the Emperor withdrawing himselfe a while The Bishops of Mens Colon and Wormes with violeÌ„ce deposed their soueraigne Lord Henrie the 4. inuested himselfe in the Imperial robes returning These saith he â—â—e the Imperiall ornaments of estate these by the goodnesse of the euerlasting king and election of Princes haue bin bestowed on me God is able also in these to continue vs and to hold your hands froÌ„ the worke you intend although we be now disgarnished of our forces and armies for supposing our selues to bee in safetie we made no preparation against suche violence But let the feare of God stay you whom pietie doth not reclaime and if you reuerence neither behold we are in presence we cannot resist your force The Bishops staggered The Bishops pluck the crowne from the Emperors head but after they encouraged one the other to set on the Emperor to pluck the crown froÌ„ his head and wheÌ„ they had plucked him out of his seat they turned him out of his Imperiall robes ornameÌ„ts The Emperor fetting deep sighes saith thus vnto theÌ„ God the Lorde of reueÌ„ge see it take reuenge of the wickednes you commit I susteine ignominie and dishonor that neuer the like was heard before for the sins of my youth of the iust iudge I am punished you neuerthelesse shal not be free froÌ„ sin because you haue falsified your othes of loyaltie The Emperor coÌ„pareth his Bishops to Iudas the Traitour you shal not escape the vengeance of that iust iudge your honor neuer prosper your portion be with him that betraid Christ But they stopping their eares go back carrying the imperial robes ornameÌ„ts to his son Thus far the report of the storie of the deposing of Henry the 4. out of Alberâ— who telleth it out of the Chronicle of Germanie for he saith Haec est narratio nostrorum aâ—naliuÌ„ Who that hath bowels of good naturâ— in him would he not rue to heare the pitifull plaint of so valiant a Prince to his sworne subiects that had been aduaunced to so high dignitie of him Hee gaue ghostly counsell to them which shoulde haue giuen it to him But their eares were stopped like the deafe Aspes Psal 48. They wilfully brake the oth of their alleageance they layde violent handes on the Royal person of the Prince they vndertook the execution of treason and the Popes curse vppon the sacred person of their prince by whome they were mounted vp in high estate of honor Thus in the treason and rebellion of the sonne against Henry the 4. his father and in the deposing of him in the ende the bishops which chiefly should haue bene faithfull and loyall to him were the principall actors and instruments against him and tooke on them the execution of the Popes curse and the violent deposing of the Emperor from his Imperiall estate King Iohn of England Fabian 2. vo part 7. in anno 1205 So in king Iohn of England his time the execution of the Popes curse vpon him and the realme was committed to the Bishops of London Ely Winchester and Herford who after they had denounced it against the king the land were fain to flie the land And in that blind time when the Pope sate in the consciences of simple people to binde and loose the king by practise of the Pope and popish Prelates was so encountred and wrapped in troubles that at length he yelded himselfe to Randolph the Popes Legate by oth Fabian 2. vo part 7. in anno 1212 to stand to the Popes order Finally hee was driuen on his knees to take the crowne from his head as Fabian reporteth it to resigne it with solemne wordes into the Popes handes and after to resume it as Feodarie to the Pope as Fabian telleth vppon a yeerely fee of a thousand marks to be paid vnto him So wheÌ„ there is variance in the land and the Pope is vmpire by cursing of Princes and lands hee fingreth and filcheth gaine and setteth a sale his cursings and blessings againe Popish Prelates are the Popes hands and bowels in Countries To whom chiefly doth hee commit the trust of the execution of such things to popish Prelates They are as the Popes hands in countries they are as the bowels of his own body and as if their conscience liued of him they are made actors and instruments eftsoones against their own Princes for him as in the practise of stories we see Running to Rome And if there grow quarrell betweene the Prince them they goe round to Rome The Pope is the vmpire they keepe that string for their bowe whatsoeuer faileth at home Tho. Becket packed him to Rome againste Hen. the 2. Thomas Becket returned with authoritie froÌ„ the Pope against the Prince Anselme Archbishop of Canter Anselme Archbishop of Canterb. sped him to Rome against Henrie the first at his return held a conuocation at London by the authority of the Pope against the Prince Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterburie Lanfrank likewise Archbishop of Canterburie Thomas of York pleated the libel of their preemineÌ„ce at Rome vnder William the conqueror Abbat Benet Abbat Benet had 5. times been at Rome Rome was their paradise on earth to run in pilgrimage to it The Pope as a God sate in dark consciences as hauing Peters key to bind lose The Abbat of Vrsperg who himself had bin at Rome runneth in Romish religion with them and raileth vpon Hen. the 4. for resistance against Popes of Rome yet hee cryeth out on Rome for sucking the gaine of the world and saith Gaude mater nostra Roma Ab. Vrsperg in Chro. quia aperiuntur catarractae the sauroruÌ„ in terra vt ad te confluant riui aggeres nummorum in magna copia our mother Rome reioyce saith he because the sluces and Gulfes of gaine are opened on earth Mother Rome sacketh the treasure of the earth that streames and heapes of money may come flowing in to thee in great abuÌ„dance Thus the Abbat though hee were her deare sonne yet crieth out on his mother Rome for sucking the treasures of the erth And now because his mother Rome hath byn kept so long fasting froÌ„ England the gulf of her great gaine stopped there not only she is hungred but with rauening iawes gapeth coÌ„tinuallie ouer it by practise of monstrous treasons and rebellioÌ„s to pluck it in again Thus of the taking and deposing of Henrie the 4. and of the Bishops that were chiefe instruments and actors in it The fourth chiefe point of the discourse of this storie The 4. The death of Henry the 4. and the crueltie on his corps is of the death of Henry the fourth and the crueltie shewed on his corse After that Henrie the Emperor was of the bishops aforesaide thus deposed and dispoyled of the robes of estate and the Imperiall ensignes he fled to Limburg and lighting on a prince a hunting Alb.
rer memora additis Ab. Vrsperg and said for his excuse that hee did he did prouoked of vs before and he would haue reuoked the curse but that hee was coped and kepte in against his owne liking Clemens 6. Clemens the 6. blowed vp the fire which Benedict his predecessour would haue quenched And euen at the Lordes supper he cursed the Emperor as Cuspinian writeth Io. Cusp in vita Ludou As Iudas was at the Lordes supper that betrayed his maister But notwithstanding the curses of Popes Ludouick reigned about 37. yeeres as Cuspinian accounteth Alber. Cranz Saxo. Lib. 8. cap. 22. and hee ouerliued two of the Popes that cursed him and hee dyed not without suspition of poyson as Albert. reporteth Philip the Emperour Philippe the Emperour about the yeere of our Lorde God 1198. as Vrspergensis accounteth is praysed of him for a milde and gentle Prince valiant in warres at chiof him with good successe yet because hee was not currant in the fauour of Pope Innocent the third Ab. Vrsperg in gest Phil. first hee vrged an excommunication of Pope Celestine against him And after by his practise and other Emperour called Otto was sette vppe against him but Philippe by treason ended his life in the ende Then Pope Innocent fell a cursing of Otto also Otto the Emperour whom as his darling he had Crowned before Thus a common practise it is with Popes to make quarrels to curse Princes if they stand not in their grace and bee not at their deuotions and if they make not their composition with them Philip the Emperour As Philippe the Emperour was 〈◊〉 come to composition with Pope Innocent the third Abbas Vrsperg in titulo de bellis Philippi by Ambassadours sent for that purpose who promised a mariage betweene the kinges daughter and the Popes brothers sonne for reconcilement of Phillippe to the Popes grace as Vrspergensis vowcheth of the reporte of credible men Frederick the first Emperour of that name Frider. the 1. was fayne to put a masse of gould into Pope Hadrian his mouth to make his composition with him by his solliciters for the recalling of his curse against him Ab. Vrsperg ex cremoneÌ„s and for reconcilement to him As the Abbat of Vrsperg out of the Cremonensis called Iohn the Priest rehearseth Otherwise if suit be not made for reconcilement and composition with them the common enginne and practise of Popes against Princes is to drawe out the banning blade vppon them As Hornets haue their stinges and Scorpians their tayles so the common enginne of Popes reuenge vppon Princes is their excomminging and cursing of them Saxo Craâ— Hist Danâ—s lib. 14. Saxo the wryter of the Danes storie sayeth the Bishoppes reuenge is his curse And the same Pope Innocent the third afore rehearsed didde drawe his banning blade vppon king Iohn of England King Iohn of England Fabian the 7 parte in anno 1212. Phil. le Bewa king of Fran. Who was fayne 〈◊〉 make his composition with Pandolph his Legate to pay a yeerely fee to the Pope of a thousand markes for the Realmes of Englande and Ireland and as his Feodarie to houlde the Crowne of him Boniface the eight did proceede in like sorte to cursing and banning of Philippe surnamed the fayre Ro. Gag in annalibus regum Fran. lib. 7. king of Fraunce but he in the steed of coÌ„position suborned Sarra the Italian and sent Nogaretus a French man to his aid and at Anagnia sodenly they surprised the Pope by force of armes and brought him to Rome where with chafe and greefe he died Gagwine generall of the order of the holy Trinitie in Fraunce Bonifacius 8 in his storie saith of Pope Boniface that being too proud he priued Philip of his kingdome and gaue it to Albert Duke of Ostrige together with the Empire of Germanie And after the same Gagwine had told of the taking of the Pope and of his death he saith Such an end of his life had Bonifacius the despiser of all men who without remembring the commaundementes of Christ went about to take away and to giue kingdomes at his pleasure Rob. Gagwins iudgement of Bonifacius 8. when he was not ignorant that hee occupied his place on earth whose kingdome was not of this world and of earthly thinges but heauenly Thus farre father Gagwin as they call him the generall of his order We see the Pope is sent into Christes schoole of his own deuout disciple as father Gagwin was and the birdes of his owne nest are readye to scratch out his eyes What treason was this against the Popes person and power to say that he remembred not the commaundements of Christ while he went about to take away and to geue kingdomes at his pleasure And yet he calleth him selfe Christes Vicar His kingdome was not not of wordly thinges but heauenly Thus father Gagwin who was in the Popes own bosome for his Religion yet is a witnesse against his vsurped power pride and tyranny in deposing of Princes and disposing of kingdomes And turneth them into Christes schoole whose Vicars they professe theÌ„selues to bee to learne an other lesson of him whose kingdome was not of earthly but heauenly thinges Thus of banning Bonifacius his ende and father Gagwines witnesse against the vsurped power of Popes in taking away and giuinge the kingdomes of the earth Paulus 2. Clemens 5. Paulus the second excomminged and cursed George kinge of Beme and Clemens the fifte the Venetians the Florentines and them 〈◊〉 Luke and diuers other Popes haue cursed and banned many other Princes and people And euen yet they blush not in the light of the Gospell to do the like as they were wont to do in darkenesse and in the night of grosse idolatrie and ignorance they cannot hould themselues but if Princes reuolt from their viâ—due obedience and hee reclaymed from their idolatrous errors then they fall to managings their cursings bannings in the names of Peter and Paul by whose doctrine their vsurped power and tyranny is condemned Thus of the vsuall enginne of the Bishoppe of Rome commonly vsed of them in contriuing and managing of practises of treason and rebellion against Christian Princes and Realmes which is their excomminging and cursing of them The 2. chiefe point of the first matter The second point and matter of my first parte is at what time chieflie the Bishoppe of Rome beganne to vse this engine of excommunicating and cursing of Princes and Realmes and practising of such treasons and rebellions gainst them OTto Bishoppe of Frising a famous writer of Cronicles Otto Bishop of Frising and of great account in the Church of Rome in his storie writeth that before Henry the fourth Emperour of that name hee could neuer finde Roman Emperour or king to haue beene excomminged and cursed of any Bishoppe of Rome This Otto by parentage was of the blood imperiall by his mothers side before hee was a
and prouisions betrayed to the Danes the king driuen to forsake the land the Danes in peaceable possession reigned ouer it Canutus the elder first Pol. Angl. Hist li. 7. and Canutus the sonne after in the English Chronicle as Polidor saith falsly called Hardy-Canutus Polidor nameth before them Stueno called Swanus in the Englishe Chronicle Saxo Gram. Hist Danic lib. 10. Saxo Grammaticus who wrot the storie of the Danes 300. yeeres since telleth how Harald Earle Godwines sonne ridde the Danes of the lande by feastinge them with sumptuous entertainment firste and after by setting on them vnwares by night So that way they came in that way they went out by treasons they preuailed and by treasons they were dispatched as Saxo the wryter of their stories noteth Nothing could satisfie the Danes but the whole land No honours could satisfie Elfrick and Edrick that by sea and lande kinge Eldred first layed on them The Countrie wolud not conteine them the estates of honour would not houlde them They are like to those that haue the hungrie sicknesse called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Appetentia canina as Galen calleth it which is a deuouring and vnsatiable hunger Galenus de Symp. causis lib. 1. And as greedy stomackes surcharged with surfets are ouercome and quaile and bring the whole bodie to decay so their greedy appetits surcharged aboue strength bringeth their whole state to decay The greedinesse of traytors is like to the sicknesse Appetentia canina compared to rauening of Dogges for they would deuoure Princes and rauen Coūtries if they were powerable as their greedy stomackes serue them But looke on the ends of them whom the regiment by sea would not content as Elfrick nor Dukedome of Mertia by lande as Edrick Fabian reporting it the first was made blind by land that would not see by sea the other was cast into a stincking ditche as some note or his head was exalted on the highest gate of London as others tel of him who was not satisfied to haue his head exalted in the highest estate of honour vnder his Prince aboue all subiectes in the lande Fabian the 7 part ca. 260. Eight foote of lande houldeth him as in the funerall verse of Henry the second is mentioned whom beside England great climates and Countries would not contayne When the gates of England were committed to Elfrick and Edrick two such cappitall traytors so corrupted with treasons no maruaile though the Danes not onely rushed in but at length ouercame 〈◊〉 land If they had not fought with gold by traytors in the land they could not with their yron so haue made their way to haue wonne the land It is an old pollicie and practise of Danes Saxo Grammaticus writeth Saxo Gram. Hist Danicae lib. 2. whē that Frotho the first kinge of Danes of that name inuaded Scotland and the Englishmen came down to the reskew he seeing himselfe like to be ouerset that there was no trying of it with the yron blade deuised with glittering gold to fight against them Hee causeth all the gold that was in his hoast and stuffe of price to be strowed ouer the fildes as they should come And when they fell on their pray and were laden hee fell on them as Saxo saith and the Britons with their blood bought their pray So it hath been the aunciēt practise of Danes with gold to make their way for their yron And hauing 2. such gulfes of gold as Edrick and Elfrick were what maruaile though the gates of England were sette open to them As they got themselues in by gold and the infection of treason in the lande so they were as Saxo their owne Countreeman reporteth at last put out by the potte Saxo Gram. Hist Dani. lib. 5. when after great feasting they were ouerladen And Saxo confesseth it to be the infection of his Countrie Dani vt patria pace loquar siccandis certatim calicibus assuescunt The Danes saith he by my owne Countries leaue bee it spoken are wont to trie maisteries in making drie cuppes Fabian the 6. part cap. 200. King Edgar brought the Danes to obeisans and he bridled that vice in them by making a law against quaffing and appointing cuppes with nailes and markes to restraine that excesse which by example and prouoking of Danes began commonly to grow Thus of Elfrick maister or Admirall of king Eldred his Nauie and Edrick the two Capitall traytors of the land who betrayed their Prince and Countrie And beside them one Almaricus a Deacon of Canterbury the Cittie of Swanus being besieged 20. Fab. the 6. part ca. 200. Almaricus dayes betrayed it to the Danes This Almaricus had his life saued before by Elphegus Archbishoppe there and for recompence he betrayed him and the Cittie also There is no more vngratfull monster in the worlde then treason It will bee ready to teare out their throtes that haue saued their liues As for benefites they passe through them and washe ouer them as the seas our the sandes and shoares and they nothing the better One Hugh a Norman of Queene Emma aduaunced to bee Earle of Deuonshire for requitall of so great an honour betrayed Exeter to Swanus kinge of Danes as Fabian in his Chronicle telleth who beat downe the walles and brake into the land Fab. the 6. part ca. 198. Sir Andrew of Harkeles Fab. the 7. part in anno 1321 Sir Andrew of Harkeley for seruice done to kinge Edward the second in the Barrons warres in taking Thomas Earle of Lancaster and other Barrons was aduaunsed to be Earle of Carlile After that he was sent to leuie a great power to bringe to the kinge into the North against the Scotes But hee had deuoured so much gold of Sir Iames Douglas of Scotland Chronica Fructus temp the 7. parte Fabian the 7. part in an 1223. as Chronica Fructus temporum noteth that hee could not come in time to the kings aide at the battaile of Beigland Abbay So the king was like to haue beene taken at dinner his hoast was discomfited his treasure and great ordinance taken Then fame began to blow her trumpet that this was long of Sir Andrew of Harkley his treason In proces the Earle by the kinges commission was arreasted of Sir Anthonie Lucie Fabian in an 1224. and Fabian reporting it out of Gefferie of Mommuth was arrayned at Cordoile in Wales Fabian noted before that hee was of Edward the second made Earle of Carlile or Cardoile Polidor Hist Angl. lib. 18. Polidor calleth him Comitem Carleolensem and there conuicted for taking mony of the Scotes to betray the king for which treason he was there or after other at Westchester or Shrewlburie drawen and hanged and his head sente to London and sette on the Bridge Chro. Fruct temp 7. part Chronica Fructus Temporum telleth howe hee was for his treason first disgraded his spurres hewed from his heeles his sword broken ouer him and