practised it towards one Gervase and hee sets downe the words of this Ordinance In another epistle he gives us to wit that our Kings have this priviledge not only for other men but for themselves too Kings saith hee shoâ—ld not bee exasperated by us but in case they will not rest quiet for all our admonitions they must be left to the divine judgement Hence it is that wee read in the Capitularie Royall concluded upon by the authoritie of the Bishops If the Royall power c. 11 Now this priviledge that they cannot bee excommunicated is no new thing Clement the fourth in one of his Decretals confirmes this privildge granted to the Kings Queens and their children that they cannot be excommunicate nor their lands interdicted Which Iohn Andreas extends to the brethren of Kings so they be children of Kings too but not to such as are only brethren and no more For example If saith he 〈◊〉 that is no Kings sonne should succeed in a Kingdome where such a proviso is made as suppose in the Kingdome of France at this present the Kings brethren shall not enjoy this priviledge But when according to the ordinarie custome the eldest succeeds in the Kingdome and hath brethren by the fathers side they enjoy this privildge forasmuch as they are children of the same head This instanceing in France shewes that our Kings are of the number of those that have this priviledge that they cannot bee excommunicated nor interdicted à quocunque as the Decrâ—tall hath it that is By any man whatsoever Which may be understood as well of the Pope himselfe as of others 'T is true the glosse excepts him as also his Legat à latere but that doth not take place against our Kings who by reason of their great deservings and good deeds to the Church are exempt from all such thunderclaps CHAP. IV. That the Councel useth commanding termes to Kings and Emperours and makes them executioners of the Bishops Decrees Of the honour which was anciently done unto them by Clergy men 1 OVr Councell is not content with clipping the rights authorities and prerogatives of Kingsâ— Princes and other Lords to enhanse that of Rome but further it tramples them under foot makes them but officers and ministers to Bishops by commanding them to execute what these ordaine The holy Councell say they doth further exhort all Kings Princes Common-wealths and Magistrates and by virtue of holy Obedience doth command them to interpose their aid and authoritie in behalfe of the said Bishops Abbats Generals and others which have the charge and superintendence for the putting of the said reformation in execution every time and as oft as they shall be thereunto required to the intent that they may without any impediment put in execution the things aforesaid to the glory of almighty God 2 Had there beene no more but a bare exhortation it had beene well enough but this command founds somewhat harsh however it be mitigated with the sweet appearance of a holy obedience for 't is well knowne in what fashion they serve themselves of these faire words This Mandamuâ— is extraordinary and was never vented but from the stomachs of ambitious Popes or their Conventicles Let a man but reade the Acts of ancient Councels Generall or Provinciall he shall finde nothing but humble petitions sweet exhortations prayers and blessings for as much as concernes Emperours Kings and Princes commands to them were not heard of then They are the men who alone have the fountain and arsenall in their owne hands both for things temporall and spirituall who impart them to whom they thinke good Ecclesiastiques have nothing to do but by way of petition they have neither command nor Empire unlesse they cozen the Monarchs of the earth of it they are Physicians of soules subject to secular powers having no weapons at all but censures and anathema's against such as are perverse and irregular This Mandamus therefore is injust both in regard of those which give it and those to whom it is given so it is too in regard of the subject and reason for which it was made in as much as by virtue hereof Princes and Monarchs must be bound to obey the Clergie of their Empires and Kingdomes and that even to the meanest of them They must be bound to assist them with a strong hand to put their ordinances in execution every time and as oft as they shall bee required thereunto and in case they faile herein there will not want thunderbolts to deprive them of their Empires and Dominions 3 In another Decree they sharply rebuke such Bishops as debase themselves too much to Kings and Princes and give place and submit to them in point of honour 'T is true they speake at first of pettie Kings and other Lords but the end of the Decree relates also to such as are of greater ranke where it is said by way of command to Bishops That as well within the Church as without having before their eyes their place and order they should ever remember that they are Fathers and Pastours And as for Princes and all others that they doe fatherly honour and due reverence to them 4 In the same Decree they renew and confirme all the former Decrees and Decretals which speake of the honour of Bishops and put them in course which are noted in the margent by the Popes expositors and amongst others the Epistle of Innocent the third writ to the Emperour of Constantinople whom some thinke to be Baldwin or his brother Henry who were Frenchmen towards the end whereof it is said If the Imperiall greatnesse would wisely consider these things it would not suffer the Patriarch of Constantinople who is in truth a great and honourable member of the Church to sit over against his footstoole and upon the left hand considering that other Kings and Princes doe with reverence stand up as they should doe before their Archbishops and Bishops and allow them a venerable place next after themselves Gregory the thirteenth in his new purgation of the Decretalls hath put this note upon it See here saith he the Councell of Trent in the twenty fift Session and seventeenth Chapter of reformation But let us here adde the rest of the places in the margent that wee may better know what honour this Councell would have Kings and Princes doe to Bishops 5 The Canon Valentinianus containes the resolution which the Emperour Valentinian made concerning the election of Saint Ambrose and the exhortation which he made to the Bishops then present when the question was concerning proceeding to the election Set such a one saith he in the Pontificall See as we that governe the Empire may sincerely put our heads under his hands and receive his admonitions inasmuch as we shall offend as men like medicines from a necessarie Physician See here words that beseeme a Christian Emperour indeed who gives Clergie men that reverence which is due unto them as
faculties as appeares by the passage which we have urged elsewhere speaking of the penitentiary taxes of the Church of Rome 19 This power was never more than imaginary in France for Legates were never permitted to exercise this faculty there as being contrary to the Lawes of the Land and indeed heark what the Collection of the liberties of the Gallican Church saith concerning this point The Pope cannot legitimate bastards and illegitimate persons so as to make them capable of succeeding or being succeeded by others nor to beare office and purchase temporall estates in this Kingdome 20 Many other abuses might be here alledged which are committed in these faculties as they call them that in particular which is so ordinary that it can never be forgotten To derogate from all Decrees of Councels and dispense with them or as others terme it to put a dorre or obstacle before the Councell and other Constitutions derogatory to them Of which abuse Gerson speakes thus It is not lawfull for the Pope to make so much adoe about these obstats which are ordain'd in Generall Councels Cardinall Cusan in his booke De Concordiâ Catholicâ makes a large Chapter of this But we should have enough to doe if we would seeke out all the abuses and usurpations of the Court of Rome CHAP. IX Of the Popes usurpation of Lordships and Kingdomes 1 THey have laboured hard to usurpe Lordships Kingdomes and Empires insomuch that they quite forgot the care of Spirituals Two maine causes have moved them hereunto Avarice and Ambition We shall here prosecute onely so much as concernes the first or at least as belongs jointly to both Marsilius of Padua Not content with those Temporalls which were bestowed upon them by Princes by reason of their insatiable appetite they have seized upon many temporall things that of right belong to the Empire as the Cities of Romandiola Ferrara and Bononia with divers other possessions and many lands and Lordships then especially when the Empire was vacant 2 Langius reporteth a passage out of the Chronicles of Engelbert Westerâ—itz a Clerke of Brandenburg where as much is said of the City of Rome The keyes whereof saith he were presented by the Citizens to Innocent the seventh with branches of Palme trees and the temporall dominion thereof granted unto him but with little equity and commendation forasmuch as the abundance of temporall things are no little impediment to spirituall and the Pope who is Saint Peters successor ought not to take this dangerous temporall dominion upon him for we never reade that in former times even after the donation of Constantine in which our curious Canonists doe greatly hugge themselves that any Pope did administer the temporall dominion of the City of Rome but in these latter daies and within our memorie some Popes have ventur'd to meddle with it thereby heaping upon themselves both cares and troubles howbeit from all antiquity Rome was ever the royall and imperiall City else he that should be lawfully preferred to the Empire by the Electors deputed whosoever he were should be vainly and idlely called the King of the Romanes as commonly hee is by the ancient Historians 3 There is nothing here but very true and yet our Popes beside the donation of Constantine have forged us another made by Lewes the Gentle who bestowed upon them the City of Rome in expresse termes howbeit the ancient Historians speake not a word of it and it is plaine they never enioyed that right till within this little while to wit after the time of Boniface the ninth who being intreated by the Romanâ—s to remove his seat from Avinion to Rome for the great gaines which they presaged they should reape by the approching yeere of Iubilee he being arrived there seized upon the Cittadell of the Castle of S. Angelo and made himselfe master and commander of the City for him and his successors But let us heare the testimonie of Guicciardine concerning this 4 Being returned to Rome upon these conditions while the Romanes were busie about the gaines that yeere 1400 the Pope having got the command of the City fortified the Castle of St. Angelo and bestowed a garrison in it whose successors till Eugenius although they were troubled with divers difficulties yet having fully established their government for the future the succeeding Popes have ruled the roast at Rome at their pleasure without any contradiction 5 But we shall speake more at large of such usurpations as these hereafter we will onely observe that the Popes were ever so crafty in the managing of Empires and Kingdomes under the pretence of spiritualty as to pick out something alwaies for their owne advantage So Boniface to take up the quarrell which was betwixt the King of England and Scotland whom the other King pretended to be his vassall came in play as to assist the Scotch Affirming how that Kingdome belong'd of right to the Church of Rome and that it was in his power onely to give it or take it from whom he pleased which he affirmed so as that hee would needs bee the Iudge himselfe but hee met with a people that would not beleeve him 6 A certaine King of Poland called Casimire being turned Monke and enâ—red into the Abbey of Cluny in France was dispensed with for his vow by Pope Bennet at the request of the Polanders repenting themselves of their fault so as he had licence both to reigne and to marry but for the pot of wine It was ordained by the Pope that the Polanders should pay a yeerly pension to S. Peters Church in Rome for maintaining of candles which is called in Polonish Snatro Petre that is S. Peters Saint 7 Charles of Anjou brother to S. Lewes the King was by Clement the 4 who prosecuted the designe of his predecessour Vrban the 4 Declared King of Ierusalem and Sicily with this condition that he should pay fourty thousand crowns yeerly to the Church of Rome by way of fee. Wherein two usurpations are remarkableâ— one in the manner of the fee which Peter Anaclete the anti-Pope had formerly laid upon Sicily the other in the tribute which Clement the fourth added de â—ovo 8 But there is nothing so memorable as the usurping upon the Kingdome of England where excommunication was openly profaned King Iohn of England being at enmity with the Lords of the Land by reason of certaine injuries pretended to be done unto them by him was excommunicated by Innocent the third the yeere 1513. This excommunication was carried from Rome by Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury William Bishop of London and Peter Bishop of Ely who thundred it out in France where that King had then certaine Earledomes and Dukâ—domeâ— after they had acquainted King Philip Augustus with the whole businesse Whom those Bishops commanded as also all others for the remission of their sinnes that invading England in hostile manner they should depose King Iohn from his crowne
defeated and stopped by Apostolicall letters and rescripts The German Nation framed likewise a complaint concerning this point and presented it to the Emperour Maximilian The causes say they that might be determined in Germany where there are both just and learned Iudges are removed to the Court of Rome withouâ— any distinction 10 The Popes have likewise gone about to usurpe the Lay jurisdiction and to draw unto them all sorts of Lay men even in profane maâ—ters whereof the States of Germany made a grievous complaint also which we will here insert Seeing that not only the grounds of equity but also the ordeâ— of things doth require that the bounds of jurisdictions be distinct and limitedâ— and that every Ordinary content himselfe with his owne bounds without entrenching one upon another in the exercise of their jurisdiction yet the Popes heretofore never considered this equity but sleighting it have oftentimes cited Laymen to Rome and made them appeare in judgement before them and that evâ—n in causes profane as cases of inheritance or morgages and those of the first rank Which thing tends to the losse dammage and mispâ—ision not onely of those that are summoned but also of the states of the Roman Empire and to the disgrace and infringing of its jurisdiction Item when any man offers to affirme upon oath at Rome that he doth not expect that he can obtain justice of his competent Iudge in Germany he is forthwith admitted to take that oath and letters are granted to him to set his adversary a day and so the suit is removed from Germany to Rome without ever any request made to the Iudge or notice given to the party Whereupon under pretence of this oath neither the reasons of not proceeding nor any other proofes are admitted although it may bee plainly convinced that the adverse party is perjured Which thing if it take any deep root and be not remedied in the beginning all causes in fine will bee devolved to the tribunall of the Court of Rome and all Ordinaries deprived of their jurisdiction which would be both unjust and untolerable 11 Wee will here set down by way of commentarie on these Articles the severall usurpations which the Popes have made upon Lay men in point of justice and jurisdiction The Glossatour upon the Canon Law freely confesseth That the Pope doth daily give out writs to Clergy-men against Layiques in all causes whatsoever and by this meanes getteth the jurisdiction of the other The Parliament of Paris urgeth this usurpation in their Remonstrances to Lewes the eleventh Item the Clergy would not only be molested by citations from the Court of Rome but the Seculars would be like the Barbour before S. Dennis of the Charter who lost his son in the Court of Rome by the Pestilence and the Father was afterwards summoned into the Court for his sonnes debts as also M. Iohn d' Argonges the Kings Advocate One of our old Lawyers toucheth this very usurpation Observe saith he speaking of the exception in case of excommunication that this was invented by the Pope for another reason to wit that his power might be therein enlarged as well in the Civill Court as the Ecclesiasticall which ought rather to be restrained than augmented inasmuch as the psalterie doth not agree well with the Iettren 12 Other Prelates have done the like after the example of their Head witnesse the complaint of M. Peter de Cugueres against the Clergy of France Although the cognizance of Lay men belong to the Secular Iudge excepting in spirituall cases yet the Bishops Officials cause them to be summoned before them upon the demand of the parties and if the said Lay men decline the jurisdiction of those Officials or those Lords whose subjects they are require that they may be dismissed as being their temporall Lords and Iudges the said Officials refuse to do it and compell the parties by excommunications to proceed before them Hee quoteth many other cases in divers Articles which the reader may see in the Authour CHAP. VIII Of Ecclesiasticall informations and of the Popes Commissaries and Legates 1 THe chiefe meanes whereof the Popes have served themselves against Laymen to get the jurisdiction over them even Kings and Princes have beene Ecclesiasticall denuntiations for upon complaint and information made unto them against a Layman they would cause him to be summoned before them namely then when there was any oath in the businesse or any sinne might follow upon it which commonly fell out in all causes And suppose all this failed the Plaintife needed but sweare that hee looked for no justice from the Lay Iudge as the articles of the States of Germany have it 2 Wee have a pretty example in Philip Augustus King of France who having some difference with King Iohn of England surnamed lacke-Lacke-land concerning the Dukedome of Guyen and Earledome of Poictiers which Philip supposed to belong to him because homage was not done for them and concerning the Dukedome of Brittaine which was confiscated unto him by the murther of Arthur King Iohns Nephew whom he had killed hee was summoned to Rome by Innocent the third upon the information made by Iohn supposing that the Pope ought to have the determining of their controversie by reason of an oath upon the setling of the lands formerly made betweene the two Kings and the violation thereof concerning which hee writ at large to the Bishops of France that they would approve of his proceeâ—ings which was so well liked by his successors that they canoniz'd his Decretall which neverthelesse hath beene disliked by some Devines And for the Canonists some of them have said that the Protestation which he makes at the beginning of it contradicts the Act it selfe in as much as he declareth that hee will not meddle with the jurisdiction of the Kings of France which neverthelesse hee did for the feudall differences being determined by the Peeres of France betwixt Philip the Lord and Iohn the Vassall yet the Pope would have his Legats to have the cognizance of them for heark how he speakâ— That Philip would patiently suffer the Abbat of Casemar and the Archbishop of Bourges to have the full hearing whether the complaint put up against him be just or his exception legall The observations of learned Cujacius up 〈◊〉 that Chapter are remarkable He protesteth saith he doing one thing anâ—â—etending another not to intermeddle nor usurpe the cognizance of the fieffs beloâ—ging to the King which he knoweth to appertaine to the King and the Peeres of France but onely to have the cognizance of the perjury And he afterwards addes All this he wrote to appease the Prelates of France and beare them in hand that he proceeded justly against their King and put all his Kingdome in an interdict upon this occasion yet for all that he gained nothing by it 3 In the time of Saint Lewes a great complaint was made against Innocent the fourth
and dignity and substitute another worthy of itâ— by the authority Apostolique The King of France having such a wiâ—â—ed occasion offered made ready for warreâ— and mustered up an army But in the meane time behold the fraud while the comming of the King of France was expected by sea Pandulphus the Popes Legate comming out of France goes to King Iohn tels him what eminent danger hee is in shewes him how hee is utterly undone unlesse hee shadow himselfe under the Popes wings The King having learned from him how this protection might be sweares upon the holy Evangelists in the presence of the same Pandulphus that hee will submit unto the judgement of the Church Which judgement of the Church was that this poore King should be a vassall a slave and tributary to the Church of Rome Heare the words of the same Authour ensuing immediatly afterâ— Then hee resigned the Crowne of England to Pope Innocent and did homage unto him bringing a most free countrey into bondage to be made King of his owne Dominions and that with a tribute having framed an instrument hereof to be pitied and abhorred of all those that understand it 9 Hee that would read the Conveyance may finde it at large in the Histories of Matthew Paris and Matthew Westminster wee will here relate so much of it as shall serve our turne Wee offer and give unto Godâ— and to his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul to our mother the holy Church of Rome to Pope Innocent the third and his successours all the right of Patronage which we gave to the Church of England together with the whole Realmes of England and Ireland and all their rights and appurtenances for the remission of our sinnes and the sinnes of our progenitors as well alive as dead and receiving at this present from God and the Church of Rome all the premisses as a vassall and feudatary for which we doe liege homage and promise fealty to Pope Innocent and his Catholique successours And afterwards And in witnesse of this our gift and grant we will and decree that the Church of Româ— receive yeerly a thousand Markes â—â—erling of the proper revenues of our said Kingdomes besides the Peter-pence 10 After this that honest Iohn lack-Lack-land was absolved from â—is excommunication And my Lord Legat began earnestly to advise the King of France to desist from his enterprise who was now in readinesse to passe over into England with great forces So Matthew Paris Another relates it thus The King of France being cozened by the many talks and faire words of the Popes Nuncio's seeing King Iohn sheltered under the shield of the Court of Româ— gave over his enterprise after he had spent fourty thousand pounds upon it receiving thereby a great deale of shame Thou wrongs him Englishman it is the sanctity of Româ— which should have blusht at it rather 11 This history with divers others of this kinde which wee could urge prove that to be true which Marsilius of Padua witnesseth The Bishops of Rome saith he having thus broken the ice they first excommunicated some under pretence of labouring for peace and unity amongst the faithfull people of Christ whereas it is indeed because they refused to stand to their judgement Afterwards passing sentence against them both reall and personall and very roughly against some namely such as are of least abilities to resist their power such are particular persons and common-wealths in Italy more mildly against others as Kings and Princes whose assistance and coactive power they are afraid of on whom notwithstanding they incroach by little and little and they endeavoured ordinarily to doe it by usurping upon their jurisdictions having the boldnesse to throw at all at onceâ— by reason whereof their close prevarication hath hithertowardâ— kept secret forasmuch as concernes the Emperours of Rome and their subjects yet so as that now they say they have all the coactive temporall jurisdiction 12 The Emperour Frederick the second being excommunicated by Gregory the ninth could not make his peace with him without a great summe of mony He obtained it not saith Platina till he had given twenty hundred thousand ounces of gold to the Church of Rome for the damages which hee and put it to and till he went in the habit of a supplicant as farre as Anagusie to the Pope About the yeere 1338. 13 Lewes King of Hungary was compelled to buy Campania at a deare rate of Clement the sixth which belonged to him as heire to his brother Andrew About this time saith Aventine the King of Hungarie's Oratours stucke fast in the same mire at Avignon Lewes King of Hungary that he might not bee excluded from his brothers kingdome bought Campania the inheritance of his brother Andrew which was set to saile by the Pope and gave him two millions eight hundred and sixty thousand crownes for it 14 Now these great treasures which they rake up together are partly for themselves partly for their children nephewes and other kinsfolkes which are oftentimes seene to be both beggars and Princes on one day For the first thing they doe after they are setled is to preferre and ennoble their kindred and divide amongst them not any pettie summes of money but whole Earledomes Dukedomes and Principalities to make them Generals of Armies and such like things so as all the pompe and magnificence is for them 15 This was in fashion in Marsilius de Paduaes age who lived about 336 yeeres agoe for speaking of the Popes he saith They either bestow when they are alive or bequeath when they are like to dye as great summes of money as they can not upon the poore but upon such as are linckt with them in affinity or otherwise however they bee robbing the poore of them The author of the Vergers dreame makes the Knight speake thus Ye never consider the goods of holy Church which your children your nephewes your parents and sometimes other lewd persons catch away 16 Rodericke Bishop of Zamore in Spaine and Constable of the Castle of St. Angelo in his Booke entitled The mirrour of mans life dedicated by him to Pope Paul the second about the yeere 1488. amongst other cares and inconveniences of the Popedome reckons this for one First saith hee domesticke care is an hindrance and besides that most unjust greedinesse and as I may so say most enraged madnesse of preferring their parents of perpetuating their family their kindred and the whole generation of such as are descended of their blood for some Popes would not have one onely but many great families and noble houses owe their originall to them and have honourable principalities springing from them 17 These are they of whom those words in the ordinance of Lewes the 11 made the 16 of August 1478 ought to bee understood It is a strange thing saith he that the unjust exactions of the Court of Rome should bee suffered such are their expectative Bulls