author came afterward to passe and were testified of the same Honorius being pope afterward in his publike sermons at Rome All which I graunt may be and yet notwtstanding this fabulous narration may be a piece of the popes old practises subtilly inuented to driue men forth to IerusaleÌ„ to fight c. Againe after Honorius when he had gouerned x. yeres followed Gregorius the ix Whiche two popes were in the tyme of this king Henry 3. and of Fredericke the Emperour of whome we mynde Christ willing farther to touch after that we shall haue prosecuted more concerning the histoâ—â— of kyng Henry and matters of England After that it so pleased the mercifull prouidence of almighty God to worke this great mercy vpon the stock of K. Iohn which notwithstanding the vnkinde prelates with their false prophetes had declared before that neuer none should succeed in the throne after that K. and also vnto the whole common wealth of the realme in deliuering them froÌ„ the daÌ„gerous seruice of Ludouike the foresayd FreÌ„ch men After their departure the next yeare following anno 1218. which was the third of this kyngs raigne the Archbyshop S. Lancton and the bishops Erles and Barons resorted to LondoÌ„ vnto the kyng at Michaelmas next following and there held a great parliament wherein were confirmed and grauÌ„ted by the king all yâ— franchises which were made geueÌ„ by K. Iohn his father at Ronemedow and them he confirmed and ratified by his charter whiche long tyme after sayth my author vnto hys dayes did continue and were holden in England For the which cause by the nobles and the commons was geuen grauÌ„ted agayn vnto the K. ij shillinges for euery plow laÌ„d through England And Hubert of Burgh was made chiefe Iustice of Englad of whose troubles more is to be said hereafter And this was the third yeare of K. Henry and 50. yeare after the death of Tho. Becket wherefore the said Becket the same yeare or next following was takeÌ„ vp and shryned for a new S. made of an old rebell Thether came such resort of people of England and of Fraunce that the country of Kent was not sufficient to sustaine them Ex histor De Scales About the same tyme Isabell the kinges mother was maryed to the Earle of March. And William Marshall the good Erle dyed whiche was the gouernour of that king and the realme not without great lamentation of the people of England Then was the king committed to the gouernment of Peter B. of Winchester This noble Erle left behinde him v. sonnes and v. daughters The yere next insuing an 1219. It was ordeined and proclaimed through all the laÌ„d that all aliens foreiners should depart the realme and not to return to the same agayn onely such excepted as vsed trafick or trade of marchaundise vnder the kings safe conduct This proclamation was thought chiefly to be set forth for the cause to auoid out of the land Faukes de Breute Phillip de Markes Engelardus de Ciconia William Erle Albemarke Robert de veteri ponte Brihenne de insula Hugo de Bailluel Robert de Gaugi with diuers other straungers mo which kept castles and holdes of the kinges agaynst his will Of whom the foresayd Faukes was the principal who fortefied held the castle of bedford which he had by that gift of K. Iohn with might and strength against the K. and his power nere the space of 3. monthes Moreouer he went about to apprehend the kings iustices at Dunstable but they being warned therof escaped all except Henry Braibrocke whom he imprisoned in the said castle The K. hearing therof coÌ„sulting with his clergy and nobles made his power against the same Which after long siege and some slaughter at length he obteined it hanged almost all that were within to the nuÌ„ber of 97 which was as Parisiens writeth about the 7. or 8. yere of his raigne Faukes the same time was in wales who hearing of the taking of the castle conueyed himselfe to the church of CoueÌ„try At length submitting himselfe to the kings mercy vpon consideration of his seruice done before to the kings father was committed to the custody of Eustace bishop of London and afterward being depriued of all his goods possessions tenements within the realme was forced to perpetuall banishment neuer to returne to England agayne Here by the way I finde it noted in Parisiens that after this foresayd Faukes had spoyled and rased the church of S. Paule in Bedford for the building vp of his Castle the Abbase of Heluestue hearing thereof caused the sword to be taken from the Image of S. Paule standing in the Church so long as he remayned vnpunished Afterward she hearing him to be coÌ„mitted to the custody of S. Paule in LondoÌ„ caused the sword to be put into the hands of the Image agayne Mat. Parisiens in vita Henr. 3. About this yeare the young king the second time was crowned agayne at Westminster about which time begaÌ„ the new building of our Ladye Churche at Westminster Shortly after Gualo the Legate was called home againe to Kome For the holy Father as Math. Pariens reporteth being sicke of a spiritual dropsie thought this Gualo hauing so large occupying in england to be able somewhat to cure his disease And so that Legate returned with all hys bagges well stuffed leauing Pandulphe behynde hâ—m to supply that Baliwike of hys great graundfather the Pope The lyfe and Actes of pope Innocentius the 3. are partly described before how he intruded StepheÌ„ LanghtoÌ„ against the kings wil into the archbishopricke of Canterbury stirring vp also 64. Monkes of the same Church of Canterbury priuily to work agaynst the king Moreouer how he did excommunicate the sayd kyng as a publike enemy of the Church so long as the sayd King withstoode his tirannical doyngs putting hym and his whole kingdome vnder interdiction for the space of 5. yeares and 3. monthes And at length deposed and depriued hym from hys scepter keeping it in his owne handes for v. dayes Now he absolued hys subiectes from their due obedience subiectioÌ„ vnto hym Now he gaue away his kingdoÌ„es possessions vnto Lewes the Frenche kyngs sonne commaunding the sayd Lewes to spoyle hym both of landes lyfe Whereupon the K. being forsakeÌ„ of hys nobles prelates commons was enforced agaynst hys will to submit himself and sware obedience vnto the P. paying vnto him a yearely tribute of a M. markes by yeare for receauing hys kyngdome agayne wherby both he his succescessors after him were vassals afterward vnto the P. And these were the Apostolicall actes of this holy Vicar in the realme of England Moreouer he condemned Almericus a worthy learned man a byshop for an hereticke for teaching holding agaynst images Also he condemned the doctrine of Ioachim Abbas whoÌ„ we spake of before for heritical This pope brought first into the church the paying
Sigillo all or any of which wordes being vtterly wanting in this place as may be seene in the kinges Recordes of that time it must therfore be done eyther by warrant of this foresayd Statute or els without any warrant at all Whereupon it is to be noted that wheras the said Statute appointed the commissions to be directed to the Sheriffe or other ministers of the kings or to other sufficient persons learned for the aresting of suche persons the sayd commissions are directed to the Archbishop and his Suffragans being as it appeareth parties in the case autorising theÌ„ further without either the wordes or reasonable meaning of the sayde Statute to imprison them in their owne houses or where els pleased them Besides also what maner of law this was by whome deuised and by what authoritie the same was first made and established iudge by that that followeth Viz. In the Utas of S. Michell next following at a parliament summoned and holden at Westminster the sixt yeare of the said king among sondry petitions made to the king by his commons whereunto he assented there is one in this forme Articl 52. Item prayen the commons that wheras an Estatute was made the last parliament in these wordes It is ordayned in this present Parliament that commissions from the king be directed to the Sheriâ—fes and other ministers of the king or to other sufficient persons skilfull and according to the certificates of the Prelates thereof to be made vnto the Chauncerie from time to time to arest all suche preachers theyr fautoures maintenors and abbettours And them to deteine in strong prison vntill they will iustifie themselues according to reasoÌ„ law of holy church And the king willeth and commaundeth that the Chauncellor make such commissions at all times as shal be by the prelates or any of them certified and thereof required as is aforesayd The which was neuer agreed nor graunted by the commens but what soeuer was moued therein was without their assent That the said statute be therfore disanulled For it is not any wise their meaning that either theÌ„selues or such as shal succeed theÌ„ shal be further iustified or bound by the Prelates then were their ancesters in former times whereunto is answered il plâ—ist aa Roy. 1. the king is pleased Hereby notwithstanding the former vniust lawe of Anno. 5. was repealed and the fraude of the framers therof sufficiently discouered yet such meanes was there made by the prelates that this acte of Repeale was neuer published nor euer fithence imprinted with the rest of the statutes of that Parliament In so much as the sayd Repeale being concealed like commissions and other proces were made from time to time by vertue of the sayd Basterd statute aswel during al the raign of this king as euer sithence against the professors of religion As shall hereafter by the grace of God appeare in the second yeare of king Henry the fourth where the Clergy pursued the like practise And now againe to the story of our Oxford Diuines and of the Archbishop to whom the king writeth his letters patents first to the Archbishop then to the Uicechauncellor of Oxford in forme as followeth The kinges letters patentes to the Archbishop RIchard by the grace of God king of England and Lord of Ireland To all those to whome these present letters shall come greeting By the petition of the reuerend â—ather in God William Archb. of Caunterbury Primate of England exhibited vnto vs we right well vnderstand That diuers and sondry conclusions very contrary to wholesome doctrine and redounding both to the subuersion of the Catholike fayth the holy Church and his prouince of Cant. in diuers and sundry places of the same of his prouince haue bene openly and publiquely preached although damnably preached Of the which conclusions some as heresies other some as errours haue bene condemned but not before good and mature deliberation first therein had and vsed and by common counsaile of the said Archbishop his suffragans and many doctors in diuinitie and other clerkes and learned men in the holy Scriptures were sententially and holesomely declared Whereupon the sayd Archbishop hath made his supplication vnto vs that both for the coertion and due castigation of such as shall henceforth of an obstinate minde preach or mayntaine the foresaid conclusions that we would vouchsafe to put to the arme and helping hand of our kingly power We therefore moued by the zeale of the catholicke faith whereof we be and will be defendours and vnwilling that any such heresies or errours shoulde spring vp within the limites of our dominion Geue and graunt speciall licence and authoritie by the tenour of these presentes vnto the foresayd Archbishop and to his Suffraganes to arest and imprison either in their owne prisons or any other all and euery such person and persons as shall either priuely or apertly preach and mayntayne the foresayd conclusions so condemned and the same persons so imprisoned there at their pleasures to detayne till such time as they shall repent them and amend them of suche hereticall prauities or els shall be of suche arestes by vs and our counsaile otherwise determined and prouided Further charging and commaunding all and singuler our liegemen ministers and subiectes of what state and condition so euer they be vpon their fidelitie allegeance wherin they stand bound to vs that by no meanes they eyther fauour counsayle or helpe the preachers or els mayntayners of the sayde conclusions so condemned or their fauourers vpon payn and forfaiture of all that euer they haue But that they obey and humbly attend vpon the said Archbishop his Suffraganes and ministers in the execution of these presentes so that due and manifest publication agaynst the foresaid conclusions and their mayntayners without any perturbation may be done and executed as for the defence of our Realme and catholike fayth shal be thought most meete and requisite In witnesse wherof we haue caused these our letters patentes to be made Witnesse our selfe at Westminster the 16. day of Iune and 6. yeare of our reigne * The kinges letters patentes to the Uicechauncellour THe king To the Chauncellour and the procuratours of the vniuersitie of Oxford which now be or for the time being shall be Greeting Moued by the zeale of christian fayth where of we be and alwayes will be defenders and for our soules health induced thereunto hauing a great desire to represse and by condigne punishmeÌ„t to restraine the impugners of the foresaid fayth which newly and wickedly go about and presume to sow their naughty and peruerse doctrine within our kingdome of England and to preach and hold damnable conclusions so notoriously repugnant and contrary to the same faith to the peruerting of our subiectes and people as we vnderstand Before they any further proceed in their malicious errours or els infect others We haue by these presentes appoynted you to be inquisitour generall all
declared to him and to his brethren c. Furthermore forsomuch sayth he as it is so noysed through all the realme that there were certayn in the vniuersitie of Oxford which did hold and mayntayne conclusions as he called them heretical and erroneous condemned by him and by other lawyers and doctours of Diuinitie He therfore assigned the bishops of Saram Herford and Rochester with William Rugge then Vicechauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford for belike Robert Rigge was then displaced as also William Berton and Iohn Midleton Doctors geuing them hys full authoritie wyth cursing and banning to compell them to search and to enquire with all diligence and wayes possible ouer all singular whatsoeuer eyther Doctors Bachellers or schollers of the sayd vniuersitie which did hold teache mayntaine and defend in schooles or out of schooles the sayd coÌ„clusions heretical as he called them or erroneous and afterward to geue certificat truely and playnly touching the premisses And thus for that day the assembly brake vp to the next and so to the next and the third being monday the 24. day of Nouember Ex. Regist. W. Courtney On the which day in the presence of the Prelates and the clergy in the chapter house of Saint Fâ—ideswide came in Phillip Repington otherwise called of the brethren afterward Rampington who their abiured the conclusions and assertions aforesayd in this forme of wordes as followeth In Dei nomine Amen I Phillip Repington Canon of the house of Leicester acknowledging one catholique and Apostolick sayth do curse and also abiure all heresie namely these heresies and errours vnder written condemned reproued by the decrees canonicall and by you most reuerend father touching which hitherto I haue benâ— dissamed condemning moreouer reprouing both them and the authors of them doe confesse the same to be catholically coÌ„demned And sweare also by these holy Euangelics which here I hold in my hand and do promise neuer by any perswasions of men nor by anye way hereafter to defend or hold as true anye of the sayd conclusions vnder written but do will stand and adhere in all thinges to the determination of the holy Catholicke Church and to yours in this behalfe Ouer and besides all suche as stand contrary to this fayth I doe pronounce them with their doctrine followers worthy of euerlasting curse And if I my selfe shall presume at any time to hold or preach any thinge contrary to the premisses I shall be content to abide the seueritie of the Canons Subscribed with mine owne hand with mine own accord Phillip Repington And thus the sayd Rampington was discharged who afterward was made Byshop of Lincolne and became at length the most bitter and extreme persecutor of this side of al the other bishops wtin the realm as in proces hereafter may appeare After the abiuration of this Repington immediately was brought in Iohn Ayshton student of Diuinitie who being examined of those conclusions and willed to say hys mynde aunswered that he was to simple and ignoraunt and therefore would not and could not answere any thing clearely or distincktly to those conclusions Wherupon the Archb assigned to him Doctor W. Rugge the Vicechauncellour and other deuines such as he required himselfe to be instructed in the mistery of those conclusions against the after no one who then appearing again after dinner before the archbishop and the Prelates did in like sort and forme of wordes abiure as did Repington before Of this Iohn Ayshton we read that afterwarde by Tho. Arundell Archb. of Cant. he was cited and condemned but whether he dyed in prisoÌ„ or was burned we haue yet no certainty to shewe This is certayne by the playne wordes of the chronicle of S. Albans that when the arch with his doctors and fryers â—ate in examination vpon this sayd Iohn Ashton in London the Londiners brake open the dore of the conclaue ipsumque Archiepiscopum in ciuitate sedentem impediuerunt cum processum fecissit contra IohanneÌ„ Ashton c. That is and did let the Archbishop himselfe sitting in the Citty of London when he woulde haue made processe agaynst Iohn Asheton an 1382. And thus muche of Iohn Asheton As touching Nicholas Herford during the time of this conuocation he did not appeare and therefore had the sentence of excommunication Agaynst which he put hys appeale from the archb to the king and his Counsaile The Archb. would not admit it but finding stayes and stoppes caused him to be apprehended and enclosed in prison Notwithstanding through the will of God and good meanes he escaped out of the prison returning agayn to his former exercise and preaching as he did before albeit in as couert and secret maner as he could Whereupon the Archbishop thundring out his boltes of excoÌ„munication agaynst him sendeth to al pastors and ministers willing theÌ„ in al churches and all festiuall dayes to diuulge the sayd his excommunication against him to al men Writeth moreouer and sendeth speciall charge to al and singular of the laity to beware that theyr simplicity be not deceaued by his doctrine but that they like Catholicke children will auoyd him and cause him of all other to be auoyded Furthermore not contented with this addresseth also his letters vnto the king requiring also the ayde of his teÌ„porall sword to chop of hys neck whoÌ„ he had already cast down See and note reader the seraphicall charitie of these priestly prelates towardes the poore redemed flock of Christ And yet these be they whiche washing theyr handes wyth Pylate say and pretend Nobis non licet interficere quenquaÌ„ It is not our partes to kill any man The copye of the letter written to the king is this The letter of the Archbishop to the king TO the most excellent prince in Christ c. William c. greeting in him by whom kinges do reigne princes beare rule Vnto your kingly celsitude by the tenour of these presentes we intimate that one M Nich. Herford D. of diuinitie for his manifest contumacie and offeÌ„ce in not appearing before vs being called at the day and place assigned therefore is inwrapped in the sentence of the greater curse publiquely by our ordinary authoritie And in the same sentence hath continued nowe forty dayes yet still continueth with indurate hart wickedly contemning the keyes of the Church to the great perill both of his soule and to the pernitious example of other For so much therefore as the holy mother the church hath not to do or to proceed any further in this matter we humblye desire your kingly maiestye to direct out your letters for the apprehending of the sayd excommunicat according to the custome of this realme of England wholsomely obserued and kept hetherto to the intent that such whome the feare of God doth not restrayne from euill the discipline of the secular arme may bridle and plucke backe from offending Your princely celsitude the Lord
in the sayd towne The names of which persons there detected were one Roger Dexter Nicholas Taylor Richard Wagstaffe Michael Scriuener William Smith Iohn Henry Wil. Parchmeanar and Roger Goldsmith inhabitances of the same towne of Leycester These wyth othermoe were denounced to the Archbyshop for holding the opinion of the Sacrament of the aultare of auriculare confession and other Sacraments contrary to that which the Church of Rome doth preach and obserue All whych parties aboue named many other mo whose names are not knowen did hold these heresies and errors here vnder wrytten and are of the Romish church condemned 1. That in the Sacrament of the aultar after the words of consecration there remaineth the body of Christ wyth the materiall bread 2. That images ought not to be worshipped in any case nor that no man ought to set any candles before them 3. That no crosse ought to be worshipped 4. That Masses and Mattens ought not wyth an high and loud voice to be sayd in the Church 5. Item that no Curate or Priest taken in any crime can consecrate heare confessions nor minister any of the Sacraments of the church 6. That the Pope and all prelates of the Churche can not binde any man in the sentence of excommunication vnles they know him to be first excommunicated of God 7. That no Prelate of the church can graūt any pardons 8. That euery lay man may in euery place preach teach the Gospell 9. That it is sinne to geue any almes or charitie to the friers preachers Minorites Augustines or Carmelites 10. That no oblation ought to be vsed at the funeralies of the dead 11. That it is not necessary to make confessyon of oure sinnes to the Priest 12. That euery good man although hee be vnlearned is a Priest These Articles they taught preached affirmed manifestly in the towne of Leceiter other places adioyning Wherupon the saide Archb. monished the saide Roger and Nicholas with the rest on the next day to make answer vnto him in the sayd monastery to the foresayd articles But the foresaide Roger and Nicholas with the rest hid thēselues out of the way and appeared not Whereupon the Archb. vpon All hallow day being the 1. day of Nouember celebrating the high masse at the high aulter in the sayd monasterie being attired in hys Pontificalibus denounced the saide parties with all their adherents fautors fauourers and counsellers excommunicate and accursed whych cyther helde taught or maintained the foresaide conclusions heretical erroneous and that in solemn wise by ringing the bels lighting the candels and putting out the same againe and throwing them downe to the grounde with other circumstances thereunto belonging Upon the morow after being all Soulne day he sent for al the curates other lay men of the towne of Leicester to inquire more diligētly of the verity of such matter as they knewe were able to say against any persons whatsoeuer concerning the foresayd articles as also against the parties before named and specified vpon their others denouncing euery one of them seuerally by their names to be excōmunicated and accursed caused them also in diuers parish churches in Leicester also to be excommunicate And further the said Archb. interdicted the whole Towne of Leycester all the churches in the same so long as any of the foresayde excommunicate persons should remaine or be wythin the same and till that all the lollardes of the towne should returne and amend from such heresies errors obtaining at the sayde Archb. hys handes the benefite of absolution At length it was declared shewed to the sayd Archb. that there was a certain anchoresse whose name was Matilde inclosed wythin the Churchyard of S. Peters church of the sayd towne of Leycester to be infected as they sayd with the pestiferous contagion of the foresaid heretikes lollardes wherupon after that the sayd Archb. had examined the foresayd Matilde touching the foresayde conclusions heresies and errours and founde her not to answerd plainly and directly to the same but sophistically and subtelly gaue and assigned vnto her a day peremptorie personally to appeare before hym in the Monasterie of C. Iames at Northampton more fully to aunswer to the sayde articles heresies and errours which was the 6. day of the sayd moneth of Nouember commanding the abbot of the monasterie of Pratis aforesayd that the doore of the recluse in which the sayd Matild was should be opened and that til his returne he shuld cause her to be put in safe custody That done he sent forth his mandate against the lolardes vnder this forme ¶ William by the permission of God c. To his welbeloued sonnes the Maior bailiffes of the towne of Leicester Dioces greeting Wee haue lately receiued the kings letters graciously graūted vs for the defence of the catholike faith in these wordes folowing Richarde by the grace of God king of England and of Fraunce c. Wee on the behalfe of our holy mother the Church by the kings authoritie aforesaid do require you that you cause the same Richard William Roger and the rest to be arested and sent vnto vs that they wyth their pernicious doctrine doe not infect the people of God c. Geuen vnder our seale c. By an other instrument also in the same Register is mention made of one Margaret Caily Nonne whych forsaking her order was by the sayde Archb. constrayned against her wil againe to enter the same as by thys instrument here vnder insuing may appeare ¶ William by the grace of God c. To our reuereud brother in God Iohn by the grace of God Byshop of Ely greting c. In the visitation of our dioces of Lincolne according to our office amōgst other enormities worthy reformation we found one shepe out of our fold strayed and amongest the briers tangled to witte Margarete Caily Nunne professed of the monasterie of S. Radegonde wtin your Diocesse who casting the habite of her Relygion was founde in secular attire many yeares being an Apostata leading a dissolute life And least her bloud shoulde be required at our hands we haue caused her to be taken and brought vnto you being her pastor and straitly inioyning you by these presents do commaund that you admit the same Margarete againe into her foresayd Monasterie although returned against her wil or els into some other place where for her soules health you shall thinke moste conuenient and that from henceforth she be safely kept as in the straight examination of the same you wil yeld an accompt Geuen vnder our seale c. By sundry other instrumentes also in the same register recorded I finde that the foresaide Matilde the anchoresse vpon the straight examination and handeling of the foresaid Archbishop before whome peremptorily she was enioyned to appeare and till that day of apparance taken out of the recluse and committed to safe custodie as you heard resracted and
assents together Which done he exhorted the Archbishop that for so much as his garrison had bene now long in armour and from home he would therefore discharge the needeles multitude of his souldiers and dismisse them home to their worke and busines and they would together drinke and ioyne hands in the sight of the whole company Thus they shaking hands together the Archbishop sendeth away his souldyers in peace not knowing himselfe to be circumuented before he was immediately arested by the handes of the foresayde Earle of Westmerland and shortly after the king comming with his power to Yorke was there beheaded the monday in Whiâ—sonweeke and with him also Lord Thomas Moubray Marshall with diuers other moreouer of yâ— citie of Yorke which had taken their parts After whose slaughter the King proceedeth farther to persecute the Earle of Northumberland Lord Thomas Bardolph Who then did flie to Barwicke From thence they reincoued to Wales At length within two yeares after fighting against the kyngs part were slayne in the field an 1408. In the which yeare diuers other also in the Northparts for fauouring the foresaid Lords were likewise condemned by the kyng and put to death Among whome the Abbot of Hales for the like treason was hanged The kyng after the sheddyng of so much bloud seeyng himselfe so hardly beloued of his subiects thought to kepe in yet with the Clergy with the Bishop of Rome seeking alwaies his chiefest stay at their hands And therfore was compelled in all things to serue their humour as did appeare as well in condemning William Sawtre before as also in other which coÌ„sequeÌ„tly we haue now to intreat of In the number of whom commeth now by yâ— course of time to write of one Iohn Badby a Tailor and a lay man who by the crueltie of Thomas Arundel Archbishop and other Prelates was brought to his condemnation in this kings reigne an 1409. according as by their owne registers appeareth followeth by this narration to be seene ¶ Iohn Badby Artificer IN the yeare of our Lord. 1409. on Sonday beyng the first day of March in the afternoone The excommunication following of one Iohn Badby Taylour beyng a lay man was made in a certaine house or haull within the precinct of the preaching friers in LondoÌ„ in an vtter cloister vpon the crime of heresie other articles repugnant to the determinatioÌ„ of the erroneous church of Rome before Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury and other his assistants as yâ— Archbishop of Yorke of London of Winchester of Oxford of Norwich of Salisbury of Bath of Bangor Et meneuensis Episcopi and also Edmond Duke of Yorke Thomas Bewford the Chauncelour of England Lord de Roos the clerke of the rolles a great number of other Lords both spirituall and temporall being then at the selfesame time present Maister Morgan read the articles of his opinions to the hearers according as it is contemed in the instrument read by the foresayd M. Morgan the tenour whereof followeth and in effect is such In the name of God Amen Be it manifest to all men by this present publike instrument that in the yeare after the incarnation of our Lord according to yâ— course and coÌ„putation of the Church of England otherwise in the yere 1409. in the second indictioÌ„ in the third yeare of the Popedome of the most holy father in Christ Lord Lord Gregory xi by that diuine permission Pope the secoÌ„d day of Ianuary in the Chappell Caruariae of S. Thomas Martyr high vnto the Cathedrall Church of Worcester being situate in the said Dioces in the presence of me the publicke Notary and of the witnesses vnder written the foresayd Iohn Badby a lay man of the sayd Dioces of Worcester appearing personally before the reuerend father in Christ and Lord Lord Thomas by the grace of God Byshop of Worcester sitting in the said Chappell for chiefe Iudge was detected of and vpon the crime of heresie being heretically taught openly maintayned by the foresayd Iohn Badby That is that the Sacrament of the body of Christ consecrated by the Priest vpon the aulter is not the true body of Christ by the vertue of the wordes of the Sacrament But that after the Sacramentall words spoken by the Priest to make the body of Christ the materiall bread doth remaine vpon the aulter as in the beginning neither is it turned into the very body of Christ after the Sacramental words spoken of the Priest Which Iohn Badby being examined and diligently demanded by the foresaid reuereÌ„d father coÌ„cerning the premisses in the end did answere that it was impossible that any Priest should make the body of Christ that he beleued firmely that no Priest could make the body of Chrst by such words Sacramentally spoken in such sort And also he said expressely that he would neuer while he liued beleue that any Priest could make the body of Christ sacramentally vnlesse that first he saw manifestlie the like body of Christ to be handled in the hands of the priest vpon the aulter in his corporall forme And furthermore he sayd that Iohn Rakier of Bristoll had so much power authoritie to make the like body of Christ as any priest had Moreouer he said that wheÌ„ Christ sat at supper with his disciples he had not his body in his hand to the intent to distribute it to his disciples and he said expresly that he did not this thing And also he spake many other words teaching fortifieng the heresie in the same place both greeuous and also out of order and horrible to the eares of the hearers sounding against the Catholike faith Upon which occasion the same reuerend father admonished and requested the said Iohn Badby oftentimes and very instantlie to charity for so much as he would willinglie that he should haue forsaken such heresie and opinion holden taught and mainteined by him in such sort against the Sacrament to renounce and vtterly abiure them and to beleeue other things which the holy mother the Church doth beleeue And he informed the said Iohn on that behalfe both gentlie and also laudably Yet the said Iohn Badby although he were admonished and requested both often and instantlie by the said reuerend father said and answered expresselie that he would neuer beleeue otherwise then before he had said taught and answered Wherevpon the foresaid reuerend father Bishop of Worcester seeing vnderstanding and perceiuing the foresaid Iohn Badby to maintaine and fortifie the said beresie being stubborne and proceeding in the same stubbornes pronounced the said Iohn to be before this time conuicted of such an heresie and that he hath bin and is an hereticke and in the end declared it in these words In the name of God Amen We Thomas Bishop of Worcester do accuse thee Iohn Badby being a lay man of our Dioces of and vpon the crime of heresie before vs sitting for cheese iudge being oftentimes confessed
be it here to all the worlde that he neuer since varied in any poynt therefro but this is playnly his beliefe that all the sacramentes of the churche be profitable and expedient also to al them that shall be saued taking them after the intent that Christ and hys true church hath ordayned Furthermore he beleeueth that the blessed sacrament of the aulter is verily and truely Christes body in forme of bread After this the bishops and priests were in much great discredite both with the nobilitie and commons partly for that they had so cruelly handled the good Lorde Cobham partly agayn because hys opinion as they thought at that tyme was parfect concerning the sacrament The Prelates feared this to grow to further incōueniēce towards thē both wayes wherfore they drew theyr heads together at the last consented to vse an other practise somewhat cōtrary to that they had done afore They caused it by and by to be blowne abroad by theyr feed seruauntes frends and babling sir Iohns that the sayd Lord Cobham was becomen a good man and had lowly submitted himselfe in all thinges vnto holy Church vtterly 〈◊〉 his opinion concerning the sacrament And thereupon they counterfayted an abiuration in hys name that the people shoulde take no hold of that opinion by any thing they had hearde of him before and to stand so the more in awe of them Cōsidering hym so great a man and by them subdued This is the abiuration say they of sir Iohn Oldcastle knight sometime the Lord Cobham * An Abiuration counterfaited of the Byshoppes IN Deinomiue Amon. I Iohn Oldcastle denounced detected and conuinced of and vpon diuers articles sauoring both heresye and error before the reuerend father in Christ my good Lord Thomas by the permission of God Lord Archbishop of Caunterbury and my lawfull and rightfull iudge in that behalfe expresly graunt and confesse that as cōcerning the estate and power of the most holy father the Pope of Rome of his Archbishops his Bishops and hys other prelates the degrees of the church and the holy Sacramentes of the same specially of the Sacramentes of the aultar of penaunce and other obseruaunces besides of our mother holy Church as Pilgrimages and pardons I affirme I say before the sayd reuerend father Archbishop els where that I being euill seduced by diuers sedicious preachers haue grieuously erred and heretically persisted blasphemously aunswered and obstinately rebelled And therfore I am by the sayd reuerend father before the reuerend fathers in Christ also the bishops of London Winchester and Bangor lawfully condemned for an hereticke Neuertheles yet I now remembring my selfe and coueting by this meane to auoyd that temporall payn which I am worthy to suffer as an hereticke at the assigned 〈◊〉 of my most excellent Christen prince and siege Lord King Henry the 5. now by the grace of God most worthy Kyng both of England and of Fraunce Minding also to prefere the wholesome determination sentence and doctrine of the holy vniuersall Church of Rome before the vnwholesom opinions of my selfe my teachers and my followers I freely willingly deliberately and throughly cōfesse graūt and affirme that the most holy fathers in Christ S. Peter the Apostle and his successors byshops of Rome specially now at this time my most blessed Lord Pope Iohn by the permission of God the xxiii Pope of that name which now haldeth Peters seat and each of them in theyr succession hath full strength and power to be Christes Vicar in earth and the head of the church militant And that by the strēgth of his office what though he be a great sinner and afore knowne of God to be damned he hath full authority and power to rule and gouerne bynde and loose saue and destroy accurse and assoyle all other Christen men And agreeably still vnto this I confesse graunt and affirme all other Archbishops Byshops and Prelates in their prouinces Dioces and Parishes appoynted by the sayd Pope of Rome to assiste him in his doinges or busines by his Decrees Canons or vertue of his office to haue had in times past to haue now at this time and that they ought to haue in time to come authoritye and power to rule and to gouerne binde and loose accurse and assoyle the subiects or people of theyr aforesaid prouinces dioces parishes and that their said subiectes or people ought of right in all things to obey them Furthermore I confesse graunt and affirme that the sayd spirituall fathers as our most holy father the Pope Archbishops Bishops Prelates haue had haue now and ought to haue hereafter authority and power for the estate order and gouernaunce of their subiectes or people to make lawes decrees statutes and constitutions yea and to publishe commaund and compell their sayde subiectes and peoyle to the obseruation of them Moreouer I confesse graunt and affirme that all these foresayd lawes decrees statutes and constitutions made published and commaunded according to the forme of spirituall law all christen people and euery man in himself is straightly bound to obserue meekely to obey according to the diuersity of the foresayd powers As the lawes statuts canons and constitutions of our most holy father the Pope incorporated in his Decrees Decretals Clementines Codes Chartes Rescriptes Sextiles and Extrauagants ouer all the world and as the prouinciall statuts of Archbishopps in their prouinces the Sinodall actes of Bishops in their dioces and the commendable rules customes of prelates in their colledges and Curates in their parishes all Christen people are both bound to obserue also most meekly to obey Ouer besides all thys I Iohn Oldcastle vtterly forsaking and renouncing all the aforesayd errors and heresies and all other errors and heresies like vnto them lay my hand here vpon this booke or holye Euangely of God sweare that I shall neuer more from henceforth holde these aforesayd heresies nor yet any other like vnto them wittinglye Neither shall I geue counsell ayde helpe nor fauor at any time to them that shall holde teach affirme or maintayne the same as God shall helpe me and these holy Euangelies And that I shall from henceforth faythfully obey and inuiolably obserue all the holy lawes statutes Canons and constitutions of all the Popes of Rome Archbishops Bishops and Prelates as are conteyned and determined in their holy Decrees Decretalles Clementines Codes Chartes Rescriptes Sextiles Sumnies papall Extrauagantes statutes prouinciall actes synodall and other ordinary regules and customes cōstituted by them or that shall chaunce hereafter directly to be determined ormade To these and all such other will I my selfe with all power possibly apply Besides all this the penaunce whiche it shall please my sayd reuerend father the Lord Archbishop of Caunterbury hereafter to enioyne me for my sinnes I will meekely obey and faythfully fulfill Finally all my seducers and false teachers and all other besides
my Diocesse as my Canonistes do say and all men are bound to beleue 220. except they will imagine as the Manichies doe two beginninges which is false and hereticall For Moses faith In the beginning God made heauen and earth and not in the beginninges 221. Wherefore as I begon so I conclude commanding declaring and pronouncing to stand vpon necessitie of saluation for euery humaine creature to be subiect to mee ¶ The end of the first Volume of the Booke of Martyrs A liuely picture describing the weight and substaunce of Gods most blessed word agaynst the doctrines and vanities of mans traditions ¶ AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath Sainct Martins Anno. 1583. Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis A Table of the X. first Persecutions of the Primitiue Church vnder the Heathen Tyrannes of Rome continuing the space almost of ccc yeares after Christ from the tyme of Tiberius vnto Constantinus Emperours of Rome with the sundrye kindes of Tormentes deuised agaynst the Christians as by the places here noted and quoted in the story is to be found more at large THese persecutioÌ„s of the primatiue Churche lasted ccxciiij yeares counting from the beheading of S. Iohn Baptist which was the xxxii yeare of the raigne of Tiberius till the end of Licinius the last persecuting Emperour of Rome CoÌ„cerning the which ccxciiiij yeares S Iohn in his Reuelation doth Prophesie before in sundrye places first Cap. ji where he sayth The Gentiles shall tread downe the holy Citie xiij monethes And agayne in the xiij Chapter And power was geuen to the Beast to make xlii monethes c. Which xlii monethes being counted by Sabbates of yeares after the common vse of Scripture of Daniell that is euery moneth for vii yeares doe rise to the number aforesayd of ccxciiij yeares Wherein is to be noted the errour of theÌ„ which taking these xlii monethes simply as the letter standeth for iij. yeares and a halfe do affirme thereby that Antichrist when he shall come being borne of the tribe of Dan shall reigne but onely iij. yeares and a halfe not vnderstaÌ„ding how these xlii monethes are mistically to be reckened by Sabbates of yeares that is vij yeares to euery moneth after the vse of Scripture and so they make ccxciiij yeares During the tyme of whiche yeares Antichrist then reigned in the Primitiue Churche till the comming of Constantine the Christian Emperour The lyke vnderstanding also hath the iij. dayes a half meÌ„tioned in the Reuelation Cap. xi where is sayd That after three dayes and a halfe the two Prophetes shall reuiue agayne c. For count euery houre of the day whiche bexii by Sabbates of yeares that is for vii yeares and it commeth to ccxciiij yeares And so whether ye count by monthes or by dayes both wayes it geueth a time tymes and halfe a tyme. For as one tweluemonth whiche is one yeare maketh one tyme ii tweluemonthes whiche is ii yeare make ii times vi monethes which is halfe a yeare make halfe a tyme making altogether xlii monethes so likewise in one day ij dayes and halfe a daye may be vnderstand a tyme tymes and halfe a tyme mentioned in the Reuelation cap. xii Furthermore where in the sayde Reuelation of S. Iohn cap. xii mention is made of a M. cclx dayes it commeth likewise to the same reckening For in geuing xxx dayes to a moneth so many dayes doe amounte in all to xlii monethes Which as is sayde being reduced to Sabbates of yeares make ccxciiii yeares and so long continued these Persecutions Note moreouer that after the tyme of these Persecutions expired S. Iohn in the sayd booke of his Reuelations Cap. xx prophesieth that Sathan shoulde be tyed vp for a thousande yeares and after that let lose agayne in the worlde for a little space that is that the rage and violence of Persecution shoulde then be styrred vp agaynst Gods people as before Which loosing of Sathan falleth vpon the yeare of our Lorde 1324. At what time the kingdome of the Turkes first beganne vnder Ottomannus wasting and destroying then the Churches of Asia and afterward of Europa Read the Actes and Monumentes Pag. 735.736.738 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Auxilium Christs in concinnando hoc opere Felix ac gloriosum pro Christo mortem oppetere Papae nomen nunc probrosum Cardinalium Monachorum noÌ„narum nomina ad ignominiam nunc relicta Deploratio nostrorum morum et temporum Quanta degeneratio nostrorum nunc hominum ab exemplis superiorum Martyrum Necessaria precatio Ne sutor vltra crepidam Profite to be taken by examples of christian Martyrs Gods workes to be obserued in histories What vse commeth by reading of Histories The partiall deâ—liâ—g of storie writers Primum quodque veâ—â—â—mum est Tertul. Image of both Churches The descent of Christs Church from the Apostles time described How the truâ— Church of Christ is visible and not visible The antiquitye of the Churche here in England with the descent of the same Transubstantiation not yet receaued for a publicke doctrine The Church when it began to fall from 〈◊〉 Aeneas Silâ—uius â—ayth that Mathilâ—a made the Pope heyre of those landes which is called the Patrimonye of S. Pâ—ter Ex Auen lib. 6. Monkery when it beganne to â—â—ignem England The true Church when it began first to decay The true Church continueth in the middest of their enemies Extrauagant cap Non sine multa Ex Nicholao Emerico lib. Inquisitionum Ex Ioan. Auentins lib. 7. Extrauagant cap. Licet intâ—a doctrinâ—m Ex Bulliâ— quibâ—â—dam Othonis Epist. Herbipoâ—ensis Extrauagant Ioan. 22. Ex Ioan Frosiardo volum 1. Cap. 211. Ex Tritemio Ex Bulla Gregorij cap. 11. Ex Illirico Ex Brushio Ex Christiano Masseo Ex Ioan. Bacon Dist. 2. Quest. 1. Statut. in An. 5. Rich. 2. An. Domini 1390. Ex Statut. in An. 2. Henr. 4. cap. 15. An. Domini 1402. Ex Literis Archiepiscopi Cant. ad Martinum 5. Anno. Domini 1422. Bloudy markes of Christes passion seene on mens garmentes in Germany Anno. 1501. Seuentie yeares of captiuitie well neare expired Exhortation to the Church of England Multitude of bookes lamented Comparison betweene worldly soldiours and â—â— the soldiours of Christ. Esay 63. A comparison betweene the Martyrs of the Primitiue Church and of the latter Church Foure demaundes or questions put forth to the Papistes The 1. question Esay 11.65 Obiâ—ction Refutatâ—on Publicke execution of lawes not forbidden in Scripture The conditions and properties of the true Church of Christ. Rom. 15. Galath 6. The 2. question The deadly hatred of the Papistes agaynst the Protestantes grounded vpon no iust cause nor deseruing Malice and crueltie of Papistes against the countrey of Merindoll and Cabriers Malice of Papistes agaynst the Citizens of Tholouse in France Malice and crueltie of Papistes agaynst the Protestantes in the towne of Vassy Clemencie and mercy shewed to Papistes in the raigne of
wherein they haue made manifest defection from the old faith of Rome as in depriuing the Church of one kinde of the Sacrament in taking from the people the knowledge and reading of Gods word in praying and speaking to the people and administring sacramentes in a tongue vnknowne in mistaking the authoritie of the keyes in their vnwritten verities in making the authority of scripture insufficient in vntrue iudgement of the Churche and the wrong notes of the same in the supremacy of the sea of Rome in their wrong opinion of Antichrist But because these with all other partes of doctryne are more copiously and at large comprehended in other bookes both in Latine and Englishe set foorth in these our dayes I shall not need further herein to trauell especially seeing the contrariety betweene the Popes Church and the Church of Christ betweene the doctrine of the one and doctrine of the other is so euident that he is blind that seeth it not and hath no handes almost that feeleth it not For briefely in one note to comprehende which may suffice for all where as the doctrine of Christ is altogether spirituall consisting wholy in spirite and veritie and requireth no outwarde thing to make a true Christen man but onely Baptisme which is the outwarde profession of fayth and receauing the Lordes supper let vs now examine the whole religion of this latter Church of Rome and we shall finde it wholy from toppe to toe to consist in nothing els but altogether in outwarde and ceremoniall exercises as outward confession absolution at the Priests hand outward sacrifice of the Masse buying of pardons purchasing of obites externe worshipping of Images and reliques pilgrimage of this place or that building of Churches founding of Monasteries outward workes of the law outwarde gestures garments colours choise of meates difference of times and places peculiar rytes and obseruauncies set prayers and number of prayers prescribed fasting of vigiles keeping of holidayes comming to Church hearing of seruice externe succession of Bishops and of Peters sea externe forme and notes of the Church c. so that by this religion to make a true Christian and a good Catholike there is no working of the holy Ghost almost required As by example to make this matter more demonstrable let vs here define a Christen man after the Popes making whereby we may see the better what is to be iudged of the scope of his doctrine A Christen man after the Popes making defined AFter the Popes Catholike Religion a true Christen man is thus defined first to be baptised in the Latine tongue where the Godfathers professe they can not tell what then confirmed by the Byshop the Mother of the childe to be purified After he be growen in yeares then to come to the Church to keepe his fasting dayes to fast the Lent to come vnder benedicite that is to be confessed of the Priest to doe his penance at Easter to take his rites to heare Masse and diuine seruice to set vppe candels before Images to creepe to the Crosse to take holy bread and holy water to go on processiō to cary his palmes candle and to take ashes to fast the Ember daies Rogation daies vigiles to keepe the holy dayes to pay his tithes and offeringe daies to go on pilgrimage to buy pardons to worship his maker ouer the Priestes head to receaue the Pope for his supreame head and to obey his lawes to receaue S. Nicolas Clerks to haue his beades to giue to the high altar to take orders if he will be Priest to saye his Mattens to sing his Masse to lift vp fayre to keepe his vow and not to marry When he is sicke to be anneeld and take the rites of holy Church to be buried in the church yard to be rong for to be song for to be buried in a Fryers coule to finde a soule Priest c. All which pointes being obserued who can denie but this is a deuoute man and a perfecte Christian Catholike and sure to be saued as a true faithfull childe of the holye mother Church Now looke vpon this definition and tell me good reader what faith or spirite or what working of the holye Ghost in all this doctrine is to be required The grace of our Lord Iesus giue the true light of his Gospell to shine in our hartes Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ The first booke contayning the 300. yeares next after Christ. THese things before premised hauing thus hitherto prepared the way vnto our story let vs nowe by the grace and speede of Christ our Lord enter into the matter that as we haue heretofore set forth in a generall descriptiō the whole state as wel of the primitiue as of the latter times of this Church of Rome so now consequently to discourse in particular sort the Actes and doings of euery age by it selfe in such order as is afore prefixed First to declare of the suffering time of the Church which conteineth about the time of three hundreth yeares after Christ. Secondly the florishing growing time of the same conteyning other 300. yeares Thirdly the declining time of the Church and of true Religion other 300. yeares Fourthly of the time of Antichrist raigning raging in the Church since the loosing of Sathan Lastly of the reforming time of Christes Church in these latter 300. yeares In the tractation of all which things our chiefe purpose and indenor shal be so neare as the Lord will giue vs grace not so much to intermedle with outward affaires of Princes or matters ciuile except somtime for example of life as specially minding by the helpe of the Lorde to prosecute such thinges which to the Ecclesiasticall state of the Church are appertaining as first to entreat of the stablishing of Christian faith then of the persecutions of tyraunts the constancy and patience of Gods Saintes the first conuersion of Christen Realmes to the faith of Christ namely of this Realme of England Scotland first beginning with king Lucius and so forwarde following the order of our English kings here in this land to declare the maintenaunce of true doctrine the false practise of Prelates the creping in of superstition and hipocrisie the manifold assaultes warres and tumults of the princes of this world against the people of God Wherein may appeare the wonderfull operation of Christes mightie hand euer working in his church neuer ceasing to defend the same against his enimies according to the verity of his owne word promising to be with his Church while the worlde shal stand so as by the proces of this story may welbe proued and be testified in the sequell thereof In the traction of all which things 2. especiall pointes I chiefly commend to the reader as most requisite and nenessary of euery Christen man to obserue to note for his owne experience and profite as first the disposition nature of this worlde secondly the nature
proued the mindes of his subiects and especially God working withall he afterward assembled his knights and gaue to the saide Bernulphus a battaile in a place called ElindeÌ„ in the prouince of haÌ„ton And notwithanding in that fight was great oddes of number as 6. or 8. against one yet Egbert through the might of the Lord which giueth victory as pleaseth him had the better and wan the field Which done he seased that Lordship into his hand And that also done he made war vpon the Kentish saxons and at length in likewise of them obtained the victory And as it is in Polychronicon testified he also subdued Northumberland and caused the kings of these three kingdomes to liue under him as tributaries or ioyned them to his kingdome Ex Flor. Hist. This Egbert also wan from the Britons or WelshineÌ„ the town of Chester which they had kept possession of till that daye After these other victories he peaceably enioying the land called a Councell of his Lords at Winchester where by their aduises he was crowned king chief Lord ouer this land which before that day was called Britaine but theÌ„ he sent out into all coasts of the land his commaundements and coÌ„missions charging straightly that from that day forward the Saxons should be called Angles and the land Anglia About the 30. yeare of the raigne of Egbert the heathenish people of the Danes which a little before had made horrible destruction in Northumberland especially in the I le of Lindesarue where they spoyled the Churches and murthered the ministers with men women and children after a cruell maner entered now the second tyme with a great host into this land and spoyled the I le of Shepy in Kent or nere to Kent where Egbert hearing therof assembled his people and met with them at Carrum But in that conflict sped not so well as he was woont in tymes before but with his knights was compelled to forsake the field Notwithstanding in the next battail the sayd Egbert with a small power ouerthrew a great multitude of them and so droue them backe The next yeare followyng the sayd Danes presuming vpon their victory before made theyr return again into the land Westward where ioining with the Britaines by the helpe and power of them they assayled the landes of Egbert did much harme in many places of his dominion and els where so that after this day they were continually abiding in one place of the realme of england or other till the time of Hardeknutus last king of the Danes bloud so that many of them were maried to English women and many that now be or in times past were called Englishmen are descended of them And albeit that they were many and sundry times driuen out of the land chased from one countrey to an other yet that notwithstaÌ„ding they euer gathered new strengthes and power that they abode still within the land And thus as by the storyes appeareth this troublesome land of Britaine now called England hath bene hetherto by v. sundry outward nations plagued First by the Romains then by the Scots Pictes 3. by the Saxons 4. by the Danes of whose outragious cruelty hostilitie our English histories do most exclayme complayne fiftly by the Normanes which I pray God be the last TheÌ„ it followeth in the story that the time of this persecution of the foresayd Paganes and Danes continuing king Egbert when he had ruled the Westsaxons and ouer the more part of England by the terme of xxxvij yeares dyed and was buried at Winchester leauing to his sonne Ethelwolfe his kingdome which first was Byshoppe of Winchester as Houeden recordeth and after vpon necessity made king leauing withal and pronouncing this saying to his sonne Foelicem fore si regnum quod multa rexerat industria ille consueta genti illi non interrumperet ignauia * King Athelwolfus AThelwulfus the sonne of Egbert in his former age had entred into the order of Subdeacon and as some other say was made Byshop of Winchester But afterward being the onely sonne of Egbert was made king through the dispensation as Fabian sayth of Pope Paschalis but that can not be for Paschalis then was not Byshopp so that by the computation of tyme it should rather seeme to be Gregory the 4. This Athelwulfe as being himself once nuseled in that order was alwayes good and deuoute to holye Church and religious orders In so much that he gaue to them the rythe of all his goods and landes in Westsaxons with liberty and freedome from all seruage and ciuil charges Whereof his charte instrument beareth testimony after this tenour proceeding much like to the donation of Ethelbaldus king of Mercians aboue mentioned * The Priuiledges and donations geuen by king Ethelwulfus to the Clergie REgnante Domino nostro imperpetuum Dum in nostris temporibus per bellorum incendia direptiones opum nostrarum nec non vastantium crudelissimas depredationes hostiuÌ„ barbarum paganarumque gentium multiplices tribulationes ad affligendum vsque ad internecionem tempora cernimus incumbere periculosa Quamobrem ego Ethelwulfus Rex occidentalium Saxonum cum consilio Episcoporum principum meorum consilium salubre vniforme remedium affirmaui vt aliquam portionem terrarum haereditariam Deo sanctae Mariae omnibus sanctis iure perpetuo possidendam concedam scilicet partem terrae meae vt sit tuta immunis ab omnibus secularibus seruicijs nec non regalibus tributis maioribus minoribus siue taxationibus quod nos dicimus Wittereden sitque libera omnium rerum pro remissione animarum peccatorum nostrorum ad Deo soli deseruiendum sine expeditione pontis constructione arcis munitione vt eo diligentiùs pro nobis ad Deum preces sine cessatione fundant quo eorum seruitutem in aliqua parte leuigamus c. Hereby may it appeare how when the Churches of England began first to be indued with temporalties and lands also with priuileges exemptioÌ„s enlarged Moreouer and that which specially is to be considered lamented what pernicious doctrine was this wherewith they were led thus to set remission of their sinnes and remedy of their soules in this donation and such other deedes of their deuotion coÌ„trary to the information of Gods word and no small derogation to the Crosse of Christ These thinges thus done within the Realme then the sayd Ethelwulfus the king taking his iourney to Rome with Alured his youngest sonne committed him to the bringing vp of Pope Leo the iiij where he also reedified the English schole at Rome which being founded by king Offa or rather by Iue king of Mercians as in the flowers of Hist. is affirmed was lately in the tyme of king Egbert his father consumed with fire Farther and besides thâ—s king gaue and graunted there vnto Rome
Episcopi mensuram omnes institutae sint exequatae per suâ—m dioecesin Et omne pondus constet secundum dictionem eius si aliquid coÌ„trouersiarum intersit discernat Episcopus Vniuscuiusque Domini proprium est necesse vt seruis condescendat compatiatur sicut indulgentius poterit Quia Domino Deo viuenti sunt aeque chari seruus liber Et omnes vno eodem pretio redemit omnes sumus Deo necessariò serui Et sic iudicabit nos sicut antè iudicauimus eos in quos potestatem iudicij in terris habebimus Et ideo opus est vt eis parcamus qui nobis parere debent tunc manutenebimur in Dei omnipotentis proprio iudicio Amen The sayde Ethelstane besides prescribed other constitutions also as touching tithes geuing where hee sayeth and proclaimeth Ego Ethelstanus Rex consilio Vâ—felmi Archiepiscopi mei aliorum Episcoporum mando praepositis omnibus in regno meo in nomine Domini sanctorum omnium vt inprimis reddant de meo proprio decimas Deo tam in viuente capitali quà m in mortuis frugibus terrae Episcopi mei similiter faciant de suo proprio Aldermanni mei praepositi mei c. That is I Ethelstane King charge and commaund all my officers through my whole Realme to geue tithes vnto God of my proper good as wel in liuing cattel as in the corne and fruites of the grouÌ„d and that my Byshops likewise of their proper goods and mine Aldermen and my officers and headmen shal do the same Item this I wil that my Bishops other headmen doe declare the same to suche as be vnder their subiection that to be accomplished at the terme of S. Iohn the Baptist. Let vs remember what Iacob said vnto the Lord Of all things that thou geuest to me I wil offer tithes vnto the Lord. c. Also what the Lord sayeth in the Gospel of S. Mathewe To him that hath it shal be geuen and he shall abouÌ„d We must also coÌ„sider how terribly it is written in bookes that if we will not offer our tenths from vs ix partes shall be taken away and only the x. part shal be left vs. c. And in the same place after that he hath assigned the Church rightes to be paide in the place whereto they belong it followeth thus Facite etiam vt mihi mea propria cupiatis quae mihi poteritis recté acquirere Nolo vt aliquid mihi iniuste cóquiratis Sed omnia vestra concedo vobis eo tenore quo mihi mea similiter exoptetis Cauete simul vobis eis quos admonere debetis ab ira Dei transgressione mea Among his other lawes ordinances to the nuÌ„ber of xxxv diuers things be comprehended pertaining as well to the spirituall as also to the temporall iurisdiction Out of the lawes of this King first sprang vp the attachement of theeues such as stoale aboue xij pence and were aboue xij yeares old should not be spared And thus much briefly concerning the historie of King Ethelstane things in his time done who reigned about the space of xvj yeares And because he died without issue therfore after him succeeded his brother Edmund the yere of our Lord. 940. who reigned vj. yeares King Edmund EDmund the sonne of Edwarde the elder by his thirde wife as is declared and brother of Ethelstane being of the age of xx yeares entred his raigne who had by hys Queene Elgina two sonnes Edwyne and Edgarus surnamed Pacificus which both reigned after him as followeth This Edmund continued his reigne vj. yeares a halfe By him were expulsed the Danes Scottes Normandes and all foreine enemies out of the land Such Cities and Townes which before were in the possession of strangers as Lyncolne Nottingham Derby Stafforde and Leycetour he recouered out of their hands Thus the realme being cleared of foreine power for a time then the king set his study and mind in the redressing and maintaining the state of the Church which all stoode then in building of Monasteries and furnishing of Churches eyther with newe possessions or with restoring the olde which were taken away before In the time of thys Edmund thys I find in an old written story borowed of W. Cary a citizen of London a worthy treasurer of moste worthy Monuments of antiquitie The name of the author I can not alledge because the booke beareth no title lacking both the beginning and the latter end But the words therof faithfully recited be these Huius regis tempore facta est dispersio Monachorum Eushmensis coenobij cum substitutione Canonicorum per Althelmum Vlricum laicos Osulphum Episcopum c. That is In the time of this King there was a scattering or dispersion made of the Monkes out of the Monastery of Eusham and Canons substituted in theyr place through the doing of Athelmus Ulricus lay men and of Osulfus Byshop c. Where as concerning this matter betwene Monkes and other of the clergie first it is to be vnderstande that in the realme of England heretofore before the time of Dunstane the Byshops seas and cathedrall churches were replenished with no monkes but wyth priestes and canons called then clerks or men of the clergy After this beginneth to rise a difference or a sect betwixt these two parties in straitnesse of life and in habite so that they which liued after a straiter rule of holines were called monkes professed chastitie that was to liue from wiues for so was chastitie then defined in those blinde daies as though holy matrimony were no chastitie according as Paphnutius did well define it in the councel of Nice The other sort whych were no monkes but priests or men of the clergy called liued more free from these monkish rules and obseruances and were then commoÌ„ly or at least lawfully maryed and in theyr life and habite came nearer to the secular sorte of other christians By reason wherof great disdaine emulation was among them in so much that in many Cathedral churches where as priests were before there monks were put in And contrary sometime where as Monkes were intruded there priests and canons againe were placed and monkes thrust out wherof more shal appere here after by the grace of Christ when we come to the lyfe of Dunstane In the meane time something to satisfie the cogitation of the reader which peraduenture either is ignorant or els would know of the first coÌ„ming in of monks into this realme and Church of England in the Saxones time this is to be noted according as I finde in old Chronicles namely in the latine history of Guliel de gestis pontificum Angl. recorded touching the same That about thys time of king Edmund or shortly after when hardnes and straitnesse of life ioyned with superstition was had in veneration and
greatest causes of the realme and was liefetenant of the kings army Who with his brother Toston or Tostius sent by the king against the Welchmen subdued their rebellion But afterward such enuie grewe betwene these ij brethren for that Tostius saw his brother Harold so greatly aduanced in the kings fauour that at Herford the said Tostius slew all his brothers men Whom when he had cut in pieces he poudered their quarters and mangled parts in barrels of salt vinegre wine and other liquors That done he made a power against his brother Harold being king with the aide of certaine Danes and Norgaines and fought a battail with him in the North as after shal follow God willing to be seene So vngratious were these wicked children of Erle Godwin that if they had sene any faire mansion or maner place they woulde slay the owner thereof withall his kinrede and enter the possession thereof themselues At length it came in the minde of this Harolde to saile ouer the sea as Polydore sayth into Normandie to see hys brother Wilnotus as also his cosin Hacus whom the king had sent thither to be kept for pledges as yee heard before Polydore sayth these pledges were Tosto Byornon but that can not be for Tostius was then in England But as Henricus Archdeacon of Huntington sayeth his iourney was into FlaÌ„ders as semeth more like For it is not to be thought that Harold who was a doer in the cruell murther of Alphred and of the Normanes wold venter into Normandy therefore more like it is that his sailing was into Flaunders But as the storie proceedeth he being in the course of his sailing was weather driuen by tempest into the prouince of Pountith where he was taken as a prisoner and sent to Duke William of Normandy To whome he was made to sweare that he in time following shoulde marry his daughter and that after the death of King Edward he should kepe the land of Englande to his behoue according to the will minde of Edward after some writers and so to liue in great honor dignity next vnto him in the realme This promise faithfully made to the Duke Harold returneth into EnglaÌ„d with his cosin Hacus the sonne of his brother Suanus being deliuered vnto him But Wilnotus brother of Harold the duke kepeth stil for performance of the couenaÌ„ts Thus Herold I say returning home sheweth the king al that he had done in the foresayde matters Wherewith the King was well contented Wherby it may be gathered that king Edward was right wel willing that Duke William should reigne after hym and also semeth not vnlike but that he had geuen him his promise therunto before Among all that were true and trusty to king Edward of the english nobility none had like commendatioÌ„ as had Leofricus erle of Mercia and of Chester This Leofricus purchased many great liberties for the towne of CoueÌ„try and made it free of all maner things except onely of horse Which fredom there was obtained by meanes of his wife Godina by riding as the fame goeth after a straÌ„ge maner through the towne This Leofricus with his wife Godina builded also the abbey of Couentrie indued the same with great lands and riches You hearde a little before of the comming ouer of Edward called the outlaw sonne of king Edmund Ironsid whom king Edward had purposed to haue made king after him But soone after his comming ouer he deceased at London This Edwarde had by his wife Agatha a sonne a daughter called Edgar Adelyng Margaret Which Margaret being maried afterward to the king of Scots was the mother of Matild or Maude Quene of England and of Dauid king of Scots c. This vertuous blessed king Edwarde after he had reigned 23. yeres and 7. moneths died and was buried in the monastery of Westminster which he had greatly augmented repaired but afterward was more inlarged after this form which it hath now by Henry the third soÌ„ne of king Iohn They that write the historie of this King heere make mention of a dreame or reuelation that shoulde be shewed to him in time of his sicknes how that because the peeres bishops of the realme were seruantes not of God but of the deuil God wold geue this realm to the haÌ„d of others And the king desired vtteraunce to be geuen him that hee might declare the same to the people whereby they might repent It was answered againe that neither would they so do or yet if they did it should be geuen to an other people But because it is a dreame I let it passe Diuers lawes were before in diuers countreis of this realme vsed as the lawe first of Dunuallo Molinucius with the lawes of Mercia called Mercenelega then the lawes of Westsaxone kinges as of Iue Offa Alfred c. whyche was called Westsaxenelaga The thirde were the lawes of Canutus of Danes called Danelaga Of all these lawes which before were diuersly in certain particuler countreis vsed and receiued this Edward compiled one vniuersal commoÌ„ law for al people through the whole realm which were called R. Edwardes lawes which lawes being gathered out of the best and chiefest of the other lawes were so iust so equall an so seruing the publike profite weale of all esâ—ates that mine authors say the people long after did rebell against their heads and rulers to haue the same lawes againe being taken from them and yet coulde not obtaine them Furthermore I read and find in Math. Paris that when Will. Conquerour at his comming in did sweare to vse practise the same good lawes of Edwarde for the common lawes of this realme afterward being established in his kingdome he forswore himselfe placed his owne lawes in their rowme much worse and obscurer then the other were c. Notwithstanding among the said lawes of Edward and in the first chapter and beginning therof this I finde among the auncient recordes of the Guildhal in London The office of a King with such other appurtenaunces as belong to the realme of Britaine set forth and described in the latine stile which I thought here not vnmete to be expressed in the English tong for them that vnderstande no Latine The tenor and meaning wherof thus followeth ¶ De iure appendijs regni Britannia quod sit officium Regis REx autem quia vicarius summi Regis est ad hoc est constitutus vt regnum terrenum populum domini super omnia sanctam eius veneretur ecclesiam regat ab iniuriosis defendat maleficos ab ea auellat destruat penitus disperdat Quuod nisi fecerit nomen regis non in eo constabit Verùm Papa Ioanne testante nomen regis perdit cui Pipinus Carolus filius eius nec dum reges sed principes sub rege Francorum stultò scripserunt quaerentes si ita
Urbane according to the tenor and forme of a certaine Epistle of his wherin among many other thinges in the same Epistle conteined these wordes he wryteth to Pope Paschalis the third yere after his banishment after the death of Urbane and a little before the death of the king To the Lord and reuerend father Paschalis high bishop Anselme seruant of the Churche of Cant. offereth due subiection from his heart and prayers if they can stand in any stede Ex Epist. 36. Paulò post initium I See in Englād many euils whose correction belongeth to me and which I could neither amend nor suffer without mine owne fault The king desireth of me that vnder the name of right I shuld consent to his pleasures which were against the lawe and wil of God For he woulde not haue the Pope receaued nor appealed vnto in Englande without his commaundement neither that I should send a letter vnto him or receaue any from him or that I shuld obey his decrees He suffered not a Councell to be kept in his realme now these 13. yeares since he was king In all these things and such like if I asked any counsaile all my suffragane Byshops of his realme denied to geue me any counsaile but according to the kinges pleasure After that I sawe these and such other thinges that are done against the will and lawe of God I asked license of him to goe to Rome vnto the sea Apostolicall that I might there take counsaile for my soule and the office committed to me The king sayd that I offended agaynst hym for the onely asking of license And propounded to me that eyther I should make hym amendes for the same as a trespasse assuring hym neuer to aske this license any more to appeale to the pope at anye tyme hereafter or els that I shoulde quickly depart out of hys land Wherefore chosen rather to goe out of the land◠then to agree to so wicked a thing I came to Rome as ye know and declared the whole matter to the Lord Pope The king by and by as soone as I went out of England inuaded the whole Archbishoprike and turned it to hys owne vse taxing the monkes onely with bare moate drinke and clothe The king being warned and desired of the Lord Pope to amend this he contēned the same and yet continueth in his purpose still And now is the third yere since I came thus out of Englande and more Some men not vnderstanding demaund why I did not excommunicate the king But the wiser sort and such as haue vnderstanding counsayle me that I doe no this thing because it belongeth not to me both to complayne and to punish To conclude I was forewarned by my frendes that are vnder the king that my excommunication if it should be done would be laughed to scorne and despised c. By these here aboue prefixed appeareth how Anselme the Archbishop comming to Rome made hys complaynt to the Pope Urbane of the king and how the Pope writing to the king in the behalfe of Anselme hys letters and commaundementes were despised And now to our story In the meane tyme while the popes letters were sent to the king Anselme was byd to wayte about the Pope to looke for an aunswere backe Who perceauing at length how little the king reputed the popes letters began to be weary of hys office desiring the pope that he might be discharged thereof But the Pope in no case woulde thereto consent chargying hym vpon hys obedience that where soeuer he went he shoulde beare with him the name and honour of the Archbishop of Cant. Whereunto Anselmus agayne sayd hys obedience he neyther durst nor woulde refuse as who for Gods cause was ready to suffer what soeuer should happen yea though it were death itselfe as he thought no lesse would follow thereof But what shold we think sayth he is there to be done where not onely iustice taketh no place but is vtterly oppressed and where as my suffraganes not onely doe not helpe for dread the righteous cause but also for fauour do impugne the same Well sayth the Pope as touching these matters we shal sufficiently prouide for at the next Councell at Baron where as I will you the same tyme and place to be present When the tyme of the Councell was come Anselme among other was called for Who first sitting in an vtter side of the Byshops afterward was placed at the right foote of the Pope with these wordes Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquam alterius orbis Papam Wherupon the same place after hym was appoynted to the successours of the sea of Cant. in euery general Councel by the decree of Urbane to sit at the right foote of the pope In this Councell great sturre and much reasoning there was agaynst the Grecians concerning the matter and order of proceeding of the holy Ghost Where is to be noted that the Greeke Church hath of long tyme dissented from the Latine church in many and sondry poyntes to the number of xx or almost xxi◠Articles as I haue them collected out of the Register of the Church of Hereford Whereof lyke as occasion hereafter may serue God willing for a further more ample tractation to be made so here by the waye partly I meane to touch some The first is Wherein the Greeke Church differeth from the Latine THe first article wherein the Greeke Churche altereth from the Latine or Romish Church is this Quòd sunt extra obedientiam Romanae ecclesiae pro eo quòd ecclesia Constantinopolitana non est subiecta sed ei aequalis 1. Dicunt Dominum Apostolicum non habere maiorem potestatem q̄ iiii Patriarc hae Et quicquid sit praeter scientiam eorum per Papam vel sine eorum approbatione nullius est valoris c. In Englishe First they are not vnder the obedience of the Churche of Rome because that the Church of Constantinople is not subiect but equall to the same 2. They hold that the Bishop of the Apostolicke Sea of Rome hath greater power then the 4. Patriarches And whatsoeuer the Pope doth beside their knowledge or without their approbation it is of no valor 3. Item they say whatsoeuer hath bene done or concluded since the second generall Councell is of no full authoritie because from that time they recount the Latines to be in errour and to be excluded out of the holy Church 4. Item Dicunt Eucharistiam consecratam per Romanam Ecclessam non esse verum corpus Christ 1. They hold the Eucharist consecrated by the Churche of Rome not to be the very body of Christ. Also where the Romish Churche doth cosecrate in vnleauened bread they cōsecrate in bread leauened 5. Item they say that the Romish church doth erre in the wordes of Baptisme for saying I baptise thee when they should say let this creature of God be baptised c. 6. They hold moreouer to
Oxforde aboue mentioned where the king kept his Courte Symon Langton Archbishop of Canterbury held a Councell where was condemned and burned a certayne Deacon as Nic. Triuet sayth for apostasie Also an other rude country man who had crucified him selfe superstitiously bare about the woundes in his feete handes was condemned to be closed vp perpetually wtin walles Ex Nic. Triuet About which yeare also AlexaÌ„der kyng of the Scots maryed Iohanne sister to king Henry Not long after began the new building of the minster of Salisbury Whereat Pandulphus the Popes Legate layd the fiue first stones One for the Pope suche was the fortune of that Churche to haue the Popes stone in hys foundation the second for the yong king Henry the third for the good Earle of Salisbury The fourth for the Counties The fift for the Byshop of Salisbury c. Which was about the same yeare aboue mentioned an 1221. Ex Chron. Do. Sal. In the same yeare about S. Iames tyde fell a dissention betwene the Citizens of London men of Westminster the occasioÌ„ wherof was this A certein game betwene these two parties was appoynted to try whether parte in wrastling could ouercome the other Thus in striuing for maistry ech part contending agaynst the other as the maner is in such pastime it happened the LoÌ„diners to get the uictory and the other side was put to foyle but especially the stuard of the Abbot of Westminster Who beyng not a litle confounded therwith begaÌ„ to forethinke in his minde how to be reuenged agayne of the Londiners WherupoÌ„ an other day was set which was at LaÌ„mas that the LoÌ„diners should come agayn to wrastle and who so had the victory should haue the belweather which was the price of the game appointed As the parties were thus occupied in their play the stuard sodenly bringeth vpon the Londiners vnwares a company of haruest meÌ„ prepared for the same before letteth driue at the Londiners Who at length beyng wounded and greeuously hurt after much bloudshed were driuen backe agayne into the Citie This contumely thus beyng receaued the Citizens egerly stroken with ire and impacience ran to the common vell and by that ringing therof assembled their commons together to consult with themselues what was to be done in the case so contumelious wherin when diuers sentences were giuen diuersly Serle the same tyme Maior of London a wise discrete man gaue this counsaile that the Abbot of Westminster should be talked withal who if he would rectifie the iniurie done and satisfie for the harme receiued it should be to them sufficient But contrary onâ— Constantine a great maÌ„ then in the Little of London in much heat exciting that people gaue this sentence that all the houses of the Abbot of Westminster but especially the house of the steward shold be cast downe to the ground In fine that which he so vnaduisedly counsailed was as madly performed for the furious people according to his couÌ„saile so did This tumultuous outrage as it coulde not be priuye comming to the knowledge of Hubert de Burgo Lord chief iustice of england aboue mentioned he comming with a sufficient streÌ„gth of armed souldiours to the City of London seÌ„t to the Maior Aldermen of the city to will them to come vnto him Who so obeying his commaundement required of theÌ„ the principall beginners of the ryot To whome Constantine there being present answered that he woulde a warrant that which was done sorrowing moreouer that they had not done more then they did in that matter The iustice vpon the same his confession commaunded him with 2. other wtout any further tumult to be taken And so with the same two was haÌ„ged offering for his life xv thousand markes c. The sayd Hubert Erle of Kent Lord chiefe iustice although he was a faythfull trusty officer to hys prince had the whole guiding of the realme in his own hands the king as yet beyng in hys minoritie yet afterwarde what indignation he sustained for this his seueritâ—e and other thinges both of the nobles of the commons how sharpely he was tossed and trounsed of hys prince woÌ„der it is to see as in his due place time by the Lords leaue hereafter shall appeare Haec'ex Mat. Parisiens And for somuch as meÌ„tion hath bene made of the wraÌ„gling betwene the coÌ„moners of LondoÌ„ of Westminster both time occasion bringeth me in remembraunce somthing to speake likewise of the Ecclesiasticall conflictes among churchmeÌ„ nothing inferiour in my minde nor lesse worthy to be noted then the other For so I read in Mat. Parisiens and in Flor histor that at what time this wrasfling was among the Citizens for the sheep the like conteÌ„tion kindled flamed betweene Eustace Byshop of London the chapter of Paules on the one side the Abbot of Westminster with his Couent on the other side about spirituall iurisdiction subiectioÌ„ to wit whether the monastery of Westminster were exempted from the subiection iurisdiction of the B. of LondoÌ„ or not Which controuersie at last coÌ„ming into comprimis was coÌ„mitted to the arbitrement of Stephen Archb. of Canterbury Phillip Bishop of Wintchester Thomas of Merton Richard prior of Dunstable And at length was thus agreed that the monastery of Westminster should be vtterly exempted froÌ„ the iurisdiction of the bishop of London And that Stanes with the appurtenaunce therto belonging should appertayn to the Monastery of Westminster Also that the Manure of Sunnebury should be due proper to the Church of S. Paule and also the Church of S. Margarite with all the landes belonging to the same to be exempted from all other iurisdiction but onely to the Bishop of Rome And so was this matter decided an 1222. Ibidem Floro histor The same yeare as writeth Mat Parisiens horrible tempestes with such thrundring lightning whirlewindes went through all the land that muche harme was done Churches steeples towers houses diuers trees with the violeÌ„ce of winds were blown vp by the rootes In Warwickeshyre a certeine wife with eight other in her house were slayne In Grantham the Church was set on fire by lightning most terrible with suche a stincke left there behinde that no man could after a long tyme abide it The author addeth that manifest markes of the tempest did remayne long after in that Monastery to be seene Some also write that firie Dracons and spirites were seene then flying in the ayre An. 1223. Phillip the French king dyed after whoÌ„ hys sonne Ludouicke succeeded in the crown To whom kyng Henry seÌ„ding his message and desiring him to remember his promise and couenaunt made in rendring agayne the landes lost in Normandy coulde obtayne nothing at hys hands WhereupoÌ„ Richard Earle of Cornewale also William the kinges vncle Earl of Salisbury with diuers other nobles made ouer into Fraunce where they
that did so cease but the same yeare about Easter next folowing al the barnes in England which were in the hands of any Roman or Italian were likewise wasted and the corne solde to the best commodity of the poore commons Of the which great almose was distributed and many times money also wyth corne together was sparsed for the needy people to gather vppe Neither was there any that would or durst stand against them As for the Romaines Italians themselues were stricken in suche feare that they hid themselues in Monasteries and celles not daring to complaine of their iniuries receiued but helde it better to lose rather their goods then to loose their liues The authors and workers of thys feate were to the nomber of 80. armed soldiours of whom the principall captaine was one naming himselfe W. Wytherse surnamed Twing This comming to the Popes knowledge he was not a little stirred therewith sendeth his letters immediatly to the king vppon the same with sharpe threatnings and imperious commaundements charging him for suffering of such villany within his realme straitly enioyning hym vnder paine of excommunication to searche out the doers hereof with all diligence so to punish them that all other by them may take example Likewise hee sendeth the same charge to Peter bishop of Winchester and to the Abbot of S. Edmunde to inquire in the South partes Also to the Archb. of Yorke and to the bishop of Durham and to master Iohn Chanon of Yorke a Romaine to inquire in the North partes for the sayde malefactors and after diligent inquisition made to send vp y◠same to Rome there needes to appeare before him c. Thus after earnestly inquisition made of all parties witnesses sworne and examined many were foūd culpable in the matter some that were factours some that were consenters of whom some were Bishops and Chaplaines to the King some Archdeacons Deanes with other souldiours and lay men Among whom certaine sheriffes and vndersheriffs with their seruitures vnder them were apprehended and cast into prison by the king Many for feare fled and escaped away who being sought for coulde not be founde but the principall of this number as is aforesaid was supposed to be Hubertus Lord chief iustice who both with the kings letters his own fortified the doers therof that no man durst interrupt them Moreouer in that same society of them which were noted in these doings was the same Robert Twing aboue mentioned a comely young man and a talle souldiour who of his own voluntary accorde with 5. other seruitures whome hee tooke wyth him abroad to worke that feat came to the king openly protesting himselfe to be the author of that deede doing and said he did it for hatred of the pope and the Romaines because that by the sentence of the bishop of Rome and fraudulent circumuention of the Italians he was bereeued of the patronage of his benefice hauing no more to geue but that one Wherefore to be reuenged of that iniurie he enterprised that which was done preferring rather vniustly to be excommunicate for a season then to be spoiled of his benefice for euer Then the King and other executours of the Popes commandement gaue him counsaile that seeing he had so incurred the danger of the Popes sentence shoulde offer himselfe to the pope to be absolued of him againe and there to make his declaration vnto him that he iustly and canonically was possessed in that church The king moreouer with him sent his letters testimoniall vnto the pope witnessing with the saide souldiour and instantly desiring the Pope in his behalf that he might with fauor be heard At the request wherof Pope Gregory afterward both released him of the sentence and restored him to his patronage wryting to the Archb. of York that he might againe inioy the right of his benefice in as ample maner as he did before it was taken from him Hubert de Burgo Lorde chiefe Iustice being one of them which helde against the Romish Priestes as is afore signified was therfore not a litle noted of the bishops who to require him with like despite againe after their accustomed maner of practise went about by subtile working to shake him out of the kings fauour And first commeth Peter Bishop of Winchester to the king greuously complaining of certaine about the King but especially of the foresaide Hubert the kings iustice in so much that he caused him to be remoued from his office notwythstāding he had the kings seale and wryting for the perpetuity of the same procured Steuen Segraue to be placed in his function And after a few daies the king more and more incensed against hym called him to a counte of all the treasure which he was countable for by his excheker office also of all suche debts by him due frō the time of his father vnto hys time Also of all the Lordships whych were in the possession of William Earle of Pēbroke chief iustice before him Item of the liberties which he did holde at that time in forestes warrens shires and other places how they were kept or howe they were made away Of Prices likewise Also of losses committed through hys negligence And of wastes made contrary to the kings profite of his liberties howe he did vse them Item of iniuries and damages wrought against the clearkes of Rome and other Italians and the Popes Legates for the redresse whereof he woulde neuer adioyne his coūsail according as appertained to his office being then chief iustice of England Also of scutagies gifts presents scapes of prisonners Item of maritagies which king Iohn cōmitted to his keeping at the day of his death and which were also in his time committed vnto him To these Hubert answered that he had king Iohns owne hand to shewe for his discharge who so approoued his fidelitie that he neuer called him to any but clerely discharged him from all such counts Wherunto answered againe the Bishop of Winchester saying the Charter of king Iohn hath no force after the death of him but that ye may now be called to a reckoning of this king for the same Ouer and besides these other greater obiections were laid to his charge by the King as for sending and wryting to the duke of Austria that he might marry hys daughter to the preiudice of the King and of the Realme dissuading that she myght not be geuen to him Item for counsailing the king not to enter into Normandie with his armie which he had prepared for the recouerie of lands there belonging to his right wherby great treasure was there consumed in vaine Item for corrupting the daughter of the King of Scottes whome king Iohn his father committed to his custody for him to mary Item for stealing frō him a pretious stone which had a vertue to make him victorious in warre for sending the same to Leoline Prince of Wales And that by his letters
your letters or by any other indulgences to what persoÌ„ or persoÌ„s soeuer of what estate dignity or place soeuer vnder any maner or forme of words grauÌ„ted hereafter by the sea Apostolicke by the which indulgences the effect of the said prouision may be by any maner of waies hindered or deferred yet of our certayne knowledge we will that they shall want theyr strength in the prouision made or to be made for the sayd Frederick in the Church of Lincoln And if any vpon the premisses or any of them shall alleadge agaynst the foresayd Fredericke or his procurator That you will cause them to be cited on our behalfe so that they being cited peremtorily shal within the space of two monethes of your citation personally appere before vs there according to the law to make aunswere to the sayd Fredericke vpon the premisses Any priuiledges or indulgeÌ„ces what soeuer geuen and graunted either generally to the king dome of England or peculiarly to any other person of what state degree and place soeuer graunted by the foresaid sea vnder what soeuer maner forme of words for them not to be called vp beyond the sea or out of their owne City or Dioces by letters Apostolicall vnder whatsoeuer forme of wordes obtayned to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding All which priuiledges and indulgences we will in no case shall stand in any force or effect to the sayd partes Moreouer the day and forme of the citation we will that ye faythfully do intimate vnto vs by your letters containing the tenor therof And if both of you can not be present at the execution hereof yet we will notwithstaÌ„ding that one of you do execute the same without fayle Dated the 7. Kal. Febr. the 10. yeare of our Popedome As theâ—e is no maÌ„ which hath any eies to see but may â—asely vnderstand in reading this letter of the Pope how vnreasonable his request is how impudently he commauÌ„deth how proudly he threatneth how wickedly he oppresseth and racketh the Church of God in placing boyes and straungers in the ministery cure of soules also in making them his prouisors to rauen vp the Church goodes So is it no great maruell if this godly Bishoppe Robert Grosted was offended therwith who in my mind deserueth herein a double commendation not onely that he so wisely did discerne error from sincerity and truth but also that he was so hardy and constant to stand to the defence therof agaynst the Pope according as in this his answere to the Pope agayne may appeare as foloweth The aunswere of Robert Grosted SAlutem Pleaseth it your wisedome to vnderstand that I am not disobedient to any the Apostolicke precepts but both deuoutly reuerently with the natural affectioÌ„ of a sonne obey the same And also am an vtter enemy to al those that resist such Apostolick precepts as a childe zelous of his fathers honor And truly I am no lesse then bound therunto by the precept and coÌ„mauÌ„dement of God For the Apostolick preceptes are none other nor can be then consonant and vniforme to the doctrine of the Apostles and of our Sauiour Christ being the maister and Lorde of all the Apostles whose type and person specially in the consonant and vniforme hierarchie of the Church the Lord Pope semeth to beare the same our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe saying whosoeuer is not with me the same iâ— agaynst me Therefore agaynst him neither is nor can be the most diuine sanctitye of the sea Apostolicall The tenour then of â—our foresayd Apostolicall letter is not consonant to true sanctity but vtterly dissonaÌ„t and disagreeing to the same First for that vpon the clause of this your letter many such other letters like which clause alwayes ye so much do vrge Non obstante induced and brought in vpon no necessity of any naturall law to be obserued doth swarme and floweth with all inconstancy boldnes pertinacy impudency lying deceiuing and is also a sea of mistrust in geuing credit to no man Which as it swarmeth with these so in like maner with innumerable other vices which hang and depend vpon the same mouing and disturbing the purity of Christian religion and lyfe agreable to the same as also the publique tranquility of men Moreouer next after the sinne of Lucifer which shal be in the latter time to wit of Antichrist the childe of perdition whome the Lord shall destroy with the breath of his mouth there is not nor can be any kinde of sinne so repugnant and contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles â—nd holy scripture to our sauiour Christ himselfe more hatefull detestable and abhominable then to destroy and kill mens soules by defrauding them of the mistery of the pastorall office which by the ministery of the postorall cure ought to saue and quicken the same Which sinne by most euident places of the Scripture such men are discerned knowne to commit which being in the authority of the Pastorall dignity do serue their owne carnall desires and necessaries with the benefit of the milke and wooll of the sheep and flocke of Christ and do not minister the same Pastorall office and charge to the benefite and saluation of those theyr sheep The same therefore by the testimony of the Scripture is not the administration of the Pastorall ministery but the killing and destruction of the sheep And that these two kinde of vices be most vile and wicked although after a differryng sorte and farre exceeding all other kinde of wickednesse hereby it is manifest For that the same are directly contrary to two vertues most chiefely good although differring in themselues and vnlike together For that is called most wicked which is contrary to a thing most best So much then as lyeth in the offenders the one of their offences is directly agaynst the deity which of himselfe is alwayes essentially and supernaturally good The other is agaynst the deification and the Image of God in man which is not alwayes but by the participation of Gods lightsome grace essentially and naturally God And forasmuch as in thinges being good the cause of good is better then the effect like as againe in euill things the cause of euill is worse then the effect of euil proceeding therof hereby it is manifest That the inducers of such wicked destroyers of Gods Image and deification in the sheep of Christ that is the church of God are worse theÌ„ those chief destroiers to wit Lucifer Antichrist And as in these degrees of wickednes how much more excellent such be who hauing a great charge committed to them of God to edifâ—ication and not to destruction are more bound to keep away and exclude such wicked destroyers from the church of God So much is it also of that that this holy seat Apostolicall to whom the Lord Iesus Christ hath geuen all maner of power to edification as the Apostle sayth and not to destruction can commaund or will to goe about
Of whom onely Thomas Earle of Lancaster for the nobility of his bloud was beheaded All the other Lords and Barons were hanged drawn quartered c. which bloudy vnmercifulnes of the king toward his naturall subiects not only to him procured great dishonor within the realme but also turned afterward to his much more greater harm hinderance in his forreine warres agaynst the Scots And finally wrought his vtter confusion and ouerthrow of his seat royall as in the sequell of his end appeared and worthely After the ruine of these noble personages the king as though he had gotteÌ„ a great coÌ„quest who then in deed began first to be ouercomen and conquere himself when he so oppressed and cut of the strength and sinews of his chiualrye began to triumph not a litle with his Spensers And to couÌ„t himselfe sure as though he were in heauen to exercise more sharpe seuerity vpon his subiectes trusting and committing all to the counsell onely of the foresayd Spensers in so much that both the Queene and the residue of yâ— other nobles could litle be regarded Who as they grew euer in more contempt with the king so they encreased in more hatred agaynst the Spensers but strength hability lacked to worke ther will The next yeare the king being at York after he had made Sir Hugh Spencer Erle and Syr Iohn Baldocke a man of euill same to be Chauncellour of England he theÌ„ areared a mighty host agaynst the Scottes But for lack of skilfull guiding expert Captaynes and for want specially of due prouision of vitayles necessary for such an army the great multitude to the number reckoned of an hundreth thousand wandring through Scotland from whence the Scots had conuayed all theyr goods and cattell into moutaynes and marches were so pynched and sterued with famyne that a great part of the army there presently perished and they that returned home as soone as they tasted of in eates escaped not The king neither hauing resistance of his enemies and seing such a destruction of his subiects was forced without anye acte done to retyre But in his retiring Sir Iames Duglas and the Scottes hauing knowledge therof pursued him in such wise that they clue many Englishe men and had well neare taken the kyng himselfe After whiche distresse the king thus beaten and wearyed with the Scottes woulde fayne haue ioyned in â—ruce with the Scottes but because they stoode excommunicate by the pope he standing in feare therof desireth liceÌ„ce to entreate with them of peace the sayd excommunication notwithstanding whiche licence beyng obtayned a treaty was appoynted by commissioners on both parts at Newcastle at the feast of Sainct Nicholas next ensuing and so truce was taken for 12. yeares whereupon this is to be noted by the way gentle reader not vnworthy of obseruation that wheras in former tymes and especially of the late king Edward the first so long as the Scottes were vnder the popes blessing and we in displeasure with his holines for dealing with them so long we preuayled mightely agaynst them euen to the vtter subuersion in manour of their whole estate But nowe so soone as the Pope tooke our part the Scots were vnder his curse and excommunication Then gat they greater victories against vs then any time either before or sithence in somuch as being before not able to defend them selues agaynst vs they nowe pursued vs into the bowels of our owne country The king purposing to erect a house of Fryers Augustines within the towne of Boston in Lincolneshyre first prayed the popes licence in that behalfe Polidorius Virgilius among other histories of our English nation which he intermedleth withall prosecuting also the actes and life of this present King and comming to write of the Queenes goyng ouer into Fraunce inferreth much varietie and diuersitie of autours and story writers concerning the cause thereof Otherwise be geueth hymself no true certainty of that matter neyther yet toucheth he yâ— which was the cause in deede By reason partly that he being an Italian and a foreiner coulde not vnderstand our English toung And partly agayne being but one maÌ„ neyther coulde he alone come to the sight of all our Latine autours One I am sure came not to his perusing an old ancient Latine history fayre written in patchment but without name belonging to the library of William Cary Citizen of London In which story the truth of this matter â—out all ambiguitie is there fully and with all circumstaunces expressed as here briefly is excerpted The king of England had bene diuers sundry tymes cited vpp to the Courte of Fraunce to doe homage to the French king for the Dukedome of Aquitane other lands which the king then helde of Fraunce Whiche homage because the king of England refused to tender the French K. began to enter at such possessions as the king then did hold in Fraunce Whereupon great contention and confirtes there were on both sides At length in this yeare now present a Parliament was called at London Where after much altercation at last it was determined that certayne should be sent ouer to witte the Bishops of Winchester and Norwich and the Earle of Richmond to make agreement betwixt the two kinges For the better help and fortification of which agreement it was thought good afterward that Queene Isabell sister to Charles then the FreÌ„ch king shold be sent ouer Where is to be noted first that the Queenes landes possessions and castles a little before vpon the breach betweene the Frenche king and the Kyng of Englande were seised into the kinges handes and the Queene put to her pension c. Thus the Queene beyng sent ouer with a few to attend vpon her onely Syr Iohn Cromwell Baron and 4. knightes tooke theyr passage into Fraunce by whose mediation it was there concluded that the king of England if he would not himselfe come to do his homage he should geue to his sonne Edward the Dukedome of Aquitanie and the Earledome of Pontine and so he to come to make his homage to the king and to podesle the same This being in Fraunce concluded was sent ouer by message to the king of England with the kings letters patentes adioyned for the sate conduct of him or of his sonne Upon this deliberation was taken in the counsalle of England But the two Spensers fearing to take the Seas eyther with the king or els without the king to remayne behinde for scare of the nobles so appoynted that Prince Edward the kings sonne was sent whiche happened after to theyr vtter desolation as it followed For all thinges being quieted ordered according to the agreement in Fraunce K. Edward of England soone after Michaelmas sendeth for his wife and his sonne agayne out of Fraunce But the sending home most part of her family reinseth her selfâ— to returne For what cause it is not fully certayne whether for indignation that her possessions
Empire to gouerne and defend the fayth together Wherefore in that the Emperour sweareth to the bish of Rome in that is to be vnderstand no homage or fealtie made to the Bishop but onely is a Sacrament a promise geueÌ„ to defend the faith The which oth or sacrament so geuen giueth no maioritie to the Pope in any temporal rule but only byndeth the Emperour to be priest and ready to defend the fayth churche of Christ when need shall require obedience Wherefore where as the Pope leaneth onely to the electors authoritie to make the k. of Romaynes and taketh vpon himselfe alone to make the Emperor that as it is newly brought in deuised a late by pope ClemeÌ„t the 5. so is it contrary both to all auncient order and also derogatorie to the libertie maiesty of the sacrate Empire Agayne neither is that also lesse absurd and contrary to all right and reason that the pope in time of the imperiall seat being vacant taketh vpon him to haue the whole full doinges of the Empyre as lawful Emperour for the time Which prerogatiue and function by auncient orders of our forcelders shuld properly onely appertayne to the Palatine of Rhene the Constitution Clementine of the foresayd Pope Clement to the contrary notwithstanding Then in the end for his own excuse he in the presence of them al reciteth the publike confession of his fayth to answere purge himself of those obiections layde to him by the pope This did the meeke Emperour Ludouicke in that Councell yet all this not withstanding the sayd Emperour remayned still excommunicate till tyme variaunce fel betweene this pope Benedict and Philip the French king Wherfore to make his party good at least to haue some friendes to flee to he began to pretend fauour absolution rather for necessitie then for anye good will to the Emperour But not long after this Pope died of who this Epitaph was made Hic situs est Nero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero cupa repleta mero After whome followed Pope Clement the sixt a man most furious and cruell Who renning agayne the former excommunications of hys former predecessors caused hys letters to be set vp on Church dores wherein he threatned denounced most terrible thunderboltes agaynst the sayd Lewes the Emperour vnlesse within three dayâ—s he shold satisfie to God and the Church and renounce the Imperiall possession of the crown The Emperour vpon this coÌ„meth to Francford and there ready to stand in al things to the ordinaunce of the pope sendeth his Oratours to the court of Rome to entâ—eat the pope of his fauour and good will towardes him To the whiche messengers the Pope answered againe that he would neuer pardon the Emperor before he gaue ouer and confessed his errors hereâ—ies and resigning vp his Empire to his handes woinde submit himselfe his children and all his goods to the will and pleasure of the bishop promising that he shuld not receiue agayn any part of the same but vppon his good grace as his will should be to restore them The heresie here mentioned which was to this Emperour obiected by the pope was this because as is aboue touched he vsed and executed the Imperiall dignitie after his election before he was of the pope confirmed Ouer besides the Pope sendeth to the Emperour by the sayd Oratours a certayne forme of a bill contayned in writing with certaine conditions which he commaunded to be geuen to the handes of the Emperor Here if the Emperour Lewis had had as much minde to set vpon the Pope with dint of sword as he lacked neyther occasion nor power so to doe what bloud might here haue bene spilled But the good Emperour sparing the effusion of bloud receiueth gently the bill and not onely with his seale doth confirme it but also sweareth to obserue all the conditions therof Which the pope hearing of doth greatly maruel But yet al this wold nothing help to mollitie the modest heart of this Pharao The Princes and electors seeing the bill of the articles and conditions whereof some sounded to malicious defacing and destructioÌ„ of the Empire abhorring the wickednes thereof desired the Emperour to stande to the defence of the Imperial Dominion as he had begoni promising that their assistance ayde to the vttermost thereunto should not lack Upon that other Orators were sent to P. Clement from the Princes desiring hym to abstaine from such maner of articles conceaued agaynst the state and maiesty of the Empyre The pope surmising all this to spring from Lewes the Emperour to the vtter subuersion of him and all his posteritie on Maundy thursday blustereth out most black curses agaynst hym also renueth al the former processes of his predecessor agaynst hym as agaynst both an hereticke a schismaticke commaunding moreouer the Princes electors to proceede in chusing a new Emperour The Archbishop of Mentz seeing the innocency of the emperour would not consent to the violating of his maiesty wherefore was depriued by the Pope of all his dignities Wherefore was depriued by the Pope of all his dignitie The other bishops electors as the Archb. of CholeÌ„ which tooke 8. thousande markes with the Duke of Saronye whiche tooke 2. thousand markes beyng corrupted with mony by Iohn king of Boheme elected Charles the sonn of the sayd Iohn whome Pope Clement eftsoones in hys consistory did approue Who seeth not here what matter was ministred by the P of warre and bloudshed betwene these 2. Emperours if the patience of Ludouicke had not bene more prudent to quench the fire then the pope was to kindle it Charles then the new Emperour elect sped hym to Aquisgraue according to the custome there to be crowned But by the Citizens there and the Empresse Ludouicus wyse keeping there about was repelled All this happened in the time and raigne of Edward the 3. King of England with whoÌ„ the sayd Charles with the French k. and king of Boheme set on by the P. encountred in warre where the king of England had agaynst them a noble victory and â—ue a great number of the Frenchmen and Almaynes and put Charles the new Emperor to flight In the meane tyme among the Princes and Citties of Germany what sorrow and what complayntes were agaynst pope Clement and those electors it caÌ„not be expressed For as they were altogether at Spires congregated in a general assembly so there was none among them al yâ— allowed the election of Charles or that cared for the popes processe promising all to adhere continue faithful subiects to Ludouicke theyr lawful Emperour But Ludouicke remembring his oth made before to the popes bill voluntary and willingly gaue ouer his Emperiall dignitie and went to Burgrauia where shortly after through the procured practise of pope Clement as Hieronimus Marius doth write poyson was geuen him to drinke After the whiche beyng dronke
maister but also the whole couÌ„try of Heynault And further for that to such an expedition as appertained he sayd the prouince of Reynault was but a small matter to make accoÌ„pt of he woulde procure for the king greater ayde friendship in the Empire as the Duke of Brabant his cousin Germaine and a puissant Prince the Duke of Guerles the Archbishop of Colayne the Marques of Iuliers c. which are all good men of warre and able to make 10. thousand fighting men sayth he Which aunswere well liked the king and made him ioyous therof But this counsaile of the king as secret as it was came to Phillip the French kinges cares wherupon he stayd the voiage of the Crosie whiche then he had in hand sending forth countermaundes to stay the same til he knew farther the purpose of the king of England The king hereupon himselfe taketh shipping accompanyed as to a king appertained and when he had consulted with all the foresayd Lords of the Empire in this matter and vnderstood theyr fidelitie he made hys repayre to the Emperour at whose handes he was well intertayned honorable receaued whoÌ„ the Emp. appointed to be his Lieâ—etenant generall hauing thereby more authoritie both to will commaund such as for this his expedition he trusted vnto and had made conuention with This hearing Phillip prepared his army and rigged hys nauy that so soone as the K should enter into the dominioÌ„ of Fraunce they also might enter into EnglaÌ„d requiting like for like The king of England after the feast of S. Iohn Baptist according to his purpose prepared all thinges ready to such an expeditioÌ„ coÌ„ducting his army gathering a greater strength in the Empire as before to him was promised vsing the Emperours authoritie therein as his lieftenant general howbeit at the charge altogether of the K. of England The French king as soone as king Edward had landed his army at Mackline in Flaunders and hearing of the defiance which the king and other Noble men of the Empire had sent vnto him Sent certaine ships lying ready therunto and wayting for such oportunitie vppon the cost of England did so much that vpon a Sonday whilest the townes men were at the Church little looking for any such matter entred the hauen of Southampton tooke the towne and spoyled the same defloured maydens enforced wiues brent kild tooke captiues and caryed away riche Ipoyles and great booties to theyr ships and so agayn departed into Fraunce Further as the king of EnglaÌ„d had allied himselfe with the noble men of the Empire and had the friendly fauour of the Emperour also therunto so the French king made the like league and aliance with Dauid the king of Scots whom the king had so hardly delt with all in Scotland as partly before you had and kept the most part of Scotland vnder hys subiection Binding the sayd Dauid is well by writing as oth pledge that without his consent he should make no peace nor conclude any truce with the king of England who agayne assured hym of ayd and rescue and helpe and to recouer his kingdome dominioÌ„ to his vse and forth with sent certain garisons bands into Scotland to keepe play with the Englishmen and there to fortifie diuers places till further oportunitie serued Hee also fortified with men money vitayle and munitioÌ„ the town of Cambrey which he suspected would be besieged lying so neare vpoÌ„ that Empire as in deed it came to passe For King Edward departing from Macheline set forward his host towardes Heynault and by the way asseÌ„bled such power as in the Empirie he looked for marching forward still till that they came to Cambrey it besieged with 40000. men while that with an other company the Fleminges Brabanters and Holenders went to S. Quentin But in effect neyther there nor at Cambrey nor els where any thing notorious was achieued but the summer being well spent and little preuailing in the siege of Cambrey being of situation strong wel defenced therwall with men munition brake vp the siege marched further into the hart of Fraunce towardes Mutterell Which thing the French king hauing vnderstanding of prepared himselfe to geue battaile to the king of England who with an other great army came to UiroÌ„fosse where daies were appoynted to meet in battaile but in the end nothing was done nor attempted betweene the princes And the king of EnglaÌ„d without any battaile either geuing or taking returned with his army from thence to Gaunt Concerning the cause of the sodaine remouing of the K. out of Fraunce seemeth most specially to rise of the pope which at the same time sent downe his Legates for the order of a peace to be taken betweene the kings At Gaunt was gathered by the kings appointment all the nobles as well of England as of the Empire in counsaile together what was best to be done Where playn answere was made to the king of England that vnlesse he would take vpon him the claime and title of Fraunce as his lawfull inheritaunce and as King thereof prosecute his warres It might not be lawfull for them any further to ayde the king of England or to fight with him agaynst the French king for that the Pope had bound them in two millions of Florences of gold and vnder payne of excommunication that they should not fight against the lawfull king of Fraunce Whereupon the king thought good therfore presently to make open challenge to the Realme and Crowne of Fraunce and further to quarter intermingle the armes of Fraunce with the armes of England in one Scootchen Wherupon eftsoones K. Edward made answere vnto the Pope agayne directing vnto him his letters wherein he declareth at large his right title vnto the Crowne of Fraunce purging thereby hymselfe and hys cause vnto the Byshop The copy and tenour of which letter because it is to long to expresse it is to be found in the story of Thom. Walsingham remaining in the Library of I. Stephenson Citizen of LondoÌ„ who so hath lift or leisure to peruse the same Besides this letter to the pope he directed an other to the Pieres and Prelates of France he remayning yet at Gaunt in tenure as followeth * The letter of king Edward to the Nobles and commons of Fraunce EDward by the grace of God king of Fraunce and of England Lord of Ireland Vnto all Prelates and the Ecclesiasticall persons to the Pieres Dukes Earles Barons and to the commons of Fraunce greeting The high Lord and king aboue to whome although his will be in his owne power yet woulde that power should be subiect vnto law commaunding euery thing to be geueÌ„ vnto him which is his declaring thereby that iustice and iudgement ought to be the preparation of the kinges seate Wherefore seing the kingdome of Fraunce through the prouidence of God by the death of Charles last king of Fraunce of famous
Phillip of Fraunce a truce is taken For seeing that you without our consent tooke truce with hym wee by the aduice of our Princes which know the bonds dedes and couenants betwixt vs who also thought no lesse but that sauing your honour we might do the same haue also made a league with the said Phillip king of Fraunce and for certaine causes doe reuoke and call backe the Liefetenantship which we assigned vnto you by our letters Neuerthelesse geuing you for a certaine to vnderstande that in our saide treaties and peace concluded wee haue so brotherly considered you that if you wil agree condescend vnto our counsel your cause by our meane and help shal be brought to good passe and effect About which things farther to conferre with your brotherhode herein we haue sent a deuout religious man Eliarhardus reader and brother of the Heremites of S. Augustine and Chaplaine of our Courte whome about the premisses we desire with speedy expedition to be sent to vs again Dated at Franckforde the 14 day of Iune in the 24. yeare of oure raigne and 14. of our Empire The answere of the King of England to the Emperour TO the high and mighty Prince Lorde Ludouicke by the grace of God Emperor of the Romanes alwaies Augustus Edward by the same grace king of Fraunce and England and Lord of Ireland salutation and prosperous successe We haue reuerently receined your highnes letters amongst other thinges containing that the noble Phillip de Valois to the intent a peace and concorde betweene vs and him might be concluded hath geuen vnto you by his letters ful power and authoritie thereunto at your highnesse request And that if the same might content vs to doe in like sort your highnesse woulde trauaile to bring the concorde to passe And that it would not moue vs any whit at all that your highnesse and the sayde Phillip are in league together For in so much as wee without your astent and consent you say tooke truce with the sayd Phillip you haue also done the like with him which thing you might well do sauing your honoure by the counsaile of all your Nobles and Princes and for certaine causes reuoke againe the Lieftenauntship which you committed vnto vs. Doubtlesse the zeale and good will you haue to make this concorde and agreement we much commend letting you to vnderstand that we alwayes haue bene desirous still are to haue a reasonable peace with the sayde Phillip which peace as much as to vs our honour saued appertained we haue in iustice and by law prosecuted and in very deede it should be to vs acceptable and as wee woulde wish if by such a Mediatour as your Celsitude is it might be brought to passe But forasmuch as we vnderstande the same our right and title to the kingdome of France to be manifest and cleare inough we purpose not to commit the same by any of our letters to doutfull arbitrement But while wee well consider and reuolue with our selues howe your highnesse vpon circumspect consideration manifestly beholding our iust and rightful doing and the straight dealing and obstinate purpose and iniurie of the sayd Philip with vs and in our behalfe against the said Philip your graces highnes made a special league adopting vs of your great and bountifull loue towardes our person to be one of your sonnes Wherefore thus againe to alter and breake the same wee cannot sufficiently maruell Seeing your inuincible highnes being instituted of God to the laude and commendation of good men and reuenge of euill and wicked doers hath made a league against vs with the saide Philip de Valoys our notorious and iniurious enemy And as touching that which you say without your assignement and consent wee tooke a truce or dayes of respite with the said Phillip which we ought not to haue done If your grace well consider the circumstance of the matter we haue done but as we might therein For when we laide oure siege to Tourney it was requisite we followed their aduise whose aide and societie therein we had Besides the soden and imminent necessity which we there stood in the distance of the place betwixt your highnesse and vs furthermore was suche as by that no meanes wee might attaine the same nor vse your assent therein Yea further if your grace wel remember your self your graunt vnto vs was such that whensoeuer oportunitie thereunto should serue we might entreate of any peace and graunt what time wee thought mete thereunto without your consent therin So that to conclude any finall peace with the saide Philip de Valois without either your consent or otherwise making your highnesse priuie thereunto it might not be lawfull for vs Which thing wythout your said counsaile consent and aduise we neuer minded or purposed to do But haue in all our doings done that which vs beseemed so farre as by any meanes our power would stretch hoping likewise that your brotherly beneuolence for a time would haue more louingly supported vs. It is thought also by some that the reuoking backe againe or restraint of your foresayd Liefetenantship was prematurate or done all out of time when as according to your promise made to vs herein by your letters imperiall you ought not so to haue done before the Realme and kingdome of Fraunce or at the least the greatest part thereof were of vs obtained and quietly in peaceable wise enioyed These premised therefore we desire you according to our nobilitie duely to consider and heereafter to doe that which shall be thought both meete and conuenient because that God willing we meaâ—e to recoÌ„pence and gratifie both you yours according to the measure of your beneuolence bestowed vpon vs. The almighty graunt vnto your Celfitude so much felicitie as your hart desireth Dated at London the 18. day of Iuly in the 2. yeare of the raign of our kingdom of Fraunce and of England 15. In this meane time died Pope Benedict the 12. mentioned a little before after whome succeeded in that roume Pope Clement the 6. Of whome it is reported in storyes that he was very liberall and bountiful to hys Cardinals of Rome in riching and heaping them with goods possessions not of his owne but with the Ecclesiasticall dignities and preferments of the Churches of England For so recordeth the author that he bestowed vpon his Cardinals the liuyngs and promotions suche as were or should be vacant in churches of England and weÌ„t about to set vp new titles for his Cardinals here within this realm But the kyng beyng offeÌ„ded therwith made voyd and frustrate all those foresayd prouisions of the pope chargyng moreouer and commaunding no person whatsoeuer to busy himself with any such prouisions vnder paine of prisonment lâ—syng his lyfe Which law was made the next yere folowing which was an 1344. It followed then that the said Pope Clement agayne began to make new pronisioÌ„s for two of his Cardinals of benefices and
Churches that should be next vacant beside Bishopricks and Abbotshyps to the extent of two thousand Marks Wherupon the procurators of the sayd Cardinals were sent down for the same But the kyng and nobility of the realme not suffring that vnder paine of imprisonment caused the sayd procurators foorthwith to depart the realm wherupon the nobles and commons shortly after writeth a fruitfull Epistle to the Pope for the liberties and the maintenance of yâ— English church Whereunto as saith the author the pope and the Cardinals were not able to answer The argument and tenor of which letter out of French wee haue caused to be translated into Englishe as insueth The letter of the king of England and nobles of the same to the Pope against the reseruations and prouisions which he had in England TO the most holy father in God Lord Clement by the grace of God of the holy church of Rome and of the vniuersal church chiefe and high Bishop His humble deuout children the Princes Dukes Earles Barons Knights Citizens Burgeses and al the comminaltie of the Realme of Englande assembled at the Parliament holden at Westminster the 15. day of May last past Deuoute kissings of his holy feete with all humble reuerence and humilitie Most holy father the holy discretion gouernment equitie which appeareth to be in you and ought of duety so to be beyng so high and holy a prelate and head of the holy church by whom the holy vniuersall churche and people of God ought to be as by the sunne beames inlightened Geueth vs good hope and likelyhode that the iust petitions to the honour of Iesus Christ holy Church and your holinesse also by vs declared shal be of you graciously heard and considered And that all errours and other iniquities quite taken away and remooued in stede thereof fruitfull exployts and necessary remedies by the grace of the holy spirite which you in so high an estate haue receiued may be by you likewise graciously ordained and disposed Wherfore most holy father all we vpon great deliberation and common assent come vnto your holines shewing and declaring that the noble kings of England our progenitours our auncitours and we according to the grace of the holy spirite to them and vs geuen euery one according to his deuotion haue established fouÌ„ded and endowed with in the realme of Englande Churches Cathedrals Colleges Abbeis Priories and other diuers houses of religion in the same ordained and to the Prelates and gouernours of the same places haue geuen landes possessions patrimonies franchesies aduowsons and patronages of dignities reuenues offices churches with many and diuers other benefices vnto them geuen whereby the seruice of God and faith of Christ might haue bene honoured and had in reuereÌ„ce that the hospitals almes houses that are made with all the churches edifices might be honestly kept maintained and that deuout praiers might in those places be made for the founders the poore parishioners aided and comforted And such only ought to haue the cure therof as are able to heare confessions and in their owne naturall toung otherwise meete to informe teach their parishioners And for so muche as most holy father that you caÌ„not well come to the notice of diuers such errours defaults neither yet vnderstand the condition of the places being so far of vnles your holines be enformed aduertised We hauing the perfect intelligence and vnderstanding of the sayd errours and defaultes of the places abouesayd within the sayd Realme haue thought meete to signifie the same vnto your holines That diuers reseruations prouisions and collations by your predecessours Apostolicke of Rome and by you most holy father in your time haue bene graunted and that more largely then they haue bene accustomed to be vnto diuers persons as well straungers and of sundry nations as vnto some such as are our enemies hauing no vnderstanding at all of the tongue and conditions of them of whom they haue the gouernment cure Whereby a great number of soules are in perill a great many of their parishners in daunger the seruice of GOD destroyed the almes and deuotion of all men diminished the hospitals perished the churches with their appurtenaunces decayed charitie withdrawne the good and honest persons of our realme vnaduaunced the charge and gouernement of soules not regarded the deuotion of the people restrayned many poore schollers vnpreferred and the treasure of the realme caryed out against the myndes and intentes of the founders All which errours defaultes and flaunders most holy father we neyther can nor ought to suffer nor indure We therefore most humbly require your holines that the slaunders errors and defaultes which we haue declared vnto you may be through your great discretion considered and that it may please you that such reseruations prouisions and collations may be vtterly repelled that from henceforth the same be no more amongst vs vsed But to take such order and remedy therein that the said benefices edifices rightes with their apertinentes may be to the honour of God by our owne countrymen cured defended and gouerned And that it may further please your holines by your letters to signifie vnto vs without delay and other detract of tyme what your plesure is touching this our lawful request demaund and that we may doe our indeuour with dilligence herein for the remedy correction and amendment of those enormities aboue specified In witnes wherof vnto these letters patentes we haue set our seales Geuen in the full Parliament at Westminster the 8. day of May an 1343. After these thinges thus passed ouer the King shortly after sent ouer his Procuratours Earle of Lancaster and Darby Hugh Spencer L. Rafe Stafforde wyth the Byshop of Exâ—tor and diuers other to the popes court to discusse and plead about the right of his title before the pope Unto whom the said Pope Clement the 6. not long after sent down thys message how that Ludouike duke of Bauarie the Emperour whom the pope had before deposed had submitted himselfe to hym in all things and therefore deserued at his hands the benefite of absolution And how the pope therfore had coÌ„ferred and restored vnto him iustly and gratiously the Empire which he before vniustly did holde c. Which message when the King did heare beyng therwith moued to anger answered againe saying That if he did agree and compound also with the Frenche king he was ready to fight with them both c. Ex chro Albanen Within the time of this yere pence halfepence and farthings began to be coyned in the tower And the next yere folowing which was an 1344. the castle of winsor where the king was borne began to be repared and in the same the house called the rounde table was situate the diameter wherof from the one side to the other contained 200. feete to the expeÌ„ces of which house weekly was allowed an C. li. for the mainteining
of the kings protection whereunto was aunswered by the kyng that the statutes and ordinaunces therefore made should be obserued In these rolles and recordes of such Parliamentes as was in thys kings time continued diuers other thynges are to be noted muche worthy to be marked and not to be suppressed in silence Wherein the Reader may learne and vnderstand the state of the kings iurisdiction here wythin this realme not to be straightned in those daies although the Pope then seemed to be in his chief ruffe as afterward since in other kings dayes was seene As may appeare in the parliament of the 15. yeare of thys king Edward the 3. and in the 24. article of the sayde Parliament where it is to be read that the kings officers and temporall Iustices did then both punish vsurers an◠impeached the officers of the Church for bribery and for taking mony for temporall paine probate of willes solemnitie of Mariage c. al the pretensed liberties of the popish church to the contrary notwythstanding Furthermore in the Parliament of the 25. yeare appeareth that the liberties of the clergie and their exemptions in claiming the deliuerance of men by their booke vnder th◠name of Clerks stode then in litle force as appeared by one Hauketyne Honby knight who for imprisonning one of the kings subiectes till hee made fine of 20. li. was therefore executed notwithstanding the liberty of the Clergie whych by his booke would haue saued hym but could not The like also appeared by iudgement geuen agaynst a priest at Notingham for killing of hys maister And likewise by hanging certaine monks of Combe Ex Parliam An. 23. Ed. 3. Item in the Parliament of the 15. yeare by apprehending of I. Stratford Archbishop of Canterbury and hys arrainment concerning which his arrainment all things were committed to sir William of Kildisby Besides these truthes and notes of the kings Parliaments wherin may appeare y◠toward procedings of this king of all his commons against the pretensed church of Rome Thys is moreouer to be added to the commendation of the king how in the volumes of the actes rolles of the king appeareth That the sayd king Edward the 3. sent also Iohn Wickleffe reader then of the Diuinitie lector in Oxford wyth certaine other Lords Ambassadors ouer into the parts of Italy to treat wyth the Popes Legates concerning affaires betwixt the King and the Pope with ful cōmission the tenor whereof here foloweth expressed REX vniuersis ad quorum notitiam presentes literae peruenerint c. In English thus The King to all and singuler to whome these presentes shall come greeting Know ye that we reposing assured confidence in the fidelitie and wisdome of the reuerend father Iohn Bishoppe of Bangor and other our louing and faithful subiects M. Iohn Wickliffe reader of the diuinitie lecture M. Iohn Gunter Deane of Segobyen and M. Symon Moulton doctor of the lawe Syr William Burton Knight M Iohn Belknappe M. Iohn Honnington haue directed them as our Ambassadors and special Commissioners to the partes beyond the seas Geuing to the sayde our Ambassadors and Commissioners to sixe or fiue of them of whome I will that the sayde Bishop shal be one full power and aucthoritie wyth commaundement speciall to treat and consult mildely and charitably with the Legates and Ambassadors of the L. Pope touching certaine affaires Where upon of late we sent heretofore the sayd Bishop and M. William Vghtred monke of Duresme and M. Iohn Shepie to the see Apostolicall And hereof to make ful relation of all things done and past in the sayd assembly that all such things which may tend to the honor of holy Church and the aduauncement of our crowne and this our realme may by the assistaunce of God and the wisedome of the see Apostolicall bee brought to good effect and accomplished accordingly Witnes our selues c. at London dated the 26. day of Iuly in the 48. yeare of our raigne By the which it is to be noted what good wil the king then bare to the sayd Wickleffe and what smal regarde he had to the sinfull sea of Rome Of the whych Iohn wickleff because we are now approched to his time remaineth consequently for our story to entreat of so as we haue heere to fore done of other lyke valiant souldiours of Christes Church before him ¶ Iohn Wickliffe AFter all these heretofore recited by whome as ye haue heard it pleased the Lord something to worke against the Byshop of Rome to weaken the pernitious superstition of the Friers Nowe remayneth consequently following the course of yeares orderly to enter into the story and tractation of Iohn Wickleffe our countreyman and other moe of his time and same countrey whom the Lord wyth the like zeale and power of spirit raysed vp here in England to detect more fully and amply the poison of the Popes doctrine false religion set vp by the Fryers In whose opinions and assertiōs albeit some blemishes perhaps may be noted yet such blemishes they be whych rather declare him to be a mā that might erre then which directly did fight against Christ our Sauiour as the Popes procedings and the friers did And what doctor or learned man hath ben from the prime age of the church so perfect so absolutely sure in whome no opinyon hath sometyme swarued awry And yet be the sayd articles of hys neither in number so many nor yet so grosse in themselues and so cardinall as those Cardinal ennemies of Christ perchance doe geue them out to be if his bookes whō they abolished were remaining to be conferred with those blemishes which they haue wrasted to the worste as euill will neuer sayde the best This is certaine and can not be denied but that he being the publike Reader of Diuinitie in the Universitie of Oxford was for the rude time wherein he liued famously reputed for a great clerke a deepe scholeman no lesse expert in all kinde of philosophie The which doth not onely appeare by his owne most famous and learned wrytings and monuments but also by the confession of Walden hys most cruel bitter enemy Who in a certain Epistle wrytten vnto pope Martin the fift sayth that he was wonderfully astonyshed at his most strong arguments wyth the places of authority whych hee had gathered wyth the vehemency and force of hys reasons c. And thus much out of Walden It appeareth by such as haue obserued the order and course of tunes that this wickleffe florished about the yeare of our Lord. 1371. Edward the third raigning in England for thus we doe finde in the Chronicles of Caxton In the yere of our Lord 1371. sayeth he Edward the third king of England in his Parliamēt was against the Popes clergy He willingly harkned and gaue eare to the voices and tales of heretickes wyth certaine of his counsel conceiuing and folowing sinister opinions against the Clergy
the sayd Iohn Wickliffe to be apprehended and cast in prison And that the king and the nobles of England should be admonished by them not to geue any credite to the saide Iohn Wickliffe or to his doctrine in any wise c. ¶ Beside this Bill or Bull of the Pope sent vnto the Archbyshop of CaÌ„terbury and to the Byshop of London bearyng the date 11. Kalend. Iuni. and the 7. yeare of the raigne of the Pope I finde moreouer in the sayd story two other letters of the Pope concernyng the same matter but differyng in forme sent vnto the same Byshops and all hearyng the same date both of the day yeare and moneth of the raigne of the sayd Pope Gregory Whereby it is be supposed that the Pope either was very exquisite and solicitous aboue the matter to haue Wickliffe to be appreheÌ„ded which wrote three diuers letters to one person and all in one day about one businesse or els that he did suspect the bearers thereof the scruple wherof I leaue to the iudgement of the Reader Furthermore beside these letters writteÌ„ to the Uniuersitie and to the Byshops he directeth also an other Epistle bearyng the same date vnto kyng Edward as one of my stories sayth but as an other sayth to the kyng Richard whiche soundeth more neare to the truth forasmuch as in the 7. yeare of Pope Gregory the xi which was the yeare of our Lord. 1â—78 Kyng Edward was not aliue The copy of his letters to the kyng here followeth The copy of the Epistle sent by the Byshop of Rome to Richard kyng of England to persecute Iohn Wickliffe VNto his welbeloued sonne in Christ Richard the most noble kyng of England health c. The kyngdome of England which the most highest hath put vnder your power and gouernaunce beyng so famous and renowmed in valiancy and strength so aboundaunt and flowyng in all kynde of wealth and riches but much more glorious resplendent and shynyng through the brightnesse and clearenesse of all godlynesse and fayth hath accustomed alwayes to bryng forth men endued with the true knowledge and vnderstandyng of the holy Scriptures graue in yeares feruent in deuotion and defenders of the Catholicke fayth The which haue onely directed and instructed their own people through their holesome doctrine and preceptes into the true path of Gods commaundementes but also as we haue heard by the report and information of many credible persons to our great grief hart sorow that Iohn Wickliffe Parson of Lutterworth in the Dioces of Lincolne professor of diuinitie I would to God he were no author of heresie to be fallen into such a detestable and abhominable madnes that he hath propounded and set forth diuers and sundry conclusions full of errours and coÌ„teinyng most manifest heresie the which do tende vtterly to subuert and ouerthrow the state of the whole Churche Of the whiche some of them albeit vnder coloured phrase and speache seeme to smell and sauour of peruerse opinions and the foolishe doctrine of condemned memory of Marsilius of Padua and Iohn of Ganduno whose bookes were by Pope Iohn the 22. our predecessour a man of most happy memorye reproued and condemned c. ¶ Hetherto gentle reader thou hast heard how Wickliffe was accused by the Byshop Now you shall also heare the Popes mighty reasons and argumentes by the which he did confute him to the kyng It followeth Therefore for so much as our Reuerend brethren the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Byshop of London haue receiued a speciall commaundement from vs by our authoritie to apprehend and committe the forenamed Iohn Wickliffe vnto prison and to transporte his confession vnto vs If they shall seeme in the prosecution of this their businesse to locke your fauour or helpe we require and most earnestly desire your maiestie euen as your most noble predecessors haue alwayes bene most earnest louers of the Catholicke fayth whose case or quarell in this matter is chiefly handled that you woulde vouchsafe euen for the reuerence of God and the fayth aforesayd and also of the Apostolicke seat and and of our person that you will with your helpe and fauour assist the sayd archbishop and all other that shall goe about to execute the sayd busines Wherby besides the prayse of men you shall obtayne a heauenly rewarde and great fauour and good will at our hand and of the sea aforesaid Dated at Rome at S. Mary the greater the 11. Kal. of Iune in the 7. yeare of our Byshoprick an 1378. The Articles included in the popes letters whiche he sent to the Bishoppes and to the king against Wickliffe were these as in order do follow The conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe exhibited in the conuocation of certayne Bishops at Lambeth ALl the whole race of mankinde here on earth besides Christ hath no power simply to ordayne that Peter and all his ofspring should politickely rule ouer the world for euer 2. God cannot geue to any man for him and hys heyres anye ciuill dominion for euer 3. All writinges inuented by men as touching perpetuall heritage are impossible 4. Euery man being in grace iustifiyng hath not onely right vnto the thing but also for his time hath right in deede aboue all the good thinges of God 5. A man cannot onely ministratoriously geue any temporal or continuall gift eyther as well to his naturall sonne as to his sonne by imitation 6 If God be the temporall Lordes may lawfully and meritoriously take away the riches from the Church when they do offend habitualiter 7. We know that Christes Vicar cannot neyther is able by hys Bulles neyther by his owne will and consent neither by the consent for his colledge eyther make able or disable any man 8. A man cannot be excommunicated to his hurt or vndoyng except he be first and principally excommunicate by himselfe 9. No man ought but in Gods cause alone to excommunicate suspend or forbid or otherwise to proceede to reuenge by anye ecclesiasticall censure 10. A curse or excommunication doth not simply binde but in case it be pronounced and geuen out agaynst the aduersarye of Gods law 11. There is no power geuen by any example eyther by Christ or by his Apostle to excommunicate any subiect specially for the denying of any temporalties but rather contrariwise 12. The disciples of Christ haue no power to exact by anye ciuill authoritie temporalties by censures 13. It is not possible by the absolute power of God that if the Pope or any other Christian doe pretend by any meanes to bynd or to lose that thereby he doth so bynde and loose 14. We ought to beleue that the Vicar of Christ doth at suche tymes onely bynde and loose when as he worketh conformably by the law and ordinaunce of Christ. 15. This ought vniuersally to be beleued that euery priest righly and duely ordered according vnto the law of grace hath power according to his vocation whereby he may minister the sacramentes and
Iohn Wickliffe wrote certayne bookes which he called a Dialogue a Trialogue besides many other treatises and works the which he both wrot and taught in the which he wrot the aforesayd and many other damnable execrable articles The which his books for the publication and aduauncement of his peruers doctrine he did set forth opeÌ„ly for euery man to read Wherby beside many offeÌ„ces great hurt damages of soules hath ensued in diuers regions countryes but specially in the kingdomes of England and Boheme Against whom the maisters and Doctors of the Vniuersities of Oxforde and Prage rising vp in the truth and verity of God according to the order of schooles within a while after did reprooue and condemne the sayd Arcicles Moreouer the most reuerent fathers the archbishops and bishops for that time present of CaÌ„terbury Yorke and Prage Legats of the Apostolick sea in the kingdome of England and Boheme did condemne the bookes of the sayd Wickliffe to be burnt And the sayd Archbishoppe of Prage commissarye of the Apostolicke sea did likewise in this behalf determin iudge And moreouer he did forbid that any of those bookes whiche did remayne vnburned should not be hereafter any more reade And agayne these things being brought to the knowledge vnderstanding of the Apostolicke sea aud the generall councell The Bishop of Rome in his last Councell condemned the sayde bookes treatises and volumes commaunding them to be openly burned Most straightly forbidding that any men which should beare the name of Christ should be so hardy either to keep read or expound any of the sayde bookes or treatises volumes or workes or by any meanes to vse or occupy them either els to alledge theÌ„ opeÌ„ly or priuely but to their reproofe infamy And to the intent that this most dauÌ„gerous and filthy doctrine should be vtterly wiped away out of the Church he gaue commaundemeÌ„t through out al places that the Ordinaries should diligeÌ„tly enquire and seeke out by the Apostolick authority and Ecclesiasticall censure for all such bookes treatises volumes workes And the same so being found to burne consume theÌ„ with fire prouiding withall that if there be any such fouÌ„d which will not obey the same processe to be made agaynst them as agaynst the fauourers and mayntayners of heresies And this most holy Synode hath caused the sayd 45. Articles to be examined and oft times perused by manye most reuerend fathers of the Church of Rome Cardinals Bishops Abbots maisters of diuinitye and Doctours of both lawes besides a great number of other learned men the which Articles being so examined it was found as in truth it was no lesse that many yea a great number of theÌ„ to be notoriously for heretical reproued and condemned by the holy fathers other some not to be Catholick but erroneous some full of offence and blasphemy Certayn of theÌ„ offensiue vnto godlye eares and many of theÌ„ to be rashfull and seditious It is found also that his bookes do contain many Articles of like effect and quality and that they doe induce and bring into the Church vnâ—ouÌ„d and vnwholesome doctrine contrary vnto the fayth and ordinance of the Church Wherefore in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ this sacred Synode ratefying and approuing the senteÌ„ces and iudgements of the Archbishops counsell of Rome do by this theyr decree and ordinance perpetually for euer more condemne and reproue the sayd Articles and euery one of them his bookes which he intituled his Dialogue and Trialogue all other bookes of the same author volumes treatises workes by what name so euer they bee entituled or called the which we wil here to be sufficiently expressed and named Also we forbid the reading learning exposition or alledging of any of the sayd bookes vnto all faythfull Christians but so farreforth as shall tend to the reproofe of the same forbidding all and singular Catholick persons vnder the payn of curse that from henceforth they be not so hardy openly to preach teach or holde or by any meanes to alledge the sayd Articles or any of them except as is aforesayd that it do tend vnto the reproofe of them commaunding all those bookes treatises works and volumes aforesayd to be openly burned as it was decreed in the Synode at Rome as is afore expressed For the execution wherof duely to be obserued and done the sayd sacred Synode doth straitly charge commaund the ordinaries of the places diligently to attend looke vnto the matter according as it appertayneth vnto euery maÌ„s duty by the Canonicall lawes and ordinaunces What were these articles here condemned by this couÌ„cell collected out of all his workes and exhibited to yâ— sayd CouÌ„cell to the number of 45. The copy of them foloweth vnder written * Certaine other Articles gathered out of Wickeliffes bookes by his aduersaries to the number of 45. exhibited vp to the Councell of Constance after his death and in the same councell condemned BEsides the 24. Articles aboue mentioned there were other also gathered out of his books to the number of 45. in all which his malicious aduersaryes peruersly collecting and maliciously expounding did exhibite vp to the CouÌ„cel of Constance which to repeat all though it be not here needfull yet to recite certayn of them as they stand in that Councell it shall not be superfluous 25. All such as be hyred for temporall liuing to pray for other offend and sinne of simony 26. The prayer of the reprobate preuayleth for no man 27. Halowing of Churches confirmation of children the Sacrament of orders be reserued to the Pope Bishops onely for the respect of temporall lucre 28. Graduations and Doctorships in Vniuersities and Colledges as they be vsed coÌ„duce nothing to the church 29. The excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to be feared because it is the censure of Antechrist 30. Such as fouÌ„d build Monasteries do offend sinne and all such as enter into the same be meÌ„bers of the deuil 31. To enrich the Clergy is agaynst the rule of Christ. 32. Siluester the Pope Constantine the Emperor were deceiued in geuing taking possessions into the Church 33. A Deacon or Priest my preach the word of God with out the authority of the Apostolick sea 34. Such as enter into order or religion monasticall are therby vnable to keep Gods commaundements and also to atteine to the kingdome of heauen except they reurne from the same 35. The Pope with all his Clergye hauing those great possessions as they haue be heretiques in so hauing the secular powers in so suffering them do not well 36. The Church of Rome is the sinagoge of Sathan neither is the Pope immediately the vicare of Christ nor of yâ— Apostles 37. The Decretals of the Pope be Apochripha and seduce from the sayth of Christ and the Clergy that study them be fooles 38. The Emperor and secular Lordes be seduced which so enrich
obedience of the foresayd Bishop in this behalfe accordingly Whereof fayle you not vnder payne of C.li. witnesse our selues yeauen at our Mannor of Langley the viii day of Marche the 12. yeare of our Reigne To these aboue rehearsed and other fauourers of Wickliffe within this our countrey of Englande we may adde also the Bohemians for so much as the propagation of the said doctrine of Wickliffe in that Countrey also take roote comming from England to Boheme by thys occasion as in story here followeth There chaunced at that time a certayne student of the coūtry of Bohemia to be at Oxford one of a welthy house and also of a noble stocke Who returning home from the vniuersitie of Oxford to the vniuersitie of Prage caryed with him certayne bookes of Wickliffe De realibus Vniuersalibus De ciuili iure Diuino De ecclesia De questionibus varijs contra clerum c. It chaunced the same time a certayne noble man in the Citty of Prage had founded and builded a great Church of Mathias and Matheus which Church was called Bethleem geuing to it great landes finding in it two preachers euery day to preach both holy day and working day to the people Of the whiche two preachers this Iohn Hus was one a man of great knowledge of a pregnant wit and excellently fauoured for his worthy life amongst them This Iohn Hus hauing familiaritie wyth this yong man in reading and perusing these bookes of Wickliffe tooke such pleasure and fruit in reading therof that not onely he began to defend this author opēly in the schooles but also in his sermons commending him for a good man an holy man and heauenly man wishing himselfe when he should dye to be there placed where as the soule of Wickliffe should be And thus for the spreading of Wickliffes doctrine enough And thus much briefly concerning the fauourers adherentes of Iohn Wickliffe in generall Now particularly in order let vs by Christes grace prosecute the stories and persecutions of the said parties aforenamed as the course of their times shall require first beginning with the valiant champions wil. Swinderby and Walter Brute The history of William Swinderby IN the yeare 1389. William Swinderby priest within the dioces of Lincolne being accused and detected vpon certayn opinions was presented before Iohn bishop of Lincolne and examined vpon certayne articles in the Church of Lincolne after the forme and order of the popes law according to theyr vsuall rite obserued his denouncers were these Fryer Frisby obseruant Frier Hincely Angustine Tho. Blaxton Dominican The articles wherewith they charged him although in forme of wordes as they put thē vp might seeme something straunge here to be recited yet to the entent that all men may see the spitefull malice of these spider Fryers in sucking al things to poyson and in forging that is not true as in processe Christ willing here after shall better appeare by his aunsweres I thought good here to notifie the same That men may aske their debtes by charitie but in no maner for debt to imprison any man and that he so imprisoning is accursed That if parishners do knowe their Curate to be a lechour incontinent and an euill man they ought to withdraw from him their tithes or els they be fautours of his sinnes That tithes purely be almose and in case that Curates be euill men the same may lawfully be conferred to other men That for an euill Curate to curse his suget for withholding of tithes is nothing els but to take with extortiō wickedly and vnduely from them theyr money That no prelate may curse a man except he know before that he is cursed of God That euery Priest may absolute any sinner being contrite and is bound notwithstanding the inhibition of the Bishop to preach the Gospell vnto the people That a Priest taking any annuall pension vppon couenant is in so doing a simoniacke and accursed That any priest being in deadly sinne if he geue himselfe to consecrate the body of the Lord he committeth idolatry rather then doth consecrate That no priest entreth into any house but to euill intreat the wife the daughter or mayde And therefore he admonished the goodman of the house to take heede what priest he let into his house An other conclusion falsly to him obiected That a child is not truely baptised if the priest that baptiseth or the godfather or godmother be in deadly sinne Item that no man liuing agaynst the law of God is a priest how euer he were ordeined priest of any Bishop These articles or conclusions vntruely collected were as cruelly exhibited agaynst him by the Fryers in the Byshop of Lincolnes court The which articles although he neuer preached taught or at any time defēded as appereth more in the processe following yet the Friers with theyr witnesses standing forth against him declared him to be conuict bringing also dry wood with them to the towne to burne him and would not leaue him before he made them promise and sweare for feare of death neuer to hold them teach them nor preach them priuily nor apertly vnder payne of relapse and that he shoulde goe to certayne churches to reuoke the foresayd conclusions which he neuer affirmed As first in the Churche of Loncolne then in S. Margarets Church of Leycester Also in S. Martines Church in Leycester and in our Ladies churches at Newarke and in other Parishe Churches also of Melton Moubray of Haloughton Hareburgh and Lenthburgh Which pennaunce being to him enioyned he did obediently accomplishe with this forme of reuocation whiche they bound him vnto vnder these wordes The reuocation of William Swinderby whereunto he was forced by the Friers I William Swinderby priest although vnworthy of the dioces of Lincolne acknowledging one true Catholique and Apostolique fayth of the holy Church of Rome doe abiure all heresie and errour repugning to the determinatiō of the holy mother church wherof I haue bene hetherto infamed namely the conclusions and articles aboue prefixed and euery one of them to me iudicially obiected by the Commissary of the reuerend father in Christ and Lord L. Iohn by the grace of God Byshop of Lincolne and do reuoke the same euery one of them some as hereticall some as erroneous and false and do affirme and beleue them to be so and hereafter will neuer teach preach or affirme publiquely or priuily the same Neither will make any sermon within the diocesse of Lincolne but asking first and obtayning the licence of the foresayd reuerend father and Lord the Byshop of Lincolne Contrary to the which if I shall presume hereafter to say or doe to holde or preach I shal be content to abide the seueritie of the Canon as I haue iudicially by the necessitie of the lawe sworne and doe sweare c. Thus haue you the conclusions and articles of thys good man falsly obiected to him by the malicious and lying Fryers and also the
touched In whome as some good vertues may be noted so also some vices may seeme to be mixed withall But especially this that he starting out of the steps of hys progenitors ceased to take part with them whiche tooke part with the gospell Wherupon it so fell not by the blind wheele of fortune but by the secret hand of him which directeth all estates that as he first began to forsake that mayntayning of the Gospell of God so the Lord began to forsake him And where the protection of God beginneth to fayle there can lack no causes to be charged withall whom God once giueth ouer to mans punishmeÌ„t So that to me considering the whole life and trade of this prince among all other causes alledged in storyes agaynst him none seemeth so much to be wayed of vs or more hurtfull to hym then this forsaking of the Lord and his word Although to such as list more to be certified in other causes concurring withall many and sondry defectes in that king may appeare in storyes to the number of 33. articles alledged or forced rather agaynst him In whiche as I cannot deny but that he was worthy of much blame so to be displaced therefore from his regall seate and rightfull state of the crowne it may be thought perhaps the causes not to be so rare so material in a prince which either could or els would haue serued had not he geuen ouer before to serue the Lord and hys word chusing rather to serue the humour of the Pope and bloudy Prelates theÌ„ to further the Lords proceedings in preaching of hys word And theÌ„ as I sayd how can enemies lack wher God standeth not to friend or what cause can be so little whiche is not able inough to cast downe where the Lords arme is shortned to sustayne Wherefore it is a poynt of principall wisedome in a Prince not to forget that as he standeth alwayes in neede of God hys helping hand so alwayes he haue the discipline and feare of him before hys eyes according to the counsayle of the godly King Dauid Psal. 2. And thus much touching the time and race of this K. Richard with the tragical story of his deposing The order and maner whereof purposely I pretermit onely contented briefly to lay together a fewe speciall thinges done before his fall suche as may be sufficient in a briefe somme both to satisfie the Reader inquisitiue of suche storyes and also to forwarne other Princes to beware the lyke daungers In suche as wryte the life and Actes of this Prince thus I read of him reported that he was much inclined to the fauouring and aduancing of certayne persons about him ruled all by theyr counsell whiche were theÌ„ greatly abhorred and hated in the realme The names of whome were Rob. Ueer Erle of Oxford whoÌ„ the king had made Duke of Ireland Alexander Neuile Archbishop of York Michiel Delapoole Earle of Suffolke Robert Trisiliam Lord chiefe Iustice Nicholas Brembre with other These men being hated and disdayned of diuers of the nobles and of the commons the king also by fauouring them was lesse fauoured hymselfe In so much that the Duke of Gloucester named Thomas Woodstock the kings Uncle with the Erle of Warwicke and Earle of Darby stoode vp in armes against those counsaylors and abusers as they named them of the king In so much that the king for feare was constrayned agaynst hys minde to remoue out of his court Alexander Neuile Archb. of Yorke Iohn Foorde Byshop of Duresme Fryer Thomas Rushoke Bishop of Chichester the kinges confessor with the Lord Haringworth Lord Burnell and Bemond Lord Ueer and diuers other And furthermore in the Parliament the same yeare following Robert Trisilian the Iustice was hanged and drawne Also Nicholas Brembre Knight Iames Salisbury also and Iames Barnese both Knights Ioh. Bewchampe the kinges Steward and Iohn Blake Esquire in like maner All these by the counsayle of the Lordes beyng cast in the parliament agaynst the kyngs mind did suffer which was in the 11 of his raign he being yet vnder gouernours but consequently after the same the king clayming his own liberty being come to the age of 20. began to take more vpon him And this was one thinge that stirred vp the kinges stomacke agaynst the Nobles Ex Chron. Alban 2. An other thing that styred hym vp as much against the Londiners was this for that he would haue borowed of them a M. pound and they denied him to their double triple disauantage as after ensued vpon it Ibidem An other occasion besides this betwene the king and the Londoners happened thus by reason of one of the Byshop of Salisburies seruauntes named Roman and a Bakers man who then carying a basket of horsebread in Fletstreet the foresayd Roman tooke a horselose out of the basket The Baker asking why he did so the Byshops lusty yeomcu turned backe agayne and brake his head whereupon the neighbors came out and would haue arested this Roman but he escaped away vnto the Byshops house Then the Constable would haue had him out but the Bishops men shut fast the gates that they shoulde not approche Thus much people gathered together threatning to brust open the gates and fire the house vnlesse they had the foresayd party to them brought out Wherby much adoe there was till at length the Mayor and Sheriffes came and quieted the rage of the commons sent euery man home to his house charging theÌ„ to keepe peace Here as yet was no great harme done but if the bishoppe for his part had beene quyet and had not styrred the coles of debate which were well slaked already all had bene ended without further perturbation But thâ— stomacke of the Byshop not yet digested although hys mâ—n had done the wrong hauing no great cause so to do whose name was Iohn Waltam being then Treasourer of England went to Thomas Arundell archbish the same time of Yorke and Lord Chauncellour of England to complayne of the Londoners Where is to be noted or rather reueled by the way a priuy mistery which although be not in this story touched of the writers yet it touched the hartes of the bishops not a little For the Londoners at that time were notoriously knowne to be fauourers of wickliffes side as partly before this is to be seene and in the story of S. Albones more playnly doth appeare where the author of the sayd history writing vpon the 15. yeare of King Richardes raygne reporteth in these wordes of the Londoners that they were Male creduli in deum traditiones auitas Lollardorum sustentatores religiosoruÌ„ detractores de cimaruÌ„ deteÌ„tores coÌ„munis vulgi depauperatores c. that is not right beleuers in God nor in the traditions of their forefathers susteyters of the Lollardes deprauers of religious men withholders of tythes and impouerishers of the common people c. Thus the Londoners being noted and
sayde is no longer bread materiall but that it is turned into verye Christes body and that I sweare here I say that this is false and erroneous c. I say as I sayd c. This being done the 22. day of February aforesayd in the yeare of our Lord 1400. in the chapter house of Sainct Paule in London aforesayd The foresayd Archbishop of Caunterbury in the conuocation of hys prelates Clergy and such lyke men there beeing present caused the fore recited proces of the bishop of Norwich to be read openly publikely to Syr Wil. Sautre otherwise called Chatris And afterward he asked the sayd syr William whether he playnely vnderstood and knew such proces the contents within the same and he sayd yea And further he demaunded of him if he would or could say or obiect any thing agaynst the proces and he sayd no. And after that incontinent the foresayd archbishop of Canterbury demaunded and obiected against the said syr William as diuers others more did That after he had before the Bysh. of Norwiche reuoked and abiured Iudicially diuers errors heresies that among other erroures and heresies by him taught holden and preached he affirmed That in the same sacrament of the aulter after the consecration made by the Priest as he taught there remayned materiall bread which heresie amongst others as erroures also he abiured before the foresayd Bishop of Norwich Hereunto the foresayd William aunswered smiling or in mocking wise saying and denying that he knew of the premisses Notwithstanding he publikely affirmed that he held and taught the foresayd thinges after the date of the sayd processe made by the sayd Bishop of Norwich and that in the same councell also he held the same Then finally it was demaunded of the said sir William why he ought not to be pronounced as a man fallen into heresie and further to proceede vnto his degradation according to the canonicall sanctions whereunto he answered nothing neither could he alledge any cause to the contrary Wheruepon the foresayd Archb. of Cant. by the counsaile and consent of the whole councel and especially by the counsail and assent of the reuerēd fathers and Bishops as also Priours Deanes Archdeacons and other worshipfull Doctours and Clerkes then and there present in the councel Fully determined to proceede to the degradation and actuall deposing of the sayde William Sautre as re-fallen into heresy and as incorrigible according to the sentence definitiue put in wryting the tenoure whereof is in wordes as foloweth In the name of God Amen Wee Thomas by the grace of God Archb. of Cant. Legate of the sea Apostolicall and Metropolitane of all England doe finde and declare that thou William Sawtrie otherwise called Chatris Priest by vs with the counsaile assent of all and singular our felowe brethren and whole Clergy by this our sentence diffinitiue declared in wryting hast bene for heresie conuict and condemned and art being againe fallen into heresy to be deposed and degraded by these presents And from that day being Wedensday there was in the sayde councell prouinciall nothing further prosecuted but was continued with all dependentes till the Friday next insuing Whych Friday approching M. Nicholas Rishton by the commandement of the sayd Archb. of Canterb. being then busied as he said in the Parliament house continued this councel and conuocation with al incidents dependents and occasions growing and annexed therunto to the next day to wit saterday next and immediatly after insuing Upon Saterday being the 26. of the sayd moneth of February the foresayde Archbishop of Canterbury fate in the Byshops seate of the foresayde Church of S. Paule in London and solemnly apparelled in his Pontifical attire sitting with hym as his assistents these reuerend fathers and Bishops of London Lyncolne Harford Exeter Meneuensis Roffensis Episcopi aboue mentioned commaunded and caused the sayd sir W. Sautry apparelled in priestly vestiments to be brought appeare before hym That done he declared and expounded in English to al the clergy and people there in a great multitude assembled that al processe was finished and ended against the said syr William Sautry Whych thing finished before the pronouncing of the sayd sentence of the Relapse against the sayd sir William as is premised he often then and there recited read And for that he sawe the sayde William in that behalfe nothyng abashed He proceded to his degradation and actuall deposition in forme as foloweth IN nomine patris silij spiritus sancti Amen We Thomas by Gods permission Archb. of Cant. Primate of al England and Legate of the Apostolique sea doe denounce thee William Sawtre otherwise called Chautris Chapleine fained in the habite and apparell of a Priest as an heretick and one refallen into heresy by thys our sentēce definitiue by counsaile assent and authoritye to be condemned And by conclusion of all our fellowe brethren fellow byshops Prelates councell prouinciall and of the whole clergy do degrade and depriue thee of thy priestly order And in signe of degradation and actuall depositiō from thy priestly dignity for thine incorrigibility and want of amendment we take from thee the patent and chalice and doe depriue thee of all power authority of celebrating masse and also wee pull from thy backe the Casule and take from thee the vestiment and depriue thee of all maner of Priestly honour Also wee Thomas the aforesayde Archb. by authority counsell and assent which vpon the foresayd William wee haue being Deacon pretensed in the habite and apparel of a Deacon hauing the new Testament in thy hands being an heretique and twise fallen condemned by sentence as is aforesayde doe degrade and put thee from the order of a Deacon And in token of this thy degradation and actuall deposition we take frō thee the boke of the new testament the stole and doe depriue thee of all authority in reading the gospel and of all and all maner of dignity of a Deacon Item we Thomas Archbish. aforesayd by authoritie counsell and assent which ouer thee the foresayde William wee haue being a subdeacon pretensed in the habite vestiment of a subdeacon an hereticke and twise fallen condemned by sentence as is aforesayd do degrade put thee from the order of a subdeacon And in token of this thy degradation actuall deposition we take from thee the albe and maniple and doe depriue thee of all and all manner of subdiaconall dignitie Also wee Thomas Archb. aforesayd by counsaile assent and authority whych wee haue ouer thee the foresayde William an Accolite pretensed wearing the habite of an Accolite and heretike twise fallen by our sentence as is aforesaid condemned do degrade and put from thee al order of an Accolite And in signe and tokē of thys thy degradation and actuall deposition we take from thee the candlesticke and taper and also Vrceolum and doe depriue thee of all and all maner dignity
to grace that they might vnderstaÌ„d truely the truth and haue and vse vertue and prudeÌ„ce and so deserue to be lightned from aboue with heauenly wisedom so that all their words their workes may be hereby made pleasant sacrifice vnto the Lord God and not onely for helpe of their own soules but also for edification of holy Church For I doubt not but all they that will apply them to haue this foresayd busines shall profite ful me kill both to freds foes For some enemies of the truth through the grace of God shall through charitable folkes be made astonied in their conscience and peraduenture conuerted from vices to vertues and also they that labour to know and to keep faythfully the biddinges of God and to suffer paciently all aduersities shall hereby comfort many frendes And the fourth thing that moueth me to write this seÌ„teÌ„ce is this I knowe by my sodein vnwarned apposing and aunswering that all they that will of good hart wtout faining able themselues wilfully gladly after theyr cunning and their power to follow christ paciently traueling busily priuily and apertly in worke and in word to withdraw whom soeuer that they may from vices planting in them if the may vertues comforting them furtheryng them that stand in grace so that therwith they be not born vp in vaine glory through presumption of theyr wisdome nor inflamed with any worldly prosperitie but euer meek and pacient purposing to abide stedfastly in that wil of God suffering wilfully and gladly without any grutching what soeuer rod the Lord wil chastise them with that then thys good Lord will not forget to comfort al such men and women in all their tribulations at euery poynt of temptation that any enemy purposed for to doe agaynst them To such faithfull louers specially pacient followers of christ the Lord sendeth by his wisedome froÌ„ aboue them which the aduersaries of the truth may not know nor vnderstand But through their old and new vnshamefast sinnes those tyrantes and enemies of southfastnes shal be so blinded obstinate in eâ—ill that they shall weene themselues to doe pleasant sacrifices vnto the Lorde God in their malicious and wrongfull pursuing and destroying of innocent mens and womens bodyes which men women for theyr vertuous liuing and for their true knowledging of the trueth and theyr pacient wilfull and glad suffering of persecution for righteousnes deserue through the grace of God to be heyres of the endlesse blesse of heauen And for the feruent desire and the great loue that these men haue as to stand in southfastnes and witnes of it though they be sodeinly vnwarnedly brought foorth to be aposed of their aduersaries the holy Ghost yet that moueth and ruleth them thorough his charitie will in that houre of theyr aunswering speake in them and shewe hys wisedome that all theyr enemies shall not agayn say nor agaynst stand lawfully And therfore al they that are stedfast in yâ— fayth of God yea which through diligent keeping of his commaundementes for theyr pacient suffering of whatsoeuer aduersitie that commeth to them hope surely in his mercy purposing to stand coÌ„tinually in perfect charitie For those meÌ„ and womeÌ„ dred not so the aduersities of this life that they wil feare after their cunning and their power to knoweledge prudently the truth of gods word when where and to whom they thinke their knowledging may profite Yea and though therfore persecution come to them in one wise or an other certes they paciently take it knowing theyr conuersation to be in heauen It is an high rewarde and a speciall grace of God for to haue and enioy the euerlasting inheritance of heauen for the suffering of one persecution in so short time as is the terme of this life For loe this heuenly heritage endles reward is the Lord God hymselfe which is the best thing that may be This seÌ„tence witnesseth the Lord God himselfe where as he sayd to AbrahaÌ„ I am thy meede And as the Lord sayd he was and is the meede of Abraham so he is of all his other saynts This most blessed and best meede he graunt to vs all for his holy name that made vs of naught and sent his onely most deare worthy sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ for to redeeme vs with his most precious hart bloud Amen The examination of William Thorpe penned with hys owne hand KNowne be it to al men that read or heare this writing that on the sonday next after the feast of S. Peter that we call Lammesse in the yeare of our Lord. 1407. I william Thorpe being in prison in the Castle of Saltwoode was brought before Tho. Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury and Chauncellor then of Englande And when that I came to him he stode in a great chamber and much people about him and when that he saw me he went fast into a closit bidding all seculer men that followed hym to go foorth from him soone so that no man was left than in that closet but the Archbishop himselfe and a Phisitian that was called Malueren person of S. Dunstanes in London other two persons vnknowne to me which were ministers of yâ— law And I standing before them by and by the Archbish. sayd to me William I know well that thou hast this xx winters more trauelled about busily in the north couÌ„try and in other diuers countryes of England sowing about false doctrine hauing great businesse if thou might with thine vntrue teaching and shrewd will for to infect poysoÌ„ all this land But through the grace of God thou art now withstanded brought into my ward so that I shall now sequester thee from thine euill purpose and let thee to enuenime the sheep of my prouince Neuertheles S. Paul sayth If it may be as much as in vs is we ought to haue peace with all men Therfore William if yâ— wilt now meckly and of good hart without any feyning kneele downe and lay thy hand vpoÌ„ a booke and kisse it promising faythfully as I shall here charge thee that thou wilt submit thee to my correction staÌ„d to myne ordinaunce fulfill it duely by all thy cuÌ„ning and power thou shalt yet find me gracious vnto thee Then sayd I to the archbishop Syr since ye deme me an hereticke out of beleue will ye geue me here audience to tell my beleue And he sayd yea tell on And I sayde I beleue that there is not but one God almighty and in this Godhead and of this Godhead are three persons that is the father the sonne and the sothfast holye Ghost And I beleue that all these three persons are euen in power and in cunning and in might full of grace and of all goodnes For what soeuer that the father doth or can or will that thing also the sonne doth and can and will and in all theyr power cunning and will the holy Ghost is equall to the
by that meanes was it that he said those in were ready to suffer death for the truth And this sedition was hardly appeased by any benefite or help that the king could do Then the EnglishmeÌ„ exhibited the copy of a certaine Epistle which they saide was falsely conueyed vnto Prage vnder that title of the Uniuersitie of Oxford that Iohn Hus did reade the same out of the Pulpit vnto the people that he might coÌ„mend and praise Iohn Wickleffe vnto the Citizens of Prage When they had read the same before the Councell the Englishmen demaunded of Iohn Hus whether he had read the same openly or no. Which wheÌ„ he had confessed because it was brought thether by two scholers vnder the seale of the Uniuersitie they also inquired of him what scholers they were He aunswered this my frend meaning Stephen Palletz knoweth the one of them as well as I the other I know not what he was Then they first enquired of him as touching the last man where he was Iohn Hus aunswered I heard say said he that in his returne into England he died by the way As touching the first Palletz said that he was a Bohemian and no Englishman and that he brought out of England a certaine small peece of the stone of Wickleffes sepulchre which they that are the followers of his doctrine at this present do reuerence and worship as a thing most holy Hereby it appeareth for what intent all these things were done and that Iohn Hus was the author of theÌ„ all Then the Englishmen exhibited another Epistle contrary to the first vnder the seale of the Uniuersitie the effect and argument whereof was this The Senate of the vniuersitie not without great sorrow and griefe hath experimented found that the errours of Wickleffe are scattered spread out of yâ— Uniuersitie throughout all England And to the intent that through their helpe labour meanes may be found to remedy this mischiefe they haue appointed for that purpose twelue Doctours men of singuler learning and other maisters which should sit in iudgement vpon the bookes of Wicklesse These men haue noted out aboue thâ—â—umâ—â—er of CC. articles the which the whole universitie haue iudged worthy to be burnt but for the reuerence of the said sacred Councell the said Uniuersitie hath sent them vnto Constance referring and remitting the whole authoritie of the iudgement vnto this Councell Heere was great silence kept for a while Then Palletz rising vp as though he had finished now his accusation said I take God to my witnes before the Emperours maiestie here present the most reuerend fathers Cardinals and Bishops that in this accusation of Iohn Hus I haue not vsed any hatred or euill will but that I might satisfie the othe which I tooke when I was made Doctour that I would be a most cruell and sharpe enemie of all maner of errours for the profite and commoditie of the holy Catholike Church Michaell de Causis did also the like And I said Iohn Hus do commit all these things vnto the heauenly Iudge which shall iustly iudge the cause or quarell of both parties Then saide the Cardinall of Cambray I cannot a little commend and praise the humanitie and gentlenes of Maister Palletz which he hath vsed in drawing out the articles against maister Iohn Hus. For as we haue heard there are many things conteined in his booke much worse and detestable When he had spoken these words the Byshop of Rygen vnto whom Iohn Hus was committed commanded that the said Iohn Hus should be carried againe safely vnto prison Then Iohn de Clum folowing him did not a little incourage and comfort him No toung can expresse what a courage and stomacke he receiued by the shorte talke which he had with him when as in so great a broile and greuous hatred he saw himselfe in a maner forsaken of all men After that Iohn Hus was caried away the Emperour began to exhort the presidents of the Councell in this maner saieng YOu haue heard the manifold and greuous crimes which are layd against Iohn Hus which are not onely prooued by manifest and strong witnesses but also confessed by him of the which euery one of them by my iudgement and aduise haue deserued and are worthy of death Therefore except he do recant them all I iudge and thinke meete that he be punished with fire and albeit he doo that which hee is willed and commanded to do notwithstanding I do counsell you that he be forbid the office of preaching and teaching and also that he returne no more into the kingdome of Boheme For if he bee admitted againe to teach and preach and specially in the kingdome of Boheme hee will not obserue and keepe that which he is commaunded but hoping vpon the fauour and good will of such as be his adherents and fautours there he will returne againe vnto his former purpose and intent and then besides these errours he will also sow new errours amongst the people so the last errour shall be worse than the first Moreouer I iudge and thinke it good that his articles which are condemned should be sent vnto my brother the king of Boheme and afterward into Pole and other prouinces whereas mens minds are replenished with his doctrine with this commandement that whosoeuer do proceed to hold or keepe the same they should by the common ayde both of the Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill power be punished So at the length shall remedy bee founde for this mischiefe if the boughes together with the roote be vtterly rooted and pulled vp and if the Byshops and other Prelates which heere in this place haue laboured and trauelled for the extirpating of this heresie be commended by the whole voices of the Councell vnto the Kings and Princes vnder whose dominion they are Last of all if there be any founde heere at Constance which are familiars vnto Iohn Hus they also ought to be punished with such seueritie and punishment as is due vnto them and specially his scholer Hierome of Prage Then saide the rest when the maister is once punished we hope wee shall finde the Scholer much more tractable and gentle After they had spoken these wordes they departed out of the Cloystev where they were assembled and gathered together The day before his condemnation which was the sixt of Iuly the Emperour Sigismond sent vnto him foure Bishops accompanied with maister Wencelate de Duba and Iohn de Clum that they should learne and vnderstand of him what he did intend to do When as hee was brought out of prison vnto them Iohn de Clum began first to speake vnto him saieng MAister Iohn Hus I am a man vnlearned neither am I able to counsell or aduertise you being a man of learning and vnderstanding notwithstanding I do require you if you know your selfe giltie of any of those errours which are obiected and laid against you before the Councell that
to passe according vnto Zisca his will and minde and that vpon him alone the whole state of Boheme did depend he sought priuie meanes to recōcile and get Zisca into his fauour promising him the gouernance of the whole kingdom the guiding of all his hostes armies and great yearely reuenues if he would proclaime him King and cause the Cities to be sworne vnto him Upō which cōditions whē as Zisca for the performance of the couenants went vnto the Emperour being on his iourney at the Castle of Priscouia he was stricken with sicknesse and died It is reported that when he was demaunded beyng sicke in what place he would be buried he commaunded the skinne to be pulled off from his dead carkase and the flesh to bee cast vnto the foules and beastes and that a drumme should be made of his skinne which they should vse in their battailes affirming that as soone as their enimies should heare the sound of that drumme they would not abide but take their flight The Thaborites despising all other Images yet set vp the Picture of Zisca ouer the gates of the Citie ¶ The Epitaphe of Iohn Zisca the valiant Captaine of the Bohemians I Iohn Zisca not inferiour to any Emperour or Captain in warlike policie a seueare punisher of the pride and auarice of the Clergy and a defender of my countrey do lie heere That which Appius Claudius by geuing good counsell and M. Furius Camillus by valiantnesse did for the Romaines the same I being blinde haue done for my Bohemians I neuer slacked oportunitie of battaile neither did fortune at any time faile me I being blinde did foresee all oportunitie of well ordering or doing my businesse Eleuen times in ioining battaile I went victour out of the field I seemed to haue worthely defended the cause of the miserable and hungry against the delicate fatte and glotonous Priests and for that cause to haue receiued help at the hande of God If their enuy had not let it without doubt I had deserued to be numbred amongst the most famous men Notwithstanding my bones lye heere in this halowed place euen in despite of the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ Iohn Zisca a Bohemian enemy to all wicked and couetous Priestes but with a godly zeale And thus haue you the actes and doings of this worthy Zisca and other Bohemians which for the more credite we haue drawne out of Aeneas Syluius onely his rayling tearmes excepted which we haue heere suppressed All this while the Emperour with the whole power of the Germaines were not so busie on the one side but Martin the Pope was as much occupied on the other side who about the same time directed downe a terrible Bull full of all poison to all Byshops and Archbyshops agaynst all such as tooke any part or side with Wickleffe Iohn Hus Hierome or with their doctrine and opinions The copie of which Bull which I found in an olde written monument I wish the reader throughly to peruse wherein he shall see the Pope to poure out at once all his poison The Bull of Pope Martine directed foorth against the followers of Iohn Wickliffe of England of Iohn Husse of Boheme and Hierome of Prage MArtine Bishop the seruant of Gods seruants to our reuerend brethren the Archbishops of Salzeburgen Gueznen and Pragē to the Bishops of Dlumcen Luthomuslen Bambergen Misnen Patauiē Uratislauien Ratisponen Cra. ouien Poznamen and Nitrien also to our beloued children the Inquisitours appointed of the Prelates aboue recited or where else soeuer vnto whome these present letters shall come greeting and Apostolicall benediction Amongst all other pastorall cares where with we are oppressed this chefly and specially doth inforce vs that heretikes with their false doctrine and errours being vtterly expulsed from amōgst the cōpany of Christen mē and rooted out so farre forth as God will make vs able to do the right and Catholike faith may remaine sound and vndefiled and that all Christian people immoueable and iuiolate may stande and abide in the sinceritie of the same fayth the whole vayle of obscuritie being remoued But lately in diuers places of the world but especially in Bohemia and the Dukedome of Morauia and in the straights adioining thereunto certaine Archheretickes haue risen and sprong vp not against one only but against diuers sundry documēts of the Catholike faith being landlopers schismatikes and seditious persons fraught with diuelish pride Woluish madnes deceiued by the subtlety of Sathan and frō one euill vanity brought to a worse Who although they rose vp sprang in diuers parts of the world yet agreed they all in one hauing their tailes as it were knit together to wit Iohn Wickliffe of England I. Hus of Bohemia Hierome of Prage of dammable memorie who drew with thē no small nūber to miserable ruine and infidelitie For when as those such like pestiferous persons did in the beginning of their poisoned doctrine obstinately sow and spread abroad peruerse false opinions the prelates who had the regiment execution of the iudiciall power like dumme dogs not able to barke neither yet reuenging speedely with the Apostle all such disobediēce nor regarding corporally to cast out of the lords house as they were enioined by the canons those subtill and pestilēt Archheretickes and their Woluish fury and cruelty with all expedition but suffering their false and pernicious doctrine negligētly by their ouerlong delaies to growe and waxe strōg a great multitude of people in stead of true doctrine receiued those things which they did lōg falsly pernitiously and damnably sow among them and geuing credite vnto them fell from the right faith and are intangled the more pitie in the foule errors of Paganisme In so much that those Archheretickes and suche as spring of them haue infected the Catholicke flock of Christ in diuers climates of the world and parts bordering vpon the same and haue caused them to putrifie in the filthie dunghill of their lies Wherefore the generall Synode of Constance was compelled with Sainct Augustine to exclaime against so great and ruinous a plague of faythfull men and of the sound and true faith it selfe saieng what shall the Soueraigne medicine of the Church do wyth motherly loue seeking the health of hir sheepe chasing as it were amongst a companie of men franticke and hauing the disease of the Lethargie What shall she desist and leaue off hir good purpose No not so But rather let hir if there be no remedie be sharpe to both these sorts which are the greenous enemies of her wombe For the Phisition is sharpe vnto the man bestraught and raging in his frensie and yet is he a father to his owne rude and vnmanerly sonne in binding the one in beating the other by shewing therein his great loue vnto them both But if they be negligent and suffer them to perish sayth Augustine this mansuetude is rather to be supposed
For in that that euery one that worketh more meritoriously to the profite of the Church he hath so much the more greater authoritie from God 25. There is not so muche as one sparke of appearaunce that there ought to be one head ruling and gouerning the church in spirituall causes which should alwayes be conuersaunt in the church millitaâ—â— For Christ without anye such monstrous heds by his â—â—ue disciples sparsed through the whole world could better a great deale rule his church 26. The Apostles and faythfull priests of God haue right worthily in al thinges necessary to saluation gouerned the church before the popes office tooke place and so might they doe agayne by like possibilitie vntill Christ came to iudgement if the popes office should fayle Let euery one that is suspected in the foresayd articles or els otherwise found with assertion of them Be examined in maner and forme as followeth IN primis whether he knew Iohn Wicleffe of Englande Iohn Hus of Bohemia and Hierome of Prage or anye of them and how he came by the knowledge of them whither that during the liues of them or any of them they had eyther bene conuersant with them or found any frendship at their handes 2. Item whether he knowing them or any of them to be excommunicate did willingly participate with them esteming affirming the same their participacioÌ„ to be no sin 3. Item whither that after their deathes he euer prayed for them or any of them openly or priuily doing any work of mercy for them affirming them to be either saintes or els to be saued 4. Item whether he thought them or anye of them to be Saintes or whether that euer he spake such wordes and whether euer he did exhibite any worshippe vnto them as vnto saintes 5. Item whether he beleue hold and affirme that euery generall councell as also the Councell of Constance doth represent the vniuersall Church 6. Item whether he doth beleue that that which the holy Councell of Constance representing the vniuersall church hath and doth alow in the fauour of the fayth and saluatioÌ„ of soules is to be approued and allowed of all the faythfull Christians and that whatsoeuer the same Councell hath condemned and doth condemne to be contrary both to the fayth and to all good men is to beleued holden and affirmed for condemned or not 7. Item whether he beleueth that the condemnations of Iohn Hus Iohn Wickleffe and Hierome of Prage made as well vpon their persons as their bookes and doctrine by the holy generall Councelll of Constance be rightly iustly made and of euery good Catholicke man are so to be holden and affirmed or not 8. Item whether he beleue hold and affirme that Iohn Wickleffe of England Iohn Hus of Bohemia and Hierome of Prage were heretickes or not and for heretickes to be nominated preached yea or not and whether theyr bookes and doctrines were and be peruerse or not for the which together with their pertinacie they wre condemned by the holye sacred Councell of Constaunce for heretiques 9. IteÌ„ whether he haue in his custody any treatises smal workes Epistles or other writinges in what language or tongue soeuer set forth and translated by any of these heretickes Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Hus and Hierome or any other of their false Disciples and followers that he may deliuer them to the ordinaries of that place or his commissary or to the inquisitours vpon hys othe And if he say that he hath no such writing about him but that they are in some other place that then you sweare him to bring the same before his Ordinary or other aforenamed within a certayne time to him prefixed 10. Item whether he knoweth any that hath the treatises works Epistles or anye other writinges of the aforesayd Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Hus and Hierome in whatsouer tong they are made or translated and that he detect manifest the same for the purgation of their fayth and execution of iustice 11. Item especially let the learned be examined whether he beleueth that the sentence of the holy Councell of Constance vpon the 45. articles of Iohn Wickleffe and the 30. Articles of Iohn Hus be not Catholicke which sayth that some of them are notorious hereticall some erroneous other some blasphemous some slaunderous some rash and seditious some offensiue to godly eares 12. Item whether he beleeueth and affirmeth that in no case it is lawfull for a man to sweare 13. Item whether he beleueth that at the commaundement of a iudge or any other it is lawfull to take an oth to tell the truth in anye conuenient cause although it be but purging of an infamy or not 14. Item whether he beleueth that periury wittingly coÌ„mitted vppon what cause soeuer whether it be for yâ— safegard of hys owne life or of any other mans lyfe yea although it be in the cause and defence of the fayth be a sinne or not 14. Item whether a man contemning purposedly the rites of the Churche and the ceremonies of exorcisme of Cathechisme and the consecration of the water of Baptisme be deadly sinne or not 16 Item whether he beleue that after the consecration of the priest in the sacrament of the aultar vnder the figure of bread and wyne be no materiall bread and wyne but in al poyntes the same very Christ which was crucified vppon the Crosse and sitteth vpon the right hand of the father 17. Item whether he beleeue that after the consecration made by the priest vnder the onely forme of bread and besides the forme of wyne be the very flesh of Christ and hys bloud hys soule and hys deitie and so whole Christ as he is and in likewise vnder the forme of wine without the forme of bread bee the very fleshe of Christ and hys very bloud his soule and deitie and so whole Christ the same body absolutely vnder euery one of those kinds singularly 18. Item whether he doth beleue that the custome of houseling of the lay people vnder the forme of bread only obserued of the vniuersall Church and allowed by the onely Councell of Constance be to be vsed and not without the authoritie of the Churche at mens pleasures to be altered and that they that obstinately affirme the contrary to this are to be punished as heretickes or not 19. Item whether he beleue that those whiche contemne the receiuing of the sacramentes of confirmation or extreme vnction or els the solemnisation of matrimony coÌ„mit deadly sinne or not 20. Item whether he beleeue that a Christian man ouer and besides the contrition of hart being licensed of a conuenient priest is bound to confesse himselfe only to a priest and not to any lay man be he neuer so deuout or good vpon the necessitie of saluation 21. Item whether he beleue that in the cases before put a priest may absolue a sinner confessing himself and being contrite from all sinnes and enioyne him penaunce for the same
nowe come to manifest their innocencie before the whole Church and to require open audience where as the laitie may also be present The request was graunted them and being further demanded in what poynts they did disagree from the church of Rome they propounded 4. Articles First they affirmed that all suche as woulde be saued ought of necessitie to receiue the Communion of the laste supper vnder both kindes of bread and wine The second Article they affirmed aâ—l ciuil rule and dominion to be forbidden vnto yâ— Clergy by the law of God The thirde Article that the preaching of the worde of God is free for all men and in all places The fourth Article as touching open crimes and offences which are in no wise to be suffered for the â—â—oiding of greater euill These were the onely propositions whyche they propounded before the Councell in the name of the whole realme Then another ambassador affirmed that he had hard of the Bohemians diuers and sundry thinges offensiue to Christian eares amongst the which this was one poynte that they should preach that the inuention of the order of begging Friers was diabolicall Then Procopius rising vppe sayde neither is it vntrue for if neyther Moises neyther before hym the Patriarkes neither after him the Prophets neyther in the new lawe Christe and hys Apostles did institute the order of begging friers who doth dout but that it was an inuention of the deuil and a worke of darkenesse This answere of Procopius was derided of them all And Cardinall Iulianus went about to prooue that not onely the decrees of the Patriarkes and Prophetes and those things which Christ and his Apostles had instituted to be onely of God but also all such decrees as the church shuld ordaine being guided through the holy ghost be the workes of God All be it as he sayde the order of begging Friers might seeme to be taken out of some parte of the gospel The Bohemians chose out 4. diuines which shuld declare their Articles to be taken out of the Scriptures Likewise on the contrary part there was 4. appoynted by the councell This disputation continued 50. dayes where many thinges were alledged on either parte whereof as place shal serue more hereafter by the grace of Christ shal be sayd when we come to the time of that Councel In the meane season while yâ— Bohemians were thus in long conflicts wyth Sigismund the Emperour and the Pope fighting for their religion vnto whome notwtstanding all the fulnesse of the Popes power was bent against them God of his goodnesse had geueÌ„ such noble victories as is aboue expressed and euer did prosper them so loÌ„g as they could agree among theÌ„selues as these things I say were doing in Boheme King Henry the 5. fighting likewise in Fraunce albeit for no like matters of religion fell sicke at Boys and died after he had raigned 9. yeres 5. moneths 3. wekes and odde daies from his coronation This king in his life and in all hys doings was so deuout seruiceable to the Pope and his chapleins that he was called of many the Prince of priests who left behind him a sonne being yet an infant 9. monthes and 15. dayes of age whom he had by Quene Katherine daughter to the French king married to him about 2. or 3. yeares before The name of which Prince succeeding after his father was Henry 6. lefte vnder the gouernement and protection of his vncle named Humfrey Duke of Gloucester ¶ The names of the Archbishops of Canterbury in this fifte Booke conteined 54 Simon Islepe 17 56 Simon Langham 2 57 William Witlesey 5 58 Simon Sudbery 6 59 William Courtney 15 60 Thomas Arundel 18 61 Henry Chichesly 29 THE SIXT PART OR SECTION pertaining to the last 300. yeares A preface to the reader ACcording to the fiue sondry diuersities and alterations of the Churche so haue I deuided hetherto the order of thys presente Church story into fiue principall partes euery part containing 300. yeares So that nowe comming to the laste 300. yeares that is to the last times of the Church counting from the time of Wickleffe For as muche as in the compasse of the sayd last 300 yeres are contained great troubles and perturbations of the Church with the meruailous reformation of the same through the wonderous operation of the almighty all which things cannot be comprehended in one booke I haue therefore disposed the sayd latter 30. yeares into diuers bookes beginning nowe with the sixt booke at the raigne of king Henry the vj. In which booke beside the greeuous and sundry persecutions raised vp by Antichrist to be noted here in is also to be obserued that where as it hath of long time bene receyued and thought of the common people that this religion now generally vsed hath sprong vp and risen but of late euen by the space as many do thinke of 20. or 30. yeares it may now manifestly appeare not onely by the Acts and Monuments heretofore passed but also by the hystories here after following howe this profession of Christes religion hath bene spread abroade in Englande of olde and auncient time not onely from the space of these 200. late yeares from the time of Wyckleffe but hathe continually from time to time sparkled abroade although the flames thereof haue neuer so perfectly burst out as they haue done within these hundred yeares and more As by these hystories here collected gathered out of Registers especially of the Diocesse of Norwich shall manifestly appeare wherein may be seene what men and how many both men and women within the sayde Diocesse of Norwich haue bene which haue defended the same cause of doctrine which now is receiued by vs in the Church Which persones althoughe then they were not so strongly armed in their cause and quarel as of late yeres they haue bene yet were they warriours in Christes churche and fought for their power in the same cause And although they gaue backe through tyrannie yet iudge thou the best good Reader and referre the cause therof to God who reuealeth all things according to his determined will and appoynted time THis yong prince being vnder the age of one yeare after the death of his father succeeded in his reigne and kingdom of England Anno 1422. and in the 8. yeare was crowned at Westminster and the 2. yeare after was crowned also at Paris Henry bishop of Winchester Cardinall being present at them both raigned 38. yeres and then was deposed by Edwarde the 4. as heere after Christ willing shall be declared in his time In the firste yeare of his raigne was burned the constant witnesse bearer and testis of Christes doctrine William Tailour a Priest vnder Henry Chichesley Archbishop of Canterbury Of this William Tailour I read that in the dayes of Thomas Arundell hee was first apprehended and abiured Afterwarde in the daies of Henry Chichesley aboute the yeare of our Lorde 1421. which was
price dignity of the thing that is bought what reason is it seing the sancting of a king beareth a bigger sale then the sancting of any Pope in heauen but that Kings should be aboue Popes also vpon the earth Sed extra iocunt◠as I do not doubt but that K. Henry was a good a quiet prince if he had not otherwise bin abused by some so touching the ruine of his house I thinke not contrary but it came not without the iust appointmēt of the Lord either for that Henry of Lancasters house were such enemies to Gods people for the burning of the Lord Cobham and many other or else for the vniust displacing of King Richard 2. or else thirdly for the cruell slaughter of Humfrey the good Duke of Gloucester his vncle whereof sufficiently hath bene said before During the time of these doings being about the yeare of our Lord 1465. There was here in England a certaine Frier Carmelite who about the tearme of Michaell the Archangel preached at Paules in London that our Lord Iesus Christ being heere in this present worlde was in pouertie and did beg To whose opiniō and doctrine the prouinciall of that order semed also to incline defending the same both in his reading and preaching with other Doctours moe and brethren of the same order vnto whom also adioined certaine of the Iacobites and stifly did take their partes On the cōtrary side many doctours also lawyers both in their publicke lectures preaching to the vttermost of their cunning did withstād their assertion as being a thing most pestiferous in the Church to be heard Such a bitter cōtention was among them that the defendent part was driuen for a while to keepe silence Much like to those times I might well resemble these our dayes now present with our tumultuous contention of formes and fashions of garments But I put my selfe here in Pythagoras schoole and keepe silence with these Friers In the story moreouer it foloweth that this beggerly questiō of the begging Friers whether Christ did begge or no went so far that at length it came to the Popes eares Paulus 2. who was no beggar ye may be sure After that the fame of this doctrine mounting ouer the Alpes came flieng to the court of Rome which was about the Assumption of the virgin Mary that yeare next folowing an 1465. it brought with it such an euill sinell to the fine noses there that it was no neede to bid them to stirre for begging to them was worse thē hie heresie Wherfore the holy father pope Paulus the 2. to represse the sparkles of this doctrine which otherwise perhaps might haue set his whole kitchin on fire taketh the matter in hand estsoones directeth downe his Bull into England insinuating to the Prelates here Haeresim illam pestiferè asserentem quod Christus publice mendicauit esse antiquitus a Romanis pontificibus cum suis Concilijs damnatam eam pro damnata vndique declarandam conculcandam c. That is that this heresie which pestiferously doth affirme that Christ did openly begge was condemned of old time by the Bishops of Rome and his Councels and that the same ought to be declared in all places for a damned doctrine and worthy to be troden downe vnder all mens feete c. This was in the same yeare when Prince Edward King Edwards sonne was borne in the Sanctuary at Westminster an 1465. As touching the rest of the doings and affaires of thys king which had vāquished hetherto ix battailes himselfe being present how afterward he through the incitemēt of Charles duke of Burgoine his brother in law vētred into France with a puissant army how the Duke fayled him in his promise also how peace betwene the two kings was at length cōcluded in a solēne meeting of both the sayd kings together which meeting is notified in stories by a white doue sitting the same day of meeting vpō the top of king Edwards tent also of the mariage promised betwene the yong Dolphin Elizabeth K. Edwards eldest daughter but afterward broken of the French kings part moreouer as touching the death of the duke of Burgoine slaine in war of his daughter Mary neece to King Edward spoiled of her lands possessions wrōgfully by Lewes the French king maried after to Maximilian furthermore as touching the expeditiō of king Edward into Scotlād by reason of King Iames breaking promise in marieng with Cecilie the ij daughter of king Edward of driuing out his brother how the matter was composed there of the recouery againe of Barwicke of these I say such other things mo partly because they are described sufficētly in our cōmon english stories partly also because they be matters not greatly perteining to the Church I omit to speake making of thē a supersedeas Two things I finde here among many other specially to be remembred The first is concerning a godly and constant seruant of Christ named Iohn Goose which in the time of this king was vniustly condemned and burnt at the tower hill an 1473. in the moneth of August Thus had England also his Iohn Hus as well as Boheme Wherein moreouer this is to be noted that since the time of King Richard 2. there is no reigne of any King to be assigned hetherto wherin some good mā or other hath not suffred the paines of fire for the Religion true testimonie of Christ Iesus Of this said Iohn Goose or Iohn Hus this moreouer I find in another English monumēt recorded that the sayd Iohn being deliuered to Robert Belisdone one of the Shiriffes to see him burnt the after noone the Shiriffe like a charitable man had him home to his house and there exhorted him to deny sayth the story his errours But the godly man after long exhortation heard desired the Shiriffe to bee content for he was satisfied in his conference Notwithstādyng this he desired of the Shiriffe for Gods sake to geue him some meate saying that he was very sore hungered Then the Shiriffe commaunded him meate whereof he tooke and did eate as he had bene toward no maner of daunger and sayd to such as stoode about him I eate now a good and a competent dinner for I shall passe a litle sharpe shower ere I goe to supper And when hee had dyned he gaue thankes and required that he might shortly be lead to the place where hee should yeld vp his spirite vnto God Ex Polychron ¶ The burnyng of Iohn Goose. The second thyng herein to be noted is the death of George Duke of Clarence the kynges second brother Of whom relation was made before how he assisted K. Edward his brother agaynst the Earle of Warwicke at Barnet field and helped him to the crowne and now after all these benefites was at lēgth thus requited that for what cause it is vncertaine he was apprehended and cast into
Simon hys sonnes power not knowing of the ouerthrow whiche he had before gaue small credite thereunto till that the said Nicholas the better to view and descrie them went vp to the Abbey steple of Eusham where he might plainly discerne them all and their standerds For by this tyme they were mounted the hill which they laboured to attayne thinking to haue that vauntage when they shold geue theyr charge as they had purposed and had also aduanced agayn his own standerdes and pulled down Simons wherby they were the more easâ—yer descried and knowne Then he cryed aloud to the Earle Simon and said we are all but dead men For it is not your sonne as you suppose that commeth but it is Edward the kinges sonne that commeth from one parte and the Earle of Gloucester from an other part and Roger Mortimer from the third part Then said the Earle The Lorde be mercifull vnto our soules forasmuch as our bodyes and liues are now in their handes commaunding that euery man should make hymselfe redy to God and to fight out the field for that it was their willes to dye for their lawes and in a iust quarrell And such as woulde depart he gaue leaue to goe their wayes that they shoulde be no discomfiture to the rest Then came vnto him his eldest sonne Henry comforted him desiring him to haue no dispaire nor yet mistrust in the good successe of this victory with other such cheerfull wordes No my sonne sayth he I dispayre not but yet it is thy presumption and the pride of the rest of thy brethreÌ„ that haue brought me to this end ye see Notwithstanding yet I trust I shall dye to God and in a righteous quarrel After wordes of comfort geuen to all his host and the oration made as is the maner they all armed themselues The king also whom the Earle alwaies kept with him he armed in an armour of his owne And then deuiding theyr battailes they marched toward theyr enemies but before they ioyned the welchmen ran theyr waies and thinking to scape ouer the riuer of Dee were there some drowned some slayne Then when the battayles ioyned and came to handy strokes within short space many of the Erles part fell and were slayne And the king himselfe being stroken at cryed with a loud voyce to them saying kill me not I am Henry your king And with these the kinges wordes the Lord Adam Monhaut knewe him and saued him At whose voyce and cry came also prince Edward hys sonne and deliuered him to the garde and custody of certayne knightes In the meane season the Earle Simon was hard bestead and beaten downe and also slayne before Edward the prince came at hym Howbeit before he fell when as ye fought for his life HeÌ„ry his sonne other noble men on his part were about hym he brake out in these words vnto hys enemies saying what is there no mercy compassion with you who agayne answered what compassion should there be shewed to traytors Then sayd he the Lord be mercifull to our soules our bodyes are in your hands And as soone as these wordes were spoken they mangled hys body and deuided his members and cut of his head which head Roger Mortimer sent vnto his wife And not farre of from him also was slayne Henry his eldest sonne the lord Hugh Spencer the L. Radulphe Basset the Lord Thomas de Hestele the Lord William Maundeuile the Lord Iohn Bewchampe the Lord Guido Baillofer the Lord Roger Rowley and many other noble men besides with a great multitude of people the Lord knoweth howe many This battail was fought in the moneth of August continued from one of the clocke till it was night in the which was not so much as one man on the Earles part of any estimation fortitude and courage but in that battell lost his life more then the Lord Iohn who by the great grace of God escaped death Neither is this to be forgotteÌ„ that the same day being Tuesday at that instant houre when the battell began whiche was at one of the clocke at after noone there was such a darcknes ouer all such thunder and such tempest that the like before that time was neuer seene being very calme and fayre weather both immemediately before and after which seemed sayth myne author to geue a playne demonstration of that whiche afterward chaunced and followed After this great slaughter and ouerthrow there was a Parliament suÌ„moned at Winchester by the Earle of Gloucester and other of hys part Here by the is to be considered that the king although he was in the camp of the Erle of Leceister being then in custody and his sonne Edward with the Earle of Gloucester yet the king was in that side agaynst his will and therefore in the sayd Parliament the king was restored to his kingly dignitie which was before that tyme vnder the custody of the Barons But after the battaile was ended and done certaine of them that loued the Earle vpon an old ladder gathered vp suche partes of his body as remayned and couering the same with an old gowne brought it to Eusham where they putting the same in a faire linnen cloth buried it in the church But not loÌ„g after by such as thought not themselues sufficiently reuenged with his death to wreke them of the dead corpes took vp the same and threw it in an other place saying that he which was both accursed and a traytor was not worthy of Christen buriall The same yeare also died Walter Cantilupus Byshop of Winchester after whom succeeded Nicholas of Ely the kinges Chauncellor The same yeare the king perceiuing that vnlesse that Castle of Kenilworth were recouered and the boldnes of theÌ„ restrayned that kept the same many euils and inconueniences might ensue therupon to the preiudice of his kingdom for that the number increased euery day more more wasting and spoyling the country all about Therfore he gathered an army and came downe to warwick where he a while taryed expecting the meeting and assembling of hys Marqueses and Lordes with engines and other munition sautable Who when theyr bondes were furnished and mustred and al thinges ready the morow after Midsomer day he displayed hys banner began his vyage marching towardes Kenilworth besieged the same During which siege by the aduise and counsaile of the king the Popes Legate and other noble men 12. persons were chose which should haue the disposing of those thinges that pertayned to the state of the Realme of those that had lost their landes and inheritaunces who amongest other thinges made and established this one prouiso that was commoÌ„ly called Kenelworth decree That all those whieh hast lost their laÌ„des by attaynder although yet not attainted should fyne therfore at the kinges pleasure and take their lands of him agayn paying some three yeares some foure yeares some two yeares reueneues of the same according to the quallitie
of the cryme offence committed All which prouisos or prouisions were established and confirmed as well by the corporall othe as by signment of the same with the handes seales of al the Prelates and clergy of England there assembled for that purpose by the Popes Legate vpon the feast of all Saints When these things were thus finished messengers were sent on the kings behalfe as wel to those that kept that castle of Kenilworth as also to those that were assembled in the I le of Ely willing them to come vnder the protection of the Kinges peace and yeld to the foresayd prouisos established by the twelue commissioners who altogether aunswered sayd that they would in no wise cōdescend therunto both for that it was done without theyr consentes not being called vnto it and also for that the said decree was ouer straight and intollerable Within shorte space after great famine and pestilence chaunced amongest them which kept the castle in so much as they were without all hope of keeping the same wherefore soone after the king sending agayne to them to yeld the Castle and take theyr pardōs they consulting together of their own estate thus aunswered the kings messengers if it please the king and his counsaile to permit vs to send our messenger vnto the Lord Symon Mounfort which is beyond the sea that he may come by a certayne day to the defence of this hys garrison fort and that in the meane space we be not disturbed by the kinges army that hath enuironed vs til the return of our messēgers If by the day appoynted he come not we will yeld vp the same so that we may be pardoned of life limme and moucables When the messengers were returned and had declared to the king their aunswere he consulting with his Nobles about the matter agreed to their petitions And caused the truce to be proclaimed throughout all his campe after that sufficient hostages were on either side geuē for the performance of the same whereupon they set forward theyr messengers as before was sayd they woulde But after that many of thē within the Castell being very greeuously vexed with the bloudy flixe and other diseases in so much that the whole men might not abide the corruption and anoyaunce of those that were diseased deliuered vp the Castell before the returne of the messengers againe and were permitted to goe whether they would to refresh themselues as men molested with great vexation miseries After the rendring vp of the Castell the king committed the custody therof to hys sonne Edmund and so with hys host departing from the siege came vpon Christmans euens euen to Osney where he with great solemnity and triumph kept his Christmas during seuen dayes and from thence with hys host came to windsore from whence after a few dayes he marched towardes Ely In whiche Iland he besieged those which were disherited and sharpely assaulted them The same yeare Pope Clement the 4. promoted maister Walter Giffard Byshop of Bathe to be Archbishop of Yorke In which yeare also the Church of England began to pay the tenthes of all their reuenues as wel spirituall as temporall to the king to continue for 3. yeares space and this was done by the authoritie Apostolicall Within a while after the Barons which were yet remayning gathered themselues together agayne Amongst whome Iohn Daywile being a subtile and stoute man of warre began to haue a name was well esteemed amongest them who altogether did what mischiefe they might and in the moneth of May they assembled at Chesterfield vnder the sayd Iohn Daywile the Earle Ferarence vpon whom the kinges souldiours comming sodenly in the night toke them sleping and slue many of them Then the sayd Iohn Daywile quickly arming himselfe came forth thinking with more defence both to saue himself and to escape who in the way stroke the Lord Gilbert Humsard such a blow with his dimilance that he feld both him his horse to that ground so fled with a few more after him And thus whilest the poore souldiors fought were slayn the Barōs fled away saued thēselues Also the Erle Ferarence fled hid himself in a Church But being be wrayed by a womā he was taken forth and led away prisoner After this the king kept a parliament at Northampton where he disherited all those that tooke any part with the Erle Simon al their childrē where also the Popes Legate Octobonus held a conuocation and excōmunicated al such bishops as had taken any part with Simon against the king of whō diuers he sent vp to Rome to be absoyled of the pope and farther the said Legate caused to be proclaymed certain decrees which he himselfe had made And also the new graūt of Pope Clemēt to the king and Queene of al the tenthes for seuen yeres to come And shortly after a taxe also was fined vpon that country of Norfolke to the gathering wherof Walter the byshop of Norwich was appoynted Ex Scala mundi After this in the yeare of our Lord. 1267. King Henry besieged agayne the Castell of Kenelworth from the 7. day before the first day of Iuly vntil the beginning of December whether came Octobonus that Popes Legate by whose intreaty Henry Hastinges deliuered the same vnto the K. which stoutly had defended the same and resisted the kyng hauing pardon graunted both for him and hys of his lyfe landes goodes and cattels In which tyme also the Barons agayne assembled with Iohn Dayuile in the I le of Axioline so proceeded till they came to Lincolne which also they tooke and spoyled the Iewes and slue many of them And curring their Sinagoge teare and rent the book of their law and burnt the same and all other writinges obligations which they could come by which thing when the king heard he sent thither hys sonne prince Edward but as soone as they heard that they fled into the I le of Ely and fortified the same with Bulwarkes as strongly as they might at euery entraunce into the same This was in the month of Aprill when Edward the kinges sonne came thither Who for the great aboundaunce of waters in the same could by no meanes enter the Iland til at length by the counsayle of the inhabitauntes of that prouince he caused with a number of workmen great trenches and ditches to be made somewhat to conuey away the water And so long vsed the Counsayle of them in making bridges with planks and hurdles till at last they entred the Iland who as soone as they were entred the Barons fled to London where they were of the Londiners well entertayned The rest which were in the Iland yelded themselues amongest whom was Roger Wake Simō the yonger and Peches sauing their liues and members After this both the King and Edward his sonne came to Londō with a great power but yet were kept out of