Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	john_n	lord_n	robert_n	9,281	5	9.9410	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56127	The antipathie of the English lordly prelacie, both to regall monarchy, and civill unity: or, An historicall collection of the severall execrable treasons, conspiracies, rebellions, seditions, state-schismes, contumacies, oppressions, & anti-monarchicall practices, of our English, Brittish, French, Scottish, & Irish lordly prelates, against our kings, kingdomes, laws, liberties; and of the severall warres, and civill dissentions occasioned by them in, or against our realm, in former and latter ages Together with the judgement of our owne ancient writers, & most judicious authors, touching the pretended divine jurisdiction, the calling, lordlinesse, temporalities, wealth, secular imployments, trayterous practises, unprofitablenesse, and mischievousnesse of lordly prelates, both to King, state, Church; with an answer to the chiefe objections made for the divinity, or continuance of their lordly function. The first part. By William Prynne, late (and now againe) an utter-barester of Lincolnes Inne.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1641 (1641)	Wing P3891A; Wing P3891_vol1; Wing P4074_vol2_CANCELLED; ESTC R18576	670,992	826

a spirit of divination to be alive The Bishop was permitted to goe at liberty under sureties for his good behaviour and forth comming but the Earle was condemned of high treason and beheaded though set on by the Bishop the greatest delinquent In the yeare 1378. Robert Hall and Iohn Shakell Esquires were committed Prisoners to the Tower whence they both escaped to Westminster and there kept sanctuary Sir Alane Boxhul Constable of the Tower● grieved not a little that these Prisoners were broken from him and sheltered in that Sanctuary taking with him Sir Ralph ●errers with other men in armour to the number of fif●ie and some of the Kings servants on the fifth of August entred into Westrainister Church whilst Masse was saying● at which the said two Esquires were present And first laying hands upon Iohn Shakell they used the matter so that they drew him forth of the Church and led him streight to the Tower but Robert Hall drawing his short sword resisted them along time traversing twise round about the Monkes Quire so as they could doe him no hurt till they had beset him on each side and then one of them cleaft his head to the very braines and another thrust him through with a sword and so they murthered him among them and one of the Monkes who would have had them save his life Much adoe was made about this matter for this breach of the Sanctuary insomuch that the Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Sudbury and five other Bishops his Suffragans openly pronounced all them that were present at this murder accursed and likewise all such as ayded and counselled them to it chiefely the said Sir Alane and Sir Ralph The King Queene and Duke of Lancaster were yet excepted by speciall names The Bishop of London William Courtney along time after every Sunday Wednesday and Fryday pronounced this Excommunication in Pauls Church in London The Duke of Lancaster though excepted in the same yet in the behalfe of his friends was not a little offended with the Bishops doings for justifying these leude persons and making the Church a sanctuary for Rebells and Traytors and his excommunications a scourge to punish the Kings Officers for doing their duties in reapprehending these fugitives insomuch that in a Councell held at Windsore to the which the Bishop of London was called but would not come such was his pride and disdaine nor yet cease the pronouncing of the curse albeit the King had requested him by his Letters the Duke said openly That the Bishops forward dealings were not to to be borne with but saithe he if the King would command me I would gladly goe to London aud fetch this disobedient P●elate in despite of those Ribauds so he then termed the Londoners which procured the Duke much evill will who caused the next Parliament hereupon to be held at Gloster Anno. 1388. King Richard the second by the advise of the Archbishop of Yorke and others retained men of warre against his faithfull and Loyall Lords who were stricken with great heavinesse at the newes The Duke of Glocester meaning to mitigate his displeasure received a solemne Oath before Robert Braybrooke Bishop of London and divers other Lords that he never imagined nor went about any thing to the Kings hinderance c. and besought this Bishop to declare his words unto the King The Bishop comming hereupon to the King made report of the Dukes protestation confirmed with his Oath in such wise that the King began to be perswaded it was true which when the Earle of Suffolke perceived he began to speake against the Duke till the Bishop bad him hold his peace and told him that it nothing became him to speake at all And when the Earle asked why so Because said the Bishop Thou wast in the last Parliament condemned for an evill person and one not worthy to live but onely it pleaseth the King to shew thee favour The King offended with the Bishops presumptuous words commanded him to depart and get him home to his Church who forthwith departed and declared to the Duke of Glocester what hee had heard and seene Hereupon the great misliking that had beene afore time betwixt the King and the Lords was now more vehemently encreased the Duke of Ireland the Earle of Suffolk the Archbishop of Yorke and the Lord chiefe Iustice Robert Trisilian still procuring stirring and confirming the Kings heavy displeasure against the Lords The yeare before this Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster giving some ill words to this Bishop the Londoners thereupon rose up in a tumultuous manner in armes purposing to kill the Duke and to burne his house at the Savoy which they furiously assaulted reversing the Dukes armes whereupon the Duke complaining to the King the Major and Aldermen of London were put out of office and others Surrogated in their places Nicholas Ridley a Martyr after his deprivation from his Bishopricke and one of the best Bishops that ever sat● in this See in th● yeare 1553. being the first of Queene Maries raigne was hastily displaced deprived of the Sea of London and committed Prisoner to the Tower The cause of which extremity used towards him was for that in the time of Lady Iane he preached a Sermon at Pauls Crosse by commandement of King Edwards Councell wherein he disswaded the people for sundry causes from receiving the Lady Mary as Queene though lawfull heire to the Crowne Anno. 1558. One Robert Farrier said of the Lady Elizabeth afterwards Queene That this Gill hath beene one of the chiefe doers of this rebellion of Wiat and before all be done she and all Heretiques her partakers shall well understand it Some of them hope that she shall have the Crowne but she and they I trust that so hope shall be headlesse or be fried with fagots before she corae to it Laurence Sherieffe the Lady Elizabeth sworne servant complaining of these contumelious words to Bonner the Bishop of London and the commissioners sitting in Boners house Bonner excused Farrer saying that he meant nothing against the Lady Elizebeth and that they tooke him worse than he raeant And so Sherieffe came away and Farrer had a flap with a Foxe taile This Edmond Bonner an hypocriticall zealous Protestant at first after an Apostate whiles the Bishop of London was a most bloody persecuter and murtherer of Gods Saints all Queene Maries dayes a chiefe reviver and advancer of the Popes Supremacy which he had abjured to the great ecclipse and diminution of the prerogative royall yea a most furious Bedlam● and most unnaturall beast sparing none of any condition age or sexe and burning hundreds of good subjects into ashes He was a great enemie to Queene Elizabeth and the first Author of Bishops Visitation Oathes and Articles that I have met with He commanded the Scriptures written on Church walls to be blotted out as Bishop Wren and Bishop Peirce have since done in some plaees by his

paper once allowed them to write to their friends for necessaries and by a bloody cruell warre betweene England and Scotland which Bishop Peirce truly termed Bellum Episcopale the Bishops warre he would have thought himselfe a Prophet this saying of his more experimentally verefied by this Arch-prelate than by any of his Predecessors all whose tyranny malice fury violence injustice lawlesnesse oppression inhumanity trechery pride ambition extravagances treasons and prelaticall vices seeme to meere and lodge together in him as in their prop●r center as I could largely manifest by particulars did not his unjust and rigorous proceedings against my selfe and all who had relation to mee without any just cause or provocation on my part or theirs command mee silence lest I might seeme malicious or revengefull Since therefore these his practises are so notorious unto all I shall forbeare to rip up particulars and close up all concerning him with the whole house of Commons Articles and Charges of high Treason against him as they were transmitted to the Lords by that worthy Gentleman my much honoured friend M. Iohn Pymme which being a publike charge of all the Commons by way of justice in the supremest Court of Judicature published already to the world in Print I hope it will neither be reputed a scandalum magnatum nor matter of revenge in mee if I here insert them since most pertinent to the Subject matter of this Treatise which I had in part digested many yeares by-past before his last information in Starchamber exhibited against mee A true Copy of the Articles of the Commons assembled in Parliament against WILLIAM LAUD Archbishop of Canterbury in maintenance of their accusation whereby hee stands charged with high Treason and of the Speech or Declaration of JOHN PYMME Esquire upon the same upon their transmission to the Lord. My Lords I Am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled for the Commons in Parliament to deliver to your Lordships these Articles in maintenance of their Charge against the Archbishop of Canterbury Their desire is that first your Lordships would be pleased to heare the Articles read and then I shall endeavour to present to you the sense of the Commons concerning the nature of the Charge and the order of their proceedings Articles of the Commons assembled in Parliament in maintenance of their accusation against WILLIAM LAUD Archbishop of Canterbury whereby hee stands charged with high Treason 1. That hee hath traiterously endeavoured to subvert the fundamentall Lawes and Government of this Kingdome of England and instead thereof to introduce an Arbit●ary and tyrannicall Government against Law and to that end hath wickedly and traiterously advised his Majesty that hee might at his owne will and pleasure leavie and take money of his Subjects without their consent in Parliament and this hee affirmed was warrantable by the Law of God 2. He hath for the better accomplishment of that his traiterous designe advised and procured Sermons and other discourses to be Preached Printed and published in which the Authority of Parliaments and the force of the Lawes of this Kingdome have bin denyed and absolute and unlimited power over the persons and estates of his Majesties subjects maintained and defended not onely in the King but in himselfe and other Bishops against the Law And he hath beene a great protector favourer and promoter of the publishers of such false and pernicious opinions 3. Hee hath by Letters Messages Threa●s and Promises and by divers other wayes to Judges and other Ministers of Justice interrupted and perverted and at other times by meanes aforesaid hath endeavoured to interrupt and pervert the course of Justice in his Majesties Courts at Westminster and other Courts to the subversion of the Lawes of this Kingdome whereby sundry of his Majesties Subjects have beene stopt in their just suits deprived of their lawfull rights and subjected to his tyrannicall will to their ruine and destruction 4. That the said Archbishop hath trayterously and corruptly sold Justice to those who have had causes depending before him by colour of his Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction as Archbishop High Commissioner Referree or otherwise and hath taken unlawfull gifts and bribes of his Majesties Su●●●● and hath as much as in him lies endeavoured to corrupt the other Courts of Justice by advising and procuring his Majesty to ●ell places of Judicature and other Offices contrary to the Lawes and Statutes in that behalfe 5. He hath trayterously caused a booke of Canons to be composed and published without any lawfull warrant and authority in that behalfe in which pretended Canons many matters are contained contrary to the Kings Prerogative to the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of this Realme to the right of Parliament to the propriety and liberty of the subject and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence and to the establishment of a vast unlawfull and presumptuous power in himselfe and his successors many of which Canons by the practise of the said Archbishop were surrepti●iously passed in the late Convoc●tion without due consideration and debate others by feare and compulsion were subscribed by the Prelates and Clarkes there assembled which h●d never beene voted and passed in the Convocation as they ought to have beene And the said Archbishop hath contrive● and endeavoured to assure and confirme the unlawfull and exorbitant power which hee hath usurped and exercised over his Majesties Subjects by a wicked and ungodly oath in one of the said pretended Canons injoyned to be taken by all the Cleargie and many of the Laity of this Kingdome 6. He hath trayterously assumed to himselfe a Papall and tyrannicall power both in Ecclesiasticall and Temporall matters over his Majesties Subjects in this Realme of England and in other places to the disherison of the Crowne dishonour of his Majestie and derogation of his supreme authority in Ecclesiasticall matters And the said Archbishop claimes the Kings Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as incident to his Episcopall and Archiepiscopall office in this Kingdome and doth deny the ●ame to be derived from the Crowne of England which he hath accordingly exercised to the hig● contempt of his royall Majesty and to the destruction of divers of the Kings liege people in their persons and estates 7. That he hath trayterously indeavoured to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established in this Realm and in stead thereof to set up Popish superstition and Idolatry And to that end hath declared and maintained in Speeches and Printed Booke divers popish doctrines and opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion established by Law Hee hath urged and injoyned divers Popish and superstitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law and hath cruelly persecuted those who have opposed the same by corporall punishments and Imprisonments and most unjustly vexed others who refused to conforme thereunto by Ecclesiasticall censures of Excommunication Suspension Deprivation and Degradation contrary to the Lawes of this Kingdome 8. That for the better advancing of his

Treasure for that otherwise it was impossible the King should be fallen so farre behind hand whereupon hee was charged with the receit of 1109600. pound which amounted to more than a million of pounds besides a hundred thousand frankes paid unto him by Galeace Duke of Millaine for all which a sodaine account is demanded of him divers other accusations and misdemeanours were likewise charged against him and by meanes hereof Iohn a Gaun● Duke of Lancaster questioning him in the Kings Courts for these misdemeanours William Skipwith Lord chiefe Justice condemned him as guilty of these accusations procured his temporalties to be taken from him and to be bestowed upon the young Pri●ce of Wales and lastly commanded him in the Kings name not to come within twenty miles of the Court This happened in the yeare 1376. The next yeare the Parliament being assembled and Subsidies demanded of the Cleargy the Bishops utterly rufused to debate of any matter whatsoever till the Bishop of Winchester a principall member of that assembly might be present with him By this meanes Licence was obtained for his repaire thither and thither hee came glad he might be neere to the meanes of his re●titution But whether it were that he wanted money to beare the charge or to the intent to move commiseration or that he thought it safest to passe obscurely he that was wont to ride with the greatest traine of any Prelate in England came then very slenderly attended travelling through by-wayes as standing in doubt of snares his enemies might lay for him After two yeares trouble and the losse of ten thousand markes sustain●d by reason of the same with much adoe he obtain●● restitution of his temporalties by the mediation of Ali●● Piers a gentlewoman that in the last times of King Ed●●rd altogether possessed him Returning then unto Winchester he was received into the city with solemne proc●●sion and many signes of great joy Soone after his returne King Edward died● and the Duke hoping b● reason of ●h●●oung Kings nonage to work● some m●s●hi●fe unto this Bishop whom of all mortall men he most hated perhaps not without just reason began to rub up some of the old accusations● with addi●ions of new complaints But the King thought good to be a meanes of reconciling these two personages and then was easily entreated under the broad Seale of England to pardon all those supposed offences wherewith the Bishop had heretofore beene charged This Bishop earnestly desiring to be made Bishop of VVinchester the King himselfe exp●obrated to him the exilitie and smalenesse of his learning hee being no Scholler at all● but a surveyer of his buildings at first though laden with multitudes of pluralities to whom VVickham answered That albeit he were unlearned yet he was ab●ut to bring forth a f●uitfull issue which should procreate very great store of learned men which was understood of those most ample Colledges he afterwards bu●lt both at Oxford and VVincheste● for which good works alone his name hath since beene famous and himselfe extolled above his deserts in other things which were but ill at best This Prelate having obtained divers goodly promotions which he acknowledged to have received rather as reward of service then in regard of any extraordinary desert otherwise● he caused to be engraven in VVinchester Tower at VVinsor these words VVickham● whereof when some complained to the King as a thing derogating from his honour that another should ●eeme to beare the charge of his buildings and the King in great displeasure reprehended him for it He answered that his meaning was not to ascribe the honour of that building to himselfe but his owne honour of preferments unto that bu●lding not importing that VVicham made the Tower but that the Tower was the meanes of making VVickham and raising him from base estate unto those great places of honour he then enjoyed The Pope was now growne to that height of tyranny that he not onely placed but displaced Bishops at his pleasure And his meanes to do it was by translating them to some other Bishoppricke peradventure nothing worth at all Hee translated Henry Beauford from Lincolne to Winchester Iune 23. 1426. and made him Cardinall of S. Eusebius This Bishop was valiant and very wise Pope Martin the fift● determining to make warre upon the Bo●emians that had renounced all obedience unto the see of Rome made this Cardinall his Legate into that Country and appointed such forces as he could make to be at his commandement Toward the charges of this voyage the Cleargie of England gave a tenth of all their promotions and furnished out foure thousand men and more with this power he passed by France doing there some service for his Prince and Country into Bohemia the yeare 1429. There he remained certaine moneths behaving himselfe very valiantly till by the Pope he was discharged In his youth he was wantonly given and begate a base daughter named Iane upon Alice the daughter of Richard Earle of Arundell About the yeare of our Lord 1425. there fell out a great devision in the Realme of England which of a sparkle was like to have growne to a great flame by meanes of this Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester Son to Iohn Duke of Lancaster by his third wife for whether this Bishop envied the authority of Humphry Duke of Gloster● Protector of the Realme or whether the Duke disdained at the riches and pompous estate of the said Bishop sure it is that the whole Realme was troubled with them and their partakers so that the citizens of London were faine to keepe dayly and nightly watches and to shut up their shops for feare of that which was doubted to have insued of their assembling of people about them The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Quimbre called the Prince of Portingale rode eight times in one day betweene the two parties and so the matter was staid for a time but the Bishop of Winchester to cleare himselfe of blame so farre as hee might and to charge his Nephew the Lord Protector with all the fault wrote a Letter to the Regent of France The 25. day of March a Parliament began at the Towne of Leicester where the Duke of Bedford openly rebuked the Lords in generall because that they in the time of warre through their privy malice and inward grudges had almost moved the people to warre and commotion in which time all men ought or should be of one minde heart and consent requiring them to defend serve and to dread their soveraigne Lord King Henry in performing his conquest in France which was in manner brought to conclusion In this Parliament the Duke of Glocester laid certaine Articles to the Bishop of Winchesters charge First Whereas hee being Protector and Defendor of this Land desired the Tower to be opened to him therein Richard VVoodvile Esquire having at that time the charge of the keeping of the Tower refused his desire and kept the same Tower against him●

the Gospell whom they burnt and put to death the story of whose persecutions he that list may reade in Master Fox his Act● and Monuments Edit ult vol. 2. p. 605. to 626. to which I shall referre the Reader And thus much briefely touching the disloyall seditio●s and Schismaticall acts of the Scottish Prelates I now proceed to those of Ireland in whom I shall be briefe The Irish Bishops IN the yeare of Grace 1197. Hamo de Wa●is with the other Gardians of Ireland and Earle Iohns men offered some injury to Iohn Cumin Arch-bishop of Dublin whereupon the Archbishop willing rather to be banished then to suffer such great injuries to himselfe and his Church to goe unpunished excommunicated the foresayd presumers and passed a sentence of interdict against his Arch-bishopricke and departed commanding the Crosses and images of the Cathed●all Church to bee taken downe and hedged about with thornes that so those malefactors might be terrified and recalled from their will of preying upon the goods of the Church But they still persisting in their maligne purpose there happened a miracle not hea●d of in our times There was a Crucifix in the Cathedrall Church of Dublin wherein the image of Christ was more exactly carved than in all others in Ireland or elsewhere which they had in most veneration This Image being layd prostrate on the ground and hedged about with thornes on the sixt weeke fell into a trance and his face I doubt if true by the Arch-bishops or Priests Legerdemaine appeared overspread with a vehement rednesse as if it had beene in a fiery furnace and a great sweate issued out of its face and little drops fell down from its eyes as if it wept and on the sixth houre of that day blood and water issued out of its left side and on the right side of its brest which the ministers of that Church diligently gathering up sent an Ambassie after their Arch-bishop Iohn C●min commanding him to certifie the Pope the event hereof under the Testimony and Seales of venerable men Yet the other Bishops of Ireland albeit they had often read En tua res agitur paries cum proximus arde● notwithstanding passed by the dammages and injuries which the servants of Iohn Earle of Morton had done to their fellow Bishop with closed eyes and become like rammes not having hornes they retired from the face of the pursuer But Iohn Bishop of Dublin being in Exile came to Richard the first King of England and Iohn Earle of Morton his brother but could have no justice nor restitution of the things taken from him It seemes his cause therefore was not good After which hee continued long in England leaving both his Chur●h and Diocesse still under interdiction and the others under the sentence of Excommunication O what impiety and malice is there in Prelates who for a meere supposed injury from one or two will interdict an whole Kingdome or Dioces●e and wil rob God of his publicke service as they account it and me●s soules of all spirituall food and exercises of Religion to wrecke their malice upon an enemie or two But this hath beene their common Atheisticall practise God and men m●st suffer in the highest degree rather than they lose their wills or the smallest punctilio of their usurped Antichristian honour Anno. 1212. this Arch-bishop dying Henry Condies succeeded him who was called Scorch Villeyn by occasion of a certaine treacherous act of his for one day calling his Tenants before him to answere by what tenure they held of him those Tenants shewing him their Deedes and Charters he commanded their Deedes and Charters to be burned of purpose to disinherit them of their rights for which most unjust act the Freeholders ever called him Henry Scorch-Villein he was Justice of Ireland and built Dublin Castle bu● of his preaching to build men up in grace I finde not one syllable Anno 1313. Fryer Roland Ioce Primate of Armach arrived at the Isle of Houth the morrow after the Annunciation of the ble●sed Virgin Mary and rising in the night by stealth tooke up his Crosier and advanced it as ●arre as the Priory of G●ace Dieu whom there encountred certaine of the Arch bishop of Dublins servants Iohn Leekes was then Arch-bishop of this See debasing and putting downe that Crosier and the Primate himselfe o● Armach they chased with disgrace and confusion out of Lem●ter Anno. 1324. Alexander de Bickner Arch-bishop of Dublin being in England joyned with th● Arch-bishops and Bishops of England in rescuing Adam de Arlton Bishop of Hereford even when he was openly arraigned for high Treason against King Edward the second at the Parliament barre the highest affront that ever I read offered to publicke Justice the story whereof is formerly recited at large p. 54.55 Anno● 1326. he sided with the Queene and other Prelates against King Edward the second his Soveraigne to his deposall and destruction in which he was very active Anno. 1331. on the vigill of Saint Marke the Evangelist the O-Tothely came to Tavelagh and robbed this Alexander Arch-bishop of Dublin tooke away three hundred sheepe and slew Bichard White and other men of his company the retinue of the Lord Archbishop of Dublin were by a traine or ambush slaine by David O-Tothill in Culiagh Anno. 1337. whiles Iohn Charlton was Lord Justice and held a Parliament at Dublin Doctor David O-Hirraghey Arch-bishop of Armach being called to the Parliament made his provision for house-keeping in the Monastery of Saint Mary neere unto Dublin but because he would have had his Crosier carried before him he was impeached by Alexander Arch-bishop of Dublin and his Clerkes and permit him they would not Anno. 1379. The Arch-bishop of Cassel● in Ireland came from Rome sent thither for certaine urgent causes bringing backe with him a great power of binding and loosing from the Pope when he came to London preaching to the People he denounced the King of Franc● and as many as adhered to the Anti-Pope to be involved in the sentence of Excommunication affirming that even now it would be an acceptable time to England as well in the cause of the King of England as of the Pope to invade the Kingdome of France especially since it was probable that a King Excommunicated would not have any confidence of resisting Thus this Messenger of Peace proves a publicke Herald to proclaime warre The King of France on the other side makes Proclamation through all his Kingdome that none should obey Pope Vrban and if any did ●ee should be beheaded and all his goods should be confiscated to the Kings use after which the confederates of Pope Clement and Vrban meeting in the field above 5000. were slaine on Clements part in one battle with Bernard Decksale their Generall and many more afterwards Anno. 1420. there was a Parliament held at Dublin at which time Richard O-Hedian Bishop of

Cassell was accused by Iohn Gese Bishop of Lismore and Waterford upon 30. Articles layd to his charge After all that he charged him that he made very much of the Irish and loved none of the English that he bestowed no benefice upon any English man and gave order likewise unto other Bishops that they should not conferre the least living tha● was ●pon them That he counterfeited the King of Englands seale and the Kings Letters Patents that he went about to make himselfe king of Mounster also that he tooke a Ring away from the Image of Saint Patricke which the Earle of Desmund had offered and bestowed it upon an Harlot of his beside many other enormities which he exhibited in writing And the Lords and Commons were much troubled betweene these twaine Now in the same Parliament there was debate betweene Adam Pay Bishop of Clon and another Prelate ●or that he sayd Adam went about to unite the others Church unto his but the other would not and so they were ●ent and referred unto the Court of Rome and this Parliament lasted 18. dayes Anno● 1532. Iohn Allen Arch-bishop of Dublin Chaplaine to Cardinal Wolsie and his Creature put the Earle of Kildare to great trouble wrongfully to take away his life and that out of affection to his Lord and Master the Cardinall This Arch-bishop Anno. 22. H. 8● was specially and by name excepted out of the Kings generall pardon of the Premunire and other offences granted to all the Clergie that yeare as appeares by the Act it sel●e 22. H. 8. c. 15. No doubt it was because the King tooke speciall notice of some great injuries and mis-demeanors by him committed which he meant to question him for After this meaning to sayle into England Anno. 1534. and that secretly lurking● as Tartajus Thomas Fitzgerald and others apprehended and haled him out of his Bed brought him naked in his ●hirt bare footed and bare headed to their Captaine whom when the Archbishop espied incontinently hee kneeled and with a pitifull countenance and lamentable voyce he besought him for the love of God not to remember former injuries but to weigh his present calamity and what malice so ever he bare his person yet to respect his calling and vocation in that his enemy was a Christian and he among Christians an Arch-bishop As he spake thus bequeathing his soule to God his body to his enemies merc● Thomas Stibon without compassion and withall inflamed wi●h desire of revenge turned his horse aside saying in Irish Away with the Churle meaning the Arch-bishop should be detained as Prisoner● But the Caitifes present mis●onstring his words murthered the Arch-bishop without further delay brained and hackt him in gobbets his blood withall crying to God for revenge the place ever since hath beene hedged and imbarred on every side ungrowne and unfrequented for the de●estation of the fact rough and ●igorous Justice deadly hatred of the Giraldins for his Masters Wolsies sake and his owne as he had much crossed and bridled them in their governments promoted their accusations and forged a Letter against them to their prejudice and danger as was likely was the cause of his ruine Anno. 1567. Marice a runne gate Priest going to Rome was consecrated Arch-bishop of Cashell by the Pope arriving in Ireland he made challenge to the same See which being denyed to him by the Arch-bishop placed there by the Queene the sayd supposed Bishop sudainely with an Irish scaine wounded the Bishop and put him in danger of his life Anno● 1579. The Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland upon suspition of Treason committed the Chauncellor of Liviricke to Prison for which he was indicted and found guilty and the Bishop likewise upon the same su●pition was committed Prisoner to his owne hou●e Anno. 1600. The Rebells of Mounster by their Agents a certaine Spaniard elect Arch-bishop of Dublin the Bishop of Clonfort the Bishop of Killaloe and Archer a Jesuite had obtained at leng●h with praying intreating and earnest beseeching at the King of Spaines hands that succour should be sent into Mounster to the Rebels under the conduct of Don Iohn D' Aquila upon assured hope conceived that all Mounster would shortly revolt and the titular Earle of Desmond and Floren● Mac-Carti joyne great aydes unto them but Sir George Carew the Lord President of Mounster had providently before intercepted them and sent them over into England Whereupon D' Aquila arrived at Kinsale in Mounster with two thousand Spaniards old Souldiers and certaine Irish Fugitives the last day of October and straight wayes having published a writing wherein he gloriously stiled himselfe with this Title Master Generall and Captaine of the Catholike King in the warre of God for holding and keeping the faith in Ireland endeavoureth to make the world beleeve that Queene Elizabeth by the definitive sentences of the Pope was deprived of her Kingdomes and her Subjects absolved and freed from their Oath of Allegiance and that he and his men were come to deliver them out of the Devills clawes and the English tyranny And verily with th● goodly pretence he drew a number of lewd and wicked persons to band and side with him through these Prelates meanes I have now given a short account of some of ●he Irish Prelates disloyall and seditious Actions in ●ormer ages which I shall close up with the accusations and proceedings against some of them within the limits of this last yeare On the fourth of March last the whole house of Commons in Ireland sent up these Articles of High Treason against Iohn Bramham Bishop of Derry and others to the Upper House of Parliament there which I finde Printed with Captaine Aud●ey Mermin his speech who presented them at the time of their transmission Articles of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the Parliament Assembled against Sir Richard Bolton Knight Lord Chancellour of Ireland Iohn Lord Bishop of Derry and Sir Gerard Lowther Knight Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas and Sir George Ratcliffe Knight in maintenance of the accusation whereby they and every of them stand charged with High Treason FIrst that they the sayd Iohn Lord Bishop of Derry c. intending the destruction of the Common-wealth of this Realme have trayterously confederated and conspired together to subvert the fundamentall Laws and government of this Kingdome and in pursuance thereof they and every of them have trayterously contrived introduced and exercised an arbitrary and tyrannicall government against Law throughout this Kingdome by the countenance and assistance of T●omas Earle of Strafford then chiefe Governour of this Kingdome That they and every of them the sayd Iohn Lord Bishop of Derry c. have trayterously assumed to themselves and every of them regall power over the goods persons Lands and liberties of his Majesties subjects of this Realme and likewise have maliciously perfidiously and trayterously given declared pronounced and published many false unjust and erronious opinions Judgements Sen●ences and Decrees in extra

Royalties in their Ecclesiasticall Courts Hee thereupon sent forth Writs to restraine them to this effect Rex Archiepiscopis c. The King to the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots Priors Deanes Arch-Deacons Chancellours Praecentors Provosts Sacrists Prebends in Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches and to all other Ecclesiasticall Persons constituted in what-ever Dignity or Office as also to publike Notaries and all others greeting It behoveth us so much the more carefully to doe our endeavour and more solici●ously to extend our hand to our Royall Prerogatives lest they ●hould utterly perish or by the undue Usurpations of any be in some ●ort substracted by maintaining them as farre as we lawfully may by reducing them to their due state● if any of them have beene substracted and seized on as likewise by bridling the impugners o● our said Royall Jurisdictions and by punishing them as it is meet according to their demerits And so much the rather by how much we are knowne to be obliged to doe it by the Bond of an Oath and behold more men from day to day to impugne the same Rights to their utmost power whereas we have recovered in our Court before us by consideration of the said Cour● our Collation to the Prebend of S. in the Church of Saint Peters in Yorke c. And now we have understood that certaine men endeavouring with all th●●r might to impugne our Royall Right and for●sai● Judgement as likewise our Collation made to our said Clerke have made and procured to be made certaine Provocations Appeale● Indictions Inhibitions c. by the which if they should proceed our Royall Right and foresaid Judgement and the effect of our Collation should be annulled which might many wayes generate prejudice and exheredation to us and our Crowne We desiring by all meanes we may to preven● such prejudice and exheredation and to restraine the unlawfull endeavours of all the impugners of the Rights of our Crowne strictly prohibite you and every of you that you doe not by pretext of any Commission made or hereafter to be made to you or any of you presume by any Authority without our advice to attempt or by others in any so●● cause to be attempted any thing which may tend to the derogation of our Royall Right or annulling of the ●oresaid Judgement rightly given or the weakening of our said Collation knowing that if you shall doe otherwise we will proceed to apprehend you in a grievous manner Tanquam violatores Iuris nostri Regii as violaters of our Royall Right By these Writs the Usurpations of this Arch Prelate and the Bishops on the Kings Royall Prerogative and Courts of Justice were somewhat restrained otherwise they had in time made themselves absolute Kings and the Kings of England meere Cyphers and onely executioners of their Papall pleasures Robert Winchelsie his Successour exceedingly opposed his Soveraigne King Edward the first Who having spent an infinite summe of Money in the Warres of Scotland summon●d a Parliament at Barwicke wherein when the Temporalty contributed liberally toward the charge of that Warre the Clergy alledging the Canon of the late Councell of Lyons wherein it was decreed That no Clergie-man should pay any Ayde or Subsidie to any Temporall Magistrate without the Popes licence which Canon the Arch-Bishop alledged against the Subsidie granted by the Clergy two yeares before in his absence causing them then to set it downe for a Canon afterwards to be kept inviolably refused to grant the King a Subsidy without the Popes consent and would then give no Subsidy nor supply at all to the King though at the same time they readily granted three Subsidies to the Pope towards his Warres against the French The King would not take this for payment and therefore presently tooke order That all Barnes of these undutifull rebellious Clergy-men should be locked up and by Proclamation put all the Clergy from out of his protection so that hereafter it should be lawfull for any man to sue them for any Cause but they might not commence Suite against any man holding a Parliament with his Temporall Lords and Commons onely and shutting the Bishops and Clergy out of the Parliament house This constrained some of the Clergy after much contest though animated and sollicited by the Arch-Bishop still to resist to submit to the King at last and to be content to grant him such a proportion of their goods though it were the fifth part of their Revenues as he should like of onely the Arch-Bishop the Head of this ●action continued obstinate making no other answer to the King but this Under God our universall Lord we have two other Lords a Spirituall Lord the Pope and a Temporall Lord the King and though wee be to obey both yet rather the Spirituall Lord then the Temporall When therefore he saw all the rest inclining to yeeld using no other words then this Salvet unusquisque animam suam Let every man save his owne Soule as if Rebellion against his Prince were the only meanes to save his soule and pronouncing all those excommunicated that contributed any thing to the King he rose up and suddenly departed out of the Convocation House The King for this his contumacy seized all his Lands and commanded all such Debts of his as were found in the Rolls of the Exchequer to be le●ed with all speed on his Goods and Cattell which he seized into his hands and made shew of great displeasure Notwithstanding shortly after being to make Warre with the French King in France hee thought good before his departure to receive this Arch-Rebell to favour againe who had caused the King to be cited up to the Court of Rome and there suspended But this grace endured not long for presently upon his returne the King laid divers high Treasons to his charge as That he had dehorted his Subjects in his absence from paying their Sub●idies That he went about to trouble the quiet state of the Realme and to defend and succour Rebellious persons That he had conspired with divers of his Nobility to deprive him of his Kingdome though the best Prince that ever England had before to commit him to perpetuall Prison and to Crowne his Sonne Edwa●d King in his stead and that he was the Ring-leader and Authour of this Conspiracy The Arch-Bishop no● able to deny these Treasons and being suspended from his Office by the Pope till he should purge himselfe of these things he fell downe on the ground at the Kings feete craving pardon of his heynous offences with teares and howling calling the King then his Lord which he never did before neither with his month nor in his Letters Thus this proud Prelate ex●crable both to God and man who had twice a little before prohibited the King in the Popes name to make Warre with the rebellious and treacherous Scots his Enemies who had invaded his Kingdome in his absence because the Pope had taken them into his protection who had

at Gloster for want of sufficient forces departed thence sorely grieved to Winchester abandoning those other parts as it were to waste and ruine It therefore seemes that hee was not growne stronger or richer by the displacing of Hubert Earle of Kent and the rest and by taking new into their roomes who commonly bite and sucke hard till they have glutted themselves if at least-wise there bee any satietie in Avarice whereas the old and ancient Officers having provided in a manner for the maine chance have the lesse reason to be grievous Therefore the Lyons skinne not being large enough for the Bishop of VVinchester and his factious purposes they peece them out with the Foxes case an inevitable stratageme is devised The Earle Marshall had in Ireland all the ample Patrimonies of his Grandfather the famous Strongbow To make that member of his strengths improfitable if not also pernicious they devise certaine Letters directed to Maurice Fitz-Gerald Deputy Justice of Ireland and other principall men who held of the Earle In them they signifie that Richard once marshall to the King of EngIand was for manifest Treason by the judgement of the Kings Court banished the Realme his Lands Townes and Tenements consumed by fire other his Hereditaments destroyed and himselfe for ever disinherited that if upon his comming thither they did take him either alive or dead the King did give them all the Earles Lands there which now were forfeited by vertue of his attainture and for assurance that the sayd gift should continue firme and good they by whose advise the King and Kingdome were governed faithfully undertooke To these letters which the Monkes call bloody they caused the King to set his Seale as they themselves also did theirs Vpon receipt of which lines the parties signifie backe under the Seale of secresie that if the contents of those letters were confirmed by the Kings Letters Patents they would performe that which they desired The Letters Patents be made accordingly and having fraudulently gotten the great Seale from Hugh Bishop of Chichester Lord Chancellor who knew not thereof they make them authenticke with the impression The Kings minde therefore being still exulterated towards the Earle Marshall he grievously charged Alexander Bishop of Chester that hee had too much familiarity with the Earle affirming that they sought to thrust him from his Throne the Bishop to cleare himselfe from so haynos a s●andall put on his Episcopall habit and solemnely pronounceth all those accurst who did but imagine a wickednesse of so foule a nature against the Majestie or person of the King and thereupon by the intercession of other Prelates he was received into grace The King was then at Westminster where Edmond the Archbishop of Canterbury elect with other his Suffragan Bishops bewayling the estate of the Kingdome present themselves before him telling him as his loyall leigemen that the counsell of Peter Bishop of VVinchester and his complices which now he had and used was not sound nor safe but cruell and perillous to himselfe and his Realme First for that they hated and despised the English calling them Traytors turning the Kings heart from the love of his people and the hearts of the people from him as in the Earle Marshall whom being one of the worthiest men of the Land by sowing false tales they drave into discontentment 2. That by the councell of the same Peter his father King Iohn first lost the hearts of his people then Normandy then other lands and finally wasted all his Treasures and almost England it selfe and never after had quiet 3. That if the Subjects had now beene handled according to Justice and Law and not by their ungodly councells those present troubles had not hapned but the Kings lands had remained undestroyed his treasures unexhausted 4. That the Kings Councell is not the Councell of peace but of perturbation because they who cannot rise by peace will rayse themselves by the trouble and disinherison of others 5. That they had the treasure Castles Wardships and strengths of the Kingdome in their hands which they insolently abused to the great hazard of the whole estate for that they made no conscience of an Oath● Law Justice or the Churches Censures Therefore we O King said they speake these things faithfully unto you and in the presence both of God and man doe counsell beseech and admonish yo● to remove such a Councell from about you and as it is the usage in ot●er Realmes governe yours by the faithfull and sworne Children thereof The King in briefe answered hereunto that he could not sodainely put off his Councell and therefore prayed a short respite till their accomps were audited Meane while the behahaviours of the Marshalline faction having this backing at Court grew more and more intollerable for while the King was at Huntingdon the Lord Gilbert Basset and others set fire upon Alckmundbury a Towne belonging to Stephen de Segrave the flames whereof were seene of the Owner being then with the King at Huntingdon they also tooke Prisoners upon the Welch Marches and according to the Law of warre which saith one is lawlesse did put them to their ransomes Nothing had hitherto preserved the King more than that he could without great griefe forgoe any Favorites if hee were meerely pressed the contrary quality whereof hath beene the cause of finall desolation to so many Princes for albeit the choyce of Counsellours ought to be free yet by common intendment they should be good or howsoever they are or are not it is madnesse to hazard a Crowne or lose the love of a whole Nation rather than to relinquish or diminish a particular dependant the rights of amity ought neverthelesse to remaine inviolable but in such distance that the publike be not perverted or interverted for a private The King therefore in this point not unfortunate commanded Bishop Peter to betake himselfe to his residence at VVinton without once medling in affaires of State but against Rivalis his Treasurer he was so vehement that he sware hee would plucke out his eyes were it not for reverence of holy Orders commanding also the Proictouines to depart the Realme never to see his face Then are the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Bishops of Chester and Rochester sent into VValls to pacifie things there but the Earle Marshall had now crost the Seas into Ireland to take revenge for the spoyles and displeasures which his hired enemies had made in his Lands there by whose plots according to that secret agreement he was finally taken and died of a wound given him in the backe as he with admirable manhood defended himselfe The Archbishop of Canterbury with the other Bishops repaired to the King at Glocester upon their returne from Leoline Prince of VVales who pretended he could not conclude till the King had received into grace such of the banished Nobility with whom himselfe had beene confederate during the late displeasures The

King hereupon moved with pitty sends forth his Proclamations That all such as were out-lawed or proscribed should be at Glocester upon a certaine day there to be received into the Kings favour againe and to have restitution of their inheritances● but least they might suspect any evill measure it was ordered that they should be in the Churches protection and come under the safe conduct of the Archbishop and the other Prelates● Thither at the time and place limitted doth Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent and lately chiefe Justicier of England repaire upon whom by mediation of the Bishop the compassionate King lookes graciously receiving him in his armes● with the kisse of peace In like sort was the Lord Gilbert Basset and all others of that fellowship received into favour their severall livings and rights fully restored and both Hubert and Basset admitted to be of his Councell Vpon this reconcilement the practise by which the late great Marshall was destroyed and his possessions dismembred came to light the coppy of the Letters which had beene sent into Ireland being by commandement of the Archbishop of Canterbury openly read in the presence of the King the Prelates Earles and Barons It moved teares in all of them the King with an Oath affirming that he knew not the Contents of the said Letters though by the urging of the Bishop of Winchester Rivallis Segrave Passeletu with other of his Councell hee had caused his Seale to be put unto them At the sound of Summons to make their severall appearances the Malefactors take Sanctuary the Bishop and Peter de Rivallis in Winchester Church Segrave in Leicester Abby Passeleiu in the new Temple and others otherwhere And some write that the King commanded Winchester utterly to depart the Court and to repaire to his Bishopricke and there to give himselfe intirely to the cure of soules If such a precept were now given by his Majesty to all our Court Prelates it would be but just In the end upon the intercession of Edraond Archbishop of Canterbury who piously endeavoured to extinguish all occasions of further dissention in the Kingdome and undertooke they should have a lawfull triall the delinquents appeared at Westminster before the King who sate in person with his Justiciers upon the Bench Peter de Rivallis was first called for the Bishop came not whom the King shot through with an angry eye saying O thou Traytor by thy wicked advise I was drawne to set my Seale to these treacherous Letters for the destruction of the Earle Marshall the contents whereof were to me unknowne and by thine and such like councell I banished my naturall Subjects and turned their rainds and hearts from me By thy bad councell and thy complices I was moved to make warre upon them to my irreparable losse and the dishonour of ray Realme In which enterprize I wasted my treasure and lost many worthy persons together with much of my royall respect therefore I exact of thee an account as well of my treasure as of the custodies of wards together with many other profits and escheats belonging to my Crowne Peter denying none of the accusations but falling to the ground thus besought him My Soveraigne Lord and King I have beene nourished by you and made rich in worldly substance confound not you owne creature but at least wise grant me a time of deliberation that I may render a competent reason for such poynts as I am charged with Thou shalt said the King be carried to the Tower of London there to deliberate till I am satisfied he was so Step●en de Segrave the Lord chiefe Justice whom the King also called most wicked Traytor had time till Michaelmas to make his accounts at the Archbishops and other Bishops humble intreaty and for other matters hee shifted them of from himselfe by laying the blame upon such as were higher in place than he into whose office of chiefe Justice Hugh de Pateshull is advanced The like evasion Robert Passeleu had● by leaving the fault upon Walter Bishop of Carleil who was above him in the Exchequer And thus were these civill enormities reformed not without reducing store of coyne to the King this Bishop of VVinchester being the chiefe Author of all these warres and mischiefes which thus molested King State and People at that time Anno. 1238. Otho the Popes Legate lodging at Osnie Abby some of his servants abusing the Schollers of Oxford that came thither to see him they thereupon falling together by the eares slew the Legates Cooke and hurt other of his servants reviling the Legate and stiling him a wicked wretch a Robber of England the gulfe of Roman avarice c. Hereupon the Legate fled up into the Towne for feare and sent to the King to Abindon to rescue him the next day he publikely excommunicated all who had assaulted him depriving them both from their office and benefice and pronouncing them irregular interdicted all the Churches in Oxford and suspended the Schollers from studying there the which Sentence was by this Bishop of VVinchester solemnely denounced and executed before all the Clergy and people assembled together for that purpose at S. Frideswids in Oxford and so all that Summer the Schollers were dissipated their study at Oxford was suspended At length the Abbot and Canons of Osnie and regent Masters of Oxford comming bare foote to the Legate with their heads uncovered and their upper garments put off and rent oft times humbly craved pardon of him● and so at last going through the midst of the Citty of London to the Bishop of Durhams house they with much adoe obtained pardon whereupon the Schollers were restored to their Study at Oxford and released from their said sentences An. 1246. The Pope writ to William Bishop of VVinchester and the Bishop of Lincolne that they should levy 6000. markes of the Cleargy to his use They thereupon began to execute this mandate of the Pope but are prohibited by the King to proceede under paine of proscription The Cleargy now interposed betweene the King Pope and terrified with both their threats● were uncertaine what to doe but perceiving the Kings inconstancy and fearing least his courage failing he should at last as he often had done before yeeld to the Pope● many of them paying their money secretly avoided both the Kings and Popes indignation To prevent these exactions messengers were sent to the Pope from the King Peeres Prelates and Commons of England these the Pope reviles and repels as Schismaticks saying The King of England who now turnes his heeles against me and Frederizeth hath his Councell but I have mine With which scornefull words the King was so moved that he proclaimed through England That no man should pay any thing to the Pope But the Pope growing more angry hereat threatned the Prelates with all kinde of punishment that they should pay the foresaid summe to his Nuncio in the new Temple very spedily The King terrified with the

reddy to submit himselfe to any order of Law whereby hee might cleere himselfe herewith they seemed to be satisfied and appointed to meete and conferre of the matter at a place called Goats-head The Bishop for his better safety betooke himselfe to the Church with his company at which time all the people of the province came to demand justice from the Bishop for some wrongs done them The Bishop answered them over roughly that he would doe them justice for no injury or complaint unlesse they would first give him 400l. of good mony Whereupon one of them in the name of all the rest desired leave of the Bishops that hee might conferre with the rest about this exaction that so they might give him an advised answer which granted the people consulted together without the Church concerning this businesse in meane time divers messages passed betweene the friends of Leulfus and the Bishop about this murther but the more the matter was debated being very odious in it selfe the more his friends and the people too were incensed at last it was told them that the Bishop had harboured Leofwyn and Gilbert too in his house and afforded them countenance since this murther which being once heard and ●ound true they all cryed out it was manifest that the Bishop was the Author of this fact While the company stood in a mummering doubting what to doe both concerning this money and murther too one of some speciall regard among them stepped up and used these words Short read good read slay the Bishop Hereupon without more adoe they ●anall unto the Church killed as many of the Bishops retinue as they found without doores and with horrible noyse and outcryes bid him and his company come out unto them The Bishop to make the best of a bad match and to rid himselfe from danger perswaded his kinsman Gilber● there present to goe out unto them if happily his death which he well deserved might satisfie their fury and purchase their safety Gilbert was content and issuing our with divers of the Bishops company were all slaine except two Englishmen servants to the Bishop the rest being Normans They not yet pacified the Bishop besought Leofwyn whose li●e hee knew was principally sought to goe out likewise but he utterly re●used The Bishop therefore going to the Church dore himselfe intrea●ed them not to take his life from him protesting himselfe altogethe● innocent of Leulfus his blood shewing them at large how inconvenient it would be to themselves and the whole Country to shed his blood an unarmed Priest and sacred consecrate Bishop their Ruler Governour Magistrate Lastly hoping that his very countenance gravity age white comely head and beard and the Majes●y of his person might something move them to compassion hee went out among them carrying a green branch in his hands to testifie his desire of peace when hee saw all this availed not the people running furiously upon him hee cast his gowne over his owne head and committing him selfe to their fury with innumerable wounds was pittifully massacred together with all his retinue to the number of one hundred persons only Leofwyn yet r●mained in the C●urch and being often called would not come forth So they set the Church on fire hee not enduring the fire leapt out at a window and was immediately hewne in a thousand pieces This barbarous slaughter was committed May the 4. 1080. as some Historians or 1075. as others record The King hearing of this tumult sent his brother Odo Bishop of Bayon with many of his Nobles and a great army to take punishment of this murther which while they sought to revenge they brought the whole Country to desolation those that were guilty prevented the danger by ●light so as few of them were apprehe●ded of the rest that stayd at h●me some we●e unjustly executed and the rest compelled to ransome themselves to their utter impoverishing and undoing This was the life and death of the first Lord Bishop of this See who joyned both the temporall and spirituall Ju●isdiction and honour together in his owne person being both a Bishop and an Earle Anno 1074. during this Bishops domination Plu●es Episcopi Abbates many Bishops and Abbots with 3. Earles and many Souldiers conspired toge●her at No●wich to thrust the Conquerour ou● of his Kingdome sending messages ●o ●he King of Denmarke for aide and confederating themselves with the Welchmen whereupon ●hey burnt and spoyled many townes and villages belonging to the Conquerour but at last they were defeated by him some of them being banished the Realme others hanged others deprived of their eyes Who these Bishops were in particular that joyned in this conspiracy and rebellion is not expressed but they were many in number whether this Bishop might not be one of the company I know not William Kairlipho Abbo● of Saint Vincent his next successour who got so farre into the favour of King William Rufus that he made him his houshold Chaplaine and one of his Privie Councell and did what hee list under him in the yeare of our Lord 1088. joyned himselfe with Odo Bishop of Bayon and Ea●le of Kent Geffry Bishop of Constantia and other great men in a rebellious conspiracy against King William who much favoured and trusted him to deprive him of his Crowne as an effemina●e per●on both in mind and countenance and of a fearefull heart who would do all things rashly both against right and justice which revolt and treachery of his the King tooke very grievously Whereupon they take up armes against the King wasting the Country in sundry parts intending to set up his Brother Robert in his place as King giving out divers words and sending abroad many Letters to incite men to take armes for this purpose The bishop of Durham held out Durham by strong hand against the King who comming thither in person with his army besieged it so as the Bishop was at length forced to surrender the City and yeeld himselfe● whereupo● hee was exiled the Land with divers of his complices and for his former pre●●nded friendship to the King was suffered to goe Scotfree though worthy a thousand quarterings upon ●hi● he presently passed over Sea into Normandy there he continued neere three yeares in a voluntary exile untill Sept●mber 11. 1190. at what time the King comming to Durham received him into his ●ull favour and restored him to his former dignities After which hee sided with the Kin● against Anselme to thrust him out of his Bishopricke that himselfe might succeed him b●t hee failed in that projec● Falling againe into the Kings displeasure he was summoned to appeare before him at Glocester by a certaine day before which tim● hee fell sicke of griefe as was ●hought when he appeared not and it was told the King he● was sicke he swore by S. Lukes face which was his usuall Oath he lied and did but counterfeit and hee would ●ave him fetcht with a vengeance But it appeares his excuse

of the holy Land and we impart to thee the suffrages of the prayers and benefits of the Synod of the Vniversall Church and of the holy Catholike Church By these recited Letters and Absolutions you may clearely discerne 1. The extraordinary insatiable malice uncharitablenesse cruelty rage of Popes and Lordly Prelates against their opposites 2. Their earnest desire and promotion of bloody warres by all manner of instigations and enforcements 3. Their exorbitant incroachments and usurpations upon Emperors Kings Princes Subjects and all sorts of men who must be subject to their Censures Excommunications and Deprivations if they resist their wills and bloody designes 4. Their notable abuse of Excommunications and other Ecclesiasticall censures to avenge their owne meere personall wrongs● and execute their owne malicious designes 5. Their politicke inventions to raise moneyes and men to maintaine their warres 6. The impiety and strange abuse of their pretended indulgences wherewith they grossely cheate poore silly people 7. The industry of this Martiall Prelate of Norwi●h to promote this holy warre as he termed it onely in maintenance of Pope Vrbans inurbanity This Bull and large Commission of the Pope to the Bishop● was many dayes debated in Parliament and so his Voyage During which time the Bishops foresaid Letters Popes Bull being published throughout the Realme the silly people hearing the sweetnesse of so great a benediction to have arrived to the English would neither reject nor receive in vain so great grace but inflamed with the heat of devotion and faith those who thought themselves fit for warre prepared themselves with all speede and those who seemed unable for the Expedition according to the councell of their Confessors liberally contributed out of their goods towards the use of those who wentt ●●t they might deserve to be partakers of so great remission and indulgence And the hearts of all men were so generally inflamed with devotion that there was almost no man found in so great a Kingdome who did not either offer himselfe to the said businesse or contribute something towards it out of his estate So that in a short space divers great summes of money were brought to the Bishop out of many parts of the Kingdome and multitudes of souldiers resorted to him whereupon the Bishop takes his journey with part of his army towards the Sea-side and comes to Northborne in Kent where making some small stay he received the Kings writ commanding him to returne to speake with the King● and to know his pleasure The Bishop thinking that if he returned the King would command him to stay his Voyage and so all his paines and provision should be lost and himselfe exposed to derision gathering together those souldiers he had present by the helpe of Iohn Philpot transported both himselfe and them to Chalis from whence hee went and besieged Graveling where in a set battell he vanquished the Flemmins and Schismaticks and obtained a glorious victory slaying at least 12. thousand of them in the battle and flight The newes whereof comming over into England so affected the people moved with the hope of the prey they should gaine that many Apprentices in London and many servants tooke the Crosse upon them without their Masters consent and against their wills whose example others following throughout the Kingdome leaving their parents kind red and deare consorts being unarmed having onely swords bowes and arrowes went out to this war and many religious persons of all Orders who craved license to goe but could not obtaine it presumed to undertake that Voyage In magnum personarum suarum dedecus detrimentum quia non propter Iesnm tantum peregrinare decreverunt sed ut patriam mundumque viderent Iohn Philpot pro●●●●ng all these with necessaries transported them to the Bishop whose temporalties the King seised and detained many yeares in his hands for undertaking this warre and passing the sea with his subjects contrary to his inhibition A little before this warre this Martiall Prelate had occasion given him of imploying his valour at home to better purpose In the yeare 1381 the Commons of Suffolke and Norfolke made one Iohn Lister their Leader a Dyer of Norwich called the King of the Commons endeavouring to joyne their forces with those notable Rebells Wat ●yler and Iacke Straw The Bishop hereupon armed from top to toe marcheth with such forces as he could raise against these Rebells meeting with some of them at Ickingham hee presently laid hold of the three chiefe of them and without more adoe cut off their heads which hee caused to be set upon poles at Newmark●t Thence hee marched towards Norwich where he understood the Rebells had determined to make some stay By the way divers Gentlemen that had hid themselves● Videntes Episcopum militem induisse galeam assumps●sse raetalicam lor●cam duram quam non possent penetrare sagittae nec non gladium ma●ertalem ancipitem arr●puisse as Walsingham writes joyned with him so as by that time he came to Norwich hee had a reasonable company about him With that troope such as it was he set upon the Rebells who had fortified themselves with trenches and barracadoes very strongly having their carriages and wagons behinde them The Martiall Bishop without delay about to give them open battell moved with their audacity commands the Trumpets to blow and the Drummes to beate and taking a Lance in his right hand puts spurres to his horse and is carried with so great animosity and impetuous boldnesse against them that with a most speedy course hee pre-ocupies their trenches before his Archers could come up to him neither was there neede of Archers they being come to fight hand to hand The warlike Prelate therefore like a wilde Boore gnashing his teeth sparing neither himselfe nor his enemies where hee perceives most danger thither hee directs his strength running through this man casting downe that man wounding another and ceaseth not to hurt the enemy most vehemently untill all the troope which followed him● had gotten the Trench and were prepared to the conflict the Bishops party then fought valiantly and so did the Commons Donec infirmior conscientia partem terreret injustams animum ab audacia voluntate subtraheret moriendi Hereupon the fearefull vulgar betake themselves to flight and because they had no way left besides their Carts and Carriages which they had placed behinde them they strove to leape over them and so to escape But the Bishop exercising every where the Office of a circumspect Generall● dashed these endeavours and hindred those who thought to flee by killing them and in hindring slayes them till hee had taken their Ringleaders and Iohn Litcestere their King whom he caused to be drawne quartered and beheaded Which done this Bishop rested not untill having searched out the malefactors throughout the country he caused Justice to be executed on them Sicque pacem peperit regioni indicibile toto regno commodum laudanda probitas

namely Richard Hurrell Iohn Punchard and others some more some lesse for writing one Presentment to the grievous oppression of his Majesties poore subjects in his Diocesse XXIV Whereas by the Lawes of this Realme no tythes ought to be paid out of the rents of houses nor is there any custome or usage in the City of Norwich for such payment yet the said Bishop indeavoured to draw the Citizens and other inhabitants within the said City against their wills and consents to pay two shillings in the pound in liew of the tithes of houses within the severall Parishes of the said City unto the Ministers there of the said respective parishes And the better to effect this his unjust resolution he did by false and undue suggestions in the fourteenth yeare of his Majesties reigne that now is procure his Majestie to declare under his Highnesse great Seale of England his royall pleasure That if any person within the said City shall refuse to pay according to the said rat● of two shillings the pound unto the Minister of any Parish with in the said city That the same be heard in the Court of Chancery or in the Consistory of the Bishop of Norwich And that in such case no prohibition against the said Bishop of Norwich their Chancellors or Commissaries in the s●●d Courts of Consistory be g●anting the same upon ●ight of his Highnesse said Order shall forthwith grant a consultation to the Minister desiring the same with his reasonable costs and charges for the same which said Order and Decree under the great Seale of England tended to the violation of the Oathes of the Judges● and was devised contrived and made by the said Bishop And afterwards by his evill counsels and false surmises he did obtaine his Majesties royall consent thereunto and by colour of the order aforesaid and other the doings of the said Bishop the Citizens and inhabitants of Norwich aforesaid viz. Iohn Collar Judith Perkeford and others have beene inforced to pay the said two shillings in the pound in liew of tythes or else by suits and other undue meanes beene much molested and put to great charges and expences contrary to the Law and Justice XXV That he assumed to himselfe an arbitrary power to compell the respective parishioners in the said Diocesse to pay great and excessive wages to Parish Clarks● viz. the Parishioners of Yarmouth Congham Tostocke and others commanding his officers that if any parishioner did refuse to pay such wages they should certifie him their names and hee would set them into the High Commission Court for example of them And that one or two out of Ipswich might be taken for that purpose And the said Commons by Protestation saving to themselves the libertie● of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the said Matthew Wren late Bishop of Norwich and now Bishop of Ely and also of replying to the answer to the said Articles or any of them or of offering proofe of the premisses or any other impeachments or accusations that shall be exhibited by them as the case shall according to the course of Parlia●ents require doe pray that the said Matthew ●ren may be called to answer the said severall crimes and misde●eanours and receive such condigne punishment as the same shall deserve and that such further proceedings may be upon every of them had and used against him as is agreeable to Law and Justice Sir THOMAS WIDDRINGTONS SPEECH At a Conference betweene both Houses on Tuesday the 20● of Iuly 1641. At the transmission of the impeachment against Matthew Wren Doctor of Divinity late Bishop of Norwich and now Bishop of Ely My Lords I am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled for the Commons in Parliament to deliver to your Lordships these Articles against the Bishop of Ely May it please your Lordships first to heare them read MY Lords These Articles are dipped in those Colours in which this Bishop rendred himselfe to the Diocesse of Norwich they neede no Glosse nor Varnish In them you may behold the spirit and disposition of this Bishop heare the groanes and cries of the people see a shepheard scattering I had almost said devouring his owne flocke He that was desired to paint Hercules thought he had done enough when he had made a resemblance of the Lyons skin which he was wont to carry about him as a Trophee of his honour I will not say that in these you will finde a resemblance of the Lyons skin I am sure you will finde the resemblance of the skins that is to say the tottered and ruin'd fortunes of poore innocent Lambs who have extreamely suffered by the violence of this Bishop In the yeare 1635. this man was created Bishop of Norwich he is no sooner there but he marcheth furiously In the creation of the world light was one of th● first productions the first visible action of this Bishop after his creation into this See was to put out many burning and shining lights to suspend diverse able learned and conscientious Ministers● he that should have beene the Golden ●nuffer of these lights became the extinguisher and when these are taken away where shall poore men light their Candles My Lords this was not all He put out lights and sets up firebrands in their places suspends painfull Ministers and sets up idle factious and superstitious Priests to use their owne language in their places yet it is the fortune of these men at this time like Rivers in the Ocean to be buried the in extreme activity of their Diocesan He made a scourge not of small cords but of new Injunctions and numerous Articles tyed about with a strong twist of a most dangerous oath and with this he whips not out buyers and sellers but the faithfull dispensers of the word out of their Churches out of their estates out of their deere Country This Noah if I may so call him without offence assoone as he entred into the Arke of this Diocesse he sends nay forces Doves to fly out of this Arke and when they returne unto him with Olive branches in their mouthes of peaceable and humble submissions he will not receive them into this Arke againe unlesse like Ravens they would feed upon the Carrion of his new Inventions they must not have any footing there● he stands as a flaming sword to keepe such out of his Diocesse My Lords unlesse he had done this he could never have hoped to have brought that great worke he undoubtedly aymed at to any perfection Whilst the Palladium of Troy stood that Citie was impregnable The Greekes had no sooner stollen that away but they instantly won the Citie● So then he first put out the Candles then was the opportunity to shuffle in his workes of darknesse h● first bea●s off the Watchmen and seers then was likely to follow that which the impiety of some was pleased to stile the piety of the times This being done he then begins to dresse

for sundry great offences by them committed Whereupon Gawin Dowglasse Bishop of Dunkeld hearing of this Proclamation though not named in it conscious to himselfe of great offences fled into England and remained a● London in the Savoy where he dyed Anno 1569. There was a great rebellion in the North by the Earles of Westmorland and Northumberland and others Murray then Regent of Scotland informed Queene Elizabeth that the Bishop of Rosse then in England was the Authour of that Rebellion whereupon he was committed to the Bishop of London to remaine his Prisoner As the Archbishops of Canterbury Primates of all England have beene the greatest Traytors and Incendiaries of all other our Prelates so have the Bishops and Archbishops of Saint Andrewes Primates of all Scotland beene the like in that Realme of which I shall give you a taste In the yeare of our Lord 1180. Richard Bishop of Saint Andrews deceasing there arose a great Schisme about the election of a new Bishop for the canons of the Church of S. Andrews elected Iohn Scot for their Bishop and William King of Scots made choyce of Hugh his Chaplaine and caused him to be consecrated by the Bishops of his Kingdome notwithstanding the said Iohns appeale to the Pope Whereupon Pope Alexander sent Alexis a sub-Deacon of the Church of Rome into Scotland to heare and determine the controversie betweene these two competitors Who after a long debate finding that the said Iohn was Canonically elected and that Hugh after the appeale to the Pope was violently intruded by the King into the Bishopricke of Saint Andrewes immediately deposed him from his Bishopricke and by his authority imposed perpetuall silence on him confirmed the election of Iohn and caused him to be consecrated Bishop of Saint Andrewes by the Bishops of Scotland the King neither prohibiting nor contradicting it yea permitting it by the Counsell of the Bishops of his Realme But immediately after his consecration the King prohibited him to stay within his kingdome and Hugh carryed himselfe as Bishop no lesse than he did before his deprivation and taking with him the Episcopall Chaplet Staffe and Ring with other things he unlawfully detaining them and beginning his journey towards Rome departed And because he would not restore the things he carryed away Allexis excommunicated him interdicted his Bishopricke and the Pope confirmed that sentence Hereupon the Pope writes three Letters one to the Bishops Abbots and Prelates of all Scotland the Prior of Saint Andrewes and the Clergy and people of that Diocesse honourably to receive Iohn as their Bishop within 8 dayes after the receipt of this Letter and to submit unto him as their Bishop and putting on the spirit of fortitude to labour wisely and manfully for the preservation of Ecclesiasticall Justice and to endeavour to appease the Kings displeasure But if the King were averse or inclining to the Counsell of wicked men then they ought to obey God and the holy Church of Rome more than men otherwise he must and would ratifie the sentence which Hugh Bishop of Durham had pronounced against the contumacious and rebellious Another Letter to all the Bishops and Prelates of Scotland to denounce Hugh excommunicated and to avoyd his company as an excommunicate Person till he restored to Iohn the goods of the Church he had taken away and given him competent satisfaction for the things he had destroyed Moreover the Pope granted to Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke a power Legatine in Scotland and commanded him that he together wi●h Hugh Bishop of Durham should denounce a ●entence of excommunication against the King of Scotland and interdict his Kingdome unlesse he would permit the said Iohn to hold his Bishopricke in peace and give security to him to keepe the peace And the same Pope strictly commanded Iohn by vertue of his canonicall obedience that neither act of love nor feare o● any man nor through any mans suggestion or will he should rashly presume to relinquish the Church of Saint Andrewes to which he was consecrated and in which he was confirmed by Apostolicall authority nor presume to receive another Bishopricke adding that if he should attempt it he would take away both Bishopricks from him without exception After which Pope Alexander writ a Letter to King William himselfe enjoyning him thereby within twenty dayes after the receipt thereof to give peace and security to the Bishop and to receive him unto his favour so that he ought not to doubt the Kings indignation Alioquin noveritis c. Else he should know that he had commanded Roger Archbishop of Yorke Legate of the Apostolicke See in Scotland to put his Kingdome under interdict and to excommunicate his person notwithstanding any appeale And that he should know for certaine that if he persisted in his violence as he had formerly laboured that his kingdome might have liberty so he would thenceforth doe his endeavour Vt in pristinam subjectionem revertatur that it should revert unto its Priestine subjection He meant I take it not to himselfe but to England But the King obeying in nothing his Apostolicall mandates expelled Iohn Bishop of Saint Andrewes and Matthew Bishop of Aberden his Uncle o●t of his kingdome Whereupon Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke Hugh Bishop of Durham and Alexis prosecuting the Popes command Pronounced a Sentence of Excommunication against the Kings person and a sentence of Interdict against his Kingdome And Iohn on the other side fulminated a sentence of excommunication against Richard de M●rtue Constable of Scotland and other of the Kings familiars who disturbed the peace betweene the King and him And Roger of Yorke and Hugh of Durham likewise enjoyned the Prior of Saint Andrewes and all Ecclesiasticall persons within the Diocesse to come to Iohn their Bishop and yeeld due subjection to him else they would pronounce a sentence of suspention against them as contumacious and rebellious And when as certaine Ecclesiastickes of the Diocesse for feare of the said suspension came to the said Iohn the King cast them all out of his kingdome with their children and kindred and with their very sucking children yet lying in their swathing cloutes and hanging on their Mothers brests Whose miserable proscription and exile the foresaid Roger of Yorke and Hugh of Durham beholding Reiterated their former excommunication and interdiction Commanding all Bishops Abbots Priors and Ecclesiasticall persons firmely and unmoveably to observe the same and very warily to shunne the King himselfe as an excommunicate Person Not long after Roger of Yorke fell sicke and dyed which the King of Scot● hearing rejoyced exceedingly thereat And taking advise with the Bishops Earles and other wise men of his kingdome he sent Ioceline Bishop of Glascow Arnulfe Abbot of Melros and others to Pope Lucius to absolve him from the foresaid Excommunication and interdict and if they might by any meanes to procure Iohn to be deprived By whose solicitation the Pope released the Excommunication and interdict as appeares by his Letter