suspected of the byshops were the more maliced no doubt therefore of the sayd byshops whiche were the more ready to finde take all occasions to worke agaynst them as by theyr doyng herein may wel appeare For the bishop of Salisbury and archb of Yorke hauing no greater matter agaynst them then was declared with a grieuous complaynt went to the king complayning of the Mayor and Sheriffes of LoÌ„don What trespasse the Mayor and Sheriffes had done as ye haue heard before so may you iudge Now what followed after let vs heare The king incensed not a little w e the complaynt of the Bishops conceined estsoones against the Mayor and Sheriffes and agaynst the whole Cittie of London a great stomache In so muche that the Mayor both the Sheriffes were sent for and remoued from theyr office Syr Edward Darlyngton then was made warden Gouernor of the citie who also for hys gentlenes shewed to the Cittizens was also deposed and an other named syr Baldwyn Radington placed in that roome Moreouer so much grew the kinges displeasure agaynst the City that he also remoued from London the courtes termes to be kept at Yorke that is to say the Chauncery the Eschequer the kinges benche the hamper and the common place where the same conâ—â—â—ued from Midsommer tyll Christenmas to the great decay of the Cittye of London which was an 1393. Thivdly an other great cause whiche purchased the K. much euill will among hys subiectes was the secret murthering of his owne Uncle named T. Woodstocke Duke of Gloucester of whom mention was made before where was declared how the said Duke with the Earle of Arundell the Erle of Warwicke and the Earle of Darby with other were vp in armour agaynst certaine wicked Counsaylours about the king Whereupon the king watching afterward hys time came into Chelsford so to the place neare by where the Duke lay wherwith hys own hands he arested the sayd Duke his Uncle and sent him downe by water immediatly to Calice And there through the kinges commaundement by secret meanes was put to death being strangled vnder a fetherbed the Earle Marshall being then the keeper of Calis Wherby great indignation roâ—e in many mens hartes agaynst the king With the same Duke of Gloucester also about the same time was arested and imprisoned the Erle of Warwicke and the Earle of Arundel who being condemned by parliament were then executed whereby great grudge and great indignation rose in the heartes of many agaynst the king an 1397. Fourthly to omit here the blanke chartes sent ouer all the land by the king and how the king was sayd to let out his realme to ferme Ouer and beside all these aboue premised fell an other matter whiche was the principall occasion of this mischiefe The banishment I meane of HeÌ„ry Erle of Darby and made Duke of Herford a little before being sonne of Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of LaÌ„caster who dyed shortly after the banishment of hys sonne and lieth buryed in the Church of S. Paule in London and the Duke of Northfolke who was before Erle of Notingham and after by this king made Duke of Northfolke the yeare before At which time the king made 5. Dukes a Marques and foure Earles to wit Duke of Herforde whiche was before Earle of Darby Duke of Awmerle which was before Earle of Rutland Duke of Southrey who was before Earle of Kent Duke of Exester whiche was before Erle of Huntington and this Duke of North folke being before Earle of Notinghame as is aforesayd c. The occasion of banishing these foresayd Dukes was this About this present time the Duke of Herforde did appeach the Duke of Northfolke vppon certayne wordes to be spoken against the king Wherupon casting theyr gloues one agaynst the other they appoynted to fight out yâ— quarrell a day being for the same appoynted at Couentry But the king tooke vp the matter in hys owne handes banishing the Duke of Northfolke for euer whiche after dyed at Uenice and the other Duke which was the Duke of Herford for 10. yeares Beside these also was exiled in France Thomas Arunder archbishop of Caunterbury by Acte of Parliament in the same yere for poynts of treason as ye haue heard before expressed page 512. col 2. All which turned to the great inconuenieÌ„ce of this king as in the euent following may appeare These causes and preparatiues thus premised it followed the yeare after which was an 1399. and last yeare of this king that the king vpon certaine affayres to be done tooke hys viage into Ireland In which meane time HeÌ„ry of Bollingbroke Earle of Darby and Duke of Herford and with him the foresayd archbishop Thomas Arundel which before were both exiled returning out of Fraunce to Calice came into England challenging the Dukedome of Lancaster after the death of hys father With â—hem also came the sonne and heyre of the Earle of Arundell beyng yet but yong These together setting out of Calice arriued at Rauenspur in the North. At the knowledge whereof much people gathered vnto them In this meane time as the Duke was houering on the sea to enter the land L. Edmund Duke of York the kings Uncle to whome the king committed the custodye of thys realm hauing intelligence thereof called to him the Byshop of Chichester named Edmund Stafford Chauncellor of the Realme and W. Scroupe Earle of Wiltshyre Lorde Treasurer also I. Busshey W. Bagot Henry Grene and Iohn Ruschell with diuers other consulting with them what was best in that case to be done Who then gaue their aduise whether wilful or vnskilfull it is not knowne but very vnfruitfull that he shold leaue london and go to S. Albons there to wayt for more strength able to encounter with the Duke But as the people out of diuers quarters resorted thether many of them protested that they woulde do nothing to the harme and preiudice of the Duke of LaÌ„caster who they sayd was uniustly expulsed The rest then of the counsayle I. Busshey W. Bagot Henry Grene W. Stroupe Treasurer hearing and vnderstanding how the commons were minded to ioyne with the Duke of Hereford left the Duke of York and the lord Chauncellor and fled to the Castell of Bristow Where is to be vnderstand that these foure were they to whome the common fame ran that the king had let out hys realme to farme and were so hated of the people that it is to be thought that for the hatred of them more then for the king this commotion was among the people As this broyle was in England the noyse therof sounding to the kinges eares being then in Ireland for hastye speed of returning into England left in Ireland both his busines and most of hys ordinance also behinde hym And so passing the seas landed at Milforde hauen not daryng as it seemed to come to London On the contrary side vnto Henry Duke of Herforde being landed
not that be graunted vnto all woemen infirmed by the fault of nature which is commended in one person done in her infirmitie Therefore to receaue the misterie of the holy communion it is not forbidden them Albeit if she dare not so farre presume in her great infirmitie she is to be praysed but if she do receaue she is not to be iudged For it is a point of a good minde in some maner to knowledge hys sinnes there where is no sinne because manye times that is done without fault which commeth of fault As when we be hungry we care without fault notwithstanding it commeth by the fault of our first father to vs that wee are hungrye c. Where ye aske if a man after the company with hys wyfe may resort to the Church or to the holy Communion before he be purged with water The law giuen to the old people commaunded that a man after the companye wyth his wife both shoulde be purified with water and also should tary the Sunnes set before he came to the congregation Which seemeth to be vnderstand spiritually for then most true it is that the man companieth with the woman when his minde through delectation is ioyned to vnlawfull concupiscence in his hart and cogitation At what time before the said fire of concupiscence shall be remooued let the person thinke himselfe vnworthye the entraunce to the congregation through the viciousnes of his filthy will But of this matter sondry nations haue euery one their sondry customes some on way some an other The auncient maner of the Romanes frō our forefathers hath beene that in such case first they purged themselues with water then for a little they abstaine reuerently and so resort to the Church c. After many other words debated of this matter thus he inferreth but if any person not for voluptuousnes of the flesh but for procreation of children do company with his wife that man concerning either the comming to the Church or the receauing the misteries of the Lords body bloud is to be left to his owne iudgement for he ought not to be forbid of vs to come which when he lieth in the fire will not burne c. There is an other question also to these adioyned with his aunswere likewise to the same concerning pollutions in the night but I thought these at this present to our english eares sufficient To returne now to the story againe Gregory after he had sent these resolutions to the questions of Austen sendeth moreouer to the Church of Englande moe coadiutors and helpers as Mellitus Iustus Paulinus and Ruffianus with bookes and such other implemēts as he thought necessary for the English Church He sendeth moreouer to the foresaide Austen a palle with letters wherein he setteth an order betweene the twoo Metropolitane seates the one to be at London the other to be at Yorke Notwithstanding he graunteth to the sayde Austen during his lyfe to be the onely chyefe Archbyshop of al the lande and after hys tyme then to returne to the two foresaide seats of London and Yorke as is in the same letter conteined the tenour whereof here followeth in hys owne wordes as ensueth The copie of the Epistle of Gregory sent to Augustinus into Englande REuerendissimo sanctis fratri Augustino coepiscopo Gregorius seruus seruorum Dei. Cum certum sit pro omnipotente Deo laborātibus ineffabilia aeterni Regis praemia reseruari nobis tamen eis necesse est bonorum beneficia tribuere vt in spiritualis operis studio ex remuneratione valeant multiplicius insudare and so forth as followeth here in English TO the reuerende and vertuous brother Augustine his felow Byshop Gregorius the seruaunt of the seruaunts of God Although it be most certaine that vnspeakeable rewardes of the heauenly king be laide vp for all such as labour in the wordes of almighty God yet it shall be requisite for vs to reward the same also with our benefites to the ende they may be more encouraged to go forward in the study of their spirituall worke And for asmuch now as the new church of Englishmen is brought to the grace of almightie God through his mightie helpe and your trauayle therefore we haue graunted to you the vse of the palle only to be vsed at the solemnitie of your Masse so that it shall bee lawfull for you to ordaine twelue Bishops such as shal be subiect to your prouince or dition So that hereafter alwaies the Byshop of the Citie of London shall be ordeyned and consecrate by his owne proper Synode and so to receaue the palle of honour frō the holy and Apostolike seate wherein I here by the permission of God doe serue And as touching the Citie of Yorke we wyll sende also a Bysh. thether whō you may thinke meet to ordayne So that if that Citie with other places bordering thereby shall receiue the word of God he shall haue power likewise to ordayne twelue byshops and haue the honour of a Metropolitane to whō also if God spare me life I entend by the fauour of God to sende a palle this prouided that notwithstanding he shal be subiect to your brotherly appointment But after your decease the same Metropolitane so to be ouer the Byshops whom he ordereth that he be in no wise subiect to the Metropolitane of Londō after you And here after betwixt these two Metropolitanes of London Yorke let there be had such distinction of honour that hee shall haue the prioritie which shall in time first bee ordeyned Wyth common counsell and affection of hart let them go both together disposing with one accord such things as be to be done for the zeale of Christ. Let them forethinke and deliberate together prudently and what they deliberate wisely let them accomplish concordly not gerryng nor swaruing one from the other But as for your part you shall be indued with authoritie not onelye ouer those Byshops that you constitute and ouer the other constituted by the byshop of Yorke But also you to haue all other Priestes of whole Brytaine subiect to our Lord Iesus Christ to the ende that through your preaching and holines of life they may learne both to beleeue rightly and to liue purely and so in directing their life both by the rule of true faith and vertuous maners they may attaine when God shall call them the fruition and kingdome of heauen God preserue you in health reuerend brother the x before the Kalend. of Iuly in the raygne of our soueraigne Lord Mauritius most vertuous Emperour Besides this the said Gregory sendeth also an other letter to Mellitus concerning his iudgement what is to bee done with the idolatrous temples and Phanes of the Englishmen newly cōuerted which Phanes he thinketh not best to plucke downe but to conuert the vse thereof and so let them stand And likewise of their sacrifices and killyng of Oxen how the same ought to be ordered and howe to bee altered disputing
receaue any such at any lay mans hand vnder payne of depriuation 3. That no man shoulde inuade take away or detayne the goodes or possessions of the Churche but that they should remayne firme and perpetuall vnder payne of perpetuall curse 4. That no Bishop or Priest should leaue any ecclesiasticall dignitie or benefice to any by way of inheritance Adding moreouer that for baptisme chrisme anoyling or buriall no mony should be exacted 5. Item that all priests deacons and subdeacons should be vtterly debarred and sequestred from company of their wyues and concubines vnder payne of excluding from al christian communion The actes thus determined were sent estsoones to HeÌ„ricus the Emperor to see and try before that breaking vp of the councell whether he would agree to the canonical elections free consecration and inuesting to spiritual persoÌ„s and to other Actes of the sayd Councell The Emperour maketh aunswer agayne that he would lose nothing that auncient custome of hys progenitours had geueÌ„ him Not withstanding because of the authoritie of the general couÌ„cell he was content to consent to the residue saue only the inuesting of ecclesiasticall function to be taken from hym to that he would neuer agree UpoÌ„ this at the next returne of the Pope to the Councel that Emperour was appoynted to be excommunicated Which thing when diuers of the Councell did not well like and therefore did seperate theÌ„selues from the rest the Pope applying agaynst them the similitude of the 70. disciples which were offended at the Lord when he taught them of eating his flesh and bloud and therefore deuided themselues from him Declaring moreouer to theÌ„ how they which gathered not with hym scattered and they that were not with him were agaynst him by these and such like perswasions reducing them agayne to hys side and so by that Councell Henricus the Emperour was excommunicated It was not long after but the Pope came to Gisortiuin where Henry King of England resorted to him desiring also obtayning of him that he would send henceforth no Legate nor permit any to be sent from Rome to England vnlesse the king himselfe shoulde so require by reason of some occasion of strife which els could not otherwise be decided by his owne bishops at home The cause why the king required this of the Pope was for that certain Romaine legates had bene in England a little before to wiste one Guido and another Romaine named Anselmus and another also called Petrus who had spoyled the realme of great treasure as the customed maner of the Popes proud Legates is woont to do Guliel de pont lib. 1. Also he required of the Pope that he might vse retayne all the customes vsed before of his forefathers in England and in Normandy To these petitions the Pope did easily consent requiring agayne of the king that he would license Thurstinus the Archb. aboue minded no returne with fauour into his realme But that the king vtterly denied vnles he would professe subiectioÌ„ to the church of Cant. as his predecessors had done before and excused himselfe by his othe which he before had made To this the Pope answered againe that he by his authoritie Apostolicall both might and woudâ— also easily dispense with him for his promise or othe Then the king said that he would talke with his 〈◊〉 therof and so send him an answer of his mynd Which aunswere was this That for the loue and request of the Pope hee was content that Thurstinus should receiue his realme and quietly enioy his prelateship vpon this conditioÌ„ that he would as his predecessors did professe his subiection to the church of Canter Otherwise sayd he so long as he was king he should neuer sit Archb. of the church of York And thus ended that meeting betwne the king of englaÌ„d and the Pope for that tyme. The yeare following after that which was an 1120. the foresaid pope Calixtus directeth his letters for Thurstinus to the king and to Radulph Archbish. of Cant. In which epistle by his full power Apostolical he doth interdict both the church of Cant. and the church of Yorke with all the parish churches within the same cities from all divine service from the buriall also of the dead except onely baptising of children and absolution of them that he on dieng vnlesse within a moneth after the receâ—te of the same Thurstinus without any exaction of subiection made were receiued and admitted to the sea of Yorke and that the king likewise should doubtlesse bee excommunicated except he would consent vnto the same WhereupoÌ„ Thurstinus for feare of the Popes curse was immediately sent for reconciled to the king and was placed quietly in his Archiepiscopall see of Yorke It followed not long after within two yeares Radulph Archbishop of Cant. departed in whose see succeeded after him Gulielmus de Turbine About which tyme in the 27. yeare of the kings raigne the gray friers by procuring of the kyng came first into England and had theyr house first at Canterbury About the same season or a little before the kyng called a councel at London where the spiritualtie of England not knowyng to what purpose it was required condescended to the kyng to haue the punishment of maried Priestes by reason of which graunt whereof the spiritualtie afterward much repented the priestes paying a certayne to the kyng were suffred to retayne their wyues still wherby the king gathered no smal summe of mony Rog Houed Guliel Gisburnens At this time beganne first the foundation of the Monastery called Gisburne in Cleueland It was aboue touched how Matild or Maude daughter of king Henry was maried to Henry the 5. Emperor who after the decease of the said Emperor her husband returned about this present time with the Imperiall crown to her father in Normandy bringing with her the hand of S. James For the ioy whereof the king builded the Abbey of Reading where the sayd hand was reposed This Matild was receiued by the sayd councell to be next heyre to the king her father in possession of the English crowne for lacke of issue male And soone after vpon the same was sent ouer to Normandy to mary with Geffrey Plantagenet Erle of Angeow of whoÌ„ came Henry the second who after Stephen was kyng of England And about this tyme was also founded the priorie of Norton in the Prouince of Chester by one William the sonne of Nichelle In the story of Polychron Iornal and Polydorus is declared how the king was troubled greatly with 3. sundry visions appearing vnto him by night The first was of a great multitude of husbandmen of the country which appeared to flie vpon him with their mattocks and instrumeÌ„ts requiring of him his debt which he did owe vnto them In the second he saw a great number of souldiers and harnessed men to come fiercely vpon him In the third he sawe a company of
Upon Herefordshyre Gloucestershyre Wyrcestershyre Salopsshyre 5. Upon Wiltshyre Dorcetshyre Somercetshyre Deuonshyre Cornwall 6. Euerwickshire Richmondshire Lancaster Copland Weshnarland Northumberland Cumberland In the which yeare also Richard Archb. of Caunterbury made 3. Archdeacons in his dioces where as before there was but one About which tyme also it was graunted by the kyng to the popes legate that a Clerke shoulde not be called before a temporall iudge except for offence in the forest or for hys say see that he holdeth Item that no Archbishop or Bishoprick nor Abbey should remayne in the kings handes ouer one yeare wtout great cause It chaunced the same yeare that this was done there was at Canterbury one elected to be Abbot in the house of S. Austen named Albert who made great labor and sute vnto the Archbishop that he would come to hys Church and there consecrate him Abbot of S. Austens To whome the archb sent word agayne that he was not bound to come to him but rather the other should repayre to the Metropolitane church of Caunterbury there to receiue hys consecration Whereupon controuersie rising betwene them the foresaid new Elect appealed vp to the audience of the Pope and so laboured vp hymselfe to Rome Where he so handled the matter by what meanes I cannot tell vnles with his golden bottle wherewith he queÌ„ched the popes thirsty soule for Abbots neuer trauel lightly without far purses to Rome that with short dispatche he procured letters from Alexander the pope to Roger bishop of Worcester Signifying to hym that he had geuen in charge and commaundement to the archb of Cant. in the behalfe of hys deare sonne Albert that he should consecrate hym within hys own monastery which monastery properly and soly without mediation belonged to the iurisdiction of Rome and so likewise should do to his successors after him without any exaction of obedience of theÌ„ Which thing further he sayd if the archb woulde refuse to do within the terme appoynted that then he the foresayd B. of Worcester should by the authoritie committed vnto him execute the same al maner of appellatioÌ„ or other decree whatsoeuer should come notwithstaÌ„ding This letter being obtayned the Abbot that would be returneth home supposing with hymselfe all things to be sure The archb vnderstanding the case and seeing hymselfe so straightly charged and yet lothe to yeld and stoupe to the Abbot took to him pollicy where authoritie would not serue and both to saue himselfe and yet to disapoynt the Abbot he watcheth a tyme when the Abbot was about busines of hys house And comming the same tyme to the monastery as he was coÌ„maunded to do with all things appointed that to suche a busines appertayned called for the Abbot pretending no lesse but to geue him his consecration The Abbot beyng called for was not at home The archb fayning hymselfe not a little agreued at his labour good wil so lost departed as one in whome no redy diligence was lacking if in case that the Abbot had bene at home Wherupon the Abbot being thus disapoynted was fayne to fill his siluer stagon a fresh make a new course to Rome to hys father the pope of whome he receiued his consecration and so came home agayne with as much witte as he went forth but not with so much mony peradâ—enture as he went withall We haue declared a little aboue pag. 175. touching the actes and doynges of this Pope Alexander the 3. howe he had brought the Emperours head vnder hys foote in S. Markes Church at Uenice at which time and place peace was concluded and a composition made betweene the P. and the sayd Fredericke the Emperor Which pacificatioÌ„ Rog. Houedenus and Gualterus Gisburgensis referre to this tyme beyng the yeare of our Lord. 1177. bringing in two seuerall letters sent from the sayd Pope to Richard Archbishop of Canterbury and to Roger Archbishop of York and Hugh byshop of Duresme Out of the whiche letters so much as serueth to our purpose I haue taken and here inserted The letter of Pope Alexander sent to Roger Archbyshop of Yorke and to the Byshop of Duresme ALexander seruaunt of the seruaunts of God to his reuerend brethren Roger Archbishop of Yorke and Hugh Byshop of Duresme greeting and Apostolicall blessing The obsequy and seruice of your kinde deuotion which hitherto you are knowne to haue geuen bothe deuoutly and laudably to vs and to the Church requireth that we should describe to you as to our speciall frendes the prosperous successe of the Churche and to let you know as spirituall children of the Churche what hath happened to the same For meete it is conuenient and also honest that you whome we haue had so firme and sure in our deuotion should now be cherished and made ioyous in the prosperitie of vs and of the Churche And about the end of the Epistle it followeth thus The next day following which was the feast of S. Iames the sayd Emperour so requesting we came to the foresayd Churche of S. Marke there to celebrate our solemne Masse where as we were comming in the way the sayd Emperor met vs without the Church and placing vs agayne on his right hand he brought vs so into the sayd Church After the masse was done placing vs agayn on his right hand he brought vs to the Church dore And moreouer when we should take our palfrey he held our stirrup exhibiting to vs such honor and reuerence as hys progenitours were wont to exhibite to our predecessors Wherefore these shal be to incite your diligence and study towardes vs that you reioyce with vs and the Church in these our prosperous successes and also that you shall open the same effect of peace to other deuout childreÌ„ of the church that such as be touched with the zeal of the house of the Lord may congratulate reioyce also in the Lord for the great working of peace which he hath geuen GeueÌ„ at Venice in the deepe riuer the xxvi of Iuly This yeare the contention reuiued agayne spoken of little before pag. 173. betwene the 2. archbishops of York and Canterb. The occasion whereof was this The maner and practise of the pope is when he beginneth to lacke money he sendeth some limitting Cardinall abroad to fetch his harnest in So there came this yeare into EnglaÌ„d as lightly few yeares were without them a certayn Cardinall from Rome called Hugo or as Houedenus nameth him Hugezun who would needes keepe a Councell at Westin To this Councel resorted a great coÌ„fluence about middle of Lent of Bishops Abbots Priors Doctors such other of the Clergye As euery one was there placed in his order and after his degree first commeth the archb of Yorke named Roger who thinking to present the other Archbishop came something sooner straighway placed hymselfe on the right hand of the Cardinall Richard the Archbishop of Cant. following shortly after and seing the first place
being set at liberty went to his town of HouedeÌ„ Where after he had made his abode a few dayes coÌ„meth thether Osbert Longchamp the Chancellours brother and William Stutiuill with a great coÌ„pany of armed men sent by the Chauncellor to apprehend him But the sayd Byshop of Durham putting in sureties not to depart that towne without the licence of the king of the Chauncellour there still remayned till he got letters to be sent to the Kyng signifying how he was vsed Wherupon the king writing his letters from Marsilia to the bish of Ely set the sayd byshop of Durham free confirmed to hym all the possessions and grauntes that he before had geuen hym It is almost incredible to think how intemperatly this byshop and Chauncellor misused himselfe after the kings departure into Siria in excesse of pride and in cruell exactions and oppressions of the kinges subiectes First his felow Iustices whoÌ„ the king ioyned with him for gouernement of the realme he vtterly reiected refused to heare their counsaile reputing none to be equall with him in all the realme Neither was he contented with the authoritie of a Prelate but playd both king and priest in the realme All Castles Lordships Abbayes Churches and al other appropriations belonging to the right of the king he claymed to hymselfe and by vertue of hys Legatship wheÌ„ he came to any byshops house Abbay Priory or anye other Religious house he brought with him such a superfluitie of men horses dogges hauks that the house was worse for it 3. yeares after For commonly he rode neuer vnder a 1500. horses of Chaplaynes Priestes and other seruing mon wayting vpon hym From the clergy laytie he took away their Churches their vowâ—ans their liuinges and landes to bestow vpon hys nephewes other wayting Chaplaynes to serue hys vayne glory or els conuerted theÌ„ to his own vse to mayntaine his pompe vanitie In getting and gathering of treasures he had no measure in mispending the same he kept no order And that no vyce should be wanting where such auarice taketh roote the money whiche he wrongfully got he committed to the banke to be increased by vsury What wantonnes and laciuiousnes was vsed in that so riotous life the stories do shame to declare it All ruffenly runagates idle belyes light persons wheresoeuer he went hanged vppon hys Court. To increase the vaine iolity of this royall Prelate there was lacking no kynde of Musicall instrumentes melodious noyse to refreshe belike hys weryed senses to much beaten and macerated with continuall labour and study of hunting hauking and gaming of preaching and reading I should haue sayd Briefly this foresayd Prelate bearing the authoritie both of the king and of the pope kept such a stirre in England that all the whole realme was at hys beck with cap and knee crouching to him Neither durst any man rich or poore displease hym Yea none in all the realme so noble or worshipfull but was glad to please him accounting theÌ„selues happy if they might stand in his fauor At his table all noble mens children did serue and wayte vpon hym with whome he coupled in mariage his nieces and kinswomeÌ„ And when any that stoode wayting before him durst once cast vp hys eyes or did not dimurely looke downward vpon the grouÌ„d he had a staffe in hand with a pricke wherwith he vsed to prick theÌ„ learning belike by the carter hys father which vsed at the plough or carte to driue his oxen Furthermore as kings vse to haue their gard about theÌ„ so hee because hee woulde not also be vngarded refusing men of the English nation had his wayters and warders most of Frenchmen and Fleminges It happened after this in the yeare 1191. that a great discord rose betwene Iohn Erle of MortoÌ„ the kings brother with other states of the realme and the sayd William bishop of Ely so that vniuersally they all wrote ouer to the king concerning the misgouernmeÌ„t enormities of the sayd Bishop Who vnderstanding of the case sent from Mesiana into Eng. Walter archb of Roan and William Marshall Earle vnto the Bish. of Ely with letters commandyng him that in all hys doynges he should associate vnto hym the sayd Archb. of Roan W. Mareshall Geffry Peterson W. Bruer and Hugh Bardolfe aboue mentioned Who wheÌ„ they came into England durst not deliuer their letters dreading the displeasure of the Chauncellor for he despised all the commaundements of the king nor would suffer any fellow to ioyne with him in hys kingdome Hitherto haue you heard of the glorious vanitie of this lordly Legate and Chauncellor of the realme now ye shal heare of his shamefull fall after hys shamelesse exaltation For shortly after this followeth another breach betweene the sayd Erle Iohn the kinges brother and hym about yâ— besieging of the Castle of Lincolne Concerning that whiche castle the sayde Iohn sent him word that vnles he raised his siege the sooner froÌ„ theÌ„ce he would send him away by force of sword The bish either not able to make his party good or not daring to resist thought best to fal to some composition with the Erle and so did In which composition he was contented against his wil by mediation of diuers bishops and others to make surrender not onely of the castle of Lincolne but also of Notingham of Tickhill Walingford many moe which were then committed to the custody of sondry men of worship and honour And thus was that controuersie agreed wherein the bishop of Ely began a little to be cut shorter It followed then not long after in the same yeare that another like busines began to kindle betwene Geffrey the Archb. of Yorke the Kings brother and the foresaid glorious bishop of Ely vpoÌ„ this occasion Ye heard before how the king at his setting out left order that Earle Iohn and Geffrey his brethren should not enter into the realme the space of iii. yeres after his departure howbeit his brother Iohn was shortly after released of that bond and also after that howe K. Richard being at Messana sent his mother Alinore to the Pope for his brother Geffrey elected before to the See of Yorke to be consecrated Archbishop wherupon the said Geffrey being consecrated through licence of Pope Celestine by the Archb. of Turon the sayde Geffrey â—â—â—â—oones after his consecration differred no time but would nedes come into England Wherof the bishop of Ely hauing intelligence sent him worde being at Wissand in Flaunders not to presume to aduenture into the realme contrary to his othe made to K. Richarde before commaunding moreouer that if he came he should be apprehended All which notwithstanding the Archb. letted not for all that but nedes would repaire to his sea so arriued at Douer in the moneth of September where the Chancelours men stoode on the sea side to apprehend him But he by changing his apparel and swiftnes of his
prospered with me but all hath gone against me In the next yeare after 1216. was Symon Langton chosen Archbishop of Yorke but that election anon arter was dissolued for informatioÌ„ was geuen to the pope that the said Simon was brother to SteueÌ„ Langton the archbishop of Cant. which had bene the occasion of all the tumults which were that time in England And the Pope had the more hate vnto him for that he had brought hym vp of nought and did finde him at that time so stuvburne wherefore he placed in hys brothers place Walter Graie the bishop of Winchester In the same yere Gualo the popes legate renued hys great curse vppon Lewes the French kings sonne for vsurping vpon king Iohn Likewise vpon Simon Langton and Gernais Hobruge for prouoking him to yâ— same and that wyth a wonderfull solemnitie for in that doing hee made all the belles to be rong the candles to be lyght the doores to be opened and the boke of excommunicatioÌ„s and interdictions publikely to be read committing them wholy to the deuil for their contumacie and contempt He also commanded the Bishops and Curates to publishe it abroad ouer at the whole realm to the terror of ad his subiects The said Simon Geruais laughed hym to scorne and derided much his doings in that behalfe saying that for the iust title of Ludowick they had appealed to the generall councell at Rome The magistrates of London and citizens of the same did likewise vilipende and disdainously mocke all that the Pope had there commanded and done And in spight both of him and hys legate they kept company with them that were excommunicated both at table and at church shewing themselues thereby as open contemners both of him and his lawes Ludowicke at London taking himselfe for king constituted Simon Langton for hys high Chancellor Geruais Hobruge for his chiefe preacher By whose daily preachings as well the Barons and the Citizens themselues being both excommunicated caused all the church dores to be opened and the seruice to be song the said Ludowicke was in all poynts fit for their handes About this time was Pandulphus then Cardinal collecting the Peter pence an olde pillage of the Pope taking great paines therin And for his great labours in those affaires of holy Church for other great myracles besides he was then made bishop of Norwich to the augmenting of his dignitie and expenses It chaunced about this time that the Uicount of Melun a very noble maÌ„ of the realme of France which came thether wyth the Prince Ludowicke to fall deadly sicke at London and also moued of conscience to cal certaine of the English Barons vnto hym such as were there appoynted to the custodie of that citie sayd vnto them I lament your sorrowful case and pitie with my heart the destruction that is comming towards you and your countrey The daungerous snares which are prepared for your vtter coÌ„fusion are hidden from you ye do not behold them but take ye hede of them in time Prince Ludowicke hath sworne a great oth 16. of his Earles and noble men are of counsel with him that if he obtaine the crowne of England he will banish all them from seruice depriue them of lands and goods as many as he findeth nowe to goe against their liege king and are traitours to his noble person And because yee shall not take thys tale for a fable I assure you on my faith lying nowe at the mercy of God that I was one of them which was sworn to the same I haue great conscience therof and therfore I geue you this warning I pittie poore England which hath bene so noble a region that now it is come to so extreme misery And when he with teares had lamented it a space hee returned againe vnto them and said my frends I counsel you earnestly to looke to your selues and to prouide the remeady in time least it come vpon you vnwares Your king for a season hath kept you vnder but if Ludowicke preuaile he will put you from all Of two extreeme euilles chose the more easy and keepe that secret which I haue tolde you of good will with that he gaue ouer and departed this life When this was once noysed among the Barons they were in great heauinesse for they saw themselues betrapped euery way and to be in exceeding great daunger And this daily augmented that feare which then came vpoÌ„ the Barons They were extremely hated of the Pope and his Legates and euery weeke came vpon them newe excommunications Daily detriments they had besides in theyr possessions and goodes in their lands houses corne and cattell wines and children so that some of them were driuen to such neede that they were enforced to seeke prayes and booties for sustaining theyr miserable liues For looke whatsouer prince Ludowick obtained by his warres either territories or castels he gaue them all to his French men in spight of their heads and said that they were but traitours like as they had warning afore whych greeued them worst of all At the last they perceiuing that they in seeking to auoid one mischief were ready to fall into an other much worse they began to lay their heads together consenting to submit themselues wholy with al humility to the mercy of their late soueraigne natural liege Lord king Iohn And for that they were somewhat in doubt of their liues for the treason afore committed many of the friendes of them which were of most credite with him made sute for them So were a great number of them pardoned after instant great suit made for them I heere omit his recouery of Rochester castle and citie with many other dangerous aduentures against the foresayd Ludowicke both at London Yorke Lincolne Winchester Norwiche other places els as things not pertaâ—ning to my purpose And now I returne to my matter againe Into Suffolke and Norffolke hee consequently iourneyed with a very strong armie of men and there wyth great mischiefe hee afflicted them because they had geuen place were sworne to his enemies After that he destroied the Abbeis of Peterborough Crowland for the great treasons which they also had wrought against him and so he departed from thence into Lincolneshire In this yeare about the 17. day of Iuly died Pope Innocent the 3. and was buried in a citie called Perusium in Italie where as hee had trauailed to make a peace betweene the Genouaies and the Pyses for his owne commoditie and aduauntage After hym anone succeeded one Ciatius otherwise called Honorius Tertius a man of very great age yet liued he in the papacy 10. yeres and an halfe more When this was once known in England greatly reioyced all they which were king Iohns enemies specially the priests yet had they small cause as will appeare hereafter They noised it al the realme ouer that this new Pope would set a new order and
more then lx M. florences of mere contributiō besides hys other auayles common reuenues out of benefices prebendaries first fruites tributes Peter Pence collatiōs reseruatiōs relaxations such marchandise c. Mention was made a little before pag. 231. and 239. of Albingenses keeping about the City of Tholouse These Albingauses because they began to smell the pope and to controle the inordinate proceedinges and discipline of the sea of Rome the Pope therefore recounting thē as a people hereticall excited and stirred vp about this presēt time yeare an 1220. Ludouick the yong French king through the instance of Phillip his Father to lay siege agaynst the sayd City of Tholouse to expugne extinguishe these Albingenses hys enemies Wherupon Ludouicke according to his fathers commaundement reared a puissant and a mighty army to compasse about and beset the forenamed city and so did Here were the men of Tholouse in great daunger But see how the mighty protection of God fighteth for hys people agaynst the might of man For after that Ludouicke as Mathew Paris testifieth had long weryed himselfe and hys men in waste and could do no good with all their ingines and artilery agaynst the City there fell moreouer vpon the French hoste by the hand of God such famine and pestilence both of men and horses beside the other dayly slaughter of the souldiours that Ludouick was enforced to retyre and with suche as were left to returne agayne home to Fraunce from whence he came In the slaughters of whiche souldiours besides many other was Erle Simon de monti forte generall of the army to whō the landes of the Erle of Tholouse was geuē by the pope who was slayne before the gate of the Citty with a stone And so was also the brother of the sayd Symon the same time in besieging a castell neare to Tholouse slayne with a stone in like maner And so was the siege of the Frenchmen agaynst Tholouse broke vp Ex Mat. Par. As the siege of these French men could doe no good against the Citty of Tholouse so it happened the same time that the christiās marching toward the holy land had better luck by the way in laying their siege to a certaine tower or castle in Egipt neare to the city Damieta which seemed by nature for the situation and difficultie of the place inexpugnable as which being situate in the middest of the great floud Nilus hard by the citty called Damieta could neither be come to by land nor be vndermined for the water nor by famine subdued for the nearenes of the citty yet notwithstanding through the helpe of God and policy of man in erecting scaffoldes and Castles vppon tops of mastes the Christians at last conquered it and after that the Citty also Damieta albeit not without great losse of Christen people In the expugnation of this City or forte among other that there died was the Lantgraue of Thuring named Ludouicke the husband of Elizabeth whom we vse to call S. Elizabeth This Elizabeth as my story recordeth was the daughter of the kyng of Hungary and maryed in Almayne where she liued with the forenamed Ludouicke Lantgraue of Thuringe Whom she thorough her perswasions prouoked and incēsed to take that vyage to fight for the holy land where he in the same vyage was slayne After whose death Elizabeth remaynyng a widow entred the profefliō of cloysterly religion made her selfe a Nunne So growing and increasing from vertue to vertue that after her death all Almayne did sounde with the fame of her worthy doynges Mat. Paris addeth this more that she was the daughter of that Queene who being accused to be naught with a certayne Archbishop was therfore condemned with this sentence pronounced agaynst her Reginam interficere nolite temere bonum est etsi omnes consenserint non ego contradico That is although it be hard in English to be translated as it standeth in Latine To kill the Queene will ye not to feare that is good And if all men consent thereunto not I my selfe do stand agaynst it c. The which sentence beyng brought to Pope Innocent thus in poynting the sentence which otherwise seemeth to haue a double vnderstanding so saued the Queene thus interpreting and poynting the sentence Reginam interficere nolite timere bonum est si omnes consenserint non ego Contradico That is To kill the Queene will ye not to feare that is good And if all doe consent thereto yet not I I my selfe do stand agaynst it And so escaped she the daunger This Queene was the mother as is said of Elizabeth the Nunne who for her holy Nunny shenes was canonised of the popes church for a Sainct in Almanie about the yeare 1220. Ex Mat Parisiens And this by the way nowe to proceede farther in the yeares and life of this king Henry The next yeare following which was an 1221. the king went to Oxford where he had something to do with William Earle de Albemartia who had taken the Castle of Biham but at last for hys good seruice he had done in the realme before was released of the king with all his men by the intercession of Walter Archbishop of York and of Pandolphe the Legate About which present yeare entred first the Friers Minorites or gray friars into England and had their first house at Cāterbury whos 's first patron was Fraunciscus which dyed an 1127. and hys order was confirmed by the pope Honorius 3. an 1224. About the first comming of these Dominicke and gray Friers Franciscane into the Realme as is in Nic. Triuet testified many Englishmen y◠same time entred into their orders Among whome was Iohannes de sancto Egideo a man famously expert in the science of Phisicke and Astronomy And Alexander de Hales both Englishmen and great diuines This Iohannes making hys Sermon ad clerum in the house of the Dominick Fryers exhorted his auditory with great perswasiōs vnto wilful pouerty And to confirme his words the more by hys owne example in the middest of his sermon he came downe from the pulpite and put on hys Fryers habite and so returning into the pulpite agayne made an end of hys Sermon Likewise Alexander Hales entred the order of the Fraunciscanes of whom remayneth yet the booke intituled De. Summa Theologiae in old Libraries Moreouer not long after by William de longa spata which was the Bastard sonne of K. Henry 2. and Earle of Salisbury was first founded the house of the Carthusian monkes at Heytrope an 1222. After whose death his wife Ela was translated to the house of Hentone in Barkeshyre an 1227. which Ela also founded the house of Nunnes at Lacockes and there continued her self Abbes of the place The Byshop of London named William the same tyme gaue ouer his byshopricke after whom succeeded Eustace in that sea Flor. hist. In the towne of
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
the city by the Barons and Citizens for the space of 40. dayes And Octobonus the Legate who for feare was fled into the Tower they narowly layd for that he shoulde not escape At length by the intreaty of the Earle of Gloucester and other Earles that were his friendes both the Barons and Cittizens were pardoned and admitted to the kinges fauour And 4. Byshops and 8. other noble men were chosen such as were at Couentry first nominated that they should order and dispose all matters betweene the King and suche as had lost theyr inheritaunce as also the forme of theyr peace and raunsome And proclamation was made vppon the feast of all Sainctes of perfect peace and record throughout al the Realme The 52. yeare of this king Henries raigue 8. daies after the feast of S. Martin he held a parliament at Marlberge in the yeare of our Lord aboue recited where by the aduise of wise and discrete men with all the consentes of the nobles he ordeined and enacted diuers good and profitable statutes for the reformation and bettering of the state of the realme execution of common iustice which are called the statutes of Marleberge The same yeare vpon S. Gregoryes day Octobonus the Legate called a Councell at London where were fine Archbishops and a great number of Byshops Abbots other Prelates which Councell also within three dayes brake vp agayne The same yeare vpon S. Iohns day the Baptist Edward the kinges sonne diuers other noble men of England took vpon thē the crosse by the legates hands at Northhampton to the reliefe of the holy land and the subuersion of the enemies of the crosse of Christ which done the legate that same yeare wēt out of England not purposing after that to returne agayne This holy Legate sayth mine author whiche might well bee resembled to Lynx the monstrous beast whose quicke sight penetrateth euery thing enrolled to perpetuall memorye the valuation of all the churches in the realme of England so narowly as by any meanes possible be might enquire the certainty thereof The same was he that made all the Cathedral Conuentuall Churches to pay pencions so that those Churches whiche gaue not the vacancie of their benefices to their Clerkes and straungers should pay vnto them a certein yearly pencion during the vacācy of the benefices which they should haue The same yeare died Pope Clement 4. after whose death the Church of Rome was two yeares vacant then was chosen an archdeacon Cardinall whose name was Theardus as hee was taking hys iourny into the holy lande and called hym Gregory the 10. Then also dyd Edmunde Earle of Lancaster and Leicester and seconde sonne of king Henry take to wife the Earle of Albemark his daughter and the Niece of y◠Earle of Gloucester at whiche maryage was the king and the Queene and all the Nobilitie of England The same yeare was the body of S. Edward the king Confessour by Walter Gifford Archbishop of Yorke and other Bishops intombed in a new rich Schrine of golde and siluer beset with precious stones in the presēce of Hēry the king of Englād In which yeare also fel great rayne and inundation of waters suche as hath not lightly bene seene which increased and continued the space of 40. dayes and more The same yeare died Walter de Lawile Bishop of Sarum the third day before the nones of Ianuary After whō succeeded Robert of Northampton the Deane of the same Church And because the see of Cant. was then vacant he was confirmed by the Chapter of Canterbury whiche Chapter had alwayes the iurisdiction in spirituall causes during the vacancy of that see in as ample maner as the Byshop hymselfe had beyng aliue After thys the Byshop elect comming thither thinking to haue had hys consecration was notwithstanding put backe for two causes one was for that there was present then no more but one Byshop the other was for that all the other Bishops had appealed that he might not be consecrated to their preiudice that is by the authoritie of the Chapter of Cant. saying that they would not be vnder the obedience of the monks After this solempne Messengers were for this cause sent to the Cardinals of Rome for that then that see of Rome was vacant who receiued aunswere that during the vacation of that see the confirmation and consecration of the Byshop elect pertayned to the foresayd Chapter of Caunterbury The same yeare also was the Lord Henry the sonne heyre of the Lord Richard king of Almayne and brother to king Henry 2. slayne at Uiterbium in a certayne Chappel hearing Masse by the Lord Simō and Buido the sonnes of the Lord Simon Mountfort Earle of Leister During this kinges raigne there was made a great generall expedition of diuers and sondry Christian princes to Ierusalem taking vpon them the Lords character that is the Crosse among whome was also Edward the kings sonne one to the which expeditiō was graunted him a subsidie throughout al the realme And the month of May the yeare of our Lord. 1270. or as sayth Florilogus an 1269. he set forward on his iourny About the time when Prince Edward was preparing his iourny toward Asia Boniface the Archbishop of Canterbury ended his life in the country of Sebaudia goyng belike to Rome or comming thence After whose death the Monks of Canterbury proceeding to a new election grāted by the king agreed vppon the Prior of their house named Adam Chelendene But the king his sonne Prince Edward consenting and speaking in the behalfe of Robert Burnell theyr Chauncellour did sollicite the matter with the Monkes partly intreating partly threatning them to chuse the said Robert to be Archbishop Notwithstanding the Monkes being stoute woulde neyther relent to their curteous request nor yet bow to theyr boystrous threates but constantly persisting in their former election appealed from the king and prince to the Pope Prince Edward being now on his iourny and seing himselfe thus frustrated of the Monkes writeth backe to the king his father deuoutly praying and beseching in no wise to admit the election of the foresayd Monks And so passing to Douer with Hēry the sonne of Rich. his vncle king of Romanes with their wiues tooke their passage in the month of August After this the Prior thus elected as is foretold but not admitted by the king to be Archbishop went vp to Rome In the meane tyme the Monkes in the absence of their elect ordayned one Geoffrey Pomenall to be theyr Official who seing himself aduaunced to that dignity bearing belike some old grudge agaynst the Prior of Douer caused him to be cited vp to appeare in the Chapter house of Canterbury The Prior of Douer seing this citation to be preiudiciall to him and to the Church of Douer whereas the Monkes of Cant. haue no such iurisdiction the see of
by the statute of the Londiners geuē forth commaundement through all his land that no corne shoulde at that tyme be turned to the making of drinke Such a Lord is God thus able to do where he is disposed to strike And yet we miserable creatures in our wealth and aboundaunce will not surcease dayly to prouoke hys terrible maiesty But let vs returne to the order agayne of our story After the Scottes had thus plagued miserably as ye haue heard the Realme of England they inuaded also Ireland where they kept and cōtinued warre the space of 4. yeares But in fine the Irishmen by ayd sent to them from England quitte themselues so well that they banquished the Scottes and slew Edward Bruys and many of the Nobles of Scotland with many other and droue the residue out of the country The king about the 12. yeare of his raigne assembled a new host and went into Scotland where he layd siege to Barwike But in the meane time the Scottes by an other way inuaded the marches of Yorkeshyre robbing and harieng the countrey that they slew much people Wherfore the Archbishop of of Yorke and other Abbottes Pryors Clerkes with husbandmen assembled a great company and gaue them battell at a place called Mytton where the Englishmen were discomfited and many of them slayne but the Archbishop and the Abbot of Selby and diuers other there escaped But because there were so many spirituall men there slayne it was called therefore the whyte battayle By reason whereof the king hearing of this and partly because wynter did approche was constrayned to breake vp his siege and so returned not without great daunger At this tyme the two Spensers Syr Hugh Spenser the father and Hugh Spenser the sonne were of great power in England and by the fauour of the King practised such cruelty and bare themselues so haughtely and proud that no Lord of this land might gainsay them in any thing that they thought good wherby they were in great hatred and indignation both with the nobles and the commons no lesse then Peter Gaueston was before Soone vppon this came two Legates from Rome sent by pope Iohn the 22. vnder the pretence to set agreement betwene England and Scotlād who for theyr charges and expences required of euery spiritual person iiij d in euery marke But all theyr labour nothing auailed For the Legates as they were in the North parts about Derlinghton with theyr whole family and trayne were robbed and dispoyled of theyr horses treasure apparell and what elles they had and with an euill fauoured handling retired backe agayne to Duresine where they said a while wayting for an answere from the Scots But when neyther the popes Legacy nor his curse would take any place with the Scottes they returned agayn to London where they first excommunicated and cursed as blacke a s soote al those arrogant and presumptuous robbars of Northumberland Secondly for supplying of the losses receaued they exacted of the Clergy to be geuen and paid vnto them viij d in euery marke But the Clergye thereunto woulde not agree seeing it was theyr owne couetouines as they say that made them venture farther then they needed Only they were contēted to relieue them after iiij d in a mark as they promised before further they woulde not graunt whereof the king being aduertized and taking part wyth his clergy directeth his letters to the said Legates in form as followeth Rex Magistro Rigando c. REX Magistro rigando de Asterio canonico Aurelian Salutem c. In Englishe thus The king to maister Rigand of Asserio Canon of Aurelia greeting We haue taken notice of the clamours and lamentable petitions of the subiectes of our Realme perceauing by the same that you practise many and sondry inconueniences very straunge neuer heretofore accustomed nor heard of in this our realme aswell agaynst the Clergy and ecclesiasticall persons as agaynst the layrie euen to the vtter oppression and empouerishing of many our liege people which if should be wincked at as God forbid may in processe of time be occasion of greater perills to ensue whereat we are not without cause moued and not a litle grieued We forbid you therefore that from henceforth you practise not ne presume in anye case to attempt any thinge within this our Realme either agaynst our Clergy or laytie that may any maner of way tend to the preiudice of our Royall person or of our Crowne and dignitie Regall witness the king at wyndsoure the vi day of February in the xi yeare of his raigne Per Concilium Likewise in the same yeare the sayd king writeth to the same effect to the Archbishop of Caunterbury as followeth Rex venerabili in Christo Patri W. eadem gra Archiepiscopo Cant. In English thus The king to the reuerend father in God W. by the same grace Archbishop of Canterbury 1. primate of Englande greeting We are credibly enformed by many our subiectes that certayne straunge imposicions neuer heard of before within any our dominions vpō lands tenemēts goods and cattels concerning testaments and cases of matrimony are brought into our Realme to be executed vppon our subiectes by you or some others which if should proceede to execution would manifestly tend to the disherisō of our Crowne impeachment of our Crowne and dignitie Regall and the intollerable damage of the subiectes of our realme and to the dew preseruation of the whiche you are bound by solemne othe of alleageance we therefore commaund and straitly charge you that you proceede not in any case to the execution of anye suche letters either in your owne person nor by anye other nor yet presume by colour of the same to attempte any thinge that may be preiudiciall or hurtfull to our Crowne or dignitie Regall And if you or any other in your name haue done or attempted anye thing by colour of the same that ye call back and reuoke the same foorthwith without delaye Witnesse the King at Shene the xvii of February the xi yeare of hys raigne Peripsum Regem The like letters in effect were directed to the Archbyshop of Yorke and to euery other Byshop through England By force of whiche letters the greedy Legates beyng restrayned of theyr rauening purpose taking what they could get and setting a peace such as it was betwene the king and the Earle of Lancaster were fayne to pack Besides the restraynt aboue mentioned for strange imposicions there followeth moreouer the same yeare the kings prohibitiō for the gathering of Peter Pence directed to the foresayd Legate the Tenor whereof followeth A prohibition of Peter Pence Rex magistro Rigando c. In English thus The king to mayster Rigand of Asserio Canon of Aurelia greeting We are geuen to vnderstād that you doe demand and purpose to leuye the Peter Peny within our Realme otherwise then the sayd Peter Peny hath bene heretofore accustomed to be leuyed in the time of
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
goodnesse sake that he will wholy reforme our Church now altogether out of frame vnto the perfection of his first beginning and original Ex Archiuis Regijs ¶ These verses following were annexed vnto the conclusions Plangunt Anglorum gentes crimen Sodomorum Paulus fert horum sunt idola causa malorum Surgunt ingrati Gyerzite Simone nati Nomine praelati hoc defensare parati Qui Reges estis populis quicunque praeestis Qualiter his gestis gladios prohibere potestis ¶ The which verses are thus Englished The English nation doth lament of Sodomites their sinne Which Paule doth plainely signifie by Idoles to begin But Giersitis full ingrate from sinfull Symon sprong This to defende though Priests is name make bulwarkes greed and strong Ye Princes therefore which to rule the people God hath placed With iustice sword why see ye not this euill great defaced After these conclusions were thus proposed in the Parliament the king not long after returned home from Dubline into England toward the latter ende of the Parliament Who at his return called certaine of his nobles vnto him Richard Stury Lewes Clifforde Thomas Latimer Iohn Mountacute c. whom he did sharply rebuke and did terribly threaten for that hee heard them to be fauourers of that side charging them straightly neuer to hold maintaine nor fauour any more those opinyons and conclusions And namely of Richarde Stury he tooke an othe that he should neuer from that day fauoure or defende any such opinions which othe being taken the king then answered And I sweare sayth he againe to thee that if thou doest euer breake thine oth thou shalt die for it a shameful death c. Ex Chron. D. Albani All this while W. Courtney Archbyshop of Caunterbury was yet aliue who was a great stirrer in these matters But yet Pope Urbane the great maister of the Catholicke secte was deade and buried 6. yeare before After whom succeeded in the schismatical sea of Rome pope Boniface 9. who nothing inferiour to hys predecessour in all kinde of cruelties left no diligence vnattempted to set forward that which Urbane had begon in suppressing them that were the setters foorth of the light of the Gospell and had wrytten sundry times to king Richard as well for the repealing of the Actes of Parliament against his prouisions Quare impedit and premunire facias as also that hee should assist the Prelates of Englande in the cause of God as he pretended against such whom he falsly suggested to be Lollardes and traytors to the Church to the king and the Realme c. Thus the curteous pope whom he coulde not reach with his sword at least with cruel slander of hys malitious toung would worke his poyson agaynst them which letter he wrote to the king in the yeare of our Lord. 1396. Which was the yeare before the death of W. Courtney Archbishop of Caunterbury After whom succeded in that see Thomas Arundel brother to the Earle of Arundel being first Byshop of Ely afterwarde Archbyshop of Yorke and Lord Chancelor of England and at last made Archbyshop of Caunterbury about the yeare of our Lorde 1397. The next yeare following which was the yeare of our Lord 1398. and the 9. yeare of the Pope I finde in certaine recordes of the Bishop of Duresme a certaine letter of K. Richard 2. written to the said pope Boniface Which because I iudged not vnworthy to be sene I thought here to annexe the same proceeding in forme as foloweth ¶ To the moste holy father in Christ and Lorde Lorde Boniface the 9. by the grace of God high Pope of the most holy Romish and vniuersall Churche hys humble and deuout sonne Richard by the grace of God king of England and Fraunce Lord of Irelande greeting and desiring to help the miseries of the afflicted Church and kissing of that his blessed feete WHo wil giue my head water mine eyes streaming teares that I may bewaile the decay and manifold troubles of our mother which haue chaunced to her by her owne children in the distresse of this present schisme and diuision For the sheepe haue forgotten the proper voyce of their shepherds and hirelings haue thrust in themselues to feede the Lordes flocke who are clothed with the apparell of the true shephearde chalenging the name of honour dignity resembling so the true shepheard that the pore sheepe can scarse know whome they ought to folow or what pastour as a straunger they ought to flee and whom they shuld shun as an hireling Wherefore we are afraid least the holy standard of the Lord beforsaken of his host and so that Citye being full of riches become solitary and desolate and the land or people whych was soâ—t to say flourishing in her prosperities I sate as a Quene and am not a widowe least it be destitute of the presence of her husband and as it were so bewitched that shee shall not be able to discerne his face and so wrapped in mases that she shal hot know where to turne her that she might more easily finde him and that she shall with weeping speake that saying of the spouse I sought him whom my soule loueth I sought him and found him not For now we are compelled so to wander that if any man say beholde here is Christ or there we may not beleeue him so saying and so many shepheards haue destroyed the Lordes vineyarde and made his amiable portion a waste wildernesse This multitude of shepherdes is become very burdenous to the Lords flocke For when two striue to be chief the state of both their dignities standes in doubt and in so doing they geue occasion to all the faithfull of Christ of a schisme and diuision of the Churche And although both parties goe about to subdue vnto their power the whole Church militant yet coÌ„trary to both their purpose by working this way there beginneth to rise nowe a diuision in the body of the Church Like as when the diuision of the quicke innocent body was asked when the two harlots did striue afore Salomon like as the ten tribes of Israel folowed â—eroboham the intruder and were withdrawne from the kingdome for Salomons sinnes euen so of olde time the desire of ruling hath drawne the great power of the world from the vnitie of the Churche Let your selues remember we beseeche you how that all Greece did fall from the obedience of the Romish Churche in the time of the faction of the primarche of Constantinople and howe Mahome with his felowes by occasion of the supremacie in Ecclesiasticall dignitie deceiued a great part of Christians and withdrewe them from the Empire and ruling of Christ. And nowe in these dayes where as the same supremacie hathe wythdrawen it selfe from the obedience of it in so muche that nowe in very fewe realmes the candle that burnes afore the Lord remaineth and that for Dauids sake his seruaunt And although nowe remaine fewe countreys professing
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
called vnto him the Archbishop of Yorke Richard London Henry Winchester Robert Chichester Alexander Norwich the noble prince Edmond the Duke of Yorke Rafe Earle of Westmerland Thomas Beaufort Knight Lord Chancellour of England and the Lord Beamond with other noble men as well spirituall as temporall that stood and sate by whome to name it would be long Before whome the said Iohn Badby was called personallie to answere vnto the Articles premised in the foresaid instrument Who when he came personallie before them the articles were read by the Officiall of the court of Cant. and by the Archb. in the vulgare tong expounded publikely and expresly and the same Articles as he before had spoken and deposed he still held and defended and said that whilest he liued he would neuer retract the same And furthermore he said specially to to be noted that the Lord duke of Yorke personallie there present as is aforesaid and euery man els for the time beeing is of more estimation and reputation then the Sacrament of the aulter by the priest in due forme consecrated And whilest they were thus in his examination the Archbishop considering and waying that he would in no wise be altered and seing moreouer his countenance stout and hart confirmed so that he began to persuade other as it appeared in the same These things considered the Archprelate whē he saw that by his allurements it was not in his power neither by exhortations reasons nor arguments to bring the said Iohn Badbye from his constant truth to his Catholique faith executing and doing the office of his great maister proceeded to confirme and ratifie the former sentence giuen before by the Bishop of Worcester against the said Iohn Badby pronouncing him for an open and publique hereticke And thus shifting their hands of him they deliuered him to the secular power and desired the sayd temporall Lords then and there present verie instantlie that they would not put the same Iohn Badby to death for that his offence nor deliuer him to be punished or put to death in y◠presence of all the Lordsabone recited These things thus done and concluded by the Bishops in the forenoone on the afternoone the Kings writte was not far behind By the force wherof I. Badby still perseuering in his constancie vnto the death was brought into Smithfield and there being put in an emptie barrell was bound with iron chaines fastened to a stake hauing drie wood put about him And as he was thus standing in the pipe or tonne for as yet Cherillus Bull was not in vre among the bishops it happened that the Prince the kings eldest sonne was there present Who shewing some part of the good Samaritane began to endeuour and assay how to saue the life of him whome the hypocriticall Leuites and Phariseis sought to put to death He admonished and counsailed him that hauing respect vnto himselfe he should spedelie withdraw himselfe out of these dangerous Laberinths of opinions adding oftentimes threatnings the which might haue daunted anie mans stomacke Also Courtney at that time Chancellor of Oxford preached vnto him and enformed him of the faith of holie Church In this meane season the Prior of S. Bartlemewes in Smithfield brought with all solemnitie the Sacrament of Gods body with twelue torches borne before and so shewed the Sacrament to the poore man being at the stake And then they demanded of him how he beleeued in it he answering that he knew well it was halowed bread and not gods body And then was the tunne put ouer him and fire put vnto him And when he felt fire he cried mercie calling belike vpon the Lord and so the Prince immediatelie commanded to take awaie the tunne and quench the fire The Prince his commandement being done asked him if he would forsake heresie to take him to the faith of holie Church which thing if he would doo he should haue goods inough promising also vnto him a yearelie stipend out of the kings treasurie so much as should suffice his contentation ¶ The description of the horrible burning of Iohn Badby and how he was vsed at hys death This godly Martyr Iohn Badby hauing thus consummate his testimony and martyrdome in fire the persecuting Bishops yet not herewith contented and thinking themselues as yet eyther not strong inough or els not sharpe enough agaynst tht poore innocent flock of Christ to make all thinges sure and substantiall on theyr side in such sorte as this doctrine of the Gospell nowe springing should be suppressed for euer layd theyr conspiring heads together hauing now a king for theyr own purpose ready to serue theyr turn in all poynts during the time of the same Parliamēt aboue recited yet cōtinuing the foresayd bishops and clergy of the realme exhibited a Bul vnto the kings maiestie subtily declaring what quietnes hath ben mayntayned within this realme by his most noble progenitours who alwayes defended the auncient rites and customes of the Church and enriched the same with large gifts to the honor of God and the realme and contrariwise what trouble and disquietnes was now risen by diuers as they termed them wicked and peruerse men teachinge and preachinge openlye and priuilye acertayne new wicked and hereticall kinde of doctrine contrary to the Catholicke fayth and determination of holye Church whervpon the king alwayes oppressed with blynd ignoraunce by the crafty meanes and subtile pretences of the clergie graunted in the sayd Parliament by consent of the nobilitie assembled a statute to be obserued called Ex officio as followeth The Statute Ex officio That is to say that no man within this Realme or other the kinges maiesties dominions presume or take vpon him to preach priuily or apertly without speciall licence first obteyned of the ordinary of the same place Curates in theyr owne parishe Churches and persons heretofore priuiledged and others admitted by the Canon law onely excepted Nor that any hereafter do preach mayntayne teach informe openly or in secret or make or write any booke contrary to the catholique fayth and determination of the holy Church Nor that any hereafter make anye conuenticles or assemblies or keepe and exercise anye maner of schooles touching this sect wicked doctrin and opinion And further that no man hereafter shall by any meanes fauour anye such preacher any such maker of vnlawfull assemblies or any such booke maker or writer and finally any such teacher informer or stirrer vp of the people And that all and singuler persons hauing anye the sayd bookes writinges or schedules contayning the sayd wicked doctrines and opinions shall within forty dayes after this present proclamation and statute really and effectually deliuer or cause to be deliuered all and singuler the sayd bookes and writinges vnto the ordinary of the same place And if it shall happen anye person or persons of what kinde state or condition soeuer he or they be to doe or attempt anye manner of thing contrarye to this
so done and that I wil make good on thy body traytour and therewith geuing a great rap on the boord for a token or watchword one cryed treason without and forthwith the chamber was full of harneysed men The protector then approchyng to the L. Hastinges arrested him as a traytour An other let flye at the Lord Standley who to auoyd the blowe shronke vnder the table or els his head had bene cleft a sonder notwithstanding he receaued such a wounde that the bloud ranne about hys eares There were in that counsaile the same time the Archbishop of Yorke and Doctour Morton Byshop of Ely by whose procurement afterward king Henry the vii was sent for into England and he made archbishop after that of Canterbury these with the Lord Standley diuersly were bestowed in diuers chambers The Lorde Hastinges was commaunded to speede and shriue hym a pace for before dinner the protector sware by S. Paule that he should dye and so incontinently without farther iudgement his head was striken of by whose counsayle the Queenes kindred were at the same time and daye beheaded at Pomfret After this tyrannous murder accomplished the mischienous protectour aspiring still to the crowne to set his deuises forward first through giftes and fayre promises dyd subordinate Doctor Shaw a famous preacher then in Lōdon at Paules Crosse to insinuate to the people that neyther king Edward with his sonnes nor the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begotten nor the very children of the Duke of York but begotten vnlawfully by other persons in adultery on y◠Duches their mother and that he alone was the true and onely lawfull heyre of the Duke of York Moreouer to declare and to signifie to the audience that K. Edward was neuer lawfully maried to the Queene but hys wife before was dame Elizabeth Lucy and so the 2. childrē of king Edward to be base and bastardes and therfore the title of the crown most rightly to pertaine to the Lord protector That this false flatterer and loud lying preacher to serue the protectors humour shamed not most impudently to abuse that holy place that reuerent auditorye the sacred word of God taking for hys theame Adulterae plantationes nō dabūt radices altas c which he most impiously did apply against the innocent children right heyres of this realm Whereupon such grudge and disdayne of the people wyth worldly wonder followed him that for shame of the people crying out of him in few dayes after he pyned way When this sermon would take no effect with the people the protector vnmercifully drowned in ambitiō rested not thus but wtin few dayes after excited the Duke of Buckingham first to breake the matter in couert talke to the Mayor and certayne of the heades of the Cittie picked out for the purpose that done to come to the Guildhall to moue the people by all flattering and lying perswasions to the same which shameles Shaw before had preached before at Paules Crosse. Whiche the Duke with all dilligence and helpes of eloquence being a man both learned and well spoken endeuored to accomplish making to the people a long and artificiall Oration supposing no lesse but that the people allured by his crafty iusinuations would cry king Rich. K. Ric. But there was no king Rich in their mouthes lesse in their hartes Wherupon the Duke looking to the Lord Mayor and asking what the silence ment contrary to the promise of the one the expectation of that other It was then answered of the Mayor that the people peraduenture wel vnderstood him not wherfore the Duke reiterating his narration in other wordes declared agayne that he had done before Likewise the thyrd time he repeted hys Oration againe and agayn Then the commons which be fore stood mute being now in a mase seeing this importunitie began to mutter softly among themselues but yet no king Richard could sound in their lips saue onely that in the nether end of the Hall certayn of the Dukes seruantes with one Nashfield and other belonging to the protector thrusting into the Hall among the prease began sodaynly at mens backes to cry king Richard k. Rich throwing vp theyr cappes whereat the cittizens turning back theyr heades marueiled not a little but sayd nothing The Duke and the Lord Mayor with that side taking this for sufficient testimony incontinent came blowing for hast to the protector then lying at Baynardes Castle Where the matter being made before was now so contriued that forsooth humble petition was made in the name of the whole commons and that with 3 sundry sutes to the humble and simpel protector that he although it was vtterly against his will to take it yet would of his humilitye stoupe so low as to receane the heauy kingdome of England vpon his shoulders At this their tender request and sute of the Lords and commōs made ye must know how the milde Duke seing no other remedy was contented at length to yeld although fore against his will ye must so imagine and to submit himselfe so low as of a protector to be made king not much herein vnlike to our prelates in that Popish churche who when they haue before well compounded for the popes Buls yet must they for maner sake make curtesy and thrise deny that for whiche they so long before haue gaped and so sweetly haue payed for King Richard the third vsurper ANd thus Richard Duke of Gloucester tooke vpon to be made proclaymed king of England the yeare aforesayd an 1483. in the mōth of Iune Who then comming to the Tower by water first made his sonne a childe of x. yeare old prince of Wales Iohn Haward a man of great industry seruice he aduaūced to be Duke of Northfolke Sir Tho. Haward his sonne he ordained Erle of Surry Also William Lord Barckeley was appoynted Earle of Notingham Frances L. Louell was made Uicunt Louell L. Stanley for feare of his sonne was deliuered out of the Tower and made Steward of the kings houshold Likewise the Archbishop of Yorke was set free but Morton Bishop of Ely was committed to the Duke of Buckingham by whome was wrought the first deuise to bring in Henry Erle of Richmond into England and to cōioin mariage betweene Elizabeth king Edwardes daughter and him whereby the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were vnited together After the kingdome of England was thus allotted to king Rich. the vsurper as in maner aboue remembred he taried not long for hys coronation which was solemnised the month next ensuing the 6. day of Iuly The triumph and solemnitie of this vsurped coronation being finished al thinges to the same appertayning this vnquiet tyraunt yet coulde not thinke himselfe safe so long as yong Edward the right king hys brother were aliue Wherefore the next enterprise which he did set vpon was this how to rid these innocent babes out of
pontif Lib. 4. Ex Roger. Ho 〈◊〉 Eabia c. Anno. 1116. Assemble of the nobles at Salisbury Thurstine refuseth to professe subiection to the Arch. of Cant. Thurstine promiseth to renounce hys archbishopricke Anno. 1118. Pope Calixtus breaketh promise with the king Thurstine sacred archbishop of Yorke by the Pope agaynst the kinges minde Concision Rhemense Actes of the councell of Rhemes The Actes sent to the Emperour The Emperour agreeth not to the popes inuesting The councell deuided Ex Rog. Houed Henry the Emperour excommunicated Agreed that England shoulde haue no other Legate from Rome but onely the Archb. of Cant. England spoyld by the popes legates All the custome of the Realme graunted of the pope Anno. 1120. The popes letter to the King The king compelled to receaue Thurstinus for feare of the popes curse Thurstinus restored Anno. 1122. Wil. Archb. of Cant. The gray Friers first came into England Anno. 1125. Priestes payd for their wiues Ex Roger. Houed El Guliel GisburneÌ„si Ex Henrie Hunting lib. 7. The Abbey of Gilburne bailded S. la ues hand Reading Abbey fouÌ„ded Matilde daughter of K. Henry heyre to the crowne Geffry PlaÌ„tagenet Henry 2. borne of Matilde the Empresse Anno. 1130. The priorie of Norton founded Three terrible visioÌ„s of the king Three vowes made of King Henry Anno. 1131. Danegelt released The Church relieued Iustice rightly administred Bishoprike of Carlile newly erected by king Henry The Citie and Paules Church of London burned Honorius the 2. Mathaeus Partsiensis A romishe statute concerning priestes wiues and Concubines Mariage forbid to the seuenth degree The Popes Legate geuing preceptes of chastitie was found with an harlot Lotharius Emperour Arnulphus Martyred at Rome The history of Arnulphus Arnulphus Martyr Ex Tretimio A booke called Tripartitum written 400. yeares agoe Number of holy dayes Curious singing in Cathedrall Churches The world ouercharged with begging Religions Promotion of euill prelates Supersluitie of apparell in Bishops families Byshops seales abused to get mony Non residentes in benefices Rash bestowing of benefices Wastefull spending of the Church goods Old bookes of Councels lost by the negligence of the clerkes The vnchaste lyfe of priestes condemned by the nature of the storkes Amendment of lyfe ought first to begin with the priestes The realme of Fraunce interdited King of Portingale deposed The Knights of the Rhodes and Templars Pope 〈◊〉 centius the second Hurly 〈◊〉 betweene Popes The pope curse proclaymed agaynst 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 any priest The death of K. Henry Anno. 1135. Periury iustly punished Ex Chris. Anglico in certi autâ—ris The Bishop of Sarum and of Lincolne takeâ— prisoners of the king and led with ropes about their neckes Roger. â—eued in 〈◊〉 Steph. Ex Fabian In vita Step. Anno. 1136. K. Stephen Building of Castles in England The cruelty of the Scots agaynst the Englishe man Anno. 1140. Maude the Empresse came into England agaynst Steuen King SteueÌ„â—ken prisoner What it is for princes to be hard and straite to their subjectes K. Stephen and Robert Erle of Glocester deliuered by exchaunge Ex incerti autoris chronise The decease of Geffry Plantagenet Henry Duke of Normandy Henry entereth into England Theobalde Archbishop of Cant. Peace betwene king Steuen and Duke Henry concluded The death of K. Steuen S. William of Yorke Gracianns the compiler of the popes decrees Petrus Lombardus maister of the sentence Petrus Comestet Hugo de sancto Victore Bernardus Clareualensis Hildegare Ioannes detemporibus The fewes crucified a christen body at Norwich The order of the Gilbertines The Lordes prayer and the Creede in Englishe Matthaeus Pariensis lib. Chron. 4. Steuen king of England Cursing with booke bell and candle Anno. 1138. Pope Lucius the ij warring agaynst the Senators Spirituall excommunication abused in temporall causes Hadrianus a Pope an Englishman Anno. 1154. King Henry the second Thomas Becket chauncellor of England Anno. 〈◊〉 Gerhardus Dulcinus Preaches agaynst Antichrist of Rome Ex 〈◊〉 Gisbaron si Anno. 11â—â— Fredericus Barbarosa Emperor The pope displeased that the Emperour did not held his right stirrup The Emperour holdeth the Popes stirrup The Popes old practice in setting Princes together by the eares War more gaynefull to the Pope then peace Warre stirred vp by the Pope The pope driuen to entreate for peace The godly proceedings of Frederick the Emperour agaynst the pope A letter of Pope Hadrian to the Emperour Fredericke The Emperours name before the Popes A seditious and proud letter of the pope to the Bishops of Germany Well bragged and like a Pope Scripture well wrasted Ex Radenuico in appendice Frisingensis See the ambitious presumption of a proude priest Note here a couragious hart in a valiaunt Emperour An example for all princes to follow Note The order of Erenuâ—â— Anno. 1159. The saying and iudgement of P. Adrianus of the papall sea The popes rather successors to Romulus then to Peter Pope Alexander the third Alexander curseth the Emperour Anno. 1164. Volateran â—ken with a â—tradiction Concilium 〈◊〉 The clergie â—ounde to â—he vowe of â—hastitie Papiâ—tes are not so much in pro 〈◊〉 chastitie as in desining chastitie Tho. Becket Archb. at Cant. Becket no martyr Herberturde busebam Ioan. Charnot A lanus Abbot of Tenchbury Gulselmus Cantuariensis Tho. Becked described What commeth of blinde zeale destitute of right knowledge The life of Tho. Becket Polydorus mistaketh the mother of Becket Ex Roberto Criâ—eladensi Ex Florilego 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 of vanâ—â— recited betweene 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 Archb. The kings custome Out of an Englishe Chronicâ—â— as it appearreth 〈◊〉 en cured Frenchâ—â— Erle â—â—lord 〈◊〉 The lawes of Claredoun Beckets additioÌ„ Saluo ordine suo The Bishop of Chichester The stubberne wilfulnes of T. Becket T. Becket relenteth to the king Becket yeldeth to the king Saluo ordine left out in the composition Becket repenteth of hys good deede A letter of pope Alexander to T. Becket Becket enterprising agaynst the king◠〈◊〉 to flye out of the realme Becket taunted of the king Ex Rogero Houed prâ— parte historia continuas a post Bedam The kinge to be the Pope Legate The ceâ—sty dissimulation of the Pope The popes secret letters to Becket More then an C. murthers done by the clergye Guliel Neuburg lib. 2. ca. 16. Becket cited to Northampton The Archbish. condemned in the Councell of NorthamtoÌ„ in the loâ—â—e of all hys moueables Becket required to geue an accompt The verdite of Winchester The counsell of the Bishop of London Canterbury Winchester Chichester Moderate counsell Lincolne Exceter Worcester Becket the Archbishop replyeth agaynst the Byshops A great â—â—ielle growen in the church because that Byshop may noâ—â—â— aboue 〈◊〉 and prince Becket destitute and forsaken Becket 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 nes when he should appeale A masse of S. Steuen 〈◊〉 saue hym from hys enemies Becket answere to the Bishops â—â—câ—â—t appealeth to Rome London appealeth from the Archbish. A masse to charme away persecutors Becket caryeth with hym the sacrament going
while Austen sailed into Fraunce to the Byshop Arelatensis called Ethereus by him to bee consecrated Archbishop by the commaundement of Gregory so was Also the said Austen sent to Rome Laurentius one of his coÌ„pany to declare to Gregory how they had sped and what they had done in Englande sending with all to haue the counsaile and aduise of Gregory concerning ix or x. questions whereof some are partly touched before The tenour of his questions or interrogations wyth the aunsweres of Gregory to the same here follow in English briefly translated The questions of Austen Archbyshop of Caunterbury sent to Gregory with the aunswere againe of Gregory to the same The first interrogation MY first question reuerende father is concerning Byshops how they ought to behaue themselues towarde their clerks Or of such oblations as the faithfull offer vpon the altar what portions or diuidentes ought to be made thereof The aunswere How a Bishop ought to behaue himselfe in the Congregation the holy scripture testifieth which I doubt not but you know right well especiallye in the Epistles of S Paule to Timothie wherein he laboureth to informe the sayd Timothe how to behaue his conuersation in the house of the Lord. The maner is of the sea Apostolike to warne and charge all such as be ordeined Bishops of all their stipend or that which giuen to make foure pertitioÌ„s One to the Bishop for hospitalitie and receauing commers in An other to the Clergy The third to the pore The fourth to the repairing of Churches But because your brotherhode instructed with rules of Monasticall discipline caÌ„not liue separated from your clerkes about you therfore in the English Church which nowe through the prouidence of God is brought to the faith of Christ you muste obserue this institution concerning your conuersation which was in the first Fathers in the begynning of the prymitiue Church among whom there was not one which counted any thing to be his owne proper of all that he did possesse but all was common among them The seconde interrogation I desire to know and to be instructed whether Clerkes that cannot containe may marry And if they do mary whether then they ought to returne to the secular state againe or no The aunswere If there be any Clerkes out of holy orders which can not conteine let them haue their wiues and take their stipends or wages without For we read it so written of the foresayd fathers that they deuided to euery person according as their worke was Therfore as concerning the stipend of such it must be prouided and thought vpon And they must be also holden vnder Ecclesiasticall discipline to liue a godly coÌ„uersation to employ themselues in singing Psalmes to refraine their tongue hart and body by the grace of God from all things vnseemely and vnlawfull As for the vulgar and common sort which lyue after the common condition of men to describe what partitions to make what hospitalitie to keepe or what works of mercy to exhibite to such I haue nothing to saye but to giue as our maister teacheth in all our deedes of mercy of that which aboundeth Of that saith he whiche aboundeth or is ouerplus gyue almes and beholde all thinges bee cleane vnto you The thyrd interrogation Seing there is but one faith how happeneth it then the ceremonies and customes of Churches to bee so diuers As in the Church of Rome there is one custome and maner of Masse and the French Church hath an other The aunswere The custome of the Church of Rome what it is you know wherin ye remeÌ„ber that you 〈◊〉 bene brought vp froÌ„ your youth but rather it pleaseth me better that whether it be in the church of Rome or in any FreÌ„ch Church where ye finde any thing that seemeth better to the seruice and pleasing of God that ye chuse the same and so inferre bring into the English Church which is yet new in the faith the best pikedst thinges chosen out of many Churches for things are not to be beloued for the place sake but the place is to be beloued for the things that be good wherfore such thinges as be good godly and religious thâ—â—â— chose out of all Churches and induce to your people that they may take roote in the mindes of Englishmen The fourth interrogation I praye you what punishment iudge you for him that shall steale or pylfer any thing out of the Church The aunswere This your brotherhood may soone discerne by the person of a theefe how it ought to be corrected For some there be which hauing sufficient to liue vpon yet doe steale Other there be which steale of meere necessity Wherfore considering the qualitye difference of the crime necessarye it is that some be corrected by losse of goodes some by stripes some other more sharply and some more easly yea wheÌ„ sharpee correction is to be executed yet that must be done with charity and with no fury for in punishing offenders this is the cause and ende wherefore they are punished bicause they should be saued not perish in hell fire And so ought discipline to proceede in correcting the faithfull as doe good Fathers in punishing their children whom both they chasten for their euill and yet being chastened they looke to haue them their heires and thinke to leaue them all they haue notwithstanding they correct them sometimes in anger Therefore this charitie must be kepte in mind And in the correction there is a measure to be had so that the mind neuer do any thing without the rule of reason Ye adde moreouer with what recompence of measure those things ought to be required againe which be stollen out of Churches But God forbid that the Church should euer require againe with increase that which is lost in outwarde thinges and to seeke her gaine by endamaging other The fift interrogation Item whether two brethen may mary two sisters beyng far of from any part of kindred The aunswere This in no part of scripture is forbidden but it may well and lawfully be done The sixt interrogation Item to what degree of kyndred may the matâ—â—mony of the faythfull extende with their kindred or whethâ—◠〈◊〉 it lawfull to marry with the stepmother and her kinsfolkes The aunswere A certaine terrene law amongst the old Romaines doth permit that either brother or sister or the sonne daughter of two brethren may marry together But by experyence we learne that the issue of such mariage doth neuer thryue nor come forewarde Also the holye law of God forbiddeth to reueale the turpitude of thy bloude or kindred Wherefore necessary it is that in the third or fourth degree the faithfull may lawfully marry for in the seconde as being vnlawfull they must needes refraine To be copled with the stepmother is vtterly abhominable for it is written in the law Thou shalt not reueale the turpitude
vs with their praiers preachings they persecute vs. Whervpon after that Brocmayl being ouercome did flee awaye the king commaunded his men to turne their wepons against the sely vnarmed Monkes of whome he slewe the same time or rather Martired .1100 onely fiftie persons of that number did flee and escape awaye with Brocmayl the rest were all slaine The authors that write of this lamentable murder declare saye howe the forespeaking of Austen was here verefied vpon the Britanes which because they would not ioine peace with their frends he said should be destroied of their enimis Of both these parties the reader may iudge what he pleaseth I can not see but both together were to be blamed And as I cannot but accuse the one so I cannot defend the other First Austen in this matter can in no wise be excused who being a monke before therfore a scholer professor of humilitie shewed so litle humilitie in this assembly to seuen Byshops an Archbishop coÌ„ming at his coÌ„maundement to the Councell that he thought scorne once to stirre at their comming in Much lesse would his Pharisaicall solemnity haue girded himselfe washed his brethrens feete after their trauaile as Christ our great maister did to his Disciples seyng his Lordship was so hie or rather so heauy or rather so proude that coulde not finde in his hart to giue them a little moouing of his body to declare a brotherly humble hart Againe the Britaynes were much or more to blame who so much neglected their spirituall duety in reuenging their temporal iniury that they denyed to ioyne vnto their helping labour to turne the Idolatrous Saxons to the way of lyfe and saluatioÌ„ In which respect all priuate cases ought to geue place and to be forgotten For the whiche cause although lamentable to vs yet no great meruaile in them if the stroke of gods punishment did light upon theÌ„ according to the wordes of Austen as is before declared But especially the cruell king in this fact was most of all to blame so furiously to flee vpon them which had neither weapoÌ„ to resist him nor yet any will to harme him And so likewise the same or like happened to himselfe afterward For so was he also slayne in the field by Christian Edwine who succeeded him as he had slayne the Christians before whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 610. But to returne to Austen agayne who by report of authors was departed before this cruelty was done after he had baptised and christened x. thousand Saxons or Angles in the West riuer that is called Swale beside Yorke on a ChristeÌ„masse day perceauing hys end to draw neare he ordayned a successor named Laurentius to rule after him the Archbishops sea of Dorobernia Where note by the way Christian Reader that wheras Austen baptised then in riuers it followeth there was then no vse of fontes Agayne if it be true that Fabian sayth he baptised x. thousaÌ„d in one day the rite theÌ„ of Baptising at Rome was not so ceremoniall neither had so manye trinkets at that tyme as it hath had since or els it could not be that he coulde baptise so many in one daye In the meane season about this time departed Gregory Byshop of Rome of whom it is sayd that of the number of al the first Bishops before him in the primitiue time he was the basest of all them that came after him hee was the best About whiche tyme also dyed in Wales Dauid Archbishop first of Kayrleion who then translated the sea from thence to Meneuia and therefore is called Dauid of Wales Not long after this also deceased the foresayd Austen in England after he had set there xv or xvi yeares by the which count we may note it not to be true that Henry Huntington and other doe witnesse that Austen was dead before that battaile of Ethelfride agaynst the MoÌ„kes of BaÌ„gor For if it be true that Polycronicon testifieth of this murder to be done about the yeare of our Lorde 609. and the comming of Austen first into the Realme to be an 596. then Austen enduring xvi yeares could not be dead at thys battell Moreouer Galfridus Monumetensis declareth concerning the same battell that Ethelbert the king of Kent beyng as is sayd conuerted by Austen to Christes fayth after he saw the Britaynes to disdayne and deny their subiection vnto Austen neyther would assist him with preaching to the English nation therefore stirred vp he the foresayd Ethelfride to warre agaynst the Britaynes But that seemeth rather suspicious then true that he being a Christen king eyther could so much preuayle with a Pagan Idolater or els would attempt so farre to commit such a cruell deede But of vncertayne things I haue nothing certainly to say lesse to iudge About this present tyme aboue prefixed which is 610. I read in the story of Ranulphus Cestrensis the writer of Polychronicon of Iohn the Patriarche of Alexandria who for his rare example of hospitality and bountifulnes to the poore I thought no lesse worthy to haue place amongest good men then I see the same now to be followed of few This Iohn beyng before belike a hard and sparing man as he was at hys prayer vpon a tyme it is sayd there appeared to him a comely virgine hauing on her head a garland of Oliue leaues which named her selfe mercy saying to him and promising that if he would take her to wiâ—e he should prosper well This whether it were true or not or els inuented for a moralitie I would wish this florishing damsell so to be maryed to moe then to this Iohn that shee should not liue so long a virgine now as she doth because no man will marry her But to returne to his Patriarch who after that day as the story recordeth was so merciful and so beneficiall especially to the poore and needy that he counted them as hys maysters and himself as a seruaunt and steward vnto them This Patriarch was wont commonly twise a weeke to sit at hys doore all the day long to take vp matters and to set vnitie where was any variaunce One day it happened as he was sitting all the day before hys gate and saw no man come lamented that all that day hee had done no good To whome his Deacon standing by aunswered agayne that hee had more cause to reioyse seeing he had brought the Cittie in that order and in such peace that there needed no reconcilement amongest them An other time as the sayd Iohn the Patriarche was at the Seruice and reading the Gospell in the church the people as their vsed maner is went out of the church to talke and iangle he perceauing that went out likewise and sat amongst them wherat they marueyling to see him do so My children said he where the flocke is there ought the shepherd to be wherefore either come you in that I may also
I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen Wilfride hauing thus ended his argument the kyng said to Colman Is it true that the Lord spake these things to S. Peter And Colman aunswered yea Then sayde the King Can you declare any thing that the Lorde gaue to Colum. Colman aunswered no. Then quoth the king doe both of you agree and consent in this matter without any controuersie and that these wordes were principally spoken to Peter and that the Lord gaue him the keyes of the kingdome of heauen And they both aunswered yea Then concluded the king on this wise for asmuch as S. Peter is the doore keper of heauen I will not gainesay him but in that I am able I will obeye his orders in euery point least when I come to the gates of heauen he shut them against me Upon this simple rude reason of the king the multitude eftsoones consented and with them also Cedda was contented to giue ouer Onely Colmanus the Sto◠beyng thē Archbishop of Yorke in displeasure left the Realme departed into Scotlande carying with him the bones of Aidanus Bed Lib. 3. cap. 25. And thus much concerning this matter of Easter After the decease of Oswy Egfride his sonne was King after him in Northumberland xv yeares By this Egfride Cutbert was promoted to the Bishopricke of the I le of Farne And Wilfride which before had bene Archbishop of Yorke was displaced through the meanes of Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury and Cedda possessed that sea Wilfride when he was put out went to Rome complained of him to Agathon the Bishop and was well allowed in some things But the king and Theodorus had there such Proctors and frindes that hee returned without speeding of hys cause Wherfore he returned into the Southsaxons and builded an Abbey in Silesey and preached vnto the Southsaxons xv yeares The king of the Southsaxons at that time Ethelwold to whom he declared a little before that Wolferus king of the Mercians gaue the I le of wight vpon condition that he would be Christened and so was baptised by Berinus the sayd Wolfer being his Godfather and sonne in law both in on day Wherfore Wolferus now being licensed by Ethelwod the king preached vnto his nobles people of Southsexe and conuerted thē to Christ. In the tune of whose baptising the raine which before they lacked three yeares together was giuen them plentifully whereby their great famine slaked and the countrey was made frutefull which before was dried vp with barēnes In so much that as in some storyes is said the people penured with famine would go xl together vpon the rocks by the seaside and taking handes together would throw themselues downe to the sea Moreouer where they lacked before the arte of fishing the foresaide Wilfride taught them how with nets to fish And thus by processe haue we discoursed from tyme to tyme how and by what meanes the Idolatrous people were induced to the true fayth of Christ of whome these Southsaxons with the I le of wight was the last After Egfride who was slaine in the strayghtes of Scotland next succeeded Alfride his brother and bastarde sonne to Oswy raigned xviij or xix yeres in Northumberland This Alfride restored againe the foresaid Wilfride to the sea of Yorke whom his brother had before expelled put in Cedda Notwithstanding the same king within v. yeares after expulsed the saide Wilfride againe and so went he to Rome But at length by Osrike his successour was placed againe the Archbishop of Yorke and Cedda was ordayned by Theodorus Byshop of Mercia The which prouince of Mercia the said Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury by the authoritie of the Synode holdē at Hatfield did after diuide into fiue bishoprickes that is one to Chester the second to worceter the third to Lichfield the fourth to Cederna in Lindesey the fift to Dorchester which was after translated to Lincolne Neare about this time in the yeare of our Lord 666. the detestable sect of Mahumet begā to take strēgth place Although Polychronicon differing a little in yeares accoūteth the beginning of this sect somwhat before but the most diligent searchers of thē which write nowe refer it to this yeare which wel agreeth with the number of the beast signed in the Apocalips 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is 666. Of this Mahumet came the kingdome of Agarenes whome hee after named Saracenes to whom he gaue sondry lawes patched of many sectes religions togither he taught thē to pray euer to the South And as we keepe the Sonday so they keepe the friday which they call the day of Venus He permitted them to haue as many wiues as they were able to maintaine to haue as many concubines as they list to abstaine from vse of wyne except vppon certaine solemne daies in the yeres to haue worship onely one God omnipotent saying that Moses the Prophetes were great men but Christ was greater and greatest of all the Prophets as being borne of the virgine Marye by the power of God without mans seede and at last was taken vp to heauen but was not slaine but an other in his likenes for him with many other wicked blasphemies in his law cōtained At length this kingdome of the Saracenes beganne to be conquered of the Turkes in processe of time wholy subdued to them But now to returne again to the time of our English Saxons In this meane season Theodorus was sent from Italy into England by Vitellianus the Pope to bee Archbyshop of Caunterbury with him diuers other monks of Italy to set vp here in Englād Latine seruice Masses ceremonies letanies with such other Romishe ware c. This Theodorus being made Archbishop and Metropolitane of Canterbury began to play the rex placing dysplacing the byshops at his pleasure As for Cedda Wilfride Archbishops of Yorke he thrust them both out vnder the pretence that they were not lawfully consecrated notwithstanding they were sufficientlye authorised by theyr kinges and were placed against their willes Wherfore Wilfride as is before touched went vp to Rome but could haue no redres of his cause yet to shew what modesty this Wilfride vsed against his enimie being so violently molested as he was because the wordes of his complainte are expressed in W. Malmesbery I thought here to expresse the same both for the commendation of the partie and also for the good example of other in case any such be whome good examples will mooue to well doing This Wilfride therefore hauing such iniury and violence offered vnto him by the handes of Theodore although he had iust cause to doe his vttermost yet in prosecuting his complaint how hee tempered himselfe what wordes of modestie he vsed rather to defende his innocencie then to impugne his aduersary by this his suggestion offered vp to the Byshop of Rome may appeare whose words
reprehend the vicious enormities both of secular and of religious persons yet he him self is not without the same or rather greater repreheÌ„sion for that hee gaue the occasion thereof in maintaining such superstitious orders of such lasciuious Nunnes and other religions restraining the same from lawful mariage For so we finde of him in stories that hee was a great seâ—ter vp vpholder of such blinde superstition and of all Poperie Who being admitted by Pope Gregory the secoÌ„d Archbishop of Magunce and indued 〈◊〉 full authoritie legantine ouer the Germanes brought diuers countreys there vnder the Popes obedience held many great CouÌ„cels ordained Bishops builded Monasteries canonised Saints commaunded reliques to be worshipped permitted religious fathers to cary about Nunnes with them a preaching Amongst all other he founded the great monastery of Fulda in Germany of English monkes into the which no women might enter but only Lieba Tecla two English Nunnes Item by the authoritie of the said Archbishop Boniface which he receiued froÌ„ Pope Zacharie Childericus king of Fraunce was deposed from the right of his crowne and Pipinus betraier of his maister was coÌ„firmed or rather intruded in From this Boniface proceeded that detestable doctrine which now standeth registred in the Popes decrees Dist. 40. cap. Si Papa which in a certaine Epistle of his is this That in case the Pope were of most filthy liuing and forgetfull or negligent of himselfe and of the whole christianitie in such sort that he led innumerable soules with him to hell yet ought there no man to rebuke him in so doing For he hath saith he power to iudge all men and ought of no man to be iudged agayne In the tyme of this Archbishop Pope Gregory the second also Gregory the third and Pope Zachary and before these also Pope Constantine the first wrought great maisteries against the Greeke Emperours Philippicus Leo and others for the maintaining of Images to be set vp in Churches Of whom Philippicus lost both his Empire and also his eyes Leo for the same cause likewise was excommunicate of Gregory the third This Gregory the third so farre as I can coniecture was he that first wrote the foure bookes of Dialogues in Greeke falsely bearyng the name of Gregory the first which bookes afterward Zachary hys successour translated out of Greeke into Latin Item the same Gregory the third first brought into the Masse Land the clause for reliques beginning Quorum solemnitates hodie in conspectu c. Item brought into the sayd Canon the memoriall the offring and sacrifice for the dead Lyke as Zachary brought in the Priests vesture and ornaments as the foresaid Constantinus also was the first that gaue his feete to be kissed of the Emperours But turne agayne into the course of our English story In the tyme of this Egbert king of Northumberland Sigebert or Sigbert raigned in Westsaxony a man of so cruell tyranny to his subiectes turning the lawes customs of his forefathers after his owne will and pleasure that when he was somewhat sharpely aduertised by one of his nobles an Earle called Combranus to chauÌ„ge his maners and to behaue him more prudently toward his people he therfore maliciously caused him to be put to cruell death Whereupon the sayd king Sigebert continuing in his cruell conditions by his subiectes conspyring agaynst hym was put from his kingly dignity and brought into suche desolation that wandring alone in a wood without comfort was there slayne euen by the swineheard of the sayd Earle whom before he had so wrongfully murdered as partly is aboue touched whereby is to be seene the cruell tyranny of Princes neuer to prosper well without the iust reuenge both of God and man This Sigebert being slayne in his place succeeded Kenulphus in the yeare of our Lord 748. who with the agreemeÌ„t of the westsaxons was one of the chiefe doers against Sigebert his Maister This Kenulphus kept stronglye his Lordship agaynst Offa and agaynst the power of all hys enemies till at length after that he had raigned as Fabian sayth 31. yeares he resorting to a paramour which he kept at Merton was there beset likewise slayne by the trayn and meanes of a certayne kinsman of the foresayd Sigebert named Clito or Cliton in reuengement of king Sigebertes death Moreouer in the raigne of the foresayd Egbert kyng of Northumberland and in the viij yeare of Kenulphus king of Westsaxons Offa after he had slayne the tyraunt Beoruredus which before had slayne Ethelwald kyng of Mercia and Uncle to this foresayde Offa raigned King of that Prouince Of this Offa are told many notable deedes which because they concerne rather politicall affaires and doe not greatly appertayne to the purpose of this ecclesiastical history I omit here to recite As his warres and victories against Egbert the Northumbres as also against Etheldred king of East Angles Item against Egbert king of Kent otherwise called Wren whom Fabian saith he tooke prisoner led him bound with him to Mercia Malmesbury witnesseth otherwise this to be done not by Offa but by Kenulphus as Christ willing hereafter shall appeare After these victories Offa had such displeasure vnto the Citizens of Canterbury that he remooued the Archbishops sea and landes of Lambrith Archbishop of Caunterbury by the agreement of Pope Adrian vnto Lichfield He also chased the Britaines or Welchmen into Wales and made a famous dyke betwene Wales and the vtter bonds of Mercia or middle England which was called Ofditche And builded there a Church which long tyme aâ—ter was called Offekyrke This Offa also married one of his daughters to Brightricus that was king of Westsaxons And for that in his tyme was variance betwene him and the Frenchmen in so much that the passage of merchants was forbidden therfore he sent Alcuinus a learned man vnto Charles the great then king of France to common the meanes of peace which Charles had after that the said Alcuinus in great fauour and estimation and afterward made him Abbot of Turonia in Fraunce About the latter tyme of the raigne of Offa kyng of Mercia Ethelbert beyng then kyng of Eastangles a learned and a right godly Prince came to the Court of Offa prouoked by the counsell of his Nobles to sue for the mariage of his daughter wel accompanied like a prince with his men about him Wherupon the Queene conceiuyng a false suspicion and fearing that which was neuer minded that Ethelbert with his company vnder the pretence and made matter of mariage was come to worke some violence against her husband and the kingdom of Mercia so she perswaded with king Offa and cettrine of her counsel that night that the next day followyng Offa caused him to be trayned into his pallace alone from his company by one called Guymbertus who tooke him and bound him there stroke of his head which forthwith he thaÌ„
of these noble women which professing Monastick lyfe haue cast of all worldly dignitie and delightes so we should also intreate of such noble men who among the Saxon kings in lyke zeale of deuotion haue geuen ouer themselues from the world as they thought to the contemplatiue life of Monkish profession The names of whoÌ„ as in the Catalogue of the Saxon kings before is described be these to the number of ix A Table of such Saxon Kings as were after made Monkes 1. Kynigilsus king of Westsaxons 2. Iue king of Westsaxons 3. Ceolulfus king of Northumberland 4. Eadbertus king of Northumberland 5. Ethelredus king of Mercia 6. Kenredus king of Mercia 7. Offa king of Eastsaxons 8. Sebbi king of Eastsaxons 9. Sigebertus king of Eastangles Of whiche kynges and their doynges what is to be iudged looke gentle Reader before pag. 133. By these historyes it is apparaunt what mutations what perturbations and what alteratioÌ„ of state hath bene in this Realme of Britayne first from Brittaynes kings to Romaines then to Britaynes agayn afterward to the Saxons First to vij altogether raigning then to one c. And this alteratioÌ„ not onely happened in the ciuile gouernment but also followed in the state Ecclesiastical For as in the Britaynes tyme the Metropolitan sea was in LondoÌ„ so in the Saxons time after the comming of Austen it was remoued to CaÌ„terbury the Catologue and order of which Metropolitanes from the tyme of Austen to Egbertus is thus as in the history of Malmesberiensis described ¶ The names and order of the Archbishops of Caunterbury from Augustine to the tyme of king Ethelbert 1. Augustinus 16. 2. Laurentius 5. 3. Mellitus 5. 4. Iustus 3. 5. Honorius 25. 6. Deus dedit 10. â— Theodorus 22. ¶ Hitherto from Augustine all the Archbishops of Caunterbury were Italians and foreiners 8. Berctualdus English 37 In his tyme the Monasterie of S. Martin was builded in Dorobernia by Witredus hys brother kings of Kent 9. Tacuinus 3 10. Nothelinus 5  11. Cuthbertus 17 This Cutbert after his death forbad all funerall exequies or lamentation for him to bee made William Malm. De vitis Lib. 1. 12. Breguinus 3 13. Lambrihtus or Lambertus 27 In his tyme king Offa translated the Metropolitane sea from Caunterbury to Lichfield by the graunt of Pope Adrian beyng ouercome with Apostolicall arguments as sayth Flores Hist. that is with money  Ethelardus 13 15. Vlfredus 28 16. Fegeldus 3 m. This Ethelardus by his Epistles to Pope Leo obtayned the Metropolitane sea agayne to CaÌ„terbury 17. Celnochus 41 Duryng the course of these 17. Archbishops of Cant. in Rome passed in the meane tyme 34. Popes of whome partly heretofore we haue declared And thus much touching the tyme of the seuen kingdomes of the Saxones rulyng together in Englande from the raygne of Hengist vnto Egbert the first Kyng and Monarche of the whole lande after the expulsion of the Britaynes NOw remayneth by the grace of Christ in the next booke followyng to prosecute the order of such kings as principally raigning alone had this realme in their possession from the tyme of Egbert king of Westsaxons to the comming of William Conqueror the Normand comprehending therin the rest of the next 300. yeares with the actes state of Religion as in that space was in the Church wherin may appeare the declining tyme of the Church and of true ReligioÌ„ preparing the way to Antichrist which not long after followed For here is to be noted that during yet this mean tyme Sathan as is sayd was bound vp from his raging and furious violence counting from the tyme of Constantinus to the next loosing out of Sathan which was foretold by the Reuelation of S. Iohn aboue mentioned to be a thousand yeares Wherof by the order of the history Christ graunting more shall be sayd hereafter The ende of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE CONTEINING THE next 300. yeares from the raigne of King Egbertus to the tyme of William Conquerour NOW remayneth likewise as before I did in describing the discent and diuersitie of the seuen kings altogether raigning and ruling in this land so to prosecute in like order the lineal succession of them which after Egbert king of Westsaxones gouerned and ruled soly vntill the conquest of William the Normand first expressing their names afterward importing such acts as in their tyme happened in the Church worthy to be noted Albeit as touchyng the actes and doyngs of these kings because they are sufficiently and at large described and taken out of Latine writers into the English tong by sondry authors and namely in the story or Chronicle of Fabian I shall not spende much trauaile therupon but rather referre the reader to him or to some other where the troublesome tumulis betwene the Englishmen and the Danes at that tyme may be seene who so listeth to read them Onely the Table of their names and raigne in actes done vnder their raigne I haue compendiously abridged vsing such breuitie as the matter would suffer ¶ A Table of the Saxon Kings which ruled alone from King Egbert vnto William Conquerour Egbertus raygned 37. yeares and had issue Athelwulfus raigned 20. yeares had by his wife Osburga Ethelbaldus raigned 5. yeares Ethelbertus raigned 6. yeares Etheldredus raigned 5. yeares Aluredus or Alfredus raigned 28. yeares Edwardus raigned 24. yeares Adelstanus raigned 16. yeares Elfrede and Ethelwaldâ— Edmond raigned 6. yeares Edwin raigned 4. yeares Edgar raigned 16. yeares Edwardus raigned 4. yeares Ethelredus raigned 36. yeares Edmond Irenside raigned 2. yeres Alfredus Edward the Confessor who raigned 24. yeares Edredus raigned 9. yeares Egelwarduâ— Here is to be noted that before the raigne of Edward the confessor the Danes obtayned the crowne vnder their captaine Canutus who raigned yeares 19 Haraldus Harefoote sonne of Canutus 4 Hardeknoutus sonne of Canutus 2 Edwar. the confessor an englishmaÌ„ sonne of Etheldred 24 Haraldus sonne of Erle Godwine an vsurper 1 William Conqueror a Normand ¶ King Egbertus IN the raigne of Brigthricus a little before mentioned about the yere of grace 7â—5 there was in his dominion a noble personage of some called Egbert of some Ethelbert of some Athelbright who being feared of the same Brigthricus because he was of a kingly bloud nere vnto the crowne was by the force conspiracie of the forenamed Brigthricus chased pursued out of the land of Britam into FraÌ„ce where he endured till the death of the sayd Brigthricus After the hearing whereof Egbert sped him eftsoones out of Fraunce vnto his countrey of Westsaxe where he in such wise behaued himselfe that he obteined the regiment and gouernance of the abouesaid kingdom Bernulphus king of Mercia aboue mentioned with other kings had this Egbert in such decisioÌ„ that they made of him diuers scoffing gestes and scorning rimes at which he susteined for a time But when he was more established in his kingdome had
returned into england Of whose sodain comming Canutus being vnprouided fled to Sandwich And there cutting of the noses and handes of the pledges which his father left with him sayled into Denmarke who the next yere returned againe with a great nauy and landed in the South country Wherfore the eldest sonne of king Egelrede called Edmond Ironside made prouision with the ayd of Edrike Duke of Mercia to meet him But Edrike fayning himselfe sicke came not but deceiued him For as it was after proued Edrike had promised his allegeance to Canutus By reason wherof Canutus entred the country of Westsaxon forced the people to be sworn vnto him and to geue him pledges In this season king Egelred being at london was taken with great sickenes there dyed and was buried in the Northside of Paules church behind the quire after he had raigned vnprosperously 36. yeares leauing after him his sayd eldest sonne Edmond Ironside and Alphred and Edward which were in Normandy sent thither before as is aboue rehersed This Egelred although he was miserably impugned and vexed of his enemies yet he with his counsail gaue forth wholsome lawes Whereof this is one parcell conteinyng good rules and lessons for all Iudges and Iustices to learne and follow OMnis ludex iustus misericordiam iudicium liberet in omnibus vt inprimis per rectam scientiam dicat emendationeÌ„ secundum culpam eam tamen admensuret propter indulgentiam Quaedam culpae reputantur à bonis iudicibus secunduÌ„ rectum emendandae Quaedam per Dei misericordiam condonaÌ„dae Iudicia debent esse sine omni haderunga quod non parcatur diuiti alicui vel egeno amico vel-inimico ius publicum recitari Nihil autem iniustius est quà m susceptio muneruÌ„ pro iudicio subuertendo Quia munera excaecant corda sapientum subuertunt verba iustorum Dominus Iesus dixit In quo iudicio iudicaueritis iudicabimini Timeat omnis iudex ac diligat Deum iudicem suum ne in die iudioij mutus fiat humiliatus ante oculos iudicis cuncta videntis Qui innocentem opprimit dimittit noxium pro pecunia vel amicitia vel odio vel quacunque factione opprimetur ab omnipotente iudice Et nullus Dominus nulla potestas stultos aut improbos iudices constituaÌ„t quia stultus per ignauiam improbus per cupiditatem vitat quam didicit veritatem Grauiùs enim laceraÌ„tur pauperes à prauis iudicibus quà m à cruentis hostibus Nullus hostis acerbior nulla pestis efficacior quà m familiaris inimicus Potest aliquoties homo fuga vel defensione vitare prauos inimicos Non ita possunt iudices quoties aduersus subditos malis desiderijs inflammantur Saepe etiam boni iudices habent malos vicarios ministros nephaÌ„dos quorum reatibus ipsi domini constringuntur si non â—os coerceant à rapacitate cohibeant Quia dominus minister seculorum ait Non solùm malè agentes sed omnes consentientes digni sunt aeterna morte Saepe etiam praui iudices iudicium peâ—uertunt vel respectant non finiunt causam donec voluntas eorum impleatur Et quando iudicant non opera sed munera considerant Impij iudices iuxta verbum sapientum sicut rapaces lupi vespere nil residuant vsque mane id est de praesenti solum vita cogitant de futura nihil considerant Malorum praepositorum mos est vt quicquid possunt auferant vix necessarium parum quid relinquant sustentationi Iracundus iudex non potest attendere rectam iudicij satisfactionem Nam per furoris excoecationem non perspicit rectitudinis claritatem Iustum iudicium vbi non persona consideratur Scriptum est Non attendas personam hominis in iudicio nec pro aliquo facies vt à vero declines iniustè iudices Susceptio muneris est dimissio veritatis Ex historia bibliothecae Iornal Of this king Egelred I find noted in the booke of Rog. Houed that he deposed and depriued from all possessions a certayne Iudge or Iusticer named Walgeatus the sonne of one Leonet for false iudgemeÌ„t and other proud doings whom notwithstanding he loued aboue all other Edmund Ironside a Saxon and Canutus a Dane Kings together in England AFter the death of Egelred variaunce fell betwene the Englishmen for the election of their king For the citizens of London with certayne other Lordes named Edwyne the eldest sonne of Egelred a yong man of lusty and valiant courage in martial adueÌ„tures both hardy wise and could very well endure all paynes Wherfore he was surnamed Irenside But the more of the Lordes fauoured Canutus the sonne of Swanus especially the Abbots Bishoppes and men of the spiritualtye which before had sworne to his father By meanes whereof betwene these two martial princes were fought many great battels first in Dorsetshyre where Canutus was compelled to flie the field And after that they fought an other battayle in Worcetershire so sore that none could tell who had the better but either for wearines or for lacke of day they departed one from the other and on the next morow fought againe but then Canutus was compelled to forsake the field After this they met in Mercia there fought agayne where Edmond as storyes say by the treason of that false Edrick Duke of Mercia whom he before had receiued to sauour had the worse Thus many great conflicts there were betwene these 2. princes But vpon a season when the hosts were redy to ioyne and a certayne time of truce taken before battayle a knight of the party of Edmond stode vp vpon a high place and sayd these wordes Daylye we dye and none hath the uictorye And when the knightes be dead on either part then the Dukes compelled by need shall accord or els they must fight alone And this kingdome is now sufficient for 2. men whiche some time sufficed 7. But if the couetousnesse of Lordship in these twayne be so great that neither can be content to take part and liue by the other nor the one vnder the other then let them fight alone that will be Lordes alone If all men fight still at the last all men shall be slayne and none left to be vnder their Lordship nor able to defend the king that shall be agaynst straunge enemies and natioÌ„s These wordes were so well allowed of both the hostes and Princes that both were content to try the quarrel betwene theÌ„ two onely Then the place time was appointed where they â—oth met in sight of both hoastes And wheÌ„ either had assayd other with sharpe swordes and strokes first by the motion of Canutus as some write hastelye they were both agreed and kissed each other to the comfort of both hostes And shortly after they agreed vpon particion of the land after that during theyr lines they loued as
time was yerely leuied to the great impouerishing of the people Hee subdued the Scottes and Welshmen which in their borders began to rebell against him In much peace he continued his reigne hauing no forreine enemie to assault him Albeit as some Chronicles do shewe certaine Danes and Norgwaines there were which entended to set vpon Englande But as they were taking shipping there was brought to them first one bowle then an other of meede or methe to drinke vpon a bon viage Thus one cup comming after an other after drinke came dronkennes after dronkennes followed iangling of iangling came stryfe and strife turned vnto stripes whereby many were slayne and the other returned to their home agayne And thus the mercifull prouidence of the Lord dispatched that iourny In the time of this Edward Emma his mother was accused to be familiar with Alwyn the Byshop of Winchester vpon which accusation by counsayle of Earle Godwyn he tooke from her many of her iewels and caused her to be kept somedele more straightly in the Abby of Warwel and the Byshop committed to the examination of the clergy Polydore sayth they were both in prison at Winchester where she sorrowing the defame both of her selfe and of the Byshop and trusting vpon her conscience desireth them of iustice offering her selfe ready to abide any lawfull triall yea although it were with the sharpest Then diuers of the Byshops made labour to the king for thē both and had obtayned had not Robert thē Archbishop of Cant. stopped the sute Who not well contented with their labour sayd vnto them My brethren how dare ye defend her which is no woman but a beast she hath defamed her owne sonne the king and taken her lecherous leman the Byshop And if it be so that the woman will purge the priest who shall then purge the woman that is accused to be consenting to the death of her sonne Alphred and procured venim to the poysonyng of her sonne Edward But whether she be giltie or giltles if she will goe barefooted for her self foure steps and for the Bishop fiue continually vpon ix plough shares fire hote then if she escape harmeles he shal be assoyled of this challenge and she also To this she graunted the day was appointed at which day the king and a great part of his nobles were present except onely Robert the Archbishop This Robert had bene a monke of a house in Normandie an helper of the king in his exile and so by the sēding for of the king came ouer and was made first Bishop of London after Archbishop of Cant. Then was she led blindfield vnto the place betwene two men where the yrons lay brenning hot and passed the ix shares vnhurt At last sayde shee good Lorde when shal I come to the place of my purgation whē they then opened her eyes and shee sawe that shee was past the paine she kneeled downe geuing God thankes Then the king repented sayeth the story and restored vnto her that he had before taken from her and asked her forgeuenes But the Archbyshop fled into Normandie Neare about this time about the x. yere of his raigne◠fell passing great snow from the beginning of Ianuary to the 17 day of Marche After which insued a great mortalitie of men morrian of cattel by lightning the corne was wonderfully blasted and wasted Not lōg after this a certaine Earle of Bologne who had married king Edwardes sister came into Englande through the occasion of whom when execution should be done vpon the citizens of Douer for a fray betwene them and the Earles men variance happened betweene Kyng Edward and Earle Godwyne Who perceauing that he could not wstand the kings malice although he gathered a great company to worke therein what he could fled into Flanders was outlawed with his 5. sonnes King Edward repudiated his wife the daughter of the sayde Godwine but the second yere after by mediators he was recōciled to the king againe and called from banishment And for his good a bearing he gaue for pledges his two sōnes Byornon and Tostius which were sent to the Duke of Normandy there to be kept During the time of the outlawry of Godwyn William Bastard Duke of Normandy came with a goodly company into England to see king Edwarde was honorably receaued To whom the king made great cheare at hys returne inriched him with great gifts and pleasures And there as some wryte made promise to him that if he died without issue the said William should succeede him in the kingdome of England In this kinges raigne liued Marianus Scotus the story writer As concerning the end of erle Godwin the cruell murderer of Alphred and of the Normandes although diuers histories diuersly do vary Yet in this the most part do agree that as he sate at the table with king Edward at Winsor it happened one of the cupbearers one of erl Godwins sonnes to stumble and recouer againe so that he did shed none of the drinke wherat Godwin laughed sayd howe the one brother had sustained the other With whych wordes the King calling to minde his brothers death that was slaine by Godwine beheld the erle saying so should my brother Alphred haue holpē me had not Godwin ben Godwine then fearing the kinges displeasure to be newly kindled after many words in excusing himselfe sayde So mought I safely swalow this morsel of bread as I am giltles of the deede But assoone as hee had receiued the bread forthwith he was choked Then the king commanded him to be drawne from the table so was cōueyed by Harolde his sonne to Winchester and there buried About the 13. yere of this kings reigne the sayde King Edward sent Aldred bishop of Worceter to the Emperour Henricus the 4. praying him that he would send to the king of Hungary that his cosin Edward sonne of Edmund Ironside might come to England for so much as he intended to make him King after him which was called Edward outlawe The which request was fulfilled so that he came into Englande with his wife Agatha and with hys children to witte Edgar Adeling Margarete and Christina But the yeare after his returne into the realme thys Edwarde deceased at London and was buryed at westminster or as Iornalensis sayeth at Paules church in London After whose decease the King then receaued Edgar Adeling his sonne as his owne childe thinking to make him his heire But fearing partly the vnconstant mutabilitie of the Englishmen partly the pride and malice of Harold the sonne of Godwine of other perceauing therby that he could not bring that his purpose so wel to passe directed solemne Embassadors vnto Williā Duke of Normandy his kinsman admitting assigning him to be hys lawfull heire next to succeede after him to the crowne After the death of Godwin Harolde his sonne waxed so in the kings fauour that he ruled the moste and
the sayde Byshop wyth much more matter of contention all which to recite it were too long But this I thought to commit to historie to the intent men might see the lamentable decay of true Christianitie amongest Christen Byshops who inflamed with glorious ambition so contended for honor that without mere forcemeÌ„t of law no modestie could take place Of such like contentions among Prelates of the Clergie for superioritie we read of diuers in olde Chronicles as in the history intituled Chronicon Hirsseldense where is declared a bloudy conflict which twise hapned in the church of Boslaria betwene Hecelon bishop of Hildesheime and Wederatus bishop of Fulda and all for the superior place who should fit next to the Emperour the Emperour hym selfe being there present and looking on them and yet not able to stay them Thus I haue described the troublous contention betwene Lancfrancus Thomas Metropolitane of Yorke in the daies of Alexander of which controuersie and of the whole discourse thereof Lanfrancus writeth to Pope Alexander beginning thus Domino totius Christianae religionis summo speculatori Alex Papae Lancfrancus sanctae Dorobernensis Ecclesiae antistes debitam cum omni seruitute obedientiam In concilio quod Angliae per vestram autoritatem coactum est vbi querelae Thomae Archiepiscopi prolatae ventilatae sunt allata est Ecclesiastica gétis Anglorum historia quam Eboracensis Ecclesiae praesbyter Anglorum Doctor Beda composuit and so foorth in a â—ong processe of wordes which followe Among whiche in the middle of the epistle speaking of Douer and Canterbury he hath these words Vrbs namque quae nunc CaÌ„tuarberia nominatur antiquis temporibus ab ipsius terrae incolis Dorobernia vocabatur c. with many other wordes in the said Epistle which for breuitie here I ouerpasse In the story before of king Egelrede was declared about the yeare of our Lord. M. xvi how the Bishoprik of Lindaffarne otherwise named holy lande in the floude of Twede was translated to Durham so likewise in the dayes of this Lancfrancus Archbishop of Cant. Anno M. lxxvi diuers Bishops seates were altered and remooued from towneships to greater Cities As the Byshoprike of Selese was remooued to Chichester out of Cornewall to Exeter from Welles to Bathe from Shyreburne to Salesbury from Dorcester to Lincolne from Lichfield to Chester which Byshoppricke of Chester Robert being then Byshop reduced from Chester to Couentrie Likewise after that in the raigne of William Rufus An. 1095. Herbert Bishop of Thetford from thence reduced the fear to Norwige c. As concerning Douer and Caunterbury whether the sea was likewise translated froÌ„ the towne of Douer to the City of Cant. in the time of Theodorns or whether Canterbury by old time had the name of Dorobernia as the letter of Lancfrancus to Pope Alexander aboue mentioned doth pretend I finde it not in histories expressely defined Saue that I read by the words of William bring yet Duke of Normandie charging then Harolde to make a welle of water for the kings vse in the Castel of Dorobernia that the said Dorobernia then was taken for that which nowe we call Douer but whether Dorobernia and the Citie of Cant be both one or diuers the matter is not great Notwithstanding this I read in the epistle of Pope Bonifacius to king Ethelbert as also to Iustinus Archbish. Item in the epistle of pope Honorius to bishop Honorius IteÌ„ of Pope Uitalianus to Theodorus of Pope Sergius to king Ethelred Alfred and Adulphus and to the Bishops of england Likewise of pope Gregory the 3. to the Bishops of England Item of Pope Leo to Atherlard Archbyshop of Cant. Of Formosus to the bishops of England and of Pope Iohn to Dunstane that the name of Dorobernia of Canterbury indifferently are taken for one matter In this time and by the procuring of this Lancfrancus the 9. yere of this king a councel was holden at London where among the actes thereof these were the principall things concluded 1. For the order of sitting that the Archbishop of Yorke should sit on the right hand and the Byshop of London of the left hand or in the absence of Yorke London shoulde haue the right and Winchester the left hand of the Archbyshop of Cant. sitting in counsell 2. The seconde that Bishops shoulde translate their sees from villages into cities whereupon those sees aboue named were translated 3. That Monkes should haue nothing in proper And if any so had he dying vnconfessed shoulde not be buried in the Churchyard 4. That no Clerke or Monke of an other diocesse should be admitted to orders or retained without letters coÌ„mendatorie or testimoniall 5. That none should speake in the CouÌ„cel except bishops and Abbots without leaue of the Archmetropolitanes 6. That none should marry within the 7. degree with any either of his owne kinred or of his wiues departed 7. That none shoulde either buy or sell any office wythin the Church 8. That no sorcerie nor any diuination should be vsed or permitted in holy Church 9. That no bishop nor abbot nor any of the clergy should be at the iudgement of any mans death or dismembring neither should be any fautor of the sayd iudicantes Moreouer in the dayes of this Lancfrancus diuers good bishops of the realme began to take part with priests against the monkes in displacing these out of their Churches and to restore the maried Priests againe in so much that walkelmus bishop of wint had placed aboue 4.0 canons in stede of monkes for his part but this godly enterprise was stopped by stout Lancfrancke the Italian Lombard This lustie Prelate sate 19. yeares but at latter end he was not so fauored of William Rufus and â—â—ed for sorrowe Although this Italian Franke being Aâ—â—hbishop had litle leisure to write yet something he thought to doe to set out his famous learning and wrote a Booke against Berengarius intituling it Opus Scintillarum The olde church of Cant. he plucked downe builded vp the new After the death of Pope Alexander aboue mentioned next to him folowed HildebraÌ„d surnamed Gregory the 7. This Hildebrand as he was a sorcerer so was he the first and principal cause of all this perturbation that is nowe hath bene since his time in the Church by reason that through his example all this ambition stoutnes pride entred first into the church of Rome hath euer since continued For before Hildebrandus came to Rome working there his feares setting vp and displacing what Byshops he lifted corrupting them with pernicious counsell and setting them against Emperors vnder pretence of chastitie destroying matrimonie and vnder the title of libertie breaking peace and resisting authoritie before this I say the church of Rome was in some order bishops quietly gouerned vnder christen Emperors and also were defended by the same As Marcellus Meltiades and Siluester were subdued and vnder obedience to
his yerely tribut vnto the same Inferring moreouer how the king as he was of nature very liberall so also of courage a prince stout and valiant Then what a shame wold hee thinke it be to him as it were in deede if hee who in mighte and dignitie farre exceeded all his progenitours should not defend and maintaine the liberties customes by them procured wherefore he desired the Pope to see to the matter so as might stande both with the kings honor and also with his owne profite and aduātage who otherwise no doubt shoulde loose a great peece of money out of the realme vnlesse he did remit some thing of the seueritie of his canons and lawes decretall With these and such other perswasions like to the same effect the court of Rome was well cōtented agreeing that the kings request ought with al fauor to be graunted But the Pope Anselme sate still marking their doings The ambassadour supposing their silence to be halfe a yeelding to him added moreouer and sayd that the king no not for the crowne of his realme would loose the authority of Inuesting or admitting his Prelates within his Dominion Whereunto the proude Pope answering againe brast out in these wordes Nor I sayde he for the price of his heade as thou sayst wil lose the geuing of spirituall promotiōs in Englande and confirming it with an othe before God sayth he I speake it know it for a certaine c. Then it followeth in the storie of Malmesberie with this word of the P. the mindes of the rest were chaunged saying Benedicta fit cordis tui constantia benedicta oris tui loquela The kings attourney also was therewith dashed who notwithstanding yet brought to passe that certaine of the Kinges customes vsed before of his father were released vnto hym At the which tune in the same court was decreed that the king onely which had inuested them being excepted the other which were inuested by the king to be excommunicated the absolution and satisfaction of whome was left to Anselme the archbishop Thus Anselme being dismissed from Rome tooke his iorney toward England But the ambassador pretending to go to S. Nicholas remained behinde to see whether he could winne the popes mind to the kings purpose Which when he saw it would not be he ouertaketh Anselmus by the way at Placentia and opened to him the kings pleasure The king sayth he geueth to you in charge and commaundement that if you will come to England and there behaue your selfe to him as your predecessours did to his father you should be receiued and retained in the Realme accordingly if not you are wise inough sayth he ye know what I meane and what will followe c. And so to these wordes parting from him retourned againe to the King Anselmus remained at Lions a yeare and a halfe writing diuers letters to the King after this effect and wordes as followeth ¶ To his reuerend Lord Henry king of England Anselme Archbishop of Canterburie faithful seruice with prayers Epist. 224. Although ye vnderstand by William Warlwast what we haue done at Rome oyet I shall shortly shewe you that belongeth to me When I came to Rome I declared the cause wherefore I came to the Lorde Pope He answered that he woulde not swarue from the statutes of his predecessours Furthermore he commanded me that I should haue no fellowship with them that receiued inuestings of Churches at your hands after the knowledge of this prohibition except they woulde doe penaunce and forsake that they had receiued without hope of recouerie nor that they shuld not communicate with the other Byshoppes that had consecrated suche menne except they woulde present them selues to the iudgement of the Apostolike sea The foresayde William can be a witnesse of all these things if he will This William when we departed a sonder reconing vp in your behalfe the loue and liberalitie which yee haue had alwayes towardes me warned mee as your Archbyshoppe that I shoulde shewe my selfe such a one that if I would come into Englande that I might be wyth you as my predecessoure was wyth your Father and ye might entreate mee wyth the same honoure and liberalitie that youre father entreated my predecessor By which wordes I vnderstand that except I woulde shewe my selfe suche a one you woulde not haue me come into England For your loue liberalitie I thanke you but that I shoulde be with you as my predecessour was with your father I cannot do it For I dare not do homage to you nor dare communicate with them that take inuestings of Churches at your hands because of the foresaid inhibition made I my selfe hearing it Wherfore I desire you to send me your pleasure herein if it please you whether I may returne into England as I sayde with your peace and power of mine office In the meane while great businesse there was much posting went to and fro betwene the king the archbishop and the Pope but nothing was done for neither woulde the Pope agree to the king neither woulde the King condescende to the Archbishop At last the Archbishop seeing by no meanes he could preuaile against the king thought to reuenge himselfe by excōmunication and so went about the same The king hauing word thereof by the Countesse Adala his sister desireth her to come to him to Normādie and bring Anselmus with her whereupon through the meanes of the Countesse reconcilement was made the archbishop was restored to his former possessions againe Only his returne into England was differred because he would not communicate with those whome the King had inuested So the king tooke his passage ouer into England and Anselme made his abode at the Abbey of Becke Then were ambassadors againe directed vnto Rome W. Warlwast Baldwin aboue named Abbot of Ramesey who at length cōcluded the long controuersy betwene the king the Pope vpon this agreement that the King should take homage of the Bishops elect but shoulde not deale with inuesting them by staffe and ring c. While the Embassadours were thus in their sute at Rome diuers complaintes were daily brought from Englande to Anselme against the Priestes and Chanons who in his absence contrary to the late councel holden at London receiued their wiues vnto their houses againe so were permitted by the king paying him certaine mony for the same Anselme the fore enemie against lawfull mariage agreeued therwith addresseth his letters vnto the King requiring hym to refraine from any more taking of suche exactions declaring moreouer and affirming that the offences of all such Ecclesiasticall ministers must be corrected by the instance of Byshops and not of lay men To this the king answereth gently againe by letters tempering himselfe howe he purposed shortly to come ouer into Normandie and if he had done any thing amisse either in these or other things he would reforme it by his obedience It was
not long after the messengers being nowe returned from Rome but the king as he had promised sped him into Normādy wher he warring against his brother Robert brought both him the Countrey of Normandie at last vnder his subiection But first meting with Anselmus at the Abbey of Becke he cōuented agreed with him in al such poyntes as the Archb. required As first that all hys Churches which before were made tributarie vnto King William his brother now should remaine free from al tribute Item that he should require nothing of the sayd Churches or Prouinces in the time of the seate being vacant Moreouer concerning such Priestes Ministers as had geuē money to the king for their company w e their wiues it was agreed that they shoulde surcease from all Ecclesiastical function the space of 3. yeeres and the the king shoulde take no more after such maner Item that all such goodes feuitēs and possessions as had bene taken away before frō the Archbyshoppricke should be restored at his comming againe into England c. This Anselmus the stout champion of Poperie superstition after this victorie gotten vpon the King for the which he so long fought with ioy and triumph faileth into England hauing al his Popish requests obtained Where first he flieth like a Lion vpon the maried Priests contrary to the woorde of God diuorsing and punishing that by mans authority which the eternal and almighty God had coupled Next he looketh to them which did holde any Church by farme vnder the king Against Simonie likewise and against them that married within the 7. degree he proceedeth with his full pontificall authoritie Shortly after as king Henry had finished his warre in Normandy with victory returned againe into England about the 6. yere of his raigne Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury by the permission of the king assembled a great Councell at Westminster in London of the Clergie and Prelates of England In the which by the Byshop of Romes authoritie he so wrought with the king that at length albeit as the storie sayth not without great difficultie it was newly cōfirmed and enacted that no temporall man after that day shoulde make inuesture with crosse or with ring or wyth pastoral hoke In this Councel sondry and diuers iniunetions were geuen forth to priests and Deacons as diuers other sinodall acts also by the same Anselme had bene concluded in other Councels before And because heere falleth in mention of the actes Synodall concluded in the time of this Anselme I thought here good to packe them al in one general heape together as I finde them in Malmesburie and in other sondry authors scatteringly recited The first thing decreed by this Anselme in his synodal Councels was touching the fault of Simonic whereby diuers both Byshops and Abbotes as is aforesayd were at the same time deposed And lay men forbidden to coufer any Ecclesiastical promotion Also it was decreed that no Byshop should beare any office in secular mens businesse or meetings And that such should not go apparelled as the lay mē did but shuld haue their vestures decent and mete for religious persons And that in all places they shoulde neuer goe without some to beare witnes of their conuersation Item that no Archdeaconries should be let out to ferme Item that no Archdeacon should be vnder the degree of a Deacon Item that no archdeacon priest deacon subdeacon colligener nor Chanon should from thence forth mary a wife nor yet keepe her if he had bene maried to one before Item that euery subdeacon being vnder the degree of achanon after the profession of chastitie marrying a wife should be subiect to the same rule They ordeined also that a Priest keeping cōpany with his wife shuld be reputed vnlawful and that he shuld say no Masse and if he said Masse it should not be heard They charged that none were admitted to orders from that time forward from the degree of a subdeacon vnlesse he did professe chastitie That Priestes sonnes shoulde not claime by heritage the benefices of their fathers as the custome had alwaies bene before Item that no spiritual person should sit in any secular office as to be procurators or iudges of bloud Item that Priestes shoulde not resort to tauernes or banquets nor sit drinking by the fire side That the garmentes of Priestes shoulde be of one colour and that their shoes should be decent Item that Monkes or any other of the Clergy if they forsooke their order eyther to come againe or to be excommunicate Itē that mē of the clergy should weare broad crownes Item that no tythes should be geuen but to the church Item that no Churches or prebends shold be bought That no new Chapels shoulde be made without consent of the Byshop That no Church should be hallowed before the necessary prouision were made for the priest and for the Church to be mayntayned That Abbots should set forth no men to warre that they must both sleepe eate in the same house with their monkes vnlesse some great necessitie do let Item that Monkes do inioyne no penaunce to anye man without the knowledge of hys Abbot And that their Abbots may geue no licence therein but onely for suche persons whose charge they haue of soule That no monkes should be Godfathers Nor Nūnes Godmothers That Monkes should haue no Lordships to ferme Item that Monkes should take no Churches but by the Byshop neyther should so spoyle and oppresse the churches geuen to them with their rentes that sufficient were not left for the ministers of the same That priuy contract betwene man and women without witnes should not stand but be frustrate if each party doe goe from the contract Item that such as were long heare of the clergy be so roūded that part of their eare appeare and that their eyes be not couered Item that there be no matrimoniall copulation wtin the vij degree of kindered nor so to cōtinue if they be maryed but the maryage to be broken And if any being priuy to that incest doe not detect the same he to be giltye of the same cryme Item that no funerall or buryenges be without theyr owne Parishe Church so that the priest therof do lose that which to him is due Item that no man vpon any new fangled rashnes do attribute any reuerence or opiniō of holines to dead mens bodyes to fountaynes or to any other thing as the vse hath bene in tyme past without authoritie of the Bishop Item that no buying and selling be vsed hereafter in England of men as of other cartell Item after the restreint of Priests mariage when filthy Sodomitry begā to come in the place therof then were they forced also to make an act for that which was this With a greuous curse we condemne both them that occupy the vngratious vice of sodomitry and
them also that willingly assist them or be wicked doers with them in the sauie till such time as they may deserue absolution by penance and confession So that whatsoeuer he be that is noised or prooued to be of this wickednesse if he be a religious person he shall from thence foorth be promoted to no degree of honor and that which he hath shal be taken from him If he be a lay person he shal be depriued of all his freedome within the land and be no better then a foreiner And because it shal be known the absolution of such as be secular to belong onely to byshops it was therefore enacted that on euery sonday in euery parish church of England the said excommunication should be published c. But marke in this great matter what followed For as Ranulphus Lestrensis witnesseth this grieuous general curse was soone called backe againe by the sute of certaine which persuaded Anselme that the publication or opening of that vice gaue kindlings to the same in the heartes of lewde persons ministring occasion of more boldnes to thē to do the like And so to stop the occasiō of filthie Sodomitry the publication thereof was takē away but the forbidding and restreinement of Priestes vnlawfull mariage which chiefly was the cause thereof remained still And thus euer since horrible Sodomitry remained in the clergic both for lacke of mariage more vsed and for lack of publication lesse punished Besides all these Synodall acts aboue comprehended and geuen out by Anselmus in his Councels before heeralso in this present Coūcell at Westminster and in the yere of this king aforesaid he also directed other newe Iniuncetions to the Priests First that they and their wiues shoulde neuer more meete in one house neither yet haue dwelling in their territories Item that the Priests deacons and subdeacons shuld keepe no women in their house vnlesse they were of their next kinne Item for suche as had disseuered themselues from the societie of their wiues yet for some honest cause they had to common with them they might so it were without doore and with ij or iij. lawfull witnesses Item if any of them should be accused by ij or iij. witnesses and could not purge himselfe againe by sixe able mē of his owne order if he be a Priest or if he be a Deacon by iiij or if he be a Subdeacon by ij then he should be iudged a transgressor of the statutes depriued of his benefice be made infamous or be put to open reproche of all men Item he that rebelled as in contempt of this new statute held still his wife and presumed to say masse vpon the viij day after if he made not due satisfaction should be solemnly excommunicated Item all Archdeacons and Deacons to be straightly sworne not to wink or dissemble at their meetings nor to beare with them for money And if they would not be sworne to this then to loose their offices without recouery Item such priests as forsaking their wiues were willing to serue still and remaine in their holy order first must cease 40. dayes from their ministration setting Uitars for them in the meane time to serue and taking such penaunce vpon them as by their Bishop should be enioyned them Thus haue ye heard the tedious treatise of the life and doings of Anselmus how superstitious in his Religion how stubburne against his Prince he was what occasion of warre and discorde he ministred by his complaintes if they had ben taken what zeale without right knowledge what feruencie without cause he pretended what paines without profite he tooke Who if he had bestowed that time and trauel in preaching Christ at home to his flock which he tooke in gadding to Rome to complaine of his countrey in my minde he had bene better occupied Moreouer what violent and tyrannical iniunctions he set forth of inuesting and other thinges ye haue heard but specially against the lawfull and godly mariage of Priests Wherin what a vehement aduersary he was here may appeare by these minutes or peeces extracted out of his letters which we haue here annexed in forme and effect as followeth A letter of Anselme Anselme archbishop to his brethren and dearest sonnes the Lord prior and other at Canterburie AS concerning Priests of whom the king cōmanded that they should haue both their Churches their women as they had in the time of his father and of Lanfrancus Archbishop both because the king hath reuested reseazed of the whole Archbishopricke and because so cursed a mariage was forbidden in a Coūcel in the time of his father and of the saide Archbishop Boldely I command by the authoritie which I haue by my Archbishoprike not onely within my Archbishoprike but also throughout England that all Priests which keepe women shal be depriued of their Churches and Ecclesiastical benefices A letter of Pope Paschalis to Anselme Paschal Bishop Seruaunt of Gods Seruants to his reuerend brother Anselme Archb. of Cant. greeting and Apostolical blessing WE beleue your brotherhode is not ignorāt what is decreed in the Romish Church concerning Priests children But because there is so great multitude of such within the Realme of England that almost the greater and better part of the Clerks are reckened to be on this side therfore we commit this dispensation to your care For we graunt these to be promoted to holy offices by reason of the need at this time and for the profit of the church such as learning and life shal commēd among you that yet notwithstanding the preiudice of the Ecclesiasticall decree be taken heede to hereafter c. An other letter of Anselme for Inuesting To the reuerend Lord and louing father Paschal high bishop Anselme seruant of Canterbury church due subiection and continual prayers AFter that I returned to my bishopricke in Englande I shewed the Apostolicall decree which I being present heard in the romish Councel 1. That no man should receiue inuesting of churches of the kinges hand or any lay person or shoulde become his man for it and that no man shoulde presume to consecrate him that did offend herein when the K. and his nobles and the bishops themselues and other of the lower degree hearde these things they tooke them so grieuously that they sayde they woulde in no case agree to the thing and that they woulde driue me out of the kingdome and forsake the Romish Churche rather than keepe this thing wherefore reuerende father I desire your counsell by your letter c. An other letter of Anselme Anselme Archbishop to the reuerend Gudulphus Bishop and to Ernulphus Prior and to William Archdeacon of Canterburie and to all in his Dioces greeting WIlliam our Archdeacon hath writtē to me that some priests that be vnder his custodie taking againe their women that were forbidden haue fallen vnto the vnclennesse from the which they were drawne by wholesome counsel and commaundement
life commeth therof Also of the vnconsiderate promotion of euill Prelates and of their great negligence in correcting and reformyng the euill demeanour of the people Item of the great wantonnes lasciuiousnes in their seruauts and families concerning their excessiue wearing of apparell Item complaineth also of the outragious and excessiue gaynes that Prelates and other vnder them take for their seale especially of officials scribes such like which geue out the seale they care not how nor wherfore so they may gayne money He complaineth in like maner that prelates be so slack and negligent in looking to the resideÌ„ts in their benefices Farther lamenteth for the rash geuing of benefices to parlons vicars and curates not for any godlines or learning in them but for fauour or friendship or intercession either els for hope of some gayne whereof springeth this great ignorance in the Church After this he noteth in prelates how they wast and expend the goods of the church in supersluities or vpon theyr kinsfolke or other worse wayes which should rather be spent vpon the poore Nextly in the x. chapter he coÌ„plaineth for that through the negligence of men of the church especially of the church of Rome the bookes and monuments of the old Councels also of the new are not to be found which should be reserued and kept in all cathedrall Churches Item that many prelates be so cold in doing their duties Also reprocheth the vnchast and voluptuous demeanor of Ecclesiasticall persons by the example of Storkes whose nature is saith he that if any of their company leauyng his owne mate ioyneth with any other all the rest flieth vpon him whether it be he or she beateth hym and plucketh his fethers off what then sayth he ought good prelates to do to such a person of their company whose filthinesse and corrupt life both defileth so many and stinketh in the whole Church Againe forasmuch as we read in the booke of Esdras lib 2. cap 9 that he purging Israel of strange womeÌ„ began first with the priestes So now likewise in the purging correcting of all sortes of men first the purgation ought to begin with these according as it is written by the prophet Ezechiel Begin first with my sanctuary c. Moreouer how that in the tyme of Phillip kyng of Fraunce the whole Realme was interdited for that the kyng had but one woman in stead of his wife which was not his wife by law And againe â—eyng in these our dayes the king of Portingale hath bene sequestred from his dominion by the authoritie of the church being thought not sufficient to gouerne what then ought to bee sayd to that Prelate which abuseth other mens wiues virgines and Nunnes which also is found vnable insufficient to take vpon him the charge of soules About the yeare of our Lord 1128. the orders of the knights of the Rhodes called Joannites also the order of Templars rose vp After Honorius next in the same vsurpation succeded Pope Innocentius 2. an 1130. But as it was with hys predecessours before hym that at euery mutation of newe Popes came new perturbations and commonly neuer a Pope was elected but some other was set vp against him sometymes 2. sometymes 3. Popes togethey so likewise it happened with this Innocentius for after he was chosen the Romains elected another pope named Anacletus Betwixt these two Popes was much ado and great conflicts through the partaking of Rogerius Duke of Sicile takyng Anacletus part agaynst Innocentius vntil Locharius the Emperour came who rescuing Innocentius droue Rogerius out of Italy Our stories recorde that king Henry was one of the great helpes in setting vp and maintayning this Pope Innocentius against Anacletus Gisburnens Amongst many other things this Pope decreed that whosoeuer did strike a Priest or Clerke beyng shauen he should be excommunicate and not to be absolued but only of the Pope himselfe About the tyme of doyng of these thynges beyng the yeare of our Lord 1135. king Henry being in Normandy as some say by taking there a fall froÌ„ his horse as other say by taking a surfet in eating Lampries fell sicke died after he had raigned ouer the realme of England 35. yeres and odde monethes leauyng for his heyres Matilde the Empresse his daughter with her young sonne Henry to succeed after hym to whom all the Prelates and Nobilitie of the Realme were sworne But contrary to their oth made to Molde in the presence of her father before William the Archbishop of Cant. and the nobles of the realme crowned Stephen Erle of Boloyne and sisters sonne to king Henry vpon S. Stephens day in Christmas weeke Which Archbishop the next yeare after dyed beyng as it was thought iustly punished for his periury And many other lordes which did accordingly went not quite without punishment In like iustice of punishmeÌ„t is numbred also Roger bishop of Salisbury who contrary to his othe beyng a great doer in the coronation of Stephen was apprehended of the same kyng and miserably but iustly extermined A certaine written English story I haue which addeth more and faith that king Stephen hauing many foes in diuers quarters kepyng there holdes and castels agaynst him went then to Oxford tooke the Bishop of Salisbury and put a rope about his necke so led him to the castle of Uice that was his and commanded them to render vp the castle or he would slay and hang their Bishop Which Castle beyng geuen vp the kyng tooke the spoyle thereof The like also he did to the Bishop of Lyncolne named Alexander whom in lyke maner he led in a rope to a Castle of the Bishops that was vpon Trent and bad them deliuer vp the Castle or els he would hang their Lord before the gate Long it was before the castle was geuen vp yet at length the king obtaining it there entred and tooke all the treasure of the Bishop c. Roger Houeden Fabian alleagyng a certayne olde Authors whom I cannot finde referreth a great cause of this periury to one Hugh Bigot Steward sometyme with king Henry Who immediatly after the death of the sayd Henry came into England and before the sayd Archbishop and other Lordes of the land tooke wilfully an othe and sware that he was present a little before the kings death when king Henry admitted for his heyre to be king after him Stephen his nephew for so much as Molde his daughter had discontented him Wherunto the Archbishop with the other Lordes gaue to hasty credence But this Hugh sayth he escaped not vnpunished for he dyed miserably in a short tyme after Ex Fabia Albeit all this may be supposed rather to be wroght not without the practise of Henry bishop of Winchester other Prelates by his settyng on which Henry was brother to King Stephen c. King Stephen THus when king Stephen contrary to his oth
from the king or his Iustices who so doth the contrary that man to be tached and imprisoned 3. No man to be so bould once to appeale to the Pope or to the Archbishop of Canterbury out of England 4. That no decree or commandement proceeding from the authoritie of the pope or the Byshop of Canterbury to be receaued in EnglaÌ„d vnder payne of taking imprisoning 5. In generall to forbid any man to cary ouer anye commaundement or precept eyther of clerke or layman to the Pope or to the archbishop of Canterbury vnder payn of imprisonment 6. If any Bish. clerke abbot or lay man shal do contrary to this inhibitioÌ„ or wil keep the sentence of interditing the same incontinent to be thrust out of the land with all their kinred and to leaue all their goodes behinde them 7. All the possessions goodes cartell of such as fauour the pope or the Archbishop of CaÌ„terbury to be ceased and confiscate for the king 8. All such of the clergye as be out of the realme hauyng their contes and profites out of the land to be sommoned and warned through euery shyre within three moÌ„thes to repayre home eyther els their rentes and goods to returne to the king 9. That S. Peters pence should be no more payd to the Apostolicall see but to be reserued diligently in the kinges cofers and there to be at hys coÌ„mmaundement Arqâ— haec ex Quadrilogo 10. That the Byshops of Salisbury and Norwicht be at the kings mercy and be somoned by the Sheriffe and bedels that they before the kings iustices do right to the K. and hys iustices because contrary to the statutes of Clarendon by commaundement they interdicted the land of Hugh Earle and published the same in their Dioces with out licence of the kinges iustices By these and such other lawes and decrees it may appeare that the abolyshing of the pope is no newe thing in the realme of England This onely difference there is the the P. being driuen out then could not be kept out so long as now he is The cause is that the tyme was not yet come that antechrist should so fully be reueled Neither was his wickednes then so fully ripe in those dayes as it hath bene now in our time Nowe these premised let vs returne where we left to the matter betwixt the king and Thomas becket The communication and controuersie betweene the king and Thomas Becket with hys Clergye THe king as is aforesayd conuenting hys Nobles and clerkes together required to haue the punishmeÌ„t of certayne misdoers of the Clergy But Thomas Becket not assenting thereunto the king came to this poynt to know whether he would consent with his clergy that the customes then set forth in the realme meaning by the first part of those decrees aboue specified should be obserued To which the Archbishop consulting together with hys brethren geueth aunswere agayne that he was contented the kings ordinaunces should be obserued adding this withall Saluo ordine suo that is sauing his order And so in like maner all the other byshops after being demanded in order answered with the same addition Saluo ordine suo Onely Hillarius bishop of Chichester perceauing the king to be exasperate with that addition instede of Saluo ordine agreed to obserue them Bona fide The king hearing theÌ„ not simply to agree vnto him but with an exceptioÌ„ was mightely offended who theÌ„ turning to the Archbishop and the Prelates sayd that he was not well contented with that clause of theirs Saluo ordine suo which he sayd was captious and deceitfull hauing some maner of venine lurking vnder therfore required an absolute graunt of them wtout any exception to agree to the kinges ordinaunces To this the Archbishop answered agayne that they had sworn vnto him their fidelitie both life body and earthly honor Saluo ordine suo and that in the same earthly honour also those ordinances were coÌ„prehended and to the obseruing they would bynde themselues after no other forme but as they had sworne before The king with this was moued all his nobilitie not a little As for the other bishops there was no doubt but they would easely haue relented had not the stoutnes of the Archb. made theÌ„ more constant then otherwise they would haue bene The day being wel speÌ„t the king when he could get no other aunswere of them departed in great anger geuing no word of salutatioÌ„ to the bishops And likewise the bishops euery one to his own house departed The bishop of Chichester amongest the rest was greatly rebuked of his fellowes for chauÌ„ging the exception coÌ„trary to the voice of al the other The next day following the king took from the archbishop all such honours Lordships as he had geueÌ„ him before in the tyme that he was chauncellor wherby appeared the great displeasure of the king agaynst him and the clergy Not long after this the king remouing from London vnknowing to the bishops sayled ouer to Normandy whither the bishop of London called Gilbert not long after resorted to craue the Kinges fauour gaue him councell withall to ioyne some of the bishops on his side least if al were against him peraduenture he might sooner be ouerthrowne And thus the greatest nuÌ„ber of the bishops were by this meanes reconciled agayn to the King onely the archbishop with a few other remayned in their â—â—outnes still The K. thinking to try all maner of wayes when he sawe no feare not threates could turne hym dyd assay him with geÌ„â—lenes it would not serue Many of the nobles labored betwixt theÌ„ both exhorting him to relent to the King it would not be Likewise the archbishop of Yorke with diuers other Byshops and abbots especially the bish of Chester did the same Besides this his own houshold dayly called vpon him but no man could perswade him At leÌ„gth vnderstaÌ„ding partly by them the came to him what daunger might happen not onely to himselfe but to al the other clergy vpon the kings displeasure partly considering the old loue kindnes of the king towardes him in tyme past was content to geue ouer to the kinges request came to Oxeford to him reconciling himselfe about the addition which displeased the king so much WherupoÌ„ the king being somewhat mittigate receiueth him with a more cheerful countenance but yet not all so familiarly as before saying that he would haue his ordinaunces and proceedinges after the forme confirmed in the publike audience opeÌ„ sight of his Byshops and all his Nobles After this the K. being at Clarendon there called all his pieres and prelates before him requiring to haue that performed which they had promised in consenting to the obseruing of his grandfathers ordinaunces and proceedings The archbishop suspecting I cannot tell what in yâ— kings promise drew backward now would not that he would before At last with much a doe he was enforced to geue assent First came to him
secular iurisdiction Becket therfore like a valiāt champion fighting for his liberties and hauing the Pope on his side would not permit his clerkes infamed otherwise to be conuēted then before ecclesiastical iudges there to be examined depriued for their excesse and no seculare iudge to proceede against them So that after their depriuation if they should incurre the like offence agayne then the temporall iudge to take hold vpō them otherwise not This obstinate and stubburne rebellion of the Archb. stirred vp much anger and vexation in their king not only in him but also in the nobles and in al the bishops for the greater part that almost he was alone a wonderment to all the realme The kings wrath daily increased more and more against him as no meruaile was and caused him to be cited vp to appeare by a certaine day at the town of Northhampton there to make answer to such things as should be layd to his charge So when the day was come all the Pieres and nobles with the prelates of the Realme vpon the kings proclamation beyng assembled in the Castle of Northhampton great fault was sound with the Archb. for that he personally cited to appeare came not hymself but sent another for him The cause why he came not Houeden assigneth to be this for that the king had placed his horse and horsemen in the Archb. lodging whiche was a house there of Chanons wherwith he being offended sent word agayne that he would not appeare vnlesse hys lodgyng were voyded of the kynges horsemen c. Wherupon by the publike sentence as well of all the Nobles as of the bishops all his moueables were adiudged to be confiscate for the kyng vnlesse the kyngs clemency would remit the penaltie The stubburne Archbishop agayne for his part quarellyng agaynst the order forme of the iudgement complayneth alleagyng for himself seyng he is their Primate and spirituall father not onely of all other in the realme but also of the king hymselfe not to be conuenient the father so to be iudged of his children nor the pastor of his flocke so to be condened saying moreouer that the ages to come should know what iudgement was done c. But especially he complaineth of his fellow bishops when they should rather haue taken his part so to sit in iudgement against their Metropolitane and this was the first dayes action The next day following the king layd an actiō against him in the behalfe of one that was his Marshall called Iohn for certaine iniury done to hym and required of the said Archb. the repaying agayne of certayne money which he as is sayd had lent vnto him being Chauncellor the summe wherof came to 500. markes This mony the Archb. denyed not but he had receiued of the kyng howbeit by the way and title of gift as he tooke it though hee coulde bring no probation thereof Wherupon the king required him to put in assuraunce for the payment therof whereat the Archbish. makyng delayes not well contented at the matter was so cald vpon that either he should be countable to the kyng for the mony or els he should incur present daunger the king beyng so bent against hym The Archbishop being brought to such a straite and destitute of his owne suffragans could here by no meanes haue escaped had not v. persons of their owne accord stepped in beyng bound for him euery man for one C. markes a piece And this was vpon the second day concluded The morrow after which was the third day of the councell as the Archb. was sitting below in a certain cōclaue with his fellow bishops about him consulting together the dores fast locked to them as the king had willed commaunded it was propounded vnto him in the behalfe of the king that he had had diuers bishoprikes Abbarikes in his hand which were vacant with the fruites and reuenues therof due vnto the king for certaine yeres whereof he had rendred as yet no accompt to the kyng wherfore it was demaunded of him to bring in a full and a cleare reckoning of the same This with other such lyke declared to all the councel great displeasure to be in the king and no lesse danger toward the Archbishop The aduise of the bishops for Thomas Becket THus while the bishops and prelates were in councell aduising and deliberating what was to bee done at length it came to voyces euery man to say his mynd and to geue sentence what were the best way for their Archb. to take First began Henry bishop of Winchester who thē tooke part with Becket so much as he durst for feare of the king who sayd he remembred that the sayd Archb first beyng Archdeacon and then Lord Chancellor at what time as he was promooted to the church of Caunterbury was discharged from all bandes and reckonings of the temporall court as all the other bishops could not but beare record to the same Next spake Gilbert bishop of London exhortyng and motioning the Archbishop that he should cal with himself to mynde from whence the kyng tooke hym and set hym vp what and how great things he had done for him also that he should consider with himselfe the dangers and perils of the tyme and what ruine he might bring vpon the whole church and vpon them all there present if he resisted the kings mynde in the things he required And if it were to render vp his Archbishoprike although it were x. tymes better then it is yet he should not sticke with the kyng in the matter In so doing it might happen the kyng seyng that submission and humilitie in him would release him peraduenture of all the rest To this the Archbishop aunswering well well sayth he I perceiue wel inough my Lord whether you tend where about you go Then spake Winchester inferring vpon the same This forme of councell sayth he seemeth to me very pernicious to the Catholike Church tending to our subuersion and to the confusion of vs all For if our Archbishop and Primate of all England do leaue to this example that euery Byshop should geue ouer his authoritie and the charge of the flock committed to him at commaundement threatning of the prince to what state shall the Church be brought thē but that all should be confounded at his pleasure and arbitrement and nothing to stand certaine by any order of lawe and so as the priest is so shall the people be Hilarie the bishop of Chichester replieth again to this saying If it were not that the instance and the great perturbation of tyme did otherwise require and force vs I would thinke this counsail here geuen were good to be folowed But now seing the authoritie of our canon fayleth cannot serue vs I iudge it not best to go so straightly to worke but so to moderate our proceedings that dispensation with suffrance may win that which seuere correction may destroy
him wrought by signs making a crosse and looking vp with his eies wagging hys lips meaning that he shoulde pray and manfully to stand to the crosse In the meane time commeth to him Bartlemew B. of Excetor desiring him to haue regard and compassion of himself and also of them or els they were all like to perish for the hatred of him for there commeth out saith he a precept from the king that he shal be taken suffer for an open rebel that heereafter taketh your part It is sayde moreouer that Iocelinus B. of Salisburie and William B. of Norwich are to be had to the place of execution for their resisting and making intercession for the B. of Canterbury When he had thus saide the Archbyshop looking vppon the sayde Bishop of Exceter auoide hence from me sayth he thou vnderstandest not neither doest sauor those things that be of God The Byshop and Prelates then going aside by themselues from the other nobles the king so permitting them to do tooke couÌ„sel together what was to be done Here the matter stoode in a doubtful perplexitie for either must they incur the daungerous indignation of the king or els with the Nobles they must procede in condemnation against the archbishop for resisting the kings sanctions which thing neither they themselues did fauor In this straight necessitie they deuising what way to take at length agreed vppon this that they with a common assent shoulde cite the Archb. to the sea of Rome vppon periurie And that they should oblige and bind themselues to the king with a sure promise to work their diligence in deposing the Archbish. vpon this condition that the King should promise their safetie discharge them from the peril of that iudgement which was toward them So all the bishops obliging theÌ„ selues thus to the king went foorth to the Archbishop of whom one speaking for the rest which was Hillarie Bishop of Chichester had these wordes Once you haue bene our Archbishop and so long we were bound to your obedience but nowe for asmuch as you once swearing your fidelitie to the king do resist him neglecting his iniunctions and ordinaunces concerning and appertaining to his terrene honor and dignitie we here pronounce you periured neither be we bounde to geue obedience to an Archbishop thus being periured But putting ourselues and all ours in the popes protectioÌ„ do cite you vp to his presence And vpon the same assigned him his day and time to appeare The Archbishop aunswering againe said he heard him wel inough And vpon this sendeth vp to Rome in al hast to the pope signifying to him by letters the whole matter how and wherefore and by whome he was cited To whom the Pope directed againe his letters of comfort as he had done diuers before the copie whereof here insueth Alexander Pope to Thomas Archb. of Canterburie YOur brotherly letters which you directed to vs such other matters which your messenger by word of mouth hath signified vnto vs we haue diligently heard the reading therof therby fully vnderstand the grieuous vexations and dolorous griefes wherewith your minde is daily encombred by reason wherof we hearing and vnderstanding are not a litle disquieted in our spirit for your sake in whose prosperities we do both gladly reioyce no lesse do sorrow in your aduersities as for our most deare brother You therefore as a constant and wise man remember wyth your selfe that which is written The Apostles departed away reioysing from the face of the Councel c. With like pacience doe you also sustaine that mans molestations and let not your spirite be troubled therein more then needeth but receaue in your selfe consolation that we also together with you may be comforted in the Lord who hath preserued you to the corroboration of his Catholike and Christen veritie in this distresse of necessitie and from whome also it hath pleased him to wipe away the blotte of such things which haue bene vnorderly of you coÌ„mitted heere to punish the same through sundrie afflictions whereby in the strait iudgement of God they might not be called to accouÌ„t here after But hencefoorth let not this much grieue you neither let your hart be so deiect or timerous in the matter for that you are cited vp to the Apostolike sea which to vs is both gratefull and accepted And this we wil you that if they which haue cited you shall chaunce to come draw not you backe but folow the appele if ye please and spare not all doubt and delay set aparte for the authoritie of the Church tendring this your constancie may not do that which may put you either in feare or doubt But our diligence shal be withall labour and studie to conserue the right and preheminence God willing of that Church committed to you so muche as in vs lieth sauing our iustice and equitie as to one whom in working for the Church we finde to be both a constant and a valiant champion Further this I brotherly require you to repaire vnto â—he Church of Canterburie and reteining but a fewe Clerkes about you such onely as serue your necessitie make no excurses out as litle as you can in that countrey but in this especially I thought to premonish you that in no case neither for fear or any aduersitie whatsoeuer may happen yee be brought to renounce and geue vp the right and dignity of your Church Written at Sene the vij before the Kalendes of Nouember As the Archbyshop was thus cited vp to Rome sitting with his crosse waiting in the Court neither geuing place to the kâ—ngs request nor abashed with the clamor of the whole court against him calling him traitour on euery side neither following the aduertisement of his fellow Bishops at length the king by certaine Earles and Barons sent commandement to him Robert Earl of Lecester doing the message that he should without delay come render a full accompt of all things that he had receiued as the profites and reuenues of the Realme in the time he was Chauncelor and especially for the 30000. Markes for the which he was accoÌ„ptable to the king To whom the archbishop aunswereth againe the king knew how oft he had made his reckening of those things which nowe were required of him Farther and besides Henry his sonne and heire of his realme with all his Barons and also Richard Lucie chief Iustice of England told him that he was free and quit to God and to holy Church from al receipts and computations and from al secular exactions on the kings behalfe And so he taking thus his discharge at their haÌ„ds entred into his office and therefore other accompt besides this he would make none When this word was brought to the king he required his Barons to do the law vppon him Who so doing iudged him to be apprehended laide in prison This done the king sendeth to him Reignalde Earle of Cornewall Deuonshire and
the bishops and of the clergie which I maintaine be right why be they set against me Why do they reprehēd me For if that I appealed to him before whome either it was not lawfull or els not expedient for me to do what seeme they by this but either to blame me causelesse or els to distrust your equity For me to be conuicted before your holinesse it had bene a double confusion Or wherein haue I deserued to be persecuted of them for whose cause I haue set my selfe to stande in their behalfe And if they had willed I had preuailed but it is ill with the head when he is left of his members and forsaken as if the eyes shoulde take the toung to speake against the head If they had had eyes to haue foresene the matter they might vnderstand themselues to speake their owne destruction and that the Princes did vse their helpe but to their owne seruitude And what so great cause of hatred had they against me to procure their owne vndoing in vndoing of me So while they neglected spirituall things in steade of temporall they haue lost them both What shoulde I speake more of this that I repugning them and appealing to your audience yet notwithstanding they durst presume to stand in iudgement and condemnation against me as children against their father Yea and not against me onely but against the vniuersall Church of God conspiring together with the Prince being with me offended And this suspection might also as well pertaine to you holy father But to this they will say that they owe their duety and seruice vnto the king as their Lord to whom they are bound vpon their allegeance To whom I answer that to him they stand bound bodely to me spiritually But to whom ought they rather to stand bound then to themselues And were it not better to sustaine the losse of corporall then of spirituall things But here they wil say againe at this time the Prince was not to be prouoked Howe subtily do these men dispute for their owne bondage Yea they themselues prouoke him by their owne excesse ministring wings vnto him to fight against them for he woulde haue rested if they had resisted And when is constancie more to be required then in persecution Be not a mans chiefe frendes most tried in persecution If they geue ouer still how shall they obtaine the victorie Sometime they must needes resist Condescend therefore holy father to my exile and persecution And remember that I also once was a great man in the time when it was and now for your sake thus iniuriously I am intreated Vse your rigour and restraine them by whose instigation the name of this persecution began And let none of these things be imputed to the king who rather is to be counted the repairer then the author of this businesse Besides this Epistle sent vnto the Pope he wryteth also an other letter sent to the King in Latine the tenour whereof he that is disposed to read may peruse in our former edition with the notes adioyned withall Besides which Epistle to the king in Latin he sent also one or two mo to the said king Henry the second much after the like rate sort The one thus beginning Loqui de Deo liberae mentis est valdè quietae Indè est quòd loquar ad Dominum meum vtinam ad omnes pacificum c. which Epistle for that I woulde not ouercharge the volume of these Hystories with too much matter superfluous I thought hore to omit The other he sent afterward wherof the wordes be these ¶ An other letter of Becket Archbishop of Canterburie sent to the king TO his Lorde and frende Henry by the grace of God king of England Duke of Normandy Aquitane Earle of Angeow Thomas by the same grace humble minister of the church of Cāterburie sometime his temporally but now more his in the Lord health and true repentaunce with amendement I haue long looked for that the Lord would looke vpon you and that you would conuert and repent departing from your peruerse way and cutte off from you your wicked and peruerse counsellours by whose instinction as it is thought you are fallen into that deepe wherof the Psalme speaketh A sinner when he commeth to the depth of mischiefes is without all care or feare And albeit we haue hetherto quietly suffred and borne considering and earnestly looking if there woulde any messenger come that woulde say Your soueraigne Lorde the king which nowe a long time hath erred and ben deceiued and led euen to the destruction of the church through Gods mercy with aboundant humility doth now againe make speede for the deliueraunce of the Church and to make satisfaction and amendement Yet notwithstanding we cease not day by day continually to call vpon almightie God with most humble deuotion that that which we haue long desired for you and by you we may speedely obtaine with aboundant effect And this is one poynte that the care of the Church of Canterburie whereunto God hath presently appoynted vs albeit vnworthy you being K. doeth specially constraine me in that as yet we are deteined in exile to write vnto your maiestie letters commonitorie exhortatorie and of correction But I woulde to God they were fully able to correct least that I be to great a cloker of your outragies if there be any as in deede there are for the which we are not a litle sorie I meane specially of them which are done by you in euery place about the Church of God and the Ecclesiasticall persons without any reuerence either of dignitie or person and least also that I appeare negligent to the great danger of my soule for without doubt hee beareth the offence of him which doth commit any offence who neglecteth to correct that which an other ought to amend For it is written not onely they which doe commit euill but also they which consent therunto are coūted partakers of the same For they verely do cōsent which when they both might and ought doe not resist or at the least reproue For the errour which is not resisted is alowed and the truth whē it is not defended is oppressed neither doth it lacke a priuie note of society in him which ceaseth to withstand a manifest mischief 2 For like as most noble Prince a small Citie doeth not diminish the prerogatiue of so mighty a kingdome as your is so your royal power ought not to oppresse or chaunge the measure of the religious dispensatiō For it is prouided alwaies by the lawes that al iudgemēts agaynst Priests should proceede by the determination of Priestes For whatsoeuer Byshoppes they are albeit that they do erre as other men do not exceeding in any poynt contrary to the religion of faith they 3 ought not nor can in any case be iudged of the seculare power Truely it is the parte of a good and religious Prince to repaire the ruinous Churches to builde
former rescript of Becket to his Suffraganes in the page before with a generall resolution of the reasons therein contained If the king of England had bene an idolater couetous an adulterer an incest a murderer with such like than the zeale of this Archbishop threatning the king and such as tooke his part had deserued praise in this Epistle the scripture would haue borne him out therein For these and suche causes should byshops prosecute the authoritie of the Gospell against all persones But the matter standing onely vpon Church goods libertie or rather licentiousnes of Priests making of Deanes titles of Churches superioritie of crowning the king with such other to stand so stiffe in these is not to defend the church but to rebel against the king Againe if the principles which hee heere groundeth vpon were true to witte that the Pope were to be obeied before Princes that the liberty of Church standeth vpon the immunitie of priests exempted from princes lawes or vpon ample possessions of the Churche or that the Popes lawe ought to preuaile in all forreine countreis and to binde all princes in their owne dominions or that the sentence of the Pope his Popelings how or by what affection so euer it is pronounced may stande by the vndoubted sentence of God Then all the arguments of this Epistle doe proceede and conclude wel But if they stand not ratified vpon gods worde but tottering vpon mans traditions Then whatsoeuer he inferreth or concludeth thereupon his assumpt being false can not be true according to the schoole saying One inconuenience being graunted in the beginning innumerable follow thereupon So in this Epistle it happeneth as is aboue noted that the Maior of this man is true but the Minor is cleane false and to be denied ¶ The letter of Matild the Empresse and mother of the king To Thomas Becket MY Lord the Pope commanded me and vpon the forgeuenes of my sinnes inioyned me that I should be a mediatour and meanes of peace and concorde betweene my sonne and you by reconciling of your selfe to him wherunto as you know ye requested me Wherefore the earnester and with more affection as well for the diuine honour as for holy Church I tooke the enterprise vpon me But this by the way I assure you that the king his Barons and counsell taketh it grieuously that you whome he entirely loued honored and made chiefest in al his Realme to the intent to haue more comfort and better trust in you should thus as the report is rebell and stirre his people against him Yea and further that asmuch as in you lieth you went about to disherite him and depriue him of his crowne Vpon the occasion whereof I sent vnto you our trustie and familiar seruant Laurence Archdeacon by whome I pray you that I may vnderstand your minde herein and good wil towarde my sonne and howe you meane to behaue your selfe if my prayer and petition may be heard of him in your behalfe toward his grace But this one thing I assure you off that vnlesse it be through your great humilitie and moderation euidently in you appearing you can not obtaine the fauour of the king Heerein what you meane to do I pray you sende me word by your proper letters and messengers But to proceede farther in the order of the historie After these letters sent to froe the yeare of our Lorde 1169 which was the 15. of the raigne of Henry the 2. The King misdoubting and fearing wyth himselfe that the Archbyshop would proceede or exceede rather in his excommunication against his owne person to preuent yâ— mischiefe made his appeale to the presence of the pope requiring to haue certaine Legates sent downe from Rome from the popes side to take vp the matter betwene the Archbishop and him requiring moreouer that they might also be absolued that were interdicted whereupon two Cardinals being sent from Alexander the Pope with letters to the King came into Normandie where they appoynted the Archb. to meete them before the King vpon S. Martines day But the Archb. neither agreeing wyth the day nor place delaied his comming to the viâ—j day after neyther would any further go then to Brisorlium Where the two Cardinals and the Archb. with other bishops conuenting together had a certaine intreatie of peace and reconciliation but came to no conclusion The coÌ„tents of which intreatie or action because it is sufficiently contained in the Cardinals letters who were called Bulieâ—nus Otho written to the pope it shal require no further labour but to shew out the wordes of the letter where the summe of the whole may appeare The wordes of the letter be these ¶ The copie of the Epistle written and sent by two Cardinals to the Pope concerning the matter of the Archbishop Becket WIlliam Otho Cardinals of the Church of Rome to Alexander the Pope c. CoÌ„ming to the land of the K. of EnglaÌ„d we founde the controuersie betwixt him and the Archb. of Canterburie more sharpe and vehement then we would For the king and the greater part of them about him said that the Archbyshop had stirred vp the French king grieuously against him And also the Earle of FlaÌ„ders his kinsman who bare no displeasure to him before he made his open aduersary ready to warre against him as is by diuers euidences most certaine Thus when we came to Cadomus first to the kings speach we gaue the letters of your fatherhode to his hands which after that he had receiued and considered bringing foorth withall other letters receiued from you before something diuers and altering from these which he receiued of vs was moued stirred with no litle indignation saying that the Archbishop after our departure from you had receiued of you other contrary letters by the vertue whereof he was exempted from our iudgement so that he should not be compelled to aunswere vs. Moreouer the said king to vs added and affirmed and so did the bishops there present testifying the same that coÌ„cerning the old and ancient customes of his progenitors wherof complaint was made to you al that for the most part was false vntrue which was intimate to you Offering farther to vs that if there were any such customes or lawes in his time that seemed preiudicial or disagreeable to the statutes of the Church he wold willingly be content to reuoke and disanul the same Whereupon we with other Archbishops Bishops Abbotes of the land hearing the king so reasonable laboured by al meanes we might that the king should not vtterly breake from vs but rather should incline to vs to haue the matter brought before vs betwixt him the forenamed Archbishop By reason whereof we directed out our own Chapleins with letters vnto him appoynting him both time and place where safely hee might meete with vs in the feast of S. Martin Neuerthelesse he pretending certaine excuses made his dilatories driuing of the time from the day
my predecessors before me were much both better and greater then I and of them euery one for his time although he did not extirpe and cut off all yet something they did plucke vp and correct which seemed aduerse repugnant against Gods honor For if they had taken altogether away no such occasion then had bene left for any man to raise 〈◊〉 fire of temptation now against vs as is nowe raised to proue vs with all that we being so proued with them might also be crowned with them being likewise partakers of praise and reward as we are of their labour and trauaile And though some of them haue bene slacke or exceeded in their duetie doing in that we are not bounde to follow their example Peter when he denied Christ we therfore rebuke him but whē he resisted the rage of Nero therin we cōmēd him And therfore because he could not finde in his cōscience to cōsent vnto that he ought in no wise to dissemble neither did he by reason thereof he lost his life By such like oppressions the church hath alwaies growne Our forefathers predecessors because they would not dissemble the name honor of Christ therfore they suffred And shall I to haue the fauour of one man suffer the honor of Christ to be supprest The nobles standing by hearing him thus speake were greatly agreeued with him noting in him both arrogancy wilfulnes in perturbing and refusing suche an honest offer of agreemēt But specially one among the rest was most agreeued who their openly protested that seing the Archbishop so refused the counsaile and request of both the kingdome he was not worthye to haue the helpe of eyther of them but as the kingdome of Englande had reiected so the kingdome of Fraunce shoulde not entertayne him Alanus Herbertus and certayne other of his Chaplaines that committed to story the doynges of Becket doe record whether truely or no I cannot say that the French king sending for him as one much sorrowing and lamenting the wordes that he had spoken at the cōming of Becket did prostrate hymselfe at his feete confessing his fault in geuing counsel to him in such a cause pertayning to the honor of God to relent therein to yeld to the pleasure of mā wherfore declaring his repentance he desired to be absolued thereof So that after this the French king and Becket were great frendes together in so much that kyng Henry sending to the king to entreate him and desire him that he would not support nor maintayn his enemy within his Realme the French king vtterly denyed the kinges requeste taking part rather with the Archbishop then with him Besides these quarrels and grudges betwixt the kyng and the Archbishop aboue mentioned there followed yet moreouer an other which was this Shortly after this cōmunication recited betweene the king and Becket the K. of England returning againe frō Normandy to England which was the yeare of our Lord 1170. and the 16. yeare of his raigne about Midsomer kept his court of Parliament at Westminster In the which Parliament he through the assent both of the Clergy and the Lordes temporall caused hys sonne Henry to be crowned king Which coronation was done by the hands of Robert Archb. of York with the assistāce of other bishops ministring to the same as Gilb. of Londō Goceline of Salisbury Hugo of Duresme and Gualter of Rochester By reason whereof Becket of Cant. beyng there neither mentioned nor called for took no little displeasure and so did Lodouike the French king hearing that Margaret hys daughter was not also crowned with her husband Whereupon he gathering a great army forthwith marched into Normādy But the matter was soone cōpassed by the king of England who sending hys sonne to him in Normandy intreated there and concluded peace with him promising that his sonne should be crowned agayne then hys daughter to be crowned also But the Archb. not ceasing his displeasure and emulatiō sent vnto the Pope complaining of these four bishops especially of the Archb. of Yorke who durst be so bold in his absence without his knowledge or his licence to intermedle to crowne the king being a matter proper and peculiar to his iurisdiction At the instaunce of whom the P. sent downe the sentnce of excommunication against the B. of London The other 3. bishops with the Archb. of York he suspended whose sentence and letters thereof for auoyding prolixitie I here omit Besides these foresayd bishops excommunicated diuers other clerks also of the court he cited to appeare before him by vertue of his large commission whiche he gate from the Pope to whō they were bound to obey by reason of their benefices And some he commanded in vertue of obediēce to appeare in payne of forfeting their order and benefices Of which whē neyther sort would appeare he cursed thē openly And also some lay men of the court the kings familiars some as intruders and violent withholders of Church goodes he accursed as Richard Lucy and Iocelin Balliot and Rafe Brocke which tooke bels and goods that belonged to the Church of Caunterburye and Hugh Sainctcleare and Thomas the sonne of Bernard and all that should hereafter take any church goodes without hys consent so that almost all the court was accursed eyther by the name or as pertakers This being done the Archb. of Yorke with the foresaid bishops resorted to the king with a greuous cōplaint declaring how miserably their case stood and what they had sustayned for fulfilling his commaundement The kyng hearing this was highly moued as no maruell was But what remedy The tyme of the ruine of the Pope was not yet come and what Prince then might withstand the iniurious violence of that Romish potestate In the meane season the Frenche King for his parte his clergy and courtiers stackt no occasion to incite and sollicite Alexander the Pope agaynst the king of England to excōmunicate him also seeking thereby and thinking to haue some vauntage agaynst the realme Neither was the king ignorant of thes which made him more ready to apply to some agreement of reconciliation At length cōmeth downe from the Pope two Legates the Archb. of Rhotomage and the Byshop of Nauerne with direction and full commission eyther to driue the king to be reconciled or to be interdicted by the popes cēsures out of the church The king vnderstanding himselfe to be in greater straites then he coulde auoyde at length through the mediation of the Frenche king and of other Prelates and great Princes was content to yeld to peace and reconciliation with the Archbishop whome he receaued both to hys fauour and also permitted and graunted him free returne to his Church agayne Concerning hys possessions and landes of the Churche of Canterburye although Becket made great labour therefore yet the king being then in Normandy would not graunt him before he should repayre to England to see how he would there agree with
hys subiectes Thus peace after a sort concluded betwene the king him the Archb. after sixe yeares of his banishment returned to England where he was right ioyfully receiued of the church of Cant. albeit of Henry the yong king he was not so greatly welcomed In somuch that comming vp to London to the king he was returned back to Canterburye and there bid to keepe hys house Roger Doueden maketh mention in hys Chronicle that the Archbishop vpō Christmas day did excōmunicate Robert de Broke for cutting of the tayle of a certayne horse of hys the day before In the meane tyme the foure bishops before mentioned whom the Archb. had excōmunicate sent to him hūbly desiring to be released of their censure To whō when the archb would not graunt clearly and simplye without cautels and exceptions they went ouer to the king declaring to him and complayning of their miserable state and vncurtuous handling of the archbishop wherupō the K. conceaued great sorrow in hys minde and displeasure toward the party In so much that he lamented oft sundry times to thē about him that amōg so many that he had done for there was none that would reuenge him of his enemy by the occasion of which wordes certayne that were about the king to the number of foure hearing him thus to cōplayne and lament addrest thēselues in great heat of hast to satisfye the agreeued minde and quarrell of their prince Who within foure dayes after the sayde Christenmas day sayling ouer to England hauing a forward and a prosperous wynde in their iorney being in the deepe of winter came to Caunterbury where Becket was commaunded to keepe After certayne aduisement and consultation had among themselues they preased at length into the pallace where the archbishop was sitting with his companye about hym first to assay hym with wordes to see whether he would relent to the kinges minde come to some conformitie They brought to him sayd they commaundement from the king whiche whether he had rather openly there in presēce or secretly to be declared to him they had hym chuse Then the company being bid to auoyde as hee sat alone they sayd you are commaunded from the Kyng beyond the sea to repayre to the king here is sonne and to do your duety to him answering to him your fidelitie for your baronage and other things to amend those things wherein you haue trespassed agaynst him whereupon the archbishop denying to sweare and perceauing their intēt called in his company again and in multiplying of words to and fro at length they came to the bishops which were excommunicate for the coronation of the king whom they commaunded in the kinges name he shoulde absolue and set free agayne The archbishop answered that he neither suspended nor excommunicated them but the pope wherfore if that were the matter that greued them they should resort to the Pope he had nothing to doe with the matter Then sayd Reignald one of the foure although you in your own persō did not excommunicate them yet through your instigation it was done To whom the Archbishop sayd againe and if the Pope said he tendring the iniuries done to me and my Church wrought this reuenge for me I confesse it offendeth me nothing Thus then sayd they it appeareth wel by your own words that it pleaseth you right well in contempt and contumely of the kinges maiesty to sequester his bishops from their ministery who at the commaundement of the king did seruice in the coronation of hys sonne And seeing ye haue so presumed thus to stād against the exaltation of this our soueraigne our new K. it seemeth likely that you aspired to take his crown frō him to be exalted king your selfe I aspire not sayd he to the crown name of the K. But rather if I had 4. crownes to geue him more I would set them all vpon him suche good will I doe heare him that onely his father the king excepted there is none whose honour I more tender and loue And as concerning the sequestring of those Bishops this I geue you to vnderstand that nothing was done in that behalfe without the knowledge assent of the king himselfe To whom when I had made my complaynt at the feast of Mary Magdalen of the wrōg and iniury done to me and my Church therein he gaue me his good leaue to obtayne at the Popes hand suche remedy therein as I could promising moreouer his helpe to me in the same What is this quoth they that thou sayest Makest thou the king a trator and betrayer of the king his owne son that when he had commaunded the bishops to crown his sonne he would geue thee leaue afterward to suspend thē for so doyng certes it had bene better for you not to haue accused so the king of this prodition The Archb. sayde to Reignald that he was there presēt at that tyme and hard it himselfe But that he denyed and swore it was not so and thinke you say they that we the kinges subiectes wil or ought to suffer this And so approching nearer to hym sayd he had spoken inough agaynst hys own head wherupon followed great exclamation and many threatning wordes Then sayd the archb I haue syth my comming ouer sustayned many iniuries and rebukes conceruyng both my selfe my men my cattel my wynes and all other goodes notwithstanding the kinge writinge ouer to hys sonne required hym that I shoulde lyue in safety and peace and now besides all other you come hither to threaten me To this Reignald answering agayn said if there be any that worketh you anye iniury otherwise then right is the law is open why do you not complayn To whom said Becket should I complaine To the yong king sayd they Then sayd Becket I haue complayned inough if that would helpe and haue sought for remedy at the kinges handes so long as I could be suffered to come to his speach but now seeing that I am stopt from that neither can find redresse of so great vexations and iniuries as I haue and do dayly sustayne nor can haue the benefite of y◠law or reason such right and law as an archb may haue that will I exercise and let for no man At these wordes one of thē bursting out in exclamation cryed he threatneth he threatneth what will he interdict the whole realme vs altogether Nay that he shall not sayth an other he hathe interdicted to many already And drawing more neare to hym they protested and denounced him to haue spoken wordes to that ieoperdy of hys own head And so departing in great fury and many high words rushed out of that dores who by the way returning to the Monkes charged them in the kings name to keep him forth comming that he shold not escape away What quoth the archb thinke ye I wyll flee away Nay neyther for the king nor any man alyue will I stirre one foot from you
and ordained the king with 400. great shippes taketh hys iourney to Irelande where he subdued in short tyme the whole land vnto hym which at that tyme was gouerned vnder diuers kings to the number of v. Of whome foure submitted themselues vnto the sayd kyng Henry onely the fifth who was the kyng of Ionacta denyed to be subdued keeping him in woodes and Marishes In the meane season while the king was thus occupied in Ireland the two Cardinals that were sent from the Pope Thedinus and Albertus were come to NormaÌ„dy Unto whom the king the next yeare following resorted about the month of October an 1172. But before during the time of the kinges being in Ireland the Bish. of London and Ioceline v. of Salisbury had sent to Rome and procured their absolution from the pope The K. returning out of Ireland by Wales into England from thence to Normandy there made his purgation before the Popes legates as touching the death of the foresayd Becket to the which he sware he was neither ayding or consenting but onely that he spoke rigorous wordes against hym for that his knightes would not auenge him against the sayd Thomas For the which cause this penaunce was ouioyned him vnder his othe First that he should send so much to the holy lande as would find two C. knightes or souldiours for the defence of that land Also that froÌ„ Christmas day next folowing he should set forth hys owne person to light for the holy land that space of 3. yeares together vnlesse he should be otherwise dispesed withall by the Pope Item that if he would make hys iorney into Spaine as hys present necessitie did require there he to fight agaynst the Saracens And as long tyme as he shuld there abide so long space might he take in prolonging his iorney toward Ierusalem Item yâ— hee should not hinder nor cause to be hindred by hym any appellations made to the Pope of Rome Item that neyther he nor hys sonne should depart or disseuer from pope Alexander or from his catholicke successors so long as they should recount him or his sonne for kinges catholike Item that the goodes and possessions taken from the Church of Caunterbury should be restored agayne fully and amply as they stode the yeare before Thom. Becket departed the realme and that free libertie should be grauÌ„to all such as were outlawed for Beckets cause to returne agayne Item that the foresayd customes decrees by him established against the Church should be extinct and repelled such onely except that concerned his own person c besides other secret fastinges and almes enioyned hym All these former conditions the king with his sonne did both agree vnto debasing himselfe in such sorte of submission before the two Cardinals by the occasion wherof the Cardinall took no little glory vsing thys verse of the Psalme Qui respicit terram facit eam tremere qui tangit montes fumigant That is which looketh vpon the earth and maketh it to tremble which toucheth the hilles and they smoke c. Moreouer it is meÌ„tioned in histories of the sayd king that a little after William king of Scots with hys army had made a rode into the realme he returning out of Normandy into England came first to Caunterbury who by the way so soone as he came to the sight of Beckets church lighting of his horse and putting of hys shoes went barefoote to his tombe whose steppes were found bloudy through the roughnes of the stones And not onely that but also receaued further penance by euery moÌ„ke of the cloyster certayn discipline of a rod. By whiche so great deiection of the K. if it were true thou mayest see the blind and lamentable superstition and ignorance of those daies If it were pretensed as might so be in tyme of warre to get the hartes of the people yet mayest thou learned Reader see what slauery kinges and Princes were brought into at that tyme vnder the popes Clergy The same yeare as Houeden writeth which was 1174. the whole citty of Caunterbury was almost al consumed with fire and the sayd minster Church cleane burnt The next yeare insuing which was 1175. a conuocation of Bishops was holden at Westminster by Rich. archbishop of Cant. In which conuenticle all the byshops Abbots of the prouince of Canterbury and of Yorke being present determined as it had done a little before in king Henry 1 dayes an 1113. about the obedience that Yorke should doe to Caunterbury That is whether the Archb. of Yorke might beare hys Crosse in the diocesse of Cant. or not whereof something was touched before in the former processe of this history Also about the Bishopricke of Lincolne of Chichister of Worcester of Herford whether these churches were vnder the iurisdiction of the see of Yorke or not c. Upon these and other like matters rose such controuersie betweene these 2. seas that the one appealed the other to the presence of the Bishop of Rome In these and suche causes like howe much better had it bene if the supremacy had remayned more nere in the kinges handes at home whereby not onely much labour trauell had bene saued but also the great and wasâ—full expences bestowed at Rome might with muche more fruite and thanke haue beene conuerted to their cures and flockes committed vnto theÌ„ and also percase their cause no lesse indifferently heard at least more speedely might haue bene decided but to the purpose again In this coÌ„trouersie diuerse of that bishop of Yorks clergy such as were of Gloucester belong to the church of S. Oswald were excoÌ„municate by the Archb. of Cant. because they being sommoned refused to appeare before hym c. At length the same yeare which was 1175. there was a Cardinall sent downe from Rome by the kinges procurement who studyed to set a peace betwene the two archbishops Whereupon this way of agreement was takeÌ„ by the meanes of the king at Winchester that as touching the church of S. Oswald at Glocester the Archbishop of Canterb. should cease of hys clayme therof molesting the see of Yorke no more therein Also should absolue agayne the Clerkes thereof whom he had excommunicated before And as concerning the bearing of the crosse and all other matters it was referred to the Archbishop of Rhotomage and of other Bishops in Fraunce so that for fiue yeares a league or truce was taken betwixt them till they should haue a full determination of their cause The next yeare following the foresayd king Henry the 2. deuiding the realme of England into 6. partes ordeyned vpon ouery part 3. Iustices of assise The circuit or limitation of which Iustices was thus disposed The first vpon Northfolke Suffolke Cantebridshire HuntenduÌ„shire Bedfordshyre Buckinghamshire Essex Hertfordshire 2. Vpon Lincolnshire Notinghamshire Darbishire Stamfordshyre Warwickshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire 3. Upon Kent Surrey Southamptonshyre Southsaxe Barkeshire Oxfordshire 4.
taken vp refuseth to take the second complayning of the Arch. of York as one preiudicial to his sea So while the one wold not rise the other part not sit down rose no small contention betweene them two The archb of Canterb. claymed the vpper seate by the preheminence of hys church Contrary the archb of York alledged for hym the old decree of Gregory wherof meÌ„tion is made before pag. 118. By which this order was taken betweene the 2. Metropolitanes of Canterbury and York that which of them two should be first in electioÌ„ he should haue the preheminence in dignitie goe before the other Thus they contending to and fro waxed so warme in wordes that at last they turned to hote blowes Now strong the Archbishop of Yorke was in reason and argument I cannot tell but the Archbish. of Cant was stronger at the armes end whose seruauntes beeing moe in number like valiaunt men not suffering their maister to take such a foyle so preuailed agaynst York sitting on the right hand of the Cardinall that they pluckt him downe from the hand to the foote of the Cardinall vpon the ground treading trampling vpon him with their feete that maruel it was he escaped with life His Casule Chimer and Rochet were all to be rent and torne from his backe Here no reason woulde take place no debating would serue no praying could be heard such clamour and tumulte was there in the house among them much like to the tumulte which Uirgill describeth Ac veluti in magno populo cum saepe coorta est Seditio saeuitque animis ignobile vulgus Iamque faces saxa volant furor arma ministrat Now as the first part of this description doth well agree so some peraduenture will looke agayne that according to the latter part also of the same my Lord Cardinall with sagenesse and grauitie after the maner of the olde Romaynes standyng vp should haue ceased and aleyed the disturbaunce according to that whiche followeth in the Poete Tum pietate grauem meritis si fortè virum quem Conspexêre silent arrectifque auribus astant Ille regit mentes dictis pectora mulcet c. But what did the noble Romaine Cardinall Like a pretty man of hys handes but a pretier man of hys seete standing vp in the midst seing the house in such a broyle committed himselfe to flight and as Houedenus writeth abscondit se a facie illorum The next day after the Archbishop of Yorke bringeth to the Cardinall his Rochet to beare witnes what iniury and violence he had sustayned appealing and citing vp the Archbishop of Caunterbury with certayne of hys men to the Bishop of Rome And thus the holy counsell the same day it was begon brake vp and was dissolued Under the raygne of this K. Henry the 2. the dominion and crowne of England extended so farre as hath not bene seene in this realme before him whome histories recorde to possesse vnder hys rule and iurisdictioÌ„ first Scotland to whom William king of Scots with all the lords temporall and spiritual did homage both for them and for their successors the seale where of remayneth in the kyngs treasury as also Ireland England Normandy Aquitane Gaunt c. vnto the mouÌ„taynes of Pireney which be in the vttermost partes of the great Ocean in the Brittish sea being also protector of Fraunce to whom Phillip the French king yelded both himselfe and Realme wholy to his gouernaunce an 1181. Moreouer he was offred also to be the king of Ierusalem by the Patriarch maister of the hospital there who then being distressed by the Soldane brought him the keyes of their Citty desiring hys ayd agaynst the infidels which offer he theÌ„ refused alledging the great charge which he had at home the rebellioÌ„ of hys sonnes which might happen in hys absence ¶ And here the olde historyes finde a great fault with the king for hys refusall declaring that to be the cause of Gods plagues which after ensued vpon him by his children as the Patriarche in hys Oration beyng offended with the king prophecied should so happen to him for the same cause Which story if it be true it may be a lesson to good Princes not to deny their necessary helpe to their distressed neighbors especially the cause appertayning vnto God The wisedome discretion manhood and riches of thys Prince was so spred and renoumed through all quarters that messages came from Emanuell Emperour of Constantinople Fredericke Emperour of Rome and William Archbishop of Treuer in Almayne Duke of Saxon and from the Earle of Flaunders and also from the French K. vpon determination of great questions and strifes to aske councell determination therof of this K. Henry as of one most wise and scholemayster of al wisedome iustice to haue solutioÌ„ of their questions doubts Moreouer Alphonsus king of Castile and Sauncius king of Nauerue being in strife for certayne Castels and other possessions submitted them of their free accord and by their othe to abide the award of this king Henry who made 〈…〉 whereby it is to be 〈…〉 resort as to they arbitrer 〈…〉 to any 〈…〉 the acres of this 〈…〉 kish writers 〈◊〉 Among many other thinges 〈…〉 this one is to be 〈…〉 35. yeares and hauing such warres with his enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon his subiectes put any 〈…〉 vpon the spiritualty first unites and appropriations 〈◊〉 benefices 〈…〉 And yet his treasure 〈…〉 chard his sonne 〈…〉 safid pound 〈…〉 furniture Of the which 〈…〉 thousand pound came do him by the death of 〈…〉 who had practiced a 〈…〉 〈…〉 dyed within 〈…〉 haue all his goods And shortly after the Archbishop 〈◊〉 and the king had all his goods 〈…〉 to eleuen thousand pound beside plate 〈…〉 But as there is no felicityeâ—â— or wealth in this mortall world so perfect which is not darkenes 〈…〉 of incombraunce and aduersity So it happened to this king the among his other 〈◊〉 successours this incommodity followed him withal that his sonnes rebelled stood in armor agaynst him taking the part of the 〈◊〉 king against theyr father First 〈◊〉 coronation of Henry his sonne whom the Father ioyned with him as king he being both Father and king tooke vpon him that notwithstanding as but a steward and set downe the first dish as Shower vnto his sonne renouncing the name of a king At what time the foresayd Archbishop of Yorke sitting on the right hand of the young king sayd sir ye haue great cause this day to ioy For there is no Prince in the world that hath such an officer this day c. And the yong king disdayning his wordes said my father is not dishonored in this doing For I am a king and a Queenes sonne and so is not he And not onely this but after he also persecuted his father And so in his youth wheÌ„ he had raigned but a few yeares dyed teaching vs
fayn to post to Rome and there to bring the Archb. in hatred in the Court of Rome made his Abbay tributary to Pope Alexander The Pope well contented with this not onely graunteth the Abbot his desire but also in cōtumely of the archbishop dubbeth the Abbot with all such ornaments as to a Prelate apperteined and so in the yeare 1178. sent home the Abbot triumphantly with his ring and mitre and other ensignes of victory with letters also to the Archbishop inioyning him immediatly vpon the sight thereof to consecrate the Abbot in his own Church without making any profession Although with these letters the archbishop was shrewedly pressed yet notwithstanding hys stout hart would not stoupe for this but layd his appeale against the same and so the consecratiō for that time was suspended Then Roger for his more defence getting the kings letters trauailed vp the second time to Rome where greuously he complayned to Pope Alexander of the Archbyshop At the same time a generall councell was summoned to be kept at Lateran where Richard the foresayd arch bishop was also looked for amongst other Bishops to be present Who thē came as farre as Paris but being there durst approch no further so retyred home again Wherupon the Pope being offended with his contēpt without any more delay exalted the Abbot with his own consecration and inuested him with all pompe and glory howbeit prouiding before that the sayd consecration should redoūd to no preiudice agaynst the liberties of the mother church of Canterbury and so vpon the same wrot to the Archbishop his letters of certificate with this additiō annexed Saluo iure dignitate Cant. Ecclesiae that is to say Sauing the liberties and dignity of the Church of Cant. c. After the counsell ended Roger the Abbot returneth home although with an empty purse yet full of victory triūph The Archbishop againe thinking to worke some greuaunce to the Austen Monkes had procured in this meane time letters from Pope Alexander to the Bishop of Durhā and Abbot of S. Albons that they should cause the sayd Roger Abbot of the Austen monks to shew vnto the Archbishop at y◠old priuiledges of his house which in deed being shewed seemed to be rased new written with Bulles of lead not after the maner nor stile of that age nor pretending no such antiquity as should seeme to reach frō the time of Austen but rather newly coūterfeit All this notwithstanding the Abbot bearing him bold vpon the Popes fauour ceased not stil to disquiet ouercrow the Archbishop by all wayes he could in exempting all his Priestes and laimen belonging to his iurisdiction from the archb obedience forbidding also that none of his should come to his Chapters or Sinods nor to feare any sentence of his curse or excommunication Wherupon the Archbishop about the month of Nouember the same yere sayling ouer to Normandy where the king was thought to take his iourney to the pope to complain of the Abbot but being stayd by the king was not suffered to passe any further the king labouring what he could to bring them to agreement neuerthelesse the Pope and his Romaines sayth my story Aurum argentum magis quà m iusticiam sitientes seditiones inter eos litigia commouebant that is caring more for golde and siluer then for iustice still stirred coales of sedition and debate betweene them Ex Historia Geruasij The next yere after this insuing which was the yeare of our Lord 1184. dyed Richard the Archbishop aforesaid in the 38 yere of king Henry 2. After whose dicease much trouble happened about the election of a new Archb. betwene the king and monkes of Canterbury And now to enter here into the story of Baldwin aboue mētioned first the king sēt to the monks that they should consider with themselues about the election of their Archbishop and to be ready agaynst the time that he would send for them to the court Vpon this the Couent gladly assembling together agreed in themselues vpon one whom they thought chiefly to preferre yet naming foure moe that if the king would refuse one the other yet might stand Now the practise in the monkes was first to keepe the election only in their owne handes as much as they could And secondly euer to geue the election either to some Prior or Monk of their own house or to some Abbot or Bishop which some time had bene of theyr company Wherby as much inconuenience and blind superstition was bred in the church of England so the same disliked both the king and the Byshops not a litle As this past on the king when he saw his time willed the monks of Canterbury to be cited or sent for to vnderstand what they had concluded in their election Wherupō the Monkes sent vp their Prior called Alanus with certaine other Monks to Reding where the king thē lay about the moneth of August Who at first were curtuously enterteined but after the king had intelligēce whom they had nominated elected they were sēt home agayne with cold cheare the king willing thē to pray better and to aduise more earnestly vpon the matter amongst themselues Alanus the Prior with his felowes thus departed who comming home in conclusion so concluded amongst them selues that they would remitt no iote of their liberties to the king without the popes consent and knowledge The king vnderstanding hereof sent his Ambassadours likewise to the Pope for the fortefying of his cause being in that mean time grieuously offēded with the Prior saying that he was proud would make archbishop whom he listed and would be the second Pope in England c. Not long after this as these letters were sent vp to Rome the king sent for Alanus the Prior and moe of the monks to come to him Whom he entreateth desiring thē in gentle speech that they would shew so much gentlenes fauor to him being their Lord King as becōmeth hys frendes and subiects to doe as to conferre with the Byshops of the Realme about this matter and to take some better councel so as might redoūd to Gods glory his honor wealth of the publicke state with other like words to the same effect To whom when the Prior agayne had answered with thankes due reuerence according to the kinges request the Bishops and Monks went to confer together about the matter And first the Bishoppes maruelled why the monks should exclude them out of the election seing they were professed Suffraganes to the sayd church of Canterbury Neither is there any Prince quoth the bishop of Bathe that will refuse our counsell There be some counsels sayd the Monkes whereat you may be called but as touching the doing of this electiō it pertaineth nothing vnto you further then to publish onely and denounce y◠party whō we haue chosen The bishop of London then asked if
they had already made any election No election sayd the Prior as yet but onely we haue denominate the persons Thē haue ye proceeded further quoth he thē ye ought hauing a cōmaundement from the pope not to proceed with out vs. And with that was brought forth the popes letter commaunding that within xl dayes the bishops of England and the Prior Couent of Canterbury should elect an able and fitte person to be their Archbishop About the scanning of these letters was much a doe The Byshops sayd they were first named therfore ought to haue most interest in this election The Mōks said agayne that they also were not excluded and required to haue a transcript of the letter wherof much doubt was made After long concertation whē they could not agree the king comming betwene them both called away the Byshops from the Monks supposing by separating the one from the other to draw both parties to his sentence But that would not be for the Monks stifly stāding to their liberties would loose no preeminēce of their church still alledging how by the auncient priuiledges of the church of Canterbury the Couent should choose their Pastor Byshop and the Prior to publish and denoūce the persō The Byshops again replied that it was their right to appoint their Archbishop Metropolitane which were Bishops and Suffraganes and namely the byshop of London also being Deane of the saide church of Canterbury The king thē as vmpere betwene them yet fauoring rather the side of the Bishops desired them to agree together in peace Whē that would not preuaile he set the Lord Stuard and other noble mē to entreat the Prior to draw to some agrement at least to be conteuted with this forme of election which was that the Bishop of London or some other Bishop should declare the election in these wordes We Byshoppes and the Prior and Couent of Christes Churche in Caunterbury with the assent of our Lord our Kyng doe choose suche a person to be Archbishop c. or els thus that the Prior shoulde pronounce forth the election in these wordes saying The Byshoppes of England and I Prior and the Couent of Caunterbury with the assent of our Lord King do choose such a person c. Vpon this the Prior sayd he would conuent with his Couent Who with much ado were contēt to graūt to the kinges desire but afterward being required to put downe the same in writing that they refused to do yet notwithstāding relented at last to the king But when the Byshops made excuses for the absēce of theyr felow Byshops so the matter for that time stayd And the king sending home the Monkes agayne to their house in peace deferred that busines to a further day which was till that first day of Decēber cōmaunding the Prior with his felowes the same day not to fayle but to be at London about the choosing of the Archbyshop As the day prefixed came the Prior with his company were also present who geuing attendance all that day and the next day also following so were driuen off till the third day after At lēgth the Lord Stuard with other nobles of the realme were sent to them from the king to declare that where as the king before had deuided the bishops frō the Monkes that they both might haue theyr election by themselues after the forme of a bill which was put downe in writing now the minde of thel King was that the Monks taking an other way should ioyne with the Byshops and so hauing the matter in talke together shoulde proceed ioyntly in the election Agaynst this many things were alledged by the prior his mates complaining much vpon the bishops which sayd that the Byshops had euer holden with the kings astaynst the liberties of their Church and Archbyshops As first they stood agaynst Anselme for king William Then agaynst Theobalde for king Stephen After that agaynst Thomas Becket for king Henry And after him did supplant the election of Richard their Archbyshop And now again went about to practise and worke against this their election present c. At last the Prior with his felows concluding desired they might speake with the king himselfe Who estsoones comming to them willed them as good mē to be contented and goe talke with the Byshoppes about the election promising that whō they agreed vpon he also would graunt his assent to the same To whom when the Prior agayne had obiected the writinges that before were made truth it is sayd the king such writings were made but I neither may nor will go agaynst the councell of my realme and therfore agree sayd he with my Bishops and Abbots and remember that the voyce of the people is the voyce of God Vpon this the Prior with his Monkes seing no other remedy went to the Byshops to confer according to the kinges request about the election Who then were willed by the bishops to nominate whom they would the Byshops would likewise name theirs So that whē the Prior with his cōplices had named three after their choosing the Bishops said they woulde nominate but one so did which was the Bishop of Worcester willing the Prior to go home and to cōferre with his Couent about the same To whom shortly after the Bishops sent certeine Priests to signify to the Couent that they according to the Popes letters should repayre to the Bishops concerning the election of the Archbishop also to declare moreouer to them that the persons whom they had named were good mē but he whom they had nominated was a more worthy man whom they both had nominated also would elect The Monkes maruelling hereat sent two Monkes with the Arcedeacon of Canterbury to the king This done immediatly after the returne of the priests the Bishops caused all the bels of the city to be rong and Te Deum to be song for the Archbishop new elect Whereof when the two Monkes brought tidings to the Couent at Canterbury what was done at Londō they were all in a maruellous dumpe The king hearing this perceiuing the stifnes of the monks in all haste sēt messēgers to Caūterbury with gentle wordes to will the Prior to come to the king certify him of the purpose of his Monks Vnto whom the Prior estsoones being come declareth in the name of the whole Couēt that in no case he nor the Monks would neuer while the world stood agree to that election of the bishops vnles the king in his own persō would come to Canterbury and there ouenly before the whole Couēt protest by his own month y◠forsayd election to be nought and voyd and so returning to London again openly likewise before the Clergy the people would repudiate and reiect the same And furthermore that the partye also elected should openly in the same place protest say that he neither would nor ought to take that functiō
of theyr appeale made to the Apostolick Sea to surcease those his doinges forbidding also the Parson of the Church in no wise to suffer those secular Clerks to be admitted into the Church All which yet notwithstanding the Archb. procedeth in his businesse And first placing in his Clerkes he suspendeth the Prior from his administration Thē he adiureth the Porters of the gate vpon theyr othe to let none of the Monks passe out of the house without his licēce The Monks likewise he cōmaūded by vertue of obediēce not to stray any where abroad without his leaue And further more one of the foresayd Monks which serued the appeal against him he vtterly banished from that Couent Vpon this the day next folowing Honorius the Prior trusting sayth the story on God and S. Thomas tooke his way to Rome sent in commission by the Couent to prosecute the appeale agaynst the Archbishop In this meane season a new iar began betwene that said Archb. and the Monkes about their rents and reuenues which the Archb. would haue committed to the receiuing keeping of 3. Monkes but the Supprior Geffray with the Couent in no case would suffer that wherabout there was a foule stirre The Archb. crauing the ayd of the king first had 3. Bishops sent downe to him of Couentry Norwich and Worcester Who being instant with the Monks to submitte their cause into the kinges handes like as the Archb. had done they vtterly refused it especially seing they had already referred the whole state of their cause to y◠determinatiō of the Apostolicall sea The king seing no other remedy came himselfe with the Archb. into the chapter house where he commaunded first the dores to be kept fast that none should enter but which by name were called for Amongst whō were two Bishops to wit of Norwich and Durham and one Petrus Blesensis a learned man whose Epistles be yet extant in Libraries a chiefe worker in this matter against the Monkes Then was called in Geffrey the Supprior with a few other Monks whom he brought with him The king then first talking with the Archb. and his companye afterward with the Monkes labored to entreat them that they would let fall their appeal and so stand to the arbitremēt of him and of the Bishops concerning the cause which was betwene y◠Archb. and them in trauers To this the Monkes answered that these were good wordes but serued not for that time for somuch as theyr cause was alredy translated to the court of Rome now was presently in hearing before the Popes holinesse and therfore they could not ne would that iniury to their lord pope to refuse him and to put the matter to the iudgemēt of any other Then was it required of the Monkes that they would put the matter in comprimise in case the prior would consent thereto vpon this entent that if the Prior consented and the Monks not then should they runne in contempt and disobedience or if the Monkes would consent and the Prior not then should the Prior be excluded the Realme The wily Monkes being not vnprouided of this subtlety made theyr answere that seing they had sent their prior forth in their commission it stood not with their honesty to geue any determinate consēt without the knowledge and before the returne of the sayd Prior vnlesse the Archb. first would promise to make full restitution of all that he had wrongfully wrasted from thē When the king could get no other answere of the Monks neither could moue the Archb. to release the sentence of their suspension vnles they would confesse and knowledge theyr fault he so parting from them passed ouer into Fraunce Not long after this came a messenger frō Rome bringing letters from Pope Vrbanus to the Archb. wherin the pope considering tendering as he sayd the enorme greuaunces done against the Monkes straightly enioined commaunded him within x dayes after the receiuing therof to release the sentence of his suspension against that Prior and other of the sayd Couent and also to retract restore agayne to the Monkes whatsoeuer he plucked from them since the time of their appeale first made Who in case he should deny or forslack the doing hereof commission was geuen to 3. Abbots of Bartaile of Feuersham of S. Austens with ample authority to performe the same c. The Archb. receiuing these letters brought to him by a Monk of the foresayd house first made his excuse that the Pope was misinformed But the Monkes not contented wyth that excuse when they would needs know what answere he would make to the Popes nuncio his answere was that he had yet x dayes geuen him of the pope In which mean time the Archb. went to Lōdon and there in the church of S. Paul consecrated his holy oyle creame making one of the Popes 7. Sacraments which was grieuously takē in the church of Cant. At last the x. daics being ended whē the Archb. refused to accōplish that was in the popes letter enioyned him the 3. Abbots aforesayd to execute the Popes commaundement came at their day assigned to Cant. and there assoyled all such as the Archb. before had suspēded and in the end certified pope Vrbane by letters what they had done The Archb. hearing this within 4. dayes after sent 2. of his Clerks which appealed the 3. Abbots aforesayd vp to Rome and he himselfe in the mean time prepared busily for the building vp of his church sending to al churches in England vpon releasement of their sinnes to confer to the same and to make the more haste for lack of free stone he made vp his building with timber and such other stuff as he could get The prior Honorius all this while remayned still at y◠court of Rome geuing attendaunce vpon the Pope who hauing intelligēce of the archbishops doings procured an other letter of Pope Vrbane to the whole clergy of England straightly enioyning them that none should confer to the new fraternity of Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury To these letters the Archbish. shewed such reuerence that where before he had planted his chappell of wood and boordes now he prouided the same to be builded of lyme and stone By this time Petrus Blesensis with other messengers of the Archb. seing Honorius the Prior to be gone from the court to Fraunce resorted to the court of Rome bringing with them letters of credite from the king from the Archb. also frō other Bishops of the realme but the pope reading onely the kings letters the archbishops the residue he cast into a window by saying he would read thē at further leisure Thē the pope geuing audience in his cōsistory to heare their cause first came in Petrus Blensensis with the agents of the Archb. exhibiting their letters and propounding their requests to the Pope which were that restitution should be made by the Monkes to the Archb.
wrote a sharpe and thundering letter to the Archb. bishops and prelates of England commanding them by his authority Apostolical that for so much as the iniuries done to his Legate did redounde to the contumelie of the whole mother church of Rome they should not faile therfore but with seuere censures of the Church that is wyth booke bell and candle procede as wel against the foresayd Iohn Erle of Morton as also all other who so euer had or should attempt any violence or iniury against the sayd his legate B. of Ely with no lesse seuerity then if the sayd iniury should be offred to the person of the Pope himselfe or any other of his brethren the Cardinals c. The bishop of Ely the popes Legate bearing himselfe bold vpon the fauour and letters of the Pope which tooke his part writeth to Henry B. of Lincolne charging requiring that he in vertue of obedience shoulde execute the Popes sentence mandate in excommunicating all such as were offenders in that behalfe there reciteth the names of diuers against whome he should procede as the Archb. of Roan yâ— B. of Wint. W. Mareschal Geffrey Peterson Bruer and Bardoâ—f the Earle of Salisbury the Earle of Mellent Gilbert Basset the Archdeacon oâ— Oxforde and especially Hugh B. of Couentry Also M. Benet Steuen Ridle Chancelor to Erle Iohn the kings brother to the which Earle he reserued a further day of respite before he should be excommunicate with a number of other moe beside these Howbeit the saide B. of Ely could finde none to execute this commandement of the Pope Then they with a generall consent wrote againe to K. Richard complaining of the intollerable abuses of the sayd B. his Chauncellor In like sort the sayd Chancelor also complaining of them wrote his letters to the king signifying how Earle Iohn his brother went about to vsurpe his kingdome woulde also shortly set the crowne vpon his owne heade vnles he made the more spede homeward The king then was busie in repulsing the Saladine and prepared to lay siege against Hierusalem and got Sclauonia with diuers other townes from the Saracens which was in the yere of our Lord 1192. hauing diuers conflicts in yâ— meane space with the Saladine and euer put him to the worse As the king thus was preparing to lay his siege against Ierusalem the Saladine glad to fall to some composition with the king sent vnto him that if he would restore to him againe Sclauonia in as good state as it was when he tooke it hee would graunt to him and to all Christians in the lande of Ierusalem truce for 3. yeres and offred himselfe thereunto to be sworn The king seeing the Duke of Burgundy and the frenchmen to shrinke from him and his owne men to decay and also his mony health to diminish but especially for that he vnderstode by the B. of Ely his Chancelor the French king to set vp Iohn hys brother to possesse his kingdome being counsailed thereto by the Templaries tooke the truce offred of the Saracens so began to draw homeward In this meane while much grudge and strife increased more and more betwene the B. of Ely and the archbishop of Roan aboue specified in so much that the Archb. being excommunicate sent vp his Clerkes to Pope Celestine to complaine of the Bishop But the Pope euer stoode in his purgatioÌ„ At last he sent two of his Cardinals to wit Ottomannus Bishop of Hostia and Iordanus de fossa noua to breake the strife betwene the B. of Ely and the Archbishop of Roan After this king Richard being taken and in the custody of Henry the Emperor the B. of Ely resorting to him was sent by him into England to Alinor his mother and other nobles Who then returning into England againe not as Chauncelour nor as Legate as he sayde but as â— simple plaine Bishop so by that meanes was receiued Ex Matt. Paris Et ex alijs incerti nominis manuscriptis codicibus But of this vaine glorious prelate inough too much Nowe to returne againe to Richarde concerning whose worthy actes done abroad in getting of Cyprus Achon Ptolemaida in pacifying Ioppe c. partly is spoken of before Many other valiant famous actes were by him and the French king atchieued and mo should haue bene had not those two kings falling into discord disseuered theÌ„ selues by reason whereof Philip the French king returned home againe wythin short space Who being retourned againe eftsones inuaded the couÌ„try of Normandy exciting also Iohn the brother of king Richard to take on him the kingdome of England in his brothers absence Who then made league vpon the same with the French king and did homage vnto him which was about the fourth yere of king Richard Who then being in Syria hearing thereof made peace with the Turkes for 3. yeres And not long after king Richard the next spring following returned also Who in hys returne driuen by distresse of weather about the parties of Histria in a towne called Synaca was there taken by Limpold duke of the same country and so sold to the Emperor for 60000. markes Who for no small ioy thereof writeth to Phillip the French king these letters here following The letter of the Emperour to Phillip the French king concerning the taking of king Richard HEnricus dei gratia Romanorum Imperator semper Augustus dilecto speciali amico suo Philippo illustri FrancoruÌ„ Regi salutem sincerae dilectionis affectum Quoniam Imperatoria celsitudo non dubitat regalem magnificentiam tuam laetiorem effici de vniuersis quibus omnipotentia creatoris nostri nos ipsos Rom. imperiuÌ„ honorauerit exaltauerit nobilitati tuae tenore praesentium declarare duximus quòd inimicus imperij nostri turbator regni tui Rex Angliae quum esset in transeundo mare ad partes suas reuersurus accidit vt ventus rupta naui sua in qua ipse erat induceret eum in partes Histriae ad locum qui est inter Aquileiam Venetias Vbi Rex Dei permissione passus naufragium cum paucis euasit Quidam itaque fidelis noster comes Maynardus de Gooxce populus regionis illius audito quòd in terra erat considerato diligentiùs qualem nominatus Rex in terra promissionis proditionem traditionem perditionis suae cumulum exercuerat insecuti sunt intendentes eum captiuare Ipso autem rege in fugam conuerso ceperunt de suis octo milites Postmodum processit Rex ad Burgum in Archiepiscopatu Salseburgensi qui vocatur Frisorum vbi Fridericus de Betesow rege cum tribus tantùm versus Austriam properante noctu sex milites de suis cepit Delectus autem consanguineus noster Limpoldus Dux Austriae obseruata strata saepe dictum Regem iuxta Denam in villa vicinori in domo despecta captiuauit
Cum itaque in nostra nunc habeatur potestate ipse semper tua molestauit turbationis operam praestiterit ea quae praemisimus nobilitati tuae insinuare curauimus scientes ea dâ—â—ectioni tuae beneplacita existere animo tuo vberrimam importare laetitiam Datum apud Ritheountum V. Kalendas Ianuar. King Richard thus being traiterously taken and sold to the Emperor by the duke of Austrige for 60000. marks was there kept in custodie a yeare ano iii. monethes In some stories it is affirmed that K. Richard returning out of Asia came to Italy with prosperous winde where hee desired of the pope to be absolued froÌ„ an othe made against his will and could not obtaine it And so letting out from thence toward England passing by the couÌ„try of Conradus the Marques whose death he being slaine a little before was falsely imputed by the French king to the king of England and there traiterously was taken as is before saide by Limpoldus Duke of Austrige Albeit in an other story I find the matter more credibly set forth which saith thus that king Richard slewe the brother of this Limpoldus playing with him at chesse in the french kings court And Limpoldus taking his vauntage was more cruel against him and deliuered him as is â—aid to the Emperor In whose custody he was deteined during yâ— time aboue mentioned a yere and 3. months During the which time of the kings endurance the French king in the meane season stirred warre in Normandy And Erle Iohn yâ— kings brother made stir and inuaded England but the barons and bishops of the lande mightely wtstode him And besieged him in the Castell of Windsore where they tooke from him all the castels munitions which before hee had got Thus the Erle seeing no hope to preuaile in England suspecting the deliuerance of the king his brother made in to France kept with the French king At length it was so agreed and concluded with the Emperor that K. Rich. should be released for 14000. pounds Of the which mony part should remaine to the duke of Austrige the rest shuld be the Emperors The summe of which money was here gathered made in England of chalices crosses shrines candlesticks and other church plate also with publik contribution of friers abbeis and other subiectes of the realme Wherof parte was presently paid for the residue remaining hostages and pledges was taken which was about the 5. yeare of his raigne And then it was obtained of the Pope that priestes might celebrate with chalices of latin and tinne And so was granted continued long after which mine author in his Chronicle entituled Eulogium doeth testifie himselfe to haue scene At what time this foresayde mony was paid and the hostages geuen for the ransom of this king I haue an old storie that saith how the foresaide duke of Austrige shortly after was plagued by God with v. sondry plagues First with burning of his chief towns Secondly with the drowning of x. M. of his menne in a floud happening no man could tell how Thirdly by turning all the eares of his corne field into wormes Fourthly by taking away almost all the Nobles of his lande by death Fiftly by breaking his own legge falling from his horse which leg he was compelled to cut off with his own hands after died vpon the same Who then at his death is said to forgeue K. Richard 50000. Markes sent home the hostage that was with him ex varijs Chron. The booke intituled Eulogium before mentioned declareth thus that the sayde Limpoldus Duke of Austrige fell in displeasure with the bishop of Rome and died excoÌ„municate the next yeare after An. 1196. Thus the sayde King Richarde being raunsomed as hath ben declared from the couetous captiuity of the Emperour was restored againe and made his repaire into Englande At whose returne Erle Iohn hys brother resorting to him with humble submission desired to be pardoned of his transgressions To whom king Richard answering againe would God saith he this your trespasse as it dieth with mee in obliuion so it may remaine wyth you in remembraunce And so gentlely forgaue him And after he had againe recouered his holdes and castles caused himselfe to be crowned againe Whych done he made hys power agaynst the French king and draue hym out of Normandy After that he turned his viage against the Welshmen and subdued them The next yeare following which was the 1197. yere of the Lord Philip yâ— french king brake truce made betwene him and king Richarde whereuppon the king was compelled to saile ouer againe to Normandy to withstand the malice of his enemy About which time my story recordeth of one called of some Fulco some say he was the Archbyshop of Roane called Gualter This Fulco being then in England and comming to the kings presence sayde vnto him with great courage boldnes Thou hast O mighty King three daughters very vicious and of euill disposition take good heede of them and betimes prouide for them good husbandes least by vntimely bestowing of the same thou shalt not onely incurre great hurt and damage but also vtter ruine and destruction to thy selfe To whom the king in a rage sayde Thou lying and mocking hypocrite thou knowest not where thou art or what thou sayest I thinke thou art mad or not well in thy wittes for I haue neuer a daughter as all the world knoweth and therefore thou opeÌ„ liâ—r get thee out of our presence To whom Fulco aunswered no and like your grace I lie not but say truth for you haue iii. daughters which continually frequeÌ„t your court and wholy possesse your person and such iii. whoores naughty packes as neuer the like hath bene heard off I meane mischieuous pride gredy couetousnes and filthy luxurity And therfore againe I say O king beware of them and out of hand prouide mariages for them least in not so doing thou vtterly vndoe both thy selfe and all the whole realme The which his wordes the King tooke in good parte with correction of himself confession of the same Wherupon incontinently he called his Lordes and Barons before him vnto whome he declared the coÌ„moning and monition of Fulco who had willed hym to beware of his iii. daughters pride auarice and luxurie with counsel out of hand to marrie them least further discommoditie shoulde ensue both to him and the whole realme whose good couÌ„sell my Lordes I entende to follow not doubting of all your consents therunto Wherefore here before you all I geue my daughter swelling pride to wife to the proude Templars my greedie daughter auarice to the couetous order of the Cistercian Monkes and last of all my filthie daughter luxurie to the riotous prelates of the Churche whom I thinke to be very meete men for her and so seuerally well agreeing to all their natures that the like matches in this our Realme are not to be found for
to Northhampton where he held his Parliament saluting him sayd they came from the Pope of Rome to reforme that peace of holy church And first sayd they we monish you in the popes behalfe that ye make full restitution of the goods of the land that ye haue rauished holy church of and that ye receiue Stephen the Archb◠of Cant. into his dignity and Prior of Cant. and his monkes And that ye yelde agayne vnto the Archb. all his landes and rentes without any withholding And sir yet moreouer that ye shall make such restitution to them as the Church shall thinkk sufficient Then aunswered the K. as touching the Prior and his Monkes of Cant. all that ye haue said I would gladly do and all thing els that ye would ordaine but as touching the Archb. I shall tell you as it lieth in my hart Let the Archbishop leaue his bishopricke and if the pope then shal entreat for him peraduenture I may like to geue him some other bishopricke in England And vpon this condition I will receiue and admit him Then sayd Pandulph vnto the K. holy Church was wont neuer to disgrade Archb. without cause reasonable but euer she was wont to correct princes that were disobedient to her What how now quoth the K. threaten ye me Nay sayd Pandolph but ye haue now opēly told vs as it standeth in your hart and now we will tell you what is the popes will and thus it standeth He hath wholy interdicted cursed you for the wrongs ye haue done to the holye church and to the Clergy And forasmuch as ye will dwell still in your malice and will come to no amendement ye shall vnderstand that from this time forward the sentences vpon you geuen haue force and strength And all those that with you haue commoned before this time whether that they be Earles Barons or Knightes or any other whatsoeuer they be we assoyle them safely from their sins vnto this day And from this time forward of what condition soeuer they be we accurse them openly and specially by this our sentence that do with you common And we assoyle moreouer Earles Barons knightes and all other maner of men of theyr homages seruice and sealties that they should do vnto you And this thing to confirme we geue playne power to the B. of Winchester and to the B. of Norwich And the same power we geue agaynst Scotland to the B. of Rochester of Salisbury And in Wales we geue the same power to the Bishops of S. Dauid and of Landaffe and of S. Asse Also Sir K. quoth Pandolph all the kinges princes and the great Dukes christened haue labored to the pope to haue licence to crosse themselues and to warre agaynst thee as vpon Gods enemy and winne thy lande and to make K. whom it pleaseth the pope And we here now assoile all those of their sinnes that will arise agaynst thee here in thine owne land Then the K. hearing this answered What shame may ye do more to me then this Pandolph agayne we say to you in verbo Dei that neither you nor any heir that you haue after this day shall be crowned So the king sayd by him that is almighty God if I had known of this thing before ye came into this lād and that he had brought me such newes I should haue made you tary out these xii monthes Then aunswered Pandolph Full well we thought at our first comming that ye would haue bene obedient to God and to holy church haue fulfilled the popes commaundement which we haue shewed and pronounced to you as we were charged therewith And now ye say that if ye had wi lt the cause of our comming ye would haue made vs tary out a whole yere which might as well say that ye would haue taken a whole yeares respite without the popes leaue But for to suffer what death that ye can ordeine we shall not spare to tell you all the popes message and will that he gaue vs in charge In an other chronicle I finde the wordes betwene the King and Pandolph something otherwise described as though the king should first threaten him with hanging if he had foreknown of his comming in To whom pādolph againe should answer that he loked for nothing els at his hand but to suffer for the Churches right Wherupon the K. being mightely incēsed departed The k. the same tune being at Northhampton willed the shirifs and bailifes to bring foorth all the prisoners there that such as had deserued shoulde be put to death to the entent as some thinke to make Pandolfus afraide Among whome was a certaine Clerke who for counterfaiting the kings coyne was also condemned to be hanged drawn quartered And moreouer by the king was commanded therby to anger Pandolfus the more as may be thought to be hanged vp hiest aboue the rest Pādolphus hearing therof notwtstanding he somwhat began to feare least he should be hanged himselfe yet with such courage as he had he went to the church to set out booke bel and candle charging that no man vnder pain of accursing should lay hands vpon the cleark Vppon this the K. and the Cardinall departed in no litle anger And Pandolfe went to Rome reported to the pope and the Cardinals what had bene done Then the pope summoned al the bishops abbots and clarkes of England to come and repaire to Rome to consult what was to be done therein This councel began the first day of October In the which councel it was decreed by the pope and his assembly that Iohn king of England should be accursed with all such as helde with him euery day so long as that Councel endured Albeit this was not yet graunted that the people shoulde be crossed to fight against him because as yet he had shed no bloud But afterward the sayd Pope Innocent seeing that K. Iohn by no meanes would stoupe vnder his subiection nor vnder the rule of his popish see he sent vnto the French king vpon remission of all his sinnes and of all that went with hym that he should take with him all the power he might and so to inuade the realme of England to destroy K. Iohn This occasion geuen Pope Innocent yet once againe commanded in paine of his great curse that no man shuld obey King Iohn neither yet keepe company with him he forbad all persons to eate and drinke with him to talke with him to commune or coūsell with him yea his owne familiar houshold to do him any kinde of seruice either at bed or at boord in church hall or stable And what folowed therof The greater parte of them which after such sort fled from him by the ordinance of God of diuers and sundry diseases the same yeare died And betweene both nations English and French sell that yeare great amitie but secret subtil and false to the bitter betraying of England Neither was the pope
you the Church the king and the kingdome from that miserable yoke of seruitude that you doe not intermedle or take any part concerning such exactions or rentes to be required or geuen to the sayd Romaynes Letting you to vnderstand for trueth that in case you shall which God forbid be found culpable herein not onely your goodes and possessions shall be in daunger of burning but also in your persons shall incurre the same perill and punishmēt as shall the sayd Romish oppressors themselues Thus fare ye well ¶ Thus much I thought here to insert and notifie cōcerning this matter for that not onely the greedy and auaritious gredines of the Romish church might the more euidently vnto al Englishmen appeare but that they may learne by this example how worthy they be so to be serued plagued with their owne rod which before would take no part with their naturall king agaynst forreine power of whom now they are scourged To make the story more playne In the raygne of thys Henry the third who succeding as is said after king Iohn his father raygned sixe and fifty yeares came diuers Legates from Rome to Englande First Cardinall Otho sent from the Pope with letters to the king lyke as other letters also were sent to other places for exactions of money The king opening the letters and perceiuing the contentes aunswered that he alone coulde say nothing in the matter which concerned all the clergye and commons of the whole Realme Not long after a Councell was called at Westminster where the letters beyng opened the forme was this Petimus imprimis ab omnibus Ecclesijs Cathedralibus duas nobis praebendas exhiberi vnam de portione Episcopi alteram de capitulo Et similiter de Coenobijs vbi diuersae sunt portiones Abbatis conuentus a conuentibus quantum pertinet ad vnum Monachum aequali facta distributione honorum suorum ab Abbate tantundem That is We require to be geuen vnto vs first of all Cathedrall Churches two Prebendes one for the Byshops part one other for the Chapter And likewise of Monasteryes where be diuers portions one for the Abbot an other for the Couent Of y◠Couent so much as appertayneth to one Monke y◠portion of the goods beyng proportionly deuided Of the Abbot likewise as muche The cause why he required these prehendes was this It hath bene sayth he an old slaunder and a great complaynt agaynst the Church of Rome to be noted of insatiable couetousnes which as ye knowe is the roote of all mischiefe and al by reason that causes be wont commonly not to be handeled nor to proceed in the Church of Rome without great giftes and expense of mony Wherof seyng the pouerty of the Churche is the cause and why it is so slaundered and ill spoken of it is therefore conuenient that you as naturall children should succour your mother For vnlesse we should receaue of you and of other good men as you are we shoulde then lacke necessaryes for our lyfe whiche were a great dishonour to our dignitie c. When those petitions and causes of the Legate were propounded in the foresayde assembly at Westminster on the Popes behalfe the Bishops Prelates of the realme beyng present aunswere was made by the mouth of maister Iohn Bedford on this wise that the matter there proponed by the Lord Legate in especiall concerning the kyng of England but in generall it touched all the archbishops with their Suffraganes the Byshops and al the prelates of the realm Wherfore seing both the king by reason of his sickenes is absent and the Archbishop of Caunterbury with diuers other Bishops also were not there therefore in the absence of them they had nothing to say in the matter neyther could they so doe without preiudice of thē which were lacking And so the assembly for that tyme brake vp Not long after the sayd Otho Cardinall De carcere Tulliano comming agayne from Rome cum autentico plenariae potestatis indicted an other Councell at London caused all Prelates Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors and other of the clergy to be warned vnto the same Councell to be had in the Church of S. Paules at London about the feast of S. Martin the pretence of whiche Councell was for redresse of matters concerning benefices and religion but the chiefe principal was to hunt for money For putting them in feare and in hope some to lose some to obtein spirituall promotiōs at hys hand he thought gayn would rise thereby and so it did For in the meane time as Parisiensis in vita Henrici 3. writeth diuers pretious rewardes were offered him in Palfreis in rich plate and iewels in costly and sumptuous garments richly furred in coyne in vitals c. In so much that onely the bishop of Wintchester as the story reporteth hearing that he woulde winter at London sent him L. fat Oxen an C. come of pure wheat 8. tunne of chosen wine toward hys house keeping Likewise other byshops also for their part offred vnto the Cardinals boxe after their habilitie The time of the Councell drawing nye the Cardinall commanded at the West end of Paules Churche an high solēne throne to be prepared rising vp with a glorious scaffold vpon mighty and substantiall stages strongly builded and of a great height Thus agaynst y◠day assigned came the sayd archbishops Bishops Abbotes and other of the prelacy both farre and neare throughout al England weried and vexed with the winters iorny bringing their letters procuratory Who being together assembled the Cardinall beginneth his sermon But before we come to y◠sermon there happened a great discord betweene the 2. archbishops of Caunterbury and of Yorke for sitting at the right hand and left hand of the glorious Cardinal for the which the one appealed agaynst the other The Cardinall to pacifie the strife betwene thē both so that he would not derogate from eyther of them brought forth a certayne Bull of the Pope in the middest of which Bull was pictured the figure of the crosse On the right side of the crosse stoode the image of S. Paule and on the left side S. Peter Loe saith the Cardinall holding open the Bull with the crosse here you see S. Peter on the left hand of the crosse and S. Paul on the right side and yet is there betwene these two no cōtention For both are of equall glory And yet S. Peter for the prerogatiue of his keyes for the preheminence of his Apostleship and Cathedral dignitie seemeth most worthy to be placed on the right side But yet because S. Paul beleued on Christ when he saw him not therfore hath he the right hand of the Crosse for blessed be they sayth Christ which beleue and see not c. And from that tyme forth the Archbishop of Canterbury inioyed the right hand the archbishop of Yorke the left Wherein yet this Cardinall is more to be
commended then the other Cardinall Hugo mentioned a little before pag. 208. whiche in the like contention betwene these Archbishops ran his way Thus the controuersie ceased and composed betweene these two Otho the Cardinall sitting aloft betweene these 2. archbishops beginneth his sermon taking the theame of the Prophet In medio sedis in circuitu eius quatuor animalia plena oculis ante retro c. That is In the midst of the seat and in the circuit about the seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behind c. Upon this theme the Cardinall proceeded in hys sermō sitting like a God in the middest He compared thē about him to that foure beastes about the seate declaring how they ought to haue eyes both before behind that is that they must be prouident in disposing of secular thinges and circumspect in spiritual matters continuing ioyning wisely things past with thinges to come this was the greatest effect of this Clerkly Sermon That done he geueth forth certayne statutes for odering of Churches as for the dedication of temples for seuen sacramentes for geuing of orders for ferming of benefices collations and resignations of benefices and vicarages priestes apparell single life for eating of flesh in religious houses for archdeacons bishops proctors and such other lyke matters But the chiefest intent of all his proceeding was this that they should be vigilant prouident and circumspect with all their eyes both before and behynd to fil the popes pouch as appeared not onely by this but all theyr other trauailes besides Insomuch that the kyng dreading the displeasures of his commons for the doyngs of the Legate willed hym to repayre home to Rome agayne but yet could not so be rid of him For he receiuing now commaundementes from the Pope applyed hys haruest still glening and raking what soeuer he might scrape writing and sending to Byshops and archdeacons in this forme and tenour OTto miseratione diuina c. discreto viro N. Episcopo vel N. Archidiacono sal Cum necesse habeamus de mandato summi pontificis moram trahere in Englia longiorem nec possimus proprijs stipendijs militare discretionem vestram qua fungimur autoritate rogamus vt procurationes vobis debitas in Episcopatu vel Archidiaconatu vestro colligi faciatis nostro nomine diligenter eas quà m citius poteritis nobis transmissuri contradictores per censuram Ecclesiasticam compescendo Prouiso quòd quaelibet procuratio summam 4. mercarum aliquatenus non excedat vbi vna Ecclesia non sufficiet ad procurationem huiusmodi habendam duae pariter vnam soluant Datum Lond. 15. Kal. Mar Pont. D. Grego Papae 9. And moreouer note agayn the wicked cursed traines of these Romish rakehels who to picke simple mens purses first send out their Friers and preachers to stirre vp in al places and countryes men to go fight against the Turks Whom when they haue once bound with a vowe signe them with the crosse thē send they their bulles to release them both of their labour and their vow for mony As by theyr owne stile of writing is here to be seene thus proceeding N. Episcopus dilectis in Christo filijs omnibus Archidiaconis per Diocesim suam constitutis sal Literas Domini Legati suscepimus in haec verba Otto miseratione diuina c. Cum sicut intelleximus nonnulli cruce signati regni Angliae qui sunt inhabiles ad pugnandum ad sedem Apostolicam accedant vt ibidem a voto crucis absolui valeant nos nuper recipimus a summo pontifice in mandatis vt tales non solùm absoluere verùm ad redimenda vota sua compellere debeamus volentes eorum parcere laboribus expensis fraternitatem vestram qua fungimur monemus quatenus partem praedictam a summo pontifice nobis concessam faciatis in nostris diocesibus sine mora qualibet publicari vt prefati cruce signati ad nos accedere valeant beneficiū super his iuxa formam nobis traditam accepturi Datum Londini xv kal. Marc. Pont D N. Papae Grego 9. The cause why the pope was so greedy needy of mony was this because he had mortall hatred waged continuall battaile the same time against the good Emperour Fredericke the 2. who had to wife king Iohns daughter and sister to this king Henry thee 3. whose name was Isabell And therefore because the popes warre could not be susteined without charges that made the pope the more portimate to take vp mony in all places but especially in Englād Insomuch that he shamed not to require the fifth part of euery ecclesiasticall mans liuing as Parifiensis writeth And not onely that but also the sayde Pope Gregory conuenting with the Citizens of Rome so agreed with them that if they would ioyne with him in vanquishing that foresayd Fredericke he would and so did graūt vnto thē that all the benefices in England which were or should be vacant namely pertayning to religious houses shuold be bestowed at their owne will commaundement to their children kinsfolkes Whereupon it followeth in the forenamed history vnde infra paucos dies misit D. Papa sacra praecepta sua Domino Cant. Archiep. Eliensi Lincol. Salisb. Episcopis vt trecentis Romanis in primis beneficijs vacantibus prouiderent scientes se suspensos a beneficiorum collatione donec tot competenter prouideretur That is The Pope sent in commaundement to the Archbishop of Cant. and 4. other Byshops that prouision shoulde be made for 3. hundred Romanes in the chiefest best benefices in all Englād at the next voydance So that the foresayd Aarchb and byshops should be suspēded in the meane time frō all collation or gift of the benefite vntill these foresayd 3. hundred were prouided for-whereupon the Archb. the same tyme seeing the vnreasonable oppression of the Church of Englād left the realme and went into Fraūce Agayne marke an other as much or more easie sleight of the pope in procuring mony he sēt one Petrus Rubeus the same tyme with a new deuise which was this not to work anything openly but priuily to go betwixt Bishop and Bishop Abbot and Abbot c. telling in theyr eares such a Byshop such an Abbot hath geuen so muche and so much vnto the Popes holines trusting that you also will not be behinde for your part c. By the meanes whereof it is incredible to thinke what a masse of money was made out of the Realme vnto the pope At length the foresayd bishops Abbots and Archdeacons feeling their owne smart came to the king whose father before they did resist with their humble suite lamētably complaining of the vnmeasurable exactions of y◠pope and especially agaynst Petrus Rubeus and hys fellowe Otto the Legate desiring the K. that seing the matter toncheth not themselues alone but the whole church and seing
with the Legate and by subtile meanes brought it so to passe that the whole tenthes was gathered and paide to the inestimable damage sayth Pariens both of the Ecclesiasticall and Temporall state The meanes whereof sayeth the authour was this The Legate shewing to the prelates his procuratory letters to collect and gather vp all the foresayde tenthes in the name and authoritie of the Pope declared moreouer full authoritie to him graunted by the vertue of hys commission to excommunicate all such and to interdicte their Churches who soeuer did gainstand or go contrary to the said collection Whereupon by the said vertue legantine he sendeth to euery shire his Proctors to gather the Popes money or els to excommunicate them which denied to pay and for so much as the present nede of the pope required present help without delay he sendeth moreouer to the byshops prelates of the Realme in paine of interdiction foorthwith to procure and send to him either of theyr owne or by loue or vsance or by what meanes so euer so much money in all post spede for the present vse of the pope And after to take vp agayne the said money of the tenthes of euery singular person by the right taxing of their goodes Upon this the Prelates to auoide the daunger hauing no other remedy were driuen to sel their chalices cruets copes iewels and other church plate and some to lay to morgage such things as they had some also to borowe vpon vsance to make the money which was required Moreouer the sayd Stephen the Popes chaplaine as reporteth Paris brought with hym into England for the same purpose such bankers and vsurers who lending out their money vpon great vsurie did vnreasonably pinch the English people which marchant vsurers were then called Caursini Briefly suche straight exaction was then vppon the poore English men that not onely theyr present goodes were valued and taxed but also the corne yet growing in the field against the next haruest was tithed c. Only the Earle of Chester named Ranulphus stood stoutly against the Pope suffring none within his dominion either lay man or clearke to yeld any tenths to the popes proctors Ex Math. Paris pag. 74. And thys was the end of the strife betwene the Monkes of Caunterbury the king for the election of their Archbyshop which was about the yeare of our Lord 1229. In the which yere was finished the new Church of CoueÌ„try by Alexander bishop of the sayd Citie and partly by the helpe of the king which Church Richard his predecessor bishop before him of Couentrie had begon The French men about thys time againe prepared themselues towarde Prouince to warre against the foresayde Reimundus Earle of Tholouse and to expulse him out of his possessions And hearing that he was in his Castle of Saracene they made thither all their power thinking there to enclose and compasse him about but the erle being priuie of their conspired purpose set for them by the way appointing certaine bushments in woodes not so secretly as strongly there to waite and receiue the comming of the Frenchmen and to geue them their welcome Thus when the French were entred the woode the Earle wyth his traine of wel armed and able warriors sodenly did flie vppon them vnwares and gaue them a bitter meeting so that in that conflict 500. of the French soldiors were taken and many slaine Of their seruitures to the nuÌ„ber of 2000. men with their armor were takeÌ„ Of whom some lost their eyes some their noses some their eares some their legs and so sent home The rest were caried away prisoners into the castel And to be brief saith the history thrise the same sommer were the FrenchmeÌ„ discomfited put to flight taken and imprisoned by the foresayd Reimundus the godly erle Ex Paris pag. 69. Wherin is to be sene and to be praised the gracious protection of the Lorde our God against the furious papists which is glorious alwaies in hys saints ¶ The same yeare the king being at Portesmouth had assembled together all his Nobility Earles Barons and knightes of England with such an armye of horsemen and footemen as hath not ben lightly sene thinking to recouer againe the Countrey of Normandie of Gaunt and other possessioÌ„s which king Iohn his father before had lost But when the captaines and marshals of the fielde should take shipping there were not halfe ships enough to receiue the host Wherupon the king was vehemently inflamed with anger laying all the fault to Hubert the Lorde chiefe Iustice who vnder the King had all the gouernement of the Realme calling him olde traitour charging him that hee should be the let of his voyage as he was before when hee toke of the French Duene 5000. markes to stay the kings iourney into Normandy In so much the rage of the king was so kindled against him ytdrawing his sword he made at him to runne him through had not the Earle of Chester Ranulph stopt the king Hubert withdrew himselfe away till the kings rage was past This was about the time of Michaelmas at which time arriued Henry Earle of Normandie in the hauen of Portesmouth in the month of Detoâ— Who shuld haue conducted the king vpon his allegeance othe into Normandie But he with other of the kings armie counsailed the king not to take that voyage toward winter but rather to defer it to the Easter next following wherwith the king was staid and well contented and paciâ—ied againe with Hubert the Iustice. c. Ex Mat. Paris Fabian recordeth this yeare the liberties and fraunchise of the Citie of London to be confirmed by the king and to enerich of the shriues to be graunted two clerkes and two officers without moe Ex Fabia Then followed the yeare 1230. In which vpon the day of the conuersion of S. Paule as sayeth Paris as a great multitude of people for solemnitie of the day were congregate in the Temple of S. Paule the Bishop then being at hys Masse a sodaine darkenes with such thicknesse of clouds fell in the aire that vnneth one man might see an other in the Church After that followed cracks of thunder lightning so terrible leauing such a sent in the Church that the people loking for doomes day thought no lesse but that the steeple and whole Church woulde haue falne vppon theyr heads In so much that they running out of the church as people amased fell downe together by thousands as men amased not knowing for the time where they were onely the Bishop his Deacon stood still at their masse holding the aulter fast Ex Paris Of the death of Steuen Langton of the troublesome election of the next Archbishop also of the costly chargeable bringing in of Richard to succede in the roume which did cost the whole realme of England the tenths of al their moueables sufficient hath bene declared before Thys Richard being
sending playne word to the king by solemne message that his grace without all delay should seclude frō him Peter B. of Winchester and other aliens of Pictauia or if he would not they with the common assent of the realme would displace him with his wicked councellours from his kingdome and haue within themselues tractation for choosing a new king The king at the hearing of this message being mightely moued partly to feare partly to indignation especally hauing the late example of king Iohn his father before his eyes was cast in great perplexity doubting what was best to be done But Winchester with his wicked councell so wrought with the king that he proceeded with all seuerity agaynst them In so much that in short time the sparkles of poisoued coūcell kindling more and more grew to a sharpe battayle betweene the king and Richard Earle Marshall with other nobles to the great disquietnesse of the whole Realme The which warre before was presignified by terrible thundering and lightning heard al england ouer in the moneth of march with such aboundaūee of raine and flouds growing vpon the same as cast down milnes ouercouered the fields threw downe houses and did much harine through the whole Realme To prosecute here at large the whole discourse of thys warre betwene the king and Earl Marshall which continued neare the space of two yeares to declare all the parts and circumstances thereof what trouble it brought what damage it wrought to the whole realm what traines were layd what slanghter of men what waste of whole countryes ensued from Wales vnto Shrewsbery how the marshall ioyned himselfe with Leoline Prince of Walles how the Pictauians were almost all slayne destroyd how the king was distressed what forgery wily wint wrought by the kings letters to entrap the Marshall to betray him to the Irishmen among whom he was at length slayne all this I referr to other authors Who at large do entreat of the same as Math. Parisiens Florilegus such other This is to be noted and obserued whithe rather perteineth to our Ecclesiasticall history to see what sedition and continuall disquietnes was in those dayes among all Christen people almost being vnder the popes Catholick obediēce But especially to marke the corrupt doctrine then reigning it is to be maruelled or rather lamented to see the king and the people then so blinded in the principall point and article of their saluation as we finde in storyes which making mention of a house or Monastery of Conuertes builded the same yeare by the king at London do expres in playne wordes that he then did it Pro redemptione animae suae Regis Ioannis patris sui omnium antecessorum suorum i. For the redemptiō of his soule of the soule of king Iohn his father for the soules of all his auncieers c. Whereby may be vnderstand in what palpable darknes of blind ignoraunce the sely soules redeined by Christ were then inwrapped which did not know nor yet wee taught the right doctrine and first principles of their redemption Ex Math. Parisien sipag 86. Mention was made a litle before pag. 275. of dissoluing the election of Iohn Prior of Cāterbury which was chosen by the Monkes to be Archbishop of the sayd churche of Canterbury but by the pope was defeited After whom one Iohn Blūd was elected who trauelling vp to Rome this yeare an 1233. to be confirmed of the Pope was also repealed and vnetected agayne for that it was thought in England so complayned of to the Pope that he had receiued of Peter Bishop of Winchester a thousand markes and had another thousand promised him of the sayd Winchester who by his mony thought to make him of his side and also wrote to the Emperor to helpe forward his promotion in the court of Rome Notwithstanding both he with his geuing and the other with his taking of bribes were both detected and disapoynted of theyr purpose For the Pope hating then the Emperour for the same cause admitted not the election pretending the cause for that he was proued to holde to benefices without his dispensation After whom by the commaundement of the Pope one Edmund Chanon of Salisbury was ordeyned Archbyshop and had his Palle sent to him from the Pope which Edmunde after for his vertues was Canonised of the Popishe Monkes there for a Saynte and called S. Edmund About which time also Robert Brosted was made B. of Lincolne This Edmund accompanied with other Byshoppes during this trouble betwene the king and his nobles being in councell at Westminster in the yeare next ensuing which was 1234. came vetering their minde boldely in the name of the Lords declaring vnto the king as became his saythfull seruantes that his councell which then he folowed was not found nor safe but cruell and daungerous both to him and to the state of the Realme meaning the councell of Peter Winchester and of Peter Riuall with other adherentes 1. FIrst and in primis for that they hate and contemne the English nation calling them traitours and rebels and turning the kings heart from the loue of hys naturall subiectes and the hartes of them from hym as appeareth by the Earle Marschal and other sowing discorde among them 2. Item by the sayd Counsaile to wit by the foresaid bishop and his fellowes king Iohn the kings father lost first the heartes of his Barons after that lost Normandy and afterward other landes also and in the end wasted all hys treasure so that since that tyme the regiment of England had neuer no quiet after 3. By the sayd Counsayle also in their time and memorye the kingdome of England had bene troubled and suspended and in conclusion became tributary she that was before the Prince of Prouincies and so warre insuing vpon the same the sayd Kyng Iohn his father incurred great daunger of death and at last was extinguished lacking both peace of hys kingdome and of his own heart 4. Item by the sayd counsayle the Castle of Bedford was kept long tyme agaynst the king to the great losse both of men treasure beside the losse of Rupella to the shame of the Realme of England 5. Moreouer through their wicked counsayle at this present great perturbation seemed to hang ouer the whole realme for els if it had not bene for their counsayle and that true iustice and iudgement might haue bene ministred vnto the kinges subiects these tumultes had neuer bene stirred and the king might haue had his land vnwasted and his treasure vnconsumed 6. Item in that sayth and alleageance wherwith they were obliged vnto him they protested vnto him that the sayd his councell was not a councell of peace but of deuision and disquietnesse to the end that they which otherwise by peace could not aspire by disturbing and disheriting other might be exalted 7. Item for that all the castles fortes munitions also all the offices of the
Eschequer with all other the greatest exchetes of the realme were in their handes of the which if the king would demaund a count he should proue how true they were 8. Item for that neither by the kinges seale nor commaundement except it bare withall the seale of Peter Riuall almost no busines of any weight could be dispatched in the realm as thogh their counted the king for no king 9. Furthermore by the foresayd councell the naturall subiectes and nobles of the realme were banished the Court which was to be feared would grow to some inconuenience both to the kyng and to the Realme for so muche as the king seemed more to be on their side then they of his as by many euident coniectures may appeare 10. Item it was not well to be taken and liked the sayd councell standing of straungers and aliens to haue in theyr power both the kinges sister and many other noble mens daughters and other women mariageable with the kinges wardes and mariages which they bestowed and deuided among themselues and men of their affinity 11. Also the sayd councell regarding neither the lawes nor liberties of the Realme confirmed and corroborated by excommunication did confound and peruert all iustice Wherefore it was to be feared they would runne vnder excommunication and the king also in communicating with them 12. Item because they kept neither promise nor sayth nor oath with any person neither did obserue an instrument made neuer so formall by law nor yet did feare any excommunication Wher fore they were to be left for people desperate as which were departed from all truth and honesty These thinges sayd the Bishops we as your saythfull subiects before God men do tell and aduertise your grace desiring and beseching you that you will remoue seclude from you such councell and as the custome is of all other kingdoms to do that you will so gouern in like maner your kingdome by your owne natural liege people such as be sworne vnto you of your own realm For thus said they in verity we denounce vnto you that unles in short time you will see these thinges reformed we according to our duety will proceed by y◠consure of the church agaynst you and all other that gaynstand the same tarying no other thing but onely the consecration of this our reuerend Archbyshop These wordes of the Bishops thus sayd and finished the king required a little time of respite wherein to aduise with himselfe aboue the matter saying that he could not in such a sodeine remoue from him his counsell before he had entred with them a coūt of his treasure committed to them and so that assemble brake up It followed then after this communication so broken vp that the king resorted to the parts of northfolk where cōming by S. Edmunds bury where the wife of Hubert y◠Iustice was he being moued with zeale of pity toward the woman who very humbly behaued her self to y◠king did graunt vnto her 8. manor places which her husband before with his mony had purchased being then in the custody and possession of Robert Passelew one of the kings new counsellors aboue specified It was not long after this but Edmund the Archbishop was inuested and consecrated in the church of Caunterbury who shortly after his consecratiō about the moneth of April comming with his Suffraganes to the place of counsell where the kyng with his Earles and Barons was assembled opened to him the cause and purpose of his comming of the other Prelates which was to put him in remembrance of their former talke had with him at Westminster Denouncing moreouer to him expresly that vnles with speed he would take a better way fall to a peaceable and godly agremēt with the true faithfull nobles of his realme he incontinent with the other Prelates there present would passe with the sentence of excommunication against him and against all them that should be enemies to the same peace main teiners of discord The king after he heard the meaning of the Bishops with humble and gentle language answered them again promising to condescend to them in all things whereupon within few dayes after the king comming to some better remembrauce of himselfe cōmaunded the forenamed byshop of Winchester to leaue the court and return home to his Bishoprick there to attend vnto the spiritual charge and care of his flocke committed to him Moreouer he cōmanded Peter Riual the Bishops cosin some storyes say his sonne who had then the disposing of all the assayres of the Realme to render vnto him his castles and to geue a count of all his treasures whereof he had the keeping and so to voyd the Realme swearing moreouer vnto him but for that he was benefised and was within orders of the Churche else he woulde haue caused both his eyes to be pluckt out of his head He expelled likewise the Pictauians out of the court and from the custody of his munitions sending thē home into theyr coūntry and bidding they should no more see his face And thus the king wisely dispatching himselfe of his wicked counsellers first did send Edmund the Archbyshop with the bishops of Chester and of Rochester into Wales to Leoline and to Richard Earle Marshal and other to intreat with them of peace Also he receiued to hys seruice agayne men of his naturall countrey to attend about him offering himself willing to be ruled by the counsell of the Archbishop and the Bishops by whose prudēce he trusted his Realme should be reduced agayne to a better quietnes But in the meane time while these thinges were doing in England the foresayd Richard Earle Marshall by the falshood of the bishop of Winchester and Peter Riuall forging the kinges letters to the Irishmen against him partly by the conspiracy of Gilbert de Marisco was circumuented by the Irishmen in war and there taken and wounded was by them through the meanes of his Surgean slayne Great slaughter the same tune was of thē which were called Latini about the partes of Almaine These Latini were estemed of pope Gregory and the Papistes to be heretickes But what their opinions were I finde it not expressed In Parisienà In like sort the Albigenses afore mentioned recounted also of the popes flocke to be heretickes with theyr bishops a great number and company of thē were slaine by the commaundemēt of pope Gregory at the same time in a certayne playne in Spayne Ex Ma. Priens fol. 87. Now the Archbishop of Canterbury with other two Byshops were sent into Wales for intreatye of peace ye heard before At whose returne agayne after the time of Easter the king going toward Glocester to meet them by the way as he was in his iourney at woodstocke came messengers from Ireland declaring to y◠king the death of Richard Earle Marshall and the order thereof through y◠forged letters of Winchester and other whereat the
the state and shewe of a Legate yet hee hath doubled the doings of a Legate charging vs. euery day with newe Mandates and so most extreemely hath â—â—pressed vs First in bestowing and geuing away our benefices if any were aboue 30 Markes as soone as they were vacant to Italian persons Secondly after the decease of the sayd Italians vnknowing to the patrons he hath intruded other Italians therein whereby the true patrons haue bene spoiled and defrauded of their right Thirdly the saide M. Martinus yet also ceaseth not to assigne and conferre such benefices still to the like persones And some he reserueth to the donation of the Apostolike fee And extorteth moreouer from religious houses immoderate pensions excommunicating and interdicting who so euer dare gainstand him Wherefore forasmuch as the sayde M. Martin hath so farre extended his iurisdiction to the great perturbation of the whole Realme no lesse derogation to our kings priuiledge to whome it hath bene fully graunted by the see Apostolike that no Legate should haue to do in his land but such as he by speciall letters did send for we with most huÌ„ble deuotioÌ„ beseech you that as a good father will alwaies be ready to support his childs so your fatherhode wil reach forth your hand of compassion to releaue vs your humble children from these greuous oppressions And although our Lord and king being a Catholicke Prince and wholy giuen to his deuotions and seruice of Christ Iesu our Lorde so that he respecteth not the health of his owne body will feare and reuerence the see Apostolicke and as a deuout sonne of the Church of Rome desireth nothing more then to aduance the estate and honor of the same yet we which trauaile in his affaires bearing the heate and burden of the day and whose duetie together with him is to tender the preseruation of the publike wealth neither can paciently suffer such oppressioÌ„s so detestable to God and man and greuances intollerable neither by Gods grace will suffer them through the meanes of your godly remediey which we well hope and trust of you speedily to obteine And thus may it please your fatherhode we beseche you to accept this our supplication who in so doing shall worthely deserue of all the Lords and Nobles with the whole comminaltie of the Realme of England oâ—â—digne and speciall thankes accordingly Anno 〈◊〉 Ex Mat Parisient fol. 188. This supplication being sent by the handes of Sir R. Bygot Knight and W. de Powike Squier Henrie de la Mare with other knightes and Gentlemen after it was there opened and red pope Innocent first keping silence deferred to make answer therunto making hast to procede in hys detestable excommunication and curie against the good Emperour Fredericke The whith curle being done and the English ambassadours waiting still for their aunswer the Pope then told them flatte they should not haue their request fulfilled Wherat the English men departing iu great anger away sware with terrible othes that they would neuer more suffer any tribute or fruites of any benefices namely whereof the noble men were patrones to be paid to that insatiable and greedy court or Rome worthy to be detested in all worlds Ex Math. Paris fol 193. The Pope hearing these wordes all be it making then no aunswere thought to watch his time and did First incontinent vpon the same during the said Counsel he caused euery Bishop of England to put his hande and seale to the obligation made by king Iohn for the Popes tribute as is aboue specified Threatning moreouer saying that if he had once brought downe the Emperor Fredericke he would bridle the insolent pride of England wel enough After this Councell ended in the beginning of the next yere following An. 1246. Pope Innocent came to Cluniake where was then appoynted a secret meeting or colloquie betwene the Pope and Lewes the French king who was then preparing his voyage to Ierusalem in which colloquie the pope sought al meanes to perswade the French king in reuengement of his miurie to warre contra Regulum as he termed him that is against the weake and scule king of England either to driue him vtterly froÌ„ his kingdom or els so damnitie him wherby he should be constraâ—ned whether he would or no to stoupe to the Popes will and obedience Wherein he also would assist him with al the authoritie he could doe Neuerthelesse the French king to this would not agree first for the consanguinitie that was betwene them for there 2. Quenes were sisters And also for the truce that they had taken Thirdly for feare of the Emperour least he shoulde take his part Item for that it could not be without the spilling of much Christen bloud And lastly because he was preparing his voyage to the holy land where his comming was already looked for And thus the French king denying the Popes bloudy request refused not onely to enter warre against the king and the realme of England but also shortly after concluded wyth him longer truce An. 1246. Ex. Math. Paris sol b. Straight vpon the necke of this followed then the exaction of Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury that he had bought of the Pope which was to haue the first yeares fruites of all benefices and spirituall linings in Englande for the space of 7. yeares together vntill the sumine should come of â—en thousand Markes Whereat the king first was greatly agreeued But 〈◊〉 eonclusion hee was faine at last to agreâ— with the Archbyshop and so the nibney was gathered Paris fol. 197. Ouer and besides all other exactions wherewyth the pope miserably oppressed the church of England this also is not to be â—â—â—lenced how the Pope sending down his letters 〈◊〉 the seâ— Apostolike charged and commanded the prelates to find him some 10. Tome 5. and some 15. able men wel furnished with horse and harneis for one whole yere to fight in the popes warres And lest the king shuld haue knowledge thereof it was enioyned them vnder paine of excommunication that they shoulde reuease it to none but to kepe it secrete only to themselues Paris fol. 200. The pope yet notwtstanding partly beyng laboured by siâ—ers partly of hys owne mynde thinking good somewhat to geue to the king people of England as fathers are woâ—â— to geue solsterhing to theyr babes to play with all to keeâ—â— them still sent downe this releasment to the king yâ— hereafter whensoeuer any of the popes nephewes or of hys Cardinals were to be beneficed many church of England eyther he or the Cardinals shuld first make the king priuy theeof and instantly craâ—â—e hys good-will in obteining the proÌ„tutation or els the same to stand in no effect c. Parisiensis sol 202. howbeit al this seemed to be don 〈◊〉 of a pollicy to get the kings â—auour wherby he might be suffered more freely to passe with greater exactions as afterward
declareth to extoll himselfe aboue measure and to oppresse yâ— few that be godly and to haue many falâ—e prophets about him which neglecting the word and the name of Christ do preach extoll him only obscuring the name of Christ. The church of Rome and the Pope he describeth in these words I was praying sayd he on my knees looking vpward to heauen nere to the aulter of S. Iames in Paris on the right side of the aultar saw in the ayre before me the body of a certain high bishop all clothed in white silke who turning his backe on the East lift vp his hand toward the west as the Priestes are wont in theyr Masse turning to the people but his head was not seene And as I was considering aduisedly whether he had any head or no I perceiued a certayne head in him all dry leane withered as though it had bene a head of wood And the spirit of the Lord sayd to me This signifieth the state of the Church of Rome Moreouer the same author in his visions well describing the maner of the schole sophisters and Sorbonists addeth in this wise An other day as I was in like conteÌ„plation as before I beheld in spirit and beholde I saw a man apparelled like to the other before which weÌ„t about hauing fine bread and excellent wine that hanged about him on both sides And the same hauing in his hand a loÌ„g and an hard flint stone was gnawing hungerly vpon the same as one being hungry is wont to bite vpon a loafe of bread Out of the which stone came two heads of two serpentes the spirit of the Lord instructing me and saying This stone purporteth the friuilous intricate curious questions wherein the hungry do trauaile and labor leauing the substauntiall foode of their soules And I asked what these two heads did meane And he sayd The name of the one is vaine glory the name of the other is the marring and dissipation of religion Also concerning reformation of the church this vision he declareth It happened as I was sayth he in the same City in the house of a certaine noble man a Britaine and was there speaking with certayne I saw a crosse of siluer very bright much like to the Crosse of the Earle of Tholouse But the 12. apples which did hang beside in the armes of the crosse were very vile like the apples which the sea is wont to cast vp And I sayd what is this Lord Iesu and the spirit answered me This crosse which thou seest is the church which shal be cleare and bright in purenes of life and shall be heard and known all ouer through the shrill voice of the preaching of sincere verity Then being troubled with the apples I asked what these apples so vile did signify and he said it is the humiliation of the Church c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certain chroâ—ticle is declared how God would punish the simony and auarice of the clergy with such a plague that riuers should runne with bloud c. It is sayd that there is remayning a great volume of his visions whiche are not yet abroad for these that be abroad are but a briefe extract out of hys visions and reuelations After yâ— we haue thus loÌ„g straid in these forrein stories of Fredericke and in the tractation of other matters pertayning to other countreys Now after this sufficient disgression it is time that we returne to our own country agayne where in folowing the continuatioÌ„ of time course of the Church we will now adioyne to these good fathers and writers the history of the learned Bishop of Lincolne named Robert Grosted a man famously learned as that time serued in the three toungs both Latin Greeke and Hebrue also in all liberall sciences whose works Sermons yet this day are extant which I haue seene in the Queenes Maiestyes Library at Westminster wherin is one speciall Sermon writteÌ„ and exhibited in foure sundry skrolles to the pope and to other foure Cardinals beginning Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Nicolas Triuet in his chronicle writing of this bishop affirmeth that he was borne in Suffolke in the Dioces of Northfolke who geuing him the prayse to be a man of excellent wisedome of profound doctrine an example of all vertue witnesseth that he being maister of Arte wrote first a Commentary in librum posteriorum of Aristotle Also that he wrote Tractations de sphera de arte comput And that he set forth diuers books concerning Philosophy Afterward being Doctor in Diuinity and expertly seene in all the 3. tongues drew out sundry Treatises out of the Hebrue gloses also translated diuers works out of the Greeke as namely the Testamentes of the xij Patriarches the bookes of Dionisius commenting vpon the new translation with hys owne glose Haec ille Many other workes and volumes besides were written by the said Grosted as De oculo morali de Dotibus De cessatione legalium paruus Cato Annotationes in Suidam in Boetium De potestate pastorali expositiones in Genes in Lucam with a number moâ— besides diuers Epistles Sermons and Inuections sent to the Pope for his vnmeasurable exactions wherwith he ouercharged oppressed the Church of England This godly and learned Bishop after diuers conflicts and agonies sustayned agaynst the Bishop of Rome after the example of Fredericke of Guiliel de sancto amore of Nico Gallus and other after minded at length after great labors and trauells of life finished his course departed at Buckdone in the moneth of Octob. an 1253. Of his decease thus writeth Mat. Parisiens pag. 278. Out of the prison and banishmeÌ„t of this world which he neuer loued was takeÌ„ the holy bishop of Lincolne Robert at his manor of Buckâ—one in the euen of S. Dionise who was an open reprouer of the Pope and of the King a rebuker of the prelats a corrector of the Monkes director of the Priestes instructor of the clerkes fauâ—or of scholers a preacher to the people persecutor to the incontinent a diligent searcher of the Scriptures A malle to the Romaines and a contemner of theyr doings c. Haec Mat. what a malle hee was to the Romaines in the sequele hereof Christ willing shall better appeare The story is this It so befell among other dayly and intollerable exactions wherein Pope InnoceÌ„t was greuous and iniurious manifold wayes to the Realme of England he had a certaine cosin or nephew so Popes were wont to call theyr sonnes named Fredericke being yet youÌ„g vnder yeres whom the said Innocent the Pope would needs preferre to be a Canon or Prebendary in the church of Lincolne in this time of Robert Bishop of the sayd Church And vpoÌ„ the same directed down letters to certayn his factors here in England for the execution thereof The copy of which letter by chaunce yet not by chaunce
contrary to holy scripture the which forbiddeth any such to be made ministers or pastors which are not sufficient to driue away the wolues And moreouer it is also openly mayntayned because it is manifestly borne abroad and coÌ„maunded with chartes imbulled both with waxe lead And finally it is stifly defended for if any man shall dare to presume to withstand the same he is suspensed and excommunicated and open warre cryed out agaynst him Therfore to whom the whole definitioÌ„ of an heretick doth agree he is a very heretick But euery faythfull Christian man ought to set himselfe agaynst an heretick as much as he may wherefore he that can resist him and doth not he sinneth and seemeth to be a fautor thereof according to the saying of Gregory He lacketh not coÌ„science of secret societye which ceaseth to resist open impietye But the Friers both Franciscanes and Dominicks are most chiefly bouÌ„d to withstand such seing both of them haue the gift of preaching coÌ„mitted to them by their office and be more apt to the sayd office by reason of their pouerty And therfore do not onely offend in not resisting such but also are to be rouÌ„ted mayntayners of the same according to the sentence of the Apostle to the Romains saying Not only they which commit such things but also they that consent are worthy of death wherefore it may be concluded that as well the Pope vnlesse he cease froÌ„ that vice as also the same Friers vnlesse they shew themselues more earnest and studious in repelling the same are both worthy of death that is perpetuall damnation Item sayth the Canon decretal that vpon this vice of heresy the Pope both may ought to be accused After this the vehemency of his disease more more increasing and because the nightes were something loÌ„ger the third night before his departure the bishop feeling his infirmity to grow vpon him willed certaine of his clergy to be called vnto him therby to be refreshed with some coÌ„ference or communicatioÌ„ unto whom the bishop mourning and lamenting in his minde for the losse of soules through the auarice of the Popes court sayd on this wise as by certayne Aphorismes 1. Christ came into the world to saue and win soules Ergo he that feareth not to destroy soules may he not worthely be counted Antichrist 2. The Lord created the whole world in sixe dayes but in restoring of man he labored more then 30. yeres wherfore he that is a destroier of that about which the Lord so long labored is not he worthy to be couÌ„ted the enemy of God and Antichrist 3. The Pope shameth not impudently to adnihilate and disanull the priuileges of his holy predecessors of Romain Bishops by this obstacle Non obstante which is not done without the preiudice and manifest iniury of them For in so doing he doth reproue and destroy that which so many and so holy men haue builded vp before and thus semeth he to be a contenmer of the Saints worthely therefore he that contemneth shall be contemned according to the saying of Esay woe to thee that doest despise for shalt not thou thy selfe be despised And who shall keepe his priuiledges which so breaketh the priuiledges of others 4. The Pope answering hereunto thus defeÌ„deth perhaps his error He that is equall hath no superiority ouer his equall Therfore no Pope hath power to binde me being pope as well as he To this I answere agayne quoth the Bishop It seemeth to me that he that now presently is sayling in the dauÌ„gerous seas of this world and he that is safely ariued in the hauen hauing past all ieopardyes are not both like and equall GrauÌ„t that some Popes be saued God forbid any should say contrary Then sayth our sauiour He that is least in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is greater then Iohn Baptist a greater theÌ„ whom did neuer rise amongst the children of men Is not therefore some Pope greater being a giuer and coÌ„firmer of priuileges then this that is aliue Truely me thinkes he is greater Therefore he hath dominion ouer his inferior 5. Doth not the Pope thus say speaking of all his predecessours for the most part This our predecessor and thys our predecessor of most worthy memory c. And agayne we sayth he cleauing to or following the steppes of our predecessors c. And why then doe such Popes as â—me after destroy these foundations which their predecessors haue layd 6. Many Apostolicke men comming after haue confirmed some priuiledge being graunted by other before And be not many Bishops being already saued by the grace of God to be counted greater and better then one Byshopp which hath not yet atteined but standeth in dauÌ„ger to obtayne that which the other haue got already 7. Also our former fathers bishops of yâ— Apostolical sea in prefermeÌ„t of time go before the other which in time come after And those whom the estimatioÌ„ of auncient time doth aduaunce such are we bouÌ„d to esteme and to haue in more reuerence This did the holy man Benedict well consider who in his rule preferreth such as came first in time what so euer men they were before them which albeit being more auncient in yeares come after them into the order commaundeth them to be theyr superiors and to haue the preheminence which being so as it is true and certayne how commeth then this iniurious and rash presumption which dare repeale and disanull the old priuileges of many auncient holy Bishops in time and in reuerence going before them 8. Moreouer and though many Popes haue bene grieuous to the Churche yet this Pope most specially hath brought it most into seruitude manifold wayes hath daÌ„nified the same For these Caursini these open vsurers whoÌ„ our holy forefathers and doctors whom we haue seene and namely our learned maister in Fraunce preacher also the Abbot of Flay a Cistercian maister Iacobus de veteri and maister Steph. Archbishop of Cant. in the time of his banishment And also maister Rob. Curcun with his preaching banished out of Fraunce for before that time these kinde of â—surers were neuer knowne in England the same Caursini these wicked vsurers I say were by thys Pope induced supported and mayntayned so that if any do speak against them he is miserably tossed and troâ—â—sed for his labor wherof partly Roger bishop of London hath some experience 9. The world doth know that vsury is counted a detestable thing in both the TestameÌ„ts and is forbidden of God But now the Popes usurers or Exchaungers the very Iewes crying out agaynst them being openly suffered in London to exercise their vsury to the great damage detrimeÌ„t of all ecclesiasticall persons but especially houses of religion compelling such as be in pouerty to counterfeit and to put to their scales vnto forged writinges which is no lesse then to commit Idolatry and to abrenouÌ„ce the veritye whiche is God himselfe As for example I
the liberties graunted by his forefathers and predecessours he shall not be of his Realme beloued as it appeareth by Roboam in the 11 chap. of the 3. Reg. All which likewise is to be seene in the Chronicles how that by these meanes many kingdomes and dominioÌ„s were translated from nation to nation and from their owne natiue regiment to the rule of strauÌ„ge people And now for this time certayne it is that your graunde predecessors Charles the great S. Ludowick Philip the fayre Ludowick and Philip his sonnes with many others haue sealed and confirmed this liberty of the Church Wherfore for a man to councell perswade your highnesse to spoile the Church of any thing it is euen the next way to spoyle and vndoe your self and to bereue you of that by which your dominion is beloued And for this cause I thought good to put your grace in remembraunce of the 20. of Math. where it is written Remember the workes of your forefathersâ— which they haue done in their generations and you shal receiue great glory and renowne for euer Note here your highnesse by the way how that king Philip graundfather to S. Lewis fostered and kept in his Realme S. Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury who for that he stoutly defended the libertyes of his Church was banished out of England How much more therefore are you bound to defend and mayntayne your owne Prelates in their liberties ratified and confirmed by your graces predecessors according to the saying of Gregory in 25. quaest cap Si. If I should destroy and put downe those thinges which my predecessours haue built and ordeined I should not be called a builder and maker but iustly acompted a â—â—roy good and puller downe as the voyce as the Lord sayth Euery kingdome deuided within it selfe shall be confouÌ„ded All knowledge and learning deuided one agaynst the other shall be destroyed In an other place he sayth It is ouer sharpe and agaynst all good maner and ciuility vpon what reason and excuse so euer to breake and subuert those thinges which are well ordayned or by his example to teach other at theyr pleasures to dissolue olde constitutions Marke here a story about a Castle which was geuen to Saynt Romige to the Churches vse by Clodoui the Kyng which afterwarde King Pipine desired to haue by exchaunge and recouery To whome the sayd Saynte Remige appeared in hys dreame and highly blamed him therefore saying a better man then thou gaue it me and yet wilt thou take it away from me And with that he smote him who the next day was founde all blacke Since whiche tyme no Kyng of Fraunce durst euer lye in that Castle Uerely therefore he doth not honour the Kyng which geueth him counsell to passe the olde limittes that his olde Fathers did set Yea rather the Kinges Maiesty ought to say vnto them whiche is written in Saynt Iohn 8. chapter I do honour and glorify my Father that is in keepyng the libertyes of the Church as they did which graunted them but you haue dishonoured me in counselling me that which seemeth best to please your selues as it is written in Ecclesiast 4. The worship of a mans father is his owne worship and where the father is without honor it is the dishonor of the foâ—ne Secondarily I say that he truely doth honor the king who counselleth him whereby his power and dignity is not diminished For as it is great honour to the Kynges highnesse to encrease and augment his power so is it as much dishonour for him to diminish any iote thereof And therefore the Emperours were wont to call themselues victorious of augmenting and encreasing theyr common wealth And to say that you and your predecessours could not graunt these things to the Churche it were to too absurde and to the too muche derogation of your Maiesties most honourable estate And therfore you most soueraign Lorde who holde and possesse so ample right and title in the realme of Fraunce both by election and inheritaunce not to graunt and leaue thys to your posteritie it were to the great debasing of your Maiesties honour crowne and dignitie Yea if it were as God forbid it wold folow that your predecessours liued continually in sinne yea and further it were as much to say which were too vile that blessed S. Lewes by whome all Fraunce is beautified could not be iustly canonized For as the Lord speaker declared if he tooke his othe at his coronation both to alienate nothing and also to call in that which was before alienated which is inseparable froÌ„ the Crowne it should followe that he was forsworne and consequently committed deadly sinne and so coulde neuer be canonized which is to to absurde to be talked of And if reply be made that hee might haue repented It is soone to be answeared That his sinne is read of but of hys repentaunce it is not founde as is sayde of Salomon But put case it be true that the Lord Peter sayd then it must needes folow that your grace could bestow nothing neither couÌ„trey towne nor tower And yet there be few whych willingly would not receiue them notwythstanding their allegiaunce and homage which they pretend to your hyghnes Kepe therefore confirme most renowned Prince that which was graunted by your noble progenitors otherwise your royall honor shall decrease that it may be verified in you which is read of in the 11. to the Rom. I wil honor my ministerie Thirdly I doe affirme that he rightfully honoreth the king which perswadeth him that whereby his honor and renowne is preserued For in matters of weyght and of great importaunce next after conscience we must haue regarde to name and fame as it is wrytten the 22. of Prou. It is better to haue a good name then riches A good name farre passeth all things and is aboue siluer gold And S. Augustine sayeth two things are necessary for thee conscience name Conscience for God and name for thy neighbour And therefore it is wrytten in the 4. chapt of Eccles. Labour to get a good name for that will continue surer by thee then a M. great treasures of golde A good life hath a number of dayes Which renowne name the Lord who annoynted your grace with the oyle of gladnes hath in so litle time more aboundantly blessed you wythall then any other Prince wherfore you ought to be more vigilant and carefull howe to kepe and enioy the same still For it is no lesse vertue to seeke and gette then to keepe that whych is gotten whereby not onely while you lyue but also when you are dead your gloryous renowne may liue for euer yea and farther that by you nothing be done wherby any blotte or foyle shoulde creepe into that your so great renowne alluding that to your grace which is sayde in the tenth of the Prouerbes c. The memoriall of the iust shall haue good report c.
conferred all his counsailes This as it seemed straunge vnto the Lordes and Earles so it inflamed their indignation so much against this Peter that through the exciting of the Nobles the Byshops of the land did proceede in excommunication against the said Gauerston vnlesse he departed the land Upon the occasion whereof the King the same first yeare of his raigne being greeued wyth the Byshoppes wryteth to the Pope complaining that they had proceeded to excommunication of the sayde Peter vnlesse he departed the realme within a time certaine The which letter of the king what answere againe the king had from the pope I finde not set down in storie Ouer and besides it befell in the said first yeare of the king that the Byshoppricke of Yorke being vacant the king gaue the office of the treasour to one of his owne clearkes wherof the pope hauing intelligence wryteth to the King commaunding him to call backe the same gift and with all citeth vp to Rome the sayd clearke there to answere the matter to a nephewe of one of his Cardinals vpon whom he had bestowed the sayd dignitie whereunto the king maketh answere Quod citationes huiusmodi illorum executio c.. i. That if such citations and the execution of the same should procede to the impeachement of our kingly iurisdiction and to the preiudice of our lawful inheritance and the honor of our crowne especially of the deciding of suche matters which principally concerne our estate should be prosequuted in any other place then within thys our Realme by any manner of wayes c. Certes although we our selues would winke thereat or through sufferaunce permit matters so to passe our hands yet the states and nobles of our kingdom who vpon allegeance are obliged and sworne to the protection and defence of the dignitie of the crowne of England will in no wise suffer our right and the lawes of the lande so to be violated Besides this the foresaid pope wrote to the king complaining that by certaine councellours of king Edwarde his father lying sicke vtterly ignoraunt thereof a certaine restraint was geuen out charging his nuncios and Legates whō he had sent for the gathering of the first fruites of the benefices vacant wythin the realme not hereafter to entermeddle therewith c. whereunto the king maketh answere Gidelicet Pater Sanctis Datum fuit vobis intelligi c. In English thus Most holy Father it hath ben geuen you to vnderstand otherwise then the truth of the matter is for most true it is in dede that the foresaide inhibition was ratified by good acte of Parliament holden at Karlin vpon certain causes concerning the execution of such collections the said our father not onely being not ignorant but also witting willing and of his owne meere knowledge agreeing to the same in the presence not only of his owne Erles Barons and states and commons of the Realme but also your legates and liegers being called thereunto Item vpon other letters brought from the Pope to the king for the enstalling of one Peter de Subaudia his kinseman into the Bishoppricke of Worcester being then vacant and withall requiring that if the sayd Peter would not accept thereof the election shoulde be referred to the Priour and Couent of the same place The king therewith grieued maketh answere by his letters to the Pope and sundry his Cardinals Quod cum electiones de futuris prelatis in ecclesiis Cathedral c. That for so much as elections of prelates to be placed in cathedral churches within his kingdome are not to be attempted without his licence first had and obtained c. Therefore he coulde not abide that any such straunge and vnaccustomed reseruations should or could take place in his Realme without manifest preiudice of his kingly estate requiring further that hee woulde not cause any suche nouelties to be brought in into hys kingdome contrary to that which hys auncestors before him haue accustom ed to doe Thus the time proceeded at length the Parliament appoynted came An. 1310. which was the fourth of thys kings raigne The articles were drawne by the nobles to be exhibited to the king which articles were the same conteined In magna charta and de foresta aboue specified wyth such other articles as his father had charged him with before to wit that he should remoue frō him and his Court all aliens and peruerse counsellours And that all the matters of the common wealth should be debated by common counsaile of the Lordes both temporall and spirituall and that he should stirre no warre out of England in any other foreine realme without the common assent of the same c. The king perceiuing their intent to be as it was in deede to sonder Peter Gaueston from his cōpany and seeing no other remedy but nedes must yeld and graūt his consent agreed that the said Gaueston shuld be banished into Ireland And so the Parliament breaking vp the Lordes returned to their owne well appeased although of the other articles they could not speede yet that they had driuen Peter Gaueston out of the Realme at this time it did suffice them Thys Peter Gaueston was a certaine Gentlemans sonne of Wasconie whom being young king Edward the first for the good seruice his father had done hym in hys warres receiued to his Court and placed hym with hys sonne Edwarde nowe raigning Who in processe of time growing vp with him incēsed and prouoked him to much outrage and wantōnesse By whose occasion first he began in his fathers dayes to breake the parke of Walter bishop of Chester then Chancelour of England and after executor to the king For the which so doing the king as is partly touched before imprisoned his sonne and condemned this Peter to perpetuall banishment Notwithstanding the young king after the death of his father as yee haue heard sent for this Gaueston againe And with all so persecuted this foresayd Bishop that he clapt him in the tower and seised vpon al his goods Moreouer caused most strait inquisition to be made vppon him for guiding his office wherein if the least crime might haue ben found it would haue cost him his life And thus much of Peter Gaueston and of his origine Now to the matter The king thus separated from his old compere that is from the companie of Peter Gaueston nowe exiled into Ireland continued in great mourning and pensiuenesse seeking by all meanes possible howe to call him home againe and conferring with such as were about hym vpon the same Who did insinuate to the king that for somuch as the Earle of Glocester was a man well loued and fauored in all the realme if a marriage might be wrought betwixt his sister and Peter Gaueston It might be a meane both for him to obtaine more frendship and for the king to haue his desire To make short Peter Gaueston in all hast was sent for the marriage through the kings procuring
Lord Chauncelour of England The historie intreating of this matter reporteth thus that the king had this time vnder him euil substitutes and couetous officers who atteÌ„ding more to their owne gain then to the publike honour and commoditie of the realme left the king destitute and naked of money Wyth whyche crime also Iohn Stratford Archbishop then of Caunterbury was vehemeÌ„tly noted and suspected whether of hys true deserning or by the setting on of other hereafter shall more appeare In so much that the king ardently incensed against him charged him with great falshode vsed against his person as by these his letters wrytten and directed to the Deane and Chapter of Paules against the sayd Archbishop manifestly appeareth the tenor of which letter here followeth vnder written Edward by the grace of God king of England and Fraunce and Lord of Ireland To his welbeloued in Christ the Deane and Chapter of the Church of S. Paul in London greeting in the Lord. IT is manifest by ancient hystories but more plainely appeareth by those which daily are practised amongest vs that many men abusing through pride the fauour of Princes and honour bestowed vpon them haue maliciously gone about to depraue the laudable endeuour of kings And nowe that the woordes which we speake may be more manifest vnto our subiects we suppose that neither you nor they haue forgotten that we being established in our kingly throne in yonger yeres and coueting euen then to guide this our regal charge taken vpon vs with wholesome couÌ„sailes haue called vnto vs Iohn the Bishop of Winchester nowe Archb. of Cant. whom we supposed for his fidelity and discretion to excede others whose counsaile in matters appertaining vnto the health of our soule as in matters also respecting the augmenting and conseruation of our kingdome both spiritually temporally we vsed he was receiued of vs into all familiaritie Wee found in him also such humanity that he was saluted by the name of father and of all next vnto the king had in honour Now afterwards when by right of succession the kingdome of France shuld haue descended vnto vs and was by violent iniurie by the Lorde Philip of Valois holden from vs the said Archb. by his importune instancie perswaded vs to enter league of amity with the princes of Almanie against the sayde Phillip and to commit our selfe and ours vnto the hazard of warres promising and affirming that he woulde bring to passe that the reuenues of our landes and other helpes by him deuised shoulde suffice aboundantly for the maintenance of our said warres Adding moreouer that our only care should be for the furniture of strong and able souldiours such as were fit for the purpose and expert in warfare for the rest he himselfe would effectually procure for money conuenient to suffice our necessitie and the charges thereof Whereuppon entending great exployts we conueyed our army beyond the seas and with marueilous great charges as behoued we set forwarde we became also bound in great summes of mony making sure accompt of the aide aforesaid promised vnto vs. But alasse vnhappy is that man that reposeth confidence in mans deceitfull staffe of brittle reede wherunto as sayth the Prophet if a man leane it breaketh and pearceth the hand Thus being defrauded of our long looked for subsidie for very necessities sake we were constrained to take vpon vs importable charges of debts by grieuous vsurie And so our expedition being staied we were compelled to retyre into England desisting from our enterprises so valiantly begun Now when we were returned into England we laide before our Archbishop our manifold calamities and misfortunes before rehersed and thereuppon called a Parliament wherein the Prelates noble men and other the faithfull subiectes of our dominions graunted vnto vs a new subsidie of corne lambe wool c. besides the tenth graunted by the Cleargie which subsidie if it had bene faithfully collected and obtained in due time had greatly auailed for the expedition of our sayd warres the paiment of our debts and confusion of our enemies Our saide Archbishop promised diligently to do his endeuour as well in collecting the same as also in procuring other necessaries to serue to our purpose Wherupon trusting vnto these faire promises hauing all thinges in a readynesse both men and furnished ships we made saile towards Flaunders and by the way vpon the dangerous seas buckeled with our enemies sworne to the destruction of our English nation of whome we triumphed and were victors not by our merites their multitude farre exceeding ours but by the mercifull clemencie of him that ruleth both winde and sea Which being done we passed froÌ„ thence with a mighty power for the recouery of our right pitched our rentes neare vnto the puissant citie of Tornaye wheâ—e being deteined for a time in the siege therof wearied with continuall toyle our charges still encreasing awaiting with silence our promysed ayde day by day wee hooped from oure Archbyshoppe to receiue succoure in these our so great necessities At length being frustrate of all conceyued hope wee signified vnto our sayde Archbyshop and other his adherents by diuers messengers and sundry letters our great necessitie and perils which we were in for lacke of the sayd subsidie graunted vnto vs. We added also the vtilitie and honour which we sawe might be atchieued if we had receiued money in time All this notwithstanding we receiued from them no succour at all for that preferring their priuate businesse and proper commodities they cloked their slouth or rather as I may call it their fraude and malice with vaine excuses and painted glosing wordes like vnto the deceitful which as saith Esay vse to deride with these words Manda remaÌ„da c. By meanes whereof alasse for sorrowe it came to passe that whiles good hope of subduing our ennemies gratiously smiled vppon vs we were constrained penurie preuailing against vs to take truce to our shame the hinderance of our expedition and no smal reioysing of our euil willers and so we returned into Flaunders all voide of mony oppressed with infinite debts neither had we in our treasuries wherewith to discharge our necessities nor yet to pay our soldiours wages in so much that we were compelled to enter into the deuouring gulfe of vsurie and to sustaine on our shoulders great burdens of debts heape vppon heape This being done our faithfull frends companions in warres and partakers of our tribulations came vnto vs with whome we consulted diligently by what meanes wee might best deliuer our selues from this dangerous storme of euill fortune They all agreed affirming certainely that the protracting of our warres and cause of our manifolde necessity happened vnto vs through the fault and negligence or rather the malice of the sayd Archb. vpon whose discretion the disposition of the whole kingdome seemed to depend and other officers whom we had adioyned in counsail with him touching the affaires of our kingdome vehemently swearing and murmuring amongst themselues
as your spirituall pastour we also desire you so to esteeme and thinke of them which also make like report of other that haue bene with your grace beyonde the seas that they haue naughtely falsely serued you wherby you haue lost the towne of Tourney much honor els which you might haue wonne gotten there May it please your grace to call before you the Prelates and Pieres of your Realme in some conuenient place where wee and other moe may safely come and resorte and there also to make search and enquirie in whose hands after the beginning of your warres the money and what thing els so euer which was graunted vnto you in aide of the same your warres vntill thys present day doeth remaine and is not laide out againe as also by whose default you were so enforced to leaue the sayde siege of Tourney and those which shal be founde in any poynt faultie and guiltie therin against you as a good Iusticer your grace wil cause to be punished according to the lawe and in so much as appertaineth vnto vs therein we aske iudgement of our Peeres the state alwayes of holy Church of vs of our order reserued inuiolate according as we haue wrytten vnto you heerein And for Gods sake Syr beleeue not either of vs or any other your true subiectes els more then that you shall vnderstand the veritie of for if men should be punished without making answere to that which is obiected against them there should be then no difference in iudgement betwixt the good doer and the bad And Syr may it please you well to consider of the great enterprise you haue in hande the great good will which you haue neede of for this cause and of your great ennemies the Scots and the great ieoperdie of your realme besides For if your Prelates your nobles al the wisemen of your realme were of one minde and will without any discorde or diuision amongst them to dispose and set in order those things which are needeful in so great affaires and businesse they shoulde haue all inough to beate their heads about for the maintenance of your great enterprise begon the honour of you and sauegarde of your Realme And Syr may it please your grace not to be displeased that so rudely and grosely we declare vnto you the veritie for why the great loue affection which we beare vnto you alwayes haue done the same the preseruation of your honour and sauegard of your realme as also for that we are although vnworthy the primat of the whole realme of England which thing appertaining vnto vs by our office being your spirituall father doth incite vs the rather both to say and coÌ„maund that which may turne to the benefite of your soule and profite of your realme and kingly estate Thus the holy spirite saue you both body and soule and giue your grace both to heare and beleeue good counsaile and further giue you victorie ouer all your enemies Written at Cant. the 1. day of Ianuary By your graces chaplen the Archbishop of the same And thus node the case betweene the king the Archbishop of Caunterbury who comming thus as is said in secret wise into Englande from the siege of Tourney hys army in the meane while by ships was conueyed to little Britaine Of whome a great number through vnseasonable and inconuenient meats and drinks was there consumed To whom also no lesse danger happened by the seas comming out of Britain into England by tempest thunder and lightening stirred vp as is thought by the Necromaucers of the French king About whych season approchyng to the yeare of oure Lorde 1341. were sent from the Pope two other Cardinals to entreat wyth Kyng Edwarde for thre yeres truce to be concluded more wyth the Frenche Kyng beside the former truce taken before for one yere and all by the popes meanes For heere is to be vnderstanded that as it was not for the Popes purpose to haue the Kyng of England to raigne ouer so many couÌ„treis so his priuy supportation lacked not by all meanes possible both by Archbyshops Cardinals and also by the Emperor to maintain the state of the French king and to stablish him in his possession Ex Tho. Walsing ex chron Albanens In the said histories where these things be mentioned it is also noted that the same yeare such plentye there was here in the realme of victuals that a quarter of wheat was solde for ii s a fat oxe for a noble and as some say a sheepe for iiii d. And thus farre endureth the hystorie of Ranulphus Cestrensis called Polychronicon The next yere following which was 1342 Ludouicus Bauarus the Emperor who before had shewed great curtesie to king Edward as in his first viage ouer in so much that he made him his Uicar or Uicegerent general and offered hym also aide against the French king Now â—yther turned by inconstancie or seduced by the pope wryteth to him contrary letters wherein hee reuoketh agayne the Uicegerentship graunted to hym and seeketh all meanes in the fauour of the French king against king Edwarde as by his letters heere vnder written may better appeare The letter of the Emperour vnto the king of England LVdouicus by the grace of God Emperor of the Romaines alwaies Augustus c. To Edward king of England his beloued brother greeting and vnfained loue Although great and vrgent busines of our owne do oppresse vs about the same our waighty affaires are daily incombred yet with the discord variaunce betwene your kingly dignity and the renowmed Phillip the king of Fraunce our cosine for your sake wee are not a little troubled And the rather the great charges which may heereafter growe both to you and to your kingdome thereby considered bothe of men and money vnlesse the same be taken vp doth more earnestly prouoke vs to geue our selfe to the carefull studie of your affaires Wherefore wee geue you to vnderstande that the foresayde Philip at our request hath geuen vnto vs by his letters authoritie and power to intreat and conclude a peace betwene you touching the variance begon which peace al the state diligently coÌ„sidered both of your selfe your kingdome and subiects wee take and beleeue to be right expedient for you moouing there withall your charity and earnestly desiring you that to this also you will geue your consent wherby we may bring you both to concord and vnitie and establish betweene you a firme peace to endure whereunto with willing minde we would apply our selfe and bestow our painfull labour in prosecuting of the same And heerein if you will condescend and agree vnto our counsaile as we trust you wil. It may please you by your letters to geue vnto vs the like autoritie as is aboue sayd to entreat peace or ordering of a truce for one yeare or two at least to continue Neither let it moue you that betwene vs and the sayde
statutes past in hys parliament tending to the preiudice of the Church of Rome the Popes primary viz. that if Abbots Priors or any other ecclesiasticall patrons of benefices shoulde not present to the sayd benefices within a certayne time the lapse of the same shoulde come to the ordinary or chapter thereof or if they did not present then to the Archbishop if the Archbishoppe likewise did fayle to present then the gyft to perteyne not to the Lord Pope but to the Kyng and hys heyres An other complaynt was this that if Archbishops should be slack in geuing such benefices as properly pertayned to theyr owne patronage in due time then the collation thereof likewise shoulde appertayne to the foresayd King and his heires An other complaynt was that if the Pope shoulde make voyde any elections in the Church of England for any defect foūd therein and so had placed some honest and discreete persons in the same that then the King and his heires was not bounde to render the Temporaltyes vnto the partyes placed by the Popes prouision Whereupon the Pope being not a little agrieued the Kyng writeth vnto him certifying that he was misinformed denying that there was any such statute made in that Parlyament And further as touching all other thinges he woulde conferre with his Prelates and Nobles and thereof would returne aunswere by hys Legates In the 20. yeare of his raigne another letter was writen to the Pope by the King the effect whereof in few wordes to expresse was this to certify him that in respect of his great charges susteyned in hys warres he hath by the counsell of his Nobles taken into his owne handes the fruites and profites of all hys benefices here in England To proceed in the order of yeares that in the 26. yeare of this king one Nicholas Heath Clerke a busy headed body and a troubler of the Realme had procured diuers Byshops and others of the Kinges counsell to be cited vp to the Court of Rome there to answere such complayntes as he had made agaynst them whereupon commaundement was geuen to the King to all the portes of the realme for the restraynt of all passingers out and for searching and aresting all persons bringing in any Bulles or other proces from Rome tending to the derogation of the dignity of the crowne or molestation of the subiectes concerning which Nicholas Heath the King also writeth to the Pope his letters complayning of the sayd Heath and desiring him to geue no eare to his lewd complaynts The same yeare the King writeth also to the Popes Legate resident in England requiring him to surcease from exacting diuers summes of money of the Clergy in the name of first fruites of benefices The 31. yeare of this Kinges reigne the King by hys letters complayneth to the Pope of a troublesome fellow named Nicholas Stanneway remaining in Rome whiche by his slaunderous complayntes procured diuers citations to be sent into the Realme to the great disturbaunce of diuers and sundry honest men whereupon he prayeth and aduiseth the Pope to stay himselfe and not to send ouer such hasty Citatiōs vpon euery light occasiō To passe further to the 38. yeare of the same King thus we finde in the Rolles That the King y◠same yeare tooke order by two of his Clergy to witte Iohn a Stocke and Iohn of Norton to take into their handes all the temporaltyes of all Deaneryes Prebendes Dignityes and Benefices being then vacant in England and to answere the profites of the same to the Kinges vse The same yeare an ordinaunce was made by the King and his Counsell and to the same proclaymed in all porte townes within the Realme that good and diligent search should be made that no person whatsoeuer comming frō the Court of Rome c. doe bring into the Realme with him any Bull instrument letters patentes or other proces that may be preiudiciall to the King or any of his subiectes nor that any person passing out of this Realme toward the Court of Rome doe cary with him any instrument or proces that may redound to the preiudice of the King or his subiectes and that all persons passing to the sayd Court of Rome c. with the Kinges speciall license do notwithstanding promise and finde surety to the Lord Chauncellour that they shall not in any wise attempt or pursue any matter to the preiudice of the King or his subiectes vnder payne to be put out of the Kinges protection and to forfeyt his body goods and Cattelles according to the statute thereof made Anno. 27. And thus much concerning the letters and writinges of the King with such other domesticall matters perturbations and troubles passing betwene him and the Pope taken out of the publique Recordes of the Realme wherby I thought to geue the Reader to vnderstand the horrible abuses the intollerable pride and the vnsatiable auarice of that Byshop more like a proud Lucifer then a pastor of the Church of Christ in abusing the king and oppressing his subiectes with exactions vnmeasurable not onely exercising his tyranny in this Realme but raging also agaynst other Princes both farre and neare emongst whom neither spared he the Emperour himselfe In the story and artes of which Emperour Ludouicus mentioned a title before pag. 273. whom the Pope did most arrogantly excommunicate vpon maundy thursday and the selfe same day placing an other Emperour in his roome Relation was made of certayne learned men which tooke the Emperour's part agaynst the Pope In number of whom was Marsilius Patauinus Gullermus Ockam Ioannes Gandauensis Luitpoldus Andreas Landensis Vlricus Hangenor treasurer to the Emperour Dante 's Aligerius c. Of whom Marsilius Patauinus compiled and exhibited vnto the Emperor Ludourke a worthy worke intituled Defensor pacis writē in the Emperors behalfe agaynst the Pope Wherin both godly learnedly disputing agaynst the Pope he proueth all Bishops and Priestes to be equall And that the Pope hath no superiority aboue other Bishopes much lesse aboue the Emperour That the word of God ought to be onely the chiefe iudge in deciding and determining causes ecclesiastical That not onely spiritual persons but say men also being godly and learned ought to be admitted into generall councels That the Clergy and the Pope ought to be subiect vnto Magistrates That the Church is the vniuersity of the faythfull and that the foūdation and head of the Church is Christ and that he neuer appoynted any vicar or Pope ouer his vniuersall church That Bishops ought to be chosen euery one by their own Church and Clergy That the mariage of Priestes may lawfully be permitted That S. Peter was neuer at Rome That the Clergy and Sinagoge of the Pope is a deune of theeues That the doctrine of the Pope is not to be folowed because it leadeth to destruction And that the corrupt matters of the Christians doe spring and flow out of the wickednes of the spiritualty c. He disputeth moreouer
vnto this time whiche was about the yeare of our Lord 1367. the offices here in England as the Lord Chauncellor Lord Treasurer of the priuy seale were wont to be in the handes of the clergy But about this yeare through the motion of the Lords in the Parliamēt and partly as witnesseth mine author for hatred of the clergy all the sayd offices were remoued from the clergy to the Lordes temporall After the death of Pope Urbane next succeeded Pope Gregory the 11. who among his other acres first reduced agayne the papacy out of Fraunce vnto Rome which had from thence bene absent the space now of 70. yeres being therto moued as Sabellicus recordeth by the answere of a certain bishop whom as the Pope saw standing by him asked why he was so long from his charge and church at home saying not to be the part of a good Pastor to keepe him from his flocke so long Wherunto the Bishop aunswering agayne sayd And you your selfe being the chiefe Bishoppe who may and ought to be a spectacle to vs all why are you from the place so long where your Church doth lye By the occasion whereof the Pope sought all meanes after that to remoue and to rid his Court out of Fraunce againe to Rome and so he did This 11. Gregory in a certayne Bull of his sent to the Archb. of Prage maketh mētion of one named Militzius a Bohemiā saith in the same bull that this Militzius should hold apinion teach an 1366. that Antechrist was alredy come Also that the said Militzius had certayn cōgregations folowing him that in the same congragation were certain harlots who being conuerted frō theyr wickednes were brought to a godly life Which harlots being so conuerted he vsed to say were to be preferred before al the holy religious virgins And therfore commaunded the archbishop to excōmunicate and persecute the sayd Militzius which in foretime had bene a religious man of Prage and after forsook his order and gaue himselfe to preaching and at length was by the foresayd Archb. imprisoned Iacobus Misnensis a learned man and a writer in the time of I. Hus maketh mention of this Militzius and calleth him a worthy and a famous Preacher Also citeth many things out of his writings In the which writinges thys good Militzius thus declareth of himself how he was moued vrged by the holy Ghost to search out by the sacred Scriptures concerning the comming of Antechrist And that he was compelled by the same holy spirite at Rome publickly to preach and also before the Inquisitor there to protest plainly that the same great Antechrist which is prophesyed of in y◠holy Scriptures was alredy come Moreouer his saying was that the church through negligēce of the pastors was desolate did abound in temporall riches but in spirituall riches to be empty Also that in y◠Church of Christ where certayne Idols which destroyd Ierusalē and defaced the Temple but hypocrisye caused that those Idols could not be sene Also that many there were which denied Christ because that knowing the truth yet for feare of mē they durst not confesse their conscience c. And thus much of good Militzius liuing in the time of Gregory 11. and king Edward the third an 1370. The which king of England holding a Parliamēt in the 3. yeare of this Pope sent his Embassadours to hym desiring him that he from thenceforth would abstayne frō his reseruatiōs of benefices vsed in the court of England And that spiritual men within his realme promoted vnto Bishopricks might freely enioy theyr electiōs within the realme and be confirmed by theyr Metropolitanes according to the auncient custome of the realme Wherfore vpō these and such other like wherein the king and the realme thought thēselues greued he desired of the Pope some remedy to be prouided c. Wherunto the Pope returned acertayne answere agayne vnto the king requiring by his messengers to be certified agayn of the kings mind cōcerning the same But what answere it was it is not in the story expressed saue that the yere folowing which was 1374. there was a tractation at Burges vpon certain of the said articles betwene the king the Pope which did bāg two yeares in suspēse so at length it was thus agreed betwene them that the pope should no more vse his reseruatiōs of benefices in England and likewise the king shoulde no more cōferre and geue benefices vpon the writ Quare impedit c. But as touching the freedome of elections to be confirmed by the Metropolitane mentioned in the yeare before therof was nothing touched As touching these reseruations prouisiōs and collations with the elections of Archbishops Bishops beneficed men and other wherwith the Pope vexed this realme of England as before you haue heard The king by the consent of the Lordes and commons in the 25. yeare of hys raigne enacted that according to a statute made in the 30. yeare of his graundfather Edward the first wherein was made an act against the rauenous pillage of the Pope thorough the same prouisions reseruations collations c. but not put in execution By the which prouisions the state of the realme decreased more and more the kings royaltie prerogatiue greatly obscured and diminished innumerable treasure of the realme transported aliens straungers placed in the best and fattest by shoprickes abbeyes and benefices within the realme And suche as eyther for their offices in Rome as Cardinalships such like could not be here resident or if resident yet better away for causes infinite as partly haue bene touched before Not onely reuiued the sayde statute made by Edward the first hys graundfather but also inlarged the same Adding therunto very strayt and sharpe penalties against the offenders therin or in any part therof as exemptiō out of the kings protection losse of al their lands goods and other possessions and theyr bodies to be imprisoned at the kings pleasure And farther who so euer was lawfully conuict or otherwise for want of appearance by proces directed forth were wythin the lappes of this statute or premunire for so bare the name therof shuld suffer al and euery such molestation iniuries as men exempted frō the protection of the king In so much that who so euer had killed such mē had bene in no more daunger of lawe therefore then for the killing of an outlaw or one not worthy to liue in a commō weale Lyke vnprofitable members were they then in that tyme yea of ignoraunce esteemed in thys common weale of Englande as would offer themselues to the wilfull slauery and seruile obedience of the pope which thyng in these dayes yea and that amōgst no small fooles is coūted more then Euangelicall holynes He that list to peruse the statute and would see euery braunch and article therof at large discussed and handled wyth the penalties therfore due Let him read the
Vrbanus 6. 11. 8. Clement 11 Bonifacius 9. 14. 9. Benedictus 13. 26. Innocentius 8. 2. 0.   Gregorius 12. 2. 7   Alexander 5. 0. 11.   Iohannes 13. 5. 10   As touching thys pestilent most miserable schisme it would require heere an other Ileade to comprehend in order all the circumstaunces and tragicall partes thereof what trouble in the whole Church what partes taking in euery Countrey what apprehending and imprysoning of priests prelates takē by land and sea what sheddyng of bloud did folow therof How Ottho duke of Brunsewyke Prince of Tarentum was taken and murthered Howe Ioane Queene of Hierusalem and Sicilia his wife who before had sent to Pope Urbane beside other gifts at hys coronation xl M. Duckets in pure gold after by the sayd Urbane was committed to prison and in the same pryson strangled What Cardinalles were racked and miserably wythout all mercy tormented on gibbettes to death what slaughter of men what battails were fought betwene the two Popes whereof 5000. on the one side were slaine beside the number of them which were taken prisoners Of the beheading of 5. cardinals together after long tormēts and how the bishop Aquilonensis being suspected of pope Urbane for not riding faster with the Pope his horse being not good was there slaine by the Popes commaundement sending his soldiours vnto him to slay him and cut hym in peeces All whych things with other diuers moe acts of horrible cruelty happening in the time of thys abhominable schisme because they are aboundantly discoursed at full by Theodorike Niem who was neare to the sayde Pope Urbane and present at all his doings therefore as a thing needlesse I here pretermit referring them who couet to be certified more amply herein vnto the 3. bookes of the sayd Theodorike aboue mentioned About the same time also about 3. yeres after there fel a cruell dissention in England betwene the common people and the nobilitie the which did not a little disturbe and trouble the common wealth In thys tumult Symon of Sudbury Archbyshop of Canterbury was taken by the rustical rude people and was beheaded In whose place after succeeded William Courtney which was no lesse diligent then his predecessor had ben before him in doing his diligence to roote out heretickes Notwithstanding in the meane season Wickleffes secte increased priuely and daily grewe to greater force vntill the time that William Barton Uicechancellor of Oxford about the yeare of our Lord 1380. had the whole rule of that vniuersitie who callyng together 8. monastical doctors and 4. other with the consent of the rest of hys affinitie putting the common seale of the vniuersitie vnto certaine wrytings he set foorth an Edict declaring vnto euery man and threatning them vnder a greeuous penaltie that no men should be so hardie hereafter to associate thēselues wyth any of Wickliffs fautors or fauourers and vnto Wickliffe himselfe he threatned the greater excommunication and farther imprisonment and to all his fautors vnles that they after 3. dayes canonical admonitiō or warning or as they cal it peremptory did repent amend The which thing whē Wickliffe vnderstood forsaking the pope all the clergy he thought to appeale vnto the kings maiestie but the Duke of Lancaster comming betweene forbad hym that he shoulde not heereafter attempt or begin any such matters but rather submit himselfe vnto the censure and iudgement of his ordinary Whereby Wickliffe being beset wyth troubles and vexations as it were in the middest of the waues he was forced once againe to make cōfession of his doctrine in the whych his confession to auoid the rigor of things he aunswered as is aforesaide making his declaration and qualifying his assertions after such a sorte that he did mitigate and asswage the rigor of hys enemies The next yere after whych was 1382. by the commandement of William Arch. of Cant. there was a conuocation holden at London where as Iohn Wickliffe was also commanded to be present But whether he there appeared personally or not I find it not in story certainly affirmed The mandate of the Archb. Wil. Courtney sent abrode for the conuenting together of this councell heere followeth vnder wrytten truely copied out of his owne registers Memorandum that where as well amongest the nobles as commons of this realme of England there hath a certain brute ben spread of diuers cōclusions both erroneous also repugnant to the determination of the Church which tend to the subuersion of the whole Church and to our prouince of Canterburie and also to the subuersion of the whole realme being preached in diuers sundry places of our sayd prouince generally commonly publikely We William by Gods permission Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Legate of the sea Apostolicall beeing minded to execute our office and duetie heerein haue conuocated or called together certaine our fellow brethren others a great many as well Doctours and Bachelers of diuinitie as doctours of the Canon and ciuil law and those whome we thought to be the most famous men skilfullest men and men of soundest iudgemēt in religion that were in all the realme whose names here vnder ensue And the same being the 17. day of the month of May in the yere of our Lord 1382. in a certaine chamber within the territories of the priory of the friers preachers of London before vs and our foresayd fellow brethren assembled then and there personally present After that the sayd conclusions the tenour whereof here vnder ensueth were opēly proponed and distinctly and plainly read We burdened our foresayd fellow brethren doctours and bachelers in the faith wherin they stode bound to our Lorde Iesus Christ and as they would aunswer before the hygh iudge in the day of iudgement that they shuld speake their opinions touching the sayde conclusions and what euery of them thinketh therein And at length after good deliberation had vppon the premisses the foresaid our brethren the bishops doctours Bachelers reassembled before vs the 21. day of the same moneth in the foresayd chamber the foresayde conclusions being againe and againe repeated and plainly read by vs and by the common consents of vs all it remaineth published and declared that some of the said conclusions are hereticall and other some erroneous and contrary to the determination of the Church as heereafter most manifestly shall appeare And for as much as by sufficient information we finde perceiue that the sayd conclusions in many places of our sayde prouince haue bene as is sayde bothe taught preached and that diuers other persons do hold and maintaine the same and be of heresie vehemently and notoriously suspected haue thought good as wel generally as specially to send out thys processe vnder wrytten ¶ The names of the Iurers were these IN primis viij Bishops Canterbury Winchester Durram Exeter Herforde Sarum Rochester and Fryer Botlesham B. Item 3.
friers preachers Syward Parris Langley Item 4. minorites Foluile Carlel Frisley Bernwel Item Augustine Friers foure Ashborne Bowkyn Woldley Hornyngton Item Carmelites 4. Glanuile Dis Loney Kynnyngham Item Monkes 4. Wels Ramsey Bloxam Marton Item doctours of the Canon and Ciuill lawe 14. Appelby Waltrom Baketon Chadesden Tregision Stow Blaunchard Rocombey Lidford Welbourne Flayneburgh Motrum Brandon and Prophet Item Bachelers of Diuinitie 6. Humbleton Pickweche Lindlow Wich Chiselden Tomson The Articles of Iohn Wickleffe heere aboue specified wherof some were 10. which were by these Friers cōdemned as heretical y◠rest as erroneous here in order follow and are these Although it may be thought that some of them were made worsse by their sinister collecting then he ment them in his owne workes and wrytings ¶ The articles of Iohn Wickliffe condemned as hereticall 1. THe substance of material bread wine doth remaine in the Sacrament of the aulter after the consecration 2. The accidents doe not remaine wythout the subiect in the same Sacrament after the consecration 3. That Christ is not in the Sacrament of the altar truly and really in hys proper and corporall person 4. * That if a Byshop or a Priest be in deadly sinne hee doth not order consecrate nor baptise 5. That if a man be duely and truely contrite penitent all exteriour and outer confession is but superfluous and vnprofitable vnto hym 6. That it is not found or stablished by the Gospell that Christ did make or ordaine masse 7. If the pope be a reprobate and euil man consequently a member of the deuill he hath no power by any maner of meanes geuen vnto him ouer faithfull Christians except peraduenture it be geuen him from the Emperour 8. That since the time of Urbane the 6. there is none to be receaued for Pope but to liue after the manner of the Greekes euery man vnder his owne law 9. To be against the Scripture that ecclesiasticall ministers should haue any temporall possessions ¶ The other Articles of Iohn Wickleffe condemned as erroneous 10 THat no Prelate ought to excommunicate any man except he knew him first to be excōmunicate of God 11. That hee which doeth so excommunicate any man is therby himselfe either an hereticke or excommunicated 12. That a Prelate or Bishop excommunicating any of the clergy which hath appealed to the king or to the counsel is thereby himselfe a traytor to the king and realme 13. That all such which do leaue of preaching or hearyng the worde of God or preaching of the Gospell for scare of excōmunication they are already excommunicated and in that day of iudgement shal be counted as traytors vnto god 14. That it is lawful for any man either deacon or priest to preach the word of God without the authority or licēce of the Apostolicke sea or any other of his Catholickes 15. That so long as a man is in deadly sinne he is neyther Byshop nor Prelate in the Church of God 16. Also that the temporal lordes may according to theyr owne will and discretion take away the temporall goodes from the Church men whensoeuer they do offend 17. That tenthes are pure almose and that the Parishioners may for the offence of their curates deteine and keepe them backe bestow them vpon others at their own wil and pleasures 18. Also that all speciall praiers applied to any priuate or particular person by any Prelate or religious man do no more profite the same parson then generall or vniuersall prayers doe profite others whych be in lyke case or state vnto hym 19. Moreouer in that any man doeth enter into any priuate religion whatsoeuer it be hee is thereby made the more vnapt and vnable to obserue and keepe the commādements of God 20. That holy men which haue instituted priuate Religions whatsoeuer they be as well such as are indued and possessed as also the order of begging Friers hauing no possessions in so doyng haue greeuously offended 21. That religious men beyng in their priuate religions are not of the Christian Religion 22. That Friers are bounden to get their liuing by the labour of their handes and not by beggyng 23. That whosoeuer doth geue any almose vnto Friers or to any begging obseruaunt is accursed or in daūger therof ¶ The letter of the Archbyshop directed to the Byshop of London agaynst Wickleffe and his adherentes WIlliam by Gods permission Archbyshop of Canterbury Metropolitane of all England and of the Apostolicall sea Legate To our reuerend brother by the grace of God Byshop of London salutation The Prelates of the Churche ought to be so much the more vigilant and attentiue about the charge of the Lordes flocke committed vnto them how much the more they shall vnderstand the Wolues beyng clothed in sheepes apparell fraudulently to goe about to woory and scatter the sheepe Truly by the continuall cry and bruted fame which it greeueth me to report it is come to our knowledge that although by the canonicall sanctions no man beyng forbidden or not admitted should either publickely or priuily without the authoritie of the Apostolicall sea or Byshop of that place vsurpe or take vpon him the office of a Preacher Some notwithstandyng such as are the children of damnation beyng vnder the vale of blynde ignoraunce are brought into such a dotyng mynde that they take vppon them to Preache and are not affrayde to affirme and teach diuers and sundry propositions and conclusions here vnder recited both hereticall erroneous and false condempned by the Church of God and repugnaunt to the decree of holy Churche whiche tend to the subuertyng of the whole state of the same of our prouince of Canterbury and destruction and weakenyng of the tranquilitie of the same and that as well in the Churches as in the streetes as also in many other prophane places of our sayd prouince generally cōmonly and publikely do preach the same infecting very many good Christians causing thē lamentably to wāder out of the way frō the catholick Church without which there is no saluation We therfore considering that so pernicious a mischiefe whych may creepe amongest many wee ought not to suffer and by dissimulation to passe ouer which may with deadly contagion slea the soules of men least their bloud be required at our hands are willing so much as God wil permit vs to do to extirpate the same Wherefore by the counsaile and consent of many of our brethrē and Suffraganes we haue conuented diuers and sundry Doctours of Diuinitie as also professours and other Clerkes of the Canon and Ciuill lawes the best learned wythin the Realme and of the most soundest opinion and iudgement in the Catholicke faith to geue their opinions and iudgements cōcerning the foresayde conclusions But for as much as the sayde conclusions and assertions being in the presence of vs and our fellowe brethren and other conuocates openly expounded and diligently examined and in the end found by common counsaile
vulgare tounge as in the Latine tounge manifestly and plainly without any curious implication the same hereticall and erronious conclusions so repugnant to the determination of holy Church as is aforesayd to haue bene be condemned and which conclusions also we declare by these our letters to be vtterly condemned And that farthermore you forbid and canonically admonish and cause to be admonished as we by the tenour of these presents doe forbid and admonish you once twise and thrise and that peremptorily that none hereafter hold teach preach or defende the heresies and errours aboue sayde or any of them eyther in schoole or out of schoole by any sophistical cauillation or otherwise or that any admit to preache heare or hearken vnto Iohn Wyckliffe Nicholas Hereford Philip Reppindon Chanon reguler or Iohn Ayshton or Laurence Readman which be vehemently and notoriously suspected of heresie or els any other whatsoeuer so suspected or defamed or that either priuely or publiquely they either aide or fauoure them or any of them but that incontinently they shunne and auoide the same as a Serpent which putteth foorth moste pestiferous poyson And farthermore we suspend the sayd suspected persons from al scholasticall acte till such time as they shall purge themselues before vs in that behalfe and that you denounce the same publiquely by vs to haue bene and be suspended and that yee diligently and faithfully inquire of all their fautours and fauourers and cause to be inquired throughout all the haules of the sayde vniuersitie And that when you shall haue intelligence of their names persons that yee compell all and euery of them to abiure their outragies by Ecclesiasticall Censures and other paines Canonicall whatsoeuer vnder paine of the greater curse the whych against al and singular the rebellious in thys behalfe and disobeying our monitions wee pronounce so that their fault deceit and offence in thys behalfe deserue the same the sayde monition of ours being first sent which in this behalfe we exteeme and allowe Canonicall that then and agayne accordyng to the effect of these our letters c. The Absolution of all and singular such whych shall incurre the sentence of thys instrument by vs sent foorth whych God forbidde Wee specially reserue vnto oure selues exhortyng you the Chauncellour by the aspersion of the bloud of IESVS CHRIST that to the vttermost of your power hereafter you doe your indeuoure that the Clergie and people being subiecte vnto you if there be whych haue strayed from the Catholique faith by such errours may be brought home againe to the laud and honour of his name that was crucified and preseruation of the true faith And further our will is that whatsoeuer you shal do in the premisses in maner forme of our processe in this behalfe to be had and done that you for your parte when you shal be required thereunto plainly distinctly do certifie vs by your letters patents hauing the tenour hereof The conclusions and articles here mentioned in thys letter are aboue prefixed Of which some were cōdemned for hereticall some for erroneous After this within fewe daies the foresayd Archbyshop W. Courtney directed down his letters of admonition to Robert Rigge commissary of Oxford for the repressing of thys doctrine Which yet notwithstanding both then and yet to this day God be praised doth remaine The copie of his monition to the Commissary here out of hys owne Register foloweth ¶ The monition of the Archbyshop vnto the foresayd Chauncellour IN Dei nomine Amen Where as we William by the permission of God Archbyshop of Canterbury Lorde Primate of England and Legate of the Apostolicall sea by the consent of our suffraganes haue caused to be assembled together diuers clerkes both secular and regular of the vniuersitie of Oxford wythin our prouince of Canterbury and other Catholicke persons to informe vs of and vpon certaine conclusions heretical and erroneous generally and commonly preached and published in diuers places of the sayd prouince of Canterbury to the subuersion of the whole state of the Church and our sayd prouince And also mature deliberation had vpon the same by the common counsaile of the said our suffraganes their conuocates it was declared that certain of the sayde conclusions to haue bene and be condemned some for heretical and some for erroneous and notoriously repugnāt to the determinatiō of the church which we also our selues haue declared to be damnable And haue vnderstode by credible information and partly by experience that thou Robert Rigge Chancelor of the vniuersity aforesaid hast doest incline partly to the foresaid damnable conclusions whome also we in thys part haue partly suspected doest intend to molest these our Clerkes aboue specified others adhering vnto vs in this behalf as they ought to do through thy subtill and sophisticall imaginations sondry manifold wayes therfore we admonish thee M. Robert Chauncelour aforesaid the first second and third time and peremptorily that thou doest not greue let or molest iudicially or extraiudicially apertly or priuely or cause to be greued let and molested or procure directly or indirectly by thy selfe or any other as much as in thee lieth to be greued the foresayd Clerks secular or regular or such as fauor them in the premisses in their scholastical acts or in any other condition whatsoeuer And that thou suffer none hereafter to teach maintaine preach or defend any such heresies or errours in the sayde Vniuersitie either within or wythout the scholes Neither that thou do admit I. Wickliffe Nicholas Herford Philip Repindon Iohn Ayshton or Laurēce Redman which are vehemently and notoriously suspected of heresie or any other so suspected or defamed vnto that office of preaching But that thou denounce the sayd persons to be suspended whom we haue suspended from all scholastical act whilest they cleare their innocencie in this part before vs vnder the paine of the greater curse which we here in these wrytings denounce against thy person if thou shalt not obey those our admonitions with effecte as thy crime subteltie and offence in this behalfe shal require according to this our admonition premised which we repute in thys parte for canonicall as well then as now and now as wel as then reseruing the absolution of this sentence excommunicatorie if it happen to light vpon thee as God forbid specially vnto our selues Testified with the handes of the Iurers aboue in the page 410. before specified ¶ The examination of Nicholas Herford Philip Repingdon and Iohn Ayshton THe 18. day of the month and yere aforesaid in the chamber of the preaching Friers afore mentioned before the foresayde Archb. in the presence of diuers Doctours and Bachelers of Diuinitie and many Lawyers both Canon and Ciuil whose names are vnder written appeared M. Nich. Herford Philip Repingdon Iohn Ayshton Bachelers of diuinity Who after a corporal oth taken to shew their iudgements vpon the cōclusions aforesayd were examined seuerally eache one by himselfe before the
Archb. Who there required day and place to deliberate vpon the conclusions aforesayd and to geue their answere vnto the same in wryting And also required to haue a copie of the sayde conclusions to be deliuered vnto them The which copy the sayd Nicholas Philip being openly read vnto them receiued Also the foresayd M. Iohn Ayshton lykewise was examined and iudicially admonished by the said Archbishop by vertue of his othe that hee setting aside all sophisticall words suttelties he fully and plainly would say his minde vpon the conclusions aforesayd And being asked moreouer by the said Archbishop whether he would haue a further day to deliberate vpon his answers as the foresaid Nicholas and Philip had before said expresly that he would not but would answer presently to those coÌ„clusions And so for finall aunswere sayde as concerning all these conclusions containing them all together that hys iudgement was in this behalf to hold his peace Wherfore the foresaid Archbishop reputing the saide Iohn herein to be suspected admonished him in form of words as foloweth We admonish thee Iohn Ayshton whome we repute to be defamed notoriously suspected of heresie the first the second and third time that in our prouince of Canterbury hereafter thou do not preach publickely or priuately wtout our speciall licence vnder paine of the greater curse which we denouÌ„ce here by these presents against thy person if thou obey not our monitions for nowe as for then And consequently for as much as the sayd Iohn being asked of the Archb. confessed that hee had heard before of the publication of the Archbyshops Mandate wherein was inhibited that no person prohibited or not sent should preach hereafter the foresayde Archb. assigned to him Friday next folowing which was the 20. day of the same moneth after dinner to appeare before hym either at Lamheth or in the same place to say for himselfe wherefore he myght not be pronounced for an heretick for such a one to be denounced through hys whole prouince Also the said Archbishop assigned to the foresaid Nicholas and Philip the saide day place to answer peremptorily and to say fully plainly to the conclusions aforesayde all sophistication of woordes and disputation set a part ¶ The names of the Friers that sate vpon them Friers preachers 7. Thom. Barnwel William Swynherd William Pitworth Tho. Whatley Laurence Grenham Iohn Leigh Iohn Haker Carmelites 3. Walter Dish Iohn Kinningham Iohn Louey Augustine Frier Thomas Ashborne Doctour In the 20. day aforesaid of the said month of Iune the yere and place aboue prefixed before the foresayde Archbyshop sitting in his tribunall seat in the presence of diuers Doctours of Diuinitie and lawyers both Ciuil and Canon personally appeared M. Nicholas Herford Phillip Repindon Bachelers of Diuinity and Iohn Ayshton maister of Arte. Where the foresaid Nicholas and Philip being required by the sayd Archb. to answere and say fully and plainly their iudgements vppon the conclusions prefixed whereunto the sayde Archbyshop had assigned to the sayd Nicholas and Philip the same terme did exhibite to the sayd Archbyshop there iudicially sitting certaine aunsweres in wryting contained after the maner of indeÌ„ture the tenour whereof here vnder is contained and after the same forme answered to the sayd conclusions The tenour of which Indenture containing the foresaide conclusions vnto them moued as afore foloweth in these wordes ¶ The protestation of Nicholas Philip and Iohn with their Articles and aunsweres to the same WE protest here as before publikely in these preseÌ„ts that we intend to be humble and faithful children to the church and holy scripture and to obey in all things the determinations of the Church And if it shall chaunce vs at any time which god forbid to swarue from this our intention we submit our selues humbly to the correction of our reuerend father Lorde Archbishop of Cant. and primate of all England and of all other which haue interest to correct such swaruers This protestatioÌ„ premised thus we answere to the conclusions aforesayd That the substance of material bread and wine remaineth in the Sacrament of the aulter after consecration After the sense contrary to the Decretall beginning Firmiter credimus we graunt that it is heresie That the accidents doe not remaine wythout the subiect after consecration of the Sacrament Aâ—ter the sense contrary to that Decretall Cum Marthe We graunt that it is heresie That Christ is not in the sacrament the selfe same truly and really in hys owne corporall presence Although this conclusion as the words stand sound to be probable and intelligible yet in the sense coÌ„trary to the decretal in Cle Si dudum We graunt that it is heresy And briefly concerning this whole matter of the Sacrament of the aulter as touching also all other thyngs we professe that we will both in worde and sense holde wyth the holy Scripture with the determination of the holy church and sayings of the holy Doctours Obstinatly to affirme that it hath no foundation in the Gospell that Christ ordained the Masse We graunt that it is heresie That God ought to obey the deuill In this sense that God in hys owne person or essence ought to obey the deuil with the obedience of necessity We graunt that it is heresie If a man be duely contrite that all externall confession is to him superfluous and vnprofitable We graunt that it is heresie If the Pope be a reprobate an euill man and consequeÌ„tly a member of the deuil He hath no power ouer the faithful of Christ giueÌ„ to him of any vnleast it be of Cesar. We graunt that it is heresie That after Pope Urbane the 6. none is to be receyued for Pope but that wee ought to liue after the maner of the Grecians vnder our owne lawes We graunt that it is heresie To say that it is against the holy Scripture for ecclesiasticall persons to haue temporall possessions If obstinacie be ioyned withall wee graunt that it is heresie That no Prelate ought to excommunicate any man vnles he know him before to be excommunicate of God We graunte that it is an errour Understandyng thys knowledge to meane an experimental knowledge so that heerewith may stand the Decree of the Church 11. q. 3. Nemo Episco That he which doth so excommunicate is thereby an hereticke or excommunicate After the sense agreeing with the other before we graunt to be an errour That a Prelate excommunicating a clerke whych appealeth to the king or counsell of the realme in so doing is a traitor to God the king and the realme We graunt it is an errour That they whych leaue off to preache or to heare the word of God the gospel preached for the excommunication of men are excommunicate and in the day of iudgement shal be counted for traytors to God Understanding this coÌ„clusion vniuersally so as scripture and lawes do vnderstand such indefinit propositioÌ„s We graunt it is an errour To
particularly whether any frier were bounde to get his liuing wyth his manuall labour so that it might not be lawfull for them to liue by begging They would make no aunswere at all After that the foresaid Lord Archb. of Cant. demaunded of all the foresaid Doctors what their iudgement was touching the answeres that were made vpon all singuler such conclusions All which doctors and euery of them seuerally sayd the there all the answeres geuen vnto the first second third and sixt coÌ„clusions as is before recited were insufficient hereticall and subtill and that all the answeres made specially to the tenth ninth and last conclusions as is aboue mentioned were insufficieÌ„t erroneous and peruerse Whereupon the Lord sayd Archbishop of Caunterbury considering the sayd aunsweres to be hereticall subtill erroneous and peruerse accordingly as the said Doctors as is aforesayd had wayed and considered admonished the said Nicholas and Phillip sufficiently vnder these forme of wordes The name of Christ being called vpon we William by Gods permission Archbishop of Canterbury Metropopolitane of al England and Legate of the Apostolique see and through all our prouince of Caunterbury Inquisitor of all heretical prauitie do sufficiently and lawfully admonish and cite you Nicholas Herford and Phillip Repingdon professors of Diuinitie hauing this day and place assigned you by your own consent and our prefictioÌ„ peremptorily to answere and to say fully and playnely your opinions touching these conclusions wherunto we do referre you all subtill sophisticall and Logicall wordes set apart being therunto sworne cited commanded Which thyng to do without cause reasonable or any licence geuen thereunto you neither haue bene willing nor are willing nay rather ye contemptuously refused to aunswere to some of those conclusions before vs iudicially according to the effect of our monition citation and commaundement before sayd But for that ye haue aunswered vnto some of them heretically and to other some erroneously although not fully we admonish and cite you once twice and thrice and that peremtorily that plainely and fully all subtile sophisticall and logicall wordes set apart you and euery of you answer vnto the same conclusions and vnto that sense and meaning by vs limitted vnder the payne that otherwise such conclusions deserue by you confessed and that for the same conclusions you ought to haue Which admonition being made and done for that the foresayd Nicholas and Phillip woulde make none other answere The said Lord archbish of Caunterbury concluded that busines prefixing and assigning vnto the foresayd Nichalas and Phillip 8. dayes space that is to say vntill the 27. day of the same month And that then they shoulde appeare before the sayd Lord Archbishop of Canterbury whersoeuer within the same his prouince of Caunterbury hee shoulde fortune to be to heare his decree that shoulde be made in that behalfe This done the foresayd Archbish. of Caunterbury monished and cited lawfully and sufficiently Iohn Aishton vnder the the tenour of these wordes following In the name of God we William by Gods permissioÌ„ Archb. of Cant. Primate of all England Legate of the see Apostolicall and through all our prouince of Cant. of all heretical prauitie chiefe Inquisitour do monish cite thee Iohn Asheton maister of arte and student in diuinitie appearing before vs iudicially to say and speake the playne veritie touching these conclusions to the which we doe referre thee and to the which we haue caused thee to sweare laying thy hand vpon a booke as being also otherwise by vs admonished and commaunded to keepe this daye and place by vs appointed for the third time peremptorily to propone such reasonable cause if thou hast any wherefore thou oughtest not to be pronounced an hereticke And sufficiently and lawfully we monish and cite thee the first second and third time and that peremptorily that thou fully and playnely all subtill sophisticall and logicall wordes for apart doe aunswere vnto the same conclusions vnder the payne that vnto such conclusions belong on thy part confessed and that thou for suche conclusions oughtest to suffer whiche monition being thus premised The sayde Archbishop read the first conclusion and of the sayd Iohn inquired what was his opinion and meaning therein and hereupon he said his minde conceâ—ning the foresayd monition Then the foresaid Iohn Asheton being often required by the archbishop that he woulde aunswere in the â—aâ—me tongue to 〈◊〉 questions whiâ—h were demaunded of him because 〈◊〉 lay people that stood about him he crying out into the Englishe tongue vttered friuolous and approbrious 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 and excite the people against the saâ—â— Archbishop as it should seem Neyther did he vnto the fiâ—st conâ—lusion nor vnto any of these other conclusions effectually and pertinently seeme to them to aunswere but rather by the subtilties shiftes saying oftentimes and as expresly as Luke said it was sufficieÌ„t for him to beleue as the holy Church beleued Then the said Archbishop examined him vpon the first conclusion touching the Sacrament of the anâ—â—r whether that after the wordes of consecration there remayneth materiall bread particular bread or vniuersall bread He sayde the matter passed his vnderstanding and therefore said the woulde in that forme and maner aunswere and otherwise not But amongest other things he spake in deriding wise vnto the said Archb. against this worde Materiall saying you may put that in your purse if you haue any Whereupon the said Archbishop calling that an vnwise and foolishe aunswere as the rest of the doctors did of whome mention was made before rather for that he was a graduat in the schooles farther proceeded against the said Iohn Asheton in this wise And thou Iohn Asheton monished and commaunded by vs as is aforesayd after thine oth taken without anye reasonable cause or any other other licence neither wouldest thou nor yet will but refused and yet doest contemptuously to aunswere vnto such conclusions before vs iudicially according to our monition commandement aforesad doe hold all such conclusions by thee confessed thee the foresaid Iohn with all thy said conclusions conuicted And therfore we do pronounce and declare by sentence geuing that thou Iohn Ashton coÌ„cerning those coÌ„clusions which by vs with good deliberation of diuers prelates our suffraganes and also diuers and sondry professours of diuinitie and other wise men and learned in the lawe according to the Canonicall sanctions being condemned and declared for an hereticke and hereticall to haue bene and still is an hereticke and thy conclusions heretical And as touching thy other conclusions by vs hertofore counted erroneous and for erroneous condemned we doe pronounce and declare sententially by these our writinges that both thou hast erred and doest erre Upon the same 20. day of Iune in the yeare and place aboue recited the foresaid Lord of Caunterbury being desirous as he pretended to be informed by Thomas HilmaÌ„ bacheler of diuinitie there being present and somewhat fauouring the said M.
Iohn Asheton what his iudgement opinion was touching the foresaid conclusions prefixed and assigned vnto the said Thomas for that time demaunding the same deliberation and day 8. dayes after that is to say the 28. of the said month that he appeare before the Bishop of Cant. wheresoeuer within his said prouince of Canterbury he should then happen to be to declare playnely and fully what his iudgement and opinion was touching the foresaid conclusions Ex Regist W. Courtney The names of Friers and Doctors assistent at the examination aforesaid Friers Obseruantes Botlesham B. of Nauaton frier Iohn Langley William Suard Friers of Dominickes order Iohn Kyngham Iohn Louey Peter Stokes Walter Dish Friers Carmelites Thomas Ashburn Baukine Robert Walbey Doctors and Fryers Augustines M. Iohn Barnet M. Thomas Backton M. Iohn Blanchard M. Iohn Shillingford M. Lydford M. Thomas Southam The Friday next following that is to say the 28. day of Iune the foresaid M. Nicholas Phillip and Thom. Hilman appeared before the said Archb. and lord Inquisitour of Canterbury in the chappell of his manor of Otfurd in the Dioces of Canterbury there sitting in his Tribunall seat To whom the sayd bishop of Canterbury saying that for because at that time he had not the presence assistence of the doctors in diuinitie and of the Canon and ciuil law He continued the sayd busines touching the sayd Nicholas Phillip and Thomas in the same state wherin theÌ„ it was till Tewesday next immediately ensuing that is to say the first day of Iuly the yeare of the Lord abouesayd and prefixed vnto the said Nicholas Phillip and Thomas Hilman the same day to appeare before him wheresoeuer within his prouince of Caunterb he should then chaunce to be to do that whiche vppon the sayd 28. day they were purposed to doe together or a part Which Tuesday being come the foresaid Archb. in the chiefe house of his Churche at Canterbury before the houre of 9. with the doctours whose names are vnder conteined and other Clerkes a great multitude Expected the foresaid Nicholas Phillip and Thomas longâ—ime by the bedle calling them and looking after them who neuerthelesse appeared not before two of the clocke after dinner the same day continuing the foresayd busines in the pristine state til the same houre At which houre the foresaid Archbishop of Cant. hauing assistentes the doctors clerkes vnder recited examined the foresayd maister Thomas Hilman theÌ„ and there iudicially appearing what his opinioÌ„ was touching the foresayd conclusions who at them and the meaning of them somewhat stammering at last to all and singuler the same conclusions then to him red and expounded thus aunswered I suppose and iudge all singuler those conclusions lately condemned by my Lord of Canterbury that now is together with the couÌ„saile and consent of hys clerkes to be hereticall and erroneous eueÌ„ as the same my Lord of Caunterbury and other doctours of Diuinitie of the Canon and ciuill law by common consent counsaile haue supposed and thought And that the same being for hereesies and errours as before is sayd condemned doe as much as in me is condemne protesting that I will holde and affirme the contrary of those coÌ„clusions in the same sayth liue and dye Then sayd the archbishop of Caunterbury then there sitting as Tribunall or iudge pronouncing the said maisters Nicholas and Phillip long in court called before and taried for and yet not appearing guilty of contumacy and disobedience excommunicated them for the penaltie of this their coÌ„tumacie in tenor of these words following We William by the grace of God archbishop of Caunterbury Primate of Englande Legate of the Apostolicall see and thorough all our prouince of Canterbury of al hereticall prauitie chiefe Inquisitour Do pronounce maister Nicholas Herford and maister Phillip Repingdon professours of diuinitie hauing this day and place by our prefiction appoynted to heart decree in this busines of hereticall prauitie being in Court by our Bedle long called taried for and yet not appearing to be stubburne and disobedient persons and for the penalty of this their contumacie we do excommunicate them and either of them by these presentes * The denouncing of the excommunication agaynst Nicholas Herford and Phillip Reppington WIlliam by Gods permission Archb. of Caunterb c. To our beloued sonne in Christ whosoeuer he be that this instaunt sonday shall preach at Paules crosse in London SalutatioÌ„ grace and blessing For asmuch as we prefixed a certaine competent day and place to maister Nicholes Herford and maister Phillip ReppingtoÌ„ Canon Regular of the Monastery of our Lady of Leicester beyng Doctours of Diuinitie and of heretical prauitie vehemeÌ„tly suspected After certayne aunsweres not fully made but impertinently and nothing to the purpose as also hereticall and erroneous In diuers places of our said prouince commonly generally and publikely taught and preached and therfore that they should iudicially appeare before vs to doe to receaue peremtorily in that behalfe what thing soeuer the quallitie of that busines shoulde moue vnto vs and that we haue for their contumacie in not appearing before vs at that day and place iudicially appoynted as right therein required We by these presentes commaund commit vnto you firmely enioyning you that when all the multitude of people shal be gathered together to heare your sermoÌ„ that in the day and place appoynted you publikely and solemnly denouÌ„ce the foresaid Nicholas Phillip holding vp a crosse and lighting vp a candle and then throwing downe the same vpon the ground to haue bene so and in such maner excommunicated and still be Fare ye well In our Manour house at Lambeth the 13. day of Iuly the yeare of our Lord. 1382. and first yeare of our translation * The Citation agaynst the sayd Nicholas and Phillip WIlliam by the grace of God c. To our welbeloued sonne M. Robbert Rigge chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford salutation c. For as muche as we haue prefixed a competent day and place to M Nicholas Heerford and M. Phillip Reppington c. as before We straightly charge and commaund you that you publiquely and solemnly denounce in the church of our Lady and in the scholes of the Vniuersity the foresayd Nicholas and Phillip to haue bene by vs excommunicated and still is And that you further cite or cause to be cited peremptorily the foresayd Nicholas and Phillip that they and euery of them appeare before vs within 15. dayes after the date of this citation wheresoeuer it shall fortune vs within our sayd prouince of Caunterbury then to be To heare and see how we meane to proceed against them and euery of them concerning the foresayd hereticall and erroneous conclusions according to the forme of retroactions and quallitie of the busines in this behalfe had and vsed And that both of the day of the receipt of this present citation of the maner and forme thereof or
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
sayd Henry was voyde and of none effecte and commaundement geuen that the sayd Henry shoulde be restored and admitted agayne to his former lectures and scholasticall actes and to his pristine state as you knowe To the intent therefore that this decree aforesaid shoulde be more duely executed of your part we heare by these presentes straightly charge and commaund you That you speedily reuoking agayne all your processe against the sayd Henry in the vniuersitie aforesayd with all other that followed thereof doe admitte and cause to be restored agayne the sayd Henry to his scholasticall actes his accustomed lectures and pristine estate without all delay according to the forme of the decree and determination aforesayd Enioyning you moreouer and your commissaries or deputies and your successoures and all other maisters regent and not regent and other presidentes officers ministers and scholers of the vniuersitie aforesayd vpon your faith and legeance you owe vnto vs that you doe not impeache molest or greeue or cause to be greued any maner of way priuy or apertly the sayd Frier Henry for the causes premised or Frier Peter Stokes Carmelite for the occasion of his absence from the vniuersitie or Fryer Stephen PackingtoÌ„ Carmelite or any other religious or secular person fauouring them vpon the occasion of any eyther word or deed whatsoeuer concerning the doctrine of maister Iohn Wickliffe Nicholas Herford and Phillip Repindon or the reprose and condemnation of their herefies and erroures or the correction of their fauourers But that you doe procure the peace vnitie and quiet within the sayd vniuersitie and chiefly betweene the religious and secular persons and that you with all diligence nourishe encrease and preserue the same to the vttermost of your strength And that you in no case omitte to doe it accordingly vppon the forfaytures of all and singular the liberties and priuiledgies of the vniuersitie aforesayd Witnesse my selfe at Westminster the 14. day of Iuly Mention was made as you heard a little before how M. Rigges Vicechancellor of Oxford comming vp wyth M. Bryghtwell to the archb of Cant. was there straightly examined of the conclusions of Wickliffe Where he notwithstanding through the helpe of the B. of Wint. obtayned pardon and was sent away agayn with commaundementes and charges to seeke out all the fauorers of Iohn Wickliffe This commaundement being receaued Nicholas Herford and Phillip Repington being priuily warned by the sayd Vicechauncellor in the meane season coÌ„ueied them out of sight and fled to the Duke of LaÌ„caster for succour help but the Duke whether for feare or what cause els I cannot say in the end forsooke his poore and miserable clientes In the meane time while they were fled thus to the Duke great search and inquisition was made for them to cite and to apprehend them where so euer they might be found Wherupon the archb of W. Courtney directed out his letters first to the Vicechauncellor of Oxford then to the Bishop of London named Rob. Braybrokeâ— charging them not onely to excommunicate the sayd Nicholas and Phillip within their iurisdiction and the sayd excommunication to be denounced likewise throughout all the dioces of his suffraganes but also moreouer that dilligent search and watch should be layd for them both in Oxâ—orde and in LondoÌ„ that they might be apprehended requiring moreouer by them to be certified agayne what they had done in the premisses And thys was written the 14. day of Iuly an 1382. Ex Regist. Vnto these letters receaued from the archbishop dilligent certificat was geuen accordingly as well of the Byshop of London his part as also of the Vicechauncelloâ— the tenour whereof was this * The letter certificatorie of the Vicechauncellor to the Archbishop TO the reuerend father in Christ Lord William Archbishop o Caunterbury Primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolique see Rob. Rigges professour of diuinitie and Vicechancellor of the vniuersitie of Oxforde greeting with due honour Your letters bearing the date of the 14. of Iuly I haue receaued By the authoritie wherof I haue denounced and caused to be denounced effectually the foresayd Nicholas and Phillip to haue bene and to be excommunicate publikely and solemnly in the Church of S. Mary and in the schooles and to be cited also personally if by any meanes they might be apprehended according as you commaunded But after dilligent search layd for them of my part to haue them personally cited and apprehended I coulde not finde neyther the sayd M. Nicholas not M. Phillip who haue hyd or conuayed themselues vnknowing to me as here is well knowne Whereof I thought here to geue signification to your Fatherhoode Sealed and testified with the seale of mine office From Oxford the 25. of Iuly In yâ— meane time Nicholas Herford and Repington being repulsed of the Duke and destitute as was sayde of his supportation whether they were sent or of theyr owne accorde went to the archbish it is vncertayne This I finde in a letter of the foresayd archbishop contayned in his register that Repington the the 23. day of October the same yeare 1382. was reconciled agayne to the Archbishop and also by his generall letter was released and admitted to his scholasticall actes in the vniuersitie And so was also Iohn Ashton of whom Christ willing more shall follow hereafter Of Nicholas Herford all this while I finde no speciall relation In the meane time about the 23. of the month of September the sayd yeare the king sent his mandate to the Archbishop for collecting of a subsidie and to haue a conuocation of the clergie sommoned against the next parliament which should begin the 18. day of Nouember The Archb. likewise on the 15. day of October directed his letters monitorie as the maner is to Robert Braybroke bishop of London to geue the same admonition to al his suffraganes and other of the Clergie within his prouince for the assembling of the conuocatioÌ„ aforesayd All which done and executed the parliameÌ„t begon being holden at Oxford the 18. day of Nouember where the conuocation was kept in the Monastery of Frideswide in Oxforde In the which conuocation the Archbishop with the other bishops there sitting in their Pontificalibus declared two causes of that their present assembly whereby sayth he to represse heresies which began newly in the realme to spring and for correcting other excesses in the Churche The other cause sayd he was to ayde and support the king with some necessary subsidie of mony to be gathered whiche thus declared the conuocation was continued till the day following which was the 19. of Nouember At the sayd day and place the Archbishop with the other Prelates assembling themselues as before The archbishop after the vsed solemnitie willed the procuratoures of the clergy appoynted for euery dioces to consult within themselues in some conuenient seuerall place what they thought for theyr partes touching the redresse of thinges to be notified and
as is sayde in the North came the Earle of Northumberland Lord Henry Percy and Henry his son the Earle of Westmerland Lord Radulph Neuile and other Lordes moe to a great number so that the multitude rose to 60000. able souldiours Who first making towarde the Castle of Bristow tooke the foresayd Busshey Grene Scroupe and Bagot of whom three incontinent were beheaded Bagot escaped away and fled away to Ireland The king in this meane while lying about Wales destitute and desolate without comfort or counsayle who neither durst come to London neyther would any man come to him and perceauing moreouer the commons that were vp in such a great power agaynst hym would rather dye then geue ouer that they had begunne for feare of themselues Seing therforeno other remedy called to him L.T. Percye Earle of Worcester and stewarde of hys household willing him with other of hys family to prouide for themselues in tyme. Who then openly in the hall brake his white rod before them all commaunding euerye man to shift for himselfe Although Fabian and some other say that he did this of hys owne accord contrary to his allegeance The king compassed on euery side with miseryes shifted from place to place the Duke still following him tyll at length being at the Castle of Conewey the king desired to talk with Tho. Arundell archb and the Earle of Northūberland To whom he declared that he woulde resigne vp hys crowne in condition that an honourable liuing might be for hym prouided and life promised to 8. persons such as he would name Which being graunted and ratified but not performed he came to the Castle of Flint where after talke had with the Duke of Lācaster he was brought the same night by the Duke and his armye to Chester And from thence was conueyed secretly into the Tower there to be kept till the next parliament By the way as he came neare to London diuers euil desposed men of the city being warned thereof gathered themselues thinking to haue slayne hym for the great cruelty he had vsed before toward the Citty But by the pollicies of the Mayor and rulers of the Cittie the madnes of the people was stayd Not long after followed the Duke and also began the parliament In which Parliament the Earle of Northumberland with many other Earles and Lords were sent to the king in the Tower to take of him a full resignation according to hys former promise and so they did This done diuers accusations and articles were layd and engrossed agaynst the sayd King to the number of 33. some say 38. which for the matter not greatly materiall in them contayned I ouerpasse And that next yeare after was had to Pomferr Castle and there famished to death King Henry the fourth ANd thus King Richard by common assent being deposed from his rightfull crowne The Duke of Lancaster was led by Thomas Arundell the Archbishop to the feat royall who there standing vp and crossed himselfe on the forehead and the brest spake in wordes as followeth ¶ In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster clayme the Realme of England and the crowne with all the appurtenaunces as I that am descended by right lyne of the bloud comming from that good Lord King Henry the 3. And thorough the right that God of his grace hath sent to me with the helpe of my kinne and of my frendes to recouer the same which was in poynt to be vndone for default of good gouernance and due iustice c. ¶ After which wordes the Archbishop asking the assent of the people being ioyfull of theyr new king took the Duke by the hād placed him in the kingly throne which was an 1399 and shortly after by the foresayd Archbishop he was crowned also for king of England Ex Chron. De Alban The next yeare after followed a Parliament holden at Westminster in which Parliament one will Sautre a good man and a faythfull priest inflamed with zeeale of true Religion required he might be heard for the commoditie of the whole realme But the matter being smelt before by the Byshops they obtayned that the matter should be referred to the conuocation Where the sayd William Sautre being brought before the Byshops and Notaries thereunto appointed the conuocation was differred to the Saterday next ensuing When Saterday was come that is to say the 12. day of February Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterbury in the presence of his Counsayle prouinciall being assembled in the sayd Chapter house agaynst one fyr William Sautre otherwise called Chatris Chaplayne personally then and there appearing by the commaundement of the foresayd archbishop of Caunterbury obiected that the sayd sir William before the Byshop of Norwiche had once renounced and abiured diuers and sondry conclusions heretical and erroneous and that after such abiuration made he publiquely and priuily helde taught preached the same conclusions or els such like disagreeing to the catholique fayth and to the great perill and pernitious example of others And after this he caused such like conclusions holden and preached as is sayd by the sayd Syr William without renunciation then and there to be read vnto the sayd Archbishop by maister Robert Haull Chācellor vnto the sayd byshop in a certayne scrole written in tenour of wordes as followeth Syr William Chatris otherwise called Sautre parish Priest of the Churche S. Scithe the Uirgine in London publiquely and priuily doth holde these conclusions vnder written ¶ In Primis he sayth that he will not worship the crosse on which Christ suffered but onely Christ that suffred vppon the Crosse. 2. Item that he would sooner worship a temporal king then the foresayd wodden crosse 3. Item that he would rather worship the bodyes of the Saintes then the very crosse of Christ on which he hong if it were before him 4. Item that he woulde rather worship a man truely contrite then the crosse of Christ. 5. Item that he is bound rather to worship a man that is predestinate then an aungell of God 6. Item that if any man would visite the monumentes of Peter and Paule or go on Pilgrimage to the Toumbe of S. Thomas or els any whether els for the obtayning of any temporall benefite he is not bounde to keepe hys vowe but that he may distribute the expences of his vowe vpon the almes of the poore 7. Item that euery priest and Deacon is more bound to preach the word of God then to say the canonical houres 8. Item that after the pronouncing of the Sacramental wordes of the body of Christ the bread remayneth of the same nature that it was before neyther doth it cease to be bread To which conclusions or articles being thus read the Archbish. of Caunterb required the same Syr William to aunswere And then the sayd William asked a copy of such articles or conclusions and a competent space to answere vnto the same Whereupon the
wordes spoken And this examination about the sacrament lasted from 8. of the clocke of the same day vntill a 11. of the clock or there aboutes in so much that during all this time the foresaid W. would no otherwise aunswere neyther yet touching the same sacrament receaue catholicke information according to the institution of the popes Church and his Christen fayth Wherefore the sayd Cant. by the counsayle and assent of his whole couent then and there present did promulgate and geue sentence by the mouth of Robert Hall agaynst the same Syr William Sautre being personally present and refusing to reuoke hys heresies that is to say his true doctrine but constantly defending the same vnder the renour of wordes as followeth IN the name of God amen We Thomas by the grace of GOD Archbishop of Caunterbury primate of England and Legate of the sea Apostolicall by the authoritie of God almighty and blessed sainct Peter and Paule and of holy Churche and by our owne authoritie sitting for tribunal or chiefe iudge hauing God alone before your eyes by the counsel and consent of the whole clergy our fellow brethren and suffraganes assistantes vnto vs in this present counsell prouincial by this our sentence diffinitiue do pronounce decree and declare by these presents thee William Sautre otherwise called Chawtrey parish Priest pretensed personally appearing before vs in and vpon the cryme of heresie iudicially and lawfully conuicte as an hereticke and as an hereticke to be punished Which sentence diffinitiue being thus read the foresaid Archb. of Cant. continued in the same prouinciall couÌ„saile till Wednesday next and immediately ensuing to wit the 24. day of the same month of February whiche being expired the bishop of Norwich according to the coÌ„maundement of the said archb of Cant. presented vnto the foresaid William Sawtre by a certayne friend of hys beyng present at the same councell a certayn processe inclosed and sealed with his seal geuing the names of credible witnesses sealed with their seales The tenour whereof followeth in this wise Memorandum that vpon the last day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord. 1399. in the 7. indiction and 10. yeare of the papacie of Pope Boniface the 2. In a certayne chamber within the maner house of the sayd Bish. of Norwich at South Helingham where the register of the sayd Bishop is kept before the houre of 9. in a certayne chappell within the sayd manour situate and the 1. day of May then next and immediately ensuing in the foresayd chamber syr Wil. Chawtris parish priest of the church of S. Margaret in the town of Linne appeared before the Bishop of Norwich in the presence of Iohn de Derlington Archdeacon of Norwich doctor of the decrees Frier Walter Disse and Iohn Rikinghall professors in diuinitie William Carlton doctor of both lawes and W. Friseby with huge Bhridham publike Notaryes and there publikely affirmed and held the conclusions as before is specified All and singuler the premisses the foresayde William affirmed vpon mature deliberation And afterwardes to wit the 19. day of May in the yeare Iudiction and Papacy aforesayd in the chappell within the mannour house of the said Henry Bishop of Norwich situate at South Helingham The foresayd sir William reuoked and renounced all and singuler the foresayd hys conclusions abiuring and correcting all such heresies and errours taking hys oath vpon a booke before the foresayd Henry the Byshop of Norwiche that from that time forward he would neuer preach affirme nor holde priuily nor apertly the foresayd conclusions And that he woulde pronounce according to the appointment of the sayd Bishop the foresayd conclusions to be erroneous and heresies in the parish Churches of Linne and Tilney and in other places at the assignement of the sayd Byshop and farther sware that he would stand to the ordinaunce of the sayd Byshop touching the premisses in the presence of the discrete and worshipfull men afore recited with diuers others moe As concerning the first conclusion that he sayd he wold not worship the Crosse c. he confessed himselfe to haue erred and that the article was erroneous and submitted himselfe Also as touching the second article that he sayde he would rather worship a king c. he confessed himselfe to haue erred and the article to be erroneous and submitted himselfe and so forth of all the rest Then next after this vppon the 25. day of May in the yeare of our Lord aforesayd in the Churchyard of the chappell of S. Iames within the towne of Linne The foresayd William in presence of the foresayd Byshop and clergy and the people of the sayd Towne of Linne standing round about publikely declared in English tongue the foresayd conclusioÌ„s to be erroneous and heresies as was contayned in a certayne scrole And after this the 26. day of May in the yeare abouesayd in the Churche of the Hospitall of S. Iohns in the towne of Linne The sayd Syr William before the sayd Byshop sitting as iudge sware tooke his othe vpon the holy Euangelistes that he would neuer after that time preach openly publiquely the foresayd conclusions nor would heare the confessions of anye of the subiectes of his Dioces of Norwiche without the speciall licence of the sayd Bishop c In the presence of Frier Iohn Smermen M. Iohn Rikinghaie Doctor of Diuinitie W. Carlton Doctor of both lawes and Thomas Bulton officer of the libertie of Linne aforesayd with dyuers others ¶ The tenour of the scrole and recantation IN primis touching the first and second where I sayd that I woulde adore rather a temporall Prince and the liuely bodyes of the sayntes then the wooden croâ—e wherupon the Lord did hang I do reuoke and recant the same as being therein deceaued To this I say that the article is false and erroneous and by false information I held it the whiche I renounce and aske forgeuenes thereof and say that it is a precious relique and that I shall holde it while I liue and that I sweare here I know wel that I erred wroÌ„gfully by false information for I wot well that a deacon or a priest is more bouÌ„d to say his Martins and Houres then to preach for thereto he is bounden by right wherfore I submit me c. Touching that article I know right well that I erred by false information Wherfore I aske forgeuenes As concerning vowes I say that opinion is false and erroneous and by false information I held it for a man is holden to hold his vowe c. To the 7. article I say that I did it by authoritie of Priesthoode where through I knowledge well that I haue gilt and trespassed wherfore I submit me to god and to holy Church and to you father swearing that I shall neuer hold it more The 8. I say that I held it by false and wronge information But now I know well that it is heresie and that bread anone as the word of the sacrament is
of an Accolite Also we Thomas Archb. aforesayd by assent counsel and authority whych vppon thee the foresayd William we haue an Exorcist pretensed in the habite of an Exorcist or holy water clarke being an hereticke twise fallen and by our sentence as is aforesayd condemned we doe degrade depose thee from the order of an Exorcist and in token of thys thy degradation and actuall deposition we take from the booke of coniurations and doe depriue thee of all and singular dignity of an Exorcist Also we Thomas Archbish. aforesayd by assent counsaile and authority as is aboue sayd doe degrade depose thee the foresayde William reader pretensed clothed in the habit of a reader an hereticke twise fallen and by our sentence as is aforesayd condēned from the order of a reader And in token of this thy degradation and actuall deposition we take from thee the booke of the deuine sections that is the booke of the Church legende and doe depriue thee of all and singular maner of dignity of such a reader Item we Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury aforesayd by authority counsaile and assent the which we haue as is aforesaid do degrade and put thee foresayd William Sawtre sexten pretensed in the habite of a sexten and wearing a surplice being an hereticke twise fallen by our sentence difinitiue condemned as aforesaid from the order of a Sexten And in token of thys thy degradation and actuall deposition for the causes aforesayd we take from thee the keyes of the Church doore and thy surplice and doe depriue thee of all and singular maner of commodityes of a doore keeper And also by the authority of omnipotent God the father the sonne and holy ghost and by our authority counsaile assent of our whole councel prouinciall aboue written we do degrade thee and depose thee being heere personally present before vs from orders benefices priuilegies and habite in the church and for thy pertinacie incorrigible we doe disgrade thee before the secular Court of the hygh Constable and marshal of England here being personally present and do depose thee from all and singular clerkely honours and dignities whatsoeuer by these wrytings Also in token of thy degradation and deposition here actually wee haue caused thy crowne and ecclesiastical tonsure in our presence to be rased away vtterly to be abolished lyke vnto the forme of a seculare lay man and here doe put vpon the head of thee the foresayd William the cap of a lay secular person beseeching the court aforesaid that they wil receaue fauourably the sayde William vnto them thus recommitted Thus William Sawtre the seruaunt of Christ being vtterly thrust out of the Popes kingdome and metamorphosed from a clerke to a secular lay man was committed as ye haue heard vnto the secular power Which so done the Byshops yet not heerewith contented cease not to call vpō the king to cause him to be brought forth to spedy execution Whereupon the king ready inough and to much to gratify the cleargy and to retaine their fauours directeth out a terrible decree against the said William Sawtre and sent it to the Maior and Sheriffes of London to be put in execution the tenour wherof here vnder emueth ¶ The decree of the king against William Sawtre THe decree of our soueraigne Lord the king his counsel in the Parliament against a certaine new sprong vp hereticke To the Maior Sheriffs of London c. Where as the reuerend father Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicke sea by the assent consent counsell of other byshops and his brethren Suffraganes and also of all the whole Clergy within his prouince or dioces gathered together in his prouincial counsel the due order of the law being obserued in al poynts in this behalfe hath pronounced and declared by his definitiue sentence W. Sautre somtime chaplain to be fallen again into his most dānable heresy the which before time the sayde W. had abiured thereupon to be a most manifest heretike and therfore hath decreed that he should be disgraded hath for the same cause really disgraded him frō al prerogatiue priuilege of the clergie decreing to leaue him vnto the secular power and hath really so left him according to the lawes canonicall sanctions set forth in this behalfe and also that our holy mother the Church hath no further to do in the premisses We therfore being zelous in religion and reuerent louers of the catholike fayth willing and minding to mainteine defend the holy church the lawes liberties of the same to roote al such errours heresies out of our kingdome of Englād with cōdigne punishmēt to correct punish all heretiques or such as be cōuict Prouided alwaies that both according to the lawe of God mā and the canonical institutions in this behalfe accustomed that such hereticks conuict condēned in forme aforesaid ought to be burned with fire We command you as straigtly as we may or can firmely enioyning you that you do cause the said Williā being in your custody in some publike or opē place within the liberties of your citie aforesaid the cause aforesaid being published vnto the people to be put into the fire and there in the same fire really to be burned to the great horrour of his offence and the manifest example of other Christians Faile not in the execution hereof vpon the perill that will fall thereupon Teste rege apud Westmonast 26. Februar an regni sui ¶ The burning of William Sawtre Thus it may appeare how kinges and princes haue bin blinded and abused by the false Prelates of the Church in so much that they haue bene their slaues and butchers to slay Christes poore innocent members See therefore what danger it is for Princes not to haue knowledge and vnderstanding themselues but to be led by other mens eies specially trusting to such guides who through hipocrisie both deceiue them through crueltie deuour the people As king Henry the fourth who was the deposer of king Richard was the first of all English kings that began the vnmercifull burning of Christes saints for standing against the Pope so was this William Sawtre the true and faithfull martyr of Christ the first of all them in Wickliffes time which I find to be burned in the raigne of the foresaid king which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1400. After the martyrdome of this godly man the rest of the same company began to keepe themselues more closely for feare of the king who was altogether bent to hold with the Popes prelacy Such was the raigne of this Prince that to the godly he was euer terrible in his actions immesurable to few men hartely beloued but Princes neuer lacke flatterers about them Neither was the time of his raigne very quiet but full of trouble of bloud and misery Such was their desire of K.
to the relation of these foresayd coÌ„stitutious of that clergy meÌ„ here coÌ„meth in more to be said and noted touching yâ— foresayd Statute ex Officio to proue the same not onely to be cruell and impious but also to be of it selfe of no force and validitie for the burning of anye person for cause of Religion for the disprofe of whiche statute we haue sufficient authoritie remayning as yet in the parliament Rolles to be seene in her maiesties Courte of Recordes which here were to be debated at large but that vpon speciall occasioÌ„ we haue differed the ampâ—e discourse therof to the cruell persecution of the Lord Cobhame hereafter ensuing as may appeare in the defence of the sayd lord Cobham agaynst Nicholas Happeffield vnder the title and name of Alanus Copus And thus referring them for the examination of this statute to the place aforesaid let vs now returne to Thomas Arundel and his bloudy constitutions aboue mentioned The stile and tenour wherof to the intent the rigour of the same may appeare to all men I thought hereunder to adioyne in wordes as followeth * The constitution of Thomas Arundell agaynst the followers of Gods truth Thomas by the permission of God Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all Englande and Legate of the see Apostolicke To all and singuler our reuerend brethren fellow Bishops and our Suffraganes And to Abbots Priours Deanes of Cathedrall Churches Archdeacons Prouostes and Canons also to all persons vicares chaplaynes Clerkes in Parish Churches and to all lay meÌ„ whome and where so euer dwelling win our prouince of Canterbury greeting grace to stand firmely in the doctrine of the holy mother Church It is a manifest playne case that he doth wrong and iniury to the most reuerend councell who so reuolteth from the thinges being in the sayd Councell once discussed and decided And whosoeuer dare presume to dispute of the supreme or principall iudgment here in earth in so doing incurreth the payne of sacrilege according to the authoritie of ciuill wisedome and and manifest tradition of humayne law Much more then they who trusting to theyr own wittes are so bold to violate and with contrary doctrine to resist and in word and deede to contemne the preceptes of lawes and Canons rightly made and proceeding from the kaybearer and porter of eternall life and death bearing the rowme and person not of pure man but of true God here in earth which also haue bene abserued hitherto and of yâ— holy father 's our predecessoures vnto the glorious effusion of theyr bloud voluntary sprinkling out of theyr braynes Are worthy of greater punishmeÌ„t deseruing quickly to be cut off as rotten members from the body of the Church militent For such ought to consider what is in the old testament written Moses and Aaron among hys Priestes that is were chiefe heads amongst them And in the new Testament among the Apostles there was a certayne difference And though they were all Apostles yet was it graunted of the Lord to Peter that he should beare preeminence aboue the other Apostles And also the Apostles themselues woulde the same that he shoulde be the chiefetayn ouer all the rest And being called Cephas that is head shold be as Prince ouer the Apostles Unto whome it was sayd Thou beyng once conuerted confirme thy brethren as though he wold say If there happen any doubt among them or if anye of them chaunce to erre and stray out of the way of fayth of iust liuing or right conuersation Doe thou confirme and reduce him in the right way againe Which thing no doubt the Lord would neuer haue sayd vnto him if he had not so minded that the rest should be obedient vnto him And yet al this notwithstanding we know and dayly proue that we are sory to speake howe the olde Sophister the enemy of mankinde foreseeing and fearing left that sound doctrine of the church determined from ancient times by the holy forefathers should withstand his malices if it might keep the people of god in vnitie of faith vnder one head of yâ— church doth therfore endeuour by al meanes possible to extirp the sayd doctrine feyning vices to be vertues And so vnder false pretences of veritie dissimuled soweth discorde in catholike people to the intent that some goyng one way some an other He in the meane time may gather to himselfe a Church of the malignant differing wickedly from the vniuersall mother holy church In the which Satan transforming hymselfe into an Angell of light bearing a lying and deceitfull ballaunce in hys haÌ„d pretendeth great righteousnes in contrarying the ancient doctrine of the holye mother church and refusing the traditions of the same determined and appoynted by holy fathers perswading meÌ„ by fayned forgeries the same to be nought and so inducing other new kindes of doctrine leading to more goodnes as he by his lying perswasions pretendeth although he in very truth neither willeth nor mindeth any goodnes but rather that he may sow schismes wherby diuers opinions contrary to themselues being raysed in that Church fayth thereby may be diminished and also the reuerend holy misteries through the same contention of words may be prophaned with Paganes Iewes and other infidels and wicked miscreantes And so that figure in the Apos 6. is well verified speaking of him that sate on the blacke horse bearing a payre of balaunce in hys hand by that which heretiques are vnderstand Who at the first appearaunce lyke to weightes or ballance make as though they would set forth right and iust thinges to allure the hartes of the hearers But afterward appeareth the blacke horse that is to say their intention full of cursed speaking For they vnder a diuers shew and colour of a iust ballance with the tayle of a blacke horse sprinkling abroad heresies and erroures do strike And beyng poysoned themselues vnder colour of good rayse vp infinite slaunders and by certayn persons fitte to doe mischiefe do publish abroad as it were the sugred tast of hony mixt with poyson therby the sooner to be taken working and causing through their slight and subtiltyes that errour shoulde be taken for veritye wickednes for holines and for the true will of Christ. Yea and moreouer the foresayd persons thus picked out do preach before they be sent and presume to sow the seede before the seede discreetely be seperate from the chaffe Who not pondering the constitutions and decrees of the Canons prouided for the same purpose agaynst suche pestilent sowers do preferre sacrifice Diabolicall so to terme it before obedience be geuen to the holy Church militant We therfore considering and weying that error which is not resisted seemeth to be allowed and hee that openeth hys bosome to wyde whiche resisteth not the viper thinking there to thrust out her venome And willing moreouer to shake off the dust from our feete and to see to the honor of our holy mother Church whereby one
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
thus as if he had beâ—e wroth he sayd to one of his clerkes Fetch hether quickly the certification that came to me â—roÌ„ Shrewsbury vnder the 〈◊〉 seale witnessing the errors and heresyes which this Losel hath venunously sowne there Then hastely the clarke tooke out and layde forth on a cupbord diuers rolles and writinges among which there was a litle one which the clarke deliuered to the Archbyshop And by and by the Archbishop read this roll conteyning this sentence The third sonday after Easter the yeare of our Lorde 1407. William Thorpe came vnto the towne of Shrewsbury and thorow leaue graunted vnto him to preache He sayd openly in S. Chaddes church in his sermon that the sacrament of the aulter after the consecration was materiall bread And that images should in no wise be worshipped And that meÌ„ should not go on pilgrimages And that priestes haue no title to tithes And that it is not lawful for to sweare in any wise ¶ And when the Archbishop had red thus this roll he rolled it vp agayne and sayd to me Is this wholesome learning to be among the people ☞ And I sayd to him Sir I am both ashamed on theyr behalf and right sorowful for them that haue certified you these thinges thus vntruelye for I preached neuer nor taught thus priuily nor apertly ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me I will geue credence to these worshipfull men which haue written to me and witnessed vnder theyr scales there amoÌ„g them Though now thou denyest this weenest thou that I will geue credence to thee Thou Losell hast troubled the worshipfull communalty of Shrewsbury so that the Balifes and comminalty of that towne haue writteÌ„ to me praying me that am Archbishop of Cant. primate and Chancellor of England that I will vouchsafe to graunt them that if thou shalt be made as thou art worthy to suffer open iouresse for thine heresies that thou may haue thy iouresse openlye there among them So that all they whome thou and suche other Losels haue there peruerted may thorow feare of thy deed be reconciled agayne to the vnity of holy Church And also they that stand in true fayth of holy Church may thorow thy deed be more established therein And as if this asking well pleased yâ— Archbishop he sayd By my thrift this harty prayer and feruent request shall be thought on But certaynely nother yâ— prayer of the men of Shrewsbury nor the manassing of the Archbishoppe made me any thing afrayd But in rehearsing of this malice and in the hearing of it my hart greatly reioysed yet doth I thank God for the grace that I then thought and yâ—t think shall come to all the Church of God here thorow by the speciall mercifull doing of the Lord. And as hauing no dread of the malice of tyrantes by trusting stedfastly in the helpe of the Lord with full purpose for to knowledge the sothfastnes and to stand therby after my cunning and power I said to the Archbishop Sir if the truth of Gods word might now be accepted as it should be I doubt not to proue by likely euidence that they that are famed to be out of the fayth of holy Church in Shrewsbury in other places also are in the true fayth of holy Church For as theyr wordes found and theyr workes shew to mans iudgement dreading and louing faythfully God theyr will their desire ther loue theyr busines are most set to dread to offend God to loue for to please him in true faythfull keeping of his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes And agayne they that are sayd to be in the faith of holy Church in Shrewsbury in other places by open euidence of their proud enuious malicious couetous lecherous and other foule words workes neither know nor haue wil to know nor to occupy their wits truely and effectuously in the right fayth of holy Church Wherefore all these nor none that folow theyr maners shall any time come verely in the fayth of holy church except they inforce them more truely to come in the way which now they despise For these men and women that are now called faithfull and holden iust nother know nor will exercise theÌ„selfe to know of faythfulnes one commaundement of God And thus full many men and womeÌ„ now and specially meÌ„ that are named to be principall lims of holy church styree God to great wrath deserue his curse for that they call or hold them iust meÌ„ which are full vniust as their vicious wordes their great customable swearing and theyr slaunderous and shamefull works shew openly and witnes And therfore such vicious men vniust in theyr own confusion call them vniust men womeÌ„ which after their power and cunning busy themselues to liue iustly after the coÌ„maundement of God And where sir ye say that I haue distroubled the coÌ„minalty of Shrewsbury many other men and women with my teaching If it this be it is not to be wondred of wise men since all the communalty of that City of Ierusalem was distroubled of Christes own person that was very God and man and most prudent preacher that euer was or shal be And also all the Sinagoge of Nazareth was moued agaynst Christ so fulfilled with ire towards him for his preaching that the men of the Sinagoge rose vp and cast Christ out of theyr City led him vp to the top of a mouÌ„tayn for to cast him down there headling Also accordingly hereto the Lord witnesseth by Moises that he shall put dissention betwixt his people and the people that coÌ„trarieth and pursueth his people Who sir is he that shall preach the truth of Gods word to the vnfaith full people and shall set the sothfastnes of the Gospell and the prophecy of God almighty to be fulfilled ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me It foloweth of these thy wordes that thou and such other thinkest that ye do right well for to preach and teach as ye do without authority of any Bishop For ye presume that the Lord hath choseÌ„ you onely for to preach as faythful disciples and speciall folowers of Christ. ☞ And I sayd Syr by authority of Gods law and also of Sayntes and Doctors I am learned to deme that it is euery Priestes office and duty for to preach busilye freely truely the word of God For no doubt euery Priest should purpose first in his soule couer to take the order of priesthood chiefly for to make knowne to the people the word of God after his cunning and power approuing his words euey to be true by his vertuous works and for this intent we suppose that Bishops other Prelates of holy church should chiefly take and vse their prelacye and for the same cause Bishops should geue to Priestes their orders For Bishops should accept no man to Priesthood except that he had good wil and fâ—â—l purpose were wel disposed and wel learned to preach
Wherfore sir by the bidding of Christ by the example of his most holy liuing also by the witnessing of his holy Apostles and Prophets we are bounde vnder full great payn to exercise vs after our cunning and power as euery Priest is likewise charged of God to fulfil duely the office of priesthood We presume not here of ourselues for to be estemed neither in our owne reputatioÌ„ nor in none other maÌ„s faythful disciples special folowers of Christ. But sir as I sayde to you before we deeme this by authority chiefly of Gods word that it is the chief duety of euery priest to busy theÌ„ faythfully to make the law of God knowne to his people so to commune the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of God charitably how that we may best where wheÌ„ and to whom that euer we may is our very duety And for the will busines that we owe of due debt to do iustly our office through the styrring and speciall helpe as we trust of God hoping stedfastly in his mercy we desire to be the fayth full disciples of Christ and we pray this gracious Lord or his holy name that he make vs able to please him with deuout prayers charitably Priestly works that we may obtaine of him to folow him thankefully ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me Lâ—ud losell whereto makest thou such vayne reasons to me Asuâ—â—h not Saynt Paule how shoulde Priestes preache except they be sent But I sent thee neuer to preache For thy venemous doctrine is so knowne throughout England that no Bishop will admitte thee to preache by witnessing of theyr letters Why theÌ„ lewd Idiot willest thou presume to preach since thou art not sent nor licensed of thy soueraigne to preache Sayth not S. Paul that subiects ough to obey theyr soueraignes and not onely good vertuous but also tiraunts that are vicious ☞ And I sayd to the Archbishop Sir as touching your leâ—ter of licence or other Bishops which ye say we shoulde haue to witnes that we were able to be sent for to preache We know wel that neither you sir nor any other bishop of this land wil grauÌ„t to vs any such letters of licence but if we should oblige vs to you and to other bishops by vnlefull othes for to passe not the bondes and termes which ye sir or other bishops will limit to vs. And since in this matter your termes be some to large some to strait we dare not oblige vs thus to bee bounden to you for to keepe the termes which you will limit to vs as you do to Friers such other Preachers And therefore though we haue not your letter sir nor letters of any other bishops writreÌ„ with inke vpon parchmeÌ„t we dare not therfore leaue the office of preaching to which preaching all Priests after their cunning and power are bouÌ„d by diuers testimonies of Gods law and great Doctors without any mention making of Bishops letters For as mikle as we haue taken vpon vs the office of Priesthood though we are vnworthy thereto we come and purpose to fulfill it with the helpe of God by authority of his own law and by witnesse of great doctors and Sayntes accordingly hereto trusting stedfastly in the mercy of God For that he commauÌ„deth vs to do the office of Priesthood he will be our sufficient letters and witnes if we by example of his holy liuing and teaching specially occupy vs faythfully to do our office iustly yea that people to whom we preach be they faythfull or vnfaythfull shall be our letters that is our witnesse bearers for the truth where it is sowne may not be vnwitnessed For all that are conuerted saued by learning of Gods word by working thereafter are witnes bearers that the trueth and sothfastnesse which they heard and did after is cause of theyr saluation And agayne all vnfaythfull men and women which heard the truth told out to them and would not do therafter also all they that might haue heard the truth would not hear it because that they would not do therafter All these shall beare witnes agaynst themselues the truth which they woulde not heare or els heard it despised to do therafter through theyr vnfaythfulnes is shal be cause of theyr damnation Therfore sir since this aforesayd witnessing of God and of diuers Sayntes and Doctors of al the people good euill suffiseth to al true preachers we thinke that we doe not the office of Priesthood if that we leaue our preaching because that we haue not or may not haue duely Bishops letters to witnesse that we are sent of them to preach This sentence approueth Saint Paul where he speaketh of himselfe of faithfull Apostles and disciples saying thus We need no letters of commendatioÌ„ as some preachers do which preach for couetousnesse of temporall goods and for mens praysing And where ye say Syr that Paule biddeth subiectes obey theyr soueraignes that is soth and may not be denied But there is two maner of soueraignes vertuous soueraignes and vicious tyrauntes Therfore to these last soueraignes neither meÌ„ nor womeÌ„ that be subiect owe to obey in two maners To vertuous soueraignes charitable subiectes owe to obey wilfully and gladly in hearing of their good counsel in coÌ„senting to their charitable biddinges and in working after their fruitfull workes This sentence Paul approueth where he sayth to subiectes Be ye mindefull of your soueraignes that speake to you the word of God follow you the fayth of theÌ„ whose coÌ„uersation you know to be vertuous For as Paul sayth after these soueraignes to whom subiectes owe to obey in following of the maners worke besely in holy studying how they may withstand and destroy vices first in theÌ„selues and after in all their subiectes and how they may best plaÌ„t in them vertues Also these soueraignes make deuout and ferueÌ„t prayers for to purchase grace of God that they and their subiects may ouer all thing dread to offend hym and to loue for to please him Also these soueraignste whoÌ„ Paul biddeth vs obey as it is said before liue so vertuously that all they that will liue well may take of them good example to know to keep the coÌ„maundements of God But in this foresayd wise subiectes ought not to obey nor to be obedient to tyrantes while they are vitious tyrants since their will their counsell their biddinges and theyr workes are so vicious that they ought to be hated lefte And though such tyrantes be maisterfull and cruel in boasâ—ing and manasing in oppressions diuers punishinges S. Peter biddeth the seruauntes of such tyrauntes to obey meekely such tyrantes sufferinges paciently their malitious cruelnes But Peter counselleth not any seruaunt or subiect to obey to any Lord or Prince or soueraign in any thing that is not pleasing to God ¶ And the Archbishop sayd vnto me If a soueraigne byd his subiect do that thing that is
hold with them while he held with them And therefore Malueren said to me I vnderstand and thou wilt take thee to a Priest and shriue thee cleane forsake all such opinions take the penance of my Lord here for the holding teaching of them within short time thou shalt be greatly comforted in this doing ☞ And I sayd to the Clerkes that thus busily counselled me to folow these foresayd men Sirs if these meÌ„ of whom ye counsell me to take example had forsakeÌ„ benefices of teÌ„porall profite of worldly worship so that chey had abseÌ„ted them and eschewed from al occasions of couetousnes of fleshly lustes and had taken upon them simple liuing wilfull pouerty they had herein geuen good example to me and to many other to haue folowed theÌ„ But now since all these foure men haue slaunderously and shamefully done the contrary consenting to receiue and to haue and to hold teÌ„porall benefices liuing now more worldly more fleshly then they did before conforming them to the maners of this world I forsake them herein and in all their foresayd slaunderous doing For I purpose with the helpe of God into remissio of my sinnes and of my â—oule cursed liuing to hate and to flee priuily and apertly to follow these men teaching and counselling whome so euer that I may for to flee eschew the way that they haue chosen to go in which will lead them to the worst end if in conuenient time they repent them not verely forsaking and reuoking opeÌ„ly the flaunder that they haue put and euery day yet put to Christes Church For certayne so open blasphemy and slaunder as they haue spoken and done in their reuoking forsaking of the truth ought not nor may not priuily be ameÌ„ded duely Wherfore sirs I pray you that you busy not for to moue me to follow these meÌ„ in reuoking and forsaking the trueth and sothfastnes as they haue done and yet doe wherein by open euidence they stirre God to great wroth and not onely agaynst themselues but also agaynst all theÌ„ that fauor them or consent to them herein or that communeth with them except it be for their amendement For where as these meÌ„ first were pursued of enemies now they haue obliged them by othe for to slauÌ„der and pursue Christ in his members Wherfore as I trust stedfastly in the goodnes of God the worldly couetousnes and the lusty liuing and the sliding from the truth of these runnagates shall be to me and to many other men and women an example an euidence to stand more stifly by the truth of Christ. For certayne right many men and women doe marke and abhorre the foulnes and cowardnes of these foresayd vntrue men how that they are ouercome stopped wyth benefices and withdrawen from the truth of Gods word forsaking vtterly to suffer therfore bodely persecution For by this vnfaythfull doing and apostasye of them specially that are great lettered men and haue knowledged openly the truth and now either for pleasure or displeasure of tyrauntes haue taken hire and temporall wages to forsake the truth and to hold agaynst it slaundering and pursuing them that couet to followe Christ in the way of righteousnes many men and womeÌ„ therefore are now moued But many mo thorow the grace of God shall be moued hereby for to learne the truth of God and to doe thereafter and to stand boldly thereby ¶ Then the Archbishop sayd to his clerkes Busye you no lenger about him for he and other such as he is are coÌ„sedered together that they will not sweare to be obedient to submit them to prelates of holy church For now since I stoode here his fellow also sent me word that he will not sweare and that this fellow counselled hym that he should not sweare to me And losell in that thing that in thee is thou hast busied thee to lose this young man but blessed be God thou shalt not haue thy purpose of him For he hath forsaken all thy learning submitting him to be buxum obedient to the ordinaunce of holy church and weepeth full bitterly and curseth thee full hartily for the venemous teaching which thou hast shewed to him counselling hym to do thereafter And for thy false counselling of many other him thou hast great cause to be right sory For long time thou hast busied thee to peruert whomsoeuer thou mightest Therfore as many deathes thou art worthye of as thou hast geuen euill counselles And therefore by Iesu thou shalt go thether where Nicoll Harford Thom. Puruay were harbered And I vndertake or this day viij dayes thou shalt be right glad for to doe what thing that euer I did thee to do And Losell I shal assay if I can make thee there as sorowfull as it was tolde me thou wast glad of my last goyng out of England By S. Thomas I shall turne thy ioy into sorow ☞ And I sayd Syr there can no body proue lawfully that I ioyed euer of the maner of your going out of this land But Syr to say the soth I was ioyfull when ye were gone for the bishop of London in whole prison ye left me found in me no cause for to hold me lenger in his prisoÌ„ but at the request of my freÌ„des he deliuered me to them asking of me no maner of submitting ¶ Then the archbishop sayd to me Wherefore that I yede out of England is vnknowne to thee But be this thinge well knowne to thee that God as I wote well hath called me agayn and brought me into this land for to destroy thee and the false sect that thou art of as by God I shall pursue you so narowly that I shall not leaue a slip of you in this land ☞ And I sayd to the archbishop Syr the holy Prophette Ieremy sayd to the false Prophet Anany When the word that is the prophecy of a Prophet is knowne or fulfilled then it shal be knowne that the Lorde sent the Prophet in trueth ¶ And the Archbishop as if he had not bene pleased with my saying turned him awayward hether and thether and sayd By GOD I shall set vpon thy shinnes a payre of pearles that thou shalt be glad to chaunge thy voyce These and many moe wonderous and conuicious wordes were spoken to me manassing me and al other of the same sect for to be punished and destroyed vnto the vttermost And the Archbishop called then to him a Clerke and rowned with him and that Clerk went forth and soone he brought in the Constable of Saltwoode Castle and the Archbishop rowned a good while with him And then the Constable went forth and then came in diuers seculars they scorned me on euery side manassed me greatly And some counselled the Archbishop to burne me by and by some other counselled him to drowne me in the Sea for it is neare hand there And a Clerke standing beside me there kneeled
passion Sonday which was an exceding stormy day and so tēpestuous that many did wonder at the portent thereof not long after the same a parliament began to be called to be holden after the feast of Easter at Westminster An. 1413. At whych time Thomas Arundel the Archbishop of Canterburie collected in Paules church at London an vniuersal Synode of all the bishops and clergie of England In that Synode among other weighty matters and ponderous was determined that the day of S. George and also of S. Dunstane should be double feast called Duplex Festum in holy kitching in holy Church I would say And because the order and maner of those Pope holy feastes either yet is not sufficiently knowen to some rude and grosse capacities or may peraduenture growe out of vse and to be straunge vnknowen to our posteritie hereafter Therfore to geue a litle memorandum therof by the way for eruditiō of times hereafter to come touching this misticall science of the Popes deepe and secreate diuinitie here is to be noted that the feastes of the Popes holy mother Catholique churche be deuided in sondry members Like as a plentifull roote in a fruitfull fielde riseth vp and burgeneth into manifold armes and the armes againe do multiply into diuers and sondry brāches out of the which moreouer although no frute do come yet both leaues and flowers doe bud and blossome in most copious wise right beautifull to beholde Euen so thys Festum conteinyng a large matter of great variety of dayes and feasts groweth to it selfe and multiplieth being thus deuided first into Festum duplex and into Festum simplex that is into feast double and to feast simple Againe thys Festum duplex brauncheth foure folde wise to wit into Festum principale duplex into Maius duplex into Minus duplex and infernis duplex that is in principal double in greater double in lesser double and inferior or lower double Unto these seneual sorts of feasts what daies were peculiarly assigned it were to long to recite For this present purpose it shall suffice to vnderstand that as vnto the principall double feast onely belonged 8. daies in the yere so the Maius duplex festum had geuen vnto him by thys conuocation the day of S. George and of S. Dunstane as is afore remembred albeit by constitution it was so decreed yet by custome it was not so vsed Item to be noted that these two feastes to witte Principale duplex and Maius duplex did differ and were knowen from all other by foure notes by seruice in the kitching and by seruice in the Church which was both double by ringing in the steple which was with double peale by copes in the quier and by thurifyeng or censing the aultares For in these two principall and greater double feasts the vii viii and ix lesson must be read wyth silken copes Also at the said feasts in the time of the lessons the altars in the church must be thurified that is smoked with incēse c. And likewise the Minus duplex and Inferius duplex had also their peculiar seruice to them belonging Secondly the Simplex festum whych is the seconde arme springing of this diuision is thus diuided Eyther hauing a triple inuitorie or a double or els a single inuitorie Of the which moreouer some haue 3. lessons some haue 9. c. And thus much by occasion for Popish feasts not that I doe so much deride them as I lament that so much and manifest idolatry in them is committed to the great dishonor of our Lord our God whych is onely to be honoured ¶ The trouble and persecution of the Lord Cobham BUt to lette this by matter passe againe to returne to the foresayde vniuersal Synode assembled by Thomas Arundel at S. Paules churche in London as is before remembred the chiefe and principall cause of the assembling thereof as recordeth the Chronicle of S. Albones was to represse the growing and spreading of the Gospell and especially to withstand the noble worthy Lorde Cobham Who was then noted to be a principall fauourer receiuer and maintainer of them whome the Byshop misnamed to be Lollards especially in the diocesses of London Rochester and Hereforde setting them vp to preache whome the byshops had not licensed and sending thē about to preach which was against the constitution prouinciall before remembred pag. 5 24. holding also and teaching opinions of the sacraments of images of pilgrimage of the keyes and church of Rome contrary and repugnant to the receiued determination of the Romish church c. In the meane time as these were in talke amōgst them concerning the good Lord Cobham resorted vnto them the 12. Inquisitors of heresies whom they had appoynted at Oxford the yeare afore to searche out heretickes wyth all Wickleffes bookes who brought 200. and 46. conclusions which they had collected as heresies out of the sayd bookes The names of the sayd Inquisitors were these 1. Iohn Witnam a maister in the now Colledge 2. Iohn Langedon Monke of Christ church in Cant. 3. William Vfford regent of the Carmelites 4. Thomas Claxton regent of the Dominickes 5. Robert Gilbert 6. Richard Earthisdale 7. Iohn Lucke 8. Richard Snedisham 9. Richard Flemming 10. Thomas Rotborne 11. Robert Ronbery 12. Richard Grafdale These things thus done the Articles being brought in further they proceded in their communication concluding among themselues that it was not possible for them to make whole Christes coat wtout seame meaning therby their patched Popish synagoge vnlesse certaine great men were brought out of the way which seemed to be the chiefe maintainers of the sayde Disciples of Wickleffe Among whō thys noble knight sir Iohn Didcastle the Lord Cobham was complained of by the generall proctors to be the chiefe principall Him they accused first for a mighty maintainer of suspected preachers in the dioces of London Rochester and Hereford contrary to the mindes of their ordinaries Not only they affirmed him to haue sēt thether the saide preachers but also to haue assisted them there by force of armes notwithstanding their Synodall constitution made afore to the contrary Last of al they accused him that he was farre otherwise in beliefe of the sacrament of the altar of penaunce of pilgrimage of image worshipping and of the Ecclesiastical power then the holy Church of Rome had taught many yeares before In the ende it was concluded among them that wtout any further delay processe shoulde be awarded out against him as against a most pernitious hereticke Some of that felowship which were of more crafty experience then the other thought it not best to haue that matter so rashly handled but by some preparation made therunto before Considering the sayde Lorde Cobham was a man of great birth and in fauour at that time with the K. their counsaile was to know first the kings minde to saue all things vpright This counsaile was well
their subtile sophistry Neither will I in conscience obey any of you all till I see you with Peter follow Christ in conuersation Then reade the doctor againe The 4. point is this Holy Churche hath determined that it is meritorious to a Christen man and to go on pilgrimage to holy places And there specially to worship the holy reliques and images of saintes Apostles Martirs Confessours and all other saintes besides approued by that Church of Rome Sir what say ye to this Wherunto he 〈◊〉 I owe them no seruice by any commaundement of god and therefore I minde not to seeke them for your couetousnes It were best ye swepte them faire from copwebs and dust and so layde them vp for catching of scathe Or els to bury them fayre in that groūd as ye do other aged people which are Gods Images It is a wonderfull thing that sayntes now being dead shoulde become so couetous and needy and thereupon so bitterly beg which all the life time hated al couetousnesse and begging But this I say vnto you and I would all that world should mark it That with your shrines and Idols your fained absolutions and pardons ye draw vnto you the substaunce wealth and chiefe pleasures of all christen realmes Why sir said one of the clerkes will ye not worshippe good images What worship should I geue vnto them said the Lord Cobham Then said Frier Palmer vnto him Sir will ye worship the crosse of Christ that he died vpon Where is it sayd the Lord Cobham The Frier said I put you the case sir that it were here euen now before you The Lord Cobham aunswered This is a great wise man to put me an earnest question of a thinge and yet he himselfe knoweth not where the thing it selfe is Yet once againe I aske you what worship I should do vnto it A clerke said vnto him Such worship as Paule speaketh of and that is this God forbid that I should ioy but onely in the crosse of Iesu Christ. Then said the Lord Cobham and spread his armes abroad This is a very crosse yea and so muche better then your Crosse of wood in that it was created of God Yet will not I seeke to haue it worshipped Then sayd the bishop of London Sir ye wote well that he died on a materiall crosse The Lord Cobham said and I wote also that our saluation came not in by that materiall crosse but alone by him which died therupon And well I wote that holy S. Paule reioyced in none other crosse but in christes passion and death onely and in his owne sufferinges of like persecution with him for the same selfe veritie that he had suffered for afore An other clerk yet asked him Will ye then do none honour to the holy crosse He answered him Yes if he were mine own I would lay him vp honestly and see vnto him that he shoulde take no more scath abroad nor be robbed of his goodes as he is now a dayes Then sayd the Archbish. vnto him Sir Iohn ye haue spoken here many wonderfull wordes to the slaunderous rebuke of the whole spiritualtie geuing a great euil example vnto the common fort here to haue vs in the more disdaine Much time haue we spent here about you and al in vaine so far as I can see Well we must nowe be at this short point with you for the day passeth away Ye must otherwise submit your selfe to the ordinaunce of holy church or els throw your selfe no remedy into most deepe daunger See to it in time for anone it will be els to late The Lord Cobham sayd I know not to what purpose I should otherwise submit me Muche more haue you offended me then euer I offended you in thus troubling me before this multitude Then said the archbishop again vnto him we once agayne require to remember your selfe well to haue none other maner opinion in these matters then the vniuersall faith and beliefe of the holy church of Rome is And so like obedient childe returne agayne to the vnitie of your mother See to it I say in time for yet ye may haue remedy where as anone it will be to late The Lord Cobham sayd expresly before them all I wil none otherwise beleue in these poyntes then that I haue told ye here afore Do with me what ye will Finally then the archbishop sayd wel then I see none other but we must needes doe the lawe we must proceede forth to the sentence dissinitiue and both iudge you condemne you for an hereticke And with that the Archb. stood vp and read there a bill of his condemnation all the clergy and laity vayling theyr boners And this was the tenour therof * The diffinitiue sentence of hys condemnation IN the name of God So be it We Thomas by the sufferaunce of God Archbishop of Caunterbury Metropolitane and primate of al England and Legate from the apostolicke see of Rome willeth this to be knowne vnto all men In a certayne cause of heresy and vpon diuers articles wherupon sir Iohn Oldcastle knight and Lord Cobham after a diligent inquisition made for the same was detected accused and presented before vs in our last conuocation of all our prouince of Caunterbury holden in the Cathedrall Church of Paules at London At the lawfull denouncement and request of our vniuersal Clergy in the sayd conuocation we proceded agaynst him according to the law God to witnes with al the sauour possible And following Christes example in all that we might which willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue we tooke vpon vs to correcte him and sought all other wayes possible to bring him againe to the churches vnitie declaring vnto him what the holy vniuersal church of Rome hath sayd holden determined and taught in that behalf And though we founde him in the Catholicke fayth farre wyde and so stifnecked that he would not confesse hys error nor purge himself nor yet repent him therof We yet pittieng him of fatherly compassion and intirely desiring the health of his soule appoynted hym a competent tyme of deliberation to see if he wold repent and seek to be reformed but since that time we haue foūd him worse and worse Considering therefore that he is not corrigible we are driuen to the very extremitie of the lawe and wyth great heauines of hart we nowe proceede to the publication of the sentence diffinitiue agaynst him Then brought he foorth an other bill conteyning the sayd sentence and that he read also in his beggerly Latine Christi nomine inuocato ipsumque solum prae oculis habentes Quia per acta inactitata and so forth Whiche I haue also translated into Englishe that men may vnderstand it Christ we take vnto witnesse that nothing els we seeke in this our whole enterprise but his onely glory For as
be noted at written by Nicholas Clemangis oâ— a certayne spirite which ruled the Popish Councelles hys worde are these The same pope called a CouÌ„cell at Rome about foure yeares before at the earnest sute of diuers men And a mas of the holy Ghost being sayd at the entraunce into the sayd Councell according to the accustomed maner the Councell being set and the sayde Iohn sitting highest in a chayre prepared for him for that purpose Behold a ougly dread full Owle or as the common prouerbe is the euill signe of some mischaunce of death to followe comming out of the backe halfe of him flew to and fro with her euill fauoured voyce and standing vpon the middle beame of the church cast her staring eyes vpon the Pope sitting the whole coÌ„pany began to maruell to see the night Crowe whiche is wont to abide no light how she should in the midday come in the face of such a multitude iudged not without cause that it was an illfauored token For beholde sayde they whispering one in on others eare the spirite appereth in the shape of an Owle And as the stoode beholding one an other and aduising the pope scarcely could keep their couÌ„tenaunce from laughter Iohn himselfe vppon whom the Owle stedfastly looked blushing at the matter beganne to sweate and to fret and fume with himselfe and not finding by what other meanes he might salue the matter being so confused dissoluing the Councell rose vp and departed After that there followed an other session In the whiche the Owle again after the maner aforesayd although as I beleue not called was present looking sâ—edfastly vpon the bishop whom he beholding to become agayne was more ashamed then he was before and iustly saying he could no longer abide the sight of her commauÌ„ded that she should be driuen away with battes and shottinges but she being aâ—rayde neither with their noyse neither of any thing els would not away vntill that with the strokes of the sticks which were throwne at her she fell downe dead before theÌ„ all This I learned of a faythfull frend who at the same time came to Rome the which thing I scarsely crediting for the rarenes of the matter he affirmed by his othe that it was most certayn true adding moreouer that all there present were much offeÌ„ded did greatly deride that CouÌ„cell called for such a purpose and by little and litle the CouÌ„cel was dissolued nothing done ther as he saith Although it hath not bene alwayes seene that such spirituall Doues haue bene present with Popes and their Councels gouerned theÌ„ yet their euill doctrine declareth no lesse Read gentle reader the booke of Clemangis and thou shalt not thinke thy labor euill bestowed For he hath both learnedly truely freely and godly bewayled the filthines of Antichrist and his ministers their wickednes impiety and cruelty and the miserable state and face of the Church c. And thus much for Pope Iohn ¶ The Councell of Constance HEre by the way is to be noted and vnderstand that during all this time of Pope Iohn there were 3. Popes raigning together neither was yet the the schisme ceased which so long time had continued the space as I sayde of 29. yeares By the reason wherof a generall Councel was ordeined holden at Constance in the same yeare an 1414. being called by Sigismund the Emperor and Pope Iohn the 23. for the pacifiyng of the foresayd schisme which was then betweene three Popes striuing for the Popedome The first whereof was Iohn whom the Italians set vp The second was Gregory whom the Frenchmen set vp The third was Benedict whom the Spaniardes placed In this schismaticall ambitious conflict euery one defended his Pope to the great disturbans of christian nations This councell endured foure yeares long wherin all their matters were decided most by foure natioÌ„s to say the English Germaine French Italian nation Out of which â—oure nations were apoynted chosen foure Presidentes to iudge and determine the matters of the Councell The names of which Presidentes were these Iohn the Patriarke of Antioche for Fraunce Anthony Archbishop of Rigen for Italy Nicholas Archbishoppe of Genesuensis for Germany and Nicholas Bishop of Bathe for England by whom many great and profitable things to the glory of God and publike profit might haue bene concluded if the rotten flesh of the churchmen could haue bidden the salt of the Gospell and if they had loued the truth but as Gregogorius Nazienzenus writeth there lightly come few generall Councels but they end more with disturbance then tranquility So it happened in this councell for wheras Iohn the 13. in the first Session exhorteth them by these wordes taken out of the 8. of Zachary Viritatem diligite that is to say Lone the truth further monishing them and specially the Deuines euery man to do his endeuour for the vnitye of the Church and to speake their minde freely but howe soone this his exhortation was forgotteÌ„ it appeared shortly after by the despising of the Prophetes and persecuting of Christ in his meÌ„bers as by the grace of Christ shall appeare hereafter in the processe of this story First this Iohn did resigne his Papacy the Emperor geuing him thankes kissed his feet Afterward the sayd Iohn repenting him that he had so done sought meanes to flee whereunto Fredericke Duke of Austrich did assist him for he chaunging his garments fled by night with a small coÌ„pany And when he was now come vnto Schaffe house to goe into Italy the Emperour pursuing tooke him and proclaymed Fredericke traytour for that cause tooke away certayne Cittyes from him At the last the matter was appeased vnder this coÌ„dition that Fredericke should require grace of the Emperour and resigne all his possessions vnto him WherupoÌ„ the Emperor receiued him againe into fauor restored him to his dukedome This pope being thus deposed was committed vnto the County Pallatine and by him caried to the Castle of Manheime where he was kept prisoner by the space of 3. yeares Afterward he was agayne by Pope Martine admitted to the number of Cardinals This Pope Iohn was deposed by the decree of yâ— couÌ„cell more then 40. most greuous and haynous crimes being obiected and proued agaynst him as that he had hyred Marcilus Permensis a Phâ—sition to poyson Alexander his predecessour Further that he was an heretick a simoniake a lyer an hipocrite a murderer an inchauÌ„ter a dice-player an adulterer and a sodomite finally what crime is it that he was not infected withall And now to returne vnto the councell first we wil declare the order of their Sessions with things therin concluded in generall then we will Christ willing adioyne the speciall tractation of such matters as perteyne to the story of the Bohemians and Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage who in the same vngodlye councell were condemned and burned This councell therfore of Constance which was
which were spoken of a litle before who euery mā for himselfe affirmed with an othe that which he had said Amongest whom Iohn Protyway parishe priest of S. Clemēts in Prage whē he should come to confirme his testimony added more that Iohn Hus should say that S. Gregory was but a rimer whē he did alleadge his athoritie against him Unto whō Iohn Hus answered that in this point they did him great iniury for somuch as he alwaies esteemed and reputed S. Gregory for a most holy doctor of the Church These contentions and disputations being somewhat appeased the Cardinall of Florence turned himselfe toward Iohn Hus said Maister you know well inough that it is written that in the mouth of two or three witnesses all witnes is firme and stable and heere you see nowe almost 20. witnesses against you men of authority worthy of credite amongst the whych some haue hearde you teach these things themselues the other by report common brute or voice do testify of your doctrine and altogether generally bring firme reasons proofes of theyr witnesse vnto the which wee are forced constrained to geue credite and for my part I see not howe you can maintaine defend your cause against so many notable wel learned men Unto whom Iohn Hus answered in this maner I take God and my conscience to witnes that I neuer taught any thing neither was it euer in my minde or fantasie to teach in such sort or maner as these men here haue not feared to witnesse against me that which they neuer hearde And albeit they were as many more in nūber as they are for all that I do much more esteme yea and wtout comparison regard the witnes of my Lord God before the wytnes and iudgement of al mine aduersaries vpon whom I do in no poynt stay my selfe Then sayde the Cardinall againe vnto him it is not lawfull for vs to iudge according to your conscience for we can not chuse but that wee must nedes stay our selues vpon the firme euident witnes of these men heere For it is not for any displeasure or hatred that these men do witnes thys against you as you doe alleadge for they alleadge and bring foorth suche reasons of their witnesse that there is no man that can perceyue any hatred in them or that we can in any case be in dout thereof And as touching M. Steuen Paletz whereas you say you do suspect him that he hath craftly deceitfully drawen out certaine poyntes or articles out of your books for to betray them afterward It semeth that in this point you do hym great wrong for in myne aduise he hath vsed and shewed a great fidelitie and amitie towarde you in that he hathe alleuiated and moderated many of your articles much more then they are in your owne bookes I vnderstand also that you haue like opinion of diuers other notable men and specially you haue sayd that you do suspect M. Chauncellour of Paris then whome there is no more excellent and Christian man in all the whole world Then was there read a certayne article of accusation in the which it was alledged that Iohn Hus had taught obstinately defended certayne erroneous Articles of Wicliffes in Boheme Whereunto Hus answered that he neuer taught any erroures of Iohn Wickliffes or of anye other mans Wherefore if it be so that Wickliffe haue sowed any errours in England let the English men look to the themselues But to confirme theyr article there was alleaged that Iohn Husse did withstande the condemnation of Wickliffes articles the which was first condemned at Rome afterward also whē the Archb. Swinco with other learned men held a conuocation at Prage for the same matter when as they should haue bene there condemned for this cause that none of them were agreeing to the Catholicke faith or doctrine but were either hereticall erroneous or offensiue he aunswered that he durst not agree thereunto for offending hys conscience and specially for these Articles that Siluester the pope and Cōstantine dyd erre in bestowing those gret gifts rewards vpō the church Also that the pope or Priest being in mortall sinne can not consecrate nor baptise This article said he I haue thus determined as if I should say that he doth vnworthely consecrate or Baptise when as he is in deadly sinne and that he is an vnworthy minister of the Sacramentes of God Here his accusers with their witnesses were earnest and instant that the article of Wickliffe was written by the very same wordes in the treatise which Iohn Husse made agaynst Stephen Paletz Uerely said Iohn Husse I feare not to submit my selfe euen vnder the daunger of death if you shall not find it so as I haue sayd When the book was brought forth they founde it written as Iohn Husse had sayd He added also moreouer that he durst not agree vnto them which had condemned Wickliffes articles for this Article the tenthes were pure almes Here the Cardinal of Florence obiected vnto him this argument as touching the almes it is required that it shold be geuē freely without bond or duety But tenthes are not geuen freely without bond or duety therefore are they no almes Iohn Hus denying the Maior of this Sillogismus brought this reason agaynst him For somuch as rich men are bounden vnder the payne of eternall damnation vnto the fulfilling of the 6. works of mercy which Christ repeteth in the 25. chap. of Mathew and these workes are pure almes Ergo almes is also geuen by bond duety Then an Archbishop of Englād stepping vp sayd if we all be boūd vnto those 6. workes of mercy it doth followe that poore men which haue nothing at al to geue should be damned I answere sayd Husse vnto your antecedent that I spake distinctly of rich men and of those which had where withall to doe those workes they I say were bound to geue almes vnder payne of damnation He answered moreouer vnto the Minor of the first argument that tenthes were at first geuen freely and afterward made a bond and duetie And when as he woulde haue declared it more at large he could not be suffered He declared also diuers other causes why he coulde not with safe conscience consent vnto the condemnatiō of Wickliffes articles But how soeuer the matter went he did affirme say that he did neuer obstinately confirme any Articles of Wickleffes but only that he did not alow and consent that Wickliffes Articles should be condemned before that sufficient reasons were alleadged out of the holy Scripture for theyr condemnation of the same minde saith Iohn Hus are a great many other Doctors and maysters of the Uniuersitie of Prage For when as Swinco the archbishop commanded all Wickliffes bookes to be gathered together in the whole City of Prage and to be brought vnto him I my self brought also certayn books of Wickliffes which I
sought to by pilgrimages neither is it lawfull for Christians to bow theyr knees to them neither to kisse them nor to geue them any maner of reuerence For the which Articles the Archbishoppe with other Bishops and diuers learned commoning together first condemned the bookes as hereticall and burned them in fire and then because they thought the said Iohn Claydon to be forsworne and fallen into heresy the Archbishop did proceed to his definitiue sentence against the said Iohn personally appearing before him in iudgement his coÌ„fessions being read and deposed against him after this maner IN the name of God Amen We Henry by the grace of GOD Archbishop of Caunterbury primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicke sea in a certayne cause of hereticall prauity of relapse into the same wherupon I. Claidon lay man of the prouince of Caunterbury was detected accused and denounced in the sayd our prouince of Caunterbury publickely defamed as by publick fame and common report notoriously to vs hath bene known first sitting in iudgement seat obseruing all things lawfully required in this behalfe do proceed to the pronouncing of the sentence definitiue in forme as followeth The name of Christ being inuocated onely set before our eies forasmuch as by the actes and thinges enacted producted exhibited and confessed before vs also by diuers signes euidences we haue found the said Iohn Claydon to haue bene and to be publickly and notoriously relapsed agayne into his former heresye heretofore by him abiured according to the merites and desertes of the sayd cause being of vs diligently searched weyed and pondered before to the inteÌ„t that the sayd I. Claidon shall not infect other with his scab by the consent and assent of our reuerend brethreÌ„ Richard Bishop of LoÌ„don Iohn Bishop of Couentry and Liechfield Steuen Bishop of S. Dauids and of other Doctors as well of diuinity as of both lawes and also of other discreet and learned men assisting vs in this behalfe do iudge pronounce and declare the sayd I. Claydon to be relapsed agayne into his heresy which he before did abiure finally and definitiuely appoynting him to be left vnto the secular iudgement and so do leaue him by these presentes Thus Iohn Claidon receiuing his iudgement condemnation of the Archbishop was committed to the secular power and by them vniustly vnlawfully was coÌ„mitted to the fire for that the teÌ„porall magistrate had no such law sufficient for them to burne any suche man for religion condeÌ„ned of the prelats as is aboue sufficiently proued declared pag. 523. But to be short Quo iurè quaque iniuria Iohn Cleydon notwithstanding by the temporall magystrats not loÌ„g aâ—ter was had to smithfield where meekely he was made a burnt offering vnto the Lord. an 1415. The burning of Iohn Claydon and Richard Turming Robert Fabian and other Chronologers which folow him adde also that Richard Turming Baker of whome mention is made before in the examination of Iohn Claydon was likewise the same time burned with him in smithfield Albeit in the Register I finde no sentence of condemnation geuen against the sayd Turming neither yet in the story of S. Albons is there any such metioÌ„ of his burning made but only of the burning of Iohn Claydon aforesaid wherfore the iudgement hereof I leaue free to the reader Notwithstanding concerning the sayd Turming thys is certaine that he was accused vnto the bishops no doubt was in their handes bands What afterward was done with him I refer it vnto the authors The next yeare after the burning of these two aforesaid and also of Iohn Hus being burnt at Constaunce whiche was an 1416. the Prelates of England seing the dayly increase of the Gospell and fearing the ruine of theyr papall kingdome were busily occupied with all theyr counsel and diligence to mayntayne the same Wherefore to make their state and kingdome sure by statutes lawes constitutions and terrour of punishment as Thomas Arundell and other Prelates had done before so the forenamed Henrye Chichesley Archbishop of Canterbury in his conuocation holden at London maketh another constitutioÌ„ as though there had not enough bene made before agaynst the poore Lollardes the coppy and tenor wherof he sendeth abroad to the bishop of London and to other his Suffraganes by them to be put in straight execution conteyning in words as foloweth HEnry by the grace of God Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Legate of the chiefest seat to our reuereÌ„d brother in the Lord Richard by the grace of God bishop of London health brotherly loue with continuall increase Lately in our last conuocation in Sayncte Paules Church in London being kept by you and other our brethren and clergy of our prouince we do remember to haue made this order vnderwritten by your consentes When as among many other our cares this ought to be chiefe that by some meanes we take those heretickes whiche like foxes lurke hide theÌ„selues in the Lordes vineyard that the dust of negligeÌ„ce may be vtterly shakeÌ„ from our feete and from the feete of our fellow brethren In thys the sayd conuocation of the Prelats and clergy we haue ordeined and that our fellowe brethren our Suffraganes and Archdeacons of our prouince of Canterbury by theÌ„selues their Officials or Commissaryes in all their iurisdictioÌ„s euery of their charges in theyr country twise euery yere at the least do diligeÌ„tly enquire of such persons as are suspect of heresy And that in euery suche their Archdeaconries in euery parish wherin is reported any hereticks to inhabit they cause three or more of the honestest meÌ„ and best reported of to take their othe vpon the holy Euangelist that if they shall knowe or vnderstand any frequenting either in priuy conueÌ„ticles or els deferring in life or maners froÌ„ the common conuersation of other Catholick men or els that holde any either heresyes or errors or els that haue any suspected bookes in the English tong or that do receiue any such persons suspect of heresyes and errours into theyr houses or that be fauorers of them that are inhabitants in any such place or conuersant with them or els haue any recourse vnto them they make certificats of those persons in writing with all the circumstances wherewith they are suspect vnto the said our Suffraganes or Archdeacons or to theyr Commissaryes so soone with as much speede as possibly they can And that the sayd Archdeacon and euery of their Commissaryes aforesayd do declare the names of all such persons denounced together with all the circuÌ„staÌ„ces of theÌ„ the dioces places secretly vnder theyr seales do send ouer vnto vs the same And that the same diocessans effectually direct forth lawfull proces agaynst them as the quality of the cause requireth that with all diligence they discerne define and execute the same And if perhaps they leaue not such persons
listed These thinges thus being done and the tumult ceased after three dayes Mahometes the Turke entreth into the Citie and first calling for the heades and auncientes of theÌ„ Citie such as he found to be left aliue he commaunded the to be mangled and â—ut in peeces It is also sayth my author reported that in the feastes of the Turks honest matrones and virgins and such as were of the kinges stocke after other coâ—umeties were he 〈◊〉 and cut in peeces for their disport And this was the end of that princely and famous 〈◊〉 of Constantinople beginning first by Constantinus and ending also with ConstaÌ„tinus which for the princely royalty therof was named and euer honoured from the time of the first Constantine equally with the City of Rome called also by the name thereof new Rome so continued the space of 1120. yeares I pray God that olde Rome may learne of new Rome to take heed and beware by tyme. This terrible destruction of the Citty of Constantinople the Queene of Cittyes I thought here to describe not so much to set forth the barbarous cruelty of these filthy rake hels and mercilesse murtherers as specially for this that we being admonished by the dolefull ruine and misery of these our euen christened may call to minde the plagues miseryes deserued whiche seeme to hang no lesse ouer our owne heades and thereby may learne betime to inuocate and call more earnestly vpon the name of our terrible and mercifull God that he for his sonnes sake will keepe vs preserue his church among vs and mitigate those plagues and sorrowes whiche we no lesse haue deserued then these aboue minded before vs. Christ graunt it Amen Ex hist. Wittenbergica Peucer The history of Reynold Peeocke Byshop of Chichester afflicted and imprisoned for the Gospell of Christ. AFter the death of Henry Chichisley before mentioned pag. 657. next succeeded Iohn Stafford an 1445. who continued 8. yeares After hym came Iohn Kempe ann 1453. who sate but three yeares Then succeeded Thomas Burschere In the time of which Archbishop fell the trouble of Reynold Pecocke Bishop of Chichester afflicted by the Popes Prelates for hys fayth and profession of the Gospell Of this Byshoppe Halle also in his Chronology toucheth a little mention declaring that an ouerthwart iudgement as he termeth it was geuen by the Fathers of the spiritualty agaynst him Thys man sayth he beganne to moue questions not priuatly but openly in the Uniuersityes concerning the Annates Peter pence and other iurisdictions and authorities perteyning to the sea of Rome and not onely put forth the questioÌ„s but declared his mind and opinion in the same wherefore he was for thys cause absured at Paules Crosse. Thus muche of hym wryteth Hall Of whom also recordeth Polychronycon but in few wordes This bishop first of S. Assaphe then of Chichester so long as Duke Humfrey lyued by whome he was promoted and much made of was quiet and safe and also bolde to dispute and to write hys mynde and wrote as Leland recordeth diuers bookes and treatises But after that good Duke was thus as ye haue heard made away this good man lacking his backstay was open to his enemies and matter soone found agaynst hym Wherupon he being complayned of and accused by priuy and malignant promoters vnto the Archbishop letters first were directed downe from the Archbishop to cite al men to appeare that could say any thing agaynst hym The forme of which citation here ensueth The copy of the Citation sent by the Archbyshoppe THomas by the permission of God Archb. of Canterbury primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicke Sea to all and singuler Parsons Vicares Chaplaynes Curates not Curates Clerkes and learned men whatsoeuer they be constitute ordeined in any place throughout our prouince of Caunterbury health grace and benediction We haue receiued a greeuous complaint of our reuerend felow brother Reynold Pecocke Byshop of Chichester conteyning in it that albeit our sayd reuerend felow brother the Byshop deliuered vnto vs certayne bookes written by him in the English tongue by vs and our authority to be examined corrected reformed and allowed notwithstanding many the examination and reformation of the sayde bookes depending and remayning before vs vndiscussed haue openly preached and taught at Paules crosse in London and in diuers other places of our prouince of Canterbury that our sayd felow brother the Byshop hath propouÌ„ded made and written or caused to be writen in the sayde bookes certayne conclusions repugnaunt to the true fayth and that he doth obstynately hold and defend the same By the pretence of which preaching and teaching the state good name and fame of the sayd Lord Reynolde the Byshoppe are greeuously offended and hurt and he and his opinion maruellously burdened Wherefore we charge you all together and seuerally apart do commaund you firmely enioyning you that openly and generally you doe warne or cause to bee warned all and singular such persons whiche will obiect any thing contrary and agaynst the conclusions of our sayd reuereÌ„d felow brother the Bishop had or conteined in his bookes or writings that the 20. day after such monition or warning had they do freely of theyr own accord appeare before vs and our Commissaryes in this behalfe appoynted wheresoeuer we shall then be in our Citty Dioces or prouince of Canterbury to speake propound alledge and affirme fully sufficiently in writinge whatsoeuer hereticall or erroneous matter they wil speak propound or obiect agaynst the sayde conclusions conteyned in his sayde bookes and both to satisfye and receiue whatsoeuer shall seeme meete and right in this behalfe by the holy institutions and ordinaunces And for so muche as this matter depending yet vndetermined and vndiscussed nothing ought to be attempted or renewed we charge you that by this our authority you inhibite and forbid all and euery one so to preach and teach hereafter Vnto whom also we by the the tenour of these presents do likewise forbid that during the examination of the conclusions and bookes aforesayde depending before vs and our Commissaryes vndiscussed they do not presume by any meanes without good aduise and iudgemeÌ„t to preach iudge and affirme any thing to the preiudice or offeÌ„ce of the sayd Lord Reynold the Byshop and if so be you do finde any in this behalfe gayne saying or not obeying this our inhibitioÌ„ that you do cite or cause theÌ„ peremptorily to be cited to appeare before vs or our Commissaryes in this behalfe appoynted the 10 day after theyr citation if it be a courte day or els the next courte day following wheresoeuer we shall then be in our City Dioces or prouince of Canterbury to make further declaration by form of law of the cause of their disobedieÌ„ce to receiue such punishment as iustice and equity shall determine in that behalfe that by your leters you do duely certify vs or our Commissaries what you haue
done in the premisses at the day and place aforesayd or that he which hath so executed our commaundement do so certifie vs by his letters Dated at our Manour of Lambeth the xxij day of October an 1457 and in the 4. yeare of our translation This citation being directed the Byshop vpon the sūmon thereof was brought or rather came before the iudges and Bishops vnto Lambeth where the foresaid Thomas the Archbishop with his doctors and Lawyers were gathered together in the Archbishops Court. In which conuention also the Duke of Buckingham was present accōpanyed with the Bishop of Rochester and of Lyncolne What were the opiniōs and articles agaynst him obiected after in his reuocatiou shall be specified In his answering for himselfe in such a company of the Popes frendes albeit he coulde not preuayle notwithstanding he stoutly defending himselfe declared many thinges worthye great commendation of learning if learning agaynste power coulde haue preuayled But they on the contrary part with all labor and trauel extended themselues either to reduce him or els to cōfound him As here lacked no blustring wordes of terrour and threatning so also many fayre flattering wordes and gentle persuasions were admixt with al. Briefely to make a short narration of a long and busy trauers here was no stone lefte vnturned no wayes vnprooued eyther by fayre meanes to entreat him or by terrible manasses to terrifye his mind till at the length he being vanquished and ouercome by the bishops began to faynt and gaue ouer Wherupon by by a recantation was put vnto him by the Byshops which he should declare before the people The copy of which his recantation here foloweth ¶ The forme and maner of the retractation of Reynold Pecocke IN the name of God Amen Before you the most reuered Father in Christ and Lorde the Lorde Thomas by the grace of God Archbishop of Canterbury priuate of England and Legate of the Apostolicke sea I Reynolde Pecock vnworthy Bishop of Chichester do purely willyngly simply and absolutely cōfesse and acknowledge that I in times past that is to say by the space of these 20. yeares last past and more haue otherwise conceiued holdē taught and written as touching the Sacramentes and the Articles of the fayth then the holy Church of Rome and vniuersall Church and also that I haue made written published and set forth many diuers pernitious doctrines bookes workes writings heresyes contrary and agaynst the true Catholicke and Apostolicke fayth contayning in them errours cōtrary to the Catholicke fayth especially these errours and heresies here vnder written 1. First of all that we are not bounde by the necessitye of fayth to beleue that our Lord Iesus Christ after his death descended into hell 2. Item that it is not necessarye to saluation to beleeue in the holy Catholicke Church 3. Item that it is not necessary to saluation to beleue the communion of Sayntes 4. Item that it is not necessary to saluation to affirme the body materially in the Sacrament 5. Item that the vniuersall Churche may erre in matters which perteyne vnto fayth 6. Item that it is not necessary vnto saluation to beleue that that which euery generall Councell doth vniuersally ordeine approue or determine should necessaryly for the helpe of our fayth and the saluation of soules be approued and holden of all faythfull Christians Wherfore I Reynold Pecocke wretched sinner which haue long walked in darckenesse and now by the merciful disposition and ordinaunce of God am reduced brought agayne vnto the light and way of truth and restored vnto the vnity of our holy mother the Church renoūce and forsake all errors and heresyes aforesayd Notwithstanding godly reader it is not to be beleued that Pecocke did so geue ouer these opinions howsoeuer the wordes of the recantation pretend For it is a pollicy play of the bishops that when they do subdue or ouercome any mā they cary him whither they list as it were a yoūg Stere by the nose and frame out his words for him before hand as it were for a Parate what he should speake vnto the people not according to his owne will but after theyr lust and fantasy Neither is it to be doubted but that thys Bishop repented him afterward of his recantation which may easely be iudged hereby because he was committed agayn into prison deteined captiue where as it is vncertaine whether he was oppressed with priuy and secret tyranny and there obteined the crown of Martyrdom or no. The Dictionary of Thomas Gascoigne I haue not in my handes present But if credite be to be geuen to such as haue to vs alledged the booke this we may finde in the 8. Century of Iohn Bale chapter 19. that the sayd Thomas Gascoigne in his third part of his sayd dictionary writing of Reinold Pecocke maketh declaration of his articles cōteining in them matter of sore heresy First saith he Reynold Pecock at Paules crosse preached openly that the office of a Christen Prelate chiefly aboue all other things is to preach the word of God That mans reason is not to be preferred before the Scriptures of the old and new Testament That the vse of Sacraments as they be now handled is worse then the vse of the lawe of nature That Byshops which buy theyr admissions of the Bishop of Rome do sinne That no man is bound to beleue and obey the determination of the Churche of Rome Also that the riches of Bishops by inheritage are the goods of the poore Item that the Apostles themselues personally were not the makers of the Creed that in the same Creede once was not the Article he went downe to hell Item that of the foure senses of the Scripture none is to be taken but the very first and proper sense Also that he gaue litle estimation in some poyntes to the authority of the olde Doctors Item that he condemned the wilfull begging of the Friers as a thing idle and needles This out of Thomas Gascoigne Leland also adding this moreouer sayth that he not contented to folow the Catholicke sentence of the Churche in interpreting of the Scripture did not thinke soundly as he iudged it of the holy Eucharist At length for these and suche other Articles the sayde Reynold Pecocke was condemned for an hereticke by the Archbishops and Bishops of Rosse Lyncolne and Winchester with other diuines moe Wherupon he being driuē to his recantation was notwithstanding deteyned still in prison Where some say that he was priuily made away by death Halle addeth that some say his opinions to bee that spirituall persons by Gods lawe ought to haue no temporall possessions Other write that he sayde that personall tithes were not due by Gods lawe But whatsoeuer the cause was he was caused at Paules Crosse to abiure and all his bookes brent and he himselfe kepte in his owne house during his naturall life I maruell that Polydore of this extremity of
with the Sherifte and that the one shall teach them Gods law and the other mans law as ye heard in King Edgars lawes before Many other lawes both Ecclesiasticall and temporall besides these were enacted by these and other Kings heere in England before the Conquest but these be sufficient to geue the vnderstanding Reader to consider how the authority of the Bishops of Rome all this while extended not so farre to prescribe lawes for gouernement of the Church but that Kings and Princes of the Realme as they be now so were then full gouernours heere vnder Christ as well in causes Ecclesiasticall as temporall both in directing orders instituting lawes in calling of Synodes and also in conferring Byshoprickes and benefices without any leaue of the Romish Bishops Thus Odo Dunstane Oswold Ethelwold Aldelinus and Lancfrancus although they fet their palles afterwarde from Rome yet were they made Bishops and Archbishops by Kings only not by Popes And thus stoode the gouernement of this Realme of England all the time before the Conquest till Pope Hildebrand through the setting on of the Saxons began first to bring the Emperour which was Henry 4. vnder foote Then followed the subduing of other Emperours Kings and subiects after that as namely heere in England when Lancfrancus Anselmus and Becket went to complayne of their Kings and gouernours then brought they the Popes iudiciall authority first from Rome ouer this land both ouer Kings and subiects which euer since hath continued till these latter yeares Albeit the sayd Kings of this Realme of England being prudent Princes and seeing right well the ambitious presumption of those Romish Byshops did what they could to shake off the yoke of their supremacie as appeareth by the lawes and Actes of their Parliaments both in king Edward the thirds time King Richard the 2. and King Henry the 4. aboue in their Parliament notes specified yet for feare of other foreine Princes and the blind opinion of their subiectes such was then the calamitie of that time that neither they could nor durst compasse that which faine they would till at last the time of their iniquitie being complete through the Lords wonderfull working theyr pride had a fall as in the next Volume ensuing the Lord so graunting shall by proces of hystorie be declared The Image of the true Catholicke Church of Christ. ¶ The proude primacie of Popes paynted out in Tables in order of their rising vp by little and little from faythfull Byshops and Martyrs to become Lords and gouernours ouer King and kingdomes exalting themselues in the Temple of God aboue all that is called God c. 2. Thessalonians 2. IN the Table of the primitiue Churche aboue described hath bene gentle Reader set forth and exhibited before thine eies the greeuous afflictions and sorowfull tormentes which thorough Gods secret sufferance fell vpon the true Saints and members of Christes Church in that time especially vpon the good Bishops Ministers and teachers of the flocke of whome some were scourged some beheaded some crucified some burned some had their eies put out some one way some another miserably consumed which daies of wofull calamitie cōtinued as is foreshewed neare the space of CCC yeares During which time the deare spouse and elect Church of God being sharply assaulted on euery side had small rest no ioy nor outward safetie in this present world but in much bitternes of hart in continuall teares and mourning vnder the crosse passed ouer their daies being spoiled imprisoned contemned reuiled famished tormented and martired euerywhere who neither durst well tarie at home for feare and dread and much lesse durst come abroade for the enemies but onely by night when they assembled as they might sometimes to sing Psalmes and Hymnes together In all which their dreadfull dangers and sorrowfull afflictions notwithstanding the goodnes of the Lord left them not desolate but the more their outward tribulations did increase the more their inward consolations did abound and the farther off they seemed from the ioyes of this lyfe the more present was the Lorde wyth them wyth grace and fortitude to confirme and reioyce theyr soules And though theyr possessions and riches in this world were lost and spoyled yet were they enriched wyth heauenly giftes and treasures from aboue an hundreth fold Then was true Religion truely felt in hart Then was Christianitie not in outwarde appearance shewed but in inward affection receaued and the true image of the Churche not in outwarde shew pretensed but in her perfect state effectuall Then was the name and feare of God true in hart not in lippes alone dwellyng Fayth then was feruent zeale ardent prayer not swimming in the lippes but groned out to God from the bottome of the spirite Then was no pride in the Church nor laysure to seeke riches nor tyme to keepe them Contention for trifles was then so far from Christians that well were they when they could meete to pray together agaynst the Deuill authour of all dissention Briefly the whole Churche of Christ Iesus wyth all the members thereof the farther it was from the type and shape of this worlde the nearer it was to the blessed respect of Gods fauour and supportation ¶ The first rising of the Byshops of Rome AFter this long tyme of trouble it pleased the Lord at length mercifully to looke vpon the Saints and seruauntes of his sonne to release their captiuitie to release their miserie and to binde vp the old Dragon the Deuill which so long vexed them whereby the Church began to aspire to some more libertie and the Bishops which before were as abiects vtterly contemned of Emperours through the prouidence of God which disposeth all things in his time after his owne willy began now of Emperours to be esteemed and had in price Furthermore as Emperours grew more in deuotion so the Bishops more and more were exalted not only in fauour but also preferred vnto honour in so much that in short space they became not quarter maisters but rather halfe Emperours with Emperours Constantinus the Emperour embrasing Christen Byshops By which words of S. Paul we haue diuers things to vnderstand First that the day of the Lordes cōming was not thē nere at hand Secōdly the Apostle geuing vs a tokē before to know whē that day shall approch biddeth vs looke for an aduersary first to be reuealed Thirdly to shew what aduersary this shal be he expresseth him not to be as a common aduersary suche as were then in his time For although Herode Annas and Cayphas the high Priestes and Pharasyes Tertullus Alexander the Coppersmith Elymas Symō Magus Nero the Emperor in Paules time were great aduersaryes yet here he meaneth another besides these greater thē all the rest not such a one as should be like to Priest King or Emperor but such as farre exceding the estate of all kinges priests and Emperors should be the prince of priests should make kings to
crafty conspiracy of the Cardinals agaynst the Emperour The verse The glose vpon the verse of Hildebrand The Pope proued a double lyer The Pope traytor to the Emperour Great 〈◊〉 stirred vp by the pope O pestiferous hipocrite The Pope prayeth S. Peter to dishonor hys king And S. Peter byndeth the Pope to honour hys king Crocodili lachryma Scripture well applyed A figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuius contrarium verum est Vim faciunt scripturis vt plenitudinem accipiant potestatis Let all Papâ—â—â— marke here well the holines of their holy father As though he were not set vp by you rather then by them The more to blame Emperours to suffer you to be so saucie with them Nego argumentum Confer this clause with the history of the story hereafter following O double hipocrite Guibertus Archbishop depriued The 4. battell betwixt Henry and Rodulph Henricus rectors Rodulphus at hys death repenting The Pope geueth war but God geueth victory Conciliam Brixonse Anno. 1083. No Bishop of Rome to be chosen without the assent of the Emperour Abbas Vrspergensis Henricus Mutius Note here the Pope iudged and deposed of the councell The Pope seeketh succour of hys paramour The first example to fight for remission of sinnes began in Hildebrand Platina Nauclerus Sabellicus Crantzius Benno c. Hildebrand the first author and patrone of all misrule that followed in Popes The death of William Conquerour Pestilence in England and 〈◊〉 of beastes London with the Church of Paules brent Wolstane Byshop of Worcester England peaceable froÌ„ theeâ—â—â— The Abbey of battayle The Abbey of Barmoâ—desay The first byshop of Salisbury Osmund Bishop of Sarum Ordinale ecclesiastici officy SecunduÌ„â—sum Sarum Ex Eulogio historico Lib. 3. The vse and ordinary of Sarum how and when it was deuised Example of Gods iust iudgment vpon a Byshop who being unmercifull to the poore was eaten with rattes and myse Anno. 1088. William Rufus Wolstane Byshop of Worcester Anno. â— 1091. The death of Lanfras cus Archb. of Canterâ— Remigios Byshop of Lincolne Lincolne minster builded Stow Abbey builded Anno. 1092. Wynchecombe steeple brent with lightning Vi. hundreth houses blowne down with wynde The roofe of Bowe Church ouerthrown Robert Bleuet paydv thousand markes for hys Bishoppricke Herbert Losinga Byshop of Norwiche Losinga 1. adulator Norwiche mynster builded by Herbert Pope victor the 3. Pope victor poysoned in his chalice A comparisoÌ„ betwene Hildebrand Pope of Rome and Ieroboam king of Israell The order of Charter monkes began Pope Vrbanus 2. Two Popes in Rome The order of Cistercian or whyte monkes beganne Synodus Romana vel Placentina Synodus Claromantana The viage vnto the holy land The number that went The captaynes of thé whiche went to the holy land Anno. 1096. The actes of the Christians in their viage to win Hierusalem Antioch taken of the Christians Anno. 1098. The slaughter of the Persian infidels Hierusalem conquered by the Christians Ex Henrie li. 7. The king of Englands iudgment agaynst the Pope Ex Math. paris Decrees of pops Vibanus Ioan Stella Nauclerus Dist. 31. Eos qui 15. 9.6 Iuratos 30. q. 8. quod autem Example of Gods rightfull iudgement in punishing cruel murther Anselmus made Archbishop of Cant. The saying of Anselme pondered The vice of singularitie Anselme ill willing to take the Archbishop prick Canterbury first geuen to the Archbishop wholy Strife and contention betweene the king and Anselmus Anselme stopped from hys consecration Anselme consecrated Anselme doth homage to K. William Vrbanus and Clemens striuing for the papacie England fauoured Clemens Anselmus holdeth with Vrbanus Anselme denied leaue to goe to Rome Anselme appealeth from the K. to the Pope Anselme charged for a traytour The kinges argument agaynst Anselme The custome of England from William Conquerours time not to Appeale to the Pope Anselmus reply against the king The reasons of Anselme to proue the popes authority aboue other kings Anselme here ignorauntly calleth the Pope the vicare of S. Peter where the CaÌ„non lawe calleth him but the successour of Peter and vicare of Christ. All the Bishops of the Realme stoode of the kinges side agaynst Anselmus William Byshop of Duresine Gualterâ—â— the Popes legate cummeth to England Anselme could not be remoued by the king The pope taketh this no fault for a subiect to repugne agaynst hys king The stoatnes of Anselme standing agayâ— hys king The maneâ— of bringing in Anselme palle into Cant. An other quarrell of the king against Anselme Anselme agayne appealeth to Rome The king â—â— aunswere to Anselme for hys appealing to Rome The custome of England no prelate or noble man to goe to Rome with out the kinges sending The answer of Anselme to the king Note the bye reasons of Anselm The Byshops left Anselme alone Anselme flying out of England Anselme searched by the kinges officer for letten A fragment or portion of a letter of Anselme to Pope Paschalts Et ex legenda Ans. aut Edmero Ex Epistol Anselm 36. The king would not haue the pope receaued nor appealed vnto in England Anselme complayneth of the K. of hys suffragane Byshops The king contemneth the Popes warning Concilium BaroneÌ„se Anselme and hys successours of Cant. placed at the right foot of the pope in generall councels De processione spiritus sancti The difference betweene the greeke Church and the latine Ex Registro eccles Herefordensis The articles and opinions of the greeke Church differing from the Latine church of Rome My copy here seemed to want somewhat This article seemeth not to be rightly collected out of the Grecians Anselme stout champion agaâ—â—â— the Grecians A letter of Anselme sent to ValtraÌ„ Bishop of Nurenburgh Ex Epiâ— Adsel â—â—â— Bread in the communion to be vnleauened is not necessary Ex Epist. Anselme 327. An other letter Diuersitie of vsages is the Church to be borne with peace rather than to be condemned with offeÌ„ce Diuers customes in the Church hurt nothing Excommunication denounced agaynst the Grecians Excommunication bent agaynst K. William First breake hys head and then geue him a playster Message betweene the K. and the Pope A loude cracke of thunder but without a thunderbolt A bribing mistery handled at Rome Concilium Romanum â—ptimus â—ansidicus â—ummus Actes of the councel of Rome The hardnes or rather rashnes of K. Wil. The saying of K. Wil. how he neuer knew any K. drowned The death of William Rufus Walter Tirrell The new forres+ Example of the iust hand of God reuenging the faultes of Kinges in their posteritie Couetousnes noted in king William A famous example of bribes refused Two bribing monkes both disapoynted Vrbane excommunicated Henry the 4. Emperour Henry the 4. Emperour by 4â— Popes excommunicated Ludouicus erle conspiring and rebellious agaynst the Emperour Anno. 1090. Ex appendica Mariani Scâ—ts Concorde and iust obedience necessary in a common wealth Disobedience punished of God Gal. Iohn Rom. A rayling aunswere to the former
letter of Byshop Waltram Well said when ye are not able to withstand hys wisedome call him a foole Note howe the earle here calleth light darcknes and darcknes light He hath vttered more 〈◊〉 then you are able euer â— aunswereth Whether euery poweâ— is to be obeyed or noâ— Osee. â— If euery power which offendeth on subiectes is to be call out then hath this Earle 〈◊〉 a fayre argument How 〈◊〉 these Papistes describe themselues in their owne colours But Paule iudged the Emperour to be an ordinary power when he appealed to him This is â—â— ly that the Emperour would 〈◊〉 his owne wife a common 〈◊〉 Euill will neuer sayd well A zeale but faâ—â—e from knowledge And when they shall slay you they shall thinke they doe God great seruice Iohn 16. Yea true if he had cópelled you to forsake the name of Christ which hee neuer did Oh how craftely doth Sathan here shape himselfe to an Angell of light Exvetusto chronico Kinges ceased in Wales Anno. 1100. Henry Beuclerk the first king of England What learning doth in a prince Lawes of King Edward reduced The measure of England made after the length of King Henries arme Wanton persons remoued out of the court Ex Math. Paris Flor. Hist Example what it is to leaue of the Lordes busines Duke Robert taken prisoner The hospitall of Bartholomew founded Rayer and Richard Whittington founders of S. Bartholomewes in London Ex Henr. lib. 7. Anselmus The king ordayned and inuested Byshops without the Pope Herbert bishop of Norwich dinorsing hys priestes from their wiues had much a doe Anselmus cruell and fierce agaynst maryed Priestes Ex epist. Ansel. 176. Versus malò feriati ex biblio Ramsey Anno. 1103. A strife betwene K. Henry and Anselme the Archbish. of Cant. Gifford Bishop of Wint. refuseth to be consectrate by the Archbishop of Yorke A strife betwene King Henry and Anselmus Archb. of Cant. Ex Guli lib. 1. de Gestis A. 〈◊〉 Romanes Councel agaynst 〈◊〉 men 〈◊〉 any 〈…〉 Nospirâ—â— person to it vnderloâ—â—ction to 〈◊〉 lay personage Ex lorâ—â—lensis 〈◊〉 others â—ihistoria Anselme resuseth to do homage to his King Messengeâ— sent to Rome Ex Mathâ— Paris Ex Gulâ—â— lib. 1. de gestis 〈◊〉 Ang. The king hath nothing to do with the Pope hys letters Messenger sent agayn to Rome The letter of K. Henry the first vnto the Pope Spoken like a king The â—ing is a point to 〈◊〉 the â—opes obeâ—ince Another â—tter of K. Henry the 〈◊〉 sent to â—he Pope A place of Polydorus Virg. found â—aultie Ex Guliel lib. 1. de â—ont Anglo The pope othe to go agaynst hys owne proâ—it He meaneth beside the two bishops Giâ—ardus whiche made the third Anselme a deuout chaplaine to the Church of Rome Anselme iournieth agâ—yne to Rome The effect of the oration of W. Warlwast at the popes court Ex Galial De gestis pont of â— lib. 1â— Ex Math. Paris lib. 3. A proud aunswere of the pope Excommunication abused Anselme restrayned from comming to England Ex Redulph Londimensi A letter of Anselme to kyng Henry The proude stoutnes of a prelate in a wrong cause Anselme about to excommunicate the king Reconcile â—ent made betweene the king and Anselmus Ambassage to Rome Guliel Malmes lib. 1. de gestis pontisi Priestes receaued their wiues agayne by the Absence of Anselme The faultes of ecclesiasticall ministers long to none but to byshops to correct quod Anselme The K. brought vnder the Archbishop Conditions graunted by the king to Anselm Lawfull matrimony punished Anselme returneth into England Priestes driuen agayne from their wiues Anno. 1106. Exlib 〈◊〉 liel de 〈…〉 lib. 1. c◠〈…〉 Priests 〈◊〉 parres Archbâ— concie 〈◊〉 to be â—â—med Marriaged Priestes forbidâ— Vowe of chastiâ—â— brought in Benefice not to 〈◊〉 hesitate How he was 〈◊〉 Gates â— Lord Châ—â— celerâ— Queen Mariesâ—â— Priestes crownes Tythes Bying of prebendes Building of Chappels Euery Churches finde hys own Priest Abbot to mayntayne no want Monkes admitted in geuing penaunce Monkeâ—â— Godfather nor nunce godmothers Abbey landes Improperptions restreyned Priuy concontractes Rounding Mariage within the 7. degree restrayned Buryinges No holines to be geuen to shrines and places Selling and buying of men Sodometry A flap with a soxe tayle for sodomitry Ranulph Cestrensis lib. 7. Note the preposterous proceding of Anselme in ceasing the vice of Sodomitry Penalties and forfaits agaynst priestes that kept their wiues In the latter dayes shall come false teachers forbidding mariage and eating of meates c. PurificatioÌ„ of priestes that had bene maried K. Henry permitted priestes to haue both churches and wiues Ex Epist Ansel. 77. 377. Pope Paschal hath so decreed it at Rome Ergo prieste must haue no wiues Ex Epist. Ansel. 33. If profite of the Church may come by priestes children what hurt then were it to the church for priestes to haue wiues K. Henry and hys nobles ready to forsake the romishâ— Church A letter of Anselme agaynst priestes receauing agayne their wiues Ex Epist. 37. Priestes excommunicated for receauing agayn their wiues A letter of Anselmus Ex Epist. 255. Whether is more merite for a monke to cause himselfe in the chapter to be whipped or to suffer obediently the whippingeâ— of his Abbot The iudgement or conclusion of Anselme vpon the case False opinion of merite Anno. 1105. Iudges corrupted A terrible example for corrupt iudges to beware Pope Paschalis the 2. The pope tyremâ—â—â— The seuenfold power of the pope Of Antichrist borne and manifest The bishop of Fluenceâ— martyr Sabellicus A councell at Trecas A tragicall history of the Pope Paschalis setting the sonne agaynst the father Ex historia Helmoldâ— The prelates set the sonne agaynst the father A gratefull example of a good and thankefull Duke A naughty sonne of a good father Ex Helmolds â—â— Gorâ—rido Viterbiensi The vnkindnes of a proud prelate Anno. 1106. The Emperour v. yeares with out buriall Anno. 1107. Henricus Emperour Ex Chronico Casionis lib. 3. The pope taken prisoner We raysed vp by the Pope and his papistes Peace concluded betweene the Emperour and the P. Bernardus the Abbot Bernardine monkes came in The Citty of Worcester almost all consumed with fire Mathildis Example of the Lordes iust retribution and iudgement Two popes striuing together Pope Calixtus the 2. The Pope excommunicate 〈◊〉 the Emperour Gregorius brought into Rome 〈…〉 broughten and whea Dist. 76. cap. Ieiunium The order of Monkes PraemonstrateÌ„ses Scripture clerkly applyed of the pope Priestes and ministers compelled to leaue their wiues Anno. 1109. The Bishoprick of Ely first planted Henry first Bishop of Ely Anno. 1110. Trent dyed vp An earthquake Morayne and pestilence Ex Gualthero Gisburnensi Anno. 1113. Wirceter consumed with fire Anno. 1114. Rodulphus Archbishop of Cant. Thurstinus Archbishop of Yorke Dissention betweene Thurstinus of Yorke and Rodolph Archb of Cant. for subiection The letter of Paschalis to K. Henry Ex Gualthero Gisburnensi Ex Gulie De
to release him of his oath The Popes absolution abused The answer of the nobles again to the kyng The controuersie betweene the king the Nobles put in comprimis The Pope releaseth the K. of his oath Wicked make-bates Ex Flor. hist. in Anno. 1261. Bishops going about to recouer benefices appropriate froÌ„ religious houses Ex Florilego ibid. Pope Alexander dyeth Pope Vibane Anno. 1267. A new release of the kings oth from Rome with this epitaph Hic pudor Hypoliti Paridis gerasensus Vlisiss Eneaepietas Hectoris ira iacet The Welchmen rebell The pâ—ouisions of Oxford again graunted by the kyng The kings palace at Wellm. brent with fire Vsury punished for taking aboue â— pence a weeke in a pounde Anno. 1263. The Nobles rysing against the straungers hauing the commodities of the realme Peter of Hereford a Burgundian a rich Byshop Iohn Maunsell a rich priest The kyng agayn agreeth with the Nobles The Queene a great cause of this debate The sorme of peace concluded betweene the king and the Nobles The castle of Windsor recoue red out of the handes of strauÌ„gers Manet alta meÌ„te repostum iudicinum Paridis c. Virg. The sentence of the french king with the king of England against the Barons Ex Flor. hist. ex Gisbur alijs Warre betwene the king and the Barons beginneth Vniuersitie of Oxford remoued for a tyme to Northampton Anno. 1264. The Nobles taken at Northampton SimoÌ„ MouÌ„tfort the youÌ„ger taken prisoner The scholers of Oxford stout against the kyng The studeÌ„ts of Oxford spared The Lords taken at NorthamtoÌ„ Earle Simon Mountfort sayneth him selfe sicke Rochester besieged of the Barons The Kyng sâ—uaneth London The letter of the Lords in the kyng The answer of the king to the Lords The letter of Richard K. of Almaine and prince Edward to the Barons The battaile of Lewes betwene the king and the Barons beginneth Richard king of Almaine with his sonne taken prisoners The kings main battaile at Lewes discomforted and the king fayne to take the Abbey Prince Edward returning from the first chase findeth altogether lost The prince fighteth a new battell Prince Edward also put to the worit and fame to take the town The Castle of Lewes besieged A peace intreated betweene the king Barones The two princes giuen in hostage The kyngs souldiours in TuÌ„bridge after they had spoyled the Londners at Crowdown kept themselues in garison at Bristow Earle Simon after this victory beareth himselfe so slout theâ— he imprisoneth the hostages of the kings The death of Pope Vrbane Pope Clement 4. Pope Clement first a maried man had wife and children Thomas Aquine Boâ—uenture â—ders at Paâ—is Ann. 1265. Dissentâ—â— betweene Earle Simon and the Earle of Glocester The Earle of Glocester and Roger Mortimer conspire together against Earle Symon Prince Edward escapeth froÌ„ out of the custody of Earle Simon by a trayne The Earle 〈◊〉 Ienâ—â—â—h about 〈◊〉 in all 〈◊〉 gatheâ—â—â—h a pow-â—â— The first enterprise of prince Edward after his escape by the meanes of a spie The disposing of the princes battayle against the Earle Simon fought at Eusham Prince Edwarâ—s host descâ—iâ—â— whereat the Earle was much abashed The wordes of Earle Simon to his sonne K. Henry almost slain in the battell at length knowen by his voice resâ—ued by his sonne Earle Simon his sonne and many moe Lordes and Barons slaine at this battell of Eusham Anno. 1266. A parliament summoned at Winchester where K. Henry was againe restored to his regalitie Kenilworth castle besieged of the king Kenilworth decree against the disherited Kenilworth decree gaynsayd by diuers Kenilworth castle yelded vp to the king before the returne of the messengers out of Fraunce The tenthâ—â— graunted to the Kâ—â—y autoritie Apostolicall A new assembly of the Barons at Chester field where they had the ouerthrow All the confederates of SymoÌ„ Meiâ—fort with their childreÌ„ disherited by the king SimoÌ„ MouÌ„tfort and his confederates excommunicated by the Popes Legate Tenths graÌ„ted by the pope to the kyng and queene for vij yeares Anno. 1247. The castle of Kenilworth again besieged An other assembly of the Barons at Axioline and discomforture of them The Iewes spoyled and slain at Lincolne The Barons fortified the Ileland of Elye The I le of Ely assaulted and entred by prince Edward The king kept out of London 40 dayes by the Barons and Citizens A peace coÌ„cluded betweene the Barons and the kyng The statutes of Marleberge A conuocation holden at London by Octobonus the popes legat The Legates departing out of Englande Valuation taken of all Churches by Octoborus the Popes Legate Pensions out of Cathedrall and conuentuall churches paide to the popes clarks Pope Clement the 4. dyeth Pope Gregory the 10. The mariage of Edmund Earle of Lancaster Edward the kyng confessour shrined The Byshop of Sarum put from his consecratioÌ„ The death and slaughter of L. Richarde the kings sonne of Almaine at ViterbiuÌ„ Anno. 1270. The death of Boniface Archbish. of Cant. Adam Chelindene elected Archb. of Cant. Appellation from the K. to the Pope by the MoÌ„ks of Cant. Adam Chelindene goeth vp to Rome Variance betweene the officiall of Cant. and the prior of Douer Appellation to Rome Adam Chelindon resigneth to the Pope Rob. Kilwatby Archb. of Cant. The coÌ„cordance The great expedition to inuade the Turke stayed by the concluding of a peace The great voyage of the freÌ„ch kyng against the Turkes turned to a mony matter The clemeÌ„cie of prince Edwards toward the poore souldiers A great shipwracke of the Christians lying at anchor a litle from Trapes Money euil got as euill lost Non habet eueÌ„tus sordida praeda bonos Ex scala mundi Ex Gualt Gisburn Ex Flor. hist. Prince Edward and his men preserued from the tempest The integritie of Prince Edward rewarded of God Prince Edward arriueth at Acra and taketh Nazareth The Noble men of Cyprus shew their fidelitie to the Prince and kings of England A guilefull deceipt of the Saracens practised against prince Edwarde Ex Gosb Scala mundi The messenger searched before he came to the princes presence Prince Edward wounded hâ—â— with an inuenemed knise of the Turkes messenger The Prince in perill of death by reason of his hurt is comforted 〈◊〉 phisitionâ— The Prince restored to health and the Soldian forl weareth himselfe The Prince returneth out of Turky toward England a-againe A day of â—orte in Fraunce appointed which turned to good earnest A conspiracy of the French men against the Englishmen Exercise of battaile vsed in stede of Barrioâ—s and Torney The victorie of the prince and English men against the Earle of Chalons Frenchmen Prince Edward was in Vasconia at the time of his fathers death Anno. 1272. Pope Clement the 4. dyeth Pope Gregory the 10. Ex Annalibus Silesiae The Tartarians make great spoile in Christendome The Seythians army lyke locustes Kyng Henry slaine and his army vanquished Nine sackes full of Christians cares being slain
excluded out of the land The crowched Friers The knights of S. Iohn called the knightes of the Rodes Templaries burned at Paris to the number of â—â— The order of the Templarie put downe The horrible sect of the Templaries Cistercian Monkes for money redeme their exemptions of the pope The Fryers minorites deceiued of Pope Clement Ex Chron. Thâ— Wals. One thiefe be guileth mother Pope ClemeÌ„t excommunicateth the Venetians for making a duke The pryde and tyranny of Pope Clement 5. FrauÌ„cis Dádulus humbleth him selfe for his countrey Out of Sabellie and is alleaged in the booke named the Image of tyranny The pietie of Dandulus to his countrey Pietie thaÌ„kfully rewarded Rob. Winchelsey returned home from banishment Anno. 1311. The counting of the yeare was in the old time from Michaelmas to the same day againe Ex Chron. The. Wals. The Archb. of Cant excommunicateth the Bish. of Couentry for holdyng with Peter Gaueston Peter Gaueston taken of the nobles The kyng entreateth for Gaueston Guy of Warwike Peter Gaueston againe apprehended by Gwy of Warwike Peter Gaueston beheaded The corpes of Peter Gaueston buryed in the kinges Manor of Langley The Nobles of England cared not for the popes letters The Popes Legates not admitted of the Nobles of England Anno. 1312. The kyng ruled by foreine counsayle Makebates about the kyng Mediation for making peace The king reconciled againe with his nobles Anno. 1313. What diâ—cord doth in a common weale The Scotâ— rebel against the realme of England English men ouercome by the Scottse Pope Clement neuer late in the sea of Rome Ann. 1314. Miserable death and famine in England A description of an horrible famine in the realm of England Ex Chron. Tho. Wals. in vita Edwardâ— 2. The Scottes driuen out of Ireland Anno. 1317. The white battaile of the spiriâ—â—al men in Yorkâ—â—ire The two Spensers Two legates seat from Rome The Popes pillage The Popes legates spoiled of all their yl gotten treasure The Popes curse coÌ„temned of the Scottes The Clergie of Englande denyeth to contribute to the popes legates A prohibition against strange taxes impositions A prohibition for paying the Popes Peter pence Reade before so the liues of king Offa and kyng Adelwulfe The pryde of the Spensers Anno. 1321. That Thomas Earle of Lancaster came of Edmund younger sonne of K. Henry 3.22 of the greatest nobilitie of the realme put to death by the kyng Anno. 1322. The cruell reioysing of the kyng Anno. 1323. The king distressed again in Scot. land Polydoru Virgilius an Itallan wryter of our English stories Anno. 1324. The queene put to her pension The queene sent to F. Ser Prince Eâ— Prince Edward made duke of Aqutaine and Earle of PoÌ„â—at The queene the prince resuse to returne into England The queene the prince proclaymed â—â—â— tours in England The King coâ—spired priuely the death of the Queene and of his sonne Anno. 1325. Prince Edward betrothed to the Erle of Heynawdes daughter The queene returneth to England The landing of the queen Anno. 1326. The k. destitute of help and soldiors The answer of the Londiner to the kyng The liberties of the citie of London in going out to warre The kings proclamation The Queens proclamation The Queenes letter The Bishop of Exeter beheaded of the common at the staderd in Cheâ—pâ— The 〈◊〉 builded in Oxford 2. Colledges Exeter Colleage and Hart hall whose name was Guâ—lter Stapletâ—â— Hugh Spenser the father takeÌ„ and hanged in chayne The king taken in Wales Hugh Spenser the sonne taken and executed A bill exhibited in the parliament house against king Edward the secoÌ„d King Edward deposed by consent of the parliament house and his sonne Edw. chosen kyng Michael house in Cambridge founded Henry StauntoÌ„ founder of Michael house in Cambridge Nicolicus de Lyrd Guilielmus Ocham Tyranny odious to the people A spiritual Bul. called and areâ—ted before a leculat iudge Ex Tho. Walsing The â—ormâ— of wordes when any Bish doeth chalenge the priuiledge of the church against a secular iudge The Bishop rescued by the Clergie The K. proceedeth in iudgement against the B. the priuilegies of the church notwithstanding to the contrary Simon Mepham archb of Cant. Pope Iohn 22. a Monâ—â— Cidercâ—an A new solid heresie Heresy with the Pope to say that Christ the Apostles had no proper poâ—â—eâ—sions here Strife betweene the pope the Emperour Tâ—e Empeâ—â—â—r crowned against the will of the pope Pope Beneâ—â—tus 12. a Monke of Benedictes order Ludouicus the Emperour depriuel and deposed by Pope Benedict 12. A councel at Frankford The Emperours proteâ—â—ation to the councell of Germany Ex Hieroâ— Mario Elex CraÌ„â—â—â— Eâ— Chron. de â— mundi â—lalibus inâ—iâ—ulâ—s Râ—dimentum â—â—â—itiorum Pope Clement 6. The trouble of Ludouick â—he Emp. Heresie of the Popes making obiected against the Emperour The proude heart of the Pope Lewes the Emperour accused by the Pope for an hereticke A good faithfull Archbish. of Mentz Bribers corrupted with mony The pope sowet of discord and bloudshed The pope again stirreth vp war Charles the new Emperor put to flight by the Englishmen Ludouike the right Emperour resigneth vp hys Empyre Ludouike the Emperour impoysoned 1 Iudouicus Emperor martyr Gunterus de Monte Nigro made Emp. Gunterus the right Emperour poysoned The ruine of the Germaine Empire and the first cause thereof The yeare of Iubilei reduced to the L. yeare Pilgrimes in the yeare of Iubilei at Rome The abhominable blasphemous bull of pope Clement The pope commaundeth the Angels O blasphemy of the Pope Ex bulla Clementis Ex ChroÌ„ Wals. in vit Edu 3. The king resistâ—th the pope The tenthes of Church goods giuen to the kyng Anno. 1326. Oriall colledge and S. Mary hal in Oxford builded by K. Ed 2. A story of the commotion betweene the towne and Abbey of Bury Ex latiâ—â— quodam â—sgisâ—râ— The Abnet robbed The Abbot stolne away to Brabante The Abbot restored againe King Edward the 3. Anno. 1327. The defiance of the kyng of Scots The K. and Queene at Yorke with an army of â—000 men readie to meete the K. of Scottes entring the realme The great fraye in Yorke Carlile and new Castle then the keyes of England Northward â—ept with Garisons The Scots priuely passe ouer the riuer of Tine burning and spoyling the countrey all about The kings armie and the Scottes are so neare that eche seeth other The Scots thorough treason escape out of Englande vnfought withall The prouision left in the Scots campe The king returneth to London The mariage of K. Edward solemnised A parliament at Northampton The Ragman role deliuered vp to the Scotâ— The black crosse of Scotland The Bâ—râ—â— geue vp their titles in ScotlaÌ„d A parliament at Salisbury Eâ—rle Henry of Lancaster refuseth to come to the parliamâ—nt The Earle of Kent put to death giltles The Queene with childe by sir Roger Mortimer Sir Roger Mortimer Earle of March. arrained condemned and put to execution The queene put in