for restraining Non-conformists from inhabiting in Corporations Herein it was Enacted That all Parsons Vicars Curates Lecturers and other persons in holy Orders or pretended holy Orders c. who have not declared their unfeigned assent and consent as aforesaid and subscribed the Declaration aforesaid and shall not take and subscribe the Oath following I A. B. do swear that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Armes against the King and that I do abhor that traiterous position of taking Armes by his Authority against his person or against those that are Commissioned by him in pursuance of such Commissions And that I will not endeavour at any time any alteration of Government either in Church or State And all such persons as shall take upon them to Preach in any unlawfull Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion contrary to the the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdom shall not at any time from and after the 24th of March 1665. unless onely in passing upon the Road come or be within five miles of any City or Town Corporate or Borough that sends Burgesses to the Parliament within His Majesties Kingdom of England Principality of Wales c. or within five miles of any Parish Town or Place wherein He or They have been since the Act of Oblivion Parson Vicar Curate Lecturer c. or taken upon them to Preach in any unlawful Assembly c. under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion c. before He or They have subscribed or taken the Oath aforesaid before the Justices of the Peace at their quarter Sessions to be holden for the County or division next unto the said Corporation City or Borough place or Town in open Court which said Oath the said Justices are thereby impowred there to administer upon forfeiture for every such offence the sum of forty pounds of lawful English money the one third part to his Majesty and his Successors the other third part to the use of the poor of the Parish where the offence shall be committed and the other third part thereof to such person or persons as shall or will sue for the same by Action of Debt Plaint Bill or Information in any Court of Record at Westminster or before any Justices of Assize Oyer and Terminer or Gaol-delivery c. Provided also That it shall not be lawful for any person
else in study His Study was so well furnished with Books ehat it is thought he had more Books than all the Bishops in England Many Letters passed between him and Francis Petrarch and other learned men in those dayes Thomas Bradwardine was then one of his Chaplains afterward Archbishop of Canterbury Richard Fitz-Ralph Ralph afterward Archbishop of Armagh W Burley J. Mandut R. Holcot R. Killington Doctors of Divinity Richard Bintworth and W. Seagrove the one afterward Bishop of London the other of Chichester He was very liberal to the poor 21. Thomas Halfield He built Durham colledge in Oxford now called Trinity-colledge 22. John Fordham 23. Robert Nevil 24. Laurence Booth 25. William Dudley 26. John Sherwood 27. Richard Fox 28. William Severus 29. Christopher Bambridge 30. Thomas Ruthal 31. Thomas Wolsey Cardinal 32. Cuthbert Tonstal 33. James Pilkinton 34. Richard Barnes 35. Matthew Hutton 36. Tobias Matthew 37. William James 38. Richard Neile 39. John Howson 40. Thomas Morton 41. John Cozens Bishops of Carlile Carlile being destroyed by the Danes in the year 900. it happened King William Rufus passing that way Anno 1090. re-edified it and built a strong Castle in the same City The Government of this new erected City was committed to a certain Norman Priest named Walter that came into England with the Conqueror This man being very rich began to build there a Church to the honour of the blessed Virgin but he died before he could perfect the work Adelwald the first Prior of St. Oswald and Confessor to King Henry the First perswaded the said King to employ the Revenues that Walter left behind him in the foundation of a Colledge of Regular Canons to be annexed unto the Church forementioned He did so and moreover bestowed upon the said Colledge six Churches with their Chappels to be impropriated to the same use The Bishops of Carlile were 1. Adelwald the Prior forementioned 2. Barnard 3. Hugh Abbot of Battell 4. Walter Malcleck 5. Sylvester de Everdon 6. Thomas Vipont 7. Robert de Chause 8. Ralph de Ireton 9. John de Halton 10. John de Rosse 11. John de Kirkby 12. Gilbert de Welton 13. Thomas de Appleby 14. Robert Read 15. Thomas Merkes 16. William Strickland 17. Roger Whelpdale 18. William Barrow 19. Marmaduke Lumley 20. Nicholas Close 21. William Piercy 22. John Kingscot 23. Richard Scroop 24. Edward Story 25. Richard Prior of Durham 26. William Sever 27. Roger Laburn 28. John Penny 29. John Kite 30. Robert Aldrich 31. Owen Oglethorp that crowned Queen Elizabeth 32. John Best 33. Richard Barnes 34. John May 35. Henry Robinson 36. Robert Snowdon 37. Richard Milborn 38. Richard Senhouse 39. Francis White 40. Barnaby Potter 41. Richard Stern 42. Edward Rainbow Of the manner of Installation of Bishops herein England in former times THe Installation of Bishops was a Ceremony of great solemnity in former Ages the particularity whereof we find in Walter Stapleton Bishop of Excester in the beginning of the Reign of King Edward the Second who was Consecrated March 18. 1307. When he came to Excester to be Installed at the East-gate he alighted from his Horse and went on foot to St. Peter's Church All the way where he should pass being laid and covered with black Cloath on each hand he was conducted by a Gentleman of great worship Sir Hugh Courtney who claimed to be Steward of his Feast going next before him At Broad-gate he was received by his Chapter and Quire in their Ornaments with Te Deum and so carried into the Church The usual Ceremonies being performed there at his Palace a great Feast was prepared for the entertainment of such Noble-men and other Persons of account as repaired thither at that time It is incredible how many Oxen Tuns of Ale and Wine are said to have been usually spent at this kind of Solemnity even so much as the whole yearly Revenue at this time would not suffice to pay for Of those Englishmen that have been Cardinals of the Church of Rome 1. THE first Leader of this Band is Pope Joan called by Sabellicus Bish Godwyn and some others John the Seventh but by Platina and other Writers John the Eighth who being but a Woman became not onely Cardinal but Pope of Rome She was born at Mentz in Germany the Daughter of an English Priest who having a Wife whose Parents dwelt at Mentz bringing his said Wife to see her friends stayed there so long till she was delivered of this Feminine Prelate named in her Baptism Joan as most say Gilberta as others or as Fulgosus delivereth Agnes In her youth she fell acquainted with an English Monk of the Abbey of Fulda with whom travelling in Man's apparel to diverse Universities and Monasteries as well Greek as Latin she setled in the end at Athens where she became Famous for Learning and continued there with him untill the death of her said Paramour Then coming to Rome and by Reading Disputing and other Exercises having purchased to her self the reputation of a great Clerk upon the death of Leo the Fourth she was chosen Pope Anno 855. and held that place two years five moneths and three days in which mean time she was gotten with child by a certain Cardinal and going in Procession hapned to be delivered of her burden in the open Street in which place she instantly died viz. between the Colisco and St. Clement's Church the shame and turpitude of which disgrace unto that holy See hath moved all the Bishops of Rome since that time to lengthen a little the walk of their Procession and to go a way much farther about rather than they will endure to pass by that place And to prevent the like inconvenience in time to come they have ordained every Pope after his election to be searched by the Junior Deacon in a Marble-chair made hollow for the same purpose Spectatur adhuc saith Sabellicus in Pontificia domo marmorea sella circa medium inanis qua nobis Pontifex continuo ab ejus creatione residat ut sedentalis Genetalia ab ultimo Diacono attrectentur This History howsoever impugned of late by the Papists is delivered by Marianus Scotus and Martin of Poland who lived Anno 1320. Sabellicus Fasciculus Temporum Petrarch and divers others And Platina recounting this Story saith Quod omnes fere affirmant that it is observed almost by all Writers 2. The next in time is one Vlricus an English-man who being Cardinal came into England as the Pope's Legate Anno 1109. and brought the Archiepiscopal Pall unto Thomas the younger Archbishop of York and caused him to consecrate Turgod Prior of Durham unto the Bishoprick of St. Andrews in Scotland 3. Robert Bullen of Puley a very Learned Man in his time unto him the University of Oxford is much beholden for whereas in the Reign of King Harold it had been so wasted as that for many years it lay desolate and forsaken of Scholars he was a means to draw them thither
and Bishop of Winchester was created Cardinal of S. Eusebius by Pope Martin the Eighth June 23. 1426. He died April 11. 1447. and was buried in his own Church 37. Henry Chichely was created Cardinal Anno 1428. saith the Author of Antiquit. Britan. 38. John Kemp Archbishop of York was ordained Cardinal of S. Eusebius August 9. 1439. long after being Archbishop of Canterbury he was removed to the Title of S. Ruffinus 39. Thomas Bourchier Archbishop of Canterbury was created by Pope Paul the Second Cardinal S. Syriaci in Thermis Anno 1464. He died March 30. 1486. 40. John Morton Archbishop of Canterbury was by Pope Alexander the Fifth created Cardinal S. Anastasii Anno 1493. He died Anno 1500. 41. Christopher Bainbrigg Archbishop of York was made a Cardinal S. Praxedis Anno 1511. 42. Thomas Wolsey Archbishop of York was created Cardinal S. Coeciliae September 7. He died November 29. 1530. 43. John Fisher Dâ—ctor of Divinity and Bishop of Rochester was made Cardinal S. Vitalis for refusing the King's supremacy and dissallowing his marriage wiâ—h the Lady Anne Bolen he was beheaded on the Tower-hill 1535. 44. Reginald Pool afterward Archbishop of Canterbury was created Cardinal by Pope Paul the Third May 22. 1536. and had three several Titles the first S. Nerei Achillei then S. Mariae in Cosmedin and lastly S. Prisâ—ae He died November 7. 1558. 45. Peter Petow a Friar was made Cardinal by Pope Paul the Fourth June 13. 1557. and also nominated by him unto the Bishoprick of Sarum and all to cross and disgrace Cardinal Pool He died in France within the compass of the same year and might never set Foot in England to make shew of his red Hat as doubtless he greatly desired to have done 46. William Allen born in England He raised a great combustion in our Church This fugitive was born in Lancashire and brought up in Orial Colledge he ran away beyond the Seas for his treasonable practices against his Countrey he was by the Pope and other Enemies of the same promoted to divers Ecclesiastical preferments and lastly had a Cardinal's hat bestowed upon him in August 1587. He died a Priest-cardinal S. Martini in Montibus 1594. and was buried in the Church of the English Colledge at Rome Of the several Orders and Monks that have been in England Ex Fuleri Eccles Hist 1. MAthew Paris tells us that in his time Tot jam apparuerunt ordines in Anglia ut ordinum confusio videretur inordinata there then appeared so many Orders in England that there seemed to be an inordinate confusion of Orders 1. The Benedictines or black Monks the primitive Monks in England so called from St. Benedict or Bennet an Italian first Father and founder of that Order Augustine the Monk first brought them ovâ—r into England and these black Monks first nested in Canterbury whence they have flown out into all the parts of the Kingdom For as Clement Reyner observeth rightly all the Abbies of England before King William the Conqueror and some while after were filled with this Order and though the Augustinians were their Seniors in Europe yet they were their Juniors in England The same Order was afterwards set forth in a new edition corrected and amended under the names of First Cluniacks These were Benedictines refined with some additionals invented and imposed upon them by Odo the Fourth of Clugny in Normandy who lived Anno 913. But these Cluniacks came not into England till after the Norman Conquest and had their richest Covents at Barnstable in Devon-shire Pontefract and Meaux in York-shire c. Secondly Sistercians so called from one Robert living in Cistercium in Burgundy He the second time refined the drossie Benedictines and Walter Espick first established their Order in England at Rival in York-shire besides which they have had many other pleasant and plentiful habitations at Warden and Woburn in Bedford-shire Buckland and Ford in Devon-shire Bindon in Dorset-shire c. The Bernardine Monks were of a younger house or under-branch of the Cistercians King John built an Abbey of the Cistercian Order at Beaulieu in Hant-shire Thirdly Of Grandmont which observed St. Bennet's rule These were brought into England Anno 1233. and were principally fixed at Abberbury in Shrop-shire These Benedictines with their several branches were so numerous and so richly endowed that in their revenues they did match all the Orders in England especially if the foundations of Benedictine Nuns be joyned in the same reckoning 2. The Augustinian Monks succeed it is conceived that Eudo the Dapifer or Sewer to King Henry the First first brought them into England Anno 1105. and that St. Johns at Colchester was the prime place of their residence Doctor Fuller saith that Waltham Abbey for Benedictines at the first had it's Copy altered and bestowed on Augustinians These Augustinians were also called Canons Regular This Order in England brought forth seventy eminent Writers and one in Germany worth them all in effect I mean Martin Luther who gave a mortal wound to all these Orders yea to the root of the Romish Religion 3. Gilbertine Monks a mongrel Order observing some select rules Camden in Lincoln-shire partly of St. Bennet partly of St. Augustine so named from Gilbert son to Joceline a Knight Lord of Sempringham in Lincoln-shire Being backed with the Authority of Pope Eugenius the Third he ordained a Sect consisting of men and women which so grew and encreased that himself laid the foundations of thirteen Religious houses of this Order 4. Carthusian Monks much famed for their mortified lives and abstinence from all flesh Bruno first founded them in the Dolphinate in France Anno 1080. and some sixty years after they were first brought over into England William de long a Spata Earl of Salisbury founded the first house of Carthusian Monks at Heltrop whose wife Ela after his death founded the house of Nuns at Lacock in Wilt-shire and there continued her self Abbess of the place The Books of the English Carthusians were many there being no less than eleven hundred Authors of them their writings tend much to mortification and out of them Parsons the Jesuite hath collected a good part of his resolutions Of the Benedictine Monks there is reported to have been of that Order twenty four Popes of Rome one hundred eighty two Cardinals one thousand four hundred sixty four Archbishops and Bishops fifteen thousand and seventy Abbots of renown Pope John the Twenty second saith there have been of this Order five thousand six hundred fifty six Monks Canonized and made Saints The cloathing and rule of the Cluniacks was according to the appointment of St. Benedicts rule The Cestercians wear red shooes and white rochets on a black coat they are all shoâ—â— saâ—e a little circle The Order of those of Grandmont is to lead a strait life as Monks use to do to give themselves to Watching Fasting and Prayer to wear a coat of Males upon their bodies and a black
cloak thereupon The Augustinians or Regular Canons their cloathing by their first foundation was a white coat and a linnen rotchet under a black cope with a scapular to cover their head and shoulders The Gilbertines may boast that whereas Benedictines are by original Italians Augustinians African Carthusians French Dominicans Spanish c. they are pure English by the extraction of their Order The life of the Carthusians was outwardly full of painted holiness in forbearing flesh in fasting from bread and water every Friday in wearing hair-clothes next their body they were addicted to much silence and solitariness never going abroad refusing all women's company with other like ceremonies Of the several sorts of Friars that have been in England HEre it will be necessary to premise what was the distinction between the Monks and Friars The most essential difference is this Monks had nothing in propriety nor in common but being Mendicants begged all their subsistence from the charity of others Indeed they had houses or cells to dwell in or rather to hide themselves in but they had no means thereunto belonging But it may be Objected That many Convents of Friars had large and ample Revenues amounting to some hundreds though never thousands by the year I Answer That from the beginning of the Institution of Friars it was not so These additions of Lands unto them was of latter date not of their seeking but of their Benefactors casting upon them We begin with their four elemental Orders Wickliff commonly inveigheth against Friars under the name of C. A. J. M. C. Carmelites A. Augustinians J. Jacobines M. Minorites or Dominicans Franciscans An uncharitable Rythmer thus le ts fly at them Per decies binos Sathanas capiat Jacoboinas Propter errores Jesu confunde Minores Augustienses pater inclyte sterne per enses Et Carmelitas tanquam falsos Heremitas Sunt Confessores Dominorum seu Dominarum Et seductores ipsraum sunt animarum 1. Of these Anno 1221 the Dominicans were the first Friars which came over into England being but twelve in number with Gilbert de Fraxineto their Prior first landed at Canterbury fixed at Oxford but richly endowed at London They were commonly called Black Friars Preaching Friars and Jacobine Friars They took their name from St. Dominick born at Calogora in Spain and Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent was their chief Patron bestowing his Palace in the Suburbs of London upon them which afterwards they sold to the Archbishops of York residing therein till by some transactions between King Henry the Eighth and Cardinal Wolsey it became the Royal Court now known by the name of Whitehall Afterwards by the bounty of Gregory Rocksley Lord Mayor of London and Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury they were more conveniently lodged in two Lanes on the bank of Thames and still retaining the name of Black Friars no fewer than eighty English writers are accounted of this Order at this day As beyond the Seas they are much condemned for being the sole active managers of the cruel Spanish Inquisition so they deserve due commendation for their Orthodox Judgements in maintaining some controversies in Divinity of importance against the Jesuites 2. Franciscans follow commonly called Gray Friers or Minorites either in allusion to Jacob's words sum minor omnibus beneficiis tuis or from some other humble expressions in the New Testament They received their name from St. Francis born in the Dutchy of Spoletum in Italy Canonized by Pope Gregory the Ninth about two years after whose death the Franciscans came over into England and one Diggs Ancestor to Sir Dudley Diggs bought for them their first seat in Canterbury who afteward were diffused all over England They were well-skilled in School-divinity and had a curious Library in London built by Richard Whittington in that age costing five hundred and fifty pounds One Bernard of Siena about the year 1400. refined the Franciscans into Observants King Edward the Fourth first brought them into England where they had six famous Cloysters since which time there have been a new Order of Minims begun beyond the Seas Recollects Penitentaries Capuchins c. seeing they had their rise since the fall of Abbies in England they belong not to our present enquiry c. This Order afforded in England a hundred and ten Learned Writers 3. Carmelites or White Friars come next so named from Mount Carmel brought over into England in the Reign of King Richard the First by Ralph Freeborn and placed at Alnwick in Northumberland in a wilderness most like unto Carmel in Syria whose Convent at their dissolution in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth was at low rates in that cheap County valued at one hundred ninety and four pound and seven shillings per Annum Speeds Catal. p. 795. Reyner de Apostolatu Benedictinorum p. 164 Vide the Catalog in Fullers Church Hist l. 6. p. 272 by which we may see that even Mendicant Friars had houses endowed even with Revenues Hi cum primis Monachis Britonum Scororum ex Aegypto Palestina in Britanicas Insulas Monachatum intulerunt It is said in the praise of our Carmelites that they were most careful in keeping the Records of their Order Let them thank John Bale herein once of them who in his youth made the Catalogue out of love to his Order and in his old age preserved it out of his affection to Antiquity This Order was vertical and in the highest exaltation thereof in the Reign of King Edward the Fourth under Nicholas Kenton their twenty fifth Provincial They reckoned no fewer than one thousand five hundred of their Order But when John Milverton his successor began in favour of Friary furiously to ingage against Bishops and the Secular Clergy the Carmelites good Masters and Dames began to forsake them and they never recovered their credit till they were utterly dissolved John Bird the one and thirtieth Provincial of this Order zealously impugned the Pope's Supremacy in his Sermons for which he was made the first Bishop of Chester and was ejected that See in the Reign of Queen Mary because he was married The Carmelites boast very much of one Simon Stock of their Order Stow's Survay of London p. 821. a Kentish boy which being but twelve years old went out into the Woods and there fed on roots and wild fruit living in the trunk of an hollow Tree whence he got the Sirname of Stock Having a revelation that soon after Some should come out of Syria and confirm his Order which came to pass when the Carmelites came hither he afterwards became Master General of their Order to whom the respective Provincials are accountable and is said to be famous for his miracles 4. Augustinian Eremites they entred England Anno 1252. and had their first habitation at St. Peters in the Poor in London These probably taking the denomination of poverty otherwise at this day a very rich Parish in the City because the said Augustinian
it was utterly unlawful for them to accept any thing thereof This Order had but this one Covent in England and so wealthy it was that at the dissolution it was valued yearly worth one thousand nine hundred forty four pounds eleven shillings eight pence farthing This Order constantly kept their Audit on All Saints Eve October 31. and the day after All Souls being the third of November No Covents of England more carefully kept their Records than the Priory of Clarkenwel Speeds Catal. of Religious Houses p. 793. to whose credit it is registred There is a perfect Catalogue from their first foundation to their dissolution of all their Prioresses defective in all other houses Sir Thomas Chaloner not long ago built a spatious house within the close of that Priory upon the frontispiece whereof these Verses were inscribed Casta fides superest velatae tuta sorores Ista relegatae deseruere licet Nam venerandus Hymen hic vota jugalia servat Vestalemque focum mente fovere studet Chast Faith still stay 's behind though hence be flown Those veiled Nuns who here before did nest For reverend Mariage wedlock-vowes doth own And sacred flames keep 's here in Loyal breast Here I shall say little of the Houses for Leprous people though indeed they deserved more charity than all the rest Burton-lazars of Leicester-shire was the best endowed house for that purpose for so they used to tearm people infected with the Leprosie Camden in Leicester-shire Here was a rich Spittle-house or Hospital under the Master whereof were in some sort all other Spittle-houses or Lazar-houses in England like as himself also was under the Master of the Lazars in Jerusalem It was founded in the first age of the Normans by a common contribution over all England and the Mowbraies especially did set to their helping hands But as that Disease came into England by the holy VVar so it ended with the end thereof FINIS THE TABLE A ABbey of Battel founded by K. William the Conqueror Page 37 Abbey of Cnobsherburg by whom founded 17 Abbey of Crowland founded 21 Abbey of Peterborough burnt by the Danes with an excellent Library therein 25 Abbey at Glastonbury founded by King Ina 21 Abbey of St. Edmond founded and endowed by King Canutus 34 Abbeys and Religious Houses dissolved 149 Adelme the first English-man who wrote in Latine 20 Pope Adrian the fourth an English-man 44 Pope Agatho composeth the differences betwixt the two Archbishops 17 Alcuinus Scholar to Venerable Bede and Tutor to Charles the Great 23 S. Alban the Proto-martyr of Britain pag. 5. he is Canonized 23 Altars taken down by publick Authority 171 King Alfred England's deliverer from the Danish Tyranny his Story from pag. 26. ad pag. 30 Abbey of Val-royal in Cheshire founded by King Edward the first 105 All-souls Colledge in Oxford by whom founded 130 King Athelstan a great Benefactour to the Church of S. John of Beverley pag. 31. he commands the payment of Tithes Ib. Anne Ascough her Martyrdom 157 An Act passed for restoring the Tenths and First-fruits to the Crown 209 An Act for the Dissolution of all such Monasteries Covents c. as had been founded by Queen Mary 209 Articles passed in the Convocation in the first year of Queen Elizabeth 210 Abbey of Westminster converted to a Collegiate Church 221 The thirty nine Articles composed 227 Arthur King of Britain 10 St. Asaph 11 Aurelius Ambrosius King of Britain 10 Duke of Anjou cometh into England 242 Alanus Copus 243 Annates or First-fruits when brought into England 103 Richard Armachanus Primate of Ireland 112 Anabaptists Convicted and Censured 171 172 Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury his lamentable end 125 Augustine the Monk sent into England Thousands Baptized by him in one day 12 He is the first Archbishop of Canterbury his death 14 Archbishop Abbot Confined 299 Abbey of Evesham founded and endowed by King Offa 21 The Assembly at Glaschow pass Acts for the overthrow of Episcopacy the Service-book and the Canons c. 313 Alhunus Bishop of Holy-Island removeth his See and Covent to Durham 33 A new Representative called the Agreement of the people 345 Alexander Alesius a Learned Scot. 169 B BAbington's Conspiracy page 248 Bacon a good School-man and Mathematician 107 Bertha wife to King Ethelbert 12 John Baconthorp a Learned English-man 111 Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury his story 45 46 47 His translation and enshrining 70 John of Beverley who gave Education to Bede 21 Bede Sirnamed Venerable his Birth Learning Writings and Death 22 Birth of our Saviour 1 Birinus converteth the West-Saxons 16 Bodies when first brought to be buried in Churches 23 Bernard Bishop of S. David's denies subjection to the Archbishop of Canterbury 42 Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent his story 75 Brazen-nose Colledge in Oxford when and by whom founded 138 Biddle a Socinian 359 Thomas Bradwardine Archbishop of Canterbury his story and writings 33 Christian Britan's Celebrated the Passover contrary to the Constitutions of the Romane Church 4 How long the Britans remained under the Romane yoke 4 Britans driven into Britain in France Wales and Cornwal 9 Britans escaped all the persecutions of the Heathen Roman Emperours except the last under Dioclesian 5 British Bishops in the Councils of Arbes Nice Sardis and Ariminum 6 When Bishops Seats were altered from Villages to great Cities 38 Bishops Imprisoned by King Stephen 43 Robert Brus King of Scotland 105 The Battel at Bannocks-borough 106 Beginning of the Broyls between the two Houses of Lancaster and York 131 Bainham a Martyr 147 Bilney burnt 146 Henry Beauford and Cardinal the Founder of S. Crosses Hospital 131 The Popes Bulls of Provision for Ecclesiastical promotions 103 Archbishop Boniface his making way for Popes Appropriating First-fruits unto themselves 80 The Bishoprickes of Westminster Oxford Peterborough Bristol and Chester erected by Henry the eight 154 Bishoprick of Westminster dissolved 221 Protestant Bishops placed in the Sees of the Popish Prelates 212 Bernard Gilpin refuseth the Bishoprike of Carlila 215 Bishops with other Divines met at Lambeth resolved on divers Articles 258 Earl Bothwel married to the Queen of Scots fleeth out of Scotland 232 Twelve Bishops Impeached and sent to the Tower 238 The Counterfeit Boy of Bilson 282 Dr. Bastwick Prynne and Burton Censured 305 Brown and Harrison inveigh against Bishops c. 245 Bishops of S. Andrews and Glasscow and Abbot of Scone put in Iron-chains and Imprisoned in Port-chester Castle 104 105 The King's Palace of Bridewel given to the City of London for a work-house 177 The Bible Translated in the Reign of King Henry the eighth King Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth 161 Bible Translated in King James his Reign 273 ad 276 D. Bound's Book about the Sabbath 257 The first Bailiffs of London 348 Every Parish when bound to provide a Bible in English and a Register-book to be kept there 150 Bishop Bonner a cruel Persecutor doomed to perpetual Imprisonment
French for the Isles of Iersey and Guernsey 309 The Liturgy translated into Welch 175 Luther when he arose 142 M. GEneral Monk his story from page 363. ad 371 Marquess of Montrosse 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 His Death 236 The French Massacre 238 The Millenary Petition 269 Richard Middleton entitled Doctor Fundatissimus 107 Sir Thomas Moor a Great enemy to the Protestants he was beheaded the next moneth after Bishop Fisher 149 Moratus an old British writer 3 N THe Names of those that were Archbishops of Loâ—don 3 Numbers of the Bishops Abbots Priors c. that were deprived in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign 213 George Nevil Archbishop of York his Prodigious Feast his Estate seized and his person Imprisoned 133 The Numbers of Colledges and Chaunteries Demolished in the Reign of King Henry the eighth 154 Kingdom of Northumberland subdivided into two Kingdoms viz. of Bernicia and Deira 10 Nuns of the Abbey of Ambresbury Convicted for Incontinency 51 Non-conformists in Queen Elizabeth's time of two sorts 229 231 James Nailor the Ring-leader of the Quakers publickly whipped pillored and Stigmatized 359 O OFfa King of Mercia founder of the Monastery of S. Albans bestoweth great lands upon it he was buried at Bedford 23 Osmond Bishop of Sarum deviser of that Service which after was observed in the whole Realm all Service Ordered to be secundum usum Sarum 39 Oswald second son of King Ethelfred converted by Aidan he disdained not to Preach to his Subjects and Nobles in the English Tongue 15 Oswald Bishop of Worcester Oswalds Law 31 William Occham the Author of the Sect called Nominales 112 The first use of Oaths in Ecclesiastical Courts in England 78 Oath of the King's Supremacy established 145 Writers for and against the Oath of Allegiance 272 The form of the Oath framed in the Convocation Anno 1640 319 The form of the Oath taken by every Student admitted into the Popish Seminaries 235 Oak of Reformation 167 Oliver Cromwel his Sory from 350 ad 361 The form of the Oath taken unto the Pope by every Popish Bishop at the taking of his Pall 139 Ordal for the trial of guilty persons 35 P PAtern Preacher at Lanpatern in Cardigan-shire 11 Pelagius born in Britain broacheth his Heresies publickly 7 Pelagianism condemned in Brittain in two Synods 8 S. Petrock Captain of the Cornish Saints 11 Paulinus baptizeth King Edwyn with all his Nobles and much people at York 15 Penda King of Mercia embraceth Christianity 16 Pleigmund Consecrateth seven Bishops in one day Mathew Parker Consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury Divers Bishops Consecrated him 212 Kellison's and Parson's slandering him to be Consecrated at the Nag's Head-tavern in Cheap-side 214 His Story 223 S. Paul's Church and Steeple in London burnt 222 Pope Pius Excommunicates Q. Elizabeth 235 The first setled Presbytery in England at Wandsworth in Surrey 237 Popish Priests and Jesuites executed 242 The Little Parliament 353 The Humble Petition and Advice Framed 358 Statute of Praemunire when enacted 117 Players forbidden by Proclamation in King Edward the sixth his time 161 Piers Gaveston surprized by Guy Earl of Warwick who caused him to be beheaded 106 The first Patent of a Commendu Retinere granted by the King to any Bishop Elect 84 Geoffry Plantaginet Archbishop of York his Story 52 53 Peruwigs and long hair forbidden in the Clergy 77 Priests forced to forgo their wives 42 When the Pope made his first encroachment on the Liberties of the English Crown 38 Cardinal Poole s reception into England 191 He absolveth the Parliament and whole Kingdom for withdrawing their obedience to the Church of Rome 192 Consecrated to the See of Canterbury next Sunday after Cranmer's death 202 English Ambassadours sent to Rome arrived there on the first day of the Papacy of Pope Paul the fourth Pembrock-colledge in Oxford founded 296 Pinckney the Provincial of the Augustine-friars and Dr. Shaa onely of all the Clergy engage for King Richard the third 134 135 Parsonages not exceeding ten Marks and Vicaridges ten pounds freed from First-fruits 152 King Philip Married to Queen Mary 190 A Great Plague in London 381 Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham made Earl of Northumberland by King Richard the first 48 Penry Barrow and â—â—enwood condemned and executed 256 John Piers Archbishop of York derided by Martin Mar-prelate 256 Q QVeen's-colledge in Oxford when and by whom founded 111 Queen of Scots assumeth to her self the Style and Title of Queen of England 213 She flies into England and endeth her doleful life at Fatheringhay Castle She is buried in the Quire at Peterborough and twenty years after removed to Westminster 249 Queen Eleanor a solemn Anniversary instituted to be kept for her by King Edward the first her Husband 97 R ROmans forsake the Isle of of Britain 7 Rumold called Mechlinensis Apostolus 16 King Richard the first his Story 48 49 50 George Ripley a great Mathematitian 140 John Rouse a great Antiquary 140 King Richard the second his Story from 114 ad 118 Philip Rippinton of a Professour became a cruel persecutor of the Gospel He is made Bishop of Lincoln 121 Master John Rogers burnt in Smithfield the first Martyr in Queen Marie's 194 Cardinal Richlieu an Incendiary between King Charles the first and the Scots 313 When the word Recusant first came up 236 Reformed Religion advanced in Ireland 217 The Rites of the Church of England for a time remained the onely form of Worship for the Kirk of Scotland 216 Thomas Rudbourn a Monk of Winchester an old Writer 3 The Remish Translation cometh forth 247 Rogers his exposition on the thirty nine Articles of the Church of England 247 Roger a Monk of Chester and an Historiographer 113 Doctor Fulk and M. Cartwright their answer to the Rhemish Translation 247 Richard Cromwel his Story 361 362 S THat cruel Statute pro Haeretico comburendo first hanselled on William Sautre Priest