but came to no conclusion For the French shew'd up and down the Picture of Catharine King Charles's Daughter very curiously drawn whom they propos'd in Marriage to King Henry but the English demanding for her Dowry a Million of Crowns together with Normandy Aquitain and the County of Ponthieu independent of the Sovereignty of France the French at length openly refus'd all Terms of accord conceiving that King Charles was not capable of transacting any thing having lately lost his Senses nor the Dauphin who acted in right of another and not for himself nor the Duke of Burgundy who had no power to alienate the Dominions of the Kingdom of France All this while the People of Roan held out very obstinately though they were reduc'd to the greatest Extremities For after six Months siege in which Six thousand Men perished partly by the Sword and partly by Famine those that remain'd were forc'd to feed upon the most loathsome Animals as Dogs Horses and Mice and they were reduc'd to so great a scarcity of all things that as it is reported an Apple was sold for Three Shillings and a Dog for Ten nor could they any longer hope for Relief for King Charles was not well in his Wits and the Princes were engag'd in a Civil War in which all France was involv'd being divided between Charles the Dauphin and John Duke of Burgundy Wherefore two of the Nobility two of the Clergy and two of the Citizens with a Herald were sent out of the Town who falling down at the King's Feet humbly sued for Peace The King sent them to the Archbishop's Tent to whom he had given power together with the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury the Lord Fitz-hugh Sir Walter Hungerford Sir Gilbert Vmfrevil and Sir John Robsert to treat with the Besieged about the Conditions of Surrender The Articles being agreed on which were That the Inhabitants should be safe both in their Persons and their Fortunes and that they should pay 365000 Crowns they deliver'd up the Town This was in the beginning of the Year 1419. and on the 19 th of January the King entred the Town with his Army in a triumphant manner and having fortified it with some new Works he setled there his Exchequer and the principal Court of Judicature for all matters relating to the Province of Normandy After this he conquer'd the rest of Normandy in a little time For first he took Meudon and then Pontoise by storm The other Towns being terrified by the example of that of Roan surrender'd of their own accord The Archbishop of Canterbury staid some time with the King at Roan being entertain'd in a Convent of Preaching Fryers there and afterwards attended him in his Camp at Meudon and Pontoise serving him both in the quality of a Confessor and a Counsellor and did not leave him till the end of August At which time he return d into England that he might hold a Synod and take care of the Government of his Province This Synod was appointed to be held at London on the 30 th of October that the Clergy might consult about granting a supply of Money to the King who was carrying on the War in France with success which the King had given in charge to the Archbishop at his departure out of France and again very lately by Letters The Synod granted half a Tenth upon all Livings and it was also agreed that those that held Chappels or Chantries or that receiv'd Stipends for saying Mass should pay to the King 6 s. 8 d. each but withal a publick Protestation was made by William Lyndewood in the name of the Proctors for the Clergy that this Concession should be no prejudice to them hereafter nor be made a Precedent for succeeding Ages There was brought before this Synod one Richard Walker a Priest in the Diocess of Worcester who was accus'd of Witchcraft and several Books Waxen Images Stones and other Instruments of Charms and Conjuration were produc'd which were afterwards own'd by him and burnt at Paul's Cross John Welles Bishop of Landaff preaching a Sermon upon the Occasion He himself having done solemn Penance in a publick Procession abjur'd that wicked Art After this some Persons were accus'd before the Synod for embracing the Tenets of John Wicklyff who were forc'd to recant and thus the Synod broke up The Archbishop afterwards order'd Processions to be made to all Churches for the King's success in France who at this time by the Providence of God began to conceive some hopes of reducing the Kingdom of France without bloodshed through the Divisions of the French For Philip Duke of Burgundy in revenge of his Father's death whom Charles the Dauphin had treacherously slain at Montereau under pretence of conserring with him made a private League with King Henry by his Ambassadors and promis'd him the Lady Catharine in marriage with all other assistances for the prosecution of his Conquests He only desir'd him to come in person to Troyes and there conclude a Peace publickly with King Charles The Duke of Burgundy had at that time in his power King Charles Queen Isabel and their Daughter Catharine with Paris the chief City of the Kingdom and the whole management of the Government for Isabel who hated the Dauphin had put him by and advanc'd the Duke of Burgundy to the Regency The King that he might not let slip so fair an opportunity of managing all things to his own advantage and being much taken with the great Beauty of the Lady Catharine came with all speed to Troyes where he receiv'd her in marriage at the hands of Charles and Isabel upon these Terms That King Henry during the life of Charles his Father-in-law should have the Government of France with the Title of Regent after whose death he or his Children begotten of the Lady Catharine should succeed in the Kingdom and that the Dauphin should be look'd upon as disinherited and a publick Enemy To these Conditions the Princes and Nobles of France who were there present in great number gave their assent and with the Duke of Burgundy who first took the Oath swore Allegiance to King Henry for they conceiv'd a greater esteem of his Wisdom and Courage when they saw him present amongst them than they had done before from the bare admiration of his Actions at a distance It was toward the end of May 1420. when the Nuptials were solemnized at Troyes the News of which being brought into England the excess of joy wherewith it was universally receiv'd almost lessen'd the belief of the truth of it The Archbishop of Canterbury having left the Office of Vicar general to John Prior of Canterbury and that of Auditor to William Lyndewood on the 10 th of June took shipping at Winchelsea and sail'd over into France to congratulate the King upon his late Marriage and by his Counsels to confirm his new Government He arriv'd
War lest he who the last Year was Conqueror in the Battel of Agincourt should now upon the account of his late Losses seem not to give but to receive Conditions of Peace Wherefore having setled his Affairs in France he return'd soon after into England and held a Parliament at Westminster of which he easily obtain'd a supply of Men and Money for the service of the War with France the next Year At the same time the Archbishop came back from Calais and by the King's Command call'd a Synod at London on the 9 th of November in which at the request of Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester the Earl Marshal and Henry Ware who from Chancellor of Canterbury had some time before been made Keeper of the Privy Seal who for that purpose were sent thither by the King he prevail'd with them to grant the King two Tenths for his Expedition into France There was nothing else done in that Synod but on the Days of John of Beverley and of Crispin and Crispinian Martyrs on which the Battel of Agincourt hapned were made Holidays The King having commanded the Nobility to attend him and having levied a choice Army and equip't his Fleet sail'd over into Normandy on the 1 st of August 1417. leaving John Duke of Bedford to govern the Kingdom in his absence When he was gone the Archbishop commanded all the Bishops of his Province to cause solemn Processions to be made to all Churches and Chappels for the safety of the King and the success of his Arms. The same Year by a signal Example of his Justice and Courage he shew'd how much all People whatsoever in that Age stood in awe of the Authority of the Church For on Easterday the Lord Strange with the Lady Elizabeth his Wife and a great Train of Servants attending them coming to St. Dunstan's Church to Vespers and meeting Sir John Trussel there with whom he had an ancient Quarrel his Servants drew their Swords in the Church wounded Sir John his Son and some others of his Family and kill'd one Thomas Petwardy a Citizen of London who to accommodate the matter between them had thrust himself into the Scuffle The Matter being brought before the Archbishop he interdicted the Church which had been polluted with Blood the Authors and Accomplices of the Crime were publickly excommunicated and curs'd before the People at Paul's Cross and the Archbishop sitting as Judge in St. Paul's Church after he had examined into the Fact impos'd this Penance on the Lord Strange and his Lady who fell on their knees before him and humbly begg'd pardon of the Church That their Servants in their Shirts and Drawers only and he and his Wife with Tapers in their hands should go through the great Street of the City from St. Paul's to St. Dunstan's all which was accordingly perform'd with great solemnity and when the Archbishop purified St. Dunstan's Church the Lady Strange fill'd the Vessels with Water they were also commanded to offer each of them a Pyx and Altarcloath In the mean time the matter was hotly debated in the Council of Constance about taking away the Schism in the Church by the creation of a new Pope and restraining those Persons who with a great deal of liberty inveigh'd against the Pride of the Popes the Luxury of the Clergy the lazy Lives of the Monks and the innumerable Corruptions of the Church of Rome Of these John Wickliff was accounted the chief who in the Reign of Edward the Third and Richard the Second by his publick Lectures at Oxford and afterwards by his Books which he put out drew to his Party a great many not only of the Students of that University but also of the Nobility and common People By him the Seeds of sound Doctrine were dispers'd among other Christian Nations and particularly among the Bohemians who embrac'd his Tenets so readily that they had already in a manner renounced the Pope To put a stop to their progress John Wickliff was pronounced a Heretick by a Decree of the Council and it was further ordained that his Memory should be accurs'd that his Bones should be taken out of his Grave and burnt and that all those who maintain'd his Opinions should be prosecuted as guilty of Heresy Then they proceeded to the Bohemians and having likewise condemned their Opinions John Huss and Hierome of Prague were adjudg'd Arch-hereticks and condemn'd to the Flames The death of these two Persons brought a great deal of infamy upon the Emperor Sigismond and the whole Council for being cited to Constance they came thither under the security of the publick Faith which Sigismond had engag'd to Ladislaus King of Bohemia for their safe return Which being so shamefully violated the Bohemians were so incens'd that having made John Zisca a valiant Commander their General they afterwards brought the Emperor into very great Straits But the Council to take away the infamy of this Action decreed that Faith was not to be kept with Hereticks having first consulted Panormitanus and Ludovicus Romanus two Lawyers of great repute who deliver'd this as their Opinion as did also some others whom the Fathers of the Council could sway by their Authority Notwithstanding the more Modern Lawyers were of a contrary Opinion and the Papists themselves were so asham'd of this Decree that they did not offer to violate the publick Faith given to Luther at the Dyet of Worms and afterwards to the Protestants which came to the Council of Trent For what can be more absurd or indeed more impious than that Christians should make no account of their word which was always esteem'd sacred even by the Heathens themselves After these things the Council was wholly intent upon composing the Differences between the Popes For when the Emperor Sigismond was return'd out of England several hainous Crimes were alledg'd against John the Twenty third because he had not laid down the Papacy as he had solemnly promis'd whereupon he fled privately and in disguise from Constance into Austria but being pursued by the Emperor he was taken in the Habit of a Fencer or a Huntsman and brought before the Council by whom he was committed to Prison and some of the chief Men out of every Nation there present being deputed to examine into his Actions he was accused before them of Adultery Incest Witchcraft Murther and other horrid Crimes particularly of Simony that being first made Cardinal and afterwards Pope through Bribery he had set to sale Livings Dignities Bishopricks and Cardinalships Orders Indulgences and all other things belonging to the Church all which being prov'd by Witnesses by the Sentence of the Council he was divested of the Papacy and condemned to Imprisonment There remain'd yet Gregory the Twelfth and Benedict the Thirteenth Gregory when he saw that he must submit sent Charles Malatesta Prince of Ariminum as his
consults Lower House to consult and determine whether the Pope might dissolve a General Council at his own pleasure and And what Pope they should obey if another be set up in case the Fathers at Basil should depose Eugenius and set up another Pope which of them they ought to obey To which Questions some days after Thomas Bekyngton Official of the Archbishop's Court answer'd in the name of Alledged 1 st that the Pope might dissolve a Council and if another be set up the Synod is to obey Eugenius the rest That the Pope by his sole command might dissolve a Council and that they were not to withdraw their Obedience from Eugenius though another Pope should be created at Basil For the Affections of a great many People in England began some time ago to be alienated from the Fathers at Basil upon the account of By which they resent a Decree made at Basil transferring Votes from the Nations to a few Delegates a Decree made by them which took away the Custom of voting by the Suffrages of every Nation and referr'd all things to the determination of some particular Delegates whereupon the English Representatives then at Basil Thomas Bishop of Worcester William Prior of Norwich Thomas Brown Dean of Salisbury Peter Patrick Chancellor and Robert Borton Precentor of Lincoln John Sarysbury Doctor of Divinity and John Symondisborough Licentiate in the Canon Law protested against it which was also done at the same time here in Which was protested against on the place England by William Lyndewood Proctor for the King who repeated a set form of Appeal in which he protested against the Decree as unjust for that this way of voting might hereafter be prejudicial to the King and the Rights of the Clergy and Parliament After this the Archbishop consulted with the Synod about nominating more Eight new Delegates nominated Delegates because several of those that were sent before were dead at Basil and eight Doctors of Divinity and both Laws were chosen who were to be sent to Basil provided the Fathers would admit them without imposing upon them any new Oath At this time our Affairs in France declin'd daily by the revolt of the chief Cities to King Charles who had been lately crown'd at Rhemes with great solemnity King Charles crown'd at Rhemes for which cause the Duke of Bedford who was lately come into England and his Brother the Duke of Glocester thought it expedient to raise a A new Army against France designed new Army here in England and John Stafford Bishop of Bath Lord Chancellor the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury the Lord Treasurer Cromwell and the Lords Scrope and Tiptoft were sent to the Synod Money desired of the Synod to desire Money of them The Chancellor in an elegant Speech laid before them the miserable state of Affairs in France and the poverty of the Exchequer and brought them to supply the Necessities of the King and Kingdom After a denial At first they absolutely refus'd to grant any Supply alledging that the Wealth of the Clergy was exhausted by their advancing Money continually for the use of the War by the Rapines of the King's Purveyors and by unjust Citations to the King's Courts But some other Lords soon after coming to them as the Earl of Huntington the Lords Hungerford Audly and Cornwallis who urg'd again the same Reasons and reckon'd up the extraordinary Benefits conferr'd on the Church by the Kings of England they They gave three quarters of a Tenth at length obtain'd three quarters of a Tenth For at that time the Clergy complain'd grievously of the unjust proceeding of the King's Judges and the The Grievances of the Church at that time common Lawyers That Priests against all Law and Equity were brought to their Secular Courts that the Power of the Ecclesiastical Judges was restrain'd by their unjust Prohibitions and particularly that by a fraudulent interpretation they wrested a strict Law of Richard the Second against Provisors and turn'd it upon those Persons who were Judges in the Spiritual Courts of those Causes which they pretended to belong to their Jurisdiction For which cause the Archbishop held another Synod at London the next Year on the 7 th of October where in a pathetical Speech he express'd how solicitous he was that the The Archbishop zealous to rescue her from the Oppressions of the Lawyers Church might receive no prejudice under his Government that it might be deliver'd from the illegal Oppressions of the Lawyers and restor'd to its ancient dignity and commanded them all to consider what measures were to be taken to ease the Clergy of the weight of these Oppressions But the Plague breaking out in the City the By reason of the Plague the Synod dissolved Synod was quickly dissolv'd having only appointed a Holiday to be kept in honour of S. Frideswide the Protectress of the Vniversity of Oxford and denounc'd excommunication against any one that should detract from the Privileges and Jurisdiction of the Church After this the Archbishop applied himself industriously to the Government of his Province and call'd never another Synod in three Years till the Necessities of the Exchequer call d upon the Clergy for a Supply to maintain the Charges of the War with France The Duke of Burgundy revolts to the French and Bedford dies The former occasion'd The revolt of the Duke of Burgundy to the French and the death of the Duke of Bedford which hapned the next Year gave a terrible blow to our Affairs in France For about that time by the mediation of Pope Eugenius and the Council of Basil Commissioners from our King from Charles King of France and the The ill success of the Treaty at Arras Duke of Burgundy met at Arras in order to treat of a Peace But the English and French not agreeing by reason of the extravagant Conditions demanded on either side the Burgundians at last went over to the French and soon after the Duke of Bedford fell sick and died whose death soon caus'd a great alteration in the posture of Affairs For the The English driven out of Paris c. next Year the People of Paris conspir'd privately together and drove the English out of the City and many other Towns being stirr'd up by their example and in a manner all the People of France as if they were impell'd by a And generally the French surrender'd to Charles fatal necessity surrender'd themselves to King Charles Wherefore to preserve the remains of our Dominion in France the Duke of Glocester with a great Army and a gallant Fleet sail'd over to Calais which A new English Army set sail for Calais was then besieg'd by the Duke of Burgundy and the King by Letters to the Archbishop of Canterbury press'd him to move the Clergy for a supply of Money for levying more men who having assembled the Bishops and Prelates of his Province at
depriv'd of Crown and Life by Edward the Fourth Our Chichele's Wisdom supported the Kingdom From the Calamities of which he was by his happy Fate delivered of York took occasion from hence to raise that lamentable Civil War in which King Henry being twice taken Prisoner in the Field forc'd to fly out of England and by the mockery of Fortune restor'd again to his Kingdom was at last depriv'd both of Life and Crown by Edward the Fourth If we consider all these things Henry Chichele died in a very seasonable time and deserv'd of Posterity a Character both of Wisdom seeing the Kingdom which had been supported by his Counsels fell with him and also of Happiness in that God Almighty did not suffer him to live to see the Calamities that were just coming upon the Kingdom WHAT is here related concerning the Government of the Church or Kingdom in general is taken from the English and French Historians who wrote of the Affairs of those Times The rest of the Story relating to the Church of England and to Henry Chichele in particular is taken out of the Books of the publick Acts of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury which are carefully kept by the Vicar-general's Secretary and out of some Manuscripts which Sir Robert Cotton furnish'd me with This I thought fit to acquaint the Reader withal as well that he might be satisfied of the authority of those things that are here deliver'd as that I might not be forc'd to crowd the Margin with Authors Names and Quotations FINIS THE TABLE TO THE Life of Archbishop CHICHELE BOrn at Higham-Ferrars in Northamptonshire Page 1 Made Fellow of New-College Oxford by William of Wyckam Ibid. Went to live with Medeford Bishop of Sarum 2 Made Archdeacon of Sarum Ibid. Then Chancellor of the same 3 Parson of Odyham Ibid. And chief Executor to his Benefactor Ibid. Sent Ambassador by Henry the Fourth to Pope Gregory the Twelfth 4 By whom made Bishop of St. David's 5 Accordingly took the Canonical Oath in England 6 Sent Delegate to the General Council at Pisa Ibid. Held to Reconcile the Competitors for the Popedom 7 Boniface the Eighth deposed Ibid. Clement the Fifth elected Pope Ibid. Who with six Successors all French resided at Avignon for seventy Years 8 Most of them hated by the Italians for their Nation or vitious Lives Ibid. The Clementines added to the Canon Law Ibid. Pope Gregory returned to Rome 9 Was succeeded by Urban the Sixth Ibid. For whose Rigor and Pride Clement the Sixth was set up against him 10 Urban for preferring the Base and fomenting of Wars called Turbanus a perverse and most cruel Pope Ib. Clement not far short of Him in wickedness 11 Urban succeeded by Boniface the Ninth and Ib. Clement by Benedict the Third Both worse than the former Ib. Boniface more Politician than Grammarian 12 Impos'd the Tax of Annates on the Clergy Ib. Suffered Bishopricks to be sold by Auction Ib. Sold the same Livings twice to several Chapmen 13 Yet made the Purchaser swear he came fairly by it Ib. Made poor Petitioners pay a Floren apiece Ib. Enquired after Gifts in the time of Divine Service Ib. Had no comfort when dying but in Money Ib. Defended by the Lawyers Ib. But opposed by the Divines 14 Benedict the like spiritual Robber Ib. Boniface compared to an Ox Benedict to a wild Beast 15 The Cardinal's Oath upon Boniface's death to resign if chosen Ib. Boniface succeeded by Innocent the Seventh who broke his Oath 16 A great Canonist debaucht and covetous Ib. On his death the Oath repeated with Imprecations Ib. Gregory the Twelfth succeeded Ib. Who treated with Benedict for the Churche's peace 17 And for a Resignation by them both at Savona Ib. Sends to Charles the Sixth of France about the same Affair 18 Gregory harshly treated his Ambassadors at their return Ib. Drew back and shuffled Ib. Then plainly refused to stand to the Agreement Ib. Hearing Benedict was come to Savona he comes to Siena 19 To whom Chichele was one of the Ambassadors from England and there made Bishop of St. David's Ib. Pope Gregory goes to Lucca Ib. Refuses to go to Savona Ib. Trinkles with Benedict is for his Hypocrisy called Errorius Ib. The Cardinals displeas'd for his promoting Condelmarius 20 His own Party fly to Pisa Ib. They appeal from him to Christ a general Council and the next Pope Ib. This justified by Panormitan Ib. Both Popes accused of Perjury by the best Canonists 21 The Cardinal 's leaving the Pope grateful to the Christian Princes Ib. The Kings of England and France withdrew their Obedience from both the Popes Ib. At the Request of the Cardinal's Letters English Money with-held 22 The French King withdraws Obedience to Benedict defended by Baldus 23 Two Bull-Carriers the Pope's Emissaries were ignominiously treated at Paris Ib. Charles the Fourth of France did neither regard the Church nor his own Kingdom Ib. Whose Son 's Successor Robert of Bavaria King of the Romans siding with Gregory chiefly fomented the Church Divisions 24 The Emperors then were degenerated Ib. When their Power was most requisite to rectify the Pope's mismanagement Ib. Gregory Renounc'd by his Cardinals at Pisa 25 Who with those of Benedict deprived them both of the Papacy 26 For which some worldly Divines charged them with Schism Ib. King of England and France c. favour the Cardinals and their aforesaid Sentence in Council 28 Which the Cardinal of Bourdeaux with great zeal got ratified in England Ib. H. Chichele one of the Delegates to Pisa 29 Before whom and Associates a Learned Sermon preached Ib. Bishop of Sarum another Delegate made an eloquent Oration in the Council of Pisa 30 Where both Popes were pronounced perjured c. and Alexander the Fifth elected 31 Who when a Boy had begg'd from door to door Ib. Afterwards his Parts known sent to Oxford Ib. Then made Archbishop of Milan and created Cardinal by Innocent the Seventh Ib. Alexander was too honest studious and Monastick to be politically qualified for the Chair 32 'T is thought he was poysoned Ib. He was succeeded by John the Twenty Third Ib. A Papal Triumvirate Ib. H. Chichele returns from his Embassy 33 Was diligent in his Function Ib. Allegiance sworn to Henry the Fifth before his Coronation 34 That King sent our Henry Ambassador to the French King and Duke of Burgundy Ib. To the former for a Treaty of Peace 35 To the latter about a Marriage Ib. Whilst the King seem'd more inclinable to the French King's Daughter 36 H. Chichele chosen President of the Council Ib. The Monks desire leave to elect an Archbishop of Canterbury Ib. And Canonically demanded H. Chichele 37 Which Custom was introduced by Papal Ambition 38 H. Chichele expects the Pope's leave 39 To obtain which Proxies are sent to Rome Ib. With the King's Letters in his favour Ib. The Pope divorc'd H. Chichele from St. David's 40 Made him Archbishop by way of provisor Ib. But he was