fell â—oid within their Diocesses on these Aliens A dangerous Usurpaâ—ion on the Kings Prerogative the Churches Priviledges and the Patrons Rights The next year the King issued Writs to the Archbishops and Bishops of sundry Diocesses by way of Opposition â—o inquire how many Aliens were promoted to Benefices or Prependaries with their Values and Names In that injurious course of conferring Benefices upon Italians the Archbishop of York withstood the Pope and was constrained to leave the Realm Pope Gregory fore-mentioned in the same Kings Reign Mat. Paris fol. 735. wrote to the Abbot of Bury to bestow upon him a Benefice of the yearly value of One hundred Marks but so as they the Abbot and his Convent should farm the Benefice at his hands and pay him yearly 200 marks rent The same Author writeth of another Benefice Ibid fol. 815. and of the Treasureship of Sarum bestowed upon Innocent his little Nephew by one Martin at that time the Popes Legat in this Realm This Man was sent into England by Pope Innocent IV. to extort Moneys â—e was armed with Bulls to excommunicate to suspend and by manifold ways to punish all as well Bishops Abbots as others who opposed his Rapines and Extortions Provisions of Benefices Rents to the use of the Popes Clerks and Kinsmen He extorted Gifts Garments Palfreys from them suspending those who refused though upon reasonable Excuses till satisfaction He twice summoned the English Bishops and Clergy for a Contribution to the Pope and their Mother the Church of Rome against the Emperor The King sent a Prohibition to them not to give him any aid under pain of forfeiting their Baronies He suspended all to present to Benefices of ten Marks value or upward till his and the Popes Covetousness was satisfied The King sent memorable Prohibitions to him against his intollerable Provisions and Rapines who persevereth therein with a stony heart notwithstanding The Cinque-ports were guarded to interrupt the Popes Bulls and Provisions sent unto him His Messenger was imprisoned in Dover-castle but released upon his Complaint to the King The King by advice of his Nobles sent Prohibitions to all the Bishops in England and Chief Justice in Ireland not to suffer him or any other Nuncio to collect any Moneys for the Pope or confer any Benefices without his Privity or Consent The Nobles sent a Message to him in behalf of the whole Kingdom to depart the Realm within three days else they would hew him and all his in pieces And when he demanded the Kings Protection against the fury of the Nobles Mat. Paris p. 640. the King wished the Devil to take him whereupon he departed the Realm in a terrible Pannick fear The Abbot of Abingdon refusing to bestow upon a Roman the Benefice of St. Helens in Abingdon which was esteemed at the value of an hundred Marks and belonged to the Monastery of Abingdon because the King had demanded it for his Brother Idem fol. 1002. was cited to appear personally at Rome and could not obtain his Release until he had assured to the Pope a yearly Annuity of Fifty Marks to be paid out of his Monastery Pope John XXII bestowed the Bishoprick of Winchester upon his Chaplain Rigandus in the time of King Edward the Second having before made reservation thereof Tho. Walsingham fol. 90. and giving special charge that no Election should take place though approved by the King We find in the Canon Law that in the time of King Richard the First though from the Records of the Tower we understand in the Reign of King John that Pope Innocent contriving how to usher in his Provisions into England by degrees without any observation imployed the Archbishop of Ragusa whom he discharged from that Church because he could not live quietly there to move King John to bestow a Bishoprick and other Benefices upon him in England to relieve his Necessities and support his Dignity whereupon the King out of his Royal Bounty bestowed the Bishoprick of Carlile the Archbishop of York and the Church of Melbourn upon him Of these Wrongs the People of this Land made often Complaints but could find no Redress The Usurpations of the Popes Legats and Agents by Exactions Provisions Disposing Churches to Aliens and other Innovations became so intollerably Oppressive to all sorts of People in England that by several Letters of Complan it dispersed against them in the year 1231 1232 there was stirred up a general Commotion and Opposition against them throughout England for finding that most of the Ecclesiastical Livings of this Realm to be in the hands of Strangers they were so offended that they set fire on their Barns in all parts of the Realm The Pope on the other side stormeth with the King and commandeth the Bishops of the Realm to excommunicate the Authors of that injury and withal to send them personally to Rome to receive their Absolution at his hand Speed in his History relateth Speeds Chronic. In the Reign of King Henry III. that it was alledged by these Reformers that they had under-hand the Kings Letters Patents the Lord Chief Justices Assent the Countenance of the Bishop of London and the Sheriffs aid in divers Shires whereby the Armed Troops took heart every where violently to seize on the Romans Corn and their other Wealth which Booâ—ies they imployed to good purposes and for relief of the poor Roger de Wend. M. S. the Romans the mean while hiding their Heads for fear of losing them In the time of King Edward the Third Pope Clement granted to â—wo Cardinals at one time Provisions of so many Spiritual Livings as would amount to the yearly value of Two thousand Marks Hereof the King complained to the Pope Tho. Walsingham Hist in Edw. III. alledging that the Rights of Patronages were disturbed the Treasure of his Realm spent upon Aliens in Foreign parts and that the Students his Subjects were thereby discouraged Which Reasons are delivered in a Statute by him made for restraint of Provisions from Rome SECT 15. 15. The Pope claimeth to have one proper Authority Plenitudo Potestatis in Beneficialibus which he calleth Plenitudo Potestatis in Beneficialibus and is an infinite and unbridled Licence to do in Matters of Church-livings what himself â—isteth By force whereof he taketh from any Prelate or Beneficedman his Bishoprick or Benefice at his pleasure without yielding any Cause or Reason thereof He hath used to bestow Bishopricks of this Realm at his pleasure and when any of the Bishops died then the Pope claimed a Priviâ—edge to have the Gift of them as Decedentes in Curia Romana and so kept them many years as Decedentes in Curia for they never came into England to die here as Salisbury and Worcester which were claimed by that Title in Queen Maries time Again the Pope might dissolve Ecclesiastical Dignities and Benefices at will and turn them into what shape it best liked him Moreover he might
no other cause being known but the Popes pleasure Levies of Moneys to the Popes use without cause In the year 1245 the Pope demanded of all Clerks that were Non-resident half their Revenues and of those that were resident a third part Matthew Paris writeth that in the year 1257 the Popes Proctors sent with his Bulls into this Realm extorted of Clerks and Religious Persons great sums of Money and if any found themselves Grieved and offered to appeal they were forthwith by one Commission or other Excommunicated Mat. Paris fol. 1002. In the year 1248 he exacted of the Monastery of St. Edmondsbury the place of the Abbot being void 1000 Marks and would not confirm the Election of the new Abbot until the Monks had promised to pay 800 Marks In the Reign of King Edward the Second Pope John XXII reserved to his See the First-fruits of all vacant Benefices for the space of three years At that time also certain Usurers set up in England called Caursins who by Usuries and strange Arts devised in Italy did eat up the poor People and the Clergy The King himself was much indebted to them The Bishop of London would have repressed them but because they were maintained by the Pope he was not able to efâ—ect it The Franciscans and Dominicans preached up the Popes Power â—nd drew all the Confessions to themselves and every day obtained â—riviledges to the prejudice of the Parochial Priests who became â—lmost useless The State of England was deplorable for hungry â—talians of the baser sort with Bulls and Warrants from the Pope came daily to fleece the People and to raise such sums of Money â—s they would demand upon the Clergy If any denied what they demanded he was presently Excommunicated And they that held the great Benefices were Strangers who were but the Popes Farmers This caused Matthew Paris that lived then and beheld these things to lament That the Daughter of Sion was become like a shameless Harlot that could not blush by the just Judgment saith he of hâ—m that made an Hypocrite to reign and a Tyrant to domineer Sometimes the Pope made his advantage by Grants made to other Bishops to spoil the Realm as to the Bishop of Rochester whose Name was Laurentius de Sancto Martino a Chaplain and Counsellour of King Henry the Third This Man got a Dispensation from the Pope to hold all his former Livings in Commendam with this Bishoprick And yet alledging that his Bishoprick was the poorest of England and therefore his Living yet unable to maintain the Port of a Bishop he never ceased till he had extorted from the Clergy of his Diocess a Grant of a fifth part of all their Spiritual Livings for five years and appropriated unto his See for ever the Parsonage of Friends-bury The Pope at the same time granted a Bull to the Archbishop of Canterbury to collect the Fruits of all vacant Benefices within his Province for one year Mat. Paris fol. 1000. SECT 18. The way that yielded to the Pope his greatest Harvest The Popes Legats was by Legats sent into this Realm for they coming hither under a plausible title of care to reform things that were amiss within the Realm and the presence of a Legate having an Authority little inferior to the Pope himself being terrible to the Subject they had opportunity not only to gather to their Masters whatsoever they liked to demand but also prevailed intollerably for themselves and some of them with such insolence as it is strange that any Prince could ever suffer them in his Realm I shall here speak something of the Original of these Legats and shew how by degrees the Legati à latere were brought in Authority amongst the Nations and how they did inlarge the Popes Phylacteries At first because Rome was the chief City of the Empire from thence as from a Seminary were preachers sent to sundry Nations to preach and plant the Gospel or to confute Heresies afterwards to provide vacant Benefices and to supply the absence of the Roman Bishop in Synods in all which they did no other thing but as other Bishops might have done and also did But when the Bishops of Râ—me were made Patriarchs and became ambitious these Legats did the same Offices at some times but therewith they began craftily to injoyn unto Archbishops and Metropolitans to execute some things which they were commanded by the Word of God to do and they would give them power within their own Diocesses as if Bishops had been Vicars of the Roman Patriarchs or his Legat. Petrie's Church History p. 272. These Primats did gladly imbrace the show of Honour that for reverence of the Roman Church they might be the more respected in their own Jurisdiction and sometimes the more easily advance themselves above their Competitors Sometimes the Popes sent Legats into other Diocesses with such modesty that they had Authority to attempt nothing without concurrence of the Bishops or Synod of that Countrey Albeit these Legations were partly good and just and at the worst were tollerable yet they were not potestativae or imperious but charitativae or exhortatory nevertheless the Popes brought the Churches and Bishops into subjection by such means for afterwards they were sent only for ambitious Usurpation Covetousness and Worldly Affairs The ordinary Legats at Pisa Romandiola Bononia Ferrara Avignon and if there be any other such are Provincial Deputies Praetores or Vice-Roys The Nuncio's at the Court of the Emperor or of any King Prince or State are Ambassadors or Spies for Secular Affairs The Affairs of any Church that are gainful if they be of less account are reserved unto the Judgment of the Nuncio yet not definitively but to be determined at Rome And things of greater importance are wholly reserved for the Court of Rome The Ancient Bishops of Rome did severely injoyn their Legats to acknowledge duly the inferior Bishops within their own Jurisdiction but now they pass by the Metropolitans and draw all Actions unto themselves and the Court of Rome Likewise their Ambition and Avarice have so provoked some Nations that they will scarce â—it any Legat as Sicily and France have intrenched their Office â—â—e particultrs are more largely written by Antonius de Dominis â—hbishop of Spalato de Republ. Ecclesiast lib. 4. cap. 12. â—f these some had the Titles and Ensigns others the power of â—ats or more without the Title or Badges Some were sent â—essively into England Wales Ireland France and elsewhere â—ublish Popes Excommunications Interdicts Bulls Croisados â—ms Suspensions Citations Mandats c. to and against Emâ—â—â—ors Kings Princes Bishops Abbots Priors and all sorts of â—sons to exact collect Moneys Pillage Sacred Churches â—â—nasteries Mansions founded by our devout simple Ancestors for â—â—ief of the poor of Strangers and Sustentation of Religious â—â—rsons c. â—t was an Ancient Priviledge of the Kings of England and Scotâ—â—â—d that no Legat à latere should come into any of
unite appropriate divide such Livings and do many strange things else about them no cause appearing to any man but his own will The Popes Legates also procured of the Kings of England Stipends and Provisions of good value out of Ecclesiastical Benefices and other Dignities Rustand the Popes Legate being in Favour with King Henry the Third procured from him besides the Livings he obtained by the Popes Provisions a Grant of Provisions out of the Ecclesiastical Benefices Dignities and Prependaries which should first happen in his own Gift amounting to 300 Marks by the year to be preferred before all others formerly granted by him one only excepted SECT 16. Souldiers mustered and sent out of the Realm 16. Soulders have been Mustered and sent to Foreign Wars out of the Realm upon the Popes Commandment which Case hapned in the time of King Richard the Second the Pope gathering within this Realm a Band of Souldiers for the Wars of the Holy Land and appointing them for their Captain the Bishop of Norwich The Realm generally misliked that their Souldiers should be committed to the Guidance of an Ecclesiastical Person unacquainted with the Wars and therefore resisted for awhile but at length suddenly yielded upon a superstitious Conceit taken in their Heads The Croisado's for the Relief of the Holy Land was a Papal Cheat for Popes and others to pick simple Christians Purses for Popes Designs to maintain Wars against Christian Emperors and Princes the Greek Church and the Albigenses detesting and opposing Papal Usurpations and Corruptions to inthral depose and murder them So great was Pope Innocent's Animosity against the Emperor Frederick that when Forces of the Croisado came out of France or England or other parts to sail into Syria to defend Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre against the Saracens he stopt them and gave them the same Graces and Indulgences as if they had performed the Journey into the Holy Land upon Condition that they should turn their Armes against Frederick whose Power lay upon him because he stiffly maintained the Rights of the Empire The Pope proceeded so far as to give the Empire to Robert Brother of Lewis IX King of France upon condition that he should conquer it But Robert sent his Present back to the Pope both because he sent him no Money to furnish him for that Conquest and because he found it very strange that the Pope would give that which was none of his Also because he shewed himself an Enemy to a great and vertuous Prince who had done and suffered so much bravely fighting for the Cause of the Christians against the Infidels Then he added That the Popes are lavish of the Blood of others and that their end is to tread all the Princes of the world under their feet and to put on the Horns of Pride Mean-while persecution grew sore against those whom they called Vaudeois and Albigenses against whom the Pope caused the Croâ—sado to be preached and an infinite number of them to be massacred Pope Gregory IX who compiled the Decretals needing Money for his War against the Emperor Frederick sent a Legat into Engâ—and named Stephen who exacted a tenth part of all their moveâ—ble Goods that is of all their Flocks Rents Fruits Wares Offerings and Gifts to the Church And the said Legat had power â—o Excomunicate all that should refuse to pay and to put the Churches in Interdict He injoyned the Prelates upon pain of Exâ—ommunication to make that Collection speedily and without â—elay All that should cross that Holy Work he Excommunicated â—pso facto He would be paid in new Coin and of good Weight He took the Tithe even of the Corn in the first Blade that is of â—he Crop of the year after In these Exactions he was so urgent and griping that the Parishes were forced to engage the Chalices and Church-Plate to satisfie his Covetousness And he had certain Usurers with him who lent Money upon double use to those who had no ready Money This caused a great Clamour and Lamentation over all the Countrey but without effect The Money was imployed by the Pope in inâ—ading many Towns belonging to the Emperor in Italy And the Emperor could not defend them because he was ingaged against â—he Saracens in the Levant where he took Jerusalem and put the Affairs of the Christians in a flourishing Estate And it is probable â—hat he had utterly destroyed the Saracens if the Injuries which he â—eceived from the Pope had not re-called him For the Emperor making a League for ten years with the Saracens and returning â—nexpectedly from the Holy Lâ—nd Mat. Paris p. 351 352. Matth Westm p. 128 129. interrupted the Popes proceedâ—ngs and soon recovered all his Castles so that the Pope was â—orced by meditation of Friends to stoop to the Emperor and make his Peace with him beyond all Expectation Scarce was the Collection ended made by Stephen the Legate when Pope Gregory inventing Extortions grounded upon fair Reaâ—ons sent Nuncios with power of Legats who by Sermons Exâ—ortations and Excommunications brought an infinite number of English Men to Mendicity and turned them out of their Houses This was done under a pretence of contributing to the expence of the Holy War of which himself hindered the success and yet he promised to them that should contribute Money for it the remission of â—ll their sins and to them that should go in Person an Augmentation of Glory yet the Pope never gave any part of the Money raised â—or that expedition to any Prince that paid Armies and sought â—or that Quarrel All was thrown into the Popes Coffers as into 〈◊〉 Gulph and by him imployed to make War against Frederick for he presently broke the Covenant sworn unto him The Treasure of the Realm spent in the Popes Wars Mat. Paris fol. 703 704. Moreover Wars made by the Pope were oftentimes supported at the Charges of Forreign Countreys the Pope bearing them in hand that they were the Wars of the Church and therefore did in common concern every of their States and Interests under which colour large Contributions have been drawn out of this Realm In the year 1240 the Pope forced all Aliens within this Realm to contribute to the Wars against Frederick the fifth part of the Revenues of their Spiritual Livings and in the same year took another fifth part of all Bishopricks to the same use The Pope ceased not thus but immediately commanded new Collections to be made still pretending his Wars with the Emperor against which Commandment the Clergy made divers Exceptions which are at large set down by Matth. Paris fol. 714. and 7â—5 Idem 1219. In the year 1255 Alexander IV. sent a Legate into the Realm who exacted the tenth part of all the Goods and Chatels in England Scotland and Ireland pretending the Church-wars against Manfred who had invaded the Kingdom of Naples which the Pope claimed to appertain to his See SECT 17. Sometimes again great sums were levyed
their Domiâ—â—ons by the Popes Mission unless at the Kings special instant reâ—est to the Pope who eluded this priviledge by sending Nuncio's â—aplains Clerks Friers Minors or Praedicants sometimes into â—â—eir Realm with the full power not Titles or Ensigns of Legats Some Irish Bishops without the Kings Privity endeavouring to â—â—ocure a Legat to be sent into Ireland the King upon notice â—â—ereof by his Chief Justice and others writes to the Pope to send 〈◊〉 Legat thither against his will Pope Gregory the Ninth his Legat was imprisoned for stirring 〈◊〉 Sedition in Lombardy against the Emperor Three Legats with â—ndry Archbishops and Bishops were taken by the Emperors Galâ—ys going to a Council upon the Summons of Pope Gregory IX Gualo a Presbiter Cardinal of St. Martin crowned King Henry 〈◊〉 causing him to do homage to the Church of Rome and Pope â—nocent for England and Ireland and to swear faithfully to pay â—e Annual Rent for them which his Father King John had granted 〈◊〉 long as he injoyed those Realms He deprived Simon Langton â—rchdeacon of Canterbury and Gervase de Habruge who obstinately â—dhered to Lewis and the Barons and celebrated Divine Service to â—hem and the Londoners after their Excommunication of their Beâ—efices for which they were compelled to go to Rome He sent â—nquisitors through all Provinces of England suspending and deâ—riving Clerks of their Benefices for very small faults and adhering â—o the Barons bestowing their Livings on his own Creatures Clerks â—nriched with others Spoils He received a thousand Marks from Hugh Bishop of Lincoln and vast sums from other Religious Peâ—sons Canons exhausting their Purses and reaping where he 〈◊〉 not sow He bare sway in the Councils of King Henry III wâ— sealed some Writs and Patents with his Seal before his own Sâ— was made and usurped on his Crown during his Minority witâ—out Opposition Bernardus de Nympha came Armed into Englaâ—â— with the Bulls of Pope Innocent IV to collect Money from thâ— Cruce signati for Richard Earl of Cornwall the Kings Brother Dâ—vers Blank Bulls of the Popes were found in his Chest after 〈◊〉 Death containing manifold Machinations of the Romans to debase and oppress England John de Diva an English Frier was armed with many Papâ— Bulls to extort Moneys from the English for Pope Innocent IV under dreadful Penalties and Fulminations He exacts six thousanâ— Marks out of Lincoln Diocess His Exaction at St. Albans waâ— appealed against who demanded 300 Marks notwithstanding thâ— Appeal to be paid within Eight days under pain of Excommunication and Interdict which the Pope upon an Appeal caused theâ— to pay He had a Bull from the Pope to inquire of all Lands alâ—enated from Churches and Monasteries Vexations by Proviso's aâ— Simoniacal Contracts for Livings to seize them to the Popes use and Excommunicate Interdict all Opposers without Appeal John Ruffin was sent with the power though not the title of a Legat into Ireland to collect Moneys there He extorted six thousand Marks from the Clergy there notwithstanding the Kings Prohibition Otto I. Pope Honorius his Nuncio was sent to King Henry III. Hâ— demandeth two Marks by way of Procuration from all Conventuaâ— Churches of England he demandeth two Dignities and two Monkâ— portions in all Cathedrals and Monasteries Pryn's Hist of Popes Usurpations Otho Cardinal Deacon of St. Nicholas in Carcere Tulliano Legaâ— to Pope Gregory IX was received into England with Processions anâ— ringing of Bells He disposed of vacant Benefices to all that camâ— with him whether worthy or unworthy the King almost did nothing without him and adored his foot-steps He was present iâ— the Parliament at York to mediate a peace between the Kings oâ— England and Scotland The Charter of Peace was sworn to anâ— ratified in his Presence He desireth leave of the King of Scots tâ— enter as a Legat into Scotland to regulate Ecclesiastical Affairâ— there as in England who answered That neither in his Fathers time nor of any his Ancestors any Legat had Entrance into Scotland neither would he permit it whilst he was in his righe senses But if he â—ntered at his own peril he must expect violence from his rude Subjects â—rom which he was unable to protect him yet he knighted and beâ—â—owed some Lands on his Nephew A great Fray was occasioned at Oxford by his Porters Insolence â—nd he was assaulted by the Scholars at Osney-Abbey stiled an Uâ—urer a Simoniack a Ravisher of Mens Rents a Thirster after Money a Perverter of the King and Subverter of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 forced to fly secretly from thence Both the King and he proâ—eeded severely against the Scholars for it by Ecclesiastical Cenâ—ures Excommunications Penances Imprisonments almost to â—he ruin of the University He was denied Entrance into Scotland by the King thereof the â—econd time He gave a Writing under his Hand and Seal to the King of Scots that his Admission into Scotland should not be drawn â—nto Consequence who took it away with him upon his privat reâ—cess He there collected the fifteenth part of the Goods of all Preâ—ats and Beneficed Clerks and sent it to the Pope The English Noâ—les send Letters of Complaint to the Pope against his confering of Benefices by Provisions upon Aliens and other Grievances Frederick the Emperor was incensed against King Henry III for this Legats collecting of Moneys in England imployed in Wars against him demanding his Expulsion out of England as the Emperors and the Kingdoms Enemy He demandeth Procurations for himself from the Clergy not exceeding the sum of four Marks for any Procuration The King sent a Prohibition to him to exact the fifth or any other part of the Benefices of his Clerks attending on his Service which he could by no means endure He joyneth with Peter Rubee in exacting a great Tax from the Prelats and Abbots to shed Christian Blood and to conquer the Emperor The Bishops and Canons except against his intollerable Demands He laboured to raise a Schism and Division among the Clergy to obtain his Exactions He demanded Procurations from the Cistercians who manfully denied them as contrary to their Priviledges which the Pope dispensed with by his Non obstante The King upon his Departure out of England by the Popes Summons feasted placed him in his own Royal Throne and at Dinner to the admiration of many Knighted his Nephew and bestowed an Annuity of Thirty pounds per Annum upon him which he presently sold He conferred above Three hundred rich Prebendaries and Benefices at his own and the Popes pleasure on their Creatures He spoiled the Church of Sarum and maâ— other Cathedrals leaving them destitute of Consolation He accompanied by the King and Nobles in great state to the Sea-sidâ— at his departure out of England He left not so much Money 〈◊〉 England behind him when he left it Mat. Paris fol. 735. as he drained out of it Church plate and Ornaments excepted He stayed three years in England great were the rewards demanded
by and given unto Legats Popâ— Innocentius sent one Martin into England for his Legat Rewards given to Legats who waâ— not ashamed to demand Plate Geldings and other Reward without measure And if those things wherewith he was presented liked him not Mat. Paris f. 870. he would proudly send them back to their Ownerâ— and threaten them with Excommunications except they broughâ— him better And other Examples in the same Authors there weâ—â— divers Rich Presents were sent unto the Legats The Bishop of Wiâ—ton presented Otho with Fifty fat Oxen One hundred Quarters oâ— the best Wheat and Eight Tun of the strongest Wine for his Table Others presented him with handsome Palfreys rich Vessels Furrs Vestments and divers other Provisions of Meat and Drink Again the charge of the ordinary Entertainments of a Legat waâ— a great matter for all his Charges were born by the Realm Whaâ— those Expences might grow unto may be conjectured by one demand of Procurations made by the said Otho which yet was buâ— a piece of his Allowance for in the year 1240 giving notice to the Clergy that he must tarry in the Realm some time longer than at first was assigned unto him in which space he was not to spend of his own commanded a second Levy of Procurations to be made Mat. Paris fol. 702. wherein he made shew of some favour more than was ordinary giving to understand that he meant not to receive of any Church above four Marks and where the Churches were poor he would be content that two Churches should joyn in contributing those four Marks The use of Legats What benefit the Realm received for all these charges upon the Legats the Monuments of two of the chief of these Legats Otho and Ottobon I mean their Legantine Constitutions which were the fruits of their Reformation do well shew They contain Matter of little or no moment in the World and such as every Bishop in his Diocess might have ordered well enough viz. Triffles about Citations Proxies and other small matters Danger by the stay of Legats in the Realm Nich Machiavel History of Florence Moreover their long abode and lingering in Countreys cannot but be dangerous to the States where they come because having opportunity to know the secrets of the Realm they bestow that knowledge often times unhappily being persons imployed in â—ore Countreys than one and often where discovery of such â—ecrets proveth perillous to those Realms where they have served â—efore Nicholas Machiavel that great States Man in his Hiâ—â—ory of Florence noteth of his time that the most of all the Wars â—nd Garboiles in Christendom were kindled by the Whisperings of â—â—e Popes Legats SECT 19. 19. It is also proved by the Canon Law Original Suits at Rome that any Ecclesiastical â—uit may be commenced Originally at Rome This cannot be void of great charges to the Subject and is very â—ainful to the See of Rome and the Charge lieth not alone in the long Travel thither and tedious Attendance upon that Court but in â—he Cumbersomness of many intricate Questions arising upon Commissions sometimes one crossing another and sometimes doubtfully â—enned sometimes again controlled by colour of wrong Suggestion â—nd a great number of ways besides whereof the Decretals are full â—nd most of them are directed to Bishops of this Realm which beâ—okeneth that this Plague hath touched our English People more than â—ny other The Subjects were constrained to follow the Popes Consistory for â—heir right and there to waste themselves in Suit in such wise that one Case of England was thirty years depending in Rome Ante litem contestatam as Speculator writeth And the case between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York for the Controversie whether the Archbishop of York might have Cross born before him within the Diocess of Canterbury a goodly Matter for Bishops to contend about did hang many years in the Court of Rome And likewise the Case between the Bishop of Worcester and the Abbot of Evesham â—or the Vale of Eveshâ—m The Decretals are full of English Cases decreed even as the parties found favour in the Court of Rome And the poor Cause of Matrimony of Cetwood did hang in Rome and was reserved there by Act of Parliament and never was decided And that very point was the occasion that King Henry VIII did look into the Usurpation of Rome because the Pope would needs Excommunicate the King for not answering in his own Case at Rome as is notably discovered by Bellay in his Memoires Bellay in Memoires who was the Ambassador for the French King in England and was sent of purpose to Rome to stay the Excommunication and could not get six dayâ— respite and yet withâ—n these six days the Messenger came with Instructions to have appeased the Matter SECT 20. Great sums carried out of the Realm for Dispensations What infinite Treasure was there carried out of the Realm by thâ— Pope's Collectors and by Bankers for Bulls and Dispensations 〈◊〉 man can tell Therefore the French King hath many times made Edicts against the Carrying out of Money for Bulls out of France aâ— of a thing that spoiled the Realm of their Treasure using the Terâ— Epuiser les Treasors du Royaume as a man doth draw the water of 〈◊〉 Well to dry up the Water The Sums that were yearly made of Dispensations and Absolution in Cases reserved were infinite as also of Pardons and Indulgenceâ— and other Faculties It appeareth by the Book of Taxes made foâ— Dispensations in the Reign of Henry VIII that there were founâ— Two hundred and sixteen Letters of Dispensations given by thâ— Pope and that the Taxe of some of them were Two hundred Marks of others an Hundred Pounds c. Tho. Walsingham fol. 257. Thomas Walsingham writeth That in the time of King Richard thâ— Second one Pileus the Pope's Legate made such a Market witâ— Sale of Faculties that his Officers that were about him in that Service grew weary of taking Silver and did not stick to say Thâ—â— they had Silver enough and therefore would not afterwards be paid foâ— their Wares in any Coin but in Gold Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincoln being suspended his Bishoprick for opposing the Pope's Provisions Matth. Paris fol. 1145. Anno 1252. and trampling them under hiâ— feet caused his Clerks to take a view of all the Spiritual Livings oâ— Aliens in this Realm and to make a diligent Inquiry to what an Annual Sum they amounted unto who found them to exceed above Seventy thousand Marks And it may be easily collected what the Pope's Share was in those Gifts What the ordinary Payments were that were yearly made to the See of Rome he that shall make the strictest Inquisition shall hardly understand SECT 21. The Kingdom of England being daily oppressed with many intollerable Grievances and divers new Devices to extort Moneys more than before in the dayes of King Henry the Third