Monke and was the first that paied the Peter pence appointing that euerie householder of K. Ina gaue the Peter pence his kingdome who had thirtie pennie worth of cattle of one sort should pay yearly one pennie to Rome Which money English Seminarie in Rome 900 years since VVestmon anno 727. 764. was partly for the Popes vse partly for maintenance of an English schole or Seminarie which he then built in Rome for bringing vp of English youths there in vertue and learning 18. Not long after about the year 750 saint Richard king K. RICHARD anno 750. Surius to 1. Baronius anno 750. forsoke his kingdome and leaving his two sonnes in Germanie with saint Boniface an Englisman the Popes Legat there went himself in pilgrimage to Rome but dying in the way at Luca is there honorably buried And the year 775 king K. Offa anno 775. Malmesbur lib. 2. Reg. cap. 4. VVestmon anno 194. Polidor l. 4. Fox p. 101. Offa though a warlick Prince went to Rome and imitating the example of king Ina increased the English Seminarie begun by him and imposed the like pension of Peter pence vpon his kingdome of Mercia as Charles the great about the same time imposed vpon France the like tribute to be paied to Rome The loue and affection of king Kenulph a worthie K. KENVLPH anno 808. Malmesbur l. 1. Keg c. 4. Baronius anno 828. Prince and successor to king Offa appeareth by his redeeming the Popes Legat taken of Pirats in the year 808. and by his submissiue letter to the Pope wherein he humblie craueth his blessing as al his Predecessors had desireth to be adopted for his sonne as I saith rhe king loue you like a father and embrace you with al obedience And protested to be willing to spend his life for the Pope K. ETELVVOLPH anno 855. 19. After him king Ethelwolph in the year 857. went to Rome tooke with him his best beloued sonne Alfred to be instructed saith Westmonaster of the VVestmon anno 854. Ethelvverd lib. 3. cap. 3. Stovv anno 839. Ingulfus Bale Cent. 2 p. 113. Asserius in vita afredi Pope in manners and Religion where he aboad a whole year and procured his sonne to be crowned of the Pope and adopted of him for his sonne he also notably repaired the Englith Seminarie at Rome which had been burnt a little before confirming the guifts of king Malmesbur lib. 2. Reg. cap. 2. Stovv anno 839. Fox p. 136. Ina and Offa imposed the pension of Peter pence vpon al England which was afterward paid vntil the later end of King Henrie VIII About the same K. BVRDRED Ethelvverd lib. 4 cap. 3. Malmesbur lib. 1. cap. 4. Stovv anno 875. time king Burdred leauing his kingdome went to Rome and was there buried in the English schole Neither would King Canute though a Dane be K. CANVTE anno 1032. Florent anno 1031. Matmesbur lib. 2. c. 11. Ingulfus Huntington lib. 6. Marian. anno 1033 Stovv in Canute found vngratefull to the sea Apostolick but went to Rome in the year 1032 confirmed the payment of the Peter pence gaue great gifts of gold and silver and pretious things to saint Peter and obtained of Pope Iohn immunitie for the English Seminarie And finally King Edward Confessor last but one of the Saxon bloud would haue K. EDVVARD sonfessor Ealred in vita Edvvardi Baronius anno 1060. gone to Rome in pilgrimage had not his people vpon fear of the Danes inuasion hindred him yet sent he Embassadors to Rome with great presents and confirmed al the duties and customes belonging thereto in England And thus continued the English Kings al the time of their raign in singular affection and deuotion to the sea Apostolick 20. To whom as the Norman K VVILLIAM Conquer anno 1066. Malmesbur lib. 3. Reg. Ingulfus p. 900. Stovv in Harald p. 131. Princes succeded so they followed them in their pietie and religion For besids that they paied the Peter pence in particular Willam the Conquerour having subdued and slain king Harald in the year 1066 sent K. HENRIE I. Malmesbur lib. 1. Pontif. pag. 226. K. HENRIE II. anno 1180. Rob. Montensis Genebrard anno 1180. Sigebertus anno 1163. Neubrigens lib. 2. c. 14. Bale Cent. 2 cap. 94. Holinshed anno 1163. Baronius anno 1162. straight his standard to the Pope as to his particular freind And king Henrie I. professed by his Embassadour to Pope Paschal II. that England was a peculiar prouince of the Church of Rome and paied vnto her yearly tribute King Henrie II. about the year 1180 together with Lewis king of France led Pope Alexanders horse and with great pompe coÌ„ducted him through the citie Tociacum King Richard Coeur K. RICHARD I Polid. l. 14. Genebrard â—n Chron. Stovv â—ale Cent. 2 â— 104. Houeden â— 609. de Lion at the exhortation of the Pope went in person to the holie land with an armie of thirtie thousand foot and fiue thousand horse in which voyage he conquered the kingdome of Ciprus and citie of Ptolemais and ouerthrew the Souldan in a great battel and the like enterprise afterward tooke king Edward I. in the year 1241. King K. HENRIE III. â—tovv anno â—241 Henry III. placed the Popes Legat in the most honorable roome of the table at a publick banquet in Christmas betwixt himself and the Archbishop of Yorke and afterward with great pompe saith Stow and innumerable companie of nobles and trumpets sounding before brought him to the sea How deuout king Richard II. and Englishmen K. RICHARD II. Stovv anno 1407. in his time were to the sea of Rome appeareth by their building an hospital there for receit of English Pilgrims instead of the foresaid Seminarie which as it seemeth was destroyed in that great burning of Rome in the year 1084. in the place whereof S. Thomas of Canterburie had before built a Chappel in honour of the blessed Trinitie This Hospital was afterwards in the raigne of king Henrie VI and Henrie VII reedified and much increased and lastly in the year 1570 was much bewtified and augmented both in buildings and reuenews by Pope Gregorie XIII and by him converted to the ancient vse of a Seminarie retaining stil the obligation of an Hospital 21. The affection of King K. HENRIE IV. Stovv anno 1409. Henrie IV. appeareth by his letter to the Pope in the year 1409 which he beginneth thus Most holie Father our recommendations in humble wise premised And afterward Hauing taken with our said sonne and also with our Prelats and Nobles mature deliberation we beseech with al humilitie and require your clemencie whose state and honor vpon diuers causes as a deuout sonne of the Church so far as we might with God we haue euer embraced and doe embrace by the expresse and whole assent of the estates aforesaid c. And as for king Henrie K. HENRIE V. V he in the year 1416 sent his Embassadours to the General Councel at Constance at whose procurement it was there ordained saith Stowe that England
the Apostle preached the word of life in this Iland as to others Gentils hee did for whom God had chosen him that from his mouth they might heare the Gospel and beleeue and that he here founded Churches and ordained Priests and Deacons which is reported by Simeon Metaphrastes out the Greeke Antiquities The like hath Vsher in his Antiquities Vsher. of Britanie c. 1. and 16. And also Baker in his historie of Baker England pag. 3. Who addeth that this and more is reported by Authors of good credit And I ad that no graue Author denieth it nor can any sufficient reason be brought why it should not be beleued So that mere inctedulitie or obstinacie can bee opposed against it which may be opposed against anie historical writing whatsoeuer and so all historical belieef ouerthrowne For who beleue in histories what they will and what they will not beleue not doe not beleue histories but themselues 4. Neither was this loue of S. Peter to our countrie extinguished 2. Petri 1. by his death but as himselfe promised to some he had it in minde also after his departure and miraculously assisted it in great necessities So that truly wrote b Malmesbury lib. 1. Pontificum p. 209. S. Sergius first Pope one thousand years ago to our English Kings that S. Peter was mindfull of them And Pope c Eugubin de Donat. Constan Alexander II. to King William the Conquerour and Pope d S. Peter Protector of Enhland Alexander III. to King Henry the second that England was vnder saint Peters protection euer since Christs name was glorified there And Pope e Bede lib. 2. cap. 10. Huntington lib. 3. p. 317. Boniface I. writing to King Edwin calleth S. Peter his Protector For when our countrie about the year of Christ 611. began to reuolt from the faith of Christ and some Bishops had forsaken the land and S. Laurence Archbishop of Canterburie was minded to follow them Saint Peter appearing S. Peter committed Englishmen to S. Laurence to him and scourging him with sharp stripes a great while in the close night chalenged with Apostolical authoritie and asked him why hee would forsake the flocke which he himselfe had committed to him and to what shepheard running now away he would leaue the sheep of IESVS-CHRIST beset in the midst of so many woulues By thes stripes of saint Peter and with these exhortations Laurence being stirred vp and encouraged came boldly to the king early in the morning and loosing his garment shewed him how sore hee was beaten and how pitifully his flesh was torn The King as soone as he heard that for his own saluation the Bishop had suffered such greuous beatings yea and that of the Apostle of CHRIST he feared much and afterward abandoning all worship of Idols he embraced the Faith of CHRIST and being baptized endeauoured to keepe and maintaine the estate of the Church in al points to the vttermost of his power Thus S. Bede lib. 2. c. 6. who liued in the same age in which this happened and the same testifieth the king himself in his g Reiner in Apost charter yet extant Also Alcuin in Epist 97. and our best Historiographers as William Malmesburie lib. 1. Regum Angliae cap. 1. Henrie of Huntington lib. 3. pag. 326. Marianus in Chronic. ann 617. Florentius Anno 616 Westmonasteriensis anno 616. And the Protestants confess it same is confessed by Protestāts as by Bishop Godwin in the life of S. Laurence Holinshed lib. 5. histor cap. 24. Isacson ann 616. Weuer in his monuments pag. 245. who also ibid. pag. 246. rehearseth the Epitaphe vpon the tombe of saint Laurence in which the same is affirmed and lastly the Magdeburgensian Centuriatours Centuria 7. cap. 10. 5. Not long before this when S. Peter consecrated VVestminster Church Sebareth King of the East-Saxons had built a Church in honor of S. Peter in the place where now Westmonasterie stādeth saint Peter came from Heaven and himselfe dedicated the Church and confirmed his dedication by a miracle which long after continued Authors of this are two ancient and holy kings Edgar VVitnesse tvvo English Kings and graue Authors and S. Edward the Confessor in their Charters made to that Monasterie as may be seen in Bishop Vsher in his booke de Primordiis Eccl. Britannicae cap. 16. pag. 741 742 and in vveuer in his Monuments pag. 450. Whereof I will rehearse the words of S. Edwards Charter taken as weuer saieth outof the records of the Toure The Church of S. Peter in Westminster was anciently builded vnder Mellit first Bishop of London fellow and of the same time with Saint Austin first Archbishop of Canterburie and by blessed Peter himself with seruice of Angels dedicated with the imprinting of the holie Cross and vnction of the holie Trinitie And king Edgar as Bishop Vsher relateth in his Charter auoucheth that in the year 604 it was dedicated not of anie other but of S. Peter himself Prince of the Apostles to his own honor The same certifie saint Ealred a most graue Author saieth Spelman in the life of saint Edward the Author of saint Dunstans life William of Malmesburie lib. 1. Regum and lib. 2. Pontificum Capgraue in life of S. Edward Otterburn Walsingam an 1378 pag. 213. and 214. Baronius an 610. And are not two ancient and holie kings and so many graue authors worthie to bee beleued S. Peter restored the royal English blood to the crovvn Likewise when the Danes had oppressed England vsurped the crowne and driuen all the royal English blood out of England Saint Peter appeared in a vision to Brithwold a holy Bishop of Wilton or as some say of Winchester anointed saint Edward king of England and foretold the yeares of his reigne and the end of the furie of the Danes adding these most confortable words The Our best Authors testifie it kingdome of England is the kingdome of God Authors of this are the aforesaid Malmesburie lib. 2. Regum cap. 13. and lib. 2. Pontif. pag. 249. Ealred in life of saint Edward Westmonasteriensis anno 1056 Capgraue in life of S. Edward Polidor lib. 8 Harpesfeld saec 11. cap. 19. Baronius an 1043. And it is confessed Protestants confesse it by Protestants as by Bishop Parker in vita Stigandi by Bishop Godwin in vita Brithwoldi by Cambden in his Remains pag. 5 Holinshed lib. 7. cap. 15 by Isaakson anno 909. and others 6. Neither was the singular affection towards our countrie peculiar to saint Peter but as from a fountain descended to his successors For when the sweet sound of the Gospel here preached by him had in time increased and come to the ears of Lucius then king here he sending to Rome for Preachers P. ELEVTHERIVS Pope Eleutherius the fourteenth Pope after Saint Peter about the year h Gordō 188 186 P Eleutherius Legats conuert Britanie sent hither saint Fugatius and Damian who instructed
increased by Pope b Bede l. 3. cap. 7. Godvvin in vita Birini Parker in Antiquit. cap. 10. Cooper an 636. Ball centur 13. cap. 4. P. VITALIAN anno 668. Honorius his sending hither in the year 635 that Apostolical man S. Birin who conuerted the West-Saxons and by Pope c Bede l. 4. cap. 1. Godvvin in vita Theodori Parker in vita Theod. Vitalian who in 668 sent hither those holie and great learned men Saints Theodore and Adrian by whose teaching Englishmen in short time became the best learned of rhat age and were the beginners of the d Gordon anno 791 Genebrard â—ib 3. saec 8. S. Antonin â—ib 14. c. 4. Palmerius anno 791. Spondanus anno 1334. Bossius l. 21. â—ap 6. P. LEO III â—nno 808. Amoinus â—ib 4. c. 94. Regino in Chron. Baronius anno 808. Vniuersitie of Paris and consequently the chiefest fountain of learning which since hath been in the West After this Eardulf king of the North beiond Humber being driuen out of his kingdome and countrie Pope Leo III. in the year 808. sent Cardinal Adulf his Legat into England who by the help of Charles the gteat his Embassadours restored him peacebly P. LEO IV an 847. or Gregor 4. anno 817. into his kingdome Not long after Pope Leo IV. e Malmesb â— 2. Pontif. â— 242. Baronius anno 847. dispensed with King Ethelwoulph for to marrie which he being a subdeacon could not otherwise doe lawfully And at the same Kings request crowned his sonne f Asserius in vita Alfredi Ethelvverd lib. 3. cap. 3. Malmesbur l. 2. Reg. c. 2. Stovv p. 99. Alfred king adopting him for his sonne who afterwards for his most worthie acts both in war and peace was surnamed the great and for al things became the rarest Prince P. MARTIN I. anno 883. Florentius anno 884. VVestmon anno 883. Godvvin in vita Plegmundi p. 17. that England and perhaps Christendome euer had Likewise Pope Martin at the sute of the same King Alfred released the tribute which the English Seminarie then in Rome paied and sent to the King manie gifts amongst which was a good peece of the holie cross 9. In the year 990 when Richard Marquis of Normandie had purposed to inuade England and make war vpon king Ethelred Pope g Ihon xv anno 990. g Malmesb lib. 2. Reg. cap. 10. p. 64. Baronius anno 990. Ihon XV. sent his Nunce and letters to take vp the matter who happily brought them to aggreement And about the year 1059. P. NICOLAS II. anno 1059 Pope Nicolas II. granted to king Edward the Confessor and to his successors the h Surius in vita sancti Edvvardi Bale Cent. 2. cap. 52. Capgraue in vita saÌ„cti Edvvardi P. VRBAN II. anno 1094. aduousion and protection of the Churches in England And in the year 1094. Pope Vrban II. in a councel at Bari appointed that S. Anselm Archbishop of Canterburie and his successors should sit in Councels beside the Archdeacon of Rome who sitteth before the Pope adding this most honorable speech let Malmesbur lib. 2. Pontif. p. 223. Godvvin in vita Anselm latine vs include in our compass this man as Pope of an other world whereas before it was vnkown saieth Malmesburie what place belonged to our Archbishop And the same place did Pope Paschal P. PASCHAL II. anno 1102. Malmeshur lib. 1. Pont. p. 224. II. confirme in a Councel at Rome about the year 1102. And besides this diuers others dignities and priuiledges haue been granted to the sea of Canterburie by the Popes as to be Primats of al Britanie Legatâ— born and the like 10. Moreouer in the year 1098. the Scots obtained of P. VRBAN II. anno 1098. Genebrard in Chron. Pope Vrbain II. for their Prince that hee might haue the name title and anointment of a King as the i Baronius anno 1000. Bale Cent. 2. part 145. Hungarians and Polonians had obtained for their Princes about the year 1000. wherupon King Edgar was then first anointed King of Scotland And about the year 1107 Pope Paschal II. k Malmesb lib. 5. Reg. p. 163. Gordn anno 1101. Boeth lib. 2. fol. 261. writing to king Henrie I. amongst other things promiseth so to fauour him and his sonne as what sayeth he hurteth you or him may seem to hurt the Church of Rome And in the year 1152. when king P. EVGENIVS III. anno 1152. Stovv anno 1152. Godvvin in vita Theobald P. ADRIAN IV. anno 1160. Par. an 1155 Bale Cent. 2. Giraldus Cambrens in Hibern lib. 2. cap. 6. Io. Sarisbur lib. 4. c. 42. Stovv anno 1160. Cambden in Hibern p. 762. Parker in vita S. Tho. P. ALEXANDER 3. anno 1171. Houeden lib. 2. p. 528. P. LVCIVS III. anno 1183. Houeden lib. 2. p. 628. Stephn hauing vsurped the crown of England endeavoured to cause the Bishop to crown his sonne Eustace thereby to exclude for euer the lawfull heyr Henrie II. Pope Eugenius III. sent commandment to the Clergie not to medle in that matter whereby it was hindred In the year 1106 Pope Adrian IV. gaue vnto King Henrie II the dominion and gouernment of Ireland and sent vnto him the Bull of his grant with a ring of gold in token of the inuestiture Which grant at the request of the said king Pope Alexander III. confirmed to him and his heirs And as for Pope Lucius III his good will appeareth by the great praise which he giueth to the said king Henries ancestours whom he affirmeth to haue far exceded the rest of christiaÌ„ Princes in warlik power and noblenes of minde Which affection continued also in his successor Pope Vrban III. of whom P VRBIN III. anno 1185. Houeden lib. 2. p. 631. Stovv anno 1185. the said king Henrie the second obtained manie things whereof one was that hee might crown which of his sonnes he would King of Ireland which he confirmed by a Bul and in token of his good wil and grant sent him a crown And lastly when not only the King of France but also his own sonnes and nobles had conspired against the said king Henrie II and had inuaded his dominions withfar greater power then he P. CLEMENT III. anno 1189. Houeden lib. 2. p. 652. VVestmon anno 1189. was able to resist Pope Clement III in the year 1189 sent a Cardinal to procure peace who excommunicated the hinderers of peace and threatned to interdict the kingdom of France vnles the king made peace with England 11. Likewise in the year 1193 when king Richard I. was taken prisoner as he came from the holie land by the Duke of Austria P. CELESTIN III. anno 1193. VVestmon anno 1193. Houeden p 773. Polid. l. 14. Paris anno 1195. Stovv anno 1195. Pope Celestin III at the said kings request excomunicated the Duke and enioyned him to release the couenants which hee had compelled the king to make and to send home the pledges
Who not obeying the Pope he soone dyed miserably and was left vnburied vntil his sonne had sent home the pledges and sworn to stand to the iudgment of the Church And in the year P. INNOCENT III anno 1207. Paris anno 1207. Stovv anno 1207. 1207 Pope Innocent III. sent to king Ihon an eloquent Epistle and diuers pretious jewels And in the year 1215 when the Barons had extorted from the said king certain l Paris ann 1216. Polidor l. 15. Stovv anno 1215. Godvvin in vita Steph. Lang. Bale Cent. 3. p. 260. charters and liberties the same Pope at the kings request disannulled those charters and excommunicated the Barons who had rebelled against him And when the said Barons had called in Lewis the Prince of France King Ihon put al his hope in the Popes Legat. Paris anno p. 377. chosen him their king and yeelded the chiefest cities and holds into his hands so that England was in manifest danger to be lost the said Pope sent his Legat to assist king Iohn and to forbid the French vpon paine of excommunication to enter into England which he stoutly performed and was a great means of saueing England In the year P. INNOCENT IV anno 1258. Paris anno 1254. Stouv anno 1254. 1258 Pope Innocent IV. bestowed the royal title of the kingdomes of Naples and Sicilie vpon Edmund sonne to king Henrie III and by a Cardinal sent to him the inuestiture P. ALEXANDER IV. anno 1257. VVestmon anno 1254. Bale Cent. 4 p 290. Paris anno 1254. thereof And in the year 1257 Pope Alexander IV. sent messengers to Richard Duke of Cornwal brother to the said king Henrie for to goe into Germanie to receaue it which he did and was crowned at Aquisgran And in the year 1292 when the Barons had wrested from the said King Henrie 3 certain liberties Pope Vrban IV at the said kings request P. VRBAN IV. anno 1292. Stovv anno 1262. Bale CeÌ„t. 4. p 293. 326. Paris p. 1322 sent a Legat to accurse those Barons who had rebelled in defense of those liberties 12. In the year 1272 at the petition of king Edward I. Pope Gregorie X. excommunicated P. GREGORIE X anno 1272. VVestmon anno 1272. Polidor l. 17 VValsingaÌ„ Ypodig anno 1273. Guy of Montfort for killing the kings cousin germain in his return from the holie land condemned him of wilful and priuie murder of sacriledg and treason declared him to be infamous and incapable of anie office in the commonwealth disinherited his posteritie to the fourth generation and excommunicated al those who entertained him and interdicted their dominions And in the same Kings time was m Camden in Cantabrig p 435. Cambridge of a schole made on vniuersitie by the Pope And vnder Edward II. Pope Clement V. apointed that in Oxford should be read two Lectures Clement tit de Magistris cap. 1. of the Hebrew Arabick and Chaldaick tongues and authorized it for one of the foure famousest Vniuersities in Christendome Also in the year 1316. Pope Ihon XXII at the P. IHON XXII anno 1316. Polidor l 17 Stovv anno 1316. VValsingam anno 1312. 1317. said king Edward II. his request sent two Legats to make peace betwixt England and Scotland and to reconcile Thomas Earle of Lancaster to the king who excommunicated the Scots because they would not aggree to peace And in the same year at the same kings petition the Pope confirmed al the ancient priuiledges of the Vniuersitie of Cambridg which of long time they had enjoyned by the benefit saieth n Anno 1317. Stow of the Popes predecessors 13. Moreouer in the year 1489 Pope Innocent VIII P. INNOCENT VIII anno 1489. Godvvin in Episc Bathon n. 42. sent a Nunce to appease the the dissension betwixt the king of Scotland and his people but before his arriual the king was slain And about the year 1504. when there arose a contention betwixt king Henrie VII and Ferdinand king of Spain about precedence of their Embassadours P. IVLIVS II. anno 1504. Spondanus anno 1433. Volateran Comin ventura Stovv 1505 Bacon in Henrie 7. with the Pope Pope Iulius II. hauing heard both Embassadours gaue sentence in favour of the king of England And in the year 1505. sent to the king a sword and cap of maintenance as to a defender of the Church But as no king of England deserued better of the sea Apostolick then King Henrie VIII did for long time so none receaued more honor from thence then he For he receaued not only from Stavv anno 1514. Pope Iulius II in the year 1514. a sword and cap of maintenance for defending him against the king of France but also of P. LEO X. anno 1521. Stovv in Chron. Onuphrius in Chron. Pope Leo X in the yeat 1521 the most honorable title of DEFENDFR OF THE FAITH for his writing against Luther Which title as it is more honorable then the title of most Christian or Catholick giuen by Popes to the kings of France and Spain so was it euer most highly estemed by king Henrie and o Stovv anno 1547. engrauen on his tombe where is left out the title of his supremacie 14. And though Queen Elizabeth had vtterly cast of the Popes freindship yet he forsoke not her For Pope Pius P. PIVS IV. anno 1560. IV. supposing that she had reuolted from that sea rather for fear that her title to the crown might be called in question because one Pope before had declared her birth to be vnlawful then for dislike of the religion which in her fathers and sisters days she had professed sent à Nunce to promise her al fauour touching her title to the crown and p 1562. soone after an other to request her to send her Deuines to the Councel of Trente with promise of al securitie and libertie Neither P. CLEMENT VIII anno 603. may I leaue your Maiestie out of the number of the Princes of this land who haue tasted the loue of the sea Apostolick because out of your own grateful minde you haue q Proclaâ—at anno â—egni 1. publickly professed your self beholden vnto Pope Clement VIII for his temporal cariage and diuers kind offices towards you Besids he hath as is reported censured al such as shal molest your grace and hath often times professed that he would willingly giue his life for the eternal good of your countrie which is the greatest loue that one can bear as our Sauiour testifieth to his freind Oh how great enemies are they vnto England who seek by fals slanders to make such freinds odious vnto vs. 14. By this which hath been said omitting much more for breuitie your Maiestie cleerly seeth how greatly and how continually the sea Apostolick hath euer fauoured the Christian Princes of this land how manie and how great benefits both spititual and temporal Popes haue bestowed vpon them and in their dangers and distresses according to their power
Stovv 1416 should obtain the name of a Nation and be one of the fiue Nations that owe their deuotion to the Church of Rome which thing vntil that time men of other Nations for enuie had Note this letted Behold what an honor king Henrie V the Alexander of England and Conquerour of France in his most flourishing and triumphant time accounted it to owe deuotion to the Church of Rome which now Ministers would account so dishonorable And for king Henrie K. HENRIE VII Bacon in Henr. 7. VII your Majesties great grandfather his affection is euident by the sword and cap of maintenance sent to him from the Pope anno 1505. 22. But none of the kings of K. HENRIE VIII the Norman blood euer shewed so great signes of loue and affection to rhe sea Apostolick as king Henrie VIII did for a long time For first in the year 1511 he wrote to the French king to desist from molesting Pope Iulius II and in the next year sent an armie of ten thousand men into Onuphr in Iulio 2. Stovv anno 1511. 1512. 1513. France for the Popes defence And in the year 1513 he went himself in person with a royal armie and conquered Turwin and Tournay And not content to defend the Pope with his sword in the year 1521 wrote an excellent booke in his defence against Luther And again in the yeare 1527 when Pope Clement was taken prisoner by the Emperors soldiers he gaue monthly 60 thousand Angels to the maintenance of an armie for the Popes deliuerie And in this singular affection towards the sea Apostolick continued he vntil the 22 year of his raigne anno 1530 when not vpon anie iniurie offered by the Pope or dislike of his religion which except the matter of supremacie he defended to his death and persecuted the Protestants but only vpon occasion of delay saith Stow made by the Stovv anno 1530. seq Pope in his controuersie of deuorcement and through displeasure of such reports as he heard had been made of him to the court of Rome and thirdly pricked forward by such Councellers to follow the example of the Germans he first forbad the procurement of anie thing from Rome and soon after prohibited al paymēts and appeals to Rome and lastly tooke vpon him that supremacie which al his Christian predecessours had acknowledged to bee in the Pope 23. Thus your Majestie seeth how long how honorably and how profitably also vnto both parties hath the mutual amitie and league of freindship betwixt the sea Apostolick and the Princes of al the foure Nations that haue swayed the Scepter of England cōtinued and flourished and how of late it was broken by one Prince vpon meer passion contrarie to the example of al his predecessors and successors also except one child a woeman What dangers troubles he and his kingdome incurred thereby and how his progenie according as Friar Paeto and House anno 1533. Elston did then foretell him is now consumed and his crown translated to an other royal line against which in his time he Hungtinton lib. 6. p. 359. made verie sharp war I need not heer declare Only I will say that himself being after more free from passion laboured to be reconciled to the sea Apostolick and employed therein Bishop Gardiner as he professed in a sermon at Pauls Cross and had easily obtained it if he would haue acknowledged his fault and done penance What remaineth for me to conclude this long Epistle but prostrat at your Majesties feet humbly to beseech you for your own good and in the name of the foresaid Christian Princes as you are the head of the 5 natiō which according Hungtinton supra to Gods prouidēce foretold by a holie man manie years ago hath attained to the rule of the land so you would continue that most ancient honorable and profitable league of freindship which was betwixt them al and the sea Apostolick Who I beseech your grace will giue you more faithful councel then your own Progenitors and forefathers Who can giue more safe and secure direction in government of your Kingdome then your own predecessors who so happily and so long time gouerned it who are so worthie to giue you example or whom can you with so much honor imitate as so manie so valiant so prudent Princes And yet they al with one voice counsel and request you to follow in this so important a matter not so much themselues as the counsel of the wisest king rhat euer was yea of God himself in these words Thine owne freind Prouerb cap 27. and thy fathers freind see thou forsake not especially such a one as hath euer been not only your own freind and particularly your blessed Mothers freind but of al your Christian forefathers who as they haue left vnto your grace their crown and kingdome so haue they also bequeathed their faith religion and freindship with the sea Apostolick as no smal portion and stay of their inheritance We esteem your publick acknowledging of Rome to be the Mother Church and your Speech in the Rarlament self to be beholding to Pope Clement VIII for his temporal cariage and kinde offices as sparks of a greater fire of loue in kindled Proclamat An 1. regni in your princelie hart towards that sea which we beseech Almightie God so to increase as it may one day burst forth to your own good and the vniuersal joy of Christendome Our Lord IESVS long preserue your Majestie with al grace health and prosperitie Your Majesties dutiful subject and dailie Orator R. S.