by King Edgar as most just and reasonable He established Laws Ecclesiastical as well as Civil Canutus went on pilgrimage to Rome and there founded an Hospital for English Pilgrims He shrined the body of Bernius and gave great Lands to the Cathedral Church of Winchester He builded St. Bennet's in Norfolk which was before an Hermitage Also St. Edmond's-bury which King Athelstane ordained before for a Colledge of Priests he turned to an Abbey of Monks of Saint Bennet's Order Two of his Sons succeeded him first his base Son called from his swiftness Harold Harefoot a man of a cowardly disposition He reigned but four years and the Kingdom fell to Hardiknout King of Denmark his Brother who when he had reigned two years being drunk at Lambeth suddenly was stricken dumb and fell down to the ground and within eight dayes after died without issue of his Body Thus ended the Danish Kings which Danes had vexed and wasted the Land two hundred fifty five years When England was freed from the Danes they sent into Normandy inviting over Edward the Confessor and brother to King Edmond He was crowned Anno 1045. In his time was the Law made which concerned the King's Oath at Coronation Mathew Paris describes the Manners of the Countrey at his coming thus The Nobles were given to gluttony and leachery they went not to Church in the morning but only had a Priest which made haste with the Mass and Mattens in their chambers and they heard a little with their ears The Clergy were so ignorant that if any knew the Grammar he was admired by them most men spent nights and dayes in carousing In his dayes England injoyed Halcion dayes free from Danish invasions The Ecclesiastical Laws made by this King in his reign were I. That every Clerk and Scholar should quietly enjoy their goods and possessions II. What solemn Festivals people may come and go of without any Law-suits to disturb them III. That in all Courts where the Bishop's Proctor doth appear his case is first to be heard and determined IV. That guilty folk flying to the Church should there have protection not to be reproved by any but the Bishop and his Ministers V. That Tithes be paid to the Church of Sheep Pigs Bees and the like VI. How the Ordal was to be ordered for the trial of guilty persons by fire and water VII That Peter-pence or Rome-scot be faithfully paid to the Pope This King is reported to have entailed by Heaven's Consort an hereditary vertue on his Successors the Kings of England only with this condition that they continue constant in Christianity to cure the King 's Evil. In this King's reign lived Marianus Scotus that wrote much of the deeds of the Kings of England King Edward died childless Harold the Son of Earl Godwin succeeded him Indeed the undoubted right lay in Edgar Atheling Son to Edward the Outlaw Grandchild to Edmond Iron-side King of England But he being young and tender and of a soft temper and Harold being rich and strong in Knights the Nobles chose Harold to be their King As soon as he was crowned he established many good Laws especially such as were for the good of the Church and for the punishment of evil-doers Harold was slain in a battel near Hastings in Sussex and William Duke of Normandy obtained the Crown of England by conquest within a few years he made a great alteration in England the most part of his Knights and Bishops were Normans and many English with Edgar fled into Scotland where King Malcolm had married Edgar's Sister Margaret They incited Malcolm to invade England and he entred into the North part At last a peace was concluded and a Mark-stone was set up in Stanmoor as the mark of both Kingdoms with the Pourtraict of both Kings on the sides of the Stone Although then corruptions crept into the Church by degrees and divine worship began then to be clogged with superstitious Ceremonies yet that the Doctrine remained still entire in most material points will appear by an Induction of the dominative Controversies wherein we differ from the Church of Rome as Fuller in his Church-History of Britain hath observed I. Scripture generally read For such as were with the holy Bishop Aidan either Clergy or Laity â—ed 〈◊〉 hist lib. 3. ca. 5. were tyed to exercise themselves in reading the holy Word and in singing of Psalms II. The Original preferred For Ricemath a Britain a right learned and godly Clerk Son to Sulgen 〈◊〉 in Chron. of 〈◊〉 Bishop of St. David's flourishing in this Age made this Epigram on those who translated the Psalter out of the Greek so taking it at the second hand and not drawing it immediately from the first vessel Ebreis nablam custodit litera signis Pro captu quam quisque suo sermone latino Edidit innumeros lingua variante libellos Ebreumque jubar suffuscat nube latina c. This Harp the holy Hebrew Text doth tender Which to their power whil'st every one doth render In Latine tongue with many variations He clouds the Hebrew rays with his translation Thus liquors when twice shifted out and pour'd In a third vessel are both cool'd and sowr'd But holy Jerome Truth to light doth bring Briefer and fuller fetcht from the Hebrew Spring III. No Prayers for the dead in the modern notion of Papists For though we find prayers for the dead yet they were not in the nature of propitiation for their sins or to procure relaxation from their torments but were only an honourable commemoration of their memories and a Sacrifice of thanksgiving for their salvation IV. Purgatory then not perfected though newly invented For although there are frequent Visions and Revelations in this Age pretended thereon to build Purgatory which had no ground in Scripture yet it stood not then as now it stands in the Romish belief V. Communion under both kinds For Bede relateth that one Hildmer an Officer of Egfride King of Northumberland entreated our Cuthbert to send a Priest that might minister the Sacrament of the Lord's Body and Blood unto his Wife that then lay a dying And Cuthbert himself immediately before his own departure out of this life received the communion of the Lord's Body and Blood So that the Eucharist was then administred entire and not maimed as it is by the Papists at this day And though the word Mass was frequent in that Age yet was it not known to be offered as a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quick and dead King William to testifie his thankfulness to God for his Victory founded in that place Battel-Abbey endowing it with Revenues and large immunities The Abbot whereof being a Baron of Parliament carried a pardon in his presence who casually coming to the place of execution had power to save any Malefactor The Abby-Church was a place of safety for any Fellon or Murtherer Here the Monks flourished in all abundance till the dayes of Henry the Eighth Then Dooms-day Book was
honorem Armipotens Alfred dedit probit asque laborem Perpetuumque labor nomen immixta dolori Gaudia semper erant spes semper mixta timori c. Englished by Mr. Flemming Nobility by birth to thee O Alfred strong in Armes Of goodness hath thy honour given And honour toilsome harmes And toilsome harmes an endless name Whose joyes ere alwayes mixt With sorrow and whose hope with fear Was evermore perplext If this day thou wast Conqueror The next day's War thou dread'st If this day thou wast Conquered To next day's War thou spread'st Whose cloathing wet with a daily swet Whose blade with bloody stain Do prove how great a burden 't is In Royalty to reign There hath not been in any part Of all the World so wide One that was able breath to take And troubles such abide And yet with Weapons weary would Not Weapons lay aside Or with the Sword the toilsomness Of Life by Death divide Now after labours past of Realm And Life which he did spend Christ is to him true quietness And Scepter voyd of end In this King's reign flourished Johannes Scotus Erigena with addition sometimes of Sophista born in Ireland for distinction from a former born at Mâ—lrose and another in the XIII Century born in Duns otherwise called Sâ—bâ—â—lis he was a man of pregnant Judgement wondrous Eloquence and in those days rare knowledge of the Greek Chaldean and Arabian Languages He wrote a Book De corpore sanguine Domini against the Opinion of Carnal presence which was condemned at the Synod of Vercelles Bellarmine saith This man was the first who wrote doubtingly of this matter He was the Counsellor to King Alfred and Teacher of his Children afterwards he retired to the Abbey at Malmesbury where his disciples Murthered him with their Pen-knives being enticed thereunto by the Monks because he spake against the carnal presence and was accounted a Martyr as was recorded by William of Malmesbury de gest Reg. Ang. lib. 2. cap. 4. CENT X. AT this time there was no Bishop in all the West parts of England Pope Formosus being offended hereat interdicted King and Kingdom But Pleigmund Archbishop of Canterbury posted to Rome informing the Pope that Edward called the Elder the Son of King Alfred had in a late summoned Synod founded some new and supplied all old vacant Bishoprickes and carying with him honorifica munera the Pope turned his curse into a blessing and ratified their election The names of the seven Bishops which Pleigmund consecrated in one day were Fridstan Bishop of Winchester Werstan of Shireburn Kenulph of Dorchester Beornege of Selsey Athelme of Wells Eadulfe of Crediton in Devon and Athelstan in Cornwall of St. Petrocks These three last Western Bishops were in this Council newly erected A Synod was called at Intingford where Edward the elder and Guthurn King of the Danes in that part of England which formerly belonged to the East Angles onely confirmed the same Ecclesiastical constitutions which King Alured had made before King Edward remembring the Pious example of his Father Alfred in founding of Oxford began to repair and restore the University of Cambridge Jâ—h Ressiâ—s in lib. de Regiâ— for the Danes who kept the Kingdom of the East Angles for their home had banished all Learning from that place This King Edward the elder expelled the Danes out of Essex Mercia and Northumberland At that time the authority of investing Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Benefices as also of prescribing Lawes unto Church-men as well as unto the Laity was in the power of the King not of the Pope but the Pope would be medling in such matters by way of Confirmation Athelstan his Son succeeded King Edward being much devoted to St. John of Beverley on whose Church he bestowed large priviledges Many Councils were kept in this King's Reign at Excester Fevershaâ— Thunderfield and London But one held at Greatlea is of greatest account for the Lawes therein enacted especially that concerning the payment of Tithes which is thus Written I Athelstan King by advice Spelman in Concil p. 405. of Viselm my Archbishop and of other Bishops command all the Prelates of my Kingdom in the name of our Lord and of all the Saints that first of all they out of my own things pay the Tithes unto God as well of â—he living Beasts as of the Corn of the ground and the Bishops to do the like in their property and the Presbyters This I will that Bishops and other Head-men declare the same unto such as be under their subjection c. He ordained that in every Burrough all measures and weights should be confirmed by the Bishop's advice and testimony About that time Hoel King of Wales made a Law That no Church-man should be a Judge in Civil affairs Now St. Dunstan appeareth in Court born at Glastonbury of Noble Parentage yea Kinsman remote to Athelstane himself His eminencies were Painting and Graving an excellent Musician and an admirable worker in Brass and Iron After a while he is accused for a Magician and banished the Court But after the Death of King Athelstane he was re-called to Court in the Reign of King Edmond Athelstan's brother and flourished for a time in great favour but his old crime of being a Magician and a wanton with Women being laid to his charge he is re-banished the Court. But King Edmond being slain by one Leoff a Thief Edred his Brother succeeding to the Crown Dunstan is made the King's Treasurer Chancellor Councellor Confessor Secuâ—ar Priests were thrust out of their Convents and Monks substituted in their rooms But after Edred's death Dunstan falls into disgrace with King Edwin his Successor and being expelled the Kingdom flieâ—h into Flanders Mean-time all the Monks in England of Dunstan's plantation are rooted up and Secular Priests set in their places Soon after many commotions happened in England especially in Mercia and Northumberland King Edwin died in the flower of his age Edgar succeedeth him and recalls Dunstan home who hath two Bishopricks Fuller Church History given him Worcester and London King Edgar gave over his Soul Body and Estate to be ordered by Dunstan and two more then the Triumvirate who ruled England viz. Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester and Oswald afterward Bishop of Worcester This Oswald was the man who procured by the Kings Authority the ejection of all secular Priests out of Worcester which Act was called Oswald's Law In that Age Dunstan being made Archbishop of Canterbury Secular Priests were 〈◊〉 hist â—â— 1â— part 3. â—â— â— thrown out and Monks every where fixed in their rooms Many did dispute and preach against Dunstan And Alfred Prince of Mercia took part with the Priests Fuller makes mention of a fair and authentick guilded Manuscript wherein he stileth himself God's Vicar in England for the ordering Ecclesiastical matters a Title which at this day the Pope will hardly vouchsafe to any Christian Princes Hoel-Dha then held a National Council
made containing an exact survay of the Houses and Lands in the Kingdom which took up some years before it was compleated King William called a Council of his Bishops at Winchester wherein he was personally present with two Cardinals sent from Rome Here Stigand Archbishop of Canterbury was deposed and Lanfrank a Lombard substituted in his room A learned Lawyer hath observed that the first encroachment of the Sir Joâ—â— Davâ—s in his Irish report Pope upon the Liberties of the Crown of England was made in the time of King William the Conqueror For the Conqueror came in with the Pope's Banner and under it won the battel which got him the Garland and therefore the Pope presumed he might boldly pluck some flowers from it being partly gained by his countenance and blessing Although this politick Prince was complementally courteous to the See of Rome yet 1. He retained the ancient custom of the Saxon Kings investing Bishops and Abbots by delivering them a Ring and a Staff whereby without more ado they were put into plenary possession of the power and profit of their place He said He would keep all Pastoral Staves in his own hand 2. Being demanded to do Fealty for his Crown of England unto Pope Gregory the Seventh he wrote thus unto him That he would not do Fealty unto the Pope because neither had he promised it nor did he find his Predecessors had performed it 3. This King would in no wise suffer any one in his Dominion to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for Apostolical without his command or to receive the Pope's Letters except first they had been shewed unto him And although the Archbishop of Canterbury by his own Authority might congregate Councils and sit as President therein yet the King permitted him to appoint or prohibit nothing but what was according to hiâ— own will and what the King had ordained before 4. The King suffered no Bishop to excommunicate any of his Barons or Officers for Adultery Incest or any such hainous crime except by the King's command first made acquainted with the same This King gave unto the Bishops an entire Jurisdiction by themselves to judge all causes relating to Religion for before that time the Sheriff and Bishop kept their Court together He granted the Clergy throughout England Tithes of Calves Colts Lambs Milk Butter Cheese Woods Meadows Mills c. Then Thomas a Norman was preferred to the Archbishoprick of York Betwixt Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury and this Thomas there grew great contention for the Oath of Obedience but in the end Thomas subscribed obedience to the other Then it was decreed that York for that time should be subject to Canterbury in matters appertaining to the Church so that wheresoever within England the Archbishop of Canterbury would hold his Council the Bishops of York should resort thither with their Bishops and be obedient to his Decrees Canonical Then were divers Bishops Seats altered from Villages to great Cities as of Sealsey to Chichester out of Cornwall to Exeter from Wells to Bath from Shirburn to Salisbury from Dorchester in Oxford-shire to Lincoln from Lichfield to Chester which Bishoprick of Chester Robert then Bishop reduced from Chester to Coventry At this time several Liturgies were used in England which caused confusion and much disturbed mens devotions A brawl happened betwixt the English Monks of Glastonbury and Thurstan their Norman Abbot in their very Church obtruding a Service upon them which they disliked eight Monks were wounded and two slain near the steps of the high Altar This ill accident occasioned a settlement and uniformity of An uniformity of Liturgy all over England Liturgy all over England for hereupon Osmund Bishop of Salisbury devised that form of Service which hereafter was observed in the whole Realm Henceforward the most ignorant Parish-Priest in England understood the meaning of Secundum usum Sarum that all Service must be ordered According to the course and custom of Salisbury Church King William brought many Jews into England for before his reign I find none in this Land from Roan in Normandy and setled them in London Norwich Cambridge Northampton In the dayes of Lanfrank Waltelm Bishop of Winchester had placed about forty Canons instead of Monks but it held not for Lanfrank cast out secular Priests and substituted Monks in their rooms He also contested with Odo Bishop of Bayeux though half-Brother to King William and Earl of Kent and in a legal Trial regained many Lordships which Odo had unjustly invaded Although in this King's time there was almost no English-man that bare Office of honour or rule yet he favoured the City of London and granted them the first Charter that ever they had written in the Saxon tongue and sealed with green Wax expressed in eight or nine lines King William died in Normandy and William Rufus his second Son Anno 1â—8â— was crowned King of England He began very bountifully to some Churches he gave ten Marks to others six to every Countrey-Village five shillings besides an hundred pounds to every County to be distributed among the poor But afterward he proved very parcimonious though no man more prodigal of never performed Promises This year died Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury after whose death the King seized the profits of that See into his own hand and kept the Church vacant for some years He kept at the same time the Archbishoprick of Canterbury the Bishopricks of Winchester and Durham and thirteen Abbies in his hand and brought a mass of Money into his Exchequer All places which he parted with was upon present payment He quarrelled with Remigius Bishop of Lincoln about the founding of his Cathedral and forced him to buy his peace And without a sum of Money paid to the King John Bishop of Wells could not remove his Seat to Bath King Rufus coming to Glocester fell very sick hereupon he made Anselm the Abbot of Beck in Normandy one of eminent learning and strictness of life Archbishop of Canterbury The King soon after sent to him for a thousand pounds which Anselm refused to pay Then Herbert Bishop of Thetford removed his Episcopal Seat from Herbert Bishop of Thetford founded the Cathedral at Norwich Thetford to Norwich where he first founded the Cathedral Then died Wolstan Bishop of Worcester an English-man born a mortified man Near this time began the holy War Robert Duke of Normandy to fit himself for that Voyage sold his Dukedome to King William Rufus for ten thousand Marks To pay this money King Rufus laid a grievous Tax over all the Realm extorting it with such severity that the Monks were fain to sell the Church-plate and very Chalices for discharging thereof And when the Clergy desired to be eased of their burdens I beseech you said he have ye not Coffins of gold and Silver for dead mens bones intimating that the same Treasure might otherwise be better employed At this time there was contention at Rome between two Popes Vrban
Devotions to his Relicks Then Richard Prior of Dover who divided Kent into three Archdeaconries was made Archbishop of Canterbury Fabian saith He was a man of evil living and wasted the goods of the Fâ—bim in Henry 2. Church inordinately A Synod was called at Westminster the Pope's Legat being present thereat where was a great Contention between the two Archbishops of Canterbury and York for Precedency words begat blowes and the Archbishop of Canterbury's party pulled York from his Seat to the ground and tore his Casule Chimer and Rochet from his Back and put the Legat in such fear that he ran away The next day after York Appealeth to Rome Here the Pope interposed and to end old divisions made a new distinction Entitling Canterbury Primate of all England and York Primate of England King Henry died at Chinon in Normandy and was buried with very great Solemnity in the Nunnery of Font-Everard in the same Countrey a Religious House of his own Foundation and Endowment At that time were many Married Priests in Britain His Son Richard the first sirnamed Coeur de Lyon succeeded him and on September 3. was crowned at Westminster of Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury Then this King ordained the City of London to be ruled by two Bailiffs The two first Bailiffs were Henry Chornhil and Richard Fitz-River In the time of the Coronation of the King multitudes of the Jews in this Land were destroyed The King in part of satisfaction for his trespass against his Father for Queen Elianor and his Sons had sided with the King of France against him agreed with Philip the French King to take upon them the recovery of the Holy Land King Richard gave over the Castles of Barwick Faiâ—an Chron. and Roxburgh to the Scottish King for the sum of ten thousand pounds He passed away the Earldom of Northumberland unto Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham for a great sum of Money for term of life scoffing that he had made a young Earl of an old Bishop Besides by the commandment of Pope Clement the third a tenth was exacted of the whole Realm The King set over the Realm as principal in his absence the Bishop Pay Acts and Monuments of Ely his Chancellor and the Bishop of Durham whom he ordained to be Chief Justice of England Ely to have custody of the Tower with the oversight of all other parts of the Land on this side Humber and Durham to have charge over all other his Dominions beyond Humber The Pope also made William Bishop of Ely his Legate through all England and Scotland As for Men and Souldiers the Prelates Friars and other Preachers had stirred up innumerable by their manifold exhortations the Archbishop of Canterbury having travelled through Wales in Person for that purpose in Pulpits and private Conferences Then King Richard with some of our English Nobility who adventured their Persons in the Holy War crossed the Seas into France to Philip King thereof After some necessary stayes having passed the River Rhene at Lions they parted company Philip marching over the Alpes into Italy and King Richard to the Sea-side at Marsilia there to meet with his Navy King Richard's Fleet of Ships being not come he embarked himself in twenty hired Galleys and ten great Busses a kind of Shipping then peculiar to the Mediterranean Seas and set Sayl toward Messana in Sicily the Rendezvouz of both the Kings and their Armies In which passage King Richard lying at Anchor on occasion in the mouth of the River Tiber not far from Rome Octavianus the Bishop of Hostia repaired unto him desiring him in the Pope's name that he would visit his Holiness which the King denied to do alleadging that the Pope and his Officers had taken 700 Marks for Consecration of the Bishop of Mains 1500 Marks for the Legative power of William Bishop of Ely but of the Archbishop of Burdeaux an infinite sum of Money whereupon he refused to see Rome King Richard studying to fit himself for the great attempt he had in hand called before him his Archbishops and Bishops that accompanied him into a Chappel at the House where he was lodged where he made a penitent confession of his sins humbly Praying to God for Mercy and them as his subordinate Ministers for Absolution and God saith R. Hoveden respected him with the eyes of Mercy so that from thence-forth he feared God eschewing evil and doing good King Richard sent for Joachim Abbot of Calabria a Man of great Learning and Understanding in the Scriptures who at his coming he heard expounding the Apocalypse of St. John touching the afflictions of the Church and the state of Antichrist which saith he was then born and in the City of Rome of whom the Apostle said He should exalt himself above all that is called God Afterwards at the siege of Acres or Ptolemais in Palestine Radulphus de alta ripa Archdeacon of Colchester ended his Life there also died Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury and Hubert Walter Bishop of Sarisbury afterward Archbishop of Canterbury was a most active Commander there besides many more of the eminent Clergy engaged in that service William Bishop of Ely playd Rex in the King's absence abusing the Royal Authority committed to him Acres was delivered to the King 's of England and France who divided the spoil of that City betwixt them King Richard after this and many other notable Aâ—chievements in Palestine at his return from thence was taken Prisoner by Leopald Duke of Austria and detained by him with hard and Unprince-like usage whil'st the English Clergy endeavoured the utmost for his enlargement His fine was an hundred and fifty thousand Marks to be paid part to the Duke of Austria part to Henry VI. Emperor of Germany Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury with much diligence perfected the work and on his ransom paid King Richard returned into England Hubert Walter Archbishop of Canterbury had almost finished a fair Covent for Monks at Lambeth began by Baldwin his Predecessor but upon the petitions of the Monks of Canterbury to the Pope contrary to the King 's and Archbishop's desire the Covent at Lambeth was utterly demolished As this Richard was the first of the English Kings who bare Armes on his Seals so was he the first who carried in his shield Three Lions Passant born ever after for the Regal Armes of England This King 's daily exercise after his return was to rise early and not to depart from the Church till Divine Service were finished Moreover he bountifully relieved every day much Poor both in his Court and Towns about and restored Gold and Silver to such Churches from which to pay his ransom they had been taken away The Bishop of Beavois being also an Earl of the Royal Blood and the eleventh Peer of France valiantly fighting against John the King's Brother was taken Armed at all points and bravely mounted on whose behalf the Pope upon the Bishop's humble suit pleading the Clergy's immunity wrote
them to preserve this Antient right of the Crown descended to him from his Ancestors The same year this King by his Charter commanded all Clerks then Imprisoned for offences throughout England to be delivered to Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury upon his demand of them Likewise he granted a Charter to the Bish of Norwich to recover all Lands and Tenements belonging to that Bishoprick unjustly alienated by his Predecessors The same year Geoffery Plantaginet Archbishop of York King John's base Brother obstructed the Levying of Carvage demanded and granted to the King by common consent paid by all others on the Demesn Lands of his Church or Tenants beating the Sheriff of York's servants excommunicating the Sheriff himself by name with all his Aiders and interdicted his whole Province of York for attempting to levy it Whereupon the King much incensed summoned him to answer these high contempts his not going over with him into Normandy when summoned and also to pay him three thousand Marks due to his Brother King Richard and by his Writs commanded all the Archbishop's servants where-ever they were found to be imprisoned as they were for beating the Sheriff's Officers and denying to give the King of the Archbishops Wine passing through York summoned Geoffery into his Court to answer all these contempts and issued Writs to the Sheriff of York-shire to seize all his Goods Temporalties and to return them into the Exchequer which was executed accordingly The King and Queen repairing to York the next Mid-lent the Archbishop made his peace with the King submitting to pay such a Fine for his offences as four Bishops and four Barons elected by them should adjudge and absolved William de Stutvil the Sheriff and James de Poterna whom he had excommunicated and recalled his former Interdict The same year there fell out a great difference between this Archbishop R. Hoveden Annal. part poster p. 817. the Dean and Chapter of York and the Archdeacon of Richmond The Praecentor's place at York falling void the Dean and Chapter would not suffer him to present Ralph de Kyme his Official to it but themselves gave it to Hugh Murdac Archdeacon of Cleveland the day after he had given it to Kyme And when the Achbishop would have put him into the Praecentor's Stall the Dean told him It belonged not unto him to put any man into a Stall neither shall you therein place him because we have given it by Authority of the Council of Lateran Whereupon when the Archbishop could not have his will he excommunicated Murdac he likewise injured Honorius Archdeacon of Richmond by challenging to himself the Institutions of Churches and Synodals against the ancient Dignities and Customs of the Archdeaconry which the Archbishop pretended Honorius had resigned and confirmed to him by his Charter which he denied The Dean and Chapter and Honorius severally complained of these injuries to the King who thereupon issued two Writs for their relief This Honorius Archdeacon of Richmond complained to the Pope as well as the King of the injurious encroachments of this Archbishop who suspended some of his Clerks interdicted some Churches within his Archdeaconry and excommunicated the Archdeacon all which the Pope in a special Letter requires him to retract as null and void He also sent three Epistles more the first to the Dean and Chapter of York the second to the Bishop of Ely and Archdeacon of Northampton the third to King John himself to defend Honorius his rights against the Archbishop's injuries and encroachments The Pope wrote a menacing Letter to the Archbishop but he was no way daunted at it but proceeded still against Honorius till restrained by the King's Writs Appeals being but then in their infancy and that not as to a supreme judicature but only by way of complaint as a voluntary perswading Arbitrator and that by the King's licence first obtained as learned Sir Roger Twisden truly observes An Historical Vindication oâ— the Church of England in point of Sâ—hism The same year Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury intending to celebrate a Council at Westminster without the King 's special Writ thereupon the King being then in Normandy Geoffery Fitz-Peter Earl of Sussex being then Chief Justice of England sent a Prohibition to inhibit it yet the Archbishop held the Council wherein he made and promulged several Decrees Statuens ea a suis subditis inviolabiliter observari But those Decrees made concerning Procurations Fees for Orders Institutions Inductions Licences of Ministers c. were not esteemed obligatory nor were they regarded Lyndwood Aton and most Histories take no notice of them because made against the King's Prohibition The third year of King John Gilardus Archdeacon of Brecknock pretending himself to be elected Bishop of St. Davids in Wales with the King's consent by provision from Pope Innocent the Third intruded himself into the possession of the Temporalties thereof and likewise endeavoured to make it an Archbishoprick About that time a certain number of Greeks came from Athens into England and asserted that the Latins had erred from the way of Truth in the Articles of Christian Faith and they would shew the right way by invincible Arguments which all should receive if they will be saved This was reported unto King John He answered Our Faith is grounded upon the Authority of Christ and the Saints and I will not suffer that it be tossed with disputes and janglings of men nor will we change the certainty for uncertainty let me hear no more of you So they departed Gilardus had procured Pope Innocent's Procuration and Provision to elect him Bishop of St. Davids at which King John though then in Normandy with his Queen was much incensed and sent out four successive Writs and Proclamations directed to all the Clergy and Laity both of England and Wales in general and the Chapter of St. Davids in special strictly enjoyning them all to oppose and resist Gilardus his rash attempts and innovations against Him to their power according to their Allegiance and no wayes to aid or countenance him therein by advice or otherwise it being unjust to do it Giraldus notwithstanding all his pretended submission to the Archbishop proceeding afresh in the Court of Rome to obtain his ends thereupon the King issued ouâ— a severe Proclamation against him as a publick Enemy and disturber of the Peace of his Kingdom In the same year Pope Innocent takes upon him upon pretext of necessity for relief of the holy Land only to advise and recommend to all the Prelates of the holy Church the levying of the fortieth part of their Estates and Benefices and in what manner to levy â—t not absolutely to impose it to their prejudice Whence Matthew Westminster thus expresseth it Ad instantiam Innocentii Papae data est quadragesima pars redditum omnium Ecclesiarum ad subsidium terrae promissionis Therefore a free Gift not an imposed Tax Neither would the King of England or France suffer it to to be levyed in their Realms
the Archbishop England remained under the Interdict six years three months and an half whereby not only the King and his Court but also all the people of England who had nothing to do with that Quarrel were Excommunicated In that long time how many thousands of men died in England who by the Rules of the Roman Church and by the Pope's Judgment are eternally damned and that but for a Quarrel between the King and the Pope about some Investitures of Churches and Collations of Benefices and Money-matters Then saith Mathew Paris who was an eye-witness of all that disorder Maâ—ch â— aâ—â— All the Sacraments of the Church ceased in England saving only the Confession and the Communion of the Host in the last necessity and the Baptism of Infants The dead bodies were carried out of the Towns as if they had been the bodies of Dogs and buried by the High-wayes and in Ditches without Prayers and without service of Priests By the same Interdict all Masses Vespers all publick Service and ringing of Bells was forbidden and the Kingdom was exposed to rapine and prey and given to any that would conquer it Only the King was not excommunicated by name but that was done the next year after Next Pope Innocent deposed King John from the Kingdom of England and absolved the English from the Oath of their Allegiance and commanded Philip August King of France that for the remission of his sins he should invade the Kingdom of England with force of Arms giving to those that should follow the King in that Conquest the pardon of all their sins and the same Graces and Pardons as to them that visit the holy Sepulchre Whereupon the said King Philip partly to obtain the remission of his sins partly to make himself Master of England raised a mighty Army whilst Innocent was stirring up the English to rise against their King This moved King John to humble himself under the Pope and to receive such Conditions as liked him best The Conditions were That the King should yield unto the Pope the whole right of Patronage of all the Benefices of his Kingdom That to obtain Absolution of his sins he should pay to the Clâ—rgy of Canterbury and to other Prelates the sum of eight thousand pounds Sterling That he should satisfie for the damages done to the Church according to the Judgment of the Pope's Legat. That the said King should resign his Crown into the Pope's hand with his Kingdoms of England and Ireland for which Letters were formed and given to Pandulphus the Pope's Legat. King John being informed that his Archbishops Bishops and Clergy intended to hold a Council at St. Albans by the command of Pope Innocent the Third about the payment of Rome-scot against custom and sundry other unusual Exactions to the great destruction of the whole Realm upon complaint thereof by his Nobles and People issued out a Prohibition to them expresly forbidding them upon their Allegiance not to hold any Council there by the Popes or any other Authority nor to consult or treat of those things nor to act or ordain any thing against the custom of the Realm as they tendered his Honour or the tranquillity of the Kingdom until he conferred with the general Council of his Realms about it During this Interdict Alexander Cementarius Abbot of the Benedictines Thoâ—â—s Sprot Speed's Histoâ—y p. 57â— at Canterbury Vir corpore Elegantissimus facie Venerabilis literarum plâ—â—tudine imbutus ita ut Parisiis celebris haberetur Magister et â—â—ctor et Lector in Theologia was sent by King John unto Rome where he openly pleaded and fomented the King's Cause against the Pope He maintamed there That there is no Power under God higher than a King and That the Clergy should not have Temporal government He proved these two Articles by Scripture and Reason and by testimony of Anno 1209. â—n the tenth year of King John Henry Fitz-Alan was sworn first May or of Lâ—ndoâ— and Pâ—tâ—â— Duke with Thomus Nâ—al sworn â—or Sheriâ—â—s And London-bridge began to be built with Stone and St. Saviours in Southwark the same year Gregory the First in an Epistle to Augustine Bishop of Canterbury He wrote three Books against the Popes Usurpations and Power viz. De Cessione Papali De Ecclesiae potestate De potestate Vicaria in defence of his Sovereign King John for which his Loyalty he was afterwards by the Pope's Power deprived of all his Benefices by Pandulphus the Pope's Legat after King John's surrender of his Crown and enforced to beg his Bread King John having seized and detained in his hands the Temporalties of the Archbishoprick of Armach in Ireland for that the Bishop was elected without his License against his Will and Appeal two Monks coming to him proffering him three hundred Marks in Silver and three Marks a year in Gold for to have the Lands Liberties and Rights thereof he by his Writ returned them to his Chief Justice there to do what was fitting in it John Reumond coming from Rome to lay claim to a Prebendary in Hastings sued to the King for his License and safe conduct to come into and return from England which he granted upon this condition that upon his arrival he should give security that he came hither for no ill to the King nor for any other business but that Prebendary The like License he granted to Simon Langton the Archbishop's Brother upon the same and stricter conditions King John sent a memorable Letter to the Pope by special Messengers to claim and justifie this ancient and undoubted Right which He and his Royal Ancestors enjoyed to provide and prefer Archbishops and Bishops to the See of Canterbury and all other Cathedrals attested by the Letters of the Bishops of England and other credible persons desiring him to preserve the rights of the Church and Realm of England entire and inviolable by his Fatherly provision Then the King entred into a League with Otho the Emperour and Mat. Westminâ— forced John King of Scots who received his fugitive Subjects and harboured them in his Kingdom to send to him for peace to pay him eleven thousand Marks to purchase his peace with him and to put in Hostages for his fidelity without any Fight between them Yea the the Welch-men themselves formerly rebellious soon after his return from Scotland voluntarily repaired to him at Woodstock and there did homage to him After which Anno 1211. he entring into Wales with a great Army as far as Snowdown Reges omnes Nobiles sine contradictione subâ—ugavit de subjectione in posterum obsides vigintiocto suscepit inde cun prospâ—ritate ad Albani Monasterium remeavit Lewellin Prince of North-Wales being enforced to render himself to mercy without any Battel at all When the Pope's Absolution of the Nobles and all other Subjects from the King's Allegiance would not shake his magnanimous resolution nor his Peoples loyalty the Pope's Legats Pandulphus and Durance forged
of Lincoln was Canonized a The translation and enshrining of Thomas Becket Saint by the procurement of the Archbishop He likewise caused his Predecessor Thomas Becket to be Translated Enshrined and Adored with great Solemnity Most of the English many of the French Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Clergy and of other Countries were by the Archbishop's invitation present aâ— Thomas Becket's Translation The King by the Legat's and his Council's advice changed the Heathenish and long-continued Trials in criminal Causes by Fire and Water into other ways of Trial and Punishments by Imprisonment or abjuring the Realm Benedict Bishop of Rochester Richard Bishop of Sarum Hugh Bishop of Lincoln William Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury Richard Bishop of Durham Henry Abbot of Ramsey and other Clergy-men were all made Justices Itinerants this year Henry Bishop of Landaff dying thereupon Pandulphus the Pope's Legate conferred it upon William Prior of Goldcliff William de Marisco Bishop of London of his own accord resigning his Bishoprick Eustachius de Faâ—cumberge then Treasurer of the Exchequer was chosen Bishop of London whose Election was confirmed by the Legate Pandulâ—hus This Legate sent a Letter to Peter Bishop of Winton and Hugh de Burgh to prohibit and suppress the Usury of the Jews taken from Christians and to stay a Suite brought by a Jew against the Abbot and Covent of Westminster before the Justices of the Jews wherein he exacted usury from them to the great scandal of Christianity and the King's dishonour and to joyn some discreet Persons with the Sheriff in each County for the collection of Amerciaments to prevent their Malice and Extortions About this time was taken an Impostor at Oxford having five wounds in his Body and Members sc in his Side Hands and Feet who counterfeited himself to be Christ with two Women his followers counterfeiting themselves to be the Virgin Mary the Mother of Christ and Mary Magdalen They were immured together with him without any Victuals and starved to Death Then was a Council held at Oxford under Archbishop Stephen where many Constitutions were made most of them being very useful to reform Extortions Abuses Procurations in Visitations the taking of any Fees for Letters of Order Funerals or Administring any Sacrament as also against Pluralities Non-residence and other abuses of Clergy-men Soon after this the Archbishop and the Bishop of Lincoln commanded by their Injunctions That none should sell any victuals to the Jews nor have any communion with them of which the Jews complaining the King issued a Writ to the Majors of Canterbury Oxford and Norwich to countermand the Bishop's Injunctions that all should sell victuals and other necessaries to them and that they should imprison every one refusing to do it till further order Then the Prior of St. Patrick of Dune in Ireland sent a Petition to the King to grant him and others some small Cell to reside in in England their Houses in Ireland being frequently burnt in the Wars for St. Patrick's and other Irish Saints sake whose Relikes he then sent to the King for a present The King to satisfie the Archbishop wrote a Letter to the Pope to give way for the return of his Brother Simon Langton into England out of which he was formerly banished as well as Excommunicated and deprived of all his Ecclesiastical Benefices for adhering to Lewis and contemning the Pope's Excommunications But we find not that the Pope consented to this request Our Kings by reason of their manifold Affairs in the Court of Rome relating to the Pope and other Forreign States usually constituted sometimes general otherwise special Proctors by their Letters Patents to implead and defend in their Names and Rights all matters there depending for or against them of which there are many different Formes in our Records King Henry standing in need of a subsidy from the Bishops and Clergy Pope Honorius thereupon sent his Bull to the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors and Clergy entreating them to grant him a competent subsidy to be disposed of by common consent onely for publick benefit of the Realm leaving the grant free to the Bishops and Clergy to impose and proportion it This year sâ— 1225. the Archbishop of Canterbury and his Suffragans instead of granting the King a subsidy or punishing leacherous Clearks passed severe Decrees against their Concubines onely principally intended against the Wives of Clergy men whom they stiled Concubines in that Age. The Bishop of Cork in Ireland having obtained the King's Royal assent at the Pope's request to be Archbishop of Cassel taking a journey to Rome to procure it received his Writ for the restitution of his Temporalties after his return Then the Pope dispatched Otto his Legate into England with Letters to the King for his own filthy lucre The King assembling a Parliamentary Council of his Nobles and Prelates Otto read the Pope's Letters and Proposals wherein the detestable Avarice Extortion and Rapine of the Pope and Court of Rome were clearly discovered related by Matthew Paris Otto pursuing his Rapines in England by exacting Procurations from Matth. Paris Hist Angl. the Clergy was by the Archbishop's means suddenly recalled thence by the Pope to his great discontent and the prosecuting the Pope's former proposals committed to the Archbishop This year Pope Honorius the third sent his Bull to Geoffry de Lizimaco the King 's sworn Vassal absolutely subverting all Papal dispensations with Subjects just Oaths to their Sovereignes The Pope also sent prohibitory Letters to the King of England to stop his intended Military Voyage into France to recover his just Rights Then the King paid ten thousand Marks being all the Arrears of the sum granted by King John to the Pope by his Charter Richard de Marisco Bishop of Durham dying suddenly at Peter-borough-Abbey â—â—dwin Catal of Bish p. 515. 516. as he was posting to London with a great troop of Lawyers to prosecute his Suits against the Monks of Durham thereupon they bestowed this Epitaph upon him Culmina qui cupi tis Laudes pompasque siti tis Est sedata si Si me pensare veli Qui populos regi Memores super omnia si Quod mors immi Non parcit honore poti Vobis praeposi Similis fueram bene sci Quod sum vos eri Ad me currendo veni Upon his Death there grew a great difference between King Henry the third and the Monks of Druham about the election of a Successor There was an Appeal about this Election pending before the Archbishop of York before whom the King constituted his Proctor by Patent But after two years expensive contests the Monks election of William Archdeacon of Worcester a Man Learned and honest saith Matthew Paris was cancelled at Rome Luke the King's Chaplain put by and Richard Bishop of Salisbury Elected Bishop by the Pope's favour the Pope onely gaining by such contests The Emperor Frederick the third being justly incensed with the publication of divers Libellous and Scandalous
the Dutch Chronicle is to begg to take of every man and to do nothing again for it They lye dissemble and beguile the people with flattering words under the pretence of long prayer William Duke of Aquitain and Count of Lectavia invented or rather renued the Order of the Augustine Friars which had been before long decayed This William first dwelt in the Wilderness with his Brethren chastised his flesh and subdued it with a coat of male on his bare Body Praying VVatching and Fasting night and day so that he was called a Father and Restorer of that Order Thus much for the four principal sorts of Fâ—iers The following Orders were but additional Descants upon the former with some variations of their Founders among whom were 1. THE Trinitarians for whom Robert Rooksley built first an house at Mottingden in Kent they were called also de Redemptione Captivorum whose work was to beg money of well-disposed people for the ransoming of Christians in captivity with the Pagans 2. The Crouched Friars who came over into England 1244. with the Pope's Authentick and this unusual priviledge that none should reprove their Order or upbraid them or command them under pain of excommunication Some say they carried a cross on their staves others on their backs called in French a Crouch the place of Crouched Friars in London still retaineth the Name 3. The Bonhomes or good men being also Eremites brought over into England by Richard Earl of Cornwal in the Reign of his Brother King Henry the Third so stiled because of their signal goodness These Bonhomes though begging Friars the poorest of Orders and Eremites the most sequestred of begging Friars had two and it is believed no more Covents in all England Monks onely excepted the one at Asheridge in Buckingham-shire now the mansion of the Right Honourable the Earl of Bridgewater it was valued at the dissolution yearly at four hundred forty seven pound eight shillings half-penny The other at Eddingdon in Wilt-shire the late habitation of the Lady Beauchamp valued when dissolved at five hundred twenty one pound twelve shillings half-penny In the year 1257. arose two new Orders both of them were fixed in Cambridge the first the brethren De paenitentia Jesu otherwise Fratres Saccati brethren of the Sack whose Cell is since turned into Peter-house Matthew Paris gives this account of them at their first coming into Englaâ—d Eodem tempore quidam novus ordo fratrum Londini apparuit incognitus Papale tanen autenticum palam ostendens ita ut tot ordinum confusio videretur qui quia saccis incedebant induti Fratres Saccati vocabantur It is most likely that this avaritious Pope Alexander instituted this new Order to help fill his bag and Sachel by these Fratres Saccati employed to promote his rapines and revenues as the Friars Minorites and Predicants were The other were the Bethlemites dwelling somewhere in Trompington-street and wearing a Star with five raies on their backs I will conclude with the Robertines who owe their original to one Robert Flower who had been twice Mayor of York who forsaking the fair Lands left him by his Father betook himself to a solitary life about the rocks in Nidsdale in York-shire and it seemeth at Knaresborough the first and last house was erected for his Order Of the Templars and Hospitallers THE Inner Temple and Middle Temple in London do now stand in the very place where in times past in the Reign of King Henry the Second Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem Consecrated a Church for Knights Templars which they had newly built according to the form of the Temple near unto the Sepulchre of our Lord at Jerusalem For at their first institution about the year of our Lord 1113. they dwelt in part of the Temple hard by the Sepulchre whereof they were so named they vowed Poverty Chastity and Obedience to defend Christian Religion the holy Land and Pilgrims going to visit the Lord's Sepulchre against all Mahâ—metans and Infidels whereupon all men most willingly and most cordially embraced them so that through the bounâ—eous liberality of Princes and devout people having gotten in all places very fair possessions and exceeding great wealth they flourished in great reputation for Piety and Devotion yea and in the opinion both of the holiness of the men and of the place King Henry 〈…〉 the Third and many Noble men desired much to be buried in their Church among them some of whose Images are there to be seen with their leggs across for so they were buried in that age That had taken upon them the Cross as they then termed it to serve in the holy Land or had vowed the same But in process of time when with unsatiable greediness they had hoorded up great wealth by withdrawing Tithes from Churches appropriating spiritual livings to themselves and other hard means from Almes-men they turned Lords and though very Valiant at the first for they were sworn rather to die than to fly afterward they grew lazy they laughed at the Rules of their first Institution as at the swadling-clothes of their Infancy neglecting the Patriarch at length partly their vitiousness and partly their wealth caused their final exâ—irpation Pope Clement having long so journed in France had received many Fullers Supplement of the Hist of the Holy War l. 5. c. 1. real Courtesies from King Philip the Fair At last Philip requested of the Pope all the Lands of the Knights Templars through France forfeited as was pretended by reason of their horrible Heresies and licentious living The Pope was willing to gratifie him in some good proportion for his favours received and therefore being thus long the King's Guest he gave him the Templars Lands and Goods to pay for his entertainment On a sudden all the Templars in France are clapt in prison damnable sins are laid to their charge and they most cruelly burned to death at a stake with James the Grand Master of their Order All Europe followed the Copy that France had set them Here in England King Edward the Second of that name suppressed the Order and put them to death So by vertue of a Writ sent from him to Sir John Wogan Lord Chief Justice in Ireland were they served there and such was the secrecy of the contâ—iâ—ance of the business that the storm fell upon them ere they were aware of it In England their possessions were by Authority of Parliament assigned to the Hospitaller-Knights of St. John of Jerusalem least that such Lands given to good and pious uses against the Donour's will should be given to other uses At the North-side of the City of London John Briset a rich and devout man built an House for the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem which in time grew so great that it resembled a Palace and had in it a very fair Church and a Tower-steeple raised to so great height with so fine workmanship that while it stood it was a singular beauty and ornament to
and maintained were mighty and likely to oppose viz. the French and Spaniards They that were friends as the Protestants in France and the Netherlands were weak and needed her help But the Lord of Hosts made her a terrour to his and her enemies and a succour to all his people at home and abroad And it seemeth the Lord began betimes to cause his terrour to fall upon the Adversaries for the Council of Trent ended in a very few years after she began her Reign and a motion was made that the Heads or chief of the Protestants should be excommunicated and in particular Queen Elizabeth But the Emperour Ferdinand sent them a message to cool their Hist Concil 〈◊〉 â—ib 8. heat and wrote to the Pope and the Legates that if the Council would not yield that fruit as was desired that they might see an union of all Catholicks to reform the Church at the least they should not give occasion to the Protestants to unite themselves more which they would do in case they proceeded against the Queen of England for undoubtedly they would by that means make a general league against the Catholicks which would bring forth great inconveniences And his admonition was so effectual that the Pope desisted in Rome and revoked the Commission given to the Legats in Trent About that time Christianity began to dawn in the Kingdom of Ireland and suddenly after the Kingdom of Scotland embraced the Gospel of Christ and Queen Elizabeth is made Instrumental that way who ayded the Reformed party in Scotland with great supplies of men and money against the Pope's faction both of French and Scotch The Gospel did so prevail in France also at that time and the Protestants grew so numerous and considerable the Queen-Mother who was an enemy yet seemed to temporize and speak them fair and wrote to the Pope for Reformation of divers abuses to give them content insomuch that a Learned man then living in Germany though born in Italy breaketh out in an Epistle to his friend Totus terrarum orbis parturit Christum But now let us mark how the enemies of the Churches peace raged in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth what hideous and damnable treasons did they commit and how did they thirst after the Royal blood of that peerless Princess And when the Lord had confounded their plots how did they seek to overwhelm and swallow us up with the power of Spain in the year 1588. But after that in despite of the Pope and his Adherents that Noble Queen was carried to her grave in peace full of dayes riches and honour and her Successour both in her Kingdom and Religion was established in his Throne how did these Romish Cannibals seek to exceed themselves in wickedness and horrible cruelty they sought at one blow as it were to cut off the neck of this Church and State A French Historian speaking Thuan. Hist lib. 54. Anno 15â—â— of the bloody Massacre saith Wise men which were not addicted to the Protestants part seeking all manner of excuse for that fact did notwithstanding think that in all Antiquity there could not be found an example of like cruelty But the English Powder-plot doth so far exceed the French Massacre that there is no degree of comparison This cannot be paralelled It was of such a transcendency saith M. Mason that all the Devils may seem to have holden a black Convocation in Hell and there to have concluded such a Sulphurious and Acherontical device as was never heard of since the world began That wicked Popish crew being made drunk with the cup of spiritual fornications held forth unto them by the Whore of Babylon with unspeakable fury and madness did violate the Sacred Lawes and break the strongest bands of common humanity and meant to have represented a shadow of Hell and Hellish-malice here upon earth far exceeding the wickedness of Kain their elder-Elder-brother and exceeding all examples of Treason Cruelty and Murther Except that of Judas The Pope and Court of Rome who were wont to account England Puteum inexhaustum a well never drawn dry whilst they had the drawing of it now seeing the golden springs like to run low or rather to run another way and not to empty themselves in their Cisterns they like Balaam loving the Wages of unrightâ—â—usness were Raging mad and cared not how much of the best Blood in the Land were spilt so that it might make way for them again to the English gold But the greater their rage was the greater was God's mercy the greater the danger the greater the deliverance The Lord was known by executing judgement and those wicked wretches were snared in the work of their own hands Now let us consider what we were before the Christian Religion was first known to this Nation What were the Britains but Pagans and Barbarous people Yea we read that from the first submission of the Britans to the Romans that Ambassadours came from Britain to Rome swearing Fealty in the Temple of Mars offering gifts in the Capitol to the gods of the Romans And for the Saxons they were at first no better than the Britans the Saxons were a Dutch and Pagan-nation and served Saturn Jupiter and Mercury till they were converted to the Faith of Christ and renounced their Idols to serve the true and living God Earcombent Reigning in Kent after the death of his father King Ethelbald is said to be the first of English Saxon Kings that commanded Idols to be destroyed in his whole Kingdom about the year of Christ 640. 2. Consider we the Apostasie of our forefathers in adhereing to the Roman faction and then the renewed Apostasie at the death of King Edward the sixth together with our unworthy and unfruitful walking under the Gospel since the restoring of it by Queen Elizabeth 3. Consider likewise the mighty out-stretched Arm of God in protecting his Church and in preserving the truth of Religion among us still notwithstanding the plots designs and contrivances of Satan and his Instruments and the many Enterprizes of the Papal power ever since the days of K. James the great droves of Sectaries swarming like Locusts since our late unhappy Wars who seemed to be Spirited and acted by the Jesuites their crying down Magistracy and Ministry notwithstanding all which the Christian Religion hath prevailed against all its adversaries The consideration of all these things may give us ground of hope that God will still vouchsafe to dwell with his Antient Inheritance and therefore we may considently commend the care of this Church his old habitation to himself who I trust will never suffer the Devils Instruments to ruine his palace and to pull down the place of his Antient possession THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF Great Britain CENTURY I. IEsus Christ the Son of God the true Prince of Peace was born in Bethlehem-Judah of the Virgin Mary in the 42 year of the Reign of Augustus Coesar the Roman Emperour under the 194 Olympiad in the
somewhat earnestly to King Richard to set his very dear Son for so he called the Bishop at liberty The King in a pleasant manner caused the Habergeon and Curasses of the Bishop to be presented to the Pope with this question alluding to that of Jacob's Children to their Father concerning Joseph's Garment Vide an haec sit filii tui tunica an non See whether this be thy Son's coat or not Whereupon the Pope replied That he was neither his Son nor the Son of the Church and therefore should be Ransomed at the King's will because he was rather judged to be a servitor of Mars than a Souldier of Christ Whom the King of England handled sharply Anno 1199. One Thurical an English-man was in a rapture carried in the night to Purgatory of which S. Nicholas is Governor where also he saw the mouth of Hell whence a stinking smoak issued out which as it was revealed to him came out of Tithes detained or ill-paid because there those Men were horribly punished who had ill-paid the Tithes due to the Church This is related by Mat. Paris a Monk of St. Albans 〈…〉 into 〈…〉 superstitious according to the Age that he lived in Then also came the Minorite Friars into England their Order being but lately instituted King Richard laying Siege to a Castle called Chaluz belonging to the Viscountof Limoges was shot into the Arm by a poisoned Arrow whereupon the Iron remaining and festering in the wound the King within â—ine dayes after died having first forgiven the Souldier before his Death King John was Crowned in Westminster-Abbey June 9. 1199. and was Sworn by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury Quod sanctam Ecclesiam ejus ordinatos diligeret eam ob incursione malignantium indemnem conservaret dignitates illius bona fide sine malo ingenio servaret illaesas as Roger Hoveden expresseth it This Archbishop with all the Bishops Abbots Nobles present at and consenting to this Oath and doing Homage and Fealty to him The 13th of June following he was solemnly Divorced in Normandy in the presence of three of his Norman Bishops from the Duke of Gloucester's Daughâ—er Vnde magnam summi Pontificis Innocentii tertii Curiae Romanae indignationem praesumens temere contra leges canones dissolvere quod eorum fuerat authoritate colligatum as Radulphus de Diceta informs us But he soon after was Married to Isabel sole Daughter and Heir of the Earl of Angolesme who was Crowned Queen Octob. 8. by Archbishop Hubert this Pope and Cardinals not daring to question or null his Marriage CENT XIII KIng John being no sooner possessed of the Realm of England but in the very first year of his Reign evidenced to all the World his Ecclesiastical Sovereignty both by ratifying protecting enlarging the Ecclesiastical as well as Temporal Liberties Privledges Churches Chappels Tithes Lands Possessions granted by his Ancestors to several Archbishopricks Bishopricks Monasteries in England Ireland Normandy by sundry Charters using this expression in the Prologue of Confirmation to the Monastery of Cirencester Johannes Dei gratia c. Quoniam Honori nostro condecens Prynne's history of Popes Usurpations lib. 5. ch 1. saluti nostrae necessarium loca sancta religiosa quae ab Avo patris nostri Rege H. primo sunt fundata a Rege H. secundo patre nostro confirmata defendere custodire amplisicare Inde est quod Deo Sanctae Mariae de Cirencest Canonitis Regularibus ibidem Deo servientibus damus concedimus Dat. per manum H. Cant. Archiep. Cancel nostri apud sag 7. die Aug. An. Regni nostri 10. Which prologue he likewise used in other of his Charters K. John also authorized Hubert Archbishop of Canter to make a Will which he could not then Legally do without his Royal License In the year 1177. no less then 30 Nuns of the Abby of Ambresbury were accused and convicted at one time for their incontinency to the dissolution and infamy of their Order whereof they had been publikely defamed whereupon King Henry the 2d Expulsis sanctimonialibus be Abbatia de Ambresbury propter incontinentiam per alios domos Religiosos distributis expelling the Nuns from this Abbey for their incontinency distributed them throughout other Religious Houses in stricter custody by way of penance and gave it to the Abbess and Nuns of Font-Everoit for a perpetual possession who sending a Covent of Nuns thither from Font-Everoit Richard then Archbishop of Canterbuâ—y inducted them into the Abbey of Ambresbury on the first of June King Hen. 2. Bartholomew Bishop of Excester John Bishop of Norwich and many other of the Clergy and People being then present And by his Charter Anno 1179. confirmed the Lands of this Abbey to them with many liberties and that by the advice and consent of the Archbishop of Canterbury and many other Bishops Great Men and Barons of the Realm King John in the first year of his Reign by his Charter reciting all the premises in the Prologue confirmed this Charter of his Father ratified these Nuns deprivations and imprisonments in other Monasteries for their incontinency with consent of his Bishops Nobles and request of Pope Alexander transferring this Abbey and all Lands thereto belonging from one rank of Nuns to another takes both these Nuns Persons Lands into his Royal protection as if they were his own Demesnes grants them several Tithes Churches large Priviledges and prohibits that none of his Officers or Subjects should disturb them therein nor implead them but in the presence of himself and his heirs The same first year of King John's Reign the Abbot of Westminster dying the Monks by the King's License elected Ralph Arundel Prior of Harle for their Abbot unto which the King gave his Assent Whereupon he was consecrated Abbot no Bishops Abbots Priors or other Ecclesiastical Persons being elected to any Dignities but by the King 's previous License and subsequent Assent to the Person elected who might approve or reject him at his Royal Pleasure This King ratified the Charter of K. Richard touching the exchange between Archbishop Hubert and the Bishop and Monks of Rochester of the Manor of Lambeth for other Lands and the Clause therein authorizing the Pope Archbishop of Canterbury Bishops and Clergy of England to Excommunicate the infringers thereof Besides he appropriated several Chart. 1. Johan â—â—gis part 2. n. 147. n. 25. Parochial Churches in perpetuity to the Bishoprick of Coventry and Litchfield converted other Parochial Churches into Prebendaries and ratified the Orders made by Bishop Hugh for the better regulation of that Church by two Charters The like Charter of confirmation of Churches Tithes and Liberties he made to the Bishop of Exeter and his Successors the same year In the second year of his Reign the Dean and Chapter of Lexoven within this King 's hereditary Dominions in France presuming to elect a Bishop without his consent sent a Prohibition to
likewise to Preach or by way of reading in Churches or other publick or private places except in Schools of the Universities to Interpret or Teach any Scripture or any points of Doctrine concerning Religion Hereupon many of the people in divers places received their old Religion erected again their Altars and used the Mass and Latin Service as was wont to be in King Henrie's time In Cambridge the Vice-chancellor chalenged one Peirson on Octob. 3. for officiating the Communion in his own Parish Church in the English Tongue and on the 26. displaced Doctor Madew Master of Clare-hall for being Married In like manner some of the Popish party in King's Colledge on the 28th of the same moneth officiated the Divine Service in the Latin Tongue At Oxford John Jewel was chosen to pen the first gratulatory Letter to the Queen in the name of the University an Office imposed on him by his Enemies Doctor Tresham a Van-eurrier before authority repaired the great Bell in Christ-church and named it Mary Harley Bishop of Hereford and Taylor of Lincoln two of the last of King Edward's Bishops were present at the opening of the Parliament Octob. 10. But no sooner was the Mass begun though not then restored by any Law than they left the Church For which the Bishop of Lincoln being first examined and making profession of his Faith prevented the malice of his enemies by a timely Death And Harley upon information of his Marriage was presently excluded from the Parliament-house and not long after from his Bishoprick also Hereupon Bishop Barlow of Wells and Scory of Chichester passed beyond the Seas followed not long after by Bishop Poinet of Winchester On November 3. Archbishop Cranmer was arraigned at the Guild-hall in London with the Lord Guilford Dudley the late Queen Jane his Wife and others all of them being attainted and condemned of Treason After Peter Martyr had quit the Realm his Wive's Body having been buried in the Church of St. Frideswid was afterward by publick order taken out of the Grave and buried in a common dunghill John a Lasco was forced to dissolve his Congregation and He with his Strangers to quit the Countrey The like hast made the French Protestants also At which time many of the English as well Students as others deparâ—ed also The principal of those were Katherine the last Wife of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Robert Berty Esq Husband to the Dutchess the Bishops of Winchester and Wells as before was said Sir Richard Morison Sir Anthany Cook and Sir John Cheek Doctor Cox Doctor Sands and Doctor Grindal The News of Queen Maries succeeding her Brother to the Crown of England posted to Rome and was very welcome to Pope Julius the Third because it gave him some assurance of his re-admission into the Power and Jurisdiction of his Predecessors in the Realm of England in pursuance of which hopes it was resolved that Cardinal Pool should be sent Legate into England who being of the Blood-royl and a man of eminent Learning and of exemplary life was looked on as the fittest Instrument to reduce that Kingdom The Parliaments first Act was to take away all Statutes passed by the two last Kings wherein certain Offences had been made High Treason and others brought within the compass of a Pramunire This was done especially for Pool's security that neither He by exercising his authority nor the Clergy by submitting to it might be entangled in the like snares as Cardinal Wolsey and the whole Clergy of his time had before been caught Then an Act was passed for repealing certain Statutes of King Edward thereby they took away all former Statutes for administring the Sacraments in both kinds for establishing the first and second Liturgy c. In a word by this one blow the Queen cut down all that had been done in the Reformation in seven years before And then for want of Canonical Ordination on the one side and under colour of Uncanonical Marriages on the other there was presently such a remove among the Bishops and Clergy as it is not any where to be paralelled in so short a time An Act was passed likewise Entitled An Act against offenders of Preachers c which two Acts were seconded by the Queen with two Proclamations December 5. By one of which it was declared that all Statutes made in the time of the late King Edward which concerned Religion were repealed by Parliament and therefore that the Mass should be said as formerly to begin on the twentieth of that moneth And by the other it was commanded that no person should dare from thenceforth to disturb any Priests in saying Mass or executing any other Divine Office Accordingly the Mass was publickly officiated in all parts of the Kingdom and so continued during the Reign of the Queen without interruption Another Act was passed wherein it was Enacted That the Marriage between King Henry the Eighth and Queen Katherine his first Wife was lawful and to stand with God's Laws and his Holy Word c. That the Decree of Divorce heretofore passed between the said King Henry and the said Queen by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury should be reputed to be void and null with a Repeal of all such Statutes wherein the Queen had been diclared to be Illegitimaâ—e There also past another Act in which there was a clause for the invalidating of all such Commissions as had been granted in the time of the late Queen Jane and one in confirming the Attainders of the late Duke of Northumberland Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury c. Together with this Parliament the Queen summoned a Convocation that all matters of Religion might first be debated and concluded in a Synodical way before they were offered to the Parliament In the Writs of which Summons she retained the Title of Supreme Head on Heylin Hist of Q. Mary Earth of the Church of England c. the want whereof in those of the present Parliament occasioned dispute among some of the Members Whether they might lawfully proceed or not in such publick business as were to be propounded to them in that Session The Presidentship of the Convocetion was transferred upon Bishop Bonner priviledged in respect of his See to preside in all such Provincial Synods which were either held during the vacancy of the See of Canterbury or in the necessary absence of the Metropolitan The lower House of the Clergy also was fitted with a Prolocutor of the same affections Doctor Hugh Weston Dean of Westminster in the place of Doctor Cox So partially had the elections been returned from the several Diocesses that we find none of King Edward's Clergy among the Clerks and but six of the Deans and Dignitaries to have suffrage in the Convocation viz. James Haddon Dean of Exeter Walter Philips Dean of Rochester John Philpot Archdeacon of Winchester John Elmer Archdeacon of Stow in the Diocess of Lincoln Richard Cheiney Archdeacon of Hereford one more mentioned by Mr. Fox
and other places that there were thought to be Butchered no less than an hundred thousand of the natural Franch between the first of March and the twentieth of August then last past that with the like violence they had caused to be spoiled and imprisoned such of her Majestie 's Subjects as Traded in the Ports of Bretaign and such as sought to preserve themselves to be killed their goods and Merchandize to be seized without charging any other crime upon them but that they were Hugonots and that in consideration of the premises she could do no less than endeavour the preserving the Reformed Religion from an universal destruction and the maintaining her own Subjects and Dominions in peace and safety The ayd amounting to six thousand men was divided into two equal parts of which the one was destined to the defence of Roven and Deep then being in the hands of the Confederates the other to take possession of the Town of New-haven which by the Inhabitants was joyfully surrendred to the English The Lord Ambrose Dudley the eldest Son then living of the late Duke of Northumberland she sent to command that place whom on Decemb. 26. She had created Lord Lisle and Earl of Warwick where he was solemnly received with a peal of Ordnance A petit Rebellion hapned in Merton-colledge in Oxford The Wardenship of that house being voyd by the death of Gervase one Man is chosen to the place one Hall and his Popish faction opposed his admission and raised such a persecution that it was poenal for any to be a Protestant Archbishop Parker hearing of it summoneth Hall to appear before him but the seal of the citation was torn off by some of that party Hereupon the Archbishop made a solemn visitation of that Colledge wherein all were generally examined Man confirmed Warden Hall justly expelled his party publickly admonished the young Scholars relieved Papists curbed and suppressed Protestants countenanced and encouraged in the whole University Now many strange whispers were abroad and no small hopes conceived by those of the Popish faction for suppressing the Protestants in all parts of the Kingdom and setting up their own Religion as in former times of the plot were Arthur Pool younger brother to Reginald Pool the late Cardinal Legate and Geoffry Fortescue who had married his sister and others The substance of their charge was a design of levying War against the Queen c. with a particular intention of advancing the Queen of Scots to the Crown of England and Pool himself unto the Title of Duke of Clarence All which they Confessed upon the Indictment and did all receive the sentence of death but were all afterwards pardoned by the Queen out of that great respect which she bare to their Royal Extraction Then was that elegant discourse published by Bishop Jewel Entitled The Apology of the Church of England first writ in Latine translated presently into English French Italian Dutch and at last in Greek to the publishing whereof he was much encouraged by Peter Martyr with whom he had spent the greatest part of his time when he lived in exile But Martyr lived onely to see the Book which he so much longed for dying at Zurich on the twelfth of November following and laid into his grave by the Magistrates and people of that City with a solemn funeral The five Bishopricks erected by King Henry the eighth were so impoverished in this Queen's Reign that the new Bishops were necessitated to require the benevolence of their Clergy at their first coming to them to furnish their Episcopal houses and to enable them to maintain some tolerable degree of Hospitality in their several Diocesses The Parliament called January 12. 1562. passed an Act for Assurance of the Queen 's Royal power over all Estates and Subjects in her Dominions In which it was provided That no man Residing in the Queen's Dominions should from thence-forth either by-word or writing c. endeavour willingly to maintain the power and jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome heretofore usurped within this Realm It was also enacted that none should be admitted unto Holy Orders or to any Degree in either of the Universities or to be Barrester or Bencher in any of the Inns of Court or to Practise as an Attourney c till He or They should first take the Oath of Supremacy on the Holy Evangelists with a power given to every Archbishop and Bishop within this Realm and the Dominions of the same to Minister the said Oath to all and every Spiritual Person in their proper Diocesses as well in places exempt as els-where It had been declared by the Bishops and Clergy assembled at the same time in their Convocation To be a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God and the Custom of the Primitive Church to have publick Prayer in the Church or to administer the Sacraments in a Tongue not understood by the People therefore it was Enacted That the Bishops of Hereford S. David's Bangor Landaff and S. Asaph should take care for Translating the whole Bible with the Common-prayer-book into the Welch Tongue The like care was also taken for Translating the Books of Homilies Then were the Nine and thirty Articles composed in the Convocation The 39. Articles compiled in Convocation at London published soon after both in English and Latine with this following Title viz. Articles agreed upon by the Archishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London Anno 1562. for the avoyding of Diversities of opinions and establishing consent touching true Religion These Articles came forth much about the time that the Decrees of the Council of Trent were published Many of which Decrees begin with lying and all end with Cursing threatening Anathema's to all dissenters Anno 1571. the Parliament confirmed these Articles so far that every Clerk should before Decemb. 25. next following subscribe the same And hereafter every person promoted to an Eâ—clesiastical living should within a time prefixed in the time of Divine Service publickly read and profess his consent to the same on pain of deprivation ipso facto if omitted This subscription was extended only to men of Ecclesiastical Function After the return of the Queen of Scots out of France into Scotland Besides the Ratifying the Act of Oblivion formerly condescended to in the Treaty at Edenburgh there were also past some other Acts viz. one Act for repairing and upholding Parish Churches and the Church-yards of the same for burial of the dead Another against letting Parsonages Gleabes or Houses into long Leases or Fee But on the other side no safety or Protection could be found for the Queen 's own Religion no not so much as the Chappel Royal or the Regal City In contempt whereof a force was violently committed in the moneth of August in the Chappel of the Palace of Holy-rood house where certain of the Queen's servants were assembled for their own devotions the doors broke open some of
a long and woful War in both Kingdoms They erected a new Government among themselves which consisted of four Tables for the four Orders of the State viz. the Noblemen Heylin on the life of Archbishop Laud part 2. Barons Burgesses and Ministers These fixed themselves in Edenborough leaving the Lords of Council and Session to make merry at Sterling where they had little else to do than to follow their pleasures The Tables being formed they resolved upon renewing the ancient Confession of that Kirk with a Band thereunto subjoyned but accommodated to the present occasion which had been signed by King James on January 28. Anno 1580. And by this Band they entred Covenant for maintenance of their Religion then professed and his Majesty's person but aiming at the contrary And to this Covenant they required an Oath of all the Subjects which was as great an Usurpation of the Regal power as they could take upon themselves for confirming their own authority and the peoples obedience in any project whatsoever which should afterwards issue from those Tables Return we now to England where we shall find things in a better condition at least to outward appearance And now the Metropolitical visitation having been carried into all parts of the Realm of England and Dominion of Wales the Archbishop of Canterbury began to cast his eye upon the Islands of Guâ—rnsey and Jersey two Islands lying on the Coast of Normandy to the Dukedom whereof they once belonged and in the Right of that Dukedom to the Crown of England As parts of Normandy they were subject in Ecclesiastical matters to the Bishops of Constance in that Dukedom and so continued till the Reformation of Religion Heylin's Hist of Arcbishop Laud. Ad An. 1637. here in England and were then added to the Diocess and Jurisdiction of the Bishops of Winchester But the Genevian Discipline being more agreeable to such Preachers as came to them from France they obtained the exercise thereof in the eighth year of Queen Elizabeth Anno 1565. The whole Goverment distinguished into two Classes both meeting in a Synod every second or third year according to the order of their Book of Discipline digested by Snape and Cartwright in a Synod held at Guerâ—sey June 28. 1576. In this manner they continued till King James his time when the Churches in the Isle of Jersey falling into some disorder and being under an immediate Governor who was no great friend to Calvin's Platform they were necessitated for avoiding a great mischief to cast themselves into the Arms of the Church of England The principal Ecclesiastical Officer whilst they were under the Bishops of Constance had the Title of Dean for each Island one the several powers both of the Chanceslor and Archdeacon being united in his Person This Office is restored again his Jurisdiction marked out his Fees appointed his Revenue setled but made accountable for his Administration to the Bishop's of Winchester The English Liturgy is translated also into French to be read in their Churches Instructions first and afterwards a Body of Canons framed for regulating both Ministers and people in their several duties Now it was resolved that the Metropolitical visitation should be held in each of them at the next opening of the Spring And the Archbishop had designed a Person for his principal Visitor who had spent some time in either Island and was well acquainted with the Bailiffs Ministers and Men of special note among them But the Affairs of Scotland growing worse this Council was laid by But these Islands were not out of his mind The Islanders used to breed such of their Sons as they designed for the Ministry either at Saumur or Geneva from whence they returned well-seasoned with Calvinism Therefore to alâ—ure the people to send their Children to Oxon or Cambridge he thought of providing some preferment for them in our Universities It now happened that one Hubbard the Heir of Sir Miles Hubbard Citizen and Alderman of London died to whom upon an Inquisâ—tion taken after his death in due form of Law no Heir was found which could lay claim to his Estate Which so unexpectedly fallen to the Crown and being a fair Estate withall the Archbishop perswaded his Majesty to bestow some small part thereof upon pious uses And so much was allotted out of it as for the present served sufficiently to endow three Fellowships for the perpetual education of so many of the Nâ—tives of Guernsey and Jersey These Fellowships to be founded in Exeter Jesus and Pembrook Colledges that being disperst into several Houses there might be an increase both of Fellows and Revenues of the said Foundations By means whereof he did as Doctor Heylin observeth both piously and prudently provide for those Islands and the advancement of Conformity among them for the future It is not to be thought that the Papists were all this while asleep Pancani arriving in England brought with him many pretended Relicks An. 1636. of Saints Medals and pieces of Gold with the Pope's Picture stamped upon on them to be distributed among those of the Party but chiefly to the Ladies of the Court and Countrey to whom he made the greatest part of his Applications Then he practised upon some of the principal Lords and used his best endeavours to be brought into the acquaintance of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury But his Grace neither liked the Man nor the Message he came about and admitted him neither to complement nor communication However the Popish faction multiplying in some numbers about the Court resorted more openly to the Masses at Sommerset-house where the Capuchins had obtained both a Chappel and Convent Of this none bears the blame but the Archbishop who is traduced in Libels and common â—alk for the principal Architect in the plot and the contriver of the mischief Awakened by so many Alarms he had good cause to look about him but more at the great noise not long after raised about the seduceing of the Countess of Newport to the Church of Rome effected by the practices of Walter Mountague a younger Son of the Earl of Manchester and the importunities of Toby Mathews an undeserving Son of a worthy Father Con interposing in it as he found occasion Wherefore he passionately besought the King that they might be barred either from coming into the Court at all or to give no offence and scandal to their misbehaviours Hereupon Mountague and Mathews were discharged the Court the one betaking himself to his Countrey-practice the other for a time to his former Travels in France and Italy The next year he moved for a Proclamation for the calling in of a Popish Book written in French by Francis Sales Bishop of Geneva translated into English entitled an Introduction to a holy life The Printer was thereupon apprehended and the Translator diligently sought for to be brought to Justice His Majesty caused the said Book to be called in and as many as could be seized on to be
Booth Mr. Nicholas Monk a Minister and the only Brother to General Monk is sent into Scotland from Sir Hugh Pollard Sir Thomas Stukeley and other of his Majesties Friends in the West of England He sollicits his Brother to embrace his Majesties Interest The King wrote a Letter to General Monk and another to Sir John Greenvill concerning the owning his Cause Major General Massey was active in Glocester-shire and the Lord Herbert Son to the Marquess of Worcester and others The Lord Herbert was taken so was Major General Massey with others but all the rest of the Prisoners except the Lord Herbert and Massey's Servant make an escape Lambert marcheth against Sir George Booth and Sir George is defeated by Lambert and soon after was seized at Newport-pannel in a disguise as he was riding to London After this defeat General Monk sends a Letter to the House signifying his willingness to be dismissed from his Command The Army begin to contrive the recovery and advancement of their power The Officers of the Army promoted by Lambert dislike some proceedings of the Juncto They conclude to draw up their desires in a Petition Sir Arthur Haslerig vehemently opposeth the Armies proceedings and incenseth the House against them and Lambert Fleetwood endeavours to justifie the Officers of the Army but in vain Ashfield Cobbet and Duckenfield presented the Petition of the Army to the House thus dirrected To the Supreme Authority of these Nations the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England c. The humble Petition and Proposals of the Officers under the Command of the Right Honourable the Lord Lambert in the late Northern Expedition The House signifie their displeasure and vote against the effect of the Petition Then the Officers resolve upon more moderate Proposals Another Petition is brought into the Council of Officers more high than the former General Monk writes his sence of it in a Letter to Fleetwood and offers himself to march into England to the assistance of the Parliaments Party October the fifth Colonel Desborow with many other Officers of the Army present a Representation and Petition of the Officers of the Army to the Parliament who at first dissemble their distaste of these proceedings of the Army The Council of Officers perceiving that the Parliament labour to alter the Constitution of the Army labour to get Subscriptions to their Representation and Petition They send a Letter to General Monk concerning their Representation He resolves to admit of no Subscriptions in Scotland General Monk is courted by the Parliament and complemented by Letters with gratulatory Expressions for his good service The House takes the Armies debates into consideration and answers them one by one Mr. Nicholas Monk arrives from Scotland with private Orders from the General to Mr. Clarges The house ordereth That the Commissions of Lambert and others be made void They appoint Commissioners for governing the Army and remove Fleetwood from the chief command thereof Colonel Morloy and Mosse are ordered with their Regiments to guard the House But Lambert with the Regiments that adhere to him stop the passages to the Parliament House and having enforced the Speaker to return they dissolve the Remnant Parliament by hindring the Members from coming into the House The next day divers of the chief Officers of the Army met at Whitehall and chose ten Army-Officers to be managers of the State Affairs pro tempore They agree that Fleetwood should be Commander in chief of all the Armies and that Limbert should be the next chief Officer under him and Colonel Desborow Commissary General of the Horse and that all the Officers to be constituted in the Army should be nominated by Sir Henry Vane Fleetwood Lambert Desborow Ludlow and Berry They dispatch Colonel Cobbet to General Monk with a large Narrative of the Reasons of their proceedings Now was Mr. Armorer sent by the Lord Mordant to the King to inform him how matters went in England The Council of Officers consult about a frame of Government They nominate twenty three persons to take upon them the Government under the Title of The Committee of Safety and they invite them to sit giving them Powers and Instructions General Monk writes to Fleetwood and Lambert complaining of their violation of Faith to the Parliament declaring his resolution to endeavuor to restore them to their power against all opposition whatsoever Mr. Clarges is dispatched away into Scotland by the Grandees of the Army together with Colonel Talbot to sollicit General Monk to a Treaty Monk keeps in all the displaced Officers in their respective Commands which causeth them to adhere unto him and removes those whom himself distrusteth He signifies his resolution to several of his Officers to march into England to re-establish the Parliament and hath their consent and encouragement He marcheth to Edinborough and there orders all things to his best advantage Captain Johnston secures Berwick Captain Witter takes possession for the General of the Cittadel of St. Johnstons and is made Major of the Regiment Robson gets possession of the Cittadel at Ayre and is made Colonel of the Regiment Smith's Regiment at Innerness is given to Colonel Man The General marcheth to Leith to settle the Cittadel and Regiment there Captain Hatt and Dennis bring off Cobbet's Regiment to the General and Cobbet was detained prisoner at Beâ—wick as he was coming into Scotland with his Regiment he was brought with a Guard to Edenborough Castle and kept there At Linlithgow at a Council of Officers it was advised that some way should be used to draw off the Independent Churches in England from favouring the English Army which would have much weakened that party if it had succeeded for most of the Inferiour Officers were of that perswasion For the effecting of this a Declaration was framed agreed to published and dispersed all over England and at the same time another Declaration was also made to satisfie the Kingdom in general with his proceedings General Monk invite's Ludlow in Ireland to a Conjunction with him Colonel Lilburn at York with what forces he could draw together makes all possible opposition against General Monk and intercepts the General 's Letters to Major General Morgan Talbot and Clarges come to Edinburgh Novem. 2. and are well-received by the General General Monk take's hold for his advantage of Lambert's overture for a Treaty Colonel Clobery Colonel Wilks and Major Knight are chosen to be the General 's Commissioners in this Treaty They meet Lambert at York who opposeth the proposal touching the restitution of the Parliament The Army of Horse and Foot with Lambert amounted to neer twelve thousand and Monk had not above half the number but General Monk paid all his men which the other did not Major General Morgan take's his journey into Scotland to General Monk and his joyning with the General was a matter of great importance He privately delivers a Letter to the General from Mr. Bowles a Minister of York a very eminent
was created Cardinal by Pope Paul the Third May 22. 1536. and had three several Titles the first S. Nerei Achillei then S. Mariae in Cosmedin and lastly S. Priscae He died November 7. 1558. 45. Peter Petow a Friar was made Cardinal by Pope Paul the Fourth June 13. 1557. and also nominated by him unto the Bishoprick of Sarum and all to cross and disgrace Cardinal Pool He died in France within the compass of the same year and might never set Foot in England to make shew of his red Hat as doubtless he greatly desired to have done 46. William Allen born in England He raised a great combustion in our Church This sugitive was born in Lancashire and brought up in Orial Colledge he ran away beyond the Seas for his treasonable practices against his Countrey he was by the Pope and other Enemies of the same promoted to divers Ecclesiastical preferments and lastly had a Cardinal's hat bestowed upon him in August 1587. He died a Priest-cardinal S. Martini in Montibus 1594. and was buried in the Church of the English Colledge at Rome Of the several Orders and Monks that have been in England MAthew Paris tells us that in his time Tot jam apparuerunt ordines in Anglia ut ordinum confusio videretur inordinata there then appeared so many Orders in England that there seemed to be an inordinate confusion of Orders 1. The Benedictines or black Monks the primitive Monks in England so called from St. Benedict or Bennet an Italian first Father and founder of that Order Augustine the Monk first brought them over into England and these black Monks first nested in Canterbury whence they have flown out into all the parts of the Kingdom For as Clement Reyner observeth rightly all the Abbies of England before King William the Conqueror and some while after were filled with this Order and though the Augustimans were their Seniors in Europe yet they were their Juniors in England The same Order was afterwards set forth in a new edition corrected and amended under the names of First Cluniacks These were Benedictines refined with some additionals invented and imposed upon them by Odo the Fourth of Clugny in Normandy who lived Anno 913. But these Cluniacks came not into England till after the Norman Conquest and had their richest Covents at Barnstable in Devon-shire Pontefract and Meaux in Yorkshire c. Secondly Sistercians so called from one Robert living in Cistercium in Burgundy He the second time refined the drossie Benedictines and Walter Espick first established their Order in England at Rival in Yorkshire besides which they have had many other pleasant and plentiful habitations at Warden and Woburn in Bedford-shire Buckland and Ford in Devon-shire Bindon in Dorset-shire c. The Bernardine Monks were of a younger house or under-branch of the Cistercians King John built an Abbey of the Cistercian Order at Beaulieu in Hant-shire Thirdly Of Grandmont which observed St. Bennet's rule These were brought into England Anno 1233. and were principally fixed at Abberbury in Shrop-shire These Benedictines with their several branches were so numerous and so richly endowed that in their revenues they did match all the Orders in England especially if the foundations of Benedictine Nuns be joyned in the same reckoning 2. The Augustinian Monks succeed it is conceived that Eudo the Dapifer or Sewer to King Henry the First first brought them into England Anno 1105. and that St. Johns at Colchester was the prime place of their residence Doctor Fuller saith that Waltham Abbey for Benedictines at the first had it's Copy altered and bestowed on Augustinians These Augustinians were also called Canons Regular This Order in England brought forth seventy eminent Writers and one in Germany worth them all in effect I mean Martin Luther who gave a mortal wound to all these Orders yea to the root of the Romish Religion 3. Gilbertine Monks a mongrel Order observing some select rules Camdâ—â— in Lincoln-shire partly of St. Bennet partly of St. Augustine so named from Gilbert son to Joceline a Knight Lord of Sempringham in Lincoln-shire Being backed with the Authority of Pope Eugenius the Third he ordained a Sect consisting of men and women which so grew and encreased that himself laid the foundations of thirteen Religious houses of this Order 4. Carthusian Monks much famed for their mortified lives and abstinence from all flesh Bruno first founded them in the Dolphinate in France Anno 1080. and some sixty years after they were first brought over into England William de long a Spata Earl of Salisbury founded the first house of Carthusian Monks at Heltrop whose wife Ela after his death founded the house of Nuns at Lacock in Wilt-shire and there continued her self Abbess of the place The Books of the English Carthusians were many there being no less than eleven hundred Authors of them their writings tend much to mortification and out of them Parsons the Jesuite hath collected a good part of his resolutions Of the Benedictine Monks there is reported to have been of that Order twenty four Popes of Rome one hundred eighty two Cardinals one thousand four hundred sixty four Archbishops and Bishops fifteen thousand and seventy Abbots of renown Pope John the Twenty second saith there have been of this Order five thousand six hundred fifty six Monks Canonized and made Saints The cloathing and rule of the Cluniacks was according to the appointment of St. Benedicts rule The Cestercians wear red shooes and white rochets on a black coatâ— they are all shorn save a little circle The Order of those of Grandmont is to lead a strait life as Monks use to do to give themselves to Watching Fasting and Prayer to wear a coat of Males upon their bodies and a black cloak thereupon The Augustinians or Regular Canons their cloathing by their first foundation was a white coat and a linnen rotchet under a black cope with a scapular to cover their head and shoulders The Gilbertines may boast that whereas Benedictines are by original Italians Augustinians African Carthusians French Dominicans Spanish c. they are pure English by the extraction of their Order The life of the Carthusians was outwardly full of painted holiness in forbearing flesh in fasting from bread and water every Friday in wearing hair-clothes next their body they were addicted to much silence and solitariness never going abroad refusing all women's company with other like ceremonies Of the several sorts of Friars that have been in England HEre it will be necessary to premise what was the distinction between the Monks and Friars The most essential difference is this Monks had nothing in propriety nor in common but being Mendicants begged all their subsistence from the charity of others Indeed they had houses or cells to dwell in or rather to hide themselves in but they had no means thereunto belonging But it may be Objected That many Convents of Friars had large and ample Revenues amounting to some hundreds