his yerely tribut vnto the same Inferring moreouer how the king as he was of nature very liberall so also of courage a prince stout and valiant Then what a shame wold hee thinke it be to him as it were in deede if hee who in mighte and dignitie farre exceeded all his progenitours should not defend and maintaine the liberties customes by them procured wherefore he desired the Pope to see to the matter so as might stande both with the kings honor and also with his owne profite and aduātage who otherwise no doubt shoulde loose a great peece of money out of the realme vnlesse he did remit some thing of the seueritie of his canons and lawes decretall With these and such other perswasions like to the same effect the court of Rome was well cōtented agreeing that the kings request ought with al fauor to be graunted But the Pope Anselme sate still marking their doings The ambassadour supposing their silence to be halfe a yeelding to him added moreouer and sayd that the king no not for the crowne of his realme would loose the authority of Inuesting or admitting his Prelates within his Dominion Whereunto the proude Pope answering againe brast out in these wordes Nor I sayde he for the price of his heade as thou sayst wil lose the geuing of spirituall promotiōs in Englande and confirming it with an othe before God sayth he I speake it know it for a certaine c. Then it followeth in the storie of Malmesberie with this word of the P. the mindes of the rest were chaunged saying Benedicta fit cordis tui constantia benedicta oris tui loquela The kings attourney also was therewith dashed who notwithstanding yet brought to passe that certaine of the Kinges customes vsed before of his father were released vnto hym At the which tune in the same court was decreed that the king onely which had inuested them being excepted the other which were inuested by the king to be excommunicated the absolution and satisfaction of whome was left to Anselme the archbishop Thus Anselme being dismissed from Rome tooke his iorney toward England But the ambassador pretending to go to S. Nicholas remained behinde to see whether he could winne the popes mind to the kings purpose Which when he saw it would not be he ouertaketh Anselmus by the way at Placentia and opened to him the kings pleasure The king sayth he geueth to you in charge and commaundement that if you will come to England and there behaue your selfe to him as your predecessours did to his father you should be receiued and retained in the Realme accordingly if not you are wise inough sayth he ye know what I meane and what will followe c. And so to these wordes parting from him retourned againe to the King Anselmus remained at Lions a yeare and a halfe writing diuers letters to the King after this effect and wordes as followeth ¶ To his reuerend Lord Henry king of England Anselme Archbishop of Canterburie faithful seruice with prayers Epist. 224. Although ye vnderstand by William Warlwast what we haue done at Rome oyet I shall shortly shewe you that belongeth to me When I came to Rome I declared the cause wherefore I came to the Lorde Pope He answered that he woulde not swarue from the statutes of his predecessours Furthermore he commanded me that I should haue no fellowship with them that receiued inuestings of Churches at your hands after the knowledge of this prohibition except they woulde doe penaunce and forsake that they had receiued without hope of recouerie nor that they shuld not communicate with the other Byshoppes that had consecrated suche menne except they woulde present them selues to the iudgement of the Apostolike sea The foresayde William can be a witnesse of all these things if he will This William when we departed a sonder reconing vp in your behalfe the loue and liberalitie which yee haue had alwayes towardes me warned mee as your Archbyshoppe that I shoulde shewe my selfe such a one that if I would come into Englande that I might be wyth you as my predecessoure was wyth your Father and ye might entreate mee wyth the same honoure and liberalitie that youre father entreated my predecessor By which wordes I vnderstand that except I woulde shewe my selfe suche a one you woulde not haue me come into England For your loue liberalitie I thanke you but that I shoulde be with you as my predecessour was with your father I cannot do it For I dare not do homage to you nor dare communicate with them that take inuestings of Churches at your hands because of the foresaid inhibition made I my selfe hearing it Wherfore I desire you to send me your pleasure herein if it please you whether I may returne into England as I sayde with your peace and power of mine office In the meane while great businesse there was much posting went to and fro betwene the king the archbishop and the Pope but nothing was done for neither woulde the Pope agree to the king neither woulde the King condescende to the Archbishop At last the Archbishop seeing by no meanes he could preuaile against the king thought to reuenge himselfe by excōmunication and so went about the same The king hauing word thereof by the Countesse Adala his sister desireth her to come to him to Normādie and bring Anselmus with her whereupon through the meanes of the Countesse reconcilement was made the archbishop was restored to his former possessions againe Only his returne into England was differred because he would not communicate with those whome the King had inuested So the king tooke his passage ouer into England and Anselme made his abode at the Abbey of Becke Then were ambassadors againe directed vnto Rome W. Warlwast Baldwin aboue named Abbot of Ramesey who at length cōcluded the long controuersy betwene the king the Pope vpon this agreement that the King should take homage of the Bishops elect but shoulde not deale with inuesting them by staffe and ring c. While the Embassadours were thus in their sute at Rome diuers complaintes were daily brought from Englande to Anselme against the Priestes and Chanons who in his absence contrary to the late councel holden at London receiued their wiues vnto their houses againe so were permitted by the king paying him certaine mony for the same Anselme the fore enemie against lawfull mariage agreeued therwith addresseth his letters vnto the King requiring hym to refraine from any more taking of suche exactions declaring moreouer and affirming that the offences of all such Ecclesiasticall ministers must be corrected by the instance of Byshops and not of lay men To this the king answereth gently againe by letters tempering himselfe howe he purposed shortly to come ouer into Normandie and if he had done any thing amisse either in these or other things he would reforme it by his obedience It was
liuing Lord within the Arke of his true spirituall and visible Churche And where is then the friuolous bragge of the Papistes which make so muche of there paynted sheath would nedes beare vs downe that this gournment of the Church of Rome which nowis hath bene of such an old standing time out of minde euen from the primitiue Antiquitie that neuer was any other church demonstrable here in earth for men to follow besides the said only Catholick mother church of Rome whē as we haue sufficiently proued before by the continual descēt of the Church till this present tyme that the sayd Church after the doctrine which is now reformed is no new begunne matter but euen the olde continued Churche by the prouidence and promise of Christ still standing which albeit it hath bene of late yeares repressed by the tyranny of Romayne Byshops more then before yet notwithstanding it was neuer so oppressed but God hath euer maintayned in it the truth of his Gospell agaynst heresies and errours of the Church of Rome as in thys history more at full is to be seene Let vs now proceede farther as we began deducing this descent of the Churche vnto the 1501. yeare In which yeare the Lord began to shew in the partes of Germany wonderfull tokens and blody markes of his Passion as the bloudy Crosse hys nayles speare and Crowne of thornes which fell from heauen vpon the garments and cappes of men and rockes of woman as you may further read in this booke pag. 816. By the which tokens almighty God no doubt presignified what grieuous afflictions and bloudy persecutions shoulde then begin to ensue vppon his Churche for hys Gospels sake according as in this history is described wherein is to be seene what Christen bloud hathe bene spilt what persecutions raysed what tyranny exercised what tormentes deuised what trechery vsed agaynst the poore flocke and Church of Christ in such sort as since Christes tyme greater hath not bene seene And now by reuolution of yeares we are come from the time of .1501 to that yeare now present 1570. In which the full seuenty yeares of the Babilonicall captiuitie draweth now well to an ende if we count from the first appearing of these bloudy markes aboue mentioned Or if wee recken from the beginning of Luther and hys persecution then lacketh yet xvi yeres Now what the Lord wil do with this wicked world or what rest he will geue to hys Church after these long sorrowes he is our father in heauen his will be done in earth as seemeth best to his diuine maiestie In the meane time let vs for our partes with all patient obedience wayt vpon hys gracious leysure and glorifie his holy name and edifie one an other with all humilitie And if there cannot be an end of our disputing and contending one agaynst an other yet let there be a moderation in our affections And for asmuch as it is the good will of our God that Sathan thus should be let lose amongst vs for a short time yet let vs striue in the meane while what wee can to amende the malice of the tyme with mutuall humanitie They that be in errour let them not disdayne to learne They whiche haue greater talentes of knowledge committed instruct in simplicitie them that be simple No man liueth in that common wealth where nothing is amisse But yet because God hath so placed vs Englishmen here in one common wealth also in one Church as in one shippe together let vs not mangle or deuide the shippe which being deuided perisheth but euery man serue in his order with dilligence wherein he is called They that sitte at the helme keepe well the poynt of the needle to knowe how the ship goeth and whether it should Whatsoeuer weather betydeth the needle well touched with the stone of Gods word will neuer fayle Such as labour at the oares start for no tempest but doe what they can to keepe from the rockes Likewise they whiche be inferiour rowmes take heede they moue no sedition nor disturbance agaynst the rowers and mariners No storme so daungerous to a shippe on the sea as is discord and disorder in a weale publique What countryes and nations what kingdomes and Empyres what Cities townes and houses discord hath dissolued in storyes is manifest I neede not spend tyme in rehearsing examples The Lord of peace who hath power both of land and Sea reach forth hys mercifull hand to helpe them vp that sincke to keepe them vpp that stand to still these windes and sourging seas of discord and contention among vs that wee professing one Christ may in one vnitie of doctrine gather our selues into one Arke of the true Church together where we continuing stedfast in fayth may at the last luckely be conducted to the ioyfull porte of our desired landing place by hys heauenly grace To whome both in heauen and in earth be all power and glory with his father and the holy spirite for euer Amen The vtilitie of this Story SEyng the worlde is replenished with such an infinite multitude of bookes of all kinde of matters I may séeme perhaps to take a matter in hand superfluous and needles at this present to set out such Uolumes especially of histories considering now a dayes the world is so greatly pestered not only with superfluous plenty therof but of all other treatises so that books now seeme rather to lacke Readers then Readers to lacke bookes In which multitude of bookes I doubt not but many doe both perceiue and inwardly bewayle this insatiable boldnes of many now a dayes both in writing and printing which to say the truth for my part I do as much lament as any man els beside and would therefore no man should thinke that vnaduisedly or with rashnes I haue attempted this enterprise as one being not onely doubtful but also both bashfull and feareful within my self for setting the same abroad And why first I perceaued howe learned this age of ours is in reading of bookes neither could I tell what the secret iudgementes of readers woulde conceaue to see so weake a thing to set vpon such a weighty enterprise not sufficiently furnished with such ornamentes able to satisfie the perfection of so great a story or sufficient to serue the vtility of the studious and the delight of the learned Which abilitie the more I perceiued to be wanting in me the lesse I durst be bold to become a writer But agayne on the other side when I weyed with my selfe what memorable Actes and famous doynges this latter age of the Churche hath ministred vnto vs by the patient suffringes of the worthy martyrs I thought it not to be neglected that so precious Monumentes of so many matters meet to be recorded and regestred in books should lie buried by my default vnder darkenes of obliuion Me thought somewhat was to be sayd of them for their well deseruing and something agayne of our partes for benefites by
the nūber of xl But by the waye howe it happened I cannot saye As Austen with his company were passing in theyr iourney such a sodaine feare entred in their harts that as Antonius saith they returned all Other write that Austen was sent backe to Gregory againe to release them of that viage so daungerous and vncertaine amongst such a barberous people whose language neither they knewe nor whose rudenes they were able to resist Thē Gregory with pithy perswasions confirming and comforting him sent him againe with letters both to the Bishop of Arelalensis willing him to helpe and aide the said Austen and his company in all whatsoeuer his neede required Also other letters he directed by the foresaid Austine vnto his fellowes exhorting them to go foreward boldly in the Lords work as by the tenour of the said Epistle here followyng maye appeare Gregorius seruus seruorum Dei seruis Domini nostri Quia melius fuerat bona non incipere quam ab ijs quae coepta sunt cogitatione retrorsum redire c. In Englishe Gregory the seruaunt of Gods seruaunts to the seruaunts of the Lord. Forasmuch as it is better not to take good things in hande then after they be begon to thinke to reuolt backe from the same againe therefore now you may not nor cannot deare children but with all feruent study and labor must needes go forward in that good busines which through the helpe of God you haue wel begunne Neither let the labor of your iourney nor the slanderous tounges of men appalle you but that with all instaunce and feruency yee proceede and accomplish the thing which the Lorde hath ordeyned you to take in hande knowing that your great trauell shal be recompensed with rewarde of greater glorye hereafter to come Therefore as we sende here Austen to you againe whom also we haue ordeined to be your gouernour so doe you humblye obey him in all thinges knowing that it shall be profitable so for your soules whatsoeuer at his admonition yee shall doe Almighty God with his grace defend you and graunt me to see in the eternall country the fruite of your labour that although I can not labour as I woulde wyth you yet I may be found pertaker of your retribution for that my will is good to labour in the same felowship with you together The Lord God keepe you safe most deare and welbeloued children Dated the x before the Calendes of August in the raigne of our soueraigne Lord Mauritius most vertuous Emperour the .xiiij. of his Empire Thus they emboldened comforted through the good wordes of Gregory sped foorth their iourney till they came at length to the I le of Thene◠lying vpon the East side of Kent Neare to the which landing place was then the Manory or palace of the king not farre from Sandwiche Eastward from Caunterbury which the inhabitauntes of the Isle then called Richbourgh whereof some part of the ruinous walles is yet to be sene The king then raigning in Kent was Ethelbert as aboue appeareth the fifte King of that prouince who at that time had Maried to wyfe a French woman beyng Chrystened named Berda whom he had receiued of her parents vpon this conditiō that he shoulde permitte her with her Bishop committed vnto her called Lebardus to enioye the freedome of her fayth and Religion by the meanes whereof he was more flexible and sooner induced to embrace the preachyng and doctrine of Christ. Thus Austen beyng arryued sent foorth certayne messengers and interpreters to the Kyng sygnifying that such a one was come from Rome brynging with hym glad tydinges to him and all his people of lyfe and saluation eternally to reygne in heauen with the onely true and lyuing God for euer if he would so willingly harken to the same as he was gladly come to preache and teach it vnto him The King who had heard of this Religion before by meanes of his wife within a few daies after commeth to the place where Austen was to speake with him but that shoulde be without the house after the maner of his lawe Austen against his cōming as stories affirme erected vp a banner of the crucifixe such was then the grosenes of that tyme and preached to him the word of God The Kyng aunswering againe saith in effect as followeth the words be very faire that you preach and promise Neuerthelesse because it is to me vncoth and new I can not soone starte away from my country law wherwith I haue bene so lōg inured and assent to you Albeit yet notwithstanding for the ye are come as ye saye so farre for my sake ye shall not be molested by me but shall be rightwell intreated hauing al thinges to you ministred necessarye for your supportatiō Besydes this neither doe we debarre you but to haue fre leaue to preach to our people and subiects to conuert whō ye may to the faith of your Religion When they had receaued this comfort of the king they went with procession to the Citie of Dorobernia or Caunterbury singyng Alleluya with the Letanie which then by Gregory had beene vsed at Rome in the time of the great plague reigning thē at Rome mentioned in old histories The wordes of the Letany were these Deprecamur te Domine in omni misericordia tua vt auferatur furor tuus ira tua a ciuitate ista de domo sancta tua quoniam peccauimus Alleluya That is We beseech thee O Lorde in all thy mercyes that thy fury and anger maye cease from this Citie from thy holy house for we haue sinned Alleluya Thus they entryng in the Citie of Dorobernia the head Citie of all that dominion at that time where the king had gyuen them a mansion for there abode there they contynued preaching and baptising such as they had conuerted in the east side of the Citty in the old church of S. Martine where the Queene was woont to resorte vnto the time that the kyng was conuerted himselfe to Christ. At length when the king had wel cōsidered the honest conuersation of their life and moued with the myracles wrought through gods hand by thē he heard them more gladly and lastly by their wholsome exhortations and example of godly life he was by them conuerted and christened in the yeare aboue specified 586. and the 36. yeare of his reigne After the King was thus conuerted innumerable other daily came in were adioyned to the Church of Christ whom the King did specially embrace but cōpelled none for so he had learned that the faith and seruice of Christ ought to be voluntary and not coacted Then he gaue to Austen a place for hys Byshops sea at Christes Church in Dorobernia builded the Abbey of Saint Peter and Paule in the East side of the sayde Citie where after Austen and all the Kinges of Kent were buried and that place is now called S. Austen In this
vs with their praiers preachings they persecute vs. Whervpon after that Brocmayl being ouercome did flee awaye the king commaunded his men to turne their wepons against the sely vnarmed Monkes of whome he slewe the same time or rather Martired .1100 onely fiftie persons of that number did flee and escape awaye with Brocmayl the rest were all slaine The authors that write of this lamentable murder declare saye howe the forespeaking of Austen was here verefied vpon the Britanes which because they would not ioine peace with their frends he said should be destroied of their enimis Of both these parties the reader may iudge what he pleaseth I can not see but both together were to be blamed And as I cannot but accuse the one so I cannot defend the other First Austen in this matter can in no wise be excused who being a monke before therfore a scholer professor of humilitie shewed so litle humilitie in this assembly to seuen Byshops an Archbishop coÌ„ming at his coÌ„maundement to the Councell that he thought scorne once to stirre at their comming in Much lesse would his Pharisaicall solemnity haue girded himselfe washed his brethrens feete after their trauaile as Christ our great maister did to his Disciples seyng his Lordship was so hie or rather so heauy or rather so proude that coulde not finde in his hart to giue them a little moouing of his body to declare a brotherly humble hart Againe the Britaynes were much or more to blame who so much neglected their spirituall duety in reuenging their temporal iniury that they denyed to ioyne vnto their helping labour to turne the Idolatrous Saxons to the way of lyfe and saluatioÌ„ In which respect all priuate cases ought to geue place and to be forgotten For the whiche cause although lamentable to vs yet no great meruaile in them if the stroke of gods punishment did light upon theÌ„ according to the wordes of Austen as is before declared But especially the cruell king in this fact was most of all to blame so furiously to flee vpon them which had neither weapoÌ„ to resist him nor yet any will to harme him And so likewise the same or like happened to himselfe afterward For so was he also slayne in the field by Christian Edwine who succeeded him as he had slayne the Christians before whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 610. But to returne to Austen agayne who by report of authors was departed before this cruelty was done after he had baptised and christened x. thousand Saxons or Angles in the West riuer that is called Swale beside Yorke on a ChristeÌ„masse day perceauing hys end to draw neare he ordayned a successor named Laurentius to rule after him the Archbishops sea of Dorobernia Where note by the way Christian Reader that wheras Austen baptised then in riuers it followeth there was then no vse of fontes Agayne if it be true that Fabian sayth he baptised x. thousaÌ„d in one day the rite theÌ„ of Baptising at Rome was not so ceremoniall neither had so manye trinkets at that tyme as it hath had since or els it could not be that he coulde baptise so many in one daye In the meane season about this time departed Gregory Byshop of Rome of whom it is sayd that of the number of al the first Bishops before him in the primitiue time he was the basest of all them that came after him hee was the best About whiche tyme also dyed in Wales Dauid Archbishop first of Kayrleion who then translated the sea from thence to Meneuia and therefore is called Dauid of Wales Not long after this also deceased the foresayd Austen in England after he had set there xv or xvi yeares by the which count we may note it not to be true that Henry Huntington and other doe witnesse that Austen was dead before that battaile of Ethelfride agaynst the MoÌ„kes of BaÌ„gor For if it be true that Polycronicon testifieth of this murder to be done about the yeare of our Lorde 609. and the comming of Austen first into the Realme to be an 596. then Austen enduring xvi yeares could not be dead at thys battell Moreouer Galfridus Monumetensis declareth concerning the same battell that Ethelbert the king of Kent beyng as is sayd conuerted by Austen to Christes fayth after he saw the Britaynes to disdayne and deny their subiection vnto Austen neyther would assist him with preaching to the English nation therefore stirred vp he the foresayd Ethelfride to warre agaynst the Britaynes But that seemeth rather suspicious then true that he being a Christen king eyther could so much preuayle with a Pagan Idolater or els would attempt so farre to commit such a cruell deede But of vncertayne things I haue nothing certainly to say lesse to iudge About this present tyme aboue prefixed which is 610. I read in the story of Ranulphus Cestrensis the writer of Polychronicon of Iohn the Patriarche of Alexandria who for his rare example of hospitality and bountifulnes to the poore I thought no lesse worthy to haue place amongest good men then I see the same now to be followed of few This Iohn beyng before belike a hard and sparing man as he was at hys prayer vpon a tyme it is sayd there appeared to him a comely virgine hauing on her head a garland of Oliue leaues which named her selfe mercy saying to him and promising that if he would take her to wiâ—e he should prosper well This whether it were true or not or els inuented for a moralitie I would wish this florishing damsell so to be maryed to moe then to this Iohn that shee should not liue so long a virgine now as she doth because no man will marry her But to returne to his Patriarch who after that day as the story recordeth was so merciful and so beneficiall especially to the poore and needy that he counted them as hys maysters and himself as a seruaunt and steward vnto them This Patriarch was wont commonly twise a weeke to sit at hys doore all the day long to take vp matters and to set vnitie where was any variaunce One day it happened as he was sitting all the day before hys gate and saw no man come lamented that all that day hee had done no good To whome his Deacon standing by aunswered agayne that hee had more cause to reioyse seeing he had brought the Cittie in that order and in such peace that there needed no reconcilement amongest them An other time as the sayd Iohn the Patriarche was at the Seruice and reading the Gospell in the church the people as their vsed maner is went out of the church to talke and iangle he perceauing that went out likewise and sat amongst them wherat they marueyling to see him do so My children said he where the flocke is there ought the shepherd to be wherefore either come you in that I may also
greatest causes of the realme and was liefetenant of the kings army Who with his brother Toston or Tostius sent by the king against the Welchmen subdued their rebellion But afterward such enuie grewe betwene these ij brethren for that Tostius saw his brother Harold so greatly aduanced in the kings fauour that at Herford the said Tostius slew all his brothers men Whom when he had cut in pieces he poudered their quarters and mangled parts in barrels of salt vinegre wine and other liquors That done he made a power against his brother Harold being king with the aide of certaine Danes and Norgaines and fought a battail with him in the North as after shal follow God willing to be seene So vngratious were these wicked children of Erle Godwin that if they had sene any faire mansion or maner place they woulde slay the owner thereof withall his kinrede and enter the possession thereof themselues At length it came in the minde of this Harolde to saile ouer the sea as Polydore sayth into Normandie to see hys brother Wilnotus as also his cosin Hacus whom the king had sent thither to be kept for pledges as yee heard before Polydore sayth these pledges were Tosto Byornon but that can not be for Tostius was then in England But as Henricus Archdeacon of Huntington sayeth his iourney was into FlaÌ„ders as semeth more like For it is not to be thought that Harold who was a doer in the cruell murther of Alphred and of the Normanes wold venter into Normandy therefore more like it is that his sailing was into Flaunders But as the storie proceedeth he being in the course of his sailing was weather driuen by tempest into the prouince of Pountith where he was taken as a prisoner and sent to Duke William of Normandy To whome he was made to sweare that he in time following shoulde marry his daughter and that after the death of King Edward he should kepe the land of Englande to his behoue according to the will minde of Edward after some writers and so to liue in great honor dignity next vnto him in the realme This promise faithfully made to the Duke Harold returneth into EnglaÌ„d with his cosin Hacus the sonne of his brother Suanus being deliuered vnto him But Wilnotus brother of Harold the duke kepeth stil for performance of the couenaÌ„ts Thus Herold I say returning home sheweth the king al that he had done in the foresayde matters Wherewith the King was well contented Wherby it may be gathered that king Edward was right wel willing that Duke William should reigne after hym and also semeth not vnlike but that he had geuen him his promise therunto before Among all that were true and trusty to king Edward of the english nobility none had like commendatioÌ„ as had Leofricus erle of Mercia and of Chester This Leofricus purchased many great liberties for the towne of CoueÌ„try and made it free of all maner things except onely of horse Which fredom there was obtained by meanes of his wife Godina by riding as the fame goeth after a straÌ„ge maner through the towne This Leofricus with his wife Godina builded also the abbey of Couentrie indued the same with great lands and riches You hearde a little before of the comming ouer of Edward called the outlaw sonne of king Edmund Ironsid whom king Edward had purposed to haue made king after him But soone after his comming ouer he deceased at London This Edwarde had by his wife Agatha a sonne a daughter called Edgar Adelyng Margaret Which Margaret being maried afterward to the king of Scots was the mother of Matild or Maude Quene of England and of Dauid king of Scots c. This vertuous blessed king Edwarde after he had reigned 23. yeres and 7. moneths died and was buried in the monastery of Westminster which he had greatly augmented repaired but afterward was more inlarged after this form which it hath now by Henry the third soÌ„ne of king Iohn They that write the historie of this King heere make mention of a dreame or reuelation that shoulde be shewed to him in time of his sicknes how that because the peeres bishops of the realme were seruantes not of God but of the deuil God wold geue this realm to the haÌ„d of others And the king desired vtteraunce to be geuen him that hee might declare the same to the people whereby they might repent It was answered againe that neither would they so do or yet if they did it should be geuen to an other people But because it is a dreame I let it passe Diuers lawes were before in diuers countreis of this realme vsed as the lawe first of Dunuallo Molinucius with the lawes of Mercia called Mercenelega then the lawes of Westsaxone kinges as of Iue Offa Alfred c. whyche was called Westsaxenelaga The thirde were the lawes of Canutus of Danes called Danelaga Of all these lawes which before were diuersly in certain particuler countreis vsed and receiued this Edward compiled one vniuersal commoÌ„ law for al people through the whole realm which were called R. Edwardes lawes which lawes being gathered out of the best and chiefest of the other lawes were so iust so equall an so seruing the publike profite weale of all esâ—ates that mine authors say the people long after did rebell against their heads and rulers to haue the same lawes againe being taken from them and yet coulde not obtaine them Furthermore I read and find in Math. Paris that when Will. Conquerour at his comming in did sweare to vse practise the same good lawes of Edwarde for the common lawes of this realme afterward being established in his kingdome he forswore himselfe placed his owne lawes in their rowme much worse and obscurer then the other were c. Notwithstanding among the said lawes of Edward and in the first chapter and beginning therof this I finde among the auncient recordes of the Guildhal in London The office of a King with such other appurtenaunces as belong to the realme of Britaine set forth and described in the latine stile which I thought here not vnmete to be expressed in the English tong for them that vnderstande no Latine The tenor and meaning wherof thus followeth ¶ De iure appendijs regni Britannia quod sit officium Regis REx autem quia vicarius summi Regis est ad hoc est constitutus vt regnum terrenum populum domini super omnia sanctam eius veneretur ecclesiam regat ab iniuriosis defendat maleficos ab ea auellat destruat penitus disperdat Quuod nisi fecerit nomen regis non in eo constabit Verùm Papa Ioanne testante nomen regis perdit cui Pipinus Carolus filius eius nec dum reges sed principes sub rege Francorum stultò scripserunt quaerentes si ita
Urbane according to the tenor and forme of a certaine Epistle of his wherin among many other thinges in the same Epistle conteined these wordes he wryteth to Pope Paschalis the third yere after his banishment after the death of Urbane and a little before the death of the king To the Lord and reuerend father Paschalis high bishop Anselme seruant of the Churche of Cant. offereth due subiection from his heart and prayers if they can stand in any stede Ex Epist. 36. Paulò post initium I See in Englād many euils whose correction belongeth to me and which I could neither amend nor suffer without mine owne fault The king desireth of me that vnder the name of right I shuld consent to his pleasures which were against the lawe and wil of God For he woulde not haue the Pope receaued nor appealed vnto in Englande without his commaundement neither that I should send a letter vnto him or receaue any from him or that I shuld obey his decrees He suffered not a Councell to be kept in his realme now these 13. yeares since he was king In all these things and such like if I asked any counsaile all my suffragane Byshops of his realme denied to geue me any counsaile but according to the kinges pleasure After that I sawe these and such other thinges that are done against the will and lawe of God I asked license of him to goe to Rome vnto the sea Apostolicall that I might there take counsaile for my soule and the office committed to me The king sayd that I offended agaynst hym for the onely asking of license And propounded to me that eyther I should make hym amendes for the same as a trespasse assuring hym neuer to aske this license any more to appeale to the pope at anye tyme hereafter or els that I shoulde quickly depart out of hys land Wherefore chosen rather to goe out of the land◠then to agree to so wicked a thing I came to Rome as ye know and declared the whole matter to the Lord Pope The king by and by as soone as I went out of England inuaded the whole Archbishoprike and turned it to hys owne vse taxing the monkes onely with bare moate drinke and clothe The king being warned and desired of the Lord Pope to amend this he contēned the same and yet continueth in his purpose still And now is the third yere since I came thus out of Englande and more Some men not vnderstanding demaund why I did not excommunicate the king But the wiser sort and such as haue vnderstanding counsayle me that I doe no this thing because it belongeth not to me both to complayne and to punish To conclude I was forewarned by my frendes that are vnder the king that my excommunication if it should be done would be laughed to scorne and despised c. By these here aboue prefixed appeareth how Anselme the Archbishop comming to Rome made hys complaynt to the Pope Urbane of the king and how the Pope writing to the king in the behalfe of Anselme hys letters and commaundementes were despised And now to our story In the meane tyme while the popes letters were sent to the king Anselme was byd to wayte about the Pope to looke for an aunswere backe Who perceauing at length how little the king reputed the popes letters began to be weary of hys office desiring the pope that he might be discharged thereof But the Pope in no case woulde thereto consent chargying hym vpon hys obedience that where soeuer he went he shoulde beare with him the name and honour of the Archbishop of Cant. Whereunto Anselmus agayne sayd hys obedience he neyther durst nor woulde refuse as who for Gods cause was ready to suffer what soeuer should happen yea though it were death itselfe as he thought no lesse would follow thereof But what shold we think sayth he is there to be done where not onely iustice taketh no place but is vtterly oppressed and where as my suffraganes not onely doe not helpe for dread the righteous cause but also for fauour do impugne the same Well sayth the Pope as touching these matters we shal sufficiently prouide for at the next Councell at Baron where as I will you the same tyme and place to be present When the tyme of the Councell was come Anselme among other was called for Who first sitting in an vtter side of the Byshops afterward was placed at the right foote of the Pope with these wordes Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquam alterius orbis Papam Wherupon the same place after hym was appoynted to the successours of the sea of Cant. in euery general Councel by the decree of Urbane to sit at the right foote of the pope In this Councell great sturre and much reasoning there was agaynst the Grecians concerning the matter and order of proceeding of the holy Ghost Where is to be noted that the Greeke Church hath of long tyme dissented from the Latine church in many and sondry poyntes to the number of xx or almost xxi◠Articles as I haue them collected out of the Register of the Church of Hereford Whereof lyke as occasion hereafter may serue God willing for a further more ample tractation to be made so here by the waye partly I meane to touch some The first is Wherein the Greeke Church differeth from the Latine THe first article wherein the Greeke Churche altereth from the Latine or Romish Church is this Quòd sunt extra obedientiam Romanae ecclesiae pro eo quòd ecclesia Constantinopolitana non est subiecta sed ei aequalis 1. Dicunt Dominum Apostolicum non habere maiorem potestatem q̄ iiii Patriarc hae Et quicquid sit praeter scientiam eorum per Papam vel sine eorum approbatione nullius est valoris c. In Englishe First they are not vnder the obedience of the Churche of Rome because that the Church of Constantinople is not subiect but equall to the same 2. They hold that the Bishop of the Apostolicke Sea of Rome hath greater power then the 4. Patriarches And whatsoeuer the Pope doth beside their knowledge or without their approbation it is of no valor 3. Item they say whatsoeuer hath bene done or concluded since the second generall Councell is of no full authoritie because from that time they recount the Latines to be in errour and to be excluded out of the holy Church 4. Item Dicunt Eucharistiam consecratam per Romanam Ecclessam non esse verum corpus Christ 1. They hold the Eucharist consecrated by the Churche of Rome not to be the very body of Christ. Also where the Romish Churche doth cosecrate in vnleauened bread they cōsecrate in bread leauened 5. Item they say that the Romish church doth erre in the wordes of Baptisme for saying I baptise thee when they should say let this creature of God be baptised c. 6. They hold moreouer to
Cum itaque in nostra nunc habeatur potestate ipse semper tua molestauit turbationis operam praestiterit ea quae praemisimus nobilitati tuae insinuare curauimus scientes ea dâ—â—ectioni tuae beneplacita existere animo tuo vberrimam importare laetitiam Datum apud Ritheountum V. Kalendas Ianuar. King Richard thus being traiterously taken and sold to the Emperor by the duke of Austrige for 60000. marks was there kept in custodie a yeare ano iii. monethes In some stories it is affirmed that K. Richard returning out of Asia came to Italy with prosperous winde where hee desired of the pope to be absolued froÌ„ an othe made against his will and could not obtaine it And so letting out from thence toward England passing by the couÌ„try of Conradus the Marques whose death he being slaine a little before was falsely imputed by the French king to the king of England and there traiterously was taken as is before saide by Limpoldus Duke of Austrige Albeit in an other story I find the matter more credibly set forth which saith thus that king Richard slewe the brother of this Limpoldus playing with him at chesse in the french kings court And Limpoldus taking his vauntage was more cruel against him and deliuered him as is â—aid to the Emperor In whose custody he was deteined during yâ— time aboue mentioned a yere and 3. months During the which time of the kings endurance the French king in the meane season stirred warre in Normandy And Erle Iohn yâ— kings brother made stir and inuaded England but the barons and bishops of the lande mightely wtstode him And besieged him in the Castell of Windsore where they tooke from him all the castels munitions which before hee had got Thus the Erle seeing no hope to preuaile in England suspecting the deliuerance of the king his brother made in to France kept with the French king At length it was so agreed and concluded with the Emperor that K. Rich. should be released for 14000. pounds Of the which mony part should remaine to the duke of Austrige the rest shuld be the Emperors The summe of which money was here gathered made in England of chalices crosses shrines candlesticks and other church plate also with publik contribution of friers abbeis and other subiectes of the realme Wherof parte was presently paid for the residue remaining hostages and pledges was taken which was about the 5. yeare of his raigne And then it was obtained of the Pope that priestes might celebrate with chalices of latin and tinne And so was granted continued long after which mine author in his Chronicle entituled Eulogium doeth testifie himselfe to haue scene At what time this foresayde mony was paid and the hostages geuen for the ransom of this king I haue an old storie that saith how the foresaide duke of Austrige shortly after was plagued by God with v. sondry plagues First with burning of his chief towns Secondly with the drowning of x. M. of his menne in a floud happening no man could tell how Thirdly by turning all the eares of his corne field into wormes Fourthly by taking away almost all the Nobles of his lande by death Fiftly by breaking his own legge falling from his horse which leg he was compelled to cut off with his own hands after died vpon the same Who then at his death is said to forgeue K. Richard 50000. Markes sent home the hostage that was with him ex varijs Chron. The booke intituled Eulogium before mentioned declareth thus that the sayde Limpoldus Duke of Austrige fell in displeasure with the bishop of Rome and died excoÌ„municate the next yeare after An. 1196. Thus the sayde King Richarde being raunsomed as hath ben declared from the couetous captiuity of the Emperour was restored againe and made his repaire into Englande At whose returne Erle Iohn hys brother resorting to him with humble submission desired to be pardoned of his transgressions To whom king Richard answering againe would God saith he this your trespasse as it dieth with mee in obliuion so it may remaine wyth you in remembraunce And so gentlely forgaue him And after he had againe recouered his holdes and castles caused himselfe to be crowned againe Whych done he made hys power agaynst the French king and draue hym out of Normandy After that he turned his viage against the Welshmen and subdued them The next yeare following which was the 1197. yere of the Lord Philip yâ— french king brake truce made betwene him and king Richarde whereuppon the king was compelled to saile ouer againe to Normandy to withstand the malice of his enemy About which time my story recordeth of one called of some Fulco some say he was the Archbyshop of Roane called Gualter This Fulco being then in England and comming to the kings presence sayde vnto him with great courage boldnes Thou hast O mighty King three daughters very vicious and of euill disposition take good heede of them and betimes prouide for them good husbandes least by vntimely bestowing of the same thou shalt not onely incurre great hurt and damage but also vtter ruine and destruction to thy selfe To whom the king in a rage sayde Thou lying and mocking hypocrite thou knowest not where thou art or what thou sayest I thinke thou art mad or not well in thy wittes for I haue neuer a daughter as all the world knoweth and therefore thou opeÌ„ liâ—r get thee out of our presence To whom Fulco aunswered no and like your grace I lie not but say truth for you haue iii. daughters which continually frequeÌ„t your court and wholy possesse your person and such iii. whoores naughty packes as neuer the like hath bene heard off I meane mischieuous pride gredy couetousnes and filthy luxurity And therfore againe I say O king beware of them and out of hand prouide mariages for them least in not so doing thou vtterly vndoe both thy selfe and all the whole realme The which his wordes the King tooke in good parte with correction of himself confession of the same Wherupon incontinently he called his Lordes and Barons before him vnto whome he declared the coÌ„moning and monition of Fulco who had willed hym to beware of his iii. daughters pride auarice and luxurie with counsel out of hand to marrie them least further discommoditie shoulde ensue both to him and the whole realme whose good couÌ„sell my Lordes I entende to follow not doubting of all your consents therunto Wherefore here before you all I geue my daughter swelling pride to wife to the proude Templars my greedie daughter auarice to the couetous order of the Cistercian Monkes and last of all my filthie daughter luxurie to the riotous prelates of the Churche whom I thinke to be very meete men for her and so seuerally well agreeing to all their natures that the like matches in this our Realme are not to be found for
vpon a persone meete for the same therefore we will not for no mans pleasure neither may we without daunger of fame and of conscience deferre or protract any longer the consummation of the sayde election Wherefore my well beloued sonne seeing we haue had respect to your honour aboue that our right and duetie requireth studie to honour vs so much as your duetie requireth againe so that you may the more plentifully deserue fauour both at Gods hands and ours least that by doing the contrary you bring your selfe into such a pecke of troubles as afterwards you shall scarce rid your selfe of againe For this know for a certaine in the end it must needes fall out that hee shall haue the better vnto whome euery knee of heauenly earthly and infernall creatures doeth bowe whose turne I serue in earth though I be vnworthy Therfore settle not your self to obey their perswasions which alwayes desire your vnquietnesse whereby they may fish the better in the water when it is troubled but commit your selfe to our pleasure which vndoubtedly shall turne to your praise glory and honor For it shoulde not be much for your safetie in this cause to resist God and the Church in whose quarel that blessed Martyr glorious bishop Thomas hath of late shed his bloud especially seeing your father and your brother of famous memorie then kings of Englande did geue ouer those three wicked customes into the hands of the Legates of the see Apostolique But if you yeld your selfe humbly into our hands we will looke that you yours shall be sufficiently prouided for that no preiudice may arise hereupon to you warde Geuen at Laterane the x. yere of our Popedom Thus hast thou Gentle Reader the glorious letter of the proud Pope I beseeche thee marke it well Now to the story After this letter was sent out not long after proceedeth a charge and commaundement sent into England vnto certayn bishops there requiring them by authoritie Apostolicall that if the sayd kyng would not receaue the sayde Prior of Cant. his mōkes thē they should interdict hym throughout all hys realme For the executing whereof 4. Byshops were appoynted by the vsurped power of the popes bulles namely william B. of London Eustace B. of Ely Walter B. of Winchester and Giles B. of Herford Which sayd foure bishops went vnto the kyng and shewed theyr commission from the pope as is abouesayd willing hym to consent thereto c. But the sayd kyng refused the same and woulde by no meanes graunt to theyr request Wherupon the departing from hys grace went the morow after the Annuntiacion of our Lady and pronounced the sayd generall interdiction throughout all England so that the church dores were shutte vp with keyes and other fasteninges and with walles c. Now when the king heard of this he begon to be moued agaynst them and tooke all the possessiōs of the 4. byshops into hys hands appoynting certayne men to keepe the liuings of the clergy throughout the realme and y◠they should enioy no part therof Which being done y◠bishops seeing the same cursed all them that kept or should meddle with Church goodes agaynst the will of them that ought them and vnderstandyng of all that that the K. nothing regarded their doyngs they went ouersea to the Byshop of Canterbury informed hym what had happened Who hearing the same willed them againe to returne to Caunterbury and he would come thither to them or els sēd certayne persons thither in hys steed that should do as much as if he were there himself Then when the bishops heard this they returned agayne to England to Caunterbury which tidings came shortly to the K. that they were come agayne thither And because he might not hymself trauaile to thē he sent theyr Byshops Earles Abbots to intreat them that the archb Stephen whom he had chosen might be admitted promising the Prior and all the Monkes of Caunterbury in his behalfe that he should neuer take any thing of the church goodes agaynst the will of them that owe them but would make amendes to them of whom he had taken any such goodes and that the Church shoulde haue all her fraunchises in as ample maner as in S. Edwardes tyme the Confessor it had When the forme of agreement was thus concluded it was engrossed of payre Indentures which the foresayd 4. Byshops to the one part therof set their seales the other part the sayd bishops Erles abbots caried to shew the king When the K. saw the order therof he liked it wel sauyng he would not agree to make restitution of the church goods So he sent to the 4. byshops agayne that they should put out that point of restitution But they answered stoutly that they would not put out one word Then the king sent word to the Archb. by the 4. bishops that he should come to Cant. to speake with him and for his safe conduit to come and goe againe at his will he sent his iustices as pledges Gilbert Peiteuin William de la Bereuer and Iohn Letfitz Which thing thus done the Archb. Stephen came to Cant. and the K. hearing therof came to Chilham from whence he sent his treasurer the B. of Winchester to him to haue him put out of the indentures the clause of restitution aforesaid who denying to alter any word of the same moued that k. in such sort that immediatly it was proclaimed throughout england at the kinges commaundement that all those that had any churchliuing and went ouer the sea should come agayne into England a certaine day or els lose their liuings for euermore And further in that proclamation he charged al Shirifs within the realm to enquire if any Bishops Abbots Priors or any other churchman from that day forward receiued any commaūdemēt that came from the pope and that they should take his or their body and bring it before him And also that they shold take into theyr hands for the kings vse al the churchlands that were geuen to any man through the Archbishop Stephē or by the priors of Cant. from the time of the election of the Archb. And further charged that all the woods that were the Archb. should be cut downe and solde When tidings came to the Pope that the K. had thus done being moued thereby with firy wrath◠sent to y◠king two Legates the one called Pandulph and the other Durant to warne him in the popes name that he should cease his doinges to holy church and amend the wrong he had done to the Archb. of Cant. and to the priors the monks of Cant. and to all the Clergy of England And further that he should restore the goods agayne that he had taken of thē agaynst their wil or els they should curse the K. by name to do this y◠pope tooke them his letters in Buls patent These two Legates comming into England resorted to the king
commended then the other Cardinall Hugo mentioned a little before pag. 208. whiche in the like contention betwene these Archbishops ran his way Thus the controuersie ceased and composed betweene these two Otho the Cardinall sitting aloft betweene these 2. archbishops beginneth his sermon taking the theame of the Prophet In medio sedis in circuitu eius quatuor animalia plena oculis ante retro c. That is In the midst of the seat and in the circuit about the seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behind c. Upon this theme the Cardinall proceeded in hys sermō sitting like a God in the middest He compared thē about him to that foure beastes about the seate declaring how they ought to haue eyes both before behind that is that they must be prouident in disposing of secular thinges and circumspect in spiritual matters continuing ioyning wisely things past with thinges to come this was the greatest effect of this Clerkly Sermon That done he geueth forth certayne statutes for odering of Churches as for the dedication of temples for seuen sacramentes for geuing of orders for ferming of benefices collations and resignations of benefices and vicarages priestes apparell single life for eating of flesh in religious houses for archdeacons bishops proctors and such other lyke matters But the chiefest intent of all his proceeding was this that they should be vigilant prouident and circumspect with all their eyes both before and behynd to fil the popes pouch as appeared not onely by this but all theyr other trauailes besides Insomuch that the kyng dreading the displeasures of his commons for the doyngs of the Legate willed hym to repayre home to Rome agayne but yet could not so be rid of him For he receiuing now commaundementes from the Pope applyed hys haruest still glening and raking what soeuer he might scrape writing and sending to Byshops and archdeacons in this forme and tenour OTto miseratione diuina c. discreto viro N. Episcopo vel N. Archidiacono sal Cum necesse habeamus de mandato summi pontificis moram trahere in Englia longiorem nec possimus proprijs stipendijs militare discretionem vestram qua fungimur autoritate rogamus vt procurationes vobis debitas in Episcopatu vel Archidiaconatu vestro colligi faciatis nostro nomine diligenter eas quà m citius poteritis nobis transmissuri contradictores per censuram Ecclesiasticam compescendo Prouiso quòd quaelibet procuratio summam 4. mercarum aliquatenus non excedat vbi vna Ecclesia non sufficiet ad procurationem huiusmodi habendam duae pariter vnam soluant Datum Lond. 15. Kal. Mar Pont. D. Grego Papae 9. And moreouer note agayn the wicked cursed traines of these Romish rakehels who to picke simple mens purses first send out their Friers and preachers to stirre vp in al places and countryes men to go fight against the Turks Whom when they haue once bound with a vowe signe them with the crosse thē send they their bulles to release them both of their labour and their vow for mony As by theyr owne stile of writing is here to be seene thus proceeding N. Episcopus dilectis in Christo filijs omnibus Archidiaconis per Diocesim suam constitutis sal Literas Domini Legati suscepimus in haec verba Otto miseratione diuina c. Cum sicut intelleximus nonnulli cruce signati regni Angliae qui sunt inhabiles ad pugnandum ad sedem Apostolicam accedant vt ibidem a voto crucis absolui valeant nos nuper recipimus a summo pontifice in mandatis vt tales non solùm absoluere verùm ad redimenda vota sua compellere debeamus volentes eorum parcere laboribus expensis fraternitatem vestram qua fungimur monemus quatenus partem praedictam a summo pontifice nobis concessam faciatis in nostris diocesibus sine mora qualibet publicari vt prefati cruce signati ad nos accedere valeant beneficiū super his iuxa formam nobis traditam accepturi Datum Londini xv kal. Marc. Pont D N. Papae Grego 9. The cause why the pope was so greedy needy of mony was this because he had mortall hatred waged continuall battaile the same time against the good Emperour Fredericke the 2. who had to wife king Iohns daughter and sister to this king Henry thee 3. whose name was Isabell And therefore because the popes warre could not be susteined without charges that made the pope the more portimate to take vp mony in all places but especially in Englād Insomuch that he shamed not to require the fifth part of euery ecclesiasticall mans liuing as Parifiensis writeth And not onely that but also the sayde Pope Gregory conuenting with the Citizens of Rome so agreed with them that if they would ioyne with him in vanquishing that foresayd Fredericke he would and so did graūt vnto thē that all the benefices in England which were or should be vacant namely pertayning to religious houses shuold be bestowed at their owne will commaundement to their children kinsfolkes Whereupon it followeth in the forenamed history vnde infra paucos dies misit D. Papa sacra praecepta sua Domino Cant. Archiep. Eliensi Lincol. Salisb. Episcopis vt trecentis Romanis in primis beneficijs vacantibus prouiderent scientes se suspensos a beneficiorum collatione donec tot competenter prouideretur That is The Pope sent in commaundement to the Archbishop of Cant. and 4. other Byshops that prouision shoulde be made for 3. hundred Romanes in the chiefest best benefices in all Englād at the next voydance So that the foresayd Aarchb and byshops should be suspēded in the meane time frō all collation or gift of the benefite vntill these foresayd 3. hundred were prouided for-whereupon the Archb. the same tyme seeing the vnreasonable oppression of the Church of Englād left the realme and went into Fraūce Agayne marke an other as much or more easie sleight of the pope in procuring mony he sēt one Petrus Rubeus the same tyme with a new deuise which was this not to work anything openly but priuily to go betwixt Bishop and Bishop Abbot and Abbot c. telling in theyr eares such a Byshop such an Abbot hath geuen so muche and so much vnto the Popes holines trusting that you also will not be behinde for your part c. By the meanes whereof it is incredible to thinke what a masse of money was made out of the Realme vnto the pope At length the foresayd bishops Abbots and Archdeacons feeling their owne smart came to the king whose father before they did resist with their humble suite lamētably complaining of the vnmeasurable exactions of y◠pope and especially agaynst Petrus Rubeus and hys fellowe Otto the Legate desiring the K. that seing the matter toncheth not themselues alone but the whole church and seing
excommunicated and depriued one Ranulphus a benoficed person in his Dioces being accused of incontinency who after the term of xl dayes refusing to submit himselfe the Bishoppe wrote to the Shiriffe of Rutland to apprehend him as contuinax which Shiriffe because he deferred or refused so to doe bearing fauour to the party and being therfore solemnly excommunicate by the bishop vttered his complaynt to the king wherat the king taking great displeasure with the Bishoppe for excommunicating his Shiriffe and would not first make hys complaynt to hym sendeth forthwith a substantiall messenger M. Moneta such as he was sure would speed vnto Pope Innocent by vertue of whose wordes the Pope easie to be entreated sendeth downe a prouiso to the Abbot of Westminster charging that no Prelate nor Byshop in the Realme of England shoulde molest or enter action agaynst any of the Kinges Baylisses or Officers in such matters as to the kinges iurisdiction appertained And thus was the strife ended not without some helpe and heape of English mony so that no winde of any controuersy here stirred in England were it neuer so small but it blew some profite for the Popes aduantage an 1250 Ex Paris fol. 231. In like maner no litle treasure grew to the Popes coffers by the election of Boniface the Queenes Uncle a Frenchman to be Archb. of Laut an 1243. and of Ethelmare the Queenes brother to be Bishop of Winchester agaynst the wils of the Prior and Couent there an 1250. besides many such other exchetes which made England poore and the Pope rich I come now something likewise to touch briefly of the popes dispensations prouisions exations contributions and extortions in Englande in this kinges dayes for to discourse all it is not one booke will holde it Symon Montfort Earle of Lecester had maried Alinore the kinges sister and daughter of king Iohn who by report of â—oryes had taken the mantell ring wherefore the king and his brother Richard Earle of Exceter were greatly offended with the Mariage which seing the Earle Simon made a hand of money and nothing ouer to Rome after he had talked a fewe wordes in Pope Innocentes eare the mariage was good enough and letters sent to Dths the Popes Legate here to geue sentence solemnly with the Earle Notwithstanding the Dominick Friers and other of the like religious fraternitye withstood that sentence of the Pope stoutly saying that the Popes holines was therein deceaued and soules in daunger that christ was ielous ouer his wife and that it could not be any wise possible that a woman which had vowed her mariage with Christ could afterward mary with any other c. an 1238. Ex Paris fol. 114. As there was nothing so hard in yâ— wide world wherwith the Pope would not dispense for mony so by the said dispensations much mischiefe was wrought abroad For by reason thereof the people trusting vpon the Popes dispensation litle regarded what they did what they promised or what they sware As well appeared by this king Henry 3. who being a great exactor of the poore coÌ„mons as euer was any king before him or since and thinking thereby to winne the people sooner to hys deuotion most saythfully promised theÌ„ once or twise and therunto bound himselfe with a solemne othe both before the clergy and layty to graunt vnto them the old liberties and customes as well of Magna charta as Charta de Foresta perpetually to be obserued Whereupon a Quindecim was graunted to the king But after the payment was sure the king trusting by the Popes dispensation for a litle mony to be discharged of his oth and couenaunt went from that he had promised and sworne before In like maner the sayd king an other time being in need of money signed himselfe with the crosse pretending and swearing deepely in the face of the whole parliament that he would himselfe personally fight in the holy land agaynst the Saracens But as soone as the mony was taken small care was taken for performance of his othe being so put in the head by certain about him that he needed not passe of that perinye for so much as the Pope for an hundred pounds or two wold quickly discharge him therof Ex Math. Paris fol. 273. Out of the same corrupt spring of these popish dispensations haue proceded also many other soule absurdities For where many young men were in those dayes which enioyed benefices and were no priestes and when by the procurement of Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincolne the sayd young men should be forced whether they would or nor to enter orders they laying theyr purses together seÌ„t to Rome and obtayned of the Pope a dispensation to remayne still as they were that is to haue the fruites of benefices to finde them at schole or vniuersity and yet themselues neither ministers to take charge nor yeelding any seruice for theyr prosites taken Ex Math. Paris fol. 256. Besides innumerable heapes of enormities moe proceeding of the Popes dispensatioÌ„s as dispensing one man to haue sundry bishoprickes to encroch pluralities of benefices to make children Parsons to legitimate bastards with such other like the particulars whereof for breuities sake I do omit to further oportunity The intollerable oppression of the Realme of England by the Popes exactions and contributions and other sleightes here vsed in the time of K. Henry 3. ALthough these â—moluinentes thus rising dayly to the Popes purse by Symony and brybery by electious dispensations might seeme sufficient to satisfy his greedy appetite yet so vnsatiable was the auarice of that see that he not yet contented here with ouer and besides all this seÌ„t euery yere almost some Legar or other into this realm to take for his aduantage In so much that during al this kinges time the Realme was neuer lightly without some of the Popes liegers with all violence exacting and extorting continual prouisions contributions and summes of mony to be leaued out of Celles Abbayes priors fruites of benefices and Bishoprickes and also lay mens purses to the miserable empouerishing both of the clergy and teÌ„poralty as hereunder foloweth First after Pandulphus was sent into this Realme Cardinall Otho procured by the king without the assent of his nobles to the intent to assist him in certaine affairs he had to do At receiuing of which Legate great preparaunce was made many rich and precious giftes in scarlet in plate in iewels in mony and palfreyes were geuen him Whom the king also himselfe went as far as the Sea side to receiue bowing downe his head in low coursye to the cardinalles knees To whom also the bishop of winchester for his part gaue toward keeping of his house fifty fat Dren a hundred semes of wheat and 8. great vessels of pure wine This Legate at his first comming beginneth first to bestow such benefices as he fouÌ„d vacant vpon theÌ„ whom he brought with him without respect whether
the state and shewe of a Legate yet hee hath doubled the doings of a Legate charging vs. euery day with newe Mandates and so most extreemely hath â—â—pressed vs First in bestowing and geuing away our benefices if any were aboue 30 Markes as soone as they were vacant to Italian persons Secondly after the decease of the sayd Italians vnknowing to the patrons he hath intruded other Italians therein whereby the true patrons haue bene spoiled and defrauded of their right Thirdly the saide M. Martinus yet also ceaseth not to assigne and conferre such benefices still to the like persones And some he reserueth to the donation of the Apostolike fee And extorteth moreouer from religious houses immoderate pensions excommunicating and interdicting who so euer dare gainstand him Wherefore forasmuch as the sayde M. Martin hath so farre extended his iurisdiction to the great perturbation of the whole Realme no lesse derogation to our kings priuiledge to whome it hath bene fully graunted by the see Apostolike that no Legate should haue to do in his land but such as he by speciall letters did send for we with most huÌ„ble deuotioÌ„ beseech you that as a good father will alwaies be ready to support his childs so your fatherhode wil reach forth your hand of compassion to releaue vs your humble children from these greuous oppressions And although our Lord and king being a Catholicke Prince and wholy giuen to his deuotions and seruice of Christ Iesu our Lorde so that he respecteth not the health of his owne body will feare and reuerence the see Apostolicke and as a deuout sonne of the Church of Rome desireth nothing more then to aduance the estate and honor of the same yet we which trauaile in his affaires bearing the heate and burden of the day and whose duetie together with him is to tender the preseruation of the publike wealth neither can paciently suffer such oppressioÌ„s so detestable to God and man and greuances intollerable neither by Gods grace will suffer them through the meanes of your godly remediey which we well hope and trust of you speedily to obteine And thus may it please your fatherhode we beseche you to accept this our supplication who in so doing shall worthely deserue of all the Lords and Nobles with the whole comminaltie of the Realme of England oâ—â—digne and speciall thankes accordingly Anno 〈◊〉 Ex Mat Parisient fol. 188. This supplication being sent by the handes of Sir R. Bygot Knight and W. de Powike Squier Henrie de la Mare with other knightes and Gentlemen after it was there opened and red pope Innocent first keping silence deferred to make answer therunto making hast to procede in hys detestable excommunication and curie against the good Emperour Fredericke The whith curle being done and the English ambassadours waiting still for their aunswer the Pope then told them flatte they should not haue their request fulfilled Wherat the English men departing iu great anger away sware with terrible othes that they would neuer more suffer any tribute or fruites of any benefices namely whereof the noble men were patrones to be paid to that insatiable and greedy court or Rome worthy to be detested in all worlds Ex Math. Paris fol 193. The Pope hearing these wordes all be it making then no aunswere thought to watch his time and did First incontinent vpon the same during the said Counsel he caused euery Bishop of England to put his hande and seale to the obligation made by king Iohn for the Popes tribute as is aboue specified Threatning moreouer saying that if he had once brought downe the Emperor Fredericke he would bridle the insolent pride of England wel enough After this Councell ended in the beginning of the next yere following An. 1246. Pope Innocent came to Cluniake where was then appoynted a secret meeting or colloquie betwene the Pope and Lewes the French king who was then preparing his voyage to Ierusalem in which colloquie the pope sought al meanes to perswade the French king in reuengement of his miurie to warre contra Regulum as he termed him that is against the weake and scule king of England either to driue him vtterly froÌ„ his kingdom or els so damnitie him wherby he should be constraâ—ned whether he would or no to stoupe to the Popes will and obedience Wherein he also would assist him with al the authoritie he could doe Neuerthelesse the French king to this would not agree first for the consanguinitie that was betwene them for there 2. Quenes were sisters And also for the truce that they had taken Thirdly for feare of the Emperour least he shoulde take his part Item for that it could not be without the spilling of much Christen bloud And lastly because he was preparing his voyage to the holy land where his comming was already looked for And thus the French king denying the Popes bloudy request refused not onely to enter warre against the king and the realme of England but also shortly after concluded wyth him longer truce An. 1246. Ex. Math. Paris sol b. Straight vpon the necke of this followed then the exaction of Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury that he had bought of the Pope which was to haue the first yeares fruites of all benefices and spirituall linings in Englande for the space of 7. yeares together vntill the sumine should come of â—en thousand Markes Whereat the king first was greatly agreeued But 〈◊〉 eonclusion hee was faine at last to agreâ— with the Archbyshop and so the nibney was gathered Paris fol. 197. Ouer and besides all other exactions wherewyth the pope miserably oppressed the church of England this also is not to be â—â—â—lenced how the Pope sending down his letters 〈◊〉 the seâ— Apostolike charged and commanded the prelates to find him some 10. Tome 5. and some 15. able men wel furnished with horse and harneis for one whole yere to fight in the popes warres And lest the king shuld haue knowledge thereof it was enioyned them vnder paine of excommunication that they shoulde reuease it to none but to kepe it secrete only to themselues Paris fol. 200. The pope yet notwtstanding partly beyng laboured by siâ—ers partly of hys owne mynde thinking good somewhat to geue to the king people of England as fathers are woâ—â— to geue solsterhing to theyr babes to play with all to keeâ—â— them still sent downe this releasment to the king yâ— hereafter whensoeuer any of the popes nephewes or of hys Cardinals were to be beneficed many church of England eyther he or the Cardinals shuld first make the king priuy theeof and instantly craâ—â—e hys good-will in obteining the proÌ„tutation or els the same to stand in no effect c. Parisiensis sol 202. howbeit al this seemed to be don 〈◊〉 of a pollicy to get the kings â—auour wherby he might be suffered more freely to passe with greater exactions as afterward
appeared For wheÌ„ the foresayd Pope Innocent 4. had knowlege the same tyme of certayne rich Clerkes leauing great substaunce â—â—niony which died intestate as of one Rob. Hailes ArchdeacoÌ„ of Lincolne which died leauing thousands of Marks and inush plate behyâ—de hyin all which because no will was made eaâ—â—â— to temporall mens handes also of M. Almarick Archdeacon of Bedford being fouÌ„d worth a great substaunce when he dyed and likewise of an other M. Iohn Hotosp ArchdeacoÌ„ of Northampton who died sodenly intestate leauing behinde him 5000. Markes and 30. standing pieces of plate with other infinite iewels besides sent forth vpoÌ„ the same â— statute to be proclaimed in England that whatsoeuer ecclesiastical person henceforth should decease in England intestate that is wythout making his will all his goodes should redound to the Popes vse Paris fol 203. Furthermore the Pope yet not satisfied with all thys addresseth newe letters to the bishop of Winchester and to w. bishop of Norwich for gathering vp amongst the clergie and religious houses in Englande 6000. Markes to the behouse of holy mother the Church without any excuse or delay by vertue of obedieÌ„ce Which tailage being greatly grudged of the Clergie when it came to the kings eare hee â—fâ—soones directeth contrary letters to all the Prelates and euery one of them commanding them vpoÌ„ forfeyting their temporaities to the king that no such subsidie of mony shoulde be gathered or transported out of the Realme But the Pope againe hearing therof in great anger wryteth to the prelates of England that this collection of mony vpon paine of excommunication and suspension shuld be prouided and brought to the new Temple in London by the feast of the Assumption next ensuing And furthermore forasmuch as he perceiued the kyng to goe about to gamestand his proceedings taking therat great disdaine he was about the same time to interdict the whole land To whome then one of his Cardinals called Ioannes Anglicus an Englishman borne speaking for the realme of England desired hys fatherhood for Gods cause to mitigate his modie ire with the bridle of temperance to assuage the passion of his minde which sayde he to tell you plaine is here stirred vp to much without cause Your fatherhode quod he may consider that these daies be euill First the holy lande lieth in great pearils to be lost All the Greke church is departed from vs. Frederick the Emperour is against vs the mightiest prince this day in all christendome Both you and wee which are the peeres of the Churche are banished from the Papalisea thrust out of Rome yea excluded out of all Italy Hungary with all the coastes bordering about it looketh for nothing but vtter subuersion by the Tartarians Germanie is wasted and afflicted with inward warres tumults Spaine is fierce cruell against vs euen to the cutting out of the Bishops tonges Fraunce by vs is so impouerished yâ— it is brought to beggerie which also conspireth against vs. Miserable England being so ofteÌ„ plagued by our manifold iniuries euen much like to Balaams asse beaten and bounst wyth spurres and staues beginneth at length to speake and coÌ„plaine of her vntollerable griefs burdens being so wearied and damnified that shee may seeme past all recouerie And we after the maner of Ismael hating all meÌ„ prouoke all men to hate vs. c. Ex Paris fol. 207. For all these woordes of Ioan. Anglicus hys Cardinall the Popes cholerike passion could not yet be appeased but forthwith he sendeth commaundement with full authority to the byshop of Worcester that in case the king would not spedely surcease his rebellion against his Apostolical proceedings he should interdict his land So that in condusion the king for all hys stoute enterprise was faine to relent at last and the Pope had his money Anno 1246. Ex Pariens fol. 204. Ye heard before of the Greke churches vnder the Empire of Constantinople howe they sequestred themselues from the companie of the Romish church In so much that Germanus the Patriarche of Constantinople and the Archbyshop of Antioch did excommunicate the Byshop of Rome And after the said Germanus an other Archbishop of Constantinople at the Councell of Lyons protested that where as before were 30. Suffraganes belonging to that prouince nowe there were not 3. that helde wyth the Churche of Rome And thys breache albeit it chiefly â—ast out in the tune of Pope Gregory the 9. Anno 1230. to open warre and bloudshed yet the same had begon and so continued long before in such forte as in the time of the Pope Innocent the thirde if any Priests had sayd Masse in theyr Churches they woulde wash the aultare afterwarde as appeareth by the actes of the Laterane Councell Capit. 4. Wherfore Pope Innocent now as his other predecessors had done before bearing an old grudge against those churches of the Greekes and neither willing by conference to trie with them nor able by learning to matche with them thought by force of armes to subdue them sent the prouinciall of the gray Friers with other associates of the same order into England with his precept authenticall containing in it these Articles 1. First that the sayd prouinciall or his Friers should inquire vppon all vsurers beyng aliue and of all such euill gotten goodes gayned per â—surariam prauitatem should make attachement for the vse and preparation of this warre agaynst the Greekes excommunicatyng all them by district censures of the Church that repugned agaynst it 2. That all they which tooke the badge of the Crosse for the recouery of the sayd Empire of the Greekes or with goodes and cattell would helpe sufficiently vnto the same should be absolued of all their sinnes 3. Item that all the goodes left in the Testamentes of them that were departed beyng gotten by vsurâ—e should be taken vp to the subsidie of the Empire aforesayd and whosoeuer repugned agaynst the same should be excommunicated 4. Item that such goodes as in the Testamentes of the dead left or which should be left three next yeares to come for restitution of such goodes as the dead had euill gotten they should take vp for the subsidie of the Empire aforesayd excommunicatyng c. 5. Item such goodes as were left to be distributed in godly vses after the arbitrement of executours by the willes of the dead or were not in their willes deputed to any certaine places or persons named nor yet were bestowed by the sayd executors to the foresaid vses they should collect to the vse and subsidie aforesaid and geue certificate to the sea Apostolicke of the quaÌ„titie thereof excoÌ„municating all repugners and rebellers agaynst the same 6. Item that they should diligently enquire of such mens goodes euill gotteÌ„ or euill come by as were alyue and them they should attache for the subsidie aforesaid in case the parties which ought to be satisfied for those goodes euill gotten could
not be found geuyng certificate thereof aud excommunicatyng c. 7. Item that the sayd prouinciall or his Friers should haue full power to absolue those that were excommunicated which wittyngly had done any fraude touchyng the collection aforesayd so that the sayd persons did make due satisfaction to the deputies aforesayd Ex Math. Pariens fol. 205. What man hauing eyes is so blinde which seeth not these execrable dealings of the Pope to be such as woulde cause any nation in the world to do as the wise Grecians did and perpetually to abrenounce the Pope and well to consider the vsurped authority of that sea not to be of God But such was the rude dulnesse then of miserable England for lacke of learning godly knowledge that they feeling what burdens were laide vpon them yet would play still the asse of Balaam or els the horse of Esope whych receiuing the bridle once in his mouth could afterward neither abide his owne miserie nor yet recouer libertie And so it faâ—ed with England vnder the popes thraldome as partly by these stories aboue hath ben declared partly by other in like case following is to be seene For so it followeth in the history of the sayd Matth. Paris howe the Pope taking more courage by hys former abused boldnesse perceiuing what a tame asse he had to ride vpon ceased not thus but directed a new precept the same yeare 1246. to the Prelates of England commaunding by the authoritie Apostolike yâ— all beneficed men in the realme of England which were Resident vppon their benefices should yeld to the Pope the third part of their goodes and they which were not resident should geue the one halfe of their goods and that for the space of 3. yeres together with terrible comminations to all them that did resist and euer with this clause wyth all Non obstante whych was like a key that opened all locks Which summe cast together was found to amount to lx M. pounds which summe of mony could scarce be found in all England to paie for King Richardes raunsome Paris fol. 207. The execution of this precept was committed to the bishop of London who coÌ„ferring about the matter with hys brethren in the Church of Paules as they were busily consulting together and bewailing the importable burthen of this contribution which was impossible for them to sustaine sodainely commeth in certaine Messengers from the Kyng Sir Iohn Lexintune Knight and M. Laurence Martine the kings chaplain straightly in the kings name forbidding them in any case to consent to this contribution which shuld be greatly to the preiudice and desolation of the whole Realme Parisiens fol. 207. Thys being done about the first day of December in the yeare abouesayde shortly after in the beginning of the next yeare 1247. about Februarie the kyng called a Parliament where by commoÌ„n aduise it was agreed that certaine Embassadors should be sent to Rome to make manifest to the Court of Rome the exceding greuances of the Realme deliuering moreouer these letters to the Pope in the name both of the Temporaltie and also of the Clergie as here followeth * An other letter sent to Pope Innocent 4. in the names of the whole Clergie and comminaltie of England An. 1247. SAnctis Patri in Christo ac Do. Innocent Dei prouidentia summo pontifici vniuersitas cleri populi per prouinciam Cant. constituti deuota pedum oscula beatorum Cum Anglicana Ecclesia c. To the most holy father in Christ and Lord Innocent by Gods prouidence chiefe bishop The whole comminaltie both of the Clergie and laitie within the prouince of Canterbury sendeth deuout kissings of his blessed feete Like as the Churche of Englande since it first receiued the Catholicke faith hath alwayes shewed her selfe faithfull and deuout in adhering to God and to our holy mother the Church of Rome studying with all kinde of seruice to please and serue the same and thinketh neuer otherwise to do but rather to continue and increase as she hath begon euen so nowe the same Church most humbly prostrate before the feete of your holinesse intirely beseecheth your clemencie to accept her petition in sparing this imposition of money which so manifold waies for the subuention of other nations by the commaundement of your holines is laid vpon vs considering that not only it is importable but also impossible which is enioyed vs. For although our countrey sometimes yeldeth foorth fruite for the necessary sustentation of the inhabitants yet it bringeth foorth neither gold nor siluer neither were able to bring forth of long time so muche as nowe a daies is required Which also being burdened and ouercharged of late daies with an other such like imposition but not so great as this is not able any whit to aunswere to that which is exacted Furthermore besides this commaundement of your holines there is required of the Clergie a subsidie for our temporall king whose necessities neither possibly we can nor honestly ought to forsake whereby he may both withstande the inuasion of the enemie and mainteine the right of his patrimonie and also recouer againe that hath bene lost In consideration whereof we haue directed the bearers heereof to the presence of your holinesse with our humble supplication to explane to you the dangers and inconueniences which are like to ensue vpon the premisses Which by no meanes we are able to susteine although notwithstanding we know our selues by all bonds of charitie to be obliged to your deuotion and obedience And because our generall communitie hath no seale proper we haue signed therefore these presents with the publike seale of the Citie of London c. Ex Paris fol. 209. The like letters were sent also vnto the Cardinals to the same effect The Pope vnderstanding these things and perceiuing that there was no striuing against such a generall consent and yet loth to forgoe his sweete haruest which he was wont to reape in Englande craftely deuised to sende this aunswere againe to the King much like to the same which hee sent before which was that although the Pope in time past vpon his owne will and pleasure to the importable greeuance of the Realme of Englande hath euery where aud without respecte through the whole lande made his prouisions in geuing their benefices vnto his Italians yet nowe the Lorde be praised that tempest sayd he is ouerblowen so that heereafter if the Pope shall graunt his prouision for any of hys nephewes or of his Cardinals they shall come first and make their instant sute vnto the king without all inforcement so that it shall stand wholy in the kings free arbitrement to doe herein what hee thinketh good c. Paris fol. 209. b. This aunswere of the Pope all be it it was but a subtile shift for the time yet neither did hee long stande to that hee had thus promised to the King For shortly after and within fewe dayes
and brought to nought the whole deuotion of kinges princes christians is banished May not this be thought wonderfull in the eyes of all men that where as Christ commaunded tribute to bee payde too kinges for him and for Peter he now goeth about dominioÌ„ of his stile to subdue to him both Realmes and princes of realmes against his will whose Vicar he sayth he is and who refused the Realmes and iudgementes of the world which this Bishop contrary wise chalengeth clayming all that which he in his stile writeth to be his Alacke O daughter what doth he yetmore agaynst thee marke he draweth from thee what soeuer pleaseth him and yet he thinketh not himself coÌ„tent to haue the tenth part onely of thy goodes from thee except he haue also the first fruites of the benefices of the Ministers wherby he may get a new patrimony aswell for himselfe as for his kinred contrary to the godly willes of the first founders Ouer beside all this he inferreth other excrable taxes and stipendes for his Legates and messengers whom he sendeth into England whiche not onely take away the feeding and clothing of thee and thine but also teare in pieces like dogges your flesh and skinnes May not this prince be coÌ„pared to king Nabuchodonoser which destroyed the temple of the Lord and robbed away the siluer and golden vesselles thereof The very same doth this man also he robbed the ministers of God his house and left destitute of due helpe In like maner doth he Truely they be better that are killed with the sword theÌ„ they which be pined with hunger for they are dead straight but these are wasted with the barenesse of the earth O daughter al they that passe by the way let theÌ„ haue pity coÌ„coÌ„passioÌ„ on thee for there is no sorrow like thy sorrow For now thy face is blacker then coales through much sorrow and weeping and thou art no more knowne in the streetes thy foresayd ruler hath placed thee in darckenesse and hath geuen the worm wood and gall to drinke O Lord heare the sorrow and sighinges of thy people beholde Lord and descend for the hart of this foresayd man is more indurate then the hart of Pharao For he wyll not suffer the people to depart except in the fortitude onelye of thy hand For he scourgeth them not onely miserably vpon the earth but also after their death he inteÌ„deth to incroch the goods of all Christians vnder the name and title to dye intestate or making no will Therefore let the chiualry of England well remember how the Frenchmen in times past directing their greedy eyes on the Realme of England laboured with all theyr power how to bring the same vnder their subiectioÌ„ But it is to be feared least the new deuises and practise of this new enemy supply that which hetherto hath bene lacking in them For in diminishing of the treasure of the Realme and spoyling of the Churches goods the Realme shall be brought into such inhability that it shall not be able to helpe it selfe agaynst the enemy Therefore O daughter and you the ministers thereof suffer not your selues to be lead any more into such miserable bondage Better it is for the wealth of thee and thine that the Christian king and the powers of the Realme which haue indued thee with great benefites and you also which are indued with their benefites doe labour with all your power how to resist the deuises conspiracies arrogancy presumption and pride of the foresayd person who not for any zeale of God but for the enriching of hys Parentes and for hys owne kinred exalting himselfe like an Eagle by these and suche other exactions goeth about after a newe kinde of extortion to scrape vppe and deuoure all the money and treasure of England Now least the dissembled simplicity of the Realme in this behalfe doe bring vtter subuersion and afterwarde be compelled to seeke remedy when it is to late I beseech the Lord God of hoastes to turne away the vale from the hart of that man and to geue him a contrite and an humble minde in such sort as he may acknowledge the wayes of the true God whereby he may bee brought out of darckenesse and bee enforced to relinquishe his olde sinister attemptes and that the vineyard which the Lordes hand hath plaÌ„ted may be replenished continually with the preachers of the word Let the wordes of the Lord prophesied by the mouth of Ieremy stirre vp your mindes to withstand resist the subtle practises of this man by the which wordes the Lord speaketh O thou Pastor which hast scattered my people and hast cast them out of their habitations behold I will come and visite vpon thee and vpon the malice of thy studies neither shall there be any of thy seed which shall sit vpon the seat of Dauid neither whiche shall haue power any more in Iuda So that thy â—east shall become barren and vtterly subuerted like Sodome and Gomer And if he being terrified by these wordes do not leaue of froÌ„ this which he beginneth and doth not make restitution of those thinges which he hath receiued then let all and singular persons sing for him being indurat to him that seeth all things the Psalme 108. Deus laudem c. For truely as fauour grace and beneuolence remitteth and neglecteth many thinges so agayne the gentle benignitie of man being too much oppressed and grieued seeking to be deliuered and freed from the same striueth and searcheth to haue the trueth knowne and casteth off that yoake by all meanes possible that geueth him c. Haec Cassiodorus ¶ What effect this letter wrought in them to whom it was directed is not in story expressed This by the sequell may be coniectured that no reason or perswasion coulde preuayle but that the Pope retained here still his exactions whatsoeuer was sayd or written to the contrary notwithstanding And thus much being written hetherto of these actes and doings here in England now to slipp a little into the matters happening the same time in Fraunce vnder the raign of the foresayd king Philip aboue mentioned forsomuch as about this time an 1329. was commensed a parliament by the sayd king of Fraunce agaynst the Pope touching the iurisdiction both teÌ„porall pertaining to princes and ecclesiasticall belonging to the church I thought it not vnprofitable for the reader to heare learne the full discourse and tractation hereof according as we haue caused it to be excerpt faythfully out of the true copye and recordes of Peter Bertrand Bishop of Eduenen and chiefe doer prolocutor in the sayd parliament vpon the Popes side agaynst the king and state temporall For so much as the high Prelate of Rome otherwise called Antichrist being theÌ„ in his chief ruffe extolling him selfe aboue all princes and potestates of the world as in other countryes so also in FrauÌ„ce extended his vsurped iurisdictioÌ„ aboue the princely authority of the king claiming to himselfe full
fauour and the good will of the Earle of Gloucester whose sister he had maried secretly returning into England with a certain company of strauÌ„gers presented himselfe to the kinges sight At the beholding of whom the king for ioy ran to him and imbracinge him did not onely retayne him but also for hys sake vndid all such actes as had bene in the Parliament before enacted The Queene and the whole Court seeing this doting of the king made an heauy Christenmas After this return of Gaueston was noysed among the commons the Pieres and Nobles of the Realme were not a little styrred casting with themselues what way were best to take If he were suffered stil they saw not onely themselues reiected but also that the Queene coulde not enioy the loue of the King neither could there be any quietnes in the Realme Again to stir vp warre in the land it were not the best to vexe or disquiet the king also they were afrayd But for asmuch as they could not abide all the nobilitie so to be thrust out and vilepended for the loue of one straunger also the realme so to be spoyled and impouerished by the same This way they took that Thomas Earle of Lancaster shoulde be elected among them the chieftayn and chiefe doer in that busines to whom all other Earles and Barons and prelats also did concordly condescend consent except onely walter Byshop of Couentry whome Robert the Archbishop therfore afterward did excommunicate which Thomas of Lancaster by the publike assent of the rest sent to the King lying then at Yorke humble petions in the name aswell of the whole Nobilitie as of the commons Desiring his grace to geue the foresayd Gaueston vnto them or els according to the ordinance of the Realme that the land might be auoyded of him But the tyrannious king who set more by the amour of one straunger then by his whole realme beside neither would harken to theyr counsayle nor geue place to theyr supplications But in al hasty fury remoued from Yorke to Newcastle where he remayned almost till midsommer In the meane season the Barons had gathered an host of sufficient and able souldiours comming toward Newcastell not intending any molestation against the king but onely the execution of the lawes vpon wicked Gaueston The king not hauing wherwith to resist theyr power remoueth in all speedy manner to Thinmouth where the Queene lay And hearing there that Newcastle was taken taketh shipping and sayleth from thence notwithstaÌ„ding the Queene there being great with childe with weeping teares and all instaunce desireth him to tary with her as safely he might but he nothing relenting to her tooke Peter his compiere with him and coasted ouer to the Castle of Scarbrough where he leauing Peter Gaueston to the safe keeping of hys men himselfe iournieth toward the coast beside warwike The Lordes hearing where Peter was bendeth thether al theyr power so that at length Gaueston seing no remedy but he must needes come into their hands yeldeth and submitteth himself requiring none other condition but onely that he might talke but a few words with the king in his presence Thus Gaueston being apprehended the king hearing therof sendeth vnto the Lordes requiring his life to be spared and that he might be brought to his speech and so promised that in so doing he would satisfie their mindes and requestes whatsoeuer About this aduisement was taken but then the Earle of Penbroke hearing the kinges promise perswaded the Barons to graunt vnto his petition promising himself vpon loosing all his landes to take theyr charge vpon him to be brought vnto the kinges speach and so to be recommitted to theÌ„ agayne Which when he had obtained he taketh Peter Gaueston with him to bring him where the king lay And so comming to Dedington not farre from Warwike leaueth him in the keeping of his souldiours while he that night went to hys wife being from thence not farre of The same night it chaunced Guido the Earle of Warwike to come to the same place where Gaueston was left who taking him out of the handes of hys keepers caryeth him to the Castle of Warwike where incontinent they woulde haue put him to death but doubting and fearing the kings displeasure a little they stayed At what time one of the company a man of sage and wise counsayle as myne author writeth standing vp among them with his graue Oration declareth the nature of the man the wickednes of his own condition the realme by him so greatly endamaged the nobles despised and reiected the pride and ambition of the man intollerable the ruine of things like to ensue by him and the great charges and expences they had beene at in so long puâ—â—â—ing and getting of him And now being gotten and in theyr handes he exhorteth them so to vse and take the occasion now present that hereafter being out of their handes they afterward might seeke and should not finde it Briefly in such sort he perswaded the hearers that forthwith he was brought out and by common agreement beheaded in a place called Blakelow whiche place in other storyes I finde to be called Gaueshed but that name as I thinke was deriued vpon this occasion afterwarde And thus he that before had called the Earle of Warwicke the blacke dog of Ardeine was thus by the sayd dog worowed as ye haue heard c. His carkas the Dominicke Fryers of Oxford had in their Monastery interred the space of two yeares but after that the king caused the sayd carkas to be taken vpp and buryed within hys owne Mannour of Langley After this great disturbance began to rise betwene the king and the Lords who hauing their power lying about Dunstable sent stout messenge vnto the king at London to haue their former actes confirmed Gilbert Earle of Gloucester the kinges nephew who neyther did holde agaynst the king nor yet agaynst the Nobles with the Byshops and Prelates of the Realme went betweene both parties with great dilligeÌ„ce to make vnitie At which time also came 2. Cardinals from Rome with letters sent vnto them from the Pope The Nobles aunswered to the message of the Cardinals lying then at Saint Albans that as touching themselues they shoulde be at all times welcome to them But as touching their letters forasmuche as they were men vulettered and onely brought vp in warre and feates of armes therefore they cared not for seing the same Then message was sent againe that they would graunt at least but to speake with the popes legates which purposely came for the intent to set quyet and vnitie in the Realme They aunswered agayne that they had bishops both godly and learned by whose counsayle they would be led only and not by any straungers who knewe not the true cause of ther commotion And therefore they sayd precisely that they would no foreiners or alians to be doers in theyr busines and affayres pertaining the
Of whom onely Thomas Earle of Lancaster for the nobility of his bloud was beheaded All the other Lords and Barons were hanged drawn quartered c. which bloudy vnmercifulnes of the king toward his naturall subiects not only to him procured great dishonor within the realme but also turned afterward to his much more greater harm hinderance in his forreine warres agaynst the Scots And finally wrought his vtter confusion and ouerthrow of his seat royall as in the sequell of his end appeared and worthely After the ruine of these noble personages the king as though he had gotteÌ„ a great coÌ„quest who then in deed began first to be ouercomen and conquere himself when he so oppressed and cut of the strength and sinews of his chiualrye began to triumph not a litle with his Spensers And to couÌ„t himselfe sure as though he were in heauen to exercise more sharpe seuerity vpon his subiectes trusting and committing all to the counsell onely of the foresayd Spensers in so much that both the Queene and the residue of yâ— other nobles could litle be regarded Who as they grew euer in more contempt with the king so they encreased in more hatred agaynst the Spensers but strength hability lacked to worke ther will The next yeare the king being at York after he had made Sir Hugh Spencer Erle and Syr Iohn Baldocke a man of euill same to be Chauncellour of England he theÌ„ areared a mighty host agaynst the Scottes But for lack of skilfull guiding expert Captaynes and for want specially of due prouision of vitayles necessary for such an army the great multitude to the number reckoned of an hundreth thousand wandring through Scotland from whence the Scots had conuayed all theyr goods and cattell into moutaynes and marches were so pynched and sterued with famyne that a great part of the army there presently perished and they that returned home as soone as they tasted of in eates escaped not The king neither hauing resistance of his enemies and seing such a destruction of his subiects was forced without anye acte done to retyre But in his retiring Sir Iames Duglas and the Scottes hauing knowledge therof pursued him in such wise that they clue many Englishe men and had well neare taken the kyng himselfe After whiche distresse the king thus beaten and wearyed with the Scottes woulde fayne haue ioyned in â—ruce with the Scottes but because they stoode excommunicate by the pope he standing in feare therof desireth liceÌ„ce to entreate with them of peace the sayd excommunication notwithstanding whiche licence beyng obtayned a treaty was appoynted by commissioners on both parts at Newcastle at the feast of Sainct Nicholas next ensuing and so truce was taken for 12. yeares whereupon this is to be noted by the way gentle reader not vnworthy of obseruation that wheras in former tymes and especially of the late king Edward the first so long as the Scottes were vnder the popes blessing and we in displeasure with his holines for dealing with them so long we preuayled mightely agaynst them euen to the vtter subuersion in manour of their whole estate But nowe so soone as the Pope tooke our part the Scots were vnder his curse and excommunication Then gat they greater victories against vs then any time either before or sithence in somuch as being before not able to defend them selues agaynst vs they nowe pursued vs into the bowels of our owne country The king purposing to erect a house of Fryers Augustines within the towne of Boston in Lincolneshyre first prayed the popes licence in that behalfe Polidorius Virgilius among other histories of our English nation which he intermedleth withall prosecuting also the actes and life of this present King and comming to write of the Queenes goyng ouer into Fraunce inferreth much varietie and diuersitie of autours and story writers concerning the cause thereof Otherwise be geueth hymself no true certainty of that matter neyther yet toucheth he yâ— which was the cause in deede By reason partly that he being an Italian and a foreiner coulde not vnderstand our English toung And partly agayne being but one maÌ„ neyther coulde he alone come to the sight of all our Latine autours One I am sure came not to his perusing an old ancient Latine history fayre written in patchment but without name belonging to the library of William Cary Citizen of London In which story the truth of this matter â—out all ambiguitie is there fully and with all circumstaunces expressed as here briefly is excerpted The king of England had bene diuers sundry tymes cited vpp to the Courte of Fraunce to doe homage to the French king for the Dukedome of Aquitane other lands which the king then helde of Fraunce Whiche homage because the king of England refused to tender the French K. began to enter at such possessions as the king then did hold in Fraunce Whereupon great contention and confirtes there were on both sides At length in this yeare now present a Parliament was called at London Where after much altercation at last it was determined that certayne should be sent ouer to witte the Bishops of Winchester and Norwich and the Earle of Richmond to make agreement betwixt the two kinges For the better help and fortification of which agreement it was thought good afterward that Queene Isabell sister to Charles then the FreÌ„ch king shold be sent ouer Where is to be noted first that the Queenes landes possessions and castles a little before vpon the breach betweene the Frenche king and the Kyng of Englande were seised into the kinges handes and the Queene put to her pension c. Thus the Queene beyng sent ouer with a few to attend vpon her onely Syr Iohn Cromwell Baron and 4. knightes tooke theyr passage into Fraunce by whose mediation it was there concluded that the king of England if he would not himselfe come to do his homage he should geue to his sonne Edward the Dukedome of Aquitanie and the Earledome of Pontine and so he to come to make his homage to the king and to podesle the same This being in Fraunce concluded was sent ouer by message to the king of England with the kings letters patentes adioyned for the sate conduct of him or of his sonne Upon this deliberation was taken in the counsalle of England But the two Spensers fearing to take the Seas eyther with the king or els without the king to remayne behinde for scare of the nobles so appoynted that Prince Edward the kings sonne was sent whiche happened after to theyr vtter desolation as it followed For all thinges being quieted ordered according to the agreement in Fraunce K. Edward of England soone after Michaelmas sendeth for his wife and his sonne agayne out of Fraunce But the sending home most part of her family reinseth her selfâ— to returne For what cause it is not fully certayne whether for indignation that her possessions
also slue and killed aboue 130. Knightes being all men of great possessions and prowesse and tooke other small cities and townes to the number of 300. Yet for all thys Phillip de Ualois the french king durst neither rescue his towns nor relieue his owne men but of hys great armie hee lost which is to be marueiled at being in the midst of his own countrey by famine other inconueniences for want of water more then 20000. men without any battaile by hym geuen Whereupon at the treatie of the sayde Phillip by hys embassadours to the king sent and by the mediation of the Lady Iane sister to the sayd Philip mother to the Earle of Henault whose daughter king Edwarde as you heard had married A truce containing the number of 15. articles for one yeare was concluded the king of Englande being very vnwilling and loth therunto Yet notwythstanding partly by the instance of the foresayd Lady but specially for that the king was greatly disappoynted through the negligence of his officers in England which sent hym not ouer such mony as he neded for the continuance of hys warres and paiment of his soldiors wages the articles being somewhat reasonable he agreeth to the truce therof the coÌ„ditions of which truce there concluded heere followe vnder wrytten 1. First that during the sayde truce no tales or mistrust of either part shall be a detriment or cause of breache of the same 2. Item that during the sayd respite or truce eyther of the Princes their helpers coadiutors and allies whatsoeuer shall remaine and be in the quiete possession of all such possessions holdes territories and landes as at thys preâ—ent day they kepe and enioy within the realme and dominion of Fraunce in what maner so euer they haue atchieued the same during the sayd truce 3. Item that the sayd princes their aiders coadiutors and allies whatsoeuer shall passe safely from one country to an other and all marchants with theyr marchandise as well by sea as by land as accustomably they haue ben wont except such banished men as haue ben banished out of that sayd realmes or any of them for other causes then the warres betwene the sayd princes 4. Item that the said two princes shal not procure either by themselues or any other any practice or other molestation to be made the one to the other by the byshop of Rome or any other belonging to the holy church whatsoeuer eyther for the warres begon or any other cause nor for the seruice of any of their allies coadiutors and aiders or any of them And that our holy father the Pope nor any other shal disturbe or molest either of the sayd two kings during the sayd time 5. Item that immediatly after the truce be proclaimed in both the hostes that they may stand bound of either side to kepe and obserue al and euery such article as shal be therein contained 6. Item that wythin 20 dayes next and immediately ensuing eache of the Princes shall cause to be proclaimed in Gascoyne and Guyen and other their lands these articles of truce to the intent they may be the better obserued kept and knowne 7. Item if by any the sayd princes their allies people or coadiutours any siege be layd in Gascoyne or the Dutchy of Guyen or any other Isles of the sea Gierncley or Gersey or any other that the same sieges be raised so soone as they shall heare of thys truce 8. Item that suche as are theeues and fugitiues out of the Countrey of Flaunders shall not returne during the truce and if they do that then such as appreheÌ„d them shal see iustice done vpon them and forfaite all the goodes they haue in Flaunders 9. Item it is accorded that the debtes due to Arras Tresponois or other titles of Fraunce shal neither be demaunded nor executed during the sayd truce 10. Item that all suche prysoners as haue bene taken during these warres shal be released out of prison sent home vpon theyr faith and othe to returne if they be not raunsomed during the sayd truce And if any shal refuse so to doe that then the Lord vnder whom he is shall constraine him to returne againe to prison 11. Item that all the bandes whatsoeuer they be whyche be made before thys sayde truce in the time of warre whether they be of goods spirituall or temporall be released wtout restitucion during the sayd truce 12. Also that these conditions of truce immediately may take effect betwene the Englishmen Scots their Lords aiders and allies and the same to endure vntill the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist. And that certain persons be appointed by a certaine day to be at the marches of England and Scotland to confirme the same truce vnder such coÌ„ditions as haue bene accustomed in those partes And if the said Scottes refuse so to doe that then they to haue no aide out of Fraunce during the sayd truce 13. Item that this sayd truce be proclaimed in England and in ScotlaÌ„d wythin the 26. dayes after the date therof 14. Item it is accorded that within this truce be contayned Espamels Chatellon Geneuos the Byshop and the towne of Cambrey and castels of the same c. In witnes wherof we Iohn by the grace of God king of Bohemia and Earle of Luxemburgh Adulphe Byshop of Liege Raoule Duke of Loreine Ayemes Earle of Sauoy Iohn Earle of Darminacke on the one party And B. Duke of Brabante C. Duke of Gelre D. Marques of Iuliers sir Iohn of Henault and sir Beawmount on the other party betwixt the high puissant princes of France and England Have scaled thys instrument of truce and peace and deliuered the same accordingly in the church of Espleteline on monday the 25. day of September the yere of grace 1340. This truce thus finished king Edwarde brake vp hys campe remoouing his siege from Tourney came againe to Gaunt FroÌ„ whence very early in the morning he with a small company tooke shipping and by long seas came to the tower of LoÌ„don very few or none hauing vnderstanding thereof And being greatly displeased with diuers of his counsel and high officers for that through their default he was constrained against his will not hauing money to maintaine hys warres to condescende vnto the foresayde truce he commanded to be apprehended and brought vnto him to the tower the Lorde Iohn Stonhore chiefe iustice of England and syr Iohn Poulteney with diuers others and the next morning he sent for the Lorde K. Byshop of Chichester and the Lord Wake the Lorde Treasurer diuers other such that were in authority and office and commanded them al to be kept as prisoners in the said tower onely the sayd byshop excepted whom for feare of the constitution of Pope Clement whych commaunded that no Byshop should be by the king imprisoned he set at libertie suffered him to goe his way in his place substituted sir Roger Bourcher knight
nowe come to manifest their innocencie before the whole Church and to require open audience where as the laitie may also be present The request was graunted them and being further demanded in what poynts they did disagree from the church of Rome they propounded 4. Articles First they affirmed that all suche as woulde be saued ought of necessitie to receiue the Communion of the laste supper vnder both kindes of bread and wine The second Article they affirmed aâ—l ciuil rule and dominion to be forbidden vnto yâ— Clergy by the law of God The thirde Article that the preaching of the worde of God is free for all men and in all places The fourth Article as touching open crimes and offences which are in no wise to be suffered for the â—â—oiding of greater euill These were the onely propositions whyche they propounded before the Councell in the name of the whole realme Then another ambassador affirmed that he had hard of the Bohemians diuers and sundry thinges offensiue to Christian eares amongst the which this was one poynte that they should preach that the inuention of the order of begging Friers was diabolicall Then Procopius rising vppe sayde neither is it vntrue for if neyther Moises neyther before hym the Patriarkes neither after him the Prophets neyther in the new lawe Christe and hys Apostles did institute the order of begging friers who doth dout but that it was an inuention of the deuil and a worke of darkenesse This answere of Procopius was derided of them all And Cardinall Iulianus went about to prooue that not onely the decrees of the Patriarkes and Prophetes and those things which Christ and his Apostles had instituted to be onely of God but also all such decrees as the church shuld ordaine being guided through the holy ghost be the workes of God All be it as he sayde the order of begging Friers might seeme to be taken out of some parte of the gospel The Bohemians chose out 4. diuines which shuld declare their Articles to be taken out of the Scriptures Likewise on the contrary part there was 4. appoynted by the councell This disputation continued 50. dayes where many thinges were alledged on either parte whereof as place shal serue more hereafter by the grace of Christ shal be sayd when we come to the time of that Councel In the meane season while yâ— Bohemians were thus in long conflicts wyth Sigismund the Emperour and the Pope fighting for their religion vnto whome notwtstanding all the fulnesse of the Popes power was bent against them God of his goodnesse had geueÌ„ such noble victories as is aboue expressed and euer did prosper them so loÌ„g as they could agree among theÌ„selues as these things I say were doing in Boheme King Henry the 5. fighting likewise in Fraunce albeit for no like matters of religion fell sicke at Boys and died after he had raigned 9. yeres 5. moneths 3. wekes and odde daies from his coronation This king in his life and in all hys doings was so deuout seruiceable to the Pope and his chapleins that he was called of many the Prince of priests who left behind him a sonne being yet an infant 9. monthes and 15. dayes of age whom he had by Quene Katherine daughter to the French king married to him about 2. or 3. yeares before The name of which Prince succeeding after his father was Henry 6. lefte vnder the gouernement and protection of his vncle named Humfrey Duke of Gloucester ¶ The names of the Archbishops of Canterbury in this fifte Booke conteined 54 Simon Islepe 17 56 Simon Langham 2 57 William Witlesey 5 58 Simon Sudbery 6 59 William Courtney 15 60 Thomas Arundel 18 61 Henry Chichesly 29 THE SIXT PART OR SECTION pertaining to the last 300. yeares A preface to the reader ACcording to the fiue sondry diuersities and alterations of the Churche so haue I deuided hetherto the order of thys presente Church story into fiue principall partes euery part containing 300. yeares So that nowe comming to the laste 300. yeares that is to the last times of the Church counting from the time of Wickleffe For as muche as in the compasse of the sayd last 300 yeres are contained great troubles and perturbations of the Church with the meruailous reformation of the same through the wonderous operation of the almighty all which things cannot be comprehended in one booke I haue therefore disposed the sayd latter 30. yeares into diuers bookes beginning nowe with the sixt booke at the raigne of king Henry the vj. In which booke beside the greeuous and sundry persecutions raised vp by Antichrist to be noted here in is also to be obserued that where as it hath of long time bene receyued and thought of the common people that this religion now generally vsed hath sprong vp and risen but of late euen by the space as many do thinke of 20. or 30. yeares it may now manifestly appeare not onely by the Acts and Monuments heretofore passed but also by the hystories here after following howe this profession of Christes religion hath bene spread abroade in Englande of olde and auncient time not onely from the space of these 200. late yeares from the time of Wyckleffe but hathe continually from time to time sparkled abroade although the flames thereof haue neuer so perfectly burst out as they haue done within these hundred yeares and more As by these hystories here collected gathered out of Registers especially of the Diocesse of Norwich shall manifestly appeare wherein may be seene what men and how many both men and women within the sayde Diocesse of Norwich haue bene which haue defended the same cause of doctrine which now is receiued by vs in the Church Which persones althoughe then they were not so strongly armed in their cause and quarel as of late yeres they haue bene yet were they warriours in Christes churche and fought for their power in the same cause And although they gaue backe through tyrannie yet iudge thou the best good Reader and referre the cause therof to God who reuealeth all things according to his determined will and appoynted time THis yong prince being vnder the age of one yeare after the death of his father succeeded in his reigne and kingdom of England Anno 1422. and in the 8. yeare was crowned at Westminster and the 2. yeare after was crowned also at Paris Henry bishop of Winchester Cardinall being present at them both raigned 38. yeres and then was deposed by Edwarde the 4. as heere after Christ willing shall be declared in his time In the firste yeare of his raigne was burned the constant witnesse bearer and testis of Christes doctrine William Tailour a Priest vnder Henry Chichesley Archbishop of Canterbury Of this William Tailour I read that in the dayes of Thomas Arundell hee was first apprehended and abiured Afterwarde in the daies of Henry Chichesley aboute the yeare of our Lorde 1421. which was
so done and that I wil make good on thy body traytour and therewith geuing a great rap on the boord for a token or watchword one cryed treason without and forthwith the chamber was full of harneysed men The protector then approchyng to the L. Hastinges arrested him as a traytour An other let flye at the Lord Standley who to auoyd the blowe shronke vnder the table or els his head had bene cleft a sonder notwithstanding he receaued such a wounde that the bloud ranne about hys eares There were in that counsaile the same time the Archbishop of Yorke and Doctour Morton Byshop of Ely by whose procurement afterward king Henry the vii was sent for into England and he made archbishop after that of Canterbury these with the Lord Standley diuersly were bestowed in diuers chambers The Lorde Hastinges was commaunded to speede and shriue hym a pace for before dinner the protector sware by S. Paule that he should dye and so incontinently without farther iudgement his head was striken of by whose counsayle the Queenes kindred were at the same time and daye beheaded at Pomfret After this tyrannous murder accomplished the mischienous protectour aspiring still to the crowne to set his deuises forward first through giftes and fayre promises dyd subordinate Doctor Shaw a famous preacher then in Lōdon at Paules Crosse to insinuate to the people that neyther king Edward with his sonnes nor the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begotten nor the very children of the Duke of York but begotten vnlawfully by other persons in adultery on y◠Duches their mother and that he alone was the true and onely lawfull heyre of the Duke of York Moreouer to declare and to signifie to the audience that K. Edward was neuer lawfully maried to the Queene but hys wife before was dame Elizabeth Lucy and so the 2. childrē of king Edward to be base and bastardes and therfore the title of the crown most rightly to pertaine to the Lord protector That this false flatterer and loud lying preacher to serue the protectors humour shamed not most impudently to abuse that holy place that reuerent auditorye the sacred word of God taking for hys theame Adulterae plantationes nō dabūt radices altas c which he most impiously did apply against the innocent children right heyres of this realm Whereupon such grudge and disdayne of the people wyth worldly wonder followed him that for shame of the people crying out of him in few dayes after he pyned way When this sermon would take no effect with the people the protector vnmercifully drowned in ambitiō rested not thus but wtin few dayes after excited the Duke of Buckingham first to breake the matter in couert talke to the Mayor and certayne of the heades of the Cittie picked out for the purpose that done to come to the Guildhall to moue the people by all flattering and lying perswasions to the same which shameles Shaw before had preached before at Paules Crosse. Whiche the Duke with all dilligence and helpes of eloquence being a man both learned and well spoken endeuored to accomplish making to the people a long and artificiall Oration supposing no lesse but that the people allured by his crafty iusinuations would cry king Rich. K. Ric. But there was no king Rich in their mouthes lesse in their hartes Wherupon the Duke looking to the Lord Mayor and asking what the silence ment contrary to the promise of the one the expectation of that other It was then answered of the Mayor that the people peraduenture wel vnderstood him not wherfore the Duke reiterating his narration in other wordes declared agayne that he had done before Likewise the thyrd time he repeted hys Oration againe and agayn Then the commons which be fore stood mute being now in a mase seeing this importunitie began to mutter softly among themselues but yet no king Richard could sound in their lips saue onely that in the nether end of the Hall certayn of the Dukes seruantes with one Nashfield and other belonging to the protector thrusting into the Hall among the prease began sodaynly at mens backes to cry king Richard k. Rich throwing vp theyr cappes whereat the cittizens turning back theyr heades marueiled not a little but sayd nothing The Duke and the Lord Mayor with that side taking this for sufficient testimony incontinent came blowing for hast to the protector then lying at Baynardes Castle Where the matter being made before was now so contriued that forsooth humble petition was made in the name of the whole commons and that with 3 sundry sutes to the humble and simpel protector that he although it was vtterly against his will to take it yet would of his humilitye stoupe so low as to receane the heauy kingdome of England vpon his shoulders At this their tender request and sute of the Lords and commōs made ye must know how the milde Duke seing no other remedy was contented at length to yeld although fore against his will ye must so imagine and to submit himselfe so low as of a protector to be made king not much herein vnlike to our prelates in that Popish churche who when they haue before well compounded for the popes Buls yet must they for maner sake make curtesy and thrise deny that for whiche they so long before haue gaped and so sweetly haue payed for King Richard the third vsurper ANd thus Richard Duke of Gloucester tooke vpon to be made proclaymed king of England the yeare aforesayd an 1483. in the mōth of Iune Who then comming to the Tower by water first made his sonne a childe of x. yeare old prince of Wales Iohn Haward a man of great industry seruice he aduaūced to be Duke of Northfolke Sir Tho. Haward his sonne he ordained Erle of Surry Also William Lord Barckeley was appoynted Earle of Notingham Frances L. Louell was made Uicunt Louell L. Stanley for feare of his sonne was deliuered out of the Tower and made Steward of the kings houshold Likewise the Archbishop of Yorke was set free but Morton Bishop of Ely was committed to the Duke of Buckingham by whome was wrought the first deuise to bring in Henry Erle of Richmond into England and to cōioin mariage betweene Elizabeth king Edwardes daughter and him whereby the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were vnited together After the kingdome of England was thus allotted to king Rich. the vsurper as in maner aboue remembred he taried not long for hys coronation which was solemnised the month next ensuing the 6. day of Iuly The triumph and solemnitie of this vsurped coronation being finished al thinges to the same appertayning this vnquiet tyraunt yet coulde not thinke himselfe safe so long as yong Edward the right king hys brother were aliue Wherefore the next enterprise which he did set vpon was this how to rid these innocent babes out of
they handes they could not beare that but incoÌ„tinent they put him besides the cushin The like also fell vp on Otho the 4. that folowed after Philip who was suffered no longer then foure yeares to raigne about the yeare of our Lord. 1209. Emperours kissing the Popes feete K. Iohns supplication to the Pope After this Friderick folowed his sonne CoÌ„radus whoÌ„ the foresayd Bishops for his disobedience soone dispatched exciting agaynst him in mortall warre the Lantgraue of Thuring wherby he was at length driuen into his kingdome of Naples and there deceased This Conradus had a sonne called Conradinus duke and prince of Suenia When this Conradinus after the decease of his father came to enioy his kingdome of Naples the sayd Bishops styrred vp against him Charles the french kings brother in such sort that through crafty conueyance both Couradinus which descended of the bloud of so many Emperours also Fridericke Duke of Austria were both takeÌ„ and after much wretched handling in theyr miserable induraunce vnseeming to theyr state at length were both brought vnder the axe by the Popes procurement and so both beheaded And thus ended the imperiall stock of Fridericke the first surnamed Barbarossa The like as happened to Fridericke the Emperor had almost also fallen vpon Philip the French king by Pope Boniface the 8. who because he could not haue his commodityes and reuenewes out of Fraunce after his will sent out his Bulles and letters patents to displace king Philip aforesayd and to possesse Albertus king of Romanes in his rowme And thus hitherto of forreigne storyes Now touching our countrey Princes here in Englande to speake somewhat likewise of them did not Pope Alexander the 3. presumptuously taking vpoÌ„ him where he had nothing to do to intermeddle with the kinges subiectes for the death of Becket the rebell albeit the king sufficiently cleared hym selfe thereof yet notwithstanding did he not wrongfullye bring the sayd king Henry 2. to such penaunce as it pleased him to enioyne also violently constrayne him to sweare obedience to the Sea of Rome pag. 227. The lyke also was shewed before in this story to happen to K. Iohn hys sonne For when the sayd king like a valiaunt Prince had held out the tyranny of those Bishops 7. yeares together were not all the Churches in England barred vp and hys inheritaunce with all his dominions geuen away by pope Innocent 3. to Ludouicus the French king and he afterward compelled to submitt both himselfe and to make hys whole Realme sedotary to the Byshops of Rome moreouer the king himselfe driuen also to surreÌ„der his crowne to Pandulphus the Popes Legate and so continued as a priuate person 5. dayes standing at the popes curtesy whether to receiue it agayne at his handes or no And when the nobles of the realme rose afterwarde agaynst the king for the same was not he then fayne to seeke and sue to the foresayd Pope for succour as by this his owne letter takeÌ„ out of the publicke roles may appeare Kyng Iohns Supplication to Pope Innocent the third REuerendis Domino suo Patri sanctis Innocentio Dei gratia Ioan. eadem gratia R. Angliae c. Cum Comites Barones Angliae nobis deuoti essent antequam nos nostram terram Domino vestro subia cere curassemus ex tunc in nos specialiter ob hoc sicut publice dicunt violenter insurguÌ„t Nos verò praeter Deum vos specialem dominum patronum habentes defensioneÌ„ nostram totius Regni quod vestrum esse credimus vestrae paternitati commissam nos quantum in nobis est curam solicitudinem istam vestrae resignamus dominationi deuotius supplicaÌ„tes quatenus in negotijs nostris quae vestra sunt coÌ„silium auxilium efficax apponatis prout melius videritis expedire latores praesentium c. Teste meipso apud Dour 18. Septemb. 6. Pope Coelestinus 4. crowning the Emperour Henricus 6. with his feete Besides this king Henry 2. and king Iohn his sonne what kinges haue here reigned in Englande since theyr time vntill the raign of king Henry 8. who although they were prudent princes did what they could in prouiding agaynst the proude domination of these Bishoppes were forced at length sore agaynst theyr wils for feare to subiect themselues together with theyr subiects vnder theyr vsurped authority in so much as some of them as Math. Paris writeth by king Henry ye. 3. were sayne to stoupe and kisse their Legates knee ¶ The Image of Antichrist exalting himselfe in the Temple of God aboue all that is named God out of his owne Decrees Decretals Extrauagantes Pontificals c. word for worde as it is out of the sayde bookes here alleaged and quoted Henricus 4. Emperour Waiting 3. dayes vpon Pope Gregory 7. Image of Antichrist Henricus 4. Emperour surrendering his crowne to the Pope Image of Antichrist King Iohn offering his Crowne to Pandulphus Legate K. Henry 2. kissing the knee of the PopÌ„es Legat comming into England Fridericus i. Emperour shent for holding Pope Adrians styrrup on the wrong side The order of the Popes riding the Emperour holding his bridle and kinges going before him Ex Lib. Sacrar Ceremon lib. 1. The P. caried on mens shoulders the Emp. K. going before him Ex li. Sacrar Cer. lib. 1. And to the intent I would all men to see and vnderstaÌ„d that I lacke not witnesses moe besides these if I list to bring them out you shal heare the whole queare of my diuine clergy brought out with a full voyce testifying in my behalfe in their bookes tractations distinctions Titles Gloses and Summaryes as by their owne wordes here followeth Doctors agree in Purgatory A. Antoninus in Summulis Augustinus de Ancho in Decret A stefanus Midorita B. Baptista de Salum sua Baptistiniana Bonauentura C. Campensis lib. Controuersiarum Coclaeus D. Durandus in Speculo Dreido de eccles Scripturis Dogmat. E. Eduardus Peuellus Anglus contra Luthe Ecchius in Enchirid. F. Franciscus Fulgo G. Gabriel Biel. Spica Gaspar Gratianus in Decretis Gerson doctor Illuminatistimus ecclesiastica potestate H. Hugo Cardinalis in postilla Hostiensis Holkot Hosius I. Ioannes Andrea Innocentius Ioan. de Turie Cremata de ecclesia summa L. Lanfrancus contra Wiclef Lilius Historicum Anglus Lapus Laurentius M. Magister Sententiarum N. Nicolaus O. Ockam in Dialogo parte 1. lib. 5. Oytanus P. Petrus de Palude Petrus de Tuaram Petrus de Aliaco Panoâ—â—â—taâ—â—s Alexander de Alec R. Raymundus in SuÌ„ma de Calibus Richardus Rabanus super Math. cap. 16. Rupertus Tuitiensis S. Scotus Doctor Subtilis T. Thomas Aquin. V. Vlricus W. Waldenss … De Sacramentis The Pope say they being the vicare of Iesu Christ throughout the whole worlde in the stead of the liuing God hath that dominion and Lordship which christ here in earth would not haue although he had it in habitu but
of the realme onely rest in this For the king now hauing lost his frendly vncle as the stay staffe of his age whiche had brought him vp so faythfully from his youth was now therby the more open to his enemies they more emboldened so set vpon him As appeared first by Iacke Cade the Kentishe Captayne who encamping first in Blackheath afterward aspired to LondoÌ„ and had the spoyle therof the king being driuen into Warwickshyre After the suppressing of Cade ensued not long after the duke of York who being accompanied with 3. Erles set vpon the king next to S. Albons where the king was taken in the field captiue the Duke of York was by ParliameÌ„t declared protector which was in the yeare of our Lord 1453. After this folowed long diuision and mortal warre betwene the two houses of Lancastar and Yorke continuing many yeares At length about the yeare of our Lord 1459. the Duke of Yorke was slayne in battell by the Queene neare to the towne of Wakefield and with him also his sonne Earle of Rutlande By the which Queene also shortly after in the same yeare were discomfited the Earle of Warwicke and Duke of Northfolk to whom the keeping of the king was committed by the Duke of Yorke and so the Queene agayne deliuered her husband After this victory obteined the Northren men aduauÌ„ced not a litle in pride and courage began to take vpon theÌ„ great attemptes not onely to spoyle and robbe Churches and religious houses villages but also were fully enteÌ„ded partly by themselues partly by the inducemeÌ„t of theyr Lords and Captaynes to sacke waste and vtterly to subuert the City of London and to take the spoyle therof and no doubt â—ayth my history woulde haue proceeded in thyr coÌ„ceiued gredy inteÌ„t had not the oportune fauor of God prouided a speedy remedy For as these mischiefes were in bruing sodenly commeth the noble Prince Edward vnto LoÌ„don with a mighty army the 27. day of February who was the sonne and heire to duke of Yorke aboue mentioned accompanyed with the Earle of Warwicke and diuers moe King Henry in the meane time with his victory went vp to York when as Edward being at London caused there to be proclaymed certayn articles concerning his title to the crowne of England which was the 2. day of March. Wherupon the next day following the Lords both teÌ„porall spirituall being asseÌ„bled together the sayd articles were propouÌ„ded and also well approued The fourth day of the sayd moneth of March after a solemne generall procession according to the blinde superstition of those dayes the Bishop of Exceter made a Sermon at Paules Crosse wherin he commended and proued by manifold euideÌ„ces the title of Prince Edward to be iust and lawfull aunswering in the same to all obiections whiche might be to the contrary This matter being thus discussed Prince Edward accompanied with the Lordes spirituall temporall with much concourse of people rode the same day to Westminster Hall and there by the full consent as well of the Lordes as also by the voyce of all the Commons tooke his possession of the Crowne was called K. Edward the fourth These thinges thus accomplished at London as to such a matter apperteined and preparation of money sufficiently being ministred of the people and commons wyth most ready and willing mindes for the necessary furniture of his warres he with the Duke of Northfolke and Earle of Warwicke and Lord Fauconbrige in all speedy wise tooke his iourney toward king Henry who being now at Yorke and forsaken of the Londoners had all his refuge onely reposed in the Northren men When king Edward with his army had past ouer the Riuer of Trent and was commeÌ„ nere to Ferebrig where also the host of king Henry was not far of vpoÌ„ Palm sonday betwene Ferebrig and Tadcaster both the armyes of the Southren and Northren men ioyned together battell And althoughe at the first beginning diuers horsemen of king Edwardes side turned theyr backes and spoyled the king of cariage victuals yet the couragious prince with his Captayne 's little discouraged therewith fiercely and manfully set on theyr aduersaryes The whiche battell on both sides was so cruelly fought that in the same conflict were slayne to the nuÌ„ber as is reported beside men of name of 30000. of the poore commons Notwithstanding the coÌ„quest fell on king Edwardes part so that king Henry hauing lost all was forced to flye into Scotland where also he gaue vp to the Scottes the towne of Barwicke after he had raigned 38. yeares and a halfe The clayme and title of the Duke of Yorke and after him of Edward his sonne put vp to the Lords coÌ„mons wherby they chalenged the crowne to the house of York is thus in the story of Scala mundi word for word as hereunder is conteyned The title of the house of Yorke to the crowne of England EDward the 3. right king of Englande had issue first prince Edward the 2. W. Hatfield 3. Lionell 4. Iohn of Gaunt c. Prince Edward had Richard the 2. which dyed without issue W. Hatfielde dyed without issue Lionel duke of Clarence had issue lawfully begot Phillip his onely daughter and heyre the which was lawfully coupled to Edmund Mortimer Earle of March and had issue law fully begotte Roger Mortimer Eare of March and heyre Whych Roger had issue Edmund Earle of March Roger Anne and Alienor Edmund and Alienor died without issue and the sayd Anne by lawfull matrimonye was coupled vnto Richard Earle of Cambridge the sonne of Edmund of LaÌ„gley who had issue lawfully bare Richard Plantagenet now Duke of Yorke Iohn of Gaunte gate Henry which vnrightfully entreated king Richard then being aliue Edmund Mortimer Earle of Marche sonne of the sayde Philip daughter to Lionell To the which Richard duke of Yorke and sonne to Anne daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March sonne and heyre to the sayde Philip daughter and heyre to the sayd Lionel the 3. sonne of king Edward the 3. the right dignity of the crowne apperteyned belonged afore any issue of the sayd Iohn of Gaunt Notwithstanding the sayd title of dignity of the sayde Richard of Yorke the sayd Richard desiring the wealth rest and prosperity of England agreeth and consenteth that king Henry 6. should be had and taken for king of England during his naturall life from thys time without hurt of his title Wherefore the king vnderstanding the sayd title of the sayde duke to be iust lawfull true and sufficient by the aduise and assent of the Lordes spirituall and temporall and the commons in the Parliament and by the authoritye of the same Parliament declareth approueth ratifieth confirmeth accepteth the sayde title for iust good lawfull and true and there unto geueth his assent and agreement of his free will and liberty And ouer that by the sayde aduise and
authority declareth calleth stablisheth affirmeth and reputeth the sayd Richard of Yorke very true and rightfull heyre to the crowne of England and Fraunce and that all other statutes and acts made by any of the Henryes late contrary to this aduise be annulled repelled damned cancelled voyd and of no force or effect The king agreed and consented that the sayd Duke and hys heyres shall after his naturall life enioy the crowne c. Also that all sayinges and doinges agaynst the duke of Yorke shall be hygh treason and all actes of Parliamentes contrary to this principall act be voyd and of none effect c. And thus much for the reign of king Henry the 6. Who now lacked his vncle and protector Duke of Glocester about him But commonly the lacke of such frendes is neuer felt before they be missed In the time of this king was builded the house in Lōdon called Leadē hall foūded by one Simon Eyre Maior once of the sayd City of London an 1445. Also the standard in cheape builded by Iohn Wels an 1442. the Conduite in Fleetstreet by William Castfield an 1438. Item Newgate builded by goods of Rich. Whittington an 1422. Moreouer the sayde Henry 6. founded the Colledge of Eton and another house hauing then the title of S. Nicolas in Cambridge now called the kinges Colege Ex Scal. mundi In the reigne of this Henry 6. it is not be passed ouer in silence which we finde noted in the Parliament rolles how that Lewes Archbishop of Rhoen after the death of the late Bishop of Eley had graūted vnto him by the popes Bulles during his life all the profites of the sayd bishoprick by the name of the administratour of the said Bishopricke Lewes the foresayde Archbishop sheweth his Buls to the king who vtterly reiected his Bulles Notwithstanding for his seruice done in Fraunce the king graunted to hym the administration aforesaid the which to all intents at the petition of the sayd Lewes should be affirmed to bee of as great force as though he were bishop touching profits liberties and hability Neither agayn is here to be ouerpast a certayn tra gicall Acte done betweene Easter and Whitsontide of a false Britone an 1427. Which murdered a good widdow in her bed who had brought him vp of almes without Algate in the suburbes of London and bare away all that she had afterward he tooke succor of holy church at S. Georges in Southwarke but at the last he tooke the crosse forswore the kings land And as he went his way it happened him to come by the same place where he had done that cursed deed and women of the same parish came out with stones and cannell dong and there made an end of him in the hye streete so that he went no further notwithstandinge the Constables and other men also which had hym vnder gouernaunce to conduct him forwarde for there was a great company of them so that they were not able to withstande them Kyng Edward the fourth KIng Edward after his conquest and victorye achieued agaynst king Henry returned again to London where vpon the Uigil of S. Peter and Paul being on Sonday he was crowned king of England raigned 22. yeares albeit not without great disquitnes and much perturbation in his reigne Queene Margaret hearing how her husband was fled into Scotland was also fayne to flye the land and went to her father Duke of Angeow From whence the next yeare following she returned again to renue warre against king Edward with small succor and lesse lucke For being encountred by the Earle of Warwicke about Nouember she was driuen to the seas agayne and by tempest of weather was driuen into Scotland In this yere we read that king Edward in the cause of a certayne widow for rape sate his owne person in Westminster hall vpon his owne Bench discussing her cause Ex Scal. mundi The yeare folowing king Henry issuing out of Scotland with a sufficient power of Scottes and Frenchmen came into the Northcountrey to recouer the crowne vnto whom the Lord Radulph Percy Lord Radulph Grey flying from king Edward did adioyn themselues but the Lord so disposing king Henry with his power was repulsed in the battaile of Exham by the Lord Mountacute having then the rule of the North where the Duke of Somerset Lord Hungerford Lord Rosse with certayne other were taken The Lord Radulph Percy was slayne the residue fled Albeit the history of Scal. mūdi referreth this battel to the yeare 1464. the 15. day of May. In the which moneth of May were beheaded the duke of Somerset Lorde Hungerford Lord Rosse L. Philip Wentworth L. Tho. Husly L. Tho. Findern beside 21. other belonging to the retinue and household of king Hēry 6. Queene Margaret finding no resting place here in England took her progres agayne from whence she came learning in her own country to drinke that drinke which she her selfe had brued here in England And not long after the next yeare an 1465. on the day of S. Peter and Paule king Henry being founde knowne in a wood by one Cantlow as they say was arested by the Earle of Warwicke and at last of a king made prisoner in the tower of London In this meane time king Edward after the motion of mariage for him being made and first the Lady Margaret sister to Iames the 4. K. of Scottes thought vpon but that motion taking no effect afterward the Lady Elizabeth sister to Henry king of Castelle being intended but she being vnder age the Earle of Warwick turning then his legation and voiage to the French king Lewes the II. to obteyne Lady Bona daughter of the duke of Sauoy and sister to Carlot the French Queen and obteining the same had cast fauour vnto one Elizabeth Grey widow of Syr Iohn Grey knight slain before in the battell of S. Albōs daughter to the Duches of Bedford and Lord Riuers and first went about to haue her to his concubine But she as being vnworthy as she sayde to be the wife of such a high personage so thinking her selfe to bee to good to be his concubine in such sort wanne the kings hart that incontinent before the returne of the Earle of Warwicke he maried her at the which mariage were no moe then onely the Duches of Bedford two gentle women the priest clark Upō this so hasty vnlucky mariage ensued no litle trouble to the king much bloudshed to the realme vndoing almost to all her kyndred and finally confusion to the K. Edwardes 2. sonnes which both were declared afterward to be bastards and also depriued of theyr liues For the Earle of Warwicke who had bene the faythfull frend and chiefe maynteiner before of the king at the hearing of this maryage was therwith so greuously moued and chaffed in hys mind that he neuer after sought any thing more then how to worke displeasure to the