the Virgin Mary of St. Thomas of Canterbury and King Edward the Confessor and plac'd in it Eight Chaplains or Fellows Four Clerks Six Choristers and over all these a Master who were to pray for the Souls of the deceased He also built a large Hospital for the maintenance of the Poor of that place both which Foundations he endowed with ample Revenues which were afterwards augmented with great Legacies which his Brothers Robert and William Chichele two Eminent Citizens of London left them in their Wills After his return from his visitation of the Diocess of Lincoln he held a Synod at London on the 12 th of October being sollicited by Letters from the King to demand a supply of Money of the Clergy for the War with France For after the death of Henry the Fifth and Charles the Sixth the Dauphin supposing that the Name of King would be of great advantage to him caus'd himself to be crown'd at Poictiers and took upon him the Title of Charles the Seventh King of France and a great many Princes and Governors of Towns coming in to him who still retain'd an affection for the Name of France he made preparations for War with greater vigour On the other side John Duke of Bedford who by his Brother's Will was appointed Regent of France having contracted a stricter League of amity with Philip Duke of Burgundy by marrying his Sister Ann attack'd the Dauphin in several parts of France and having divided the Forces betwixt himself and Philip Duke of Burgundy he sent Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury toward Sens with some choise Troops and desir'd of Humphrey Duke of Glocester Regent of England a fresh Supply of Men and Money Whereupon Henry Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellor of England John Stafford Bishop of Bath Lord Treasurer Richard Earl of Warwick William Alnewyke Keeper of the Privy Seal Lewis Lord Bourchier and Ralph Lord Cromwell were sent from the Duke of Glocester to the Synod The Bishop of Winchester in a formal Speech having laid before them the present condition of Affairs in France exhorted and intreated them to bestow some part of their Revenues for subduing the remains of the Dauphin's Forces But then it plainly appear'd how much they were all affected with the loss of King Henry the Fifth For whereas they had granted Tenth's so frequently and so readily in former Synods as we have related before they now stuck at the very first demand of the new King thinking that all the hopes of conquering France depended upon Henry the Fifth and that nothing could succeed now he was gone For when the Proctors for the Clergy had debated the Matter several days William Lyndewood was deputed by them to return their Answer which was That the Estates of the Clergy were so drain'd by the continual expences of the War that they were hardly sufficient to maintain them and their Families handsomely that the value of a great many Livings was so fallen that there were not Priests to be sound who would supply the Cures and in short That in the Commissions of all the Proctors for the Clergy the power of granting Tenths was expresly taken away Upon this the Bishop of Winchester went to the Lower House and in a long and pressing Oration besought them to supply the Necessities of the Publick but when he could obtain nothing of them who excus'd themselves upon the narrowness of their Commissions The Synod was adjourn'd by the Archbishop to the 26 th of January following At which time the Bishop of Winchester with the rest of the Lords came thither again and having made a Speech to the Bishops Abbots and Priors of the Vpper House in the Name of the King they granted half a Tenth protesting withal that This Concession should not oblige them unless the Proctors for the Clergy would consent to it for that a division of the two Orders of the Clergy in the matter of granting Tenths being introduced by this Example would be of very pernicious consequence to Posterity But the Lower House persisting stiffly in their former Resolutions were not at all mov'd with the importunate Demands first made by the Bishop of Winchester and afterwards by the Archbishop and the rest of the Bishops Whereupon the Archbishop presently dissolv'd the Synod and appointed another to be held two Months after on the 23 d of April thinking that by the Election of new Proctors the business would be more easily affected When this Synod was assembled the Archbishop first of all commanded the Lower House to chuse their Speaker who is commonly call'd the Prolocutor who pitch'd upon William Lyndewood of which he himself makes mention in his Commentaries After which the Lord Chancellor the Lord Treasurer William Alnewyke Keeper of the Privy Seal the Lord Scrope the Lord Cromwell with some others of the Privy Council came again to the Synod and the Lord Chancellor with his florid Speeches and the rest of the Lords engaging them severally by Flatteries Threats and Promises at length with much ado they obtain'd half a Tenth When this business was over one Robert Hoke and one Thomas Drayton both Priests one of the Diocess of Lincoln and the other of Canterbury were brought before the Synod and accus'd of Heresy It was alledg'd against them That they would not kneel before the Crucifix and that they had in their possession certain Books in which it was said that the Priest could not change the Host in the Sacrament into the Body of Christ that a Monastick Life and Auricular Confession were the Inventions of the Devil and that amongst Christians all things ought to be in common which Opinions they abjur'd publickly at Paul's Cross But the sharpest Accusation was brought against one William Russel of the Order of Minor Fryers for teaching the People in his Sermons That personal Tythes were not commanded by God but that it was lawful for all Christians to bestow them in charitable uses upon the Poor as they pleas'd themselves This extreamly troubled and perplex'd the Clergy who fear that if this Opinion should spread it self among the People they should lose this part of their Income by which the Wealth of their Order would be greatly diminish'd Wherefore he was order'd by the Synod on a day prefix'd to recant out of the Pulpit at Paul's Cross but before the time came he fled out of England whereupon he was pronounc'd contumacious by Edicts set forth against him and afterwards in open Court proclaim'd a Heretick and his Opinion was adjudg'd to be impious by the Decrees of both Vniversities which the University of Oxford presently signified by their Letters to the Archbishop and the Synod which are yet extant Shortly after the Synod being inform'd that he was at Rome sent Messengers to apprehend him and accuse him before the Pope who were allow'd a Farthing in the
were engag'd with the French who are in strict conjunction with the Scots by an ancient and even natural Alliance that is between the two Nations and therefore that it would be very hazardous to invade the French before England was secur'd from the Scots at home To this Speech of the Earl's reply'd John Duke of Exeter a Man of great Wisdom and Learning which he had acquir'd in the Universities of Italy whither he was sent by his Father who design'd him for the Church He very eloquently maintained That the French ought first to be invaded upon whose aid the Scots relying infested the English That if they were subdued the Scots would come in of themselves according to this Aphorism of the Physicians That the Remedy must be first applied to the Cause of the Disease and that in order to the healing a Wound effectually the peccant Humour must first of all be purg'd For from whence said he do the Scots draw the first rudiments either of Learning or Arms but from their Education in France How can the Scotch Nobility be maintain'd if those Pensions should fail which they use to receive from France or if that Kingdom should be subdued with what Nation will the Scots maintain any Commerce or from whom will they implore Assistance Not from Denmark that King is allied to you by marriage with your Sister not from Portugal or Castile both those Princes are your Cousin-Germans not from Italy that is too remote not from Germany or Hungary they are both in league with us so that the Scots will submit to you of themselves when the French are conquer'd as the Tree necessarily withers when the Sap fails He also shew'd in the Instances of Malcolm and David Bruce that the Scots never invaded England but when the English were at war with France and therefore he propos'd that the Earl of Westmorland should be sent with some choice Troops to hinder them from attempting any thing in the King's absence He concluded that the Conquest of France would be a rich and plentiful reward of their Victory in comparison of which that of Scotland was but poor and inconsiderable The King and the Nobility were so much inclin'd in favour of this Opinion but especially the Dukes of Clarence Bedford and Glocester the King's Brethren who were enflam'd with the desire of acquiring Honur and Renown in the War with France by the Example of their Ancestors that when it came to be voted after the usual manner they all concurred in their Opinion with the Archbishop and cried out confusedly in the House War War with France By this means the Archbishop obtain'd great commendation of Posterity for his Wisdom who by this Counsel of his promoted a very successful War and averted a very great Calamity from the Church The King having dissolv'd the Parliament with great diligence provided his Army and Navy and made all other necessary preparations for such a War designing to invade France the next Year In the beginning of which that he might proceed according to the Law of Nations he sent Ambassadors into France the Bishops of Durham and Norwich to demand the Kingdom of King Charles who receiv'd them civilly and told them that he would shortly send Ambassadors into England to return an Answer to their Demands The Fleet and Army being ready for this Expedition and the Soldiers being order'd to rendezvouz at Southampton in order to embark on Board the Fleet The King in his Journy thither staid some time at Winchester where the French Ambassadors came to him who were the Earl of Vendosme William Bouratier Archbishop of Bourges Peter Fremell Bishop of Lisieux and Walter Cole Secretary to the King The Archbishop of Bourges made an Eloquent Oration in the name of the rest in which after he had largely and floridly describ'd the Miseries of War and the Advantages of Peace he offer'd the King in marriage the Lady Catharine King Charle's Daughter if he would desist from the War promising for her Dowry a great Sum of Money and some part of those Provinces which the King demanded by right of Inheritance The King only answer'd at that time that he would consider of the Conditions which they propos'd and the next day sitting on his Throne and attended with a great number of the Nobility the Ambassadors being call'd in he told them that the Conditions which they offer'd were such as he could not accept of with honour and calling Henry Archbishop of Canterbury he commanded him to give a fuller Anser to the Archbishop of Bourges Oration which he did to this effect That the King as soon as he came to the Crown thought nothing of greater importance than to maintain peace as well at home amongst his own Subjects as abroad with Foreign Princes For which cause he had call'd a Parliament in which having setled his Affairs at home he had sent Ambassadors into France to claim his right and to demand that part of the Kingdom of France which the Kings of England had held for some Ages by a lawful possession But seeing his Ambassadors had brought back no Answer from King Charles that he had levied an Army and provided all things necessary for the War and that he was now ready to pass over into France and revenge the wrong they had done him when he perceiv'd they made no account of his Right Nevertheless that he might testify to all the World how averse he was from shedding Christian Blood by the mutual Butchery of War that he would remit something of his Right that he would disband his Army and establish a Peace between the two Nations by marriage with Catharine upon condition that they would restore to him the Dutchies of Aquitain and Anjou and the other Dominions which his Ancestors enjoy'd in France neither forcibly nor clandestinely nor precariously That unless these Conditions were accepted the King would immediately enter France with his Army and lay it waste with Fire and Sword nor would he ever desist from slaughter and revenge till he had reduc'd it to his obedience and had recover'd the Dominion transmitted to him by right of Inheritance from his Predecessors And lastly That he call'd God Almighty both for a Witness and Avenger of his Cause whose Majesty he trusted would be propitious to so just a War When the Archbishop had done speaking the King interpos'd and with his Royal Word confirm'd all that he had deliver'd in more copious and Rhetorical Terms To which when the Archbishop of Bourges began to reply with reproachful Language and to reflect upon the King with more freedom than consisted with the Character of an Ambassador the King only reprimanded him for the liberty which he took and commanded the Ambassadors to depart the Kingdom under safe Conduct The King soon after follow'd them setting sail from Southampton with his whole Army on the 13 th of
Legate to Constance with a large Commission in which full power was granted him to lay down the Pontificate in his Name Whereupon the Legate putting on the Pontifical Robes and sitting in the Papal Chair as representing the Person of Gregory read his Commission publickly and resign'd the Papacy Benedict also being deserted by Ferdinand King of Arragon who had hitherto obey'd him by the Sentence of the Council was divested of the Popedom And that these Depositions of the Popes might appear to be lawful it was determin'd by a Decree of the Council that a General Council doth derive its Power immediately from Christ and that the Pope is subordinate to it After this they consulted about chusing a new Pope and it was agreed upon by the Council that six men out of each Nation should be deputed to go into the Conclave with the Cardinals and elect a Pope Now all things were manag'd in the Council by the Suffrages of five Nations the Germans the Italians the English the French and the Spaniards for it was in this Council that the English were first allow'd to be a Nation Out of them were chosen the Bishops of London Bath Worcester and Litchfield with the Abbot and Dean of York The third day after their entrance into the Conclave the Bishop of London leading the way with these words I Richard Bishop of London come to my Lord Cardinal Colonna all the rest follow'd his Example and chose Otho Colonna a Roman Prince and Cardinal of St. George of the Golden Fleece on the 11 th of November which being St. Martin's day the Pope took the Name of Martin the Fifth This Decree of the Council of Constance concerning the power of a General Council extreamly troubled the succeeding Popes insomuch that it was repealed by Leo the Tenth in the last Lateran Council since which a great many of the Canonists in their Commentaries and the Popish Divines in their long Disputations have disallow'd it either out of flattery to the Popes or else out of fear as having lost that liberty of speaking and writing which every one enjoy'd at the time of the Council of Constance when there was no Pope For Peter Ancharanus who was Advocate of the Council Baldus and Panormitanus gave it openly as their Opinion at that time That the Pope was subordinate to a Council and might be depos'd by it following herein the Authority of the Gloss of Archdiaconus and Geminianus who had deliver'd the same before in their Writings with whom Felinus and other more modern Authors do agree who approve the Council of Constance and maintain the same Opinion Nor is the Power of a Council restrain'd within such narrow limits that immediately upon the creation of a Pope it loses its Authority and can make no Decrees without the consent of the new Pope as Philip Decius imagined who is therefore deservedly censur'd by Charles Molinaeus and Panormitanus further adds That if the Pope dye or be depos'd in the time of a Council that then the power of Election is in the Council and not in the Cardinals alledging this Instance of the Council of Constance in which Martin the Fifth was chosen by the Cardinals and others to whom that Power was delegated by the Council But though this Decree was establish'd at that time in this Council of Constance yet it was afterwards of no force in the Council of Trent in which the Ambition of the Cardinals prevail'd who upon the death of Paul the Third who died in the time of the Council posted from Trent to Rome to create a new Pope But the Council of Constance by vertue of their Supream Authority in the beginning of their Session gave Commission under the Seals of the several Nations to Henry Bishop of Winchester and John Bishop of Litchfield to gather the Moneys due to the Chamber of Rome in England The Election of Martin the Fifth caus'd an incredible joy all over Christendom for every one thought that by this means the Peace of the Church would be re-establish'd The first notice of it in England was given by the Archbishop to the Synod and was presently divulged by Thanksgivings and solemn Processions This Synod was appointed by the Archbishop to be held at London on the 26 th of November upon a Command from the King by Letters out of France Thither came Thomas Bishop of Durham Lord Chancellour of England Thomas Beaufort Duke of Exeter Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland and Ralph Nevil Earl of Westmorland being sent from the Regent John Duke of Bedford to desire of the Clergy a supply of Money for the King who was then carrying on the War successfully in France which being seconded by the Request of the Archbishop they granted two Tenths In this Synod also Robert Gilbert Doctor of Divinity and Warden of Merton College in a long and eloquent Oration having first prais'd the University of Oxford laid before them the miserable Condition of the Students there who after many years spent in the study of the Sciences were not call'd thence to receive any reward of their Labours but were suffer'd to grow old in the University His Example was follow'd by Thomas Kington Doctor of Law and Advocate of the Arches who pleaded the same Cause for the University of Cambridge they both intreated in behalf of both Universities that by a Decree of the Synod some care might be taken to prefer them Whereupon it was decreed That all Livings whose yearly income amounted to sixty Marks should by the Patrons be given only to Doctors of Divinity Law or Physick those that were worth fifty Marks a year only to Licentiates in those Faculties or Batchelors of Divinity and those which did not exceed forty Marks yearly only to Masters of Arts or Batchelors of Law This related to those Benefices to which was annex'd the Cure of Souls The same Order almost was taken in those which are call'd Sinecures according to their respective Values It was further added That this Decree should not extend to those who had taken Degrees by some particular Grace But because it was provided by the Statutes of both Universities that the Students of Divinity should take no Degree in that Faculty till they had commenc'd Masters of Arts and that no Student of Canon Law should be created Doctor except he had studied the Civil Law this Condition was added to the Decree in favour of the Monks and Canon Lawyers that it should not be in force unless those Statutes were repeal'd For which purpose Thomas Felde Dean of Hereford and Thomas Lentwardyn Chancellor of St. Paul's in London were sent by the Synod to Oxford to treat about this Affair with the Masters of Arts by whose Suffrages the University is govern'd This was also signified to the Masters of Arts of Cambridge by Letters from the
abroad again some Opinions which he had recanted in the Synod two years before for which he was said to be relaps'd into Heresy His Tenets were these That God alone was to be invok'd by the Prayers of the Faithful that that Worship was due to Christ himself not upon the account of his Human Nature but of his Divine Nature only that it was not lawful to pray to Saints or any other created Being that those that offer'd Gifts to the Image of the Cross or of the Saints were guilty of Idolatry that a Monastick Life was contrary to the Institutions of Christ that the Administration of Civil Affairs and all Secular Government was forbidden to Priests by Christ himself and that many of those Opinions that were condemn'd as impious by the Council of Constance were Orthodox All these Assertions were referr'd by the Archbishop as Judge in this Affair to the four Orders of Mendicant Fryers who were to examine whether they were agreable to the Holy Scriptures and the Sense of the Fathers and the Lawyers were order'd to consider what punishment was to be inflicted on one relapsed into Heresy The Divines deliver'd their Opinion That the Tenets maintain'd by him were impious and contrary to the Holy Scriptures and the Decrees of the Church of Rome As to matter of Law William Lyndewood Official of the Court of Arches Thomas Brown Dean of the same Court and the other Lawyers answer'd That one suspected of Heresie was to be debarr'd from the Communion of the Church for a year and if after this probation he repented of his Errors he was to be receiv'd again into the bosom of the Church but if he relaps'd into Heresy again he was to be reputed guilty of a capital Crime and deliver'd over to the Secular Power whereupon by the Sentence of the Synod he was declar'd a Heretick and solemnly devested of his Orders Soon after the end of this Synod the whole Kingdom was seiz'd with the greatest consternation imaginable upon the News of the King's death who having pursued the Dauphin with too much heat as far as Bourges on the 31 st of August died at Bois de Vinciennes about three Miles from Paris of a violent Fever which he had contracted by his excessive Fatigues He died in a very unlucky time for King Charles his Father-in-Law pin'd away with grief for the death of his Son King Henry who was very dear to him and died within twenty days after The King's Body was brought over into England and buried at Westminster The Inheritance of both Kingdoms descended to Henry the Sixth who was then an Infant the government of which was left by the late King in his Will to his two Brothers that of England to Humphry Duke of Glocester and that of France to John Duke of Bedford till his Son should come of Age the care of whose Education was committed to Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester and Thomas Beaufort Duke of Exeter his Great Uncles Certainly no King of England ever excell'd King Henry the Fifth in all vertuous Qualifications nor was there any one whose death was so prejudicial to the Kingdom He was adorn'd with all the Accomplishments both of Body and Mind that could be desir'd in a Prince with Prudence Courage Constancy Modesty Bounty Eloquence Beauty and Strength all which being attended with a singular good Fortune procur'd him a wonderful esteem amongst Foreigners and are celebrated as well by the French Writers as by those of our own Nation The Duke of Glocester that he might settle the Affairs of the Kingdom according to the Injunctions of his Brother King Henry call'd a Parliament at Westminster on the 9 th of November and first of all he commanded the Archbishop of Canterbury to declare to both Houses the cause of their meeting for Thomas Bishop of Durham upon the death of the King had resign'd the Seal and other marks of the Chancellorship to which this Office belongs to the Duke of Glocester at Windsor and had laid down the Place The Archbishop having spoken largely in praise of the Vertues of King Henry the Fifth and made honourable mention of his Actions in France came to speak of the Young King and affirm'd that it was by the special favour of Almighty God that a Son of such promising hopes should succeed so great a Father that his very Title of the Sixth was attended with a lucky Omen for as the number Six was the most compleat of all the rest because in so many days God Almighty had made this vast Fabrick of the World so this King Henry the Sixth of that Name would be the greatest of all his Predecessors that he would compleat what his Father had so prosperously begun in France and that as he was descended both from the Kings of England and France so he would at length enjoy both those Crowns which were devolv'd to him by lawful Inheritance That he in the King's Name did declare to the Peers and all the People that they should enjoy all the Privileges and Immunities granted to them by his Highness's Predecessors and that he was commanded to give them three Reasons for calling this Parliament Which were That Governors might be assign'd the King by a publick Act that they might consult about the Peace of the Realm and the Administration of Justice and that they might provide for the defence of the Kingdom against the Insults of Foreign Enemies Lastly He exhorted them by the Example of Jethro Moses's Father-in-law to make choice of the best and wisest of the Nobility to take upon them the government of the King and Kingdom and besought them that they would use their utmost endeavours for the safety of the King and the benefit of their Country When the Archbishop had done speaking the Protectorship was unanimously confirm'd to the Duke of Glocester and some of the most Eminent of the Bishops and Nobility were appointed to be of the Privy Council till the King should come of Age of which the Archbishop was nam'd first But he having lost his King and Patron who had advanc'd him to the highest Honors and who dearly lov'd him when the Parliament was dissolv d retir'd within the Bounds of his Province in which he perform'd the Duties of his Function with great diligence For the Year after the death of Henry the Fifth by his Metropolitical Authority he visited the Diocesses of Chichester and Salisbury and the next year that of Lincoln in which Visitations he revers d all those things that had been acted amiss by the Ordinaries and examin'd into the Faith and Manners of the People In his journy through the Diocess of Lincoln he came to Higham Ferrers the Town where he was born in which out of a pious and commendable design of adorning the Place of his Nativity he dedicated a Noble College which he had formerly begun there to the Honour of
Pound out of all Ecclesiastical Preferments The Examination of this Matter being referr'd by the Pope to Branda Cardinal of Placenza he was condemn'd to perpetual Imprisonment unless he repented of his Error but afterwards escaping out of Prison he return'd into England and having preach'd a Sermon at Paul's Cross he abjur'd his Error with a formal Oath The Archbishop also by his Mandate enjoin'd the Franciscans that as often as they preach'd to the People they should teach them that personal Tythes were commanded to be paid both by the Laws of God and the Constitutions of the Holy Fathers The same Year after the Synod was ended the Archbishop by his Prudence dispell'd a dreadful Storm that threatned the Kingdom which was rais'd by the Dissentions of the Nobility For Henry Beaufort Son to John Duke of Lancaster by Catharine Swinford his third Wife being puff d up with the nobility of his Birth and the great Wealth which he had got together out of the Bishoprick of Winchester and not brooking the Rule of Humphry Duke of Glocester the Lord Protector he began to maintain an open enemity against him the Quarrel being afterwards more enflam'd on both Sides and many of the Nobility and others engaging in either Party they both went Arm'd and attended with their Servants and Adherents and a great number of Profligate and Seditious Persons wearing Arms by their Example went about the Streets of London and their Number was so great that the Citizens shut up their Shops and left off their Trades and were forc'd to keep Guard Day and Night in all the Streets of the City to repress the Insolence of these Mutineers Upon this the Archbishop accompanied with Peter Duke of Conimbra Son to the King of Portugal who was lately come into England to visit the King his Cousin rid through the City eight times in one Day betwixt the Duke's and the Bishop's Palaces and prevail'd so far upon them both by his Authority and Intreaties that they laid down their Arms and Matters were compos'd for a time But the Bishop though he had quitted his Arms had not yet relinquish'd his Hatred for soon after by Letters sent into France to the Duke of Bedford he accus'd the Duke of Glocester desiring the Duke of Bedford to come over into England with all speed if he tender'd the Safety of the King and the Peace of the Kingdom which otherwise must of necessity be involv'd in Blood and the devastations of a Civil War The Duke though the War went on succesfully in France by the surrender of a great many strong Towns and the defeat of a great Army of the French in a pitcht Battel at Vernoil yet esteeming the success of Affairs in France to depend upon the Peace of England immediately upon the receit of these Letters he committed the Administration of his Office to Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick and came with all speed into England in the beginning of the Year 1426. and having call'd a Parliament at Leicester he examin'd the Quarrel between his Brother and the Bishop When they had both shew'd the causes of their discontent and from arguing began to break out into greater heats at the Duke of Bedford's entreaty they agreed to refer all Differences on both Sides to the determination of Arbitrators of whom Henry Archbishop of Canterbury was nam'd first after him Thomas Duke of Exeter John Duke of Norfolk Thomas Bishop of Durham Philip Bishop of Winchester John Bishop of Bath Humphry Earl of Stafford William Alnewyke Keeper of the Privy Seal and Ralph Cromwell who order'd them to join hands and in a set form of words to be repeated by them both to forgive all Injuries on both Sides and be friends with one another which Reconciliation was confirm'd by the Votes of the whole Parliament In this Session a supply of Money was granted for levying Soldiers for which end also about this time the Archbishop assembled a Synod at London on the 15 th of April Thither came John Kempe Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England with Walter Hungerford Lord Treasurer and the Lord Chancellor having extoll'd the great pains and diligence of the Duke of Bedford in an Eloquent Oration the Synod granted the King half a Tenth The Bishop of Winchester who was created Cardinal thsi Year by Pope Martin the next Year went over with the Duke of Bedford into France and at Calais in the great Church of that Place he put on the Cap and other Ensigns of that Dignity with great solemnity on Candlemas-day He had sought this Honor with great earnestnss eight years before in the time of King Henry the Fifth and had obtain'd a Promise of it of Pope John the Twenty third who design'd to promote him very speedily and to appoint him his Legate à latere in England with a very large Authority But the Archbishop perceiving his Ambition at that time interpos'd with the King who was then in France by Letters which he wrote to him in a grave and modest style in which he shew'd That the Power of the Pope's Legates did derogate very much from the Dignity of the King from the Laws of the Land and from the Privileges of the Church of England A Copy of this Letter the Original of which is yet to be seen written with the Archbishop's own Hand we have here subjoin'd Sovereyn Lord as your humble Prest and debout Bedeman I recommand me to your Hygnesse desyreing evermore to heare and knowe of your gracious speed he le of body and of soule also my Lordys your brethren and all your royal hoste And as hertly as I can or may thanke Almightie God and Lord of all strengths and hostes that so graciously hath continued his mygty hond upon you sythen the time of your beginning hedirtoward into your most worship your Leige menys most hertly gladnesse and abating of the hy pride of your enemies And besech God both day and night with all your subgetts both spirituel and temporel so continue his hy Grace upon you and yowre that the mow come to the effect of your hy labor pees of both your regmes after your hertly desires Gracious Lord like it to remember you that be your moost worthie letters written at your towne of Caen rrb. day of September you charged me that be the abys of my Lord your brother of Bedford and of your Chaunceler sholde be ordeygned that all maner of men of your subgets wat astaat or condicion that thei were should abstyne letter of wrytes or pursuit making to the Pope after his election till the time that he have writen to you and ye againe to him as it hath be acustumed of honeste of your lond for the which cause neither I nor non odir man as ferforth as it may be knowe hath yit written nor sent ne no leve hath of passage to the
Pope in behalf of the Archbishop who had incurr'd his displeasure for opposing the excessive Power of the Court of Rome And indeed it was but reasonable that he who for promoting the common good of all and maintaining the Honour of the Kingdom so little dreaded the Pope's Anger should be defended by the publick Authority But the Bishop of Winchester beside his Title of Cardinal had the power of Legate in England conferr'd upon him by the Pope with a very large Commission or as they commonly term'd it a Faculty which Power he exercis'd with so great Avarice and got together such a prodigious Wealth that he was generally styl'd the Rich Cardinal The Year after this he return'd into England and having open'd his Commission in the presence of Humphry Duke of Glocester the Protector and many of the Bishops and Nobility Richard Caudray who was appointed Proctor for the King by the Duke of Glocester and the Privy Council expresly declar'd That by a particular Prerogative of the Kings of England which they had enjoy'd ever since the memory of man no Legate from the Pope could come into England without the King's leave and therefore if the Cardinal of Winchester by vertue of his Legantine Office should act any thing contrary to this Right of the King 's that he in the King's Name did interpose and disown all his Authority Whereupon the Cardinal promis'd openly before the Duke of Glocester and all that were present that he would not exercise his Office of Legate without the King's leave and that he would act nothing in it that might any ways infringe or derogate from the Rights Immunities and Privileges of the King or Kingdom Now upon his being made Cardinal and Legate he was oblig'd to lay down his Place of Lord Chancellor Laid down the Office of Chancellor as obliged which he did the Year before in the Parliament at Westminster he ought also to have been removed from the Privy Council but in respect of the Nobility of his Birth and his near alliance to the King by a particular favour he was allow'd to keep his Place there except when any But kept his Place in the Council with exception matter was to be debated between the King and the Pope for then it was expresly concluded that he should not be present which Limitation was confirm'd y Rot. Parliam ann 8 H. 6. the next Year by Act of Parliament and order'd to be entred in the Journals of the Privy Council Now the chief Reason that mov'd the Pope to create the Bishop of Winchester a Cardinal was that he might employ him in the War that he design'd The Pope rais'd imm against the Bohemians Who had pull'd down the Monasteries c. against the Bohemians who having embrac'd the Doctrine of Wickliff had pull'd down the Monasteries and Images and having abolished almost all the Rites and Ceremonies of the Romish Church had openly revolted from the Government of the Pope He therefore The Cardinal made General in the Bohemian War c. made him his General in the Bohemain War and appointed him Legate in Hungary Bohemia and all Germany with a far larger Commission by which He could pardon Rapes on Nuns c. he was impower'd to pardon Rapes committed upon Nuns to dispense with Marriages contracted within the fourth degree of Consanguinity with the Age of Persons to be admitted to Orders and Benefices with Interdicts and many other things which were contrary to the Constitutions of the Canon Law He was to demand a Tenth of the English Clergy for the War he was also order'd to demand a Tenth of the English Clergy for the Service of this War For this cause the Archbishop being sollicited by the Pope's Bull and being also press'd by Letters from the King to consider of raising Money for carrying on the War in France call'd a Synod at London which began on the 5 th of July In their first Session at the request of the Archbishop of York Lord Chancellor and Walter Hungerford Lord Treasurer they granted the King half In the next Synod half a Tenth is given the King a Tenth The Synod was afterwards prorogu'd by reason of the excessive heat of the Summer to St. Martin's day in November following and then again to the 29 th of October the next Year at which time the Archbishop of York was sent to them again from the King together with the Duke of Norfolk the Earls of Warwick Stafford and Salisbury th e Lords Cromwell Tiptoft and Hungerford at whose desire a Tenth and a half And in another a Tenth and an half was granted and solemn Processions were order'd to be made for the success of the Duke of Bedford who went on Duke of Bedford had besieg'd Orleans prosperously and had now besieg'd Orleans a noble City upon the River Loyre These Concessions of Tenths which were granted so readily by the z 8 H. 6. c. 1. Synod were rewarded by an Act made in the Parliament holden at this time at Westminster by which The same Priviledge was granted to the Clergy which the Members of the House of Commons do enjoy when they are chosen to serve in Parliament For those Grants the Members of the Synod c. were freed from Arrests which was that neither they nor their Servants should be arrested while they were assembled in Convocation nor in their journy thither But Conzo Zuolanus the Pope's Nuntio came often to the Synod and pleaded in behalf of the Pope but to no purpose The Pope's Nuntio prevail'd not in the Synod When he could not obtain of them a Supply for the War with the Bohemians which he had sollicited in a long and pressing Oration he produc'd the For shewing his Letters for a Tenth Pope's Letters before the Synod in which he signified that he had impos'd a Tenth upon the Kingdom of England for the support of the Bohemian War which so incensed the whole Synod that they absolutely denied to grant a Tenth However at the importunity of the Pope He was denied but got 8 d. per Mark from Livings With a Salvâ praerogativâ Regiâ they gave him Eight pence in every Mark out of all Benefices according to their respective values provided that this grant were not contrary to the King's Prerogative and the Laws of the Land After this John Jourdelay John Galle Robert Heggley Ralph Mungyn Thomas Garenter all men in Orders with several others were brought before the Synod who were accus'd of Heresy for holding divers corrupt Opinions concerning the Sacrament of the Altar the Adoration of Images Religious Pilgrimages and the Invocation of Saints for maintaining that the Pope was Antichrist and not God's Heresy in holding the Pope to be Antichrist c. Vicegerent that the Divine Oracles were contain'd only in the Scriptures and not in the Legends or Lives of the
not to be restrain'd by a new Pope 85 And that on the Pope's death a new Election belongs to the Council Ib. Yet during that of Trent the Cardinals chose Paul the Third Ib. That of Constance gave order about t h M due by England to Rome 86 The Election of Pope Martin was mightily liked Ib. London Synod grants the King two Tenths 87 By a Decree therein Students of both Universities were provided for Ib. Which was opposed and laid aside 89 Pope Martin at pleasure fill'd the Episcopal Sees in England Ib. Whose Clergy were quiet during the Council of Constance Ib. Martin first claim'd an universal Right of Presentation 90 In two years made thirteen Bishops in the See of Canterbury Ib. His Appropriations censur'd Ib. The English neglected in the Grants of the Roman Dignities 91 Martin afterwards agreed to some redress Ib. In uniting Parishes Ib. And for a power to Bishops therein Ib. For avoiding the Unions made in time of the Schism Ib. For recalling Dispensations for nonresidence Ib. For lessening the Number of Cardinals and for their equal promotion Ib. The King required that Pope not to meddle with his Presentations 92 That no French be preferred in Aquitain c. Ib. That Irish Livings be given to those that understand English Ib. That the Bishops there promote the English Speech only Ib. That French be not preferr'd to Monasteries in England Ib. That the Pope supply the King with some of the English Mony Ib. The Pope not answering favourably 't was declared the King would take his course 93 The French and Germans declare against the Pope's Provisions Ib. The former revived the Laws to restrain him Ib. That if he were refractory they 'd disown him Ib. The Pope's Interdict of the Church of Lyons remov'd by the Parliament of Paris Ib. An Appeal from the King to the Pope High Treason Ib. The Oppress'd Germans not redress'd 94 The King besieges Roan the Capital City of Normandy Ib. Proposal of a Treaty betwixt England and France Ib. From our King were sent the Archbishop and Earl of Warwick 95 And Cardinal Ursini as Mediator from the Pope Ib. The Commissioners did not conclude Ib. Our King demanded a Million of Crowns Normandy Aquitain and Ponthieu Dowry with his Mistress Ib. The French straitned refused all Terms Ib. Roan holds out obstinately 96 Where 't is said an Apple was sold for 3 s. a Dog for 10 S. Ib. The Citizens helpless their King being Lunatick and the Kingdom in a Civil War Ib. Upon suit made they surrenderd paying 365000 Crowns 97 Here the King setled his Exchequer and Courts for the Affair of Normandy Ib. Took Meudon and Pontoise by storm and others by surrender Ib Half a Tenth granted the King in a Synod where Walker a Priest convicted of Witchcraft for which he abjured and some of Wickliff's Followers recanted 98 99 Processions for the King's Success with whom the Duke of Burgundy made a private League who then had King Queen and Daughter of France in 's power 100 Our King at Troyes marries the said Daughter Catharine on agreement himself should be Regent and their Children succeed to the Crown of France Ib. These Conditions ratified the Archbishop goes to France to congratulate the King 100 101 Who goes against the Dauphin his only Enemy Ib. Took Montereau Ib. Melun surrender'd 102 The King returns to England Ib. Processions for four days Ib. Queen Catharine Crowned Ib. The Synod gives a Tenth on condition that it should be Felony to geld a Priest Ib. Moved to publish a late Decree with a Clause in favour of Monks and Priests Ib. Decreed a Bishop take only 12 s. for Institution and an Archdeacon for Induction 104 Pope Martin denied Money besides the Tenths c. in order to unite the two Churches of France and England Ib. The Archbishop recalls the Judges from the Conquests and commanded the French to obey their Ordinaries 105 The King hastens to France on his Brother's death Ib. His Son Henry born at Windsor Ib. The Queen recovered goes to France Ib. Pavia chosen by Pope Martin for a General Council according to that of Constance 106 A Provincial Synod at London Ib. Whence Delegates were designed Ib. But through Benedict the Thirteenth's Interest the Pavian Council is dissolved called to Siena and seven years after to Basil 107 H. Webb for preaching without Orders whipp'd in three principal Cities Ib. William Taylor 's honest Principles condemned as impious 108 King Henry the Fifth dies of a Fever at Bois de Vinciennes 109 For which his Father-in-law pining away died with grief within twenty days 110 The King's Body buried at Westminster Ib. His Brothers were left his Son Henry's Guardians Ib. Great loss of a King so vertuous so generally and princely qualified of singular good fortune and esteem thereupon Ib. Duke of Glocester calls a Parliament 111 The hopes the Archbishop conceived of young King Henry Ib. Three Reasons for calling the Parliament viz. to assign the King Governors and consult about the Peace and for the defence of the Realm 112 Jethro 's Advice Ib. The Duke of Glocester confirm'd Protector and the Archbishop named First of the Council 113 But he retired to his Function Ib. Founded a College at Higham Ferrers Ib. And a large Hospital 114 The Considerable Revenues of which were augmented by his Brothers Robert and William Ib. A Synod held by him at London Ib. The Dauphin crown'd King of France at Poictiers Ib. Whereupon preparation was made for War 115 The Regent of France and Duke of Burgundy oppose the Dauphin Ib. The former sent for Supplies from England Ib. The Bishop of Winchester moves for Money in the Synod Ib. Which now wants Henry the Fifth 116 As Henry the Sixth is like to go without their Money the Clergy's Estates being already so much drained and Livings fallen so low Ib. Being also alledged that the power of granting Tenths was taken away Ib. The Bishop succeeded no better in the Lower House and so the Synod was adjourned 116 117 At the next Sessions half a Tenth was granted by the Higher House on condition the Proctors consented but refused by the Lower House Ib. The Synod dissolved Ib. At the next half a Tenth's given with much ado 118 Hoke and Drayton's Heresy and Russell denies personal Tythes to be Jure Divino 118 119 In his absence proclaimed an Heretick and prosecuted at Rome 119 120 Afterwards he abjured his Error in England 120 H. Beaufort Bishop of Winchester an open Enemy to the Lord Protector 121 Great Parties on each side appear in the Streets of London Ib. The Archbishop interposed Ib. They then laid down their Arms 122 The Bishop of Winchester accuses the Protector to the Duke of Bedford Ib. Who hastens into England Ib. Calls a Parliament Ib. Finds out the causes of the Quarrel and inclines them to the arbitration of the Archbishop and Duke of Exeter c. 123 Their Reconciliation confirm'd by the
the King two Tenths By a Decree therein Students of both Universities were provided for Which was opposed and laid aside Pope Martin at pleasure fill'd the Episcopal Sees in England Whose Clergy were quiet during the Council of Constance Martin first claim'd an universal Right of Presentation In two years made thirteen Bishops in the See of Canterbury His Appropriation censur'd The English neglected in the Grants of the Roman Dignities Martin afterwards agreed to some redress In uniting Parishes And for a power to Bishops therein For avoiding the Unions made in time of the Schism For recalling Dispensations for nonresidence For Lessening the Number of Cardinals and for their equal promotion The King required that Pope not to meddle with his Presentations That no French be preferred in Aquitain c. That Irish Livings be given to those that understand English That the Bishops there promote the English Speech only That French be not preser'd to Monasteries in England That the Pope supply the King with some of the English Money The Pope not answering favourably 'T was declared the King would take his course The French and Germans declare against the Pope's Provisions The former revived the Laws to restrain him That if he were refractory they 'd disown him The Pope's Interdict of the Church of Lyons remov'd by the Parliament of Paris An Appeal from the King to the Pope High Treason h Carol. Molinae de Monar Fran. n. 145. The Oppress'd Germans not redress'd i In Epistolis passim The King besieges Roan the Capital City of Normandy Proposal of a Treaty betwixt England and France From our King were sent the Archbishop and Earl of Warwick k Enguerr de Monstrell cap. 200. And Cardinal Ursini as Mediator from the Pope The Commissioners did not conclude Our King demanded a Million of Crowns Normandy Aquitain and Ponthieu Dowry with his Mistress The French straitned refused all Terms Roan holds out obstinately Where 't is said an Apple was sold for 3 s. a Dog for 10 s. The Citizens helpless their King being Lunatick and the Kingdom in a Civil War l Enguerr de Monstrell cap. 202. Upon 〈◊〉 made they surrenderd paying 365000 Crowns Here the King setled his Exchequer and Courts for the Affairs of Normandy Took Meudon and Pontoise by storm And others by surrender Half a Tenth granted the King in a Synod where Walker a Priest convicted of Witchcraft for Which he abjured And some of Wicklyff's Followers recanted Processions for the King's Success with whom Duke of Burgundy made a private League Who then had King Queen and Daughter of France in 's power Our King at Troyes marries the said Daughter Catharine On agreement himself should be Regent and their Children succeed to the Crown of France These Conditions ratified The Archbishop goes to France to congratulate the King Who goes against the Dauphin his only Enemy Took Montereau Melun surrender'd The King returns to England Processions for four days Queen Catharine Crowned The Synod gives a Tenth On condition That it should be Felony to geld a Priest Moved to publish a late Decree with a Clause in favour of Monks and Priests Decreed a Bishop take only 12 s. for Institution and an Archdeacon for Induction Pope Martin denied Money besides the Tenths c. In order to unite the two Churches of France and England The Archbishop recalls the Judges from the Conquests And commanded the French to obey their Ordinaries The King hastens to France on his Brother's death His Son Henry born at Windsor The Queen recovered goes to France m Sess 39. Pavia chosen by Pope Martin for a General Council according to that of Constance A Provincial Synod at London Whence Delegates were designed But through Benedict the Thirteenth's Interest the Pavian Council is dissolved Called to Siena And seven years after to Basil H. Webb for preaching without Orders whipp'd in three principal Cities William Taylor 's honest Principles condemned as impious King Henry the Fifth dies of a Fever at Bois de Vinciennes For which his Father-in law pining away died with grief within twenty days The King's Body buried at Westminster His Brothers were left his Son Henry's Guardians Great loss of a King so vertuous So generally and princely qualified Of singular good fortune and esteem thereupon Duke of Glocester calls a Parliament n Rotul Parlia Ann. 1. H. 6. The hopes the Archbishop conceived of young King Henry Three Reasons for calling the Parliament viz. to assign the King Governors and consult about the Peace and for the defence of the Realm Jethro's Advice The Duke of Glocester confirmed Protector and the Archbishop named First of the Council But he retired to his Function Founded a College at Higham Ferrers And a large Hospital The Considerable Revenues of which were augmented by his Brothers Robert and William A Synod held by him at London The Dauphin crown'd King of France at Poictiers Whereupon preparation was made for War The Regent of France and Duke of Burgundy oppose the Dauphin The former sent for Supplies from England The Bishop of Winchester moves for Money in the Synod Which now wants Henry the Fifth As Henry the Sixth is like to go without their Money The Clergy's Estates being already so much drained And Livings fallen so low Being also alledged that the power of granting Tenths was taken away The Bishop succeeded no better in the Lower House and so The Synod was adjourned At the next Sessions half a Tenth was granted by the Higher House on condition the Proctors consented But refused by the Lower House The Synod dissolved o C. Quoniam v. provinciam de decim At the next Half a Tenth's given with much ado Hoke and Drayton's Heresy and Russell denies personal Tythes to be Jure Divino In his absence proclaimed an Heretick p Liter Academ Oxon. in Archiv ep 20. And prosecuted at Rome Afterwards he abjured his Error in England H Beaufort Bishop of Winchester an open Enemy to the Lord Protector Great Parties on each side Appear in the Streets of London The Archbishop interposed They then laid down their Arms. The Bishop of Winchester accuses the Protector to the Duke of Bedford Who hastens into England Calls a Parliament Finds out the causes of the Quarrel And inclines them to the arbitration of q Rotul Parliam an 4. H. 6. The Archbishop and Duke of Exeter c. Their Reconciliation confirm'd by the Votes of the whole Parliament Which granted Money for Levying Men. And Half a Tenth granted in the Synod Bishop of Winchester made Cardinal The Cap with a Legacy for England had been promised him by John the Twenty third But the Archbishop had shewn that the Pope's Legates derogated from the Royal Dignity c. Which he did in a Letter to the King Wherein there is a Specimen of the English Language at that time No Suit to be made to the Pope after Election till the Pope has wrote to the King and has got an Answer A Pope's Legate in England durante vitâ without Precedent The Doctrine and Discipline of the Church dispensable by the Ordinaries c. not Legates The Archbâ—shop sends a Minute of the Legate's Office or Instructions to the King Such Legacies are extraordinary and not without great and notable cause and no resident above two Months at most The Instructions to be express and limited He deprecates the Oppressions and cormorant Exactions of the Legates Upon this Letter the King forbad the Bishop of Winchester the Cardinal 's Cap. r Polychron in Hen. 5. After the King's death he is created Cardinal Å¿ Antiq. Britan. in Henr. Chich. For whom our pious Henry Archbishop was mistaken A Vigorous Defender of the King's Authority Whence he incurr'd the displeasure of Pope Martin the Fifth t Epist Academ Oxon 36. in Archiv The Archbishop's Character from Oxford u Rotul Parliam an 6 H. 6. Great Intercession mads for him Bishop of Winchester is Legate in England with a Faculty So exercis'd the Power that he was stiled the Rich Cardinal x Joan. Foxius in Martyrolog sub H. 5. The Cardinal opposed by R. Caudray the King's Proctor Promises not to exercise his Office without the King's leave * Eodem jure semper usi sunt Gallire Reges quorum injussu Legatis Pontificum nunquam licuit Galliam ingredi aut mandata promulgare Sicuti clarissimus Advocatus Regius Ludovicus Servinus coram Senatu Parisiensi Turonibus tum sedente demonstrabat cum Ann. MDXC Cardinalis Cajetanus ad Henricum IV. Galliae Regem Legatus mitteretur †L. Servâ—n aux playdoier vol. 4.
Commonwealth and govern'd by its own Laws it was afterwards subdued by the Medici and is now subject to the Great Duke of Tuscany There it was that Theodoric of Nismes who was Secretary to Pope Gregory and was then in his Court at Siena relates that he saw our Ambassadors who were all Men of eminent Note but through the Negligence of Writers their Names are not preserv'd in Memory How well Henry Chichele acquitted himself of this Employment and how much he gain'd the Pope's Favour upon this account Gregory himself did soon after evidently demonstrate For News being brought to the Court of Rome of the Death of Guido Mone Bishop of S. Davids who died this year on the 31 st of August which was after the Departure of the Ambassadors out of England of his own voluntary Motion he created Henry Chichele Bishop of S. Davids and consecrated him with his own hands according to the ancient Form on the 4 th of October and by Letters written to Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury he acquainted him that by the Advice of the Cardinals he had promoted Henry Chichele Chancellor of Salisbury Doctor of Laws and Priest a Man of eminent Wisdom Integrity and other Virtues to the vacant See of S. Davids desiring him upon his Recommendation to make use of his Assistance in the Administration of his Archiepiscopal Function He attended the Pope from Siena to Luca and continued with him till the end of April the next year He then return'd home of an Ambassador being made a Bishop and on the 26 th of August he went to the Cathedral Church of Canterbury according to the usual manner and there took an Oath of Legal and Canonical Obedience and Reverence to the Archbishop and his Successors How fit he was esteemed by all Men for the Exercise of this Function the Bishops and Prelates of the Province of Canterbury assembled in Convocation at London in January following did very amply and fully testify For when it was debated in the Synod about sending Delegates to the General Council at Pisa for the English Nation Robert Hallum Bishop of Salisbury Henry Chichele Bishop of St David's and Thomas Chillirgdon Prior of Canterbury were unanimously chosen and it was also decreed that every beneficed Person should pay Four pence in the Pound out of their yearly Income toward the Charges of their Journey This Council was appointed to be held at Pisa by the College of Cardinals assembled at Leghorn for composing the difference between Gregory the Twelfth and Benedict the Thirteenth who both set up for Pope one at Rome and the other at Avignon But because we shall have occasion sometimes in the following Narration to make mention of this Schism of the Popes it seems agreeable to the design and method of this undertaking to deduce it from its Original and to explain briefly from whence it arose and by what ways it increas'd and was carried on After that Philip the Fair King of France slighting the Excommunications of Pope Boniface the Eighth had by his Letters which are extant in most of the Writers of that Age sharply reprehended his Folly and Madness and at length devested him of the Papacy the Cardinals fearing the King's displeasure elected into his room Clement the Fifth a Frenchman and Native of Gascoigne Who being created by the College of Cardinals at Perusium in his absence summon'd them all to Lyons where in the Church of S. Justus in the Presence of Philip King of France Edward King of England and Alfonsus King of Arragon he receiv'd the Pontifical Crown in the Year 1305 and the same Year having created a great many French Cardinals he fix'd his Residence at Avignon where also after his Death the six succeeding Popes John the Twenty second of Cahors Benedict thē Twelfth of Tholouse Clement the Sixth Innocent the Sixth Vrban the Fifth and Gregory the Eleventh of the Province of Limosin all Frenchmen resided for the space of seventy Years having quite forsaken Rome Dante Aligeri and Francis Petrarch two Italian Poets who liv'd in those Times in the Court of Rome at Avignon do very severely reprehend the Rapine the Debauchery Luxury and Excess of those Popes and particularly of Clement the Fifth and John the Twenty-second which they did either out of their Hatred to the French in general or because being Men of Integrity themselves they could not bear the debauch'd and profligate Lives of the Popes Clement the Fifth is also mention'd often by the Lawyers upon the account of the Book of Clementines which was put out by him in the Council of Vienne and added to the Canon Law But Gregory being concern'd at the Decay of the City of Rome and the Tumults of Italy privately left Avignon and return'd to Rome in the Year 1376 and the 71 st from the Departure of the Popes where being receiv'd with incredible Joy he began to repair the Churches Palaces the Walls and other Edifices of the City which were run to ruin He dying two years after the Cardinals who were almost all Frenchmen fearing the outrage of the People of Rome who demanded an Italian Pope chose Bartholomew Archbishop of Bari who chang'd his Name for that of Vrban the Sixth and with his Name soon chang'd his Nature also for whereas before he was generally look'd upon as a Man of a moderate Temper he now began to treat all the Cardinals with great Rigor and one time when Otho of Brunswick Prince of Tarentum who had married Joan Queen of Sicily presented him the Cup at Dinner upon his Knees he let the Prince continue for some time in that posture till being admonish'd of it by the Cardinals with much ado he took the Cup from him The Cardinals being very uneasy under this unseasonable Pride and Severity of the Pope fled to Fundi a City in the Kingdom of Naples where having first declared the Election of Vrban to be void as being made through fear and by compulsion they proceeded to Elect Rupert Cardinal of Geneva who took the Name of Clement the Sixth and with his Cardinals retir'd to Avignon Thus whilst one assumed the Papacy at Avignon and the other at Rome and both of them made new Promotions of Cardinals the whole Christian World was divided between them For the Germans the English the Poles the Hungarians the Bohemians the Danes the Swedes and most of the Italians acknowledg'd Vrban but the French and the Spaniards submitted to Clement Vrban in the Eleven Years that he held the Pontificate debas'd the Dignities of the Church by promoting the meanest Persons to the Purple and fomented Wars between the Christian Princes for which cause instead of Vrbanus he was generally call'd Turbanus He exceeded all the Popes that ever possess'd the See of Rome in Cruelty for of those Bishops and Cardinals who were accus'd as secret Favourers of Clement some he imprison'd
by birth a Cretan but it is not certainly known who his Father was When he was a Boy he was taken up by a certain Franciscan Fryer as he was begging from Door to Door who perceiving good Parts in him admitted him into his Order and instructed him in Grammar and Logick whilst he was in Italy from thence he sent him to Oxford where applying himself to the Studies of Philosophy and Divinity he attain'd to a very great perfection in both those Sciences as he shew'd afterwards in his Lectures at Paris and his close and subtile Commentaries upon the Books of Sentences After that by the Interest of John Galeatius Duke of Milan he was made Archbishop of that place then he was created Cardinal by Innocent the Seventh and now at last he was made Pope He was a man of great Learning and Integrity but having been wholly addicted to study and confin'd to a Monastick Life he was generally esteem'd unfit for the Administration of Publick Affairs He enjoy'd not the See of Rome either long or peaceably for the next Year going from Pisa to Bologna on the first of May in the Tenth Month of his Pontificate he was poison'd as it is believ'd and Balthasar Cossa whom he had made Legate of Bologna a man of a fierce Disposition and fitter for the Soldiery than the Priesthood was chosen Pope by the College of Cardinals partly through fear of the Soldiers that he kept in Garrison in the City and partly by bribing the poor Cardinals that were lately promoted by Gregory and took the name of John the Twenty third Now while Alexander was Pope at Pisa and Bologna Gregory assum'd that Title at Ariminum and Benedict at Panischola a City of Arragon so that three Popes sat at one time in St. Peter's Chair which could hardly contain the Pride of one and by the just judgment of God their Vanity was made manifest who would have the holy Flock of Christ and the Faith of all Christians to depend upon a perpetual succession of Popes in that See The Council of Pisa being broke up and the Winter coming on Henry Bishop of St. David's who is mention'd in the Statute-Books this Year as the King's Ambassador with the other Delegates return'd into England and the two following Years he was call'd by the Archbishop to two Synods holden at London as appears out of the publick Acts of those Synods the rest of his time he spent in visiting his Diocess examining into the Lives of the People and all the other Duties of his Episcopal Function which he perform d with great diligence as often as he had leisure from publick Affairs in which he was often employ'd by King Henry the Fourth who always highly honour'd him for his great Wisdom On the 20 th of March 1413. Henry the Fourth dyed at Westminster and Henry the Fifth a very accomplish'd Prince succeeded him to whom in respect of his excellent Endowments the Nobility of their own accord swore Allegiance before he was crown'd which we never read to have been done to any of our Kings before him While he was in a private Capacity he spent his younger days loosely and extravagantly but when he came to the Crown he chang'd his course of Life together with his Condition for he presently put away from him all those that he had made his Equals and who had serv'd him as Instruments of his Extravagances and took to him all the wisest and gravest men whose Counsels his Father had made use of amongst them Henry Bishop of St. David's whom he ever after highly esteemed and this very Year in the beginning of his Reign he chose him out of all the rest and sent him upon two very honourable Embassies first to the King of France and then to the Duke of Burgundy the remembrance of which we owe to the French Writers for ours have omitted this and many other passages For a War was begun in France between Charles the Sixth and Henry the Fourth occasion'd by the frequent Incursions of the French into Aquitain which at that time was in the possession of the English This Quarrel was transmitted together with the Crown to Henry the Fifth by his Father But King Charles being taken up with the Intestine Divisions between his Brother Lewis of Orleans and John Duke of Burgundy desir'd a Truce with the English from which King Henry being newly come to the Crown and his Affairs at home being not yet throughly setled was not much averse Whereupon Richard Earl of Warwick and Henry Bishop of St. David's were sent out of England and from the French King the Master of the Horse which is the highest Honour in France and the Admiral who meeting at Calais concluded a Truce for one Year When he was come back from France he was sent again the same Year with the Earl of Warwick to demand the Duke of Burgundy's Daughter in marriage for King Henry They met with the Duke at Lisle in Flanders and treated with him according to their Instructions but return'd without concluding any thing either because they did not like the person of the Lady or because the King was become more inclinable to a Match with the King of France's Daughter and had sent Ambassadors into France at this very time to treat about it Some few Months after his return he receiv'd a very ample Reward of these Embassies and his other Merits For the Creation of an Archbishop of Canterbury being in consultation he of all the Bishops of England was chosen without dispute as most capable of exercising the highest Office in the Kingdom next to the King himself in whose Judgment he was look'd upon as the fittest Person to deliver his Opinion first in the Privy Council For Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury dying on the 19 th of February in the Year 1414. John Wodneburgh Prior of Canterbu and the Monks of that Church desir'd leave of the King to elect a new Archbishop which was a Prerogative that the Kings of England had challeng'd to themselves since the time of Edward the Third who took it away from the Pope and constituted Bishops by his own Authority which practice of theirs Panormitanus affirm'd to be agreeable to the Constitutions of the Canon-Law When they had obtain'd leave of the King by a Grant under the Great Seal they first call'd home the absent Monks and celebrated the Funeral of Thomas Arundel in Christ's Church in Canterbury and on the 4 th of May they all assembled in the Chapter-house where after Solemn Service and a Sermon in which they were all admonish'd of their Duty out of the Holy Scriptures in a matter of so great importance and having also caused the King's Grant to be reâ—d Henry Bishop of St. David's was immediately demanded by all their Voices which demand was declared by John Langdon
Synod but they all refusing the Condition lest they should be accounted inferior to the Doctors in Presentations to Livings this Decree which would have been for the good of both Universities was at that time laid aside When the Synod was ended the injurious proceeding of Martin the new Pope began to be enquir'd into For about this time several Bishops dying in England the Pope substituted others at his own pleasure In the beginning of the next year he made Benedict Nicoll Bishop of St. David's William Barrow Bishop of Bangor John Chandeler Bishop of Salisbury and Philip Morgan Bishop of Worcester by vertue of that absolute Power which the Popes in that Age arrogated to themselves in disposing of the Bishoprickes of England The Clergy here had been quiet for some time during the Council of Constance after the deposing of John the Twenty third For the Bishops of Salisbury and Hereford dying at that time two new Bishops were made by the free Election of both those Chapters nor could the whole College of Cardinals by their Letters written from Constance prevail upon the Chapter of Salisbury to demand John Bishop of Litchfield the King's Commissioners at the Council for their Bishop But Pope Martin having now got quiet possession of the See of Rome became far more insolent than his Predecessors for in the beginning of his Pontificate he claim'd a Right of presentation to all Churches whatsoever reserv'd to himself the Donation of all Bishopricks by provision disannull'd all the Elections of Bishops made by the Chapters and within two years time made thirteen Bishops in the Province of Canterbury taking his opportunity while the King was engag'd in the War with France to venture upon an Action which Edward the Third and Richard the Second had prohibited by most severe Laws he also made his Nephew Prospero Colonna a Youth of Fourteen years of Age Archdeacon of Canterbury by Provision to whom some years after to gratify the Pope the King granted the Profits of as many Benefices in England as did not exceed fifty Marks yearly Besides this Complaints were made of his promiscuous uniting of Churches which are commonly call'd Appropriations and Consolidations of his easiness in granting Dispensations by which Priests were excus'd from residing upon their Benefices and Laymen were permitted to hold Spiritual Preferments and lastly that there was no notice taken of the English in the distribution of the Dignities of the Court of Rome The King's Commissioners at the Council of Constance John Bishop of Litchfield and John Polton Dean of York were order'd to represent these Grievances to the new Pope who soon obtain'd a concession of some Privileges to the English which in the Instrument it self are call'd Agreements between Martin the Fifth and the Church of England These were That the uniting of Parishes should not depend wholly upon the Pope's pleasure but that the Bishops of the several Diocesses should have power to examine into the reason of it That the Vnions of Churches and Consolidations of Vicarages made in the time of the Schism should be made void That those Dispensations granted by the Pope by which Priests were excus'd from Residence and Laymen and Monks were made capable of holding Livings should be recall'd That for the future the number of Cardinals should be lessen'd and that they should be promoted equally out of all Nations and that the English should be admitted to all other Offices in the Court of Rome About the same time the King sent another Embassy to the Pope to desire him not to intermeddle in the disposing of those Livings in England the Presentation of which belong'd to him as well by Agreement made between the Kings of England and the Popes as by his Royal Prerogative that no Frenchmen might be preferr'd to any Bishopricks or Livings in Aquitain or any other of the King's Dominions in France that Dignities and Benefices in Ireland might be conferr'd only upon those that understood English and that the Bishops of that Kingdom in their respective Diocesses might take care that the People should speak only English That for the future no Frenchmen might be admitted into the Monasteries founded by the French in England and that the Pope would grant the King a Supply who was now making war in defence of the See of Rome out of the Money that was paid to the Treasury of Rome in England To which Requests when the Pope return'd no favourable Answer the Ambassadors added that if he did not speedily satisfy their demands they were commanded to declare openly that the King would make use of his own Right in all these things which he had desir'd of him not out of necessity but only to shew his respect to his Holiness and to put in a publick Protestation concerning these Matters before the whole College of Cardinals The French also and the Germans protested against these Provisions and other Artifices of the Pope For the Estates of France being assembled at Paris in May this Year by their Edict reviv'd all the Ancient Laws that had been made to redress the Grievances and restrain the Tyranny of the Popes in which Edict it was further added that Martin should not be acknowledg'd as Pope by the French unless he would subscribe to this Decree and when he had interdicted the Church of Lyons the Interdict was taken off by the Parliament of Paris and the Rector of that University was tried for High Treason for appealing from the King's Edicts to the Pope The Germans also about this time being pillag'd by the Extortion of the Pope's Receivers desir'd of him a redress of their Grievances but they were put off with Indulgences and Pardons as Aeneas Sylvius relates who liv'd at that time in Germany Toward the end of this Year the Archbishop of Canterbury after he had visited the Diocess of Rochester being sent for by the King pass'd over into France leaving John Wodnesburgh Prior of Canterbury his Vicar-general He found the King at Roan in Normandy who since his arrival in France had taken partly by storm and partly by surrender Caen Cherbourg Allenson Constance Falaise and several other strong Towns in Normandy and had then laid siege to Roan the Capital City of that Province About this time it was agreed upon by the two Kings to send Commissioners on both Sides to treat of a Peace who were to meet at Pontlarch a Town lately taken by King Henry situated upon the Seine about eight Miles from Roan On the King of England's part were sent the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Earl of Warwick from the French King Philip Morvillier President of the Parliament of Paris the Bishop of Beauvais and Reginald Tolleville Knight and from the Pope Cardinal Vrsini who was to mediate the Peace on both Sides The Commissioners debated fifteen days about composing Matters
at Troyes just as the King was departing thence to go against the Dauphin who was the only Enemy he had now remaining In the beginning of July the King march'd toward Sens and having taken Montereau his next Attempt was upon Melun which after a Siege of four Months was surrender'd to him in the beginning of November There were present at this Siege with King Henry Charles King of France James King of Scotland Philip Duke of Burgundy William Duke of Bavaria with several other Princes the Archbishop also continued all the while in the Camp and after the surrender of the Place attended the King with his Father-in law and both the Queens to Paris from whence he return'd into England about the end of November In the beginning of February 1421. the King having left the management of his Affairs in France to Humprhy Duke of Glocester and Philip Duke of Burgundy came over into England with Queen Catharine where he was receiv'd with incredible applause and universal demonstrations of joy and by the Archbishop's command Processions were made to all Churches and Chappels for four days together Soon after his arrival in England he desir'd Money for the War with France of the Parliament assembled at Westminster during whose Session the Queen was solemnly crown'd with great splendor by the Archbishop of Canterbury who about this time call'd a Synod at London and obtain'd of them a Tenth for the service of the King which was granted upon some Conditions which were put in by William Lyndewood in the name of the Proctors for the Clergy They were these That the King's Purveyors should not meddle with the Goods of the Clergy that they should not be committed to Prison but upon manifest conviction of Theft or Murther that for all other Crimes they should only find Sureties for their appearance at their Trial but should not be imprison'd and that it should be Felony to geld a Priest all which the King confirm'd in this Parliament Beside the Bishops and other Prelates there were call d to the Synod by the Archbishop's Mandate John Castell Chancellor of Oxford and John Rykynghall Chancellor of Cambridge both Doctors of Divinity who in two eloquent Speeches requested in behalf of both Universities that the Decree made in the Synod four Years before about conferring Benefices upon those only who had taken Degrees in the Universities according to the value of the several Livings and the dignity of the Degrees might now be published with the addition of the Clause formerly put in that by repealing those Statutes of the Universities Monks might be admitted to Degrees in Divinity before they were Masters of Arts and Priests might commence Doctors of Canon Law though they had not studied the Civil Law which the Masters of Arts of both Vniversities having chang'd their minds had at length consented to Moreover to restrain the Avarice of Bishops and Archdeacons it was Decreed That no Bishop should take more than Twelve Shillings for Institution nor an Archdeacon for Induction and that Orders should be given gratis Also Simon Terraminus one of the Pope's Receivers in a handsome Speech desir'd Money of the Synod for Pope Martin but they gave no ear to him conceiving that the Tenths Annates and other Perquisites which were paid yearly into the Pope's Exchequer were more than sufficient to supply his Necessities The Archbishop having dissolv'd the Synod employ'd his care upon that Jurisdiction which he had hitherto exercis'd in France that so the same Peace which had reconcil'd the two Kingdoms might also unite both the Churches To which end he recall'd those Judges which he had plac'd in most of those Diocesses that were conquer'd by the King and by his Letters commanded all the People of France that for the future they should obey their Bishops and the Ordinaries of the Places in which they liv'd After this the King having receiv'd news of the death of his Brother Thomas Duke of Clarence who was slain in a Battel lately fought with the Forces of the Dauphin in Anjou hastned into France leaving the Queen big with Child who on the 8 th of December was deliver'd of a Son at Windsor who was Christen'd by the Archbishop with great Solemnity and nam'd Henry His Godfathers were John Duke of Bedford Regent of England and Henry Bishop of Winchester the King's Uncle and his Godmother was Jaqueline Countess of Holland Afterwards when he came to the Crown he us'd to call the Archbishop Godfather and always paid him a great deal of respect In the beginning of April 1422. the Queen being recover'd of her lying in was conducted into France to the King by the Duke of Bedford and Humphry Duke of Glocester was left Regent in England The time was now at hand in which another General Council was to be held according to the Decree of the Council of Constance by which it was ordain'd that at the end of five years a Council should be call'd seven years after that another and so every ten years constantly It was now the fifth year since the dissolution of the Council of Constance whereupon this Year Pope Martin pitch'd upon Pavia for the place of their Session In England the Archbishop call'd a Synod of the Province of Canterbury at London on the 4 th of August in which many Persons out of the whole Body of Bishops Prelates and Doctors were nominated who were to be referr'd to the King's approbation and it was concluded that the Archbishop should signify their Names by Letters to the King who should chuse whom he pleas'd out of them to represent the English Nation at the Council of Pavia and that there should be allow'd for their Expences Three pence in the Pound out of all Benefices that paid Tenths and Eight pence out of those that did not come under that Tax But this Affair came to nothing For Alfonsus King of Arragon having a quarrel against Pope Martin because at his instigation Joan Queen of Naples had put him by and appointed Lewis of Anjou her Successor in the Kingdom sent his Ambassadors to Pavia who with Gifts and Promises promoted the Interest of Benedict the Thirteenth who was still alive and acted as Pope at Panischola whereupon Pope Martin presently dissolv'd the Council which had been begun at Pavia and from thence by reason of the Plague was remov'd to Siena and appointed another to be held seven years after at Basil In the Synod at London one William White a Priest and one Henry Webb of Worcester were accus'd of Heresy the first for preaching publickly without a Licence who was therefore forc'd to recant before the Synod and the other for saying Mass without being in Orders who was sentenc'd to be whipp'd in three of the chief Cities London Worcester and Bath Also one William Taylor a Master of Arts was call'd in question for spreading
new Cardinals before the end of the Council The Pope being alarmed at these Decrees by his Edict remov'd the Council from Basil to Bologna which Translation the Fathers by a contrary Edict disanull'd and both of them by their Letters cited the Archbishop of Canterbury one to Basil and the other to Bologna Upon this the Archbishop call'd a Delegates from London Synod to the Council of Basil and others to the Pope Synod at London on the 15 th of September and advis'd with the Bishops and Prelates what course was to be taken in the Dissention between the Council and the Pope who unanimously concluded To send Delegates to the Fathers at Basil and others to Pope Eugenius to compose the Differences on both sides to whom they voted a Penny in the Pound out of all the Profits of the Clergy besides the Two pence granted in the former Synod They also gave the King half a Tenth Half a Tenth given the King which was demanded of them in an Eloquent Speech by John Stafford Bishop of Bath and Lord Chancellor of England with whom came also to the Synod William Lyndewood who was lately made Keeper of the Privy Seal This William Lyndewood was esteemed one of the Wisest and most Learned Men of that Age he was very much belov'd by the Archbishop who remov'd him first from the Chancellorship of Salisbury to that of Canterbury afterwards he made him Official at the Court of Arches and gave him several rich Livings he also recommended him to both the Kings Henry the Fifth and Sixth the first of which sent him Ambassador into Spain and afterwards into Portugal and now under Henry the Sixth he was made Keeper of the Privy William Lyndewood Keeper of the Privy Seal Seal and soon after Bishop of St. David's Amongst b Jo. Balae de scriptor Angl. Cent 7. other of his Works which are now lost he got a great deal of reputation with Posterity by his learned Writ excellent Commentaries â—n the English Constitutions And was stiled the Light of the Law Complaint in the Synod against the Vicars General c. Commentaries upon the English Constitutions which Work he dedicated to the Archbishop whom for his c In Epist Dedic great knowledge in both Laws he stil'd the light of the Law In This Synod the Clergy of the Lower House complain'd to the Bishops that their Vicars General Commissaries and Officials were for the most part ignorant both in the Civil and Canon Law and that they had never taken any degree in the Universities whereupon Decreed that a Judge of a Spiritual Court must have some degree of the Law it was Decreed That no one should be made a Judge in any of the Spiritual Courts unless he had taken some degree in Law After which the Synod broke up In speaking of This Synod we made mention of John Stafford Bishop of Bath who was made Chancellor in the room of John Kempe Archbishop of York who being lately advanc'd to the Purple with the Title of Cardinal of S. Balbina had laid down that Office Between him and the Archbishop of Canterbury there arose a very sharp Dispute about Priority For in the Parliament holden shortly after at Westminster the Archbishop of York in respect of his Cardinal's Archbishop of York as Cardinal claim'd precedence of Canterbury Dignity claim'd precedence of the Archbishop of Canterbury which he on the other side rightly maintain'd to belong to him by the ancient Prerogative of his See The Archbishop of Canterbury on the contrary by ancient Prerogative Referred to the Pope The cognizance of this Affair through their mutual Contentions being referr'd to the Pope the Archbishop of Canterbury pleaded his Cause himself by Letters and appointed Antony de Capharellis his Proctor at the Court of Rome who in his Name maintain'd that the Archbishop of Canterbury was within his The Arguments for Canterbury urgent own Jurisdiction in which it was fit that he should take place of every one and that in the Province of Canterbury no respect ought to be had to the Dignity of Cardinal possess'd by my Lord of York who being remov'd from the Pope's presence was depriv'd of the brightness of those Raies whose splendor he receiv'd by communication from his Holiness and that even a Bishop d Abb. ad c. sane n. 4. de for comp while he is in another Bishop's Diocess is look'd upon but as a private Person and not as a Bishop But the Pope out of his desire to maintain the Honour of the See of Rome and of the Cardinals his Brethren being more enclin'd to favour the Archbishop of York writ back to the Archbishop of Overborn in the Cardinal's favour Canterbury That the first Degree in the Church next to the Papacy belonged to the Cardinals that they were those venerable Priests mention'd by Moses in the Seventeenth Chapter of Deuteronomy that they were afterwards instituted by St. Peter and were to be accounted as Members of the Pope's Body and that the whole Church did turn upon them as upon its Hinges Seeing therefore that it hath obtain'd by the Customs and Constitutions of particular Churches that in the same Province a Priest should take place of a Deacon a Bishop of a Priest and an Archbishop of a Bishop that much more the Laws of the Catholick Church ought to be universally observ'd for as every Archbishop presides in his own Province so the Cardinals are set over the Universal Church by the Pope Lastly He exhorted and intreated the Archbishop to submit to the Customs of the Church of Rome and give place to the Cardinal promising both him and the whole See of Canterbury all the kindnesses that could be expected from a most affectionate Father This Letter is inserted at length by Cardinal Jacobatius in his e Lib. 1. de concil art 12. Book of Councils when he comes to discourse about the degrees of Cardinals and Patriarchs By this it plainly appear'd to Posterity how strenuously the Archbishop desended the Dignity of the Church of England against the Pope whose displeasure he had incurr'd as we said before for maintaining the King's Authority The Differences betwixt Eugenius and the Council of Basil gave occasion to the calling another Synod the next A Synod call'd at London on occasion of the difference between the Pope and Council Year For after that Eugenius had remov'd the Council from Basil to Bologna and had been urg'd in vain by the Fathers at Basil to revoke his Decree they commanded him by their Edict to submit to the Council and repair to Basil The Pope is summoned to Basil within sixty days otherwise they declar'd that they would proceed against him as contumacious and devest him of the Papacy Whereupon in a Synod begun at London the 7 th of November the Archbishop commanded the Proctors for the Clergy and all the Prelates of the Of which London Synod
London on the 30 th of April easily obtain'd of them a whole Tenth The Clergy grant a Tenth for they all earnestly desir'd the recovery of France The Archbishop had design'd a long time ago to erect some noble Monument for the service of the Church of Religion and Learning and for his own glory in the University of Oxford which out of a pious regard to his Education there he desir'd to adorn as much as was possible For at that time the Estates of almost all private Persons as well as the publick Revenues being exhausted by the long continuance of the French War the Vniversity was so thin and empty that most of the Colleges and Halls which were formerly full of Students were now quite forsaken and uninhabited and of those many Thousand Scholars that us'd to flock thither there was not one remaining which f Epist Acad. Oxon. 125. in Archiv they heavily lamented in their Letters to the Archbishop and the Synod Wherefore that he might by his Bounty repair the decays of Learning occasion'd by the general poverty of the Kingdom he gave Orders for building a large and stately Edifice of a square form in the North part of the Suburbs The Archbishop built a stately Edifice at Oxford of Oxford which he design'd for a College but when the Work was almost finish'd whether it were that he found fault with the Builders or that he did not like the situation of it he chang'd his mind and gave it to the Monks of Gave it to the Monks of St. Bernard S. Bernard that the Novices might be sent thither out of all the Convents of that Order to study the Arts and Divinity afterwards in the general Calamity of Monasteries it was seiz'd by Seiz'd in Henry the Eighth's time Purchased by Thomas White Merchant who Founded there St John the Baptist's College From whence came many Reformers King Henry the Eighth of whom Sir Thomas White Merchant of London a very great Favourer of Learning purchas'd it and founded there the noble College of St. John Baptist which hath since produc'd a great many eminent Men in all Faculties and particularly in Divinity who labour'd very succesfully in carrying on the Reformation in the Church of England This prudent Person shew'd by his excellent Example that those sacred and stately Houses which were taken from the licentious Monks and afterwards unjustly seiz'd on by the Avarice and Luxury of private Persons should have been applied towards the advancement of Learning the relief of the Poor or the publick good of the Church and Kingdom But the Archbishop chose another place for building a College very commodious for the Students in the middle of the Town near S. Mary's Church In which place having pull'd down the Houses that stood there which he bought of the Owners he laid out a The Archbishop chose another place for a College square Court and on the 10 th of February this Year the first Stone of this Auspicious Building was laid and the inspection of the Work was committed to the care of one John Druell a Clergy-man who perform'd that Trust with great integrity and diligence In the mean time Pope Eugenius being threatned by the Edict of the Fathers The Edict of the Council of Basil against the Pope backt by the Emperor at Basil as we said before which was seconded by the Authority of Sigismond the Emperor who came to Basil accompanied with a great many of the German Princes revok'd his Translation of the Council to Bologna and confirm'd Sess 16. Concil Basil The Council's Translation revoked Sess 19 24. Ambassadors to the Council from Greece and Constantinople where The Emperor and Patriarch designed to be present If the Council would secure them and defray their Charges their Session at Basil whither also he sent his Legates the Cardinal de Santa Cruce and the Bishop of Padua to support his Interests there There arriv'd also at Basil Ambassadors from John Paleologus Emperor of Greece and Joseph Patriarch of Constantinople who were receiv'd with great joy and declar'd that the Emperor himself the Patriarch and the Bishops of the Greek Church would come to the Council in order to compose the Differences between the Eastern and Western Churches in matters of Faith if the Council would engage the publick Faith for their security and defray Which was agreed the Charges of their Journey Both which the Fathers immediately promis'd and confirm'd by their Ambassadors sent to Constantinople But the Emperor Sigismond who was a valiant But on Sigismond's death the Pope removes the Council to Ferrara Sess 29. and wise Prince dying this Year Eugenius being freed from his Apprehensions remov'd the Council from Basil to Ferrara and by Letters sent into England he desir'd the King to send his Ambassadors thither and commanded the Archbishop of Canterbury to assemble all the Bishops of his Province in the beginning of the next Year and order them to go to Ferrara Whether he summon'd the Bishops from England Sess 32. which he signified also by Letters written at the same time to all the Princes and Bishops in Christendom This opposed by the Council On the other side the Fathers at Basil forbad any one to appear at Ferrara and indeed almost all Nations detested this double dealing of Pope Eugenius for most of the Italians the Germans and the Spaniards sided with the Fathers at Basil and Charles the Seventh King of France not only forbad the Prelates of that Kingdom to go to g Panor Tract de Concil Basil n. 6. Carol. Molinae de Monarc Franc. n. 149. Ferrara but also having call'd an Assembly of the Estates of France at Bourges in Berry King Charles of France puts forth the pragmatical Sanction against Annates c. he put forth the Pragmatical Sanction against Annates Provisions and other Extortions of the Popes which contain'd in a manner nothing else but the Decrees of the Council of Basil and commanded it to be receiv'd for Law in the Kingdom of France This Sanction curb'd the Power of the Popes in France for a long time till the Reign Which curb'd the Pope's Power there till the time of Lewis the Twelfth The English generally sided with the Pope of h Petr. Rebuff Tract de nominat quaest 2. n. 2. Lewis the Twelfth who at last was prevail'd upon by the Sollicitations of Pope Leo the Tenth to abolish it But almost all the English sided with Eugenius for first of all the King appointed some Persons of eminent Quality King Henry sent Ambassadors to Ferrara to be sent Ambassadors to Ferrara to whom the Bishops assembled in Convocation voted an Allowance suitable to their Quality which notwithstanding But their allowance was disputed was denied by the Proctors for the Clergy in the Lower House who were more inclin'd in favour of the Council of Basil only the Proctors for the Convents granted Four
depriv'd of Crown and Life by Edward the Fourth Our Chichele's Wisdom supported the Kingdom From the Calamities of which he was by his happy Fate delivered of York took occasion from hence to raise that lamentable Civil War in which King Henry being twice taken Prisoner in the Field forc'd to fly out of England and by the mockery of Fortune restor'd again to his Kingdom was at last depriv'd both of Life and Crown by Edward the Fourth If we consider all these things Henry Chichele died in a very seasonable time and deserv'd of Posterity a Character both of Wisdom seeing the Kingdom which had been supported by his Counsels fell with him and also of Happiness in that God Almighty did not suffer him to live to see the Calamities that were just coming upon the Kingdom WHAT is here related concerning the Government of the Church or Kingdom in general is taken from the English and French Historians who wrote of the Affairs of those Times The rest of the Story relating to the Church of England and to Henry Chichele in particular is taken out of the Books of the publick Acts of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury which are carefully kept by the Vicar-general's Secretary and out of some Manuscripts which Sir Robert Cotton furnish'd me with This I thought fit to acquaint the Reader withal as well that he might be satisfied of the authority of those things that are here deliver'd as that I might not be forc'd to crowd the Margin with Authors Names and Quotations FINIS THE TABLE TO THE Life of Archbishop CHICHELE BOrn at Higham-Ferrars in Northamptonshire Page 1 Made Fellow of New-College Oxford by William of Wyckam Ibid. Went to live with Medeford Bishop of Sarum 2 Made Archdeacon of Sarum Ibid. Then Chancellor of the same 3 Parson of Odyham Ibid. And chief Executor to his Benefactor Ibid. Sent Ambassador by Henry the Fourth to Pope Gregory the Twelfth 4 By whom made Bishop of St. David's 5 Accordingly took the Canonical Oath in England 6 Sent Delegate to the General Council at Pisa Ibid. Held to Reconcile the Competitors for the Popedom 7 Boniface the Eighth deposed Ibid. Clement the Fifth elected Pope Ibid. Who with six Successors all French resided at Avignon for seventy Years 8 Most of them hated by the Italians for their Nation or vitious Lives Ibid. The Clementines added to the Canon Law Ibid. Pope Gregory returned to Rome 9 Was succeeded by Urban the Sixth Ibid. For whose Rigor and Pride Clement the Sixth was set up against him 10 Urban for preferring the Base and fomenting of Wars called Turbanus a perverse and most cruel Pope Ib. Clement not far short of Him in wickedness 11 Urban succeeded by Boniface the Ninth and Ib. Clement by Benedict the Third Both worse than the former Ib. Boniface more Politician than Grammarian 12 Impos'd the Tax of Annates on the Clergy Ib. Suffered Bishopricks to be sold by Auction Ib. Sold the same Livings twice to several Chapmen 13 Yet made the Purchaser swear he came fairly by it Ib. Made poor Petitioners pay a Floren apiece Ib. Enquired after Gifts in the time of Divine Service Ib. Had no comfort when dying but in Money Ib. Defended by the Lawyers Ib. But opposed by the Divines 14 Benedict the like spiritual Robber Ib. Boniface compared to an Ox Benedict to a wild Beast 15 The Cardinal's Oath upon Boniface's death to resign if chosen Ib. Boniface succeeded by Innocent the Seventh who broke his Oath 16 A great Canonist debaucht and covetous Ib. On his death the Oath repeated with Imprecations Ib. Gregory the Twelfth succeeded Ib. Who treated with Benedict for the Churche's peace 17 And for a Resignation by them both at Savona Ib. Sends to Charles the Sixth of France about the same Affair 18 Gregory harshly treated his Ambassadors at their return Ib. Drew back and shuffled Ib. Then plainly refused to stand to the Agreement Ib. Hearing Benedict was come to Savona he comes to Siena 19 To whom Chichele was one of the Ambassadors from England and there made Bishop of St. David's Ib. Pope Gregory goes to Lucca Ib. Refuses to go to Savona Ib. Trinkles with Benedict is for his Hypocrisy called Errorius Ib. The Cardinals displeas'd for his promoting Condelmarius 20 His own Party fly to Pisa Ib. They appeal from him to Christ a general Council and the next Pope Ib. This justified by Panormitan Ib. Both Popes accused of Perjury by the best Canonists 21 The Cardinal 's leaving the Pope grateful to the Christian Princes Ib. The Kings of England and France withdrew their Obedience from both the Popes Ib. At the Request of the Cardinal's Letters English Money with-held 22 The French King withdraws Obedience to Benedict defended by Baldus 23 Two Bull-Carriers the Pope's Emissaries were ignominiously treated at Paris Ib. Charles the Fourth of France did neither regard the Church nor his own Kingdom Ib. Whose Son 's Successor Robert of Bavaria King of the Romans siding with Gregory chiefly fomented the Church Divisions 24 The Emperors then were degenerated Ib. When their Power was most requisite to rectify the Pope's mismanagement Ib. Gregory Renounc'd by his Cardinals at Pisa 25 Who with those of Benedict deprived them both of the Papacy 26 For which some worldly Divines charged them with Schism Ib. King of England and France c. favour the Cardinals and their aforesaid Sentence in Council 28 Which the Cardinal of Bourdeaux with great zeal got ratified in England Ib. H. Chichele one of the Delegates to Pisa 29 Before whom and Associates a Learned Sermon preached Ib. Bishop of Sarum another Delegate made an eloquent Oration in the Council of Pisa 30 Where both Popes were pronounced perjured c. and Alexander the Fifth elected 31 Who when a Boy had begg'd from door to door Ib. Afterwards his Parts known sent to Oxford Ib. Then made Archbishop of Milan and created Cardinal by Innocent the Seventh Ib. Alexander was too honest studious and Monastick to be politically qualified for the Chair 32 'T is thought he was poysoned Ib. He was succeeded by John the Twenty Third Ib. A Papal Triumvirate Ib. H. Chichele returns from his Embassy 33 Was diligent in his Function Ib. Allegiance sworn to Henry the Fifth before his Coronation 34 That King sent our Henry Ambassador to the French King and Duke of Burgundy Ib. To the former for a Treaty of Peace 35 To the latter about a Marriage Ib. Whilst the King seem'd more inclinable to the French King's Daughter 36 H. Chichele chosen President of the Council Ib. The Monks desire leave to elect an Archbishop of Canterbury Ib. And Canonically demanded H. Chichele 37 Which Custom was introduced by Papal Ambition 38 H. Chichele expects the Pope's leave 39 To obtain which Proxies are sent to Rome Ib. With the King's Letters in his favour Ib. The Pope divorc'd H. Chichele from St. David's 40 Made him Archbishop by way of provisor Ib. But he was
Votes of the whole Parliament which granted Money for Levying Men Ib. And half a Tenth granted in the Synod 124 Bishop of Winchester made Cardinal Ib. The Cap with a Legacy for England had been promised him by John the Twenty third Ib. But the Archbishop had shewn that the Pope's Legates derogated from the Royal Dignity c. Ib. Which he did in a Letter to the King 125 Wherein there is a Specimen of the English Language at that time Ib. No Suit to be made to the Pope after Election till the Pope has wrote to the King and has got an Answer 126 A Pope's Legate in England durante vitâ without Precedent 128 The Doctrine and Discipline of the Church dispensable by the Ordinaries c. not Legates Ib. The Archbishop sends a Minute of the Legate's Office or Instructions to the King 129 Such Legacies are extraordinary and not without great and notable cause and no resident above two Months at most Ib. The Instructions to be express and limited Ib. He deprecates the Oppressions and cormorant Exactions of the Legates 130 Upon this Letter the King forbad the Bishop of Winchester the Cardinal 's Cap. 131 After the King's death he is created Cardinal 132 For whom our Pious Henry Archbishop is mistaken in Antiquit. Britan. Ib. A vigorous Defender of the King's Authority Ib. Whence he incurr'd the displeasure of Pope Martin the Fifth Ib. The Archbishop's Character from Oxford 133 Great Intercession made for him Ib. Bishop of Winchester is Legate in England with a Faculty Ib. So exercis'd the Power that he was stiled the Rich Cardinal 134 The Cardinal opposed by R. Caudray the King's Proctor Ib. Promises not to exercise his Office without the King's leave Ib. Laid down the Office of Chancellor as obliged But kept his Place in the Council with exception 135 The Pope rais'd him against the Bohemians who had pull'd down the Monasteries c. 136 The Cardinal made General in the Bohemian War c. Ib. He could pardon Rapes on Nuns c. Ib. He was to demand a Tenth of the English Clergy for the War Ib. In the next Synod half a Tenth is given the King 137 And in another a Tenth and an half Ib. Duke of Bedford had besieg'd Orleans Ib. For those Grants the Members of the Synod c. were freed from Arrests 138 The Pope's Nuntio prevail'd not in the Synod Ib. For shewing his Letters for a Tenth he was denied but got 8 d. per Mark from Livings with a Salvâ praerogativâ Regiâ Ib. Heresy in holding the Pope to be Antichrist c. 139 Some recanted others were imprison'd Ib. Joan Dertford by means of her Answer acquitted Ib. The Ordinaries charg'd to persecute the Wicklevists and Lollards Ib. And Process ordered to be form'd against them 140 Pope Martin troubled that he obtain'd not the Tenths Ib. That his Bull was opposed at York Ib. That his Legate was imprisoned Ib. He expostulated with the Duke of Bedford Ib. The Pope is diverted with the prospect of the Council of Basil 141 Wherefore Delegates are chosen in a Synod at London with 2 d. per l. Charges Ib. Their Instructions did run against Pluralities and Non-residence c. Ib. The Synod gave the King a Tenth for the Siege of Orleans 141 142 Many other Towns revolted Ib. And many English slain at Patau Ib. The Synod decreed just Weights Ib. Popes generally afraid of Councils Ib. Martin appoints a President 143 The Pope dies before he took his Place Ib. Eugenius the Fourth succeeds him and continues the President who was his Legate Ib. The Pope adjudged subject to the Council c. 144 By their supreme Authority the Council makes a Legate of Avignon c. Ib. The Pope alarm'd removes the Council to Bologne Ib. Is opposed Ib. Delegates from London Synod to the Council of Basil and others to the Pope Ib. Half a Tenth given the King 145 William Lyndewood Keeper of the Privy Seal writ excellent Commentaries on the English Constitutions 145 146 And was stiled the Light of the Law Ib. Complaint in the Synod against the Vicars General c. Ib. Decreed that a Judge of a Spiritual Court must have some degree of the Law Ib. Archbishop of York as Cardinal claim'd precedence of Canterbury 147 The Archbishop of Canterbury on the contrary by ancient Prerogative Ib. Referred to the Pope Ib. The Arguments for Canterbury urgent Ib. Overborn in the Cardinal's favour 148 A Synod call'd at London on occasion of the difference between the Pope and Council 149 The Pope is summoned to Basil Ib. Of which London Synod consults 150 And what Pope they should obey if another be set up Ib. Alledged 1st that the Pope might dissolve a Council and if another be set up the Synod is to obey Eugenius Ib. By which they resent a Decree made at Basil transferring Votes from the Nations to a few Delegates Which was protested against on the place 150 151 Eight new Delegates nominated Ib. King Charles crown'd at Rhemes Ib. A new Army against France designed 152 Money desired of the Synod Ib. After a denial they gave three quarters of a Tenth Ib. The Grievances of the Church at that time 153 The Archbishop zealous to rescue her from the Oppressions of the Lawyers Ib. By reason of the Plague the Synod dissolved Ib. The Duke of Burgundy revolts to the French and Bedford dies 154 The former occasion'd the ill success of the Treaty at Arras Ib. The English driven out of Paris c. Ib. And generally the French surrender'd to Charles 155 A new English Army set sail for Calais Ib. The Clergy grant a Tenth Ib. The Archbishop built a stately Edifice at Oxford 156 Gave it to the Monks of St. Bernard Ib. Seiz'd in Henry the Eighth's time 157 Purchased by Thomas White Merchant who founded there St. John the Baptist's College Ib. From whence came many Reformers Ib. The Archbishop chose another place for a College Ib. The Edict of the Council of Basil against the Pope backt by the Emperor 158 The Council's Translation revoked Ib. Ambassadors to the Council from Greece and Constantinople where the Emperor and Patriarch designed to be present if the Council would secure them and defray their Charges Ib. Which was agreed Ib. But on Sigismond's death the Pope removes the Council to Ferrara whether he summon'd the Bishops from England 159 This opposed by the Council Ib. King Charles of France puts forth the Pragmatical Sanction against Annates c. 160 Which curb'd the Pope's Power there till the time of Lewis the Twelfth Ib. The English generally sided with the Pope Ib. King Henry sent Ambassadors to Ferrara Ib. But their allowance was disputed Ib. The Pope gives away the Bishoprick of Ely in Commendam 161 The Archbishop in Synod opposes the Affair which was frustrated by the Survivorship of the then Bishop Ib. Propos'd in Synod to renew a Decree that those not in Orders should not be beneficed
Ib. Wherein the King concurred and obtain'd it Ib. The Council begun at Ferrara by occasion of the Plague removed to Florence 162 Where the Greeks present submitted in Opinion to the Latines Ib. Which so offended the Greek Church that after their death they were not allow'd Christian Burial Ib. The Council of Basil maintain'd its Authority Ib. Deposed the Pope Ib. The English going to Ferrara 163 And by the Deputies of four other Nations Felix the Fifth elected Pope Ib. A defence of the Council at Basil Ib. The high Character of Lodovic Romanus 164 In the next Age the Council of Basil is condemned 166 A Synod call'd at London where the Statute of Praemunire is reckon'd a lamentable Church-Grievance in so far as a Suit in an Ecclesiastical Court is construed a suing in Rome 166 167 They petition the King to limit the Penalties to those who sue in a Foreign Court strictly taken Ib. The King promises them impunity till a Parliament be called 168 This Answer procured the King a Tenth Ib. The Archbishop pray'd the King to suffer his College almost finished to be founded in his Royal Name 169 Letters Patent accordingly granted Ib. The Chappel consecrated Ib. A Warden of the College made and twenty choice Fellows with power to elect twenty more for Divinity and Sciences and the Civil and Canon Law 170 Wherefore the Archbishop called the College All Souls c. Ib. Prescribed them Statutes Ib. Was very liberal to Oxford and Canterbury Church 171 Laid out a great Sum on the Structure begun by the Duke of Glocester and two hundred Marks to the publick Chest of the University 171 172 With the Method of its disposal besides the Decree mentioned concerning graduated Dignitaries Ib. His Name decreed to be Registred among the Benefactors of Oxford University 173 Having founded two Colleges c. Ib. He adorned the Cathedral of Canterbury 174 Repaired Christ's Church there building and furnishing a Library c. Ib. Gave liberally towards the building of Croydon Church and Rochester Bridge Ib. His Death Ap. 12. 1443. and magnificent Burtal 175 Soon after which a Fatal Change in England 176 Which came to be governed by Queen Margaret Ib. Whence the Kingdom was divided and the People oppressed Ib. The French also under a Female Revolt to King Charles Ib. Normandy then Aquitain lost after 300 years possession Ib. Jack Cade 's Insurrection 177 The French invade Kent and the Scots the Borders Ib. The Civil War from the House of York in which King Henry was imprison'd exil'd depriv'd of Crown and Life by Edward the Fourth Ib. Our Chichele's Wisdom supported the Kingdom Ib. From the Calamities of which he was by his happy Fate delivered Ib. FINIS ERRATA of Moment are these Two PAge 27. line 2. for Bulrush Spears r. Poisons or Medicines P. 35. l. 14. for Master of the Horse r Constable Others less material are left to the Candor of the Reader Born at Higham Ferrars in Northamptonshire Made Fellow of New-College Oxford by William of Wyckam Went to live with Medeford Bishop of Sarum Made Archdeacon of Sarum 1402. 1404. Then Chancellor of the same Parson of Odyham And chief Executor to his Benefactor Sent Ambassador by H. 4. to Pope Greg. the 12th a In nemore unionis cap. 31. By whom made Bishop of St. David's 1408. Accordingly took the Canonical Oath in England 1409. Sent Delegate to the General Council at Pisa Held to Reconcile the Competitors for the Popedom Boniface the Eighth deposed Clement the Fifth Elected Pope Who with six Successors all French Resided at Avignon for seventy Years b Dell'inferno Canto 19. del Paradiso Canto 27. c Nella terza parte sonetto 8 9 10 epist 20. Most of them hated by the Italians for their Nation or vitious Lives The Clementines added to the Canon Law Pope Gregory returned to Rome Was succeeded by Urban the Sixth For whose Rigor and Pride Clement the Sixth was set up against him Urban for preferring the Base and fomenting of Wars called Turbanus a perverse and most cruel Pope Clement not far short of Him in wickedness Urban succeeded Boniface the Ninth and Clement by Benedict the Third Both worse than the former Boniface more Politician than Grammarian Impos'd the Tax of Annates on the clergy Suffered Bishopricks to be sold by Auction Sold the same Livings twice to several Chapmen Yet made the Purchaser swear he came fairly by it Made poor Petitiâ—â—â—rs pay a Floren apiece Enquired after Gâ—…s in the time of Divine Service Had no comfort when dying but in Money Defended by the Lawyers d Jo. Andr. Ancharan Cardin. Dd ad c. 1. de Simon Felin in c. ex parte n. 1. de off deleg e Theod. Niem lib. 2. de Schism cap. 32. But opposed by the Divines f Thom. 2. 2. qu. 100. art 2. ibi Cajetan omnes Navarr in manual c. 23. n. 108. Paul Anglic. in Speculo Aureo g Panor in repetit c. extirpandae sect Cj ia vero n. 53. de Praeben in c. 1. de Simon Barâ—… t. ad c. cum pridem de pact Barthol Ugolin de Simon Tab. 1. cap. 3. sect 5. Benedict the like spiritual Robber h Bald. ad c. quia propter de elect i Bald. ad c. olim de rescript Boniface compared to an Ox Benedict to a wild Beast The Cardinal's Oath upon Boniface's death to resign if chosen Boniface sueceeded by Innocent the Seventh who broke his Oath A great Canonist debaucht and covetous On his death the Oath repeated with Imprecations Gregory the Twelfth succeeded Who treated with Benedict for the Church's peace k Anton. de Butr. ad cap. quod ad consultationem n. 3. de Sent. re jud And for a Resignation by them both at Savona Sends to Charles the Sixth of France about the same Affair Gregory harshly treated his Ambassadors at their return Drew back and shuffled Then plainly refused to stand to the Agreement Hearing Benedict was come to Savona he comes to Siena To whom Chichele was one of the Ambassadors from England and there made Bishop of St. David's Pope Gregory goes to Lucca Refuses to go to Savona Trinkles with Benedict is for his Hypocrisy called Errorius The Cardinals displeas'd for his promoting Condelmarius His own Party fly to Pisa They appeal from him to Christ a general Council and the next Pope This justified by Panormitan l Abb. ad c. Inquisitioni n 5. de Sent. Excom m Ancharan Cons 181. Card. Zabar Cons 150. Anton. de Butr. ad c. 1. n. 10. de Constit Both Popes accused of Perjury by the best Canonists The Cardinal 's leaving the Pope grateful to the Christian Princes The Kings of England and France withdrew their Obedience from both the Popes n Dec. in Consil pro Authoritate Concilii supra Papam ☞ At the Request of the Cardinal's Letters English Money with-held o Bald. add c. olim de rescript The French King withdraws Obedience to