third was that the Pope could not give general licence to hear confessions so but that the Parishoner so confessed was bound to reiterate the same confession made unto his own Curate Which he proved by divers places of the Canon Law The fourth opinion was that the Fryars by the Licence of the Pope and of the Bishops might lawfully hear confessions and the people might be of them confessed and absolved But yet notwithstanding it was just honest and profitable that once in the year they should be confessed to the Curates although confessed before to the Fryars because of the admininistration of the Sacraments especially at Easter of which opinion was William de monte Landuno The fifth opinion was that albeit the Fryars might at all times and at Easter also hear confessions as the Curates did yet it was safer at the time of Easter to confess to the Curates than to the Fryars And of this opinion was Richard of Armagh Arch-Bishop and Primate of Ireland In the time of Pope Clement VI. John King of France invented the Sect and Order of those Monks Sympson Eccles Hist p. 391. which are called Stellati whose manner is always to wear a star upon their Breast signifying thereby that there is nothing in them but the light of perfection and the clear shining of good works yea that they themselves are the light of the World Item That they shall rise again at the last day all shining and glistering as the most clear and pleasant stars according as it is written Dan. 12.3 They that turn many unto Righteousness shall be as the stars for ever and ever After the death of Pope Clement VI. succeeded Innocent VI. before whom the aforesaid Richard of Armagh published nine Articles against the begging Fryars This Pope builded Walls about Avignon and founded an house of Carthusian Monks without the City Pope Vrban V. succeeded him Anno 1364. Nicholas Orem made a Sermon before the Pope and his Cardinals on Christmas-even in which he rebuketh the Prelates and Priests of his time declaring their destruction not to be far off by certain signs taken of their wicked and corrupt life He proveth the Popish Clergy to be so much worse than the old Synagogue of the Jews by how much it is worse to sell the Church and Sacraments than to suffer Doves to be sold in the Church In the year 1370. Peter Belfort of Lemousin who took the name of Gregory XI was created likewise at Avignon who thought good to transfer the Apostolical Chair from Avignon back again to Rome a thing almost incredible for so many French Popes succeeding one another they had so weakned the Italian party that there were scarce any Italian Cardinals among them all and of the French there were more than twenty Several reasons are alledged to have moved Gregory to this resolution but particularly these following The first was that he saw all Italy in Arms not only by the Wars betwixt Venice and Genoa but by a resolution several Cities had taken to shake off the yoke of their servitude and re-establish themselves in a state of Liberty which he believing to be occasioned by the absence of the pilot from the Vessel of Rome he began to think of resettling his pontifical residence in Italy The second was That one day reprehending a certain Bishop his familiar that he left the Bishoprick to follow the Court the Bishop confidently replyed And you who are Pope of Rome why are you in France Hist of Cardin. part 3. lib. 1. Why are you so long from the place where your Church doth lye Others will have it that a Letter from St. Bridget whom the Pope lookt upon as a true Saint contributed much in which she advised him as from God to return to Rome He gave order for twenty Galleys to be ready in the Rhone pretending to go somewhither else with them because he suspected that the French who had so much advantage by the residence of his Court in France would obstruct it if they had the least notice of his removing the See to Rome But indeed they took not the least Alarum at all the preparations which were made as not imagining that a French Pope would put such an affront upon his Nation So that they had no notice of it till the Pope was at Sea being passed as far as Genoa and from Genoa to Cornetto where being weary of his Galleys he made the rest of his Voyage by Land and being arrived at Rome he began to apply fit Medicines and specifical to the maladies of Italy But he dyed Anno 1280. of a great distemper in his Bladder after he had sate six years in France and five in Italy It is reported that at the hour of this Pope's Death the palace of the Pope at Avignon was set on fire and could not be quenched Bale's Pageant of Pope's till the greatest part thereof was burnt Afterwards ensued the greatest schism and division that ever hapned in the Popedom King John dyed Anno 1364. to whom succeeded his Son Charles the fifth of that name King John dyed in England for the French King had an earnest desire to see the King of England again because he had so honourably entertained him whilst he was his prisoner So he went and was entertained very Royally But shortly after he fell sick and dyed at London His Body was conveyed over into France and buried in the Town of St. Denis the King of Cyprus being present at his Funerals Charles V. called the Wise was crowned at Rhemes together with his Wife the Daughter of Peter Duke of Bourbon He made his younger Brother Philip Duke of Burgundy who had been prisoner with his Father in England Many Lords in Gascoign revolted from Prince Edward unto the French King Prince Edward after his great victories had carried himself roughly toward the Noble-men his Subjects But the French King besides his excellent Wisdom was also gentle and courteous insinuating himself into the affections of all men The Duke of Anjou marching with his forces from Tholouse easily recovered all the Towns and holds that were pertaining to the English in those quarters The King of England lost all his whole Seignory of Gascoign the people partly rebelling and partly yielding themselves willingly to his enemy Poictiers also yieldeth to the French The men of Rochel yield also unto the French King Charles dyed of poison taken long before He was a Prince so wise and politick Frossard's chronic in Charl. V. Anno 1380. that fitting in his Gown at Paris in ease and quietness he recovered many things by counsel and policy which his predecessours had lost in the field to their Enemies And among other vexations which hapned to King Edward at his last Voyage that he intended into Britain for the rescue of his men besieged when he was forced back by the extremity of Weather this one thing troubled him above the rest that he must make war
John King of England lost all his holds and possessions in Normandy through the force of the French King The Pope had Excommunicated King John not only for the paricide of his Nephew Arthur but also for the ill usage of his Clergy King John sends confiding men in all hast to Pope Innocent IV. beseeching him to protect him against the King of France promising thereupon to bind the Realm of England and Seigniory of Ireland to hold of him and his successours and in sign of obedience to pay him a yearly tribute of a thousand marks of silver Innocent sends his Legat presently to absolve him to pass the contract and receive the homages of Fealty as well of himself as of his Subjects John is absolved and having laid down his Crown Scepter Cloak Sword and Ring at the Legats feet he doth him homage for the Realm of England kissing his Feet as his Tributary and binds the English to the like duty by a solemn Oath He was willing also to discharge what he had taken from his Clergy This was done Anno 1215. Then the Legat returning into France requireth Philip in the Pope's name that he should suffer John to enjoy his Realm of England in peace and freely to possess the Lands which he held by homage of the Crown of France Moreover that he should satisfie the great complaints which the Clergy of his Realm had made against him restoring that which he had exacted from them during the Wars upon pain of Excommunication if he did not obey presently Philip promiseth to submit himself and before the Legat's departure he frees the Clergy of his Realm of the Tenths which he had exacted for the charge of the Wars according to the decree of a National Council held at Soissons King John being freed by the Pope and pressed by him to perform his command oppresseth his Subjects by extraordinary impositions and Tyrannical exactions The English Nobility therefore reject John and offer the Realm to King Philip who sendeth his Son Lewes giving him a train fit for his person in so great an exploit Lewes having taken Hostages of the English for assurance of their Faith passeth into England and so to London Math. Westm Il. 2. sub anno 1215. where he is joyfully received In the mean time complaints come to Philip from Pope Innocent who in a general Council held at Rome did Excommunicate Lewes the eldest Son of Philip Augustus with all his adherents King John dyeth and the English receive Henry the Son of John and dismiss Lewes of France King Philip instituted the Provost of Merchants and the Sheriffs at Paris for the politick Government thereof he caused the City to be paved being before very noisome by reason of the mire and dirt he built the Halls and the Louvre He Walled in Bois de Vincennes and replenished it with Dear and other Wild Beasts he finished that sumptuous building of our Ladies Church In his Testament he ordained many notable things he left towards the winning the City of Jerusalem III. C. M. pounds of Paris Money to the Hospital in Mountfort one C. M. pounds and to be distributed among the poor Commons of his Land he gave XX. M. pounds But a pound of Paris Money was then but two shillings six pence sterling King Philip dyed and was buried with great pomp in the Monastery of St. Dennis Anno 1223. and Lewes VIII his Son succeeded him who was crowned at Rhemes Pope Innocent III. having gathered together an Army of one hundred thousand pilgrims set forward for the final extirpation of the poor Albigenses The best Champions for the Pope herein were the Duke of Burgundy the Earls of Nevers St. Paul Auxerre Geneva Poictiers with Simon Earl of Montfort Of the Clergy Milo the Pope's Legat the Arch-Bishops of Sens and Rovan the Bishops of Clermont Nevers Lysieux Bayeux Chartres with divers others every Bishop with the Pilgrims of his jurisdiction to whom the Pope promised Paradice in Heaven but not one penny on Earth Their work was to destroy the Albigenses which were in great numbers in Daulphinè Tho. Fullers holy War li. 3. ca. 21. Provence Narbon Tholouse and other parts of France Their commission also extended to the rooting out of all their friends and favourers whether detected or only suspected such as were Reimund Earl of Tholouse Reymund Earl of Foix the Vice-Count of Besiers Gaston Lord of Bern the Earl of Bigorre the Lady of la Vaur with divers others The first piece of service these Souldiers performed was in sacking the City of Besiers and Burrough of Carcassone in which many of the Papists dwelt and promiscuously were slain with the Albigenses Yea Priests themselves were cut in pieces in their Priestly Ornaments and under the banner of the Cross As for the City of Carcassone which was not far from the Burrough whilst the City was besieged they escaped out by the benefit of a Vault under-ground and so shifted abroad for themselves Hitherto this War was managed by the Pope's Legat. Simon Earl of Montfort is now chosen Captain of this Army who swears to vex the Lord's enemies After he was seized of the Vice-County of Besiers he took many other Castles and Cities When the Quarantine or forty days service of this Army was expired the time the Pope set them to merit Paradice in they would not stay any longer but ran away And though the Bishops perswaded some few to stay yet could they little prevail which was no small advantage to the Albigenses The Earls of Tholouse Foix and Comminge and Prince of Bern sheltred themselves under Peter King of Arragon whose homagers they were receiving investiture from him though their Dominions lay on this side the Pyrenean Hills This King suspected the greatness of the Earl of Montfort therefore he fomented a faction in them against the Holy Army he charged Earl Simon for seizing on the Lands of good Catholicks for supposed Hereticks and complained that the Vice-Count of Besiers who lived and dyed firm in the Romish Faith was lately trained into the Legat's hand and against Oaths and promises of his safe return was kept Prisoner till his death and his Lands seized on by Earl Simon A pitcht Battle was fought near the Castle of Moret where the King of Arragon being wounded to death fell from his Horse and immediately his Army ran all away Simon pursued them to the Gates of Tholouse and killed many thousands The Fryars imputed this Victory to the Bishop's Benediction and adoring a piece of the Cross together with the fervency of the Clergyes prayers that remained behind in the Castle of Moret Yet within few years the face of this War began to alter for young Reimund Earl of Tholouse exceeding his Father in valour and success so bestirred himself that in few months he regained what Earl Simon was many years in getting And at last Earl Simon besieging Tholouse with a stone which a Woman let fly out of an
Charles the second King of Sicily and Apulia dyed also After the death of Pope Gregory X. the first conclave was in Arezzo where the Pope dyed The Guards lasted but one night for the same night the Cardinals entred they agreed to chuse Pietro Farantasio a Burgundian and Dominican Fryar Pope who took upon him the name of Innocent V. Innocent was crown'd in Rome forty days after his Election After the death of Innocent which happened in the year 1276. six months exactly after his Election Alexander V. who succeeded him being created in Rome with all the formalites of the conclave revoked the order established by Gregory concerning the affairs of the conclave though in due form it had the approbation of a general Council Divers other succeeding Popes were all created according to the order observed before the time of Gregory X. King Philip the third dyeth having reigned fifteen years and lived forty of his first Wife Isabel he had Philip and Charles remaining Philip his eldest Son was King of France after him Charles was Earl of Valois of Alanson and of Perche Father to that Philip of Valois who in his course shall succeed to the Crown Fryar John of Paris a Doctor in Divinity of the Order of predicants wrote about the year 1280. Joann Paris in Tract de potest Regia Papal in pro. In his Tract of the Royal and Papal power he saith I am of opininion that truth it self hath made a medium here namely that it is not utterly impossible that Clergy-men have Dominion and Jurisdiction in Temporal matters but yet it belongs not unto them by reason of their profession and as Christ's Vicars and the Apostles successors but is convenient for them to have it by the grant and permission of Princes if so be they have bestowed it upon them out of devotion or if they have got it by other means And in the eighth Chapter he sets down this conclusion Whence it appears that seeing Christ as Man had no power nor jurisdiction in Temporal matters the Priest be what he will hath not received any power over them from Christ inasmuch as he did not give unto them what he had not in himself Philip the fair now King of France was advised by the Princes and French Barons not to suffer the Pope to make any Ordinances belonging unto his Kingdom Du. Tillet en Padvis sur les libertez del eglise Gallicane p. 5. without the Council of him and his nor any new and unwonted thing to be brought in thither So saith Mr. John du Tillet in his advice concerning the Liberties of the Gallican Church And it is the very counsel which Eudeas Duke of Burgundy gave him which is yet to be seen in the Treasury of Chartres This King loved Justice and Learning wherein he was well instructed for that Age. His Wife Joan builded in her name that goodly Colledge of Navarr Peter Morone an Hermit was chosen Pope and assumed the name of Celestine V. a Pope little practised in politick or Ecclesiastick affairs The Cardinals in short time by reason of the many errours that he fell into by his insufficiency for the Popedom made several Instances to him that he would spontaneously be pleased to renounce the Papacy and not expose the Church to so many perils Hereunto they were stirred up by the instigation of Benedetto Gaetano who was afterwards Boniface VIII Who was a Cardinal of great Learning and Experience but so extreamly ambitious of the Papacy that he left no Stone unturn'd to compass his designs And because he saw he might easily bring it about if Celestine would renounce he perswaded Celestine to resign laying it to him as a scruple of conscience telling him that at the day of Judgement it would be imputed to him if any ill did happen to the Church Gaetano likewise suborned some of Celestine's friends to make an hole corresponding with that part of the chamber in which the Pope's bed stood from whence they cryed all night long with a most dismal voice as if it had been the Judgement of Heaven Celestine Celestine lay down the Popedom for it is a charge too great for your abilities Celestine hereupon resigneth the Papacy in the sixth Month after his creation and returned to the Cell from whence he came The same day in which Celestine renounced the Cardinals without the form of the conclave chose the said Gaetan with open Votes He being declared Pope and having assumed the name of Boniface VIII began his Reign with so much insolence and Tyranny that in a short time he gain'd the Title of Nero II. A great Assembly meet in the City of Gramont Anno 1296. Where Adolph the Emperour Edward King of England the Duke of Austria John Duke of Brabant the Earl of Juliers and his Son John Earl of Holland and Henuault Robert Earl of Nevers William Henry and Guy of Flanders unanimously resolve to make War against King Philip. The colour was to maintain Guy Earl of Flanders unjustly afflicted by Philip who had violently taken and stoll'n away his Daughter and detained her against the right of Nations refusing to restore her to her Father It was decreed that Guy should begin by force and be well seconded by the Emperour and the English But before they come to Arms Pope Boniface should make the first point by the lustre of his Authority This Pope commandeth Philip by his Nuncio to restore to the English and Flemmings what they demanded and for not obeying he cites him to appear at Rome upon pain of Excommunication Philip sends an honourable Embassage to Rome by the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes and the Earl of St. Paul to lay open his right against the Deputies of the King of England and the Earl of Flanders who were then at Rome to complain as being wronged All parties being heard Boniface decreeth that Philip should yield unto Edward and to Guy all they demanded both in Guienne and Flanders charging the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes to signifie this Bull unto the King upon pain of Excommunication for not obeying Philip being undaunted prepares to defend himself invades Flanders and defeats the Flemmings seizeth upon all Flanders and the Earl of Flanders is forsaken by his confederates Guy with his children and followers are imprisoned in sundry places in France under sure guards Philip getting Flanders and uniting it to the Crown of France He comes to Gaunt where he is received as their Soveraign appointing James of Chastillon Lord of Leuse and Condè for Governour and Lieutenant-General and so returneth to Paris The people of Flanders being oppressed revolt from Philip. All the Cities Gaunt excepted make an offensive and defensive League against King Philip and for their Earl's delivery At Bruges the French are slain by their Hosts The Nobility joyn with the people Philip prepares an Army of 40000 Men but even at his entry into Flanders returns again His sudden retreat incensed this mutinous people more
and gave courage to their Commanders Philip seeing his Errour raiseth another Army of 40000 men and puts them under the command of Robert Earl of Artois accompanied with the Constable of France and many other great Personages Century XIV THe Armies forementioned meet near unto the Town of Courtray in a place called Groeming The French were defeated Of this great Army there hardly escaped three hundred not one Commander escaped and very few Noble-men There were taken Robert Earl of Artois General of the Army the Constable of France James of Chastillon Governour of Flanders John King of Majorca Godfrey of Brabant and his Son the Lord of Viezon the Earls of Ewe la March Damartin Aumale Auge Tankerville and many other great Personages Twelve hundred Gentlemen were slain by this enraged Multitude All Flanders now revolted from the French This happened in the Year 1302. on July 11. John of Namour is their Governour in the absence of their imprisoned Earl All the threats of the King of England and the Emperour now vanished away only Pope Boniface had Excommunicated King Philip and interdicted his Realm in the hottest of these Flemmish affairs upon this occasion The Christians Estate was lamentable in the East the Tartarians encreased daily The Pope Anno 1301. sent Boniface Bishop of Apamea unto King Philip requiring him to go into the Holy Land When the Bishop saw no appearance of obedience he threatned the King that the Pope would deprive him of his Kingdom Whereupon the Bishop being charged of Arrogancy and Treason and cast into Prison the Pope sends to him again one Peter a Roman born Arch-Bishop of Narbon commanding him to set the Bishop at liberty and to take a Voyage against the Infidels and not to meddle with the Tenths of the Clergy Philip answered his troubles at home hindred him from going into the East and constrained him to impose a Subsidy upon the Clergy and he was willing to dismiss the Bishop The Arch-Bishop replyed that he was ignorant of the Pope's Authority who was not only the Father of Christian Souls but also Soveraign Lord in Temporal things And therefore by that Authority he did excommunicate him declaring him unworthy to reign and his Realm forfeited to the Pope to invest whom he pleased Moreover he brought another Bull directed to the Prelates and Noblemen of France whereby he acquitted all French-men and dispensed with them as to their Oath of Allegiance to Philip. And cited all the Prelates and Divines of the French Church to appear before him at Rome disanulling all indulgences and priviledges granted to the French by any Popes his predecessours The Earl of Artois disdaining this affront takes the Bull and casts it into the fire Philip was so born out by the Peers of France that when he demanded their advice how he should demean himself and whether he should put up that wrong they answered That they were ready not only to spend their goods which they there wholly offered unto him for that end but also to expose their persons even to death for him not refusing any torments Adding further and that more plainly by word of mouth That if the King which God forbid would suffer it or connive at it yet for their parts they would never endure it Mr. John Tillet Bishop of Paris speaking of this Fact in his French Chronicle The impudence of this man saith he of Boniface was wonderful who durst affirm that the Realm of France was a Benefice of the Papal Majesty But I think them saith he the greater fools who dispute the point whether the Pope hath this power or no he put our France under an Interdict for the time but the Bishops took the King's part King Philip appealed from the usurpations and insolencies of Boniface VIII to the See Apostolick then vacant as he said and to a future Council as Platina saith in his Life Platina in Bonifac 8. The States of France disanulled Boniface's excommunication Boniface by a glosing Letter of his written unto the Bishops endeavoureth to make them approve his unjust proceedings against King Philip where he saith among other things Those who hold that Temporal matters are not subject to spiritual do not they go about to make two Princes He complains also of the Parliament holden at Paris where it was enacted saith he by under-hand and begged voices that none should appear before him upon the summons of the See Apostolick Math. Westm li. 2. sub Ann. 301. He complains also of the Report which was made to that Assembly by Mr. Peter Flotte whom he calleth Belial half blind in body and quite in understanding This was the man who being sent in Embassage to him by King Philip to that saying of his we have both the one power and the other made this reply in behalf of his Master yours is verbal but ours is real This Pope will have it necessary to salvation to believe that all the faithful people of Christ are subject to the Pope of Rome and that he hath both the swords and that he judgeth all men and is judged of none This Boniface was the Authour of the sixth book of the Decretals King Philip sends back the Pope's two Nuncio's to Rome and forbids the Prelates of France to go or send any Money to Rome This being done Philip raiseth new forces to return into Flanders and subdueth the Flemmings but by the instance of John Duke of Brabant he makes peace with them upon strict conditions During this Treaty Guy Earl of Flanders and his Daughter do both dye Robert William and Guy Brethren the Sons of the Earl Guy of Flanders were freed with all the Prisoners Isabel the Daughter of Philip is married to Edward the second King of England This War of Flanders had wasted above three hundred thousand French-men in eleven years during the which it continued Adolph was deposed from the Empire by a Decree of the Electors and Albert of Austria was seated in his place who pursuing him with War slew him with his own hand in an encounter near unto Spire Albert being chosen and installed Emperour Boniface presently seeks to win him against King Philip. He proclaims him Emperour and invests him King of the Realm of France giving him both the Title and Arms and taking occasion to sow division in the heart of the Realm by means of the Clergy who by reason of their Revenues had great power in the State He also wrote Letters to Philip in this manner Boniface Bishop Servant of the Servants of God to Philip King of French-men Fear God and observe his Commandmens We Will thee to understand that thou art subject unto us both in Spiritual things and in Temporal and that it belongeth not to Thee to give any Prebend or Benefice If thou hast the keeping of any of them being vacant thou must reserve the profits of them to the Successours If Thou hast given any we judge thy gift to be void and do revoke
all that hath been done And whosoever believeth otherwise We judge them Hereticks Given at Lateran the fourth of the Nones of December in the sixth year of our Popedom Unto this Letter of the Pope King Philip makes Answer in manner as followeth Philip by the Grace of God King of France to Boniface calling himself the Soveraign Bishop little or no health Let thy foolishness know that in Temporal things we are subject to no Man and that the Gifts of Prebends and Benefices made and to be made by Vs were and shall be good both in time past and to come and that We will defend manfully the possessour of the said Benefices and We think them that believe or think otherwise fools and mad-men Given at Paris the Wednesday after Candlemas Anno 1301. After these and other Writings had passed to and fro between the French King and the Pope within a year and an half after the King summoneth a Parliament sending down his Letters to his Sheriffs and other Officers to summon the Prelates and Barons of the Realm unto the said Court of Parliament according to the Tenour of the King's Letters Patents Then William Nagaretta Knight and professour of the Laws Vid. Fox Act Monum Tom. 1. p. 448. made a large Declaration and appeal against Pope Boniface VIII at Paris before the King and his Council He taxeth Boniface to be an Intruder into the Papacy that entring not in at the door he is to be judged a Thief and a Robber He declares him to be guilty of many Heresies and to be an horrible Simoniack He chargeth him with cursing and blasphemy a blood-thirsty man a destroyer of the Churches one that is very greedy after gold and rooted in all sins that he is the Abomination of Desolation described by Daniel the Prophet Then he thus speaks to King Philip I beseech you my Lord and King that you would declare thus much to the Prelates Doctors People and Princes your Brethren in Christ and chiefly to the Cardinals and all Prelates and call a Council In the which when the aforesaid Boniface is condemned by the worthy Cardinals the Church may be provided of a Pastor And I beseech and require the said Cardinals by you and I require them and the Church of God that this wicked Man being put in prison the Church of Rome may be provided of a Vicar which may minister those things that shall appertain until the Church of God be provided of a Bishop utterly to take away all occasion of Schism After this protestation of Nagaretta immediately ensued the Appeal of the King pronounced and published against the said Boniface The manner and form is set down at large by Mr. Fox Act Monum Tom. 1. p. 449. 450. This was done Anno 1303. Indictione prima June 13. on the 14 th day of the same Month of June the aforesaid King Philip being present and also the Lords Arch Bishops Bishops Abbots Priors and many witnesses being present William of Plesiano Knight objected propounded affirmed and read out of a certain paper which he held in his hand divers Articles against Pope Boniface to the number of thirty charging him with denying the immortality of the Soul with asserting that Whoredom is no sin charging him with Witch-craft Simony Sodomy Murther Oppression Bribery Adultery and many other detestable sins These things being thus read and done King Philip answered and his Appeal is as followeth We Philip by the Grace of God hearing and understanding the Objections propounded by our beloved and faithful Knight W. of Nagaretta against Boniface having now the Regiment of the Romish Church c. We earnestly beseech and require in the Bowels of Jesus Christ you Arch-Bishops and other Prelates here present as Children of the Church and pillars of the Faith that you would labour the calling and assembling of a Council in which We intend to be personally present c. Then the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots and Priors answered the premisses provoked and Appealed c. And made an Appellation Agreement and protestation as was contained in a certain paper there openly and plainly read in Tenour and Form following We Arch-Bishops of Nicosen Remen Senorem Narbon and Bishops of Landviren Belnacen Carolacen Antisidore Meldimen Nurmen Chartres Orleans Anjou Constance with many others And we Abbots of Clugny Proemonstrator of the greater Monastery of the Court of St. Denis in France St. Victor St. Genoveue St. Martin c. and Fryar Hugh Visitor of the Houses of the Order of Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in France and the Father Prior of St. Martin in the fields c. Hearing these things which were said propounded and objected yesterday and to day by you the Lords Earls and Wil. aforesaid against Pope Boniface VIII c. We answer you our Lord and King and you our Lords Earls and William that the Honour and Reverence of the Holy Romish Church salved in all points we agree to your due Request in this behalf for the calling of the Council and are ready to assist to the calling together of the said Council according to the Decrees of the Holy Fathers and to the lawful Orders of the Canons not intending by any means to make parties of this matter nor to stick to any that maketh parties And lest we should be hindred by any means by the said Boniface by Excommunication suspension interdiction deposing deprivation c. And that we may sit in the same Council to judge and do all other things that belong to the Office of Prelates that We our friends our subjects Parish-Churches c. may remain safe We provoke and Appeal in Writing to the aforesaid Council that is to be gathered and to him that shall be the true and lawful highest Bishop and to him or them to whom of right we should Appeal and do earnestly require our Appellations committing us our Parish-Churches and them that stick to us our state and theirs c. to the godly defence of the aforesaid Council and of him that shall be true and lawful highest Bishop And we protest to renew this Appellation where when and before whom it shall be thought meet This was done at Paris at Lupara in the Chamber of the King many Lords and Earls Knights and Clerks and others being Witnesses After these things thus in the Parliament decreed and agreed the Prelates consulting with themselves what to do in so doubtful a matter and dreading the Pope's displeasure for what was now done to clear themselves to the Pope partly to certifie him what was done and partly also to admonish him what he should do sent this ensuing Letter to him thus directed To their most Holy Father and dearest beloved Lord Boniface the chief Bishop of the Holy Romish Church and the Universal Church his humble and devout Arch-Bishops Abbots Priors Conventuals Deans Provosts Chapters Covents and Colledges of the Cathedral and Collegiat Churches Regular and Secular of all the Realm of