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 Gaunâ— 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 Priâ—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 reâ—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 sustainâ—d by reason of the same with much adoe he obtainâ—â— restitution of his temporalties by the mediation of Aliâ—â— Piers a gentlewoman that in the last times of King Edâ—â—rd altogether possessed him Returning then unto Winchester he was received into the city with solemne procâ—â—sion and many signes of great joy Soone after his returne King Edward diedâ— and the Duke hoping bâ— reason of â—hâ—â—oung Kings nonage to workâ— some mâ—sâ—hiâ—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 accusationsâ— with addiâ—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 expâ—obrated to him the exilitie and smalenesse of his learning hee being no Scholler at allâ— 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 abâ—ut to bring forth a fâ—uitfull issue which should procreate very great store of learned men which was understood of those most ample Colledges he afterwards buâ—lt both at Oxford and VVinchesteâ— 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 otherwiseâ— he caused to be engraven in VVinchester Tower at VVinsor these words VVickhamâ— whereof when some complained to the King as a thing derogating from his honour that another should â—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 buâ—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 fiftâ— determining to make warre upon the Boâ—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 Glosterâ— 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 himâ—
saying plainly and swearing by Saint Iohn the Evangelist for that was his common Oath that Earle Goodwine should not have his Peace till hee restored his brother Alfred alive againe unto his presence with which answer the Peeres departed in choler from Court and Goodwine towards the Coast. Comming also unto the shore and ready to take shipping hee kneeled downe in presence of his conduct to wit at Bosenham in the moneth of September from whence hee intended to saile into Flanders unto Baldwine the Earle and there wished openly before them all that if ever hee attempted any thing against the Kings person of England or his Royall estate that he might never come safe unto his Cousin nor see his Country any more but perish in this voyage and herewith he went aboard the ship that was provided for him and so from the Coast into the open Sea But see what followed hee was not yet gone a mile away from the Land before he saw the shore full of armed Souldiers sent after by the Archbishop and his friends to kill him ere he should depart and goe out of the Country which yet more incensed the hearts of the English against them Being come also to Flanders hee caused the Earle the French King and others of his friends among whom also the Emperour was one to write unto the King in his hehalfe but all in vaine for nothing could be obtained from him of which the Normanâ— had no liking whereupon the Earle and his Sonnes changed their minds obtained aid and invaded the Land in sundry places Finally joyning their powers they came by the Thames into Southwarke neere London where they lodged and looked for the King to encounter with thâ—m in the field the King seeing what was done commanded the Londonerâ— not to aide nor victuall them but the Citizens made answer how the quarrell of Goodwine was the cause of the whoâ—e Realme which hee had in a manner given over unto the spoyle of the French and thereupon they not onely victualled them abundantly but also received the Earle and his chiefe friends into the City where they lodged them at their ease till the Kings power was ready to joyne with them in battle great resort also was made unto them from all places of the Realme so that the Earles Army was wonderfully increased and the day and place chosen wherein the Battle should be fought But when the Armies met the Kings side began some to flee to the Earle other to lay downe their weapons and not a few to â—unne away outright the rest telling him plainly that they would never fight against theiâ— owne Countâ—y men to mainaine Frenchmens quarrelâ— the Normans also seeing the sequell fled away so fast as they might gallop leaving the King in the field to shift for himselfe as hâ— best might whilst they did save themselves elsewhere In the meane season the Earles Power would have set upon the King either to his slaughter or apprehension but hee stayed them saying after this manner The King is my Sonne as you all know and it is not for a father to deale so hardly with his child neither a subject with his Soveraigne It is not he thaâ— hath hurt or done mee this injury but the proud Normans that are about him wherefore to gaine a Kingdome I will doe him no violence and therewithall casting aside his battell axe hee ran to the King that stood altogether amazed and falling at his feete he craved his peace accused the Archbishop required that his cause might be heard in open assemblie of his Peeres and finally determined as truth and equity should deserve The King after hee had paused a pretty while seeing his old Father-in-Law to lie groveling at his feete and conceiving with himselfe that his suite was not unreasonable seeing also his children and the rest of the greatest Barons of the Land to kneele before him and make the like request hee listed up the Earle by the hand bad him be of good comfort pardoned all that was past and friendly having kissed hâ—m his sonnes upon the cheekes he lead them to his pallace called home the Queene and Summonned all his Lords unto a Councell wherein it is much to read how many â—ils were presented against the Bishop and his Normans some containing matter of rapes other of robbery extortion murder manslaughter high tâ—eason adultery and not a few of battery wherewith the King as a man now awaked out of sleepe was so offended that upon consultation had of these things he banished all the Normans out of the Land onely three or foure excepted whom he retained for sundry necessary causes albeit they never came more so neere him afterward as to be of his Privie Councell after this also the Earle lived almost two yeares and then falling into an apoplexie as he sate with the King at the table hee was taken up and carried into the Kings bedchamber where after a few dayes hee made an end of his life and thus much of our first broyle raised by the Clergie practice of the Archbishop I would intreat of all the like examples of Tyranny practised by the Prelates of this See against their Lords and Soveraignes but then I should rather write an History than a Description of this Iland Wherefore I referre you to those reports of Anselme and Becket sufficiently penned by other the which Anselme also making a shew as if hee had beene very unwilling to be placed in the See of Canterbury gave this answer to the Letters of such his friends as did make request unto him to take the charge upon him Secularia negotia nescio quia scire nolo c. Of secular affaires I have no skill becuase I will not know them for I even abhorre the troubles that rise about them as one that desireth to have his mind at Liberty I apply my whole endeavour to the rule of the Scriptures you lead mee to the contrary and it is to be feared lest the plough of holy Church which two strong men of equall force and both like earnest to contend unto that which is good that is the King and the Archbishop ought to draw should thereby now swarve from the right furrow by matching of an old sheepe with a wild untamed Bull. I am that old sheepe who if I might be quieâ— could peradventure shew my selfe not altogether ungratefull to some by feeding them with the milke of the word of God and covering them with wooll but if you match mee with this Bull yoâ— shall see that through want of equality in draught the plough will not goe too right c. as followeth in the processe of his Letters The said Thomas Becket was so proud that hee wrote to King Henry the second as to his Lord to his King and to his Sonne offering him his Counsell his reverence and due correction c. Others in like sort have protested that they oug't nothing to the Kings of this Land
unduly and against reason by the commandement of the said Lord of VVinchester and afterward in approving of the said refusall he received the said VVoodvile and cherished him against the State and worship of the King and of the said Lord of Glocester Secondly The said Lord of Winchester without the advise and assent of the said Lord of Glocester or of the Kings Councell purposed and disposed him to set hand on the Kings person and to have removed him from Eltham the place that he was in to Windsor to the intent to put him in governance as he list Thirdly that where the said Lord of Glocester to whom of all persons thaâ— should be in the Land by the way of Nature and birth it belongeth to see the governance of the Kings person informed of the said undue purpose of the said Lord of Winchester declared in the Article next above said and in setting thereof determining to have gone to Eltham unto the King to have provided as the cause required and the said Lord of Winchester untruely and against the Kings peace to the intent to trouble the said Lord of Glocester going to the Kingâ— purposing his death in case that he had gone that way set men of armes and Archers at the end of London bridge next Southwâ—rke and in forbearing of the Kings high way let draw the chaine of the stoopes there and set up pipes and hurdles in manner and former of Bulworkes and set mâ—n in cellers and windowes with Bowes and Arrowesâ— and other weapons to the intent to bring finall destruction to the said Lord of Glocesters person as well as of those that then should come with him Fourthly The said Lord of Glocester saithâ— and affirmeth that our soveraigne Lord his Brother that was King Henry the fift told him on a time when our Soveraigne Lord being Prince was lodged in the Pallace of Westminster in the great Chamber by the noyse of a Spaniell there was on a night a man spied and taken behind a carpet of the said Chamber the which man was delivered to the Earle of Arundell to be examined upon the cause of his being there at that time the which so examined at that time confessed that he was there by the stirring and procuring of the said Lord of Winchester ordained to have slaine the said Prince there in his bed wherefore the said Earle of Arundell let sacke him forthwith and drownes him in the Thames Fiftly Our Soveraigne Lord that was King Henry the fifth said unto the said Lord of Glocester that his Father King Henry the fourth livingâ— and visited then greatly with sicknesse by the hand of God the said Lord of Winchester said unto the King Henry the fifth being then Prince that the King his Father so visited with sicknesse was not personable and therefore not disposed to come in conversation and governance of the people and for so much councelled him to take the governance and Crowne of this Land upon him Such a loyall Prelate was he To these Articles the Archbishop gave in his answer in writing too tedious to recite whereupon the Lords in Parliament tooke an Oath to be indifferent umpiers betweene the Bishop and Duke and at lastâ— with much adoe made a finall accord and decree betweene them recorded at large by Hall and Holinshed wherâ—by they both were reconciled for a season But in the yeare 1427. the Bishop passing the sea into France received the habit hat and dignity of a Cardinall with all ceremonies to it appertaining which promotion the late King right deepely piercing into the unrestrainable ambitions mind of the man which even from his youth was ever wont to checke for the highest and also right well ascertained with what intollerable pride his head should soone be swollâ—n under such a hat did therefore all his life long kepe this Prelate backe from that presumptuous estate But now the King being young and the Regent his friend hee obtained his purpose to the impoverishiâ—g of the spiritualitie of this Realme For by a Bull Legantine which he purchased from Rome he gathered so much treasure that no man in manner had money but he so that hee was called the rich Cardinall of Wincester Afterwards An. 1429. the Pope unleagated him and set another in his place to his great discontent Anno. 1441. the flames of contention brake out afresh betweene the said Duke and the Cardinall for after his former reconciliation to the Duke he and the Archbishop of Yorke Iohn Kerap ceased not to doe many things without the consent of the King or Duke being during the minority of the King Governour and Protector of the Realme whereat the Duke as good cause he had was greatly offended and there upon declared to King Henry the â—ixth in writing wherein the Cardinall and the Archbishop had offended both his Majesty and the Lawes of the Realme This complaint of the Duke was contained in twentie foure Articles which chiefely rested in that the Cardinall had from time to time through his ambitious desire to surmount all other in high degree of honor sought to enrich himself to the great and notorious hinderance of the King as in defrauding him not onely of his treasure but also in doing practising things prejudiciall to his affaires in France and namely by setting at liberty the King of Scots upon so easie conditions as the Kings Majesty greatly lost therehy as in particulars thus followethâ— and out of the Dukes owne coppie regestred by Hall and Holinshed 1. These be in part the points and Articles which I Humphrey Duke of Gloster for my truth and acquitall said late I would give in writing my right doubted Lord unto your Highnes advertising your Excellence of such things as in part have bin done in your tender age in derogation of your noble estate and hurt of both your Realmes and yet be done and used dayly 2. First the Cardinall then being Bishop of Winchester him took upon the state of Cardinall which was naied and denaied him by the King of most noble memory my Lord your Father saying that he had as lefe set his Crowne beside him as to see him weare a Cardinalls Hat he being a Cardinall for he knew full well the pride and ambition that was in his person then being but a Bishop should have so greatly extolled him into more intollerable pride when that he were a Cardinall and also he though it against his freedome of the chiefe Church of this Realme which that he worshipped as duly as ever did Prince that blessed be his soule And howbeit that my said Lord your Father would have had certaine Clarkes of this Land Cardinalls and to have no Bishopricks in England yet his intent was never to doe so great dâ—rogation to the Church of Canterbury as to make them that were his suffragans to sit above their Ordinary and Metropolitan But the cause was that in generall and in all matters which might concerne the weale
King in his owne Cathedrall Church and ransomed for 200. hawkes after this dying he was buried not in the Church-yard but in the market place of Shrewsbury by his owne appointment Richard the 10. Bishop of Bangor excommunicated David ap Lhewelin Prince of Wales for that contrary to his Oâ—th he took his Brother Gryffith prisoner who was content upon the Bishops word to goe to his Brother and when he saw that course would not reforme him he never lin complaining first to the King of England then to the Pope that he so incensed them as the one excommunicated him the other made warre upon him untill he delivered his said Brother into the Kings hands who caused him to be kept in the Tower of London till he endeavoring there to escape by misfortune brake his necke The Prince hereupon so wasted the Bishopricke that in the yeare 1248. this Bishop and the Bishop of Saint Asaph were forced to beg their bread Whereupon this Bishop came to the Abbot of Saint Albanes desiring that the Bosome of Mercy might be opened unto his poverty and he abiding there untill his Bishopricke wasted and spoiled with continuall warre should recover some better estate might together with his Chaplaine there breath and rest themselves from those calamities wherewith they had beene long afflicted in like sort as heretofore the Bishop of Hereford had done who was honorably entertained there almost the space of twenty yeares Richard Young the 22. Bishop of Bangor for some contempt and disobedience against the King and confederating as is likely with that Rebell Owen Glendor was imprisoned two or three yeares till the Pope Anno 1404. translated him to Rochester by his Bull. Lewis the 23. Bishop of Bangor Anno. 1408. joyned with the Earle of Northumberland the Lord Bardolfe and others in open Rebellion against King Henry the fourth The Earle was slaine in battell in the field the Lord Bardolfe mortally wounded and their heads set upon London Bridge The Bishop was likewise taken prisoner in the battell but obtained pardon from the King because he had no Armes upon him when he was taken though the incendiary of the other two and as great a Traytor as they but the Abbot of Hayles was hanged because hee had borne Armes in that Rebellion So happy are Traytorly and Rebellious Bishops as to scape scot free in their Treasons and Rebellions when all other sorts of men have execution done upon them Arthur Bulkly Bishop of Bangor and Iohn Lewis Vicar of Llain-geynwina were attainted in a Praemunire at the prosecution of William Whorewood the Kings Attorney for suing for the right of Patronage and Tithes of the said Church and for severall summes of money due on bond for Tithes in this Bishops Ecclesiasticall Court which had no cognisance of them being temporall and belonging only to the Kings Civill Courts to the derogation of the imperiall Jurisdiction of the King and his Crowne and subversion of the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme And hereupon judgement was given against them according to the Statute This Bishop sold away five faire Bells out of the Steeple of his Cathedrall Church which maâ—d the Musicke there Should I rip up the scandalous lives and Actions of some of the late Pilates of this See one of whom published The Practise of Piety which some say he never writ though neither he nor any of his successors did ever much practice it in their lives or should I recite the vile complaints of late against one of them in 2 or 3 late Parliaments I should be over tedious and pollute my paper with such beastly actions as would cause chast eyes to blush and turne their aspect from them Wherefore I shall passe them over in silence he being gone to answer them before the supreame tribunall informing you only that he imposed Armies upon his Clergy and provided an Armory for them to be kept in within his Cathedrall at Bangoâ— And so I post on to Assaph Diocesse Saint Assaph IOhn Trevaur Bishop of Saint Assaph pronounced the sentence for deposing King Richard the second in which instrument he is first named as appeares by this ensuing Copy of it In the Name of God Amen We Iohn Bishop of Saint Assaph chosen and deputed speciall Commissaries by the three states of this present Parliament representing the whole body of the Realme for all such mattersâ— by the said estates to us committed Wee understanding and considering the manifold crimes hurts and harmes done by Richard King of England and misgovernance of the same by a long time to the great decay of the said Land and utter ruine of the same shortly to have beene had not the speciall grace of our God thereto put the sooner remedy And also further more adverting that the said King Richard by acknowledging his owne insufficiency hath of his owne meere voluntaâ—y and free will renounced and given over the rule and governance of this Land with all rights and hâ—nours unto the same belonging and utterly for his merits hath judged himselfe not unworthily to be deposed of all Kingly Majesty and Estate Royall We the Premisses well considering by good and diligent deliberation by the power name and authority to us as aforesaid committed pronounce decerâ—e and declare the same King Richard before this to have beene and so to be unprofitable uâ—aâ—le unsuffiâ—ient and unworâ—hy of the Rule and Government of the foresaid Realmes and Lorâ—ships and of all rights and other the appurtenances thereto belonging And fâ—r the same causes wee deâ—rive him of all Kingly dignity and worshâ—p and of all Kingly worship in himselfe And we depose him by our sentence definitive forbidding expresly to all Archbishops and Bishops and all other Prelates Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons and Knights and all other men of the foresaid Kingdome and Lordships Subjects and Leiges whatsoever they be that none of them from this day forward to the foresaid Richard as King and Lord of the foresaid Realmes and Lordships be neither obedient nor attendant Immediatly as this sentence was in this wise passed and that by reason thereof the Realme stood voyd without head or governour for the same The Duke of Lancaster rising from the place where before hee sate and standing where all the house might behold him laid claime to the Crowne to which the Lords assented After which the Archbishop of Canterbury Arundel having notice of the minds of the Lords stood up and asked of the Commons if they would assent to the Lords which in their minds thought the claime of the Duke made to be rightfull and necessary for the wealth of the Realme and them all Whereto the Commons with one voyce cryed Yea yea yea After which answer the said Archbishop going to the Duke and kneeling downe before him on his knees addressed to him all his purpose in a few words which ended he rose and taking the Duke by the right hand
Prelate Amm. 1385. this King called a Parliament at London wherein the Laity granted the King one Quindisme and a halfe upon condition that the Clergy would give him one Disme and a halfe This Arch-Bishop stiffely opposed this condition saying That it ought not to be made especially seeing the Church ought to be free and no wayes to be taxed by Lay-men adding that he would rather endanger his head for this cause then suffer the Church of England to be so much inslaved Which Answer so moved the company of Commons that the Knights of the Counties with certaine of the Nobles of the Kingdome with great fury petitioned that the Temporalties of the Ecclesiastickes might be taken away saying That the Clergy were growne to such excessive pride that it would be a worke of piety and charity by the taking away of their Temporalties which did puffe them up to compell them to be more humbly wise These things they cryed out these things they presented to the King in short writings thinking to bring this Petition to effect The Arch-Bishop to prevent the danger consulting with his Clergy granted the King one Tenth very willingly which the King accepted of and so for the present the unsatiable covetousnesse of the Enemies of the Church saith Walsingham was frustrated and this Clause of the Laity obliterated out of the Bill Thomas Arundell his immediate successour by provision from the Pope against the Law as he resigned his Chancellourship of England so soone as ever he was made Arch-Bishop as incompatible with his function as Thomas Becket Walter Reynalds Iohn Stratford with other his predecessors had commendably done before witnesse Matthew Parker Godwin and Fox in their lives which I wish our secular Prelates would now imitate though not in resuming this office againe as he did at last so he was scarce warme in his Seat when by King Richard the seconds displeasure he was dispossessed of the same for not onely the Arch-Bishops Brother the Earle of Arundell was attainted and condemned of High Treason against the King in full Parliament for which he was presently executed but the Arch-Bishop himselfe was by Sir Iohn Bushy in the behalfe of the Commonalty accused of high Treason for that hee had evill counselled his Majesty and induced him to grant Letters of Pardon to his brother the Earle of Arundell being a ranke Traytor After which he was found guilty and condemned of High Treason adjudged unto perpetuall exile for conspiring to take the King the Dukes of Lancester and Yorke prisoners and to hang and draw the other Lords of the Kings Councell and commanded within forty dayes to depart the Realme under paine of death He thus banished got to Rome and found such favour with the Pope as that he first writ earnestly to the King for his Restitution the King writes a sharpe Letter against him to the Pope wherein he sheweth That he plotted Treason against him and endeavoured to take away his life that he deserved rather to be quartered and executed as a Traytor then banished that the whole Kingdome wondred and were offended hee had dealt so mildly with him and not executed him as he deserved that hee was a man impatient of peace of a Trayterous and seditious spirit so as he could not restore him or re-admit him into the Realme without danger of his Life and Kingdome and therefore though all the World consented to his Restitution yet hee would never doe it whiles he breathed Upon which Letters the Pope not onely refused to restore him but at the Kings request made Roger Walden Arch Bishop in his stead The Pope hereupon conferred the Arch-bishopricke of St. Andrews in Scotland with other livings here in England by way of provision upon Arundelâ— who confederating afterward with Henry Duke of Lancaster against King Richard they levyed what forces they could and landed with them in England so that at last King Richard upon parly with this Arundell whom he had banished was forced to resigne his Crowne and to render himselfe prisoner to the Duke of Lancaster with promise of saving his life onely Hereupon the Arch-Bishop after the Resignation made in parliament Crowned the Duke King and made a Briefe Collation on these words 1 King 9. A man shall Raigne over the People Tending wholly to the praise of the new King and disparagement of the old Recorded at large by Holinshed After which hee thrust Walden out of his See and got restitution of it againe the Pope confirming his Restauration and declaring Walden to be an intruder who after a while was made Bishop of London This Arch-Bishop thus restored to his See and in high favour with the King proved a bloody persecutor and butcher of Gods Saints to which end following the steppes of his predecessour Courtney he with the rest of the Bishops fraudulently and surreptitiously procured by craftyâ— meanes and subtile pretences the cruell bloody Statute Ex Officio as Master Fox doth stile it to wit 2. Hen. 4. c. 15. to passe the Upper House of Parliament as a Law without the Commons assent or Privity whose assent they yet foisted into the written and Printed Coppies of that Act to blind the world withall and give it the colour of a Statute though it be not to be found in the Parliament Roll the Commons never consenting to it as Mr. Fox hath shewed at large in his Acts and Monuments p. 539.540 and the Statute of 25. Hen. 8. c. 14. witnesseth which bastard Statute by colour of which alone most or all our English Martyres were afterwards imprisoned burned tortured and put to death being thus unduly obtained this bloody Arch-Prelate forthwith caused many godly Martyres to be burnt to ashes and the Worthy honourable Lord Cobham with sundry others to be put to death by reason whereof the Kingdome of the Pope and of the Prelates his members here in this Realme began to beâ— so strong that none durst stirre or once mutter against them The Bishops having the King so full on their side armed moreover with these two forged Lawes with imprisonments sword fire and faggot raigned and ruled as they listed as Kings and Princes within themselves So strong were they of power that no humane force was able to stand against them so exalted in pride and puffed up in glory that they thought all things to be subject to their reverend majesties Whatsoever they set forth and decreed though in their owne names rites and by their owne authorities it must of all mâ—n bee received and obeyed And it was their Superstitious blindnesse and curious vanity that whatsoever â—oy came once in their fantacy it was straight-way determined and established for a Law of all men to be observed were it never so â—rivilous or superstitious yea such was the pride vaine-glory and insolency of this Arch-Bishop Arundel who stuffed the Church with Ceremonies and vaine Traditions of men as his Successors doth now that he in great
rotten Corps of learned Martin Bucer Paulus Fagius Peter Martyrs wise to be digged out of their graves and burnt to ashes for Heretiques yea the common talke was that he purposed to have taken up King Henry the 8. his body at Windsor and to have burnt it yea and King Edward the 6. his Corps too as many thought I cannot here omit what his immediate sucâ—essor Matthew Parker records of him that this Cardinall being out of hope to get the Crowne of England to himselfe to which he aspired endeavoured to transferre all his right therein to King Philip leâ—t Queene Mary dying without issue Queene Elizabeth who differed from him and the Papists in matters of Religion whose life he and they had layd in waite for keeping her in long and strict imprisonment should of right injoy it to which purpose they very secretly entred into most wicked consultations concerning this matter to this effect that Mary not onely by the Common Law should be proclaimed Queene but likewise a conquerour of the Kingdome by right of warre so as by this pretext shee might change all publike and private rights and interests and give the Kingdome to whom soever she pleased But this counâ—ell though liked of at first yet because it was doubtfull and dangerous was not long approved of Wherefore rejecting it they thought it best and most expedient for the establishment of the Popes affaires that the Lady Elizabeth should be either dispatched out of the way or married to some Noble Spaniard But God providing for her and our safety dissipated all these wicked consultations and brought them to nothing And Cardinall Poole perswading Queene Mary to joyne with King Philip her husband in a warre against the French King with whom Pope Paul the fourth had confederated against the Emperour seeking to betray the Kingdome oâ— Naples to him the Pope was â—arre exasperated hereby against the Cardinall that he revoked his power Legatine imprisoned Cardinall Moron Protector of the English at Rome and Pooles speciall friend cited Poole to appeare at Rome as suspected of Heresie and created William Peter a Franciscan to be his Legate in his place The Queene hereupon intercedes for the Cardinall who having intelligence of this matter refused to have his silver Crosse the badge of his authority carried beâ—ore him till by the intercession oâ— Ormanet the Popes Dâ—tary here in England and the Queenes mediation he was at last restored to his Office In 〈◊〉 the flames of persecution consumed 5. Bishops 2â— Divines 8. Gentlemen 84. Artificers 100. Husbandmen Servants and Labourers 26. Wives 20. Widowes 9. Virgins aâ— Boyes and 2. Infants To close up all concerning him in Holmsheds words A Trayter he lived and a Traytor he dyed the same day on which Queene Mary expired the Tydings of whose deparâ—ure strucke him quite dead being sicke before of a quartane Feaver Illud autem saith his Successour ad aternam â—mmanitatis Pontificiae memoriam infamiamque contra Polum valebit quod eo Legato ac accelerante integerrimus Doctissimusque Archiepiscopus Craâ—nerus igne crematus est quod Archiepiscopo praeterea quod legimus accidit nemini sew or none of them having zeale enough to make them Martyrs pluresque in illâ— sue legationis triennio ferro staâ—maque crudeliter mactaâ—â— sunâ— quâ—m in â—uiusquam regis eorum qui post Lucium huic insulae imperabant longissimo regno Ita Cranmerum Martyrenâ— Polum tyramâ—um â—antuaria celebrat hic plumbo depressus ille cineribus atque flamma ad coelos elatus est Matthew Parker his immediate successor though a man of better temper a learned Antiquary a frequent Preacher of Gods Word not onely in his Cathedrall at Canterbury but in sundry Parish Churches was yet over-Pontificall and Princely in his buildings feasts houshold-stuffe and apparell if not an overâ—stiffe maintainer of his Jurisdiction and Ecclesiasticall Courts which grew so odious among the people that they offered violence to the Ministers and Promoters of those Courts Anno. 1566. â—eating and vexing them with clamors and out-cryes as they went along the streetes which insolency the Queene by her opportunâ— severity repressed Two yeares afâ—er Annoâ— 1568. Câ—lemâ—n Burton Hallingham Benson and others making profession of the purer Religion more zealously than was knowne before would allow of nothing but what was taken out of the Scriptnres and out of a desire of reformation not onely openly questioned but condemned the received Discipline of the Church of England with the Church Liturgie and the very calling oâ— Bishop as favouring too much of the Popish Religion protesting in the Pulpits that it was an impious thing to hold any thing Common with the Church of Rome using all diligence to have the Church of England reformed in every point according to the Rule of the Church of Geneva These the Queene by this Arch-Bishops instigation commanded to be layd by the heeles yet it is almost incredible how upon a sudden their followers increased every where knowne by the envious name of Puritanes through a kinde of obstinate perversenesse of their owne stopping their eares against all advise so Martyn though I think rather out of solide judgement and the inconveniences they saw and found in the Lordly Prelacie in thosâ— best times which â—saith hee might seeme to be helped forward also by the sloathfull connivency of the Bishops some of whom then misliked their owne calling and government and could have beene content with its dissolution and change to a better and the secret favour of some Noble men at Court whom Martyn slaunders to have gaped after the goods of the Church when as they rather did it out of the mischiefes and dislike of the Prelaticall government In his time the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland the Lord Dacres and othersâ— Anno 1569. being pressed forward by one Nicholas Martin a Romish Priest senâ— from the Bishop of Rome to pronounce Queene Elizabeth an Hereticke and therefore to have lost all Dominion and Soveraignty raised a Rebellion in the North to set up Popery and restore the Romish Religion the 5. wounds of Christ being painted in their Banners Murrey then Regent of Scotland informed the Queene that the Bishop of Rosse then in England was the Author of that Rebellionâ— whereupon he was committed to the Bishop of London and remained his prisoner And the same yeare Pope Pius the fifth by his Bull excommunicated and deprived Queene Elizabeth from her Crowne and absolved all her Nobles Subjects and people of the Realme from their Oath of allegiance or any other duty to her which Bull Iohn Felton setting up at the Bishop of Londons Palace gate was executed for his paines yet I read of no reâ—utation of it made by this Archprelate Edmund Grindall next enjoying this See a grave and pious man and a fugitive in Queene Maries raigne stood highly in Queene Elizabethsâ—avour â—avour for a long time till by
seized on three Mannors or Barronies belonging to his See and retained them during the Arch-Bishops life which was not long hee either out of griefe or Gods just Jâ—dgement being soone taken away It falling out for the most part as Bishop Godwin observes in his life that those Bishops which have presumed most in opposing themselves against their Princes have least time endured and ever quickly beene taken away Anno Dom. 1329. William de Melton Arch-Bishop of Yorke successively Treasurer and Chancellour of England upon the Examination of Edmund Earle of Kenâ— whom this Prelate and the Bishop of London had drawne into a conspiracie and rebellion against King Edward the third was accused of High Treason for reporting that King Edward the second was still alive after his death and that upon the credit of a preaching Fryer of London who had raised up a Devill which certainly informed him thereof as a truth For writing a Letter of Fidelitie to this Earleâ— which hee sent by his owne Chaplaine Acyn for sending him 500. men in Armes and ptomising to send him as many more as hee could possibly raise and sending Richard de Pomfret to him both to Reusington and Arundle to further the said Rebellion The Poore Earle was found guiltie of high Treason and beheaded The Bishop of London and Arch-Bishop the chiefe plotters of this Treason and Conspiracâ—e were suffered to goe at libertie under fureties taken of them for their good demeanour and forth-comming and the Fryer who had raised the Spirit to know whether the Kings Father were living or not was onely committed to prison where he dyed An. 1319. this William Melton Arch-Bishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Ely with the Citizens of Yorke not making them of the Countrey once privie to their designes having in their companie a great company of Priests and men of Religion gave battell unto the Scots neere Melton upon Swale But for as much as most of the English were unexpert in the feates of Warre the Bishops being their Captaines and came not in any orderly way of Battell they were easily put to flight by the Scots who slew about 4000. of them sparing neither Religious person nor other So ill is it for Prelates to turne Warriers and that rashly without taking good advice Alexander Nevell Arch-Bishop of Yorke in great favour with King Richard the second was amongst others conuicted by Parliament for abusing the Kings youth by flattery and exciting and stirring him against the Nobilitie and Lords whom hee falsely accused of Treason to the King to the great prejudice of the King and Realme by whispering tales day and night against them and for anulling Acts of Parliament for which causes hee was condemned in Parliament of high Treason and then adjudged to perpetuall imprisonment in the Castle of Rochesâ—er Hee foreseeing the Tempâ—st that grew toward him fled out of the Realme Vrbane the Fifth for his securitie translated him being both a Traytor and whisperer writes Walsingham from Yorke to Saint Andrewes in Scotland which Kingdome at that time refused to acknowledge Vrbane for Pope yeelding obedience to the Antipope by meanâ—s whereof Vrbanes gift was insufficient to invest him in Saint Andrewes yet good to void him quite from Yorke whereby hee being stript of both Arch-Bishoprickes and enjoying the benefit of neither for very want was forced to become a Parish Priest at Lovaine and so lived three yeares till his death Thomas Arundel his Successour to prejudice the Londoners and benefit those of Yorke removed all the Kings Courts from Westminster to Yorke to the great prejudice and grievance of the Londâ—ners and Subjects in the West and South parts of England and the no little disturbance of the Realme His pretence was that hee did it onely to punish the pride and presumption of the Londoners who were then in great disgrace with the Kingâ— by reason of a fray made upon the Bishop of Salisburyes Manâ— who abused a Baker and brake his head with a Dagger without any just cause for which the Citizens assaulted the Bishops House to have Justice done upon his Man who had done the wrong but the Bishops bolstering him outâ— no Justice could be had and instead thereof their Liberties were seized on and the Terme removed to Yorke to vex them the more The Arch-Bishop not long after was attainted of Treason in Parliament immediately upon his Translatiâ—n from Yorke to Canterbury And good reason for he conspired with the Duke of Gloucester the Abbot of Saint Albanes and the Prior of Westminster both which Religious persons declared to the Duke that they had severall Visions That the Kingdome should bee destroyed through the misgovernment of Richard the second by which they animated the Duke to conspire with them and others against their Soveraigne who meeting together at drundel Castle about the 20. yeare of King Richards Raigne they sware each to otherâ— to bee assistant one to another in all such matters as they should determine and therewith received the Sacrament from this Arch-Bishop who celebrated Masse before them the morrow after which done they withdrew themselves into a chamber and concluded to take King Richard the Dukes of Lancaster and Yorke and to commit them to Prison and to hang and draw all the other Lords of the Kings Councell all which they intended to accomplish in August following had not their plot been discovered and prevented by Earle Marshall This Prelate after his attainder for this Treason was the chiefe Actor in effecting King Richards involuntary Resignation in the instrument whereof he is first named I shall say no more of this Arundel but what William Harrison hath recorded of him in his Description of England l. 2. â— c. 1. p. 134. And even no lesse unquietnesse had another of our Princes with Thomas Arundel than King Stephen had with his Predecessours and Robert de Sâ—gillo Bishop of London who fled to Rome for feare of his head and caused the Pope to write an ambitious and contumelious Letter unto his Soveraigne about his restitution But when by the Kings Letters yet extant and beginning thus Thomas PRODITIONIS non expers nostrae Regiae Majestati insidias fabricavit the Pope understood the bottome of the matter hee was contented that Thomas should be deprived and another Arch-Bishop chosen in his stead But of this and him you may reade more before pag. 75 76 c. Richard Scroope Arch-Bishop of â—orke Brother to William Scroope Earle of Wilâ—shire Ann. 1403. and 1405. joyned with the Earle of Northumberland the Earle Marshall the Lord Bardolpâ— and others in a Conspiracie and Rebellion against King Henry the fourth gathering what forces hee could against him The Percies to make their part seeme good devised certaine Articles by the devise of this Arch-Bishop which they shewed to divers Noble-men and other States of the Realme and moved them so farre to promote their purpose by this meanes
the Earle to be sent backe to the Church Fulco Basset his next successor a man of a haughty stout spirit as he opposed the Popes exactions Rustands his Legate so he had many contâ—sts with King Hâ—nry the third and was the maine pillar of the Barons who reposed all his hope in him before such time he grew cold and remisse in standing for the publike liberties whereby hee much blemished his fame and incensed the Barons and people against him in so much that the King reviled him in these words that neither he nor any of his name were ever true unto him threatning to finde meanes to correct him for his obstinacy In the presence of some whom hee knew would tell the King of it he sticked not to use this bold and couragious speech unfitting a Pâ—elate My Bishopricke my Myter and Crosier the King and the Pope may take from me but my helmet and sword I hope they will not yet neither of these two could secure him from Gods stroke for he died of the Plague at London Anno 1258. Henry Sandwich Bishop of London tooke part with the Barons who rebelled against King Henry the third for which cause he was excommunicated by Ottobon the Popes Legate with other Bishops being the chiefe incendiaries in these warres of whom Matthew Westminster writes thus The high Priests that I say not the Pharises gathered a counsell together against the Lord and against his annoynted saying Ye see that we have profitted nothing if we let the King escape thus The Romans will come and take away our purses with the money let us therefore ordaine 24 Elders round about his Throne who excluding the Parthians Meedes Elamites and strangers of Rome and freeing Ierusalem from Egyptian bondage may governe and order all and singular the affaires of the Realme The Knights Barons and Prelates therefore meeting together at Oxford in the 42. yeare of King Henry the third his reigne the King and Edward his eldest sonne being present ordained by common consent that twelve men nominated by the King and twelve by the Barons and Prelates should governe the Realme to which order the King and his sonne for feare of perpetuall imprisonment assented all and singular the Prelates except Ethelmaâ— Bishop elect onely of Winchester the Kings brother tooke a corporall oath faithfully to observe this infidelity and a sentence of excommunication was denounced by all the Archbishops and Bishops of the Kingdome against the transgressors of it Moreover saith he it is not without admiration with what face these Senators that aged Bishop of Worcester and other Prelates the Fathers Iudges of mens consciences should give such free assent to take away the Kings royall power when as they had taken a corporall Oath of giving terrene honour to the said King and his Lords which they very ill observed in ordaining that they should never governeâ— but ever be governed by others After which the Lords and Knights perceiving the generall inconvenience of this Ordinance in setting up so many Kings in stead of one the Bishop of Worceter would by no means yeeld to alter it saying that this ordinance was ratefied by an Oath and that the Pope could not dispence with the Oath making conscience of this unjust Oath like Herod and of Schisme and error contrary to the Lawes and Cannons drawing many false Prophets to him to foment this his error After this the King commanded the Bishop of Hereford a great stickler against him in these rebellious courses an oppressour of his subjects apprehended imprisoned and his goods confiscatedâ— Not long after the Prelates Earles and Barons who so sediciously held their King captivated meete at London where they ordained that two Earles and one Bishop on the behalfe of the Comonalty should elect nine persons whereof three should alwayes be assisting to the King and that by the advise of those three and the other nine all things in the Kings house as well as in the Kingdome should be ordered and that the King should doe nothing without their advise at least without the consent of these three Whereupon the Earles of Lecester Worcester Glocester and the Bishop of Chechister who the day before the battell of Lewes absolved all those who fought against his Soveraigne Lord the King from all their sinnes were chosen out to be the chiefe Councellers and Captaines who eleâ—ted other nine The King for feare of perpetuall imprisonment and that they would chuse another King consented to the ordinance OMNIBVS EPISCOPIS all the Bishops Earles and Barons consenting thereunto and sealing it with their Seales The Bishops of London Winchester Worcester and other Bishops were sent to the Popes Legate Cardinall of Sabine whom they would not suffer to come into the Realme to confirme this agreement who sharply reprehended the Bishops because they consented to so great a depression of the Kings power citing them three dayes after to appeare before him at Boâ—onâ—e about the affaires of the Kingdome who neither appearing by themselves nor their Proctors the Legate thereupon suspended them excommunicated the Barons the Cinque ports the city of London and the Bishops to for hindring him from comming into England and for their default But the said Bishops and the rest not regarding this thunderbolt appealed from it to the Pope and the next generall Councell and to the Church as well Triumphant as Militant and trusting to the defence of the Martiall sword little esteemed the spirituall the Bishops presuming to be present at and to exercise divine offices notwithstanding this suspention and excommunication till Otho his comming into England who calling a Councell at Wiâ—â—minsterâ— suspended this Henry Bishop of Londonâ— Iohn Bishop of Winchester and Stephen Bishop of Chichesterâ— both from their office and Benefice who â—ostered and incouraged the part of the Kings enemies excommunicating the Bishop of Lincolne for the same cause who at last supplicated for mercy not judgement with Walter Bishop of Worcester who lying at the point of death confessed he had erred fovendâ— in fomenting and fostering the part of Simon Montford and thereupon sent Letters to the Legate desiring the benefit of absolution which he obtained and so died By which relation of Matthew Westminister seconded by the continuer of Matthew Paris and other of our Chroniclers it is most apparant that this Bishop of London and the other Prelates were the chiefe fomenters of all the warres and rebellions against the King and those that stirred up and encouraged the Barons in their unnaturall bloody wars against their Soveraigne Henry the third as Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury was the principall author and contriver of those against King Iohn Anno. 1329. 1330. Richard Wentworth Bishop of London was accused by Edmond Woodstocke Earle of Kent for conspiring with him to helpe set up a new King Edward the second after his death whom Thoraas Dunhead a Fryer affirmed for cetaine by
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 Towerâ— grieved not a little that these Prisoners were broken from him and sheltered in that Sanctuary taking with him Sir Ralph â—errers with other men in armour to the number of fifâ—ie and some of the Kings servants on the fifth of August entred into Westrainister Church whilst Masse was sayingâ— 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 Pâ—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 satâ— in this See in thâ— 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 Bedlamâ— 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
Arch-Bishop being desirous to place his own Countrey-men in all roomes of speciall Authoritie and besides having a private grudge at Stigand for forcing him to yeeld Kentish men their ancient Liberties whereof see more in Canterbury procured him to be deprived of both his Bishoprickes upon this point that he had contrary to the Law held them both together He was deprived An. 1069. and dyed a prisoner in the Castle of Winchester soon after About the yeare 1107. King Henry the first taking upon him to bestow Bishoprickes giving investiture and possession of them by delivering the Ring and the Crosier placed divers of his Chaplaines in Bishoprickes without election commanding the Arch-bishop to consecrate them Among divers others hee appointed William Giffard Bishop of Winchester and required Anselme the Arch-bishop to consecrate him Anselme utterly denyed to afford consecration either to him or any other in the like case The King then sent unto Girard Arch-bishop of York whom he found nothing strange but Gâ—ffard saith Matthew Westminster timens rigorem sancti Anselmi spernit consecrationem ejus stood so much in awe of Saint Anselme as hee durst not but reject the offer of the others consecration The King angry hitherto with the Arch-bishop onely was now much more incensed against this Giffard and in great displeasure banished him the Realme In the end the King and the Arch-bishop grew to this agreement that the gifts of the King already passed should be ratified and his Clerkes nominated to Bishoprickes have consecration upon promise that hereafter he should not disturbe Canonicall Elections and utterly renounce his pretended priviledge So after much adoe he was consecrated togegether with divers others An. 1107. Henry de Bloys being Bishop of Winchester when King Henry the first dyed although he with the other Bishops of the Land had sworne fealtie unto Maud the Empresse yet she being absent in Normandy this Bishop doubting left some other stepping up before her arrivallâ— the Kingdome might be rent away quite from his kindred and passe to some strangerâ— by vertue of his power Legantine called a Councell of the Clergie who swayed all in those dayes and drawing Roger Bishop of Saliâ—bury to his partie easily procured his Brother Stephen Earle of Boloigne to be elected King whom they crowned and submitted to as their Soveraigne disinhereting Maud the right Heire The King not long after falling out with these two Bishops seized upon their Castles and imprisoned the Bishop of Salisbury who dyed for griefe The Bishop of Winchester summons a Counsell there to which the Bishop was cited the Case of the Bishops concerning their Castles was there long debated betweene the Pope the Bishops and those on the Kings side he would yeeld to nothing whereupon they moved the Legate to Excommunicate him who replied he durst not doe it without the Popes privitie The Kings unthankefulnesse to the Bishops who onely had set him up did so alienate them from him that thereupon they joyned with Maud the Empresse against him who by their meanes became able to make her part good with Stephen and tooke him prisoner the Bishop of Winchester and a great part of the Realme too receiving her for their Queene Hereupon this Prelate accurseth and excommuncates al the opposites of Maud the Empresse who denying him a suite in the behalfe of his Brother Eustace He thereupon revokes hâ—s Excommunication secretly falls from her stirres up the discontented Londoners against her mans divers Castles to resist her equivocates in his words and actions with her to worke her ruine fiers Winchester upon her and at last entraps her Thus this turne-coat trecherous Prelate with the rest were Traytors and Rebels on both sides of which see more in William Corbell Arch-Bishop of Canteâ—bury and Roger of Salisbury and in the Historians hereunto quoted The Pope sent a Pall to this Bishop desirous to constituâ—e a new Arch-Bishoprick at Winchester and to assigne 7. Bishops to him Peter de la Roche or de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester who was Protectour and had greatest sway in the Government of the Realme in the beginning of King Henry the 3. his Raigne by his evill Counsell to the King became the chiefe Incendiary and occasion of the Barons warres For having by his false accusations and policies wrought Hubert Earle of Kent out of the Kings favour and plotted his death that hee might solely raigne and predominate over the gentle young King The better to effect this his designe he procures him to displace the English Officers and in their roomes to surrogate Poictovines and Britons who comming over to the number of about 2000. hee stuffed his Castles with them and did as it were wholly intrust himselfe his Treasures strength and the Realme to them So that Judgements were committed to the unjust Lawes to the out-lawesâ— peace to wranglers and Justice to wrong-doers Such as would have prayed redresse for these abuses were interrupted and put off by this Bishop of Winchester Among them who were removed from their places in Court was one Sir William de Redune a Knight and Deputie Marshall to Richard Earle of Pembroke This was to the Earle very displeasant which joyned with a consideration of the publicke cause and danger hee associates to him certaine of the great Lords as was the fashion of those Lording times upon every discontent and in the company of them advanceth confidently to the Kingâ— whom in the hearing of many he reproveth for that hee had through finister advice called in the â—oictovins to the oppression of the Realme and of his naturall Subjects of their Lawes and Liberties humbly therefore hee beseecheth him that he would speedily reforme such abuses which threatned the imminent subversion both of the Crowne and Kingdome which if hee did not himselfe and other Lords would so long withdraw their attendance as hee entertained strangers The Bishop hereunto makes answer That the King might well and lawfully call in what strangers himselfe thought good for the defence of the Crowne and Realme and such and so many of them as might be able to compell his proud and rebellious people to due obedience When the Oracle would speake no otherwise they departed from Court greatly discontented firmly promising one to the other that in such a cause which did so touch them all they would like men stand together while any breath was in their bodies Those who were now most potent about the King nothing sorry for the discontentment of so great a Peere as the Earle Marshall but counting it a part of their strengths to use the Regall power towards the weakning of the English nourish in the King his aversion The Poictovins and other strangers thus bearing the swayâ— so as the Kings person went guarded with troopes of such the Earles and Barons being by the Kings command summoned to antoher Parliament at Oxford refused to come While the King was there one Robert Bacon who
used there to preach before the King and Prelates fâ—eely told him That if hee did not remove from him Peter Bishop of Winchester and Peter de Rivallis he could never be in quiet The King did hereupon a little come to himselfe and Roger Bacon a Clergie-man also of a pleasant wit did second Roberts advise telling the King that Petrae and Rupes were most dangerous things at Sea alluding to the Bishops name Petrus de Rupibus The King therefore as hee had the happinesse in his mutabilitie to change for his more securitie taking that good advise of Schollers which he would not of his Peeres summons a Parliament to be holden at VVestminster giving the World to know withall that his purpoâ—e was to amend by their advise whatsoever ought to be amended But the Barons considering that still there arrived sundry strangers men of warre with Horse and Armourâ— and not trusting the Poiâ—â—ovine faith came not but presumed to send this message to the King that if out of hand he removed not Peter Bishop of Winchester and the Poictovines out of his Courtâ— they all of them by the common consent of the Kingdome would drive him and his wicked Counsellours together out of it and consult about creating a new Soveraigne The King whom his Fathers example made more timerous could easily have beene drawne to have redeemed the love of his naturall Liege-men with the disgrace of a few strangers but the Bishop of VVinchester and his Friends infused more spirit into him Whereon to all those whom hee suspected the King sets downe a day within which they should deliver sufficient pledges to secure him of their loyalty Against that day the Lords in great numbers make repaire to London but the Earle Marshall admonished of danger by his Sister the Countesse of Cornewall â—lyes backe to VVales and chiefely for want of his presence nothing was concluded The King not long after is at Gloster with an Armie whither the Earle and his Adherents required to come refused the King therefore burnes their Mannors and gives away their inheritances to the Poictovines This Rebellion had not many great Names in it but tooke strength rather by weight then number the knowne Actors were the Earle Marshall the Lord Gilbert Basset and many of the inferiour Nobles The Bishops arts had pluckt from him the Kings brother and the two Earles of Chester and Lincolne who dishonourably sold their love for a thousand Markes and otherwise as it seemed secured the rest Neverthelesse they may well bee thought not to have borne any evill will to their now forsaken confederate the Earle Marshall who tooke himselfe to handle the common cause certainely hee handled his owne safety but ill as the event shall demonstrate The Earle hearing these things contracts strict amity with Lewelin Prince of Wales whose powers thus knit together by advantages of the Mountaines were able to counterpoise any ordinary invasion To the kings ayde Balwin de Gisnes with many Souldiers came out of Flanders The king now at Hereford in the midst of his Forces sends from thence by VVinchesters counsell the Bishop of Saint Davids to defie the Earle Marshall How farre soever the word defie extends it selfe sure it seemes that the Earle hereupon understood himselfe discharged of that obligation by which hee was tyed to the king and freed to make his defence the king notwithstanding after some small attempts and better considerations did promise and assume that by advise of counsell all that was amisse should at a day appointed bee rectified and amended About which time Hubert de Burgo having intelligence that the Bishop of VVinchester who was a Poictovine plotted his death escaped out of the Castle of Devises where hee was prisoner to a Neighbour Church but was haled from thence by the Castle-keepers The Bishop of Sarisbury in whose Diocesse it hapned caused him to be safe restored to the same place from whence by the Earle Marshall and a troope of armed men his friends hee was rescued and carryed into VVales The king at the day and place appointed holds his great Counsell or Conference with the Lords but nothing followed for the peace of the Realme it was not an ordinary passage of speech which hapned there betweene the Lords and Bishop of VVinchester For when the English Bishops and Barons humbly besought the king for the honour of Almightie God to take into grace his naturall Subjects whom without any tryall by their Peeres hee called Traytors the Bishop offended it seemes at Peeres takes the words out of the kings mouth and answers That there are no Peeres in England as in the Realme of France and that therefore the king of England by such Justiciars as himselfe pleaseth to ordaine may banish offenders out of the Realmeâ— and by judiciall processe condemne them The English Bishops relished his speech so sharply that with one voyce they threatned to excommunicate and accurse by name the kings principall wicked Councellours but VVinchester appealed Then they accursed all such as alienated the heart of the king from his Naturall Subjects and all others that perâ—urbed the peace of the Realme Matthew VVestminster writes of this Peter de la Roche that hee was more expert in Military than Scholasticall affaires That the king by his Counsell removed all English Officers out of his Court and precipitately cast away all his Counsellours as well Bishops as Earles Barons and other Nobles of his kingdome so as hee would beleeve none but this Bishop whom hee adored as his God and his Darling Peter de Rivales Whence it came to passe that expelling all Gardians of Castles almost through all Englandâ— the King committed all things under the custodie of this Peter Then this Prelate drew into his confederacie Stephen de Segrave too much an enemie both to the kingdome and Church who had given most detestable counsell formerly to Stephen the Popes Chaplaine to the inestimable dammage of the Church many wayes and Robert de Passelewe who with all his might and with effusion of no small summe of money had plotted treason and grievances at Rome against the king and kingdome This man kept the kings treasure under Peter de Rivalis and so it came to passe that the Reines of the whole kingdome were committed to Strangers and base persons others being rejected Yet Godwin for the honour of his Rochet magnifies this Prelate for his notable Wisdome so as the Counsell of England received a great wound by his death though it and the whole Realme received such prejudice by his life The Earle Marshall writes Speed encreasing in strength and hatred against such as were the kings reputed Seducers makes spoile and bootie on their possessions and after joyning with the power of Leoline Prince of Wales puts all to fire and sword as farre as Shrewesbury part whereof they burnt to Ashes and sackt the Residue The king then
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 inheritancesâ— 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 Prelatesâ— 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 armesâ— 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 Stepâ—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 hadâ— 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 himâ— 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 threatsâ— 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 Popeâ— 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
loose your Jewels in my truth and in mine acquitall as it seemes to me I may not nor ought not counsell so great an hurt to you and to all your Land 21. Item It is not unknowne to you my right doubted Lord how oftentimes I have offered my service to and for the defence of your Realme of France and Dutchy oâ— Normandy where I have beene put there from by the labour of the Lord Cardinall in preferring others after his singular affection which hath caused a great part of the said Dutchy of Normandy as well as of the Realme of France to be lost as it is well knowne and what good my right doubted Lord was lost on that army that was last sent thither which the Earle of Mortaigne your Counsell of France hath well and clearly declared to your Highnesse here before 22. Item My right doubted Lord it is not unknowneâ— that it had not beene possible to the said Cardinall to have come to his great riches but by such meanes for of his Church it might not rise and inheritance he had none Wherefore my right doubted Lord sith there is great good behoofe at this time for the weale and safegard of your Realmes the poverty necessity and indigence of your leige people in highnesse understand like it unto your noble grace to consider the said lucre of the said Cardinall and the great deceipts that you be deceived in by the labour of him and of the Archbishop as well in this your Realme as in the Realme of France and Dutchy of Normandy where neither office livelihood nor Captaine may be had withouâ— too great good given unto him whereby a great part of all the losse that is lost they have beene the causers of for who that would give most his was the prise not considering the merrits service nor sufficiency of persons Furthermore it is greatly to be considered how when the said Cardinall had forfeited all his goods because of provision as the Statute thereupon more plainely declareth by having the rule of you my right doubted Lordâ— purchased himselfe in great defraudation of your Highnesse a Charter of pardon the which good and it had beene well governed might many yeares have sustained your warres without any tâ—lage of your poore people 23. Iâ—em my redoubted Lord whereas I wrote many things for the weale of you and of your Realmesâ— peradventure some wil say and understandâ— that I would or have written by way of accusement of all your Counsell which God knoweth I doe not for your Highnesse may well see that I name them that be causâ—rs of the sâ—id inordinate rule Wherefore considering that the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke are they that pretend the governance of you and of your Realmes and Lordshipsâ— please iâ— unto your Highnâ—sse of your right wisenesse to estrâ—nge them of your Counsell to that intent that men may be at their freedome to say what they thinke of truth 24. For truth I dare speake of my truth the poore dare not doe so And if the Cardinall and the Archbishop of Yorke may afterward declare themselves of that is and shall be said of them you my most doubted Lord may then restore them againe to your Counsell at your noble pleasure When the King had heard the accusations thus laid by the Duke of Glocester against the Cardinall he committed the examination thereof to his Counsell whereof the more part were spirituall persons so that what for feare and what for favour the matter was winked at and nothing said to it onely faire countenance was made to the Duke as though no malice had beene conceived against him but venome will breake out and inward grudge will soone appeare which was this yeare to all men apparant for divers secret attempts were advanced forward this season against this Noble man Humfry Duke of Glocester a farre off which in conclusion came so neare that they bereft him both of life and land For this proud covetous Prelate setting the Queene against this good Duke at a Parliament at Berry caused him there to be arrested and murthered by meanes of whose death all France was shortly after lost the Kingdome involved in a bloody civill warre I shall close up the History of this proud Prelate with old Father Latimers words concerning him in a Sermon before King Edward the sixth There was a Bishop of Winchester in King Henry the sixth dayes which King was but a child but yet were there many good Acts made in his childhood and I doe not reade that they were broken This Bishop was a great man borne and did beare such a stroake that he was able to shoulder the Lord Protector Well it chanced that the Lord Protector and he fell out and the Bishop would beare nothing at all with him but played the Sacrapha so the Regent of France was faine to be sent for from beyond the seas to set them at one and goe betweene them for the Bishop was as able and ready to buckle with the Lord Protector as hee was with him Was not this a good Prelate he should have beene at home Preaching at his Diocesse with a wannion This Protector was so noble and godly a man that he was called of every man the good Duke Humfry he kept such a house as was never since kept in England without any inhaunsing of rents I warrant you or any such matter And the Bishop for standing so stiffely by the matter and bearing up the order of our Mother the holy Church was made a Cardinall at Calis and thither the Bishop of Rome sent him a Cardinals Hat he should have had a Tiburne Tippit a halfe penny halter and all such proud Prelates These Romish Hats never brought good into England Vpon this the Bishop goeth to the Queene Katherine the Kings wife a proud woman and a stout and perswaded her that if the Duke were in such authority still and lived the people would honour him more than the King and the King should not be set by and so betweene them I cannot tell how it came to passe but at S. Edmundsberry in a Parliament the good Duke Humfry was smothered To leave this Cardinall Ste. Gardiner both Chancellor of England B. of Winchester was the chiefe author of making reviving the bloody Act intitled the 6. Articles by which many of our godly Martyrs suffered the chiefe plotter and contriver of the noble Lord Cromwells death Who could not abide the pride of the Prelates and was attainted by Parliament and never came to his answer He was a great opposer of the reformation of Religion and abuses of the Clergy both in King Henry the eights and King Edwards dayes and stirred up under hand divers Priests Abbots and Monkes to oppose the Kings Supremacie and to rayse up open rebellion in Lincolneshire in the North Cornewall and other places in maintenance of Popery for which Treasons and Rebellions Exmew Middlemore
cause that the light of the world who had baptized the Lord was quite extinguished even she her selfe afterwards as Nicephorus records when she once passed over a river congealed with Ice the Ice breaking fell into the water up to the necke and little after her head was congealed with frost and cold and afterwards cut off not with a sword but with Ice and then made a deadly dance upon the Ice Knowest thou not what St. Ambrose saith for her sake One saith he may dance but the daughter of an adulteresse but shee who is chast let her learne her daughters Prayers not Dances Of Dances I will onely speake one word and for this cause principally that I understand how dancing seemes not a true evill to some and I know that at Lovan there are publike Schooles where the Art of dancing is taught But I verily if adultery and fornication be evill cannot see how it is not evill for men to dance with women since it most of all provokes thereunto Heare holy Iob I have made saith he a covenant with mine eyes that I would not so much as thinke of a mayde and shalt thou goe and dance with a maide and provoke thy selfe to lust by dancing and yet no danger hang over thy head To what end then doth the Wise man give this admonition Keepe not company with a woman that is a dancer least happily thou perish in her allurements but because if chaffe can come to the fire and not be burnt than a young man may dance with women and not burneâ— What holy men St. Anthony St. Hilarâ—on dwelt in the wildernesse they perpetually gave themselves to fastings and prayers and yet scarce defâ—â—ded themselves from the spirit of fornicatioâ—â— and from evill deâ—ires and thoughts and wilt thou â—dde â—o the heat of youthâ— the heat of drinking and then goe and laugh and sing and dance with beautifull maydens and shall I suspect no harme Who of all you shall dwell with everlasting burning If you cannot now abstaine from drunkennesse from dancing from toyesâ— how shall ye be able to endure those living flamesâ— and most bitter gnashing of teeth But concerning the madnesse of dancing heare yee what the ancients as well prophane as sacred have left written Marcus Tulliâ—s did so detest the filthinesse of Dances that in the defence of Muraena he said No sober man almost danceth unlesse perchance he be besides himselfe and extreme dancing is the Companion of many delights And in another place he objecteth dancing to Antonius as a most dishonest crime Blush therefore O Christian blush thou art overcome by an Ethnicke and without doubt thou shalt be condemned in judgement by an Ethneike He by the light of Nature onely without the light of faith could teach that dancing was not the practice of any but either of drunkards or mad men and thou the Sonne of Cod illuminated with a celestiall light with whom such vanities ought not so much as to be named art most mad in the very most famous and most sacred solemnities Let us relinquish prophane Authors and come to Christians Tell thou us O most blessed Ambrose thou most reverend old man the light of the Christian Church what thinkest thou of dances and morrisses Worthily saith he from thence we proceed to the injury of the Diuinity for what modestie can be there where they dance shreeke and make a noyse together Tell thou us also O blessed Hierom what thou deemest of dancing Moreover saith he in his Booke against Heluidius where the Tymbrils sound the Pipes make a noise the Harpe chatters the Cymballs strike together what feare of God can there be Let us passe over into the East and let us also advise with two of the Greeke Fathers Tell thou us O great Chrysostome the ornament of Greece tell thou us I pray thee thy opinion of banquets and dances Heare saith he in the 49 Homily upon Matthew heare these things O men who follow magnificent feasts full of drunkennesse heare I say and tremble at the gulfe of the devill where wanton dancing is there the devill is certainely present For God hath not given us our legges to dance but that we should walke modestly not that we should impudently skippe like Camels But if the body be polluted by dancing impudently how much more may the soule be thought to be defiled The devill danceth in these dances with these men are deceived by the ministers of the Devill Last of all heare with what words St. Basil the great a most holy man and most learned deplores this madnesse in his Oration against drunkards Men saith he and women together entring into Common dances having delivered their soules to the drunken devill wound one another with the prickes of unchast affections profuse laughter is practised and filthy songs meretritious habits inviting unto petulancie are there used Laughest and delighest thou thy selfe with an arrogant delight when as thou oughtest to power out teares and sighes for what is past Singest thou whorish Songs casting away the Psalmes Hyranes thou hast learned Dost thou stirre thy feete and caper furiously and dance unhappily when as thou oughtest to bend thy knees to prayer Thus great Basil. Now if the holy Fathers have spoken these things of dances in genarall how I pray had they exclaimed if they had knowne them to have beene used in the very Festivals of Christs Nativitie But let us leave men and heare what the Lord himselfe who cannot erre what the holy Ghost and the Spirit of Truth saith by the Prophet Esay the Harpe saith hee and the Violl the Taber and pipe and wine are in your Feasts but ye regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands Ah wretched miserable persons the Lord hath done an admirable worke in these dayes The Lord hath created a new thing upon the earth A mayd hath brought forth a Sonne God hath come unto men a new starre hath appeared the heavens are made mellifluous the Angels have left those blessed mansions that they might behold the little one who is given to us and ye onely for whom these things are done busied in wickednesse buried in sleepe and wine regard not the worke of the Lord and consider not the operations of his hands What therefore shall be done unto you Heare the sentence of your Judge Therefore saith he Hell hath inlarged its â—oule and hath opened its mouth without all bounds Peradadventure ye are ignorant how great a sacriledge it is to prophane dayes consecrated to God Why I beseech you doe we not every where use Churches Chalices and Priestly vestments what are these walls more than others What are Priests Garments more than others As to their matter nothing at all But therefore it is a wickednesse therefore a sacriledge therefore a most horrible villany to convert them
generall prohibitions to all or most of the Sheriffes of England as is evident by the Râ—gister of Writs Fitz herberts natura Brevium Rastall and others commanding the Sheriffe to inhibite Bishops and their Officers to cite Laymen before them to take an oath in any case whatsoever except of Matrimony or Testament only and not to suffer the people to appeare before them to take such oathes The continuer of Matthew Paris his History of England p. 966 967. writes of this Bishop of Lincolne That Simon Earle of Leicester who most opposed Henry the third and warred against him adhered to him and delivered his children to him to be educated That by his counsell tractabat ardua tentabat dubia finivit inchoata ea maximè per quae meritum sibi succrescere aestimabat And this Bishop is said to have enjoyned the Earle in remisâ—ion of his sinnes that he should undertake this cause of the Barons against the King for which he contended even unto death affirming that the peace of the Church of England could not be established but by the materiall Sword and that all who died for it should be crowned with martyrdome And some say that this Bishop laying his hand sometimes on the head of this Earles â—ldest sonne said unto him Oh my deere sonne both thâ—u and thy father shall both die in one day and with one kind of death yet for justice and vâ—rity Such an animater was he both of rebellion and warres Henry Lexinton the next Bishop of this See Anno 1257. offered some kind of hard measure unto the University of Oxford by infringing certaine liberties thâ—t of old belonged unto it For redresse hereof they were forced to make their complaint unto the King lying then at S. Albons and sent nine Masters of Art to the Court for that purpose Matthew Paris a Monkâ— of S. Albons was present at the delivery of the petition and as himselfe writeth was bold to sâ—ep unto the King using these speeches to him in private I beseech your Grace even for Gods sake to have compassion upon the Church now tottering and in great danger of utter subversion The Vniversity of Paris the nurse of â—o many excellent and famous Prâ—lates is now greatly troubled If the Vniversity of Oxford be disquieted and moleâ—ted also especially at this time being the second Vniversity of Christendome and even another foundation of the Church it is much to be feared leaâ—â— it cause a generall confusion and uâ—â—â—r ruine of the whole Church God forbid said the King that that should happen especially in my time I will endeavour to prevent it I doubt not he was as good as his word for I finde no more mention of any further stirres This I have thought good the rather to set downe to shew what was the reputation of our University of Oxford in those daies and what indignities this Bishop offered to it to cause a publike combustion Henry Burwash the 15. Bishop of Lincolne though advanced to that See by King Edward the second his speciall favour within two yeeres after his consecration for some contempts and misdemeanors he fell so faire into the Kings displeasure that his temporalties were seized upon into the Kings hands for two yeeres space Anno 1324. they were restored to him againe and he to the Kings favour but the grudge thereof so stâ—cke in his stomacke as the Queene rising against her husband seeking to depose him as afterward shee did no man was so forward to take her part no man was so eager against the King his undoubted true and naturall Prince as this Bishop Thomas Walfingham writes that almost all the Prelates joyned with the Queene against the King precipuè c. but especially the Bishop of Lincolne Hâ—reford Dublin and Ely who raised a great Army for herâ— others and principally the Archbishop oâ— Canterbury â—urnished her with money and when the Queene had taken the King prisoner Anno 1327. keeping her Châ—istmas aâ— Walâ—ingford the Archbishop of Canterbury and Yâ—rke the Bishop of Winchâ—ster whom she mâ—de Lord Treâ—surer the Biâ—hâ—p of Norwich her Lord Chaâ—cellour this good Bishop of Lincolne the Bishops of Ely Coventry and other Prelates kâ—pt their Christmas with her with great honour joy and triumph whence comming to Westminster prâ—sently after Twelftide they assembled in Parliament deposed the King from his Crowne and elected his sonne in his steed to which election the Archbishop of Canterbury there present consented ET OMNES PRAELATI and all the Prelates the Archbishop making an oration to them to confirme and justifie this election taking for his text Vox Populi vox Dei Such good Subjects were all the Archbishops and Bishops at that time and this Prelate one of the ringleaders who not content thus to spoyle his Soveraigne of his Crown Kingdome and life too not long after making a new Paâ—ke at Tyinghurst he inclosed in the same ground belonging to divers poore men his tenants for which he had many a bitter curse of them whereupon it is reported that after his death he appeared to one of his Gentlemen in the likenesse of a Keeper with a Bow and Arrowes in his hand a horne by his side and a greene jerkin on his backe telling him that for the injurious enclosing of that Parke he was appointed to the keeping of the same there to be tormented till it were disparked againe desiring him to intreat the Canons of Lincolne his brethren that this wrong done by him by their good meanes might be righted who upon this information sent one William Batchellour of their Company to see it utterly disparked which was effected Anno 1351. the Univeâ—sity of Oxford presented unto Iohn Synwall Bishop of Lincolne unto whose jurisdiction Oxford then appertained one William Palmarin for theiâ— Chancellour and prayed him to admit him The Bishop I know not for what cause delayed hâ—s admission from time to time and enforced the University to complaine of this hard dealing unto the Archbishop He presently set downe a day wherein he enjoyned the Bishop to admit this Chancellour or else to render a reason of his refusall At the time appointed the Proctours of the University were ready together with this William Palmorie to demand admission And when the Bishop of Lincolne came not trusting belike to this priviledge procured from Rome to exempâ— himsâ—lfe his authority and jurisdiction the Archbishop causes his Chancellour Iohn Carâ—ton Deane of Wels to admit him writ to the Uniuersity to receive him and cited the Bishop to answer before him for his contempt He appealed to the Pope would not come and for his contumacy was convicted Much money was spent in this suite afterwards at Rome The event was that the Archbishop prevailed and the others priviledge was by speciall order of the Pope revoked who also granted unto the University at the same time that the Chancellour hereafter should onely be elected by the
got him to Edenburgh and assisted with many Lords kept the Queene and her husband out of that Towne whereby great dissention and part-taking was raised amongst the Nobility of the Realme But as I gather peace being made betweene them he was againe made Chancellor After this in the yeare of Christ 1515. he commeth with the Earle of Arrane who submitteth himselfe to the Governour Shortly following the Governour gave to this Archbishop of Glascow the Abbey of Arbroth assigning to the Earle of Murrey a large pension out of the same which Bishop being thus in favour with the Governour was in the yeare of Christ 1517. in May when the Governour went into France appointed amongst others to have the Rule of the Realme untill his returne Two yeares after which the Nobility being divided about the quarrell of the Earle of Angus and Arrane this Bishop in the yeare of Christ 1519. being then also Chancellor with other Noblemen of the Realme kept the Towne of Glascow but after that this Chancellour who would not come to Edenburgh the King of England and of France their Embassadors came to Sterling where a peace was proclaimed amongst the Nobility But what can long continue in one stay or what peace will be long embraced amongst ambitious mindes sith in the yeare following being the yeare of Christ 1â—20 the Noblemen â—ell againe to factions For when divers of the Peeres were come to Edenburgh to aide the Earle of Angus against the Earle of Arrane this Chancellor remaining then in the Towne they pursued the Earle and Chancellour so hotly that they were both constrained to forsake the Towne and to fly through the North locke about the thirteenth day of Aprill But as the events of quarrels be doubtfull now up now downe so this Archbishop not long aâ—ter this disgrace recovered breath and in November following did accompany the Regent come out of France to Edenburgh where was a Parliament holden to summon the Earle of Angus to appeare but he refusing it was agreed that the Earle should passe into England there to remaine The Bishop thus having the better of his enemies Andrew Forman Bishop of Saint Andrewes dyed in the yeare 1522 being about the ninth yeare of Iames the first by occasion whereof this Chancellor Iames Beton Bishop of Glascow was advanced to that See and â—urther made Abbot of Dumfermling Upon which new honour in the yeare of Christ 1524. He was appointed one of the Governours of the Realme by Parliament but he not possessing this honour any long time the Earle of Angus who had gotten the King into his usurped government and denyed the delivery of the King being sent for by this Bishop and the other Nobility sent to the Chancellor for the greaâ— Seale which was delivered to the Messengers upon which this Bishop not forgetting the same hastened the sentence of divorce sued before him between the Queen and the Earle of Angus Whereof the Earle to revenge the same did with the King in the yeare of Christ 1526. seeke for the Queene and the Bishop of Saint Andrewes but because they were kept secretly in their friends houses so that they could not be heard of He spoyled the Abbey of Dumfermling and the Castle of Saint Andrewes taking away all that the Archbishop had Notwithstanding which the Archbishop keeping in favour with the old Queene and the young King did in the yeare of Christ 1529 and in the sixteenth yeare oâ— James the fifth Christen James the Kingâ— Sonne boâ—ne at Saint Andrewes and not long after surrendred his Soule to God Anno 1542. Immediately after the death of James the fifâ—h of Scotland David Beton Cardinall and Archbishop of Saint Andrewes the speciall Minister and factor of the French causes to the advancement and continuance thâ—reof â—orged a Will of the late King departed in which amongst other things he established himselfe chiefe Regent The Protestants to whom this Cardinall was ever a cruell enemy and sharpâ— scourge espyed forth his unjust dealing in this behalfe and thereupon set the Earle of Arran against him who by the helpe of his owne and â—heir friends he removed the Cardinall and his adherents from their usurped roome and Authority and therewith was the said Earle proclaymed Protector and Governour of the Realme The next yeare at a Convention of the Lords at Edenburgh this Archbishop was put in ward in the Castle of Dalkish lest he should goe about to perswade the Nobility not to consent to the Governours desires and the King of Englands match propounded to the Scottish Queene Which match of Prince Edward with Queene Mary of Scotland though concluded on by a Parliament in Scotland this Archâ—ishop Beton hindred fâ—aring lest Scotland should change the Church Orders and reforme Religion as England had begun to doe Whereupon ensued divers Commotions in Scotland and a bloody Warâ—e King Henry the eighth sending an Army into Scotland upon this breach and occasion on the one side and the Pope and French King sending aide to this Cardinall Archbishop and his faction on the other side After this this Archbishop he was removed to his owne Castle of Saint Andrewes with Warders about him to see him safely kept Anno 1â—44 The Patriarch of Hierusalem arriving in Scotland he was honorably received by this Cardinall Arch Prelate and the Bishops of Scotland into the City of Glascow during whose abode there great contentions arose betweene this Arch Prelate and the Archbishop of Glascow who should in that City be of greatest authority and honour Which in the end came to this issue that both families fell together by the â—ares which of them should goe before with his Crosse borne upright For the Cardinall Archbishop of Saint Andrewes and Primate of the Kingdome did affirme that the Archbishop of Glascow should not have his Crosse borne in his owne Church so long as he was present Which the servants of the Archbishop of Glascow tooke so in disdaine that they plucked downe the Cardinals Crosse and threw it to the ground Whereupon the Governour understanding the whole matter and that it was now come from words to swords made haste to appease the factious commotion and caused the Patriarch therewith to be brought to Edenburgh accompanyed with the Clergy and so appeased the controversie That done the Patriarch the Popes Legate comming to Rome procured the â—egantine power to be granted to the Cardinall which he long enjoyed not For being greatly envyed by reason of these honours and some grievous facts by meanes whereof there fell continuall dissentions betweene the Nobility which ended not till this Cardinall was slaine who corrupting his Keepers whiles he was imprisoned in Saint Andrewes Castle he found meanes to escape thence and in the yeare 1543. he came to the Coronation of the young Queene and shortly after perswaded the Earle of Arrane the Governour to leave the part of â—he King of England and wholly to become French At the Coronation the
Cardinall ordered all things appointed every Officer and growing into credit did in like sort at other times dispose of the Common wealth and Bishoprickes as seemed best liking unto him Whereupon the Earle of Leneux taking part with the English opposed himselfe against the Cardinall whereby ensued sharpe wars the Cardinall still supporting and counselling the Governour Which troubles somewhat abated when the Earle of Leneux went into England The Cardinall led the Governour to Saint Andrewes to the end if it were possible to binde the Governour more firmely to him During the time they were there the Cardinall caused in the Lent season all the Bishops and Prelates of the Realme to assemble at Saint Andrewes where a learned man named Master George Wiscâ—art that had beene in the Schooles of Germany was accused of Heresie which he had as was alledged against him publikely Preached and privately taught in Dundee Brechin and divers other parts of Scotland since his returne home This matter was so urged against him that he was convict and burnt there in the Towne of Saint Andrewes during the time of that convention or assembly When these things were thus done the Cardinall although he greatly trusted to his riches yet because he was not ignorant what were the mindes of men and what speeches the Common people had of him determined to increase his power with new devices Wherefore he goeth into Angus and marryeth his eldest Daughter as saith Bucâ—anan to the Earle of Crawfords Sonne Which marriage was solemnized with great preparation almost answerable to Kingly magnificence During which time the Cardinall understanding by his Spies that the English did prepare to invade the Scottish borders on the Sea and specially did threaten those of Fife therewith returned to Saint Andrewes and appointed a day to the Nobility and such as dwelled about the Sea Coasts to assemble together to provide in common for the defence thereof and to prepare remedy for that hastened evill for the easier and better performance whereof he had determined together with the Lords of that Country to have sayled himselfe about the Coasts and to have defended such places as were most convenient Amongst others that came unto him there was a noble young Gentleman called Norman Lesle Sonne to the Earle of Rothseie This man after that he had many times imployed his valiant and faithfull diligence in the behalfe of the Cardinall grew to some contention with the said Cardinall for a private cause which for a time did estrange both their mindes the one from the other this same contention did Norman being thereto induced with many faire promises afterwards let fall But certaine monthes afterward when he returned to demand the performance of such liberall promises they began to grow from common speech to braâ—lings and from thence to bitter taâ—nts and reproaches not fit to be used by any of them both Whereupon they departed with the grieved mindes of every of them for the Cardinall being intreaâ—ed more unreverently than he would or looked for and the other threatning that being oveâ—taken by deceite he would revenge it they boâ—h returned discontented to their owne people Whereupon Norman declaring to his partakers the intollerable arrogancy of the Cardinall they easily agreed all to conspire his deathâ— wherefore to the end that the same might bee lesse suspected they departed in sunder afterward This Noâ—man accompanied onely with five of his owne traine entred the towne of Saint Andrewes and went into his accâ—stomed Inne and lodging trusting that by such a small traine hee might cunningly dissemble the determination of the Cardinalls death but there were in that towne ten of those which had consented to his conspiracy which closed in secret corners somâ— in one place and some in another did onely expect the signe which was to be given unâ—o them to execute this devise with which small company this Norman feaâ—ed not to adventure the death of the Cardinall in the same towne furnished in every place with the servants and friends of the Cardinall Whereupon the 13. of May the Cardinall being within his Castle of Saint Andrewes certaine of his owne friends as hee tooke them that is to say the sayd Norman Lord Kirkandieâ— the young Lord of Grange and Kirkmichell with sixteene chosen men entred the Castle very secretly in the morning tooke the Porter and all the Cardinalls Servants thrusting them out of the place by a Posterne gate and that done passing to his Chamber where he lay in bed as he got up and was opening his Chamber doore they slue him and seized upon the Artillery and Munition where with that Fortresse was plentifully furnished and likewise with rich hangings houshold-stuffe of all sorts Apparell Copes Jewels Ornaments of Churches great store of gold and silver plate besides no small quantity of treasure in ready coyne Sir Iames Leirmouth Provost of Saint Andrewes assembled all the people of that Towne for the rescue of the Cardinall after he had heard that the Conspirators were entred the Caâ—â—le but they shewed the dead body of the Cardinall over the walls as a spectacle to the people and so they made no further attempt sith they saw no meanes how to remedy or revenge the matter at that present The cause that moved the Conspirators thus to kill the Cardinall was thought to be partly in revenge of the burning of Mr. George Wischart â—â—aring to be served with the same sawce and in the end to bee made to drinke of the same Cup. Partly it was thought they attempted it through counsell of some great men of the Realme that had conceived some deadly hatred against him His body after he was slaine was buried in the Castle in a dung-hill The governour considering that his deere Cozeâ— the Cardinall was thus made away assembled the great Lords of the Realmeâ— by whose advice he called a Parliament and â—orfeited them who had slaine the Cardinall and kept the Castle of Saint Andrewes And withall he beseiged those that murthered him in the sayd Castle three moneths space but it was so strongly furnished with all manner of Artillery and Munition by the Cardinall in his life time that they within cared little for all the inforcements that their Adversaries without could enforce against them After his death the Governour Anno. 1546. promoted Iohn Hamilton the Abbot of Parslew his Brother to the Bishopricke of Saint Andreweâ— and gave the Abby of Arbroth granted before to Iames Beton the slaine Cardinals Kinsman to George Dowglasse bastard sonne to the Earle of Angus which things were afterwards occasions of great troubles in the Realme To appease which Anno 1550. the Queene by the advice of her Counsell to stop all occasion of publicke dissention ended the controversies moved about the Archbishoprickes of Saint Andrewes and Glascow and the Bishoprickes of Dunkeld and Brechine by bestowing them upon Noblemens children and upon such persons as worthily deserved them This Arch-bishop 1543. comming out of France
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 thaâ— was â—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 â—or that he sayd Adam went about to unite the others Church unto his but the other would not and so they were â—ent and referred unto the Court of Rome and this Parliament lasted 18. dayes Annoâ— 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. 8â— 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 selâ—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 lurkingâ— as Tartajus Thomas Fitzgerald and others apprehended and haled him out of his Bed brought him naked in his â—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 mercâ— Thomas Stibon without compassion and withall inflamed wiâ—h desire of revenge turned his horse aside saying in Irish Away with the Churle meaning the Arch-bishop should be detained as Prisonerâ— But the Caitifes present misâ—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 deâ—estation of the fact rough and â—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 Annoâ— 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 suâ—pition was committed Prisoner to his owne houâ—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 lengâ—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 Florenâ— 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 thâ— 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 â—he Irish Prelates disloyall and seditious Actions in â—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 Audâ—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 Tâ—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 Senâ—ences and Decrees in extra
Churches that they may make matter of promeriting to themselves that they may compose al things that other things concuâ—ring they may lay hold on a necessity of commiserating and providing for the poore But if they doe it that they may safely doe any thing without punishment that they may collect mony that they may foster dilate and corrupt flesh and blood trouble their Family or seek their owne glory domineering over the Lords heritage and not being exanimo an example to the flock although with their lips and in simulation of office they put on a Pastor yet they are more like to Tyrants then Princes Philophers say nothing is more pernicious to man then man and among men a secular or Ecclesiasticall Tyrant is most pernicious Yet verily in both kinds the Ecclesiasticall is worse then the secular For if Salt hath lost its savour it is good for nothing but to be cast out and troden under feet of men So he long since determined Petrus Blesensis Archdeacon of Bath flourishing about the yeare of our Lord 1160. writes thus to the Bishop of Bangor concerning the wealth and State of Bishops The Title of poverty is glorious with Christ and that which hath becomed the Sonne of God ought not to misbeseeme you The Prince of the Apostles and Prelates saith Gold and Silver have I none Yea that great famous Augustine Bishop of Hippo therefore made no will because the poore servant of Christ had nothing at all whereof to make any bequest It is your duty to live of the Gospell as the Lord hath appointed not to goe pompously in the ornament of Cloathes in the pride of Horses in the multitude of Attendants It becomes you as a professour of Priestly and Episcopall holynesse to â—ut of all footsteps of your ancient conversation And in his Treatise of the Institution of a Bishop dedicated to John Bishop of Worcester He thus declaimes against the Lordlinesse Courâ—ship and secular imployments of Bishops especially those which concerne the Exchequer Certaine Bishops abusively call the liberty and almes of ancient Kings bestowed on them Baronies and Royalties and themselves Barons it being an occasion of most shamâ—â—full servitude I am afraid least the Lord complaine of them and say They have raigned but not by me they have made themselves Princes but I knew it not Thou must know that thou hast taken upon thee the Office of a Shepheard not of a Baron Certainely Iosâ—ph being in Aegypt instructed his Father and Brethren to say to Pharaoh We are Shepheards He would rather have them professe the office of a Shepheard then of a Prince or Baron Christ saith I am the good Shepheard But thou art made by him a shepheard or a steward a stewardship is committed to thee and know that thou must give an accounâ— of thy stewardship The husbandry of God is committed to thee thou hast need of a Weeding-hooke as an Husbandman of a staâ—â—e as a Shepheard of a Weeding-hooke that as the Sonne of a Prophet thou mayst pull up and destroy build up and plant use thy staffe by driving the Wolves from the sheep-fold by sustaining the weake sheep by raising up those â—haâ— are fallen by reducing those that have stâ—ayed But among the fruits of thy Episcopall office let eternall things be ever preferred before temporall Let another guide and dispatch thy temporall cares and affaires for thee but doe thou diligently attend the salvation of soules The mind consecrated to the discharge of Divine service ought to be free from worldly imployments Thou art addicted to great things be not taken up with the smallest These things what ever they are which â—end to the gaine of the World and pertaine not to the gaining of soules are small and vile If you shall have secular businesse saith the Apostle appoint those who are most contemptible among you to be Iudges Thou therefore O good Prelate set all things after the salvation of soules for soules are as far more worthy then bodyes and all things else that humane ambition causeth as Heaven it selfe excels Earth in dignitie Yet at this day with many Episcopall authority consists onely in this that their plowlands are fatted with chalke and dung that thâ—ir Fishponds bee multiplyed that their Parkes and the Ground of their possessions be inlarged In building Palaces Mils and Ovens All the care of Prelates is in increasing their rents What is it the voice of our Saviour to the Prince of the Apostles and Prelates if thou lovest me till thy Lands build high Houses we read that he said to Peter If thou lovest me feed my sheep Thou art the heire and Vicar of Peter feed my sheep by Preaching doe the worke of an Evangelist and Shepheard thou must not be ashamed of the Gospell if thou beleevest thou oughtest not to be ashamed of thy Pastorall office Be instant therefore in season out of season fulfill thy Ministry Thy ministry hath more burthen then honour If thou affectest the honour of it thou art an hireling if thou imbracest the burthen of it the Lord is able to increase his grace that thou maist receive gaine out of gaine and profit out of profit If thou shalt drowne thy selfe in the Labyrinthes of Court affaires especially of the Exchequer thou shalt suffer great losses of spirituall exercise No man can serve two Masters God and Mammon Let it not slip out of thy mind how in the tonsure of thy head when as thou wast elected into the Lords portion how thou hast renounced the ignominy of Lay-imployments Yea in the day of thy consecration thou hast made solemne vowes to renounce all secular things and imployments as our Bishops and Ministers yet doe in the presence of God and the whole Congregation which have bound up thy lips thou art obliged with the words of thy owne mouth when upon the interrogation of him that consecrated thee thou hast published without any exception that from hence forth thou wouldst wholly discharge and sequester thy selfe from all worldly businesses and dishonest gaines and wouldst alwayes bend thy whole study and care upon divine affaires What hast thou to doe with the revennues of the Exchequer that thou shouldest neglect the cure of soules but â—or one short houre What hath Christ elected thee to the receipt of custome Matthew being once taken from thence never returned thither againe Be not therfore in the number of those who prefer worldly imployments before spirituall swallowing a Camell and straining at a Gnat. We read that in the dayes of Constantine there were certaine Bishops flattering the Prince who gave greater reverence and heed to royall Edicts then to Evangelicall precepts And there are some Bishops now a dayes to whom the dispensation of Gods word is committed who are silent from good things dumbe dogges neither able nor yet willing to barke they are turned into an evill bow giving themselves up as
weapons of iniquity unto sinne This exasperates Gods wrath and accumulates the danger of eternall damnation on many that certaine of the chiefe Priests and Eldâ—rs of the people although they pronounce not judgement in cases of blood yet they handle the same things by disputing and debating of them and thinke themselves therefore free from blame that in decreeing judgement of death or truncation of members which some of them of late have judicially given sentence of they absent themselves onely from the pronunciation and execution of this penall sentence But what is more pernicious then this dissimulation Is it lawfull to discussâ— and determine that which it is not lawfull to pronounce Verily Saul did many wayes handle and plot the death of David and that he might palliate his malice under the shadow of innocency he said Let not my hand be upon him but the hand of the Philistims be upon him Truely as much as this dissimulation did excuse him with men so much did it the more damnably accuse him with God We have an expresse forme of similitude in that Consistorie wherein Christ was condemned to death the Scribes and Pharisees said It is nâ—t lawfull for us to put any man to death And yet when they cryed saying Crucifie him they pronounced a sentence of death against him with bloody malignity whom they slew with the sword of the tongue they protested it was not lawfull for them to slay and their iniquity was in this very thing so much the more detestable because that they might escape the censure of men they covered it with a simulation of innocency Thou art set over the soules of men not over their bodies The Prelate hath nothing that is common with Pilate Thou art Christs Steward and the Vicar of Peter neither oughtest thou to give an account of the jurisdiction committed to thee to Caesar but to Christ yet some Bishops by usurped offices and administrations of the world make themselves obnoxious to the bent of the Court and as if they had renounced the priviledge of their dignity expect the sentence of an harder event He adds this more against the Lordlinesse and Dominion of Prelates in the same Treatise There are some who repute honours Vertues and ascribe the glory of their eminency to their merits which peradventure they have obtained in Gods wrath The assumption of honour becomes a temptation and an occasion of subvertion unto many Therefore thou must so preside as thou mayst profit Woe to those who rule over men if God set not president over them Paul glories not of his Dominion but of his Ministration In labours more abundant in prisons more frequent in stripes above measure in deaths often In these things a forme of glorying is prefixed thee not in precious aray not in much houshold-stuffe not in heaping up money not in Edefices or Cultures not in enlarging possessions not in multitudes of Horses not in pompous rayment not in a numerous traine For after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke But as the Doctor of the Gentiles glories in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the World was crucified to him and he unto the World Repute thy selfe an humble and abject Servant Let not humility be a disgrace to thee which adorned the Sonne of God Of Prelacy thou mayest have glory but not with God but if thou gloriest of humility thou shalt not be unwise The Kings of thâ— Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but ye shall not doe soâ— Therefore thou mayst not make thy selfe a Lord but a Servant The Apostle Peter saith Not Lording over the Clergie but being examples to the people It is pernicious to a Prelate gladly to heare of himselfe above that he discernes to be within him It is frequent to find one among the Bishops who may chance to dedicate the first yeare of his promotion to sanctity and when in his novelty he became a Lamb inveterated for some dayes he is made a most ravenous Wolfe The same Author in his 15.18.22 23.25 64. â—pistles hath sundry notable Passages against the Lordlinesse Pride and oâ—her vices of the Prelates in his age and of the danger of Episcopacy A Lord Prelate writes hâ—e there Observes not the face but hand of him who repaires to him as being alwayes ready to receive gifts he is of a shamelesse brow in demanding ingratefull when hee hath received inhumane if he receive not something he is unmercifull to the afflicted meeke to the most cruell unstable untractable tolerable to none hatefull to all an enemy of peace a contemner of faith an adversary of unity unfaithfull in his councels negligent in his actions furious in anger remisse in mercy dissolute in words gluttonous in banquets haughty in prosperity fearefull in adversity He doth nothing according to reason but all things according to will and as if he were degenerated into a beastiall sense casting away from him the counsell and judgement of reason he followes his owne appetite For man being in honour understandeth not but is compared unto the brute beasts and became like to them His ascent is pleasing neither to God nor man his whole study whole honour whole glory is the whole and solâ— authority of his usurped Episcopall dignity the stretching out of his breast elevation of his necke statelinesse of his going distorsion of his eyes Vultuosity and thundring of his threatning countenance and that I may include many things in few words tâ—tum datur elationi nibil sanctitati c. All is addicted to pride nothing to sanctity nothing to chastityâ— nothing to amity and finally nothing at all is left to hâ—nesty Behold him speaking behold him walking Quas gerit â—re minâ—s quanto premit omnia fasâ—u What threatnings beares he in his mouth with how Great pride treads he upon all things below O curas hominum O quantum est in rebus iâ—ane O cares of men O how much emptinesse And vanity Lord Prelates Mindes possesse O vaine glory O bloody ambition O the unsatiable desire of terrene honour O the canker of hearts the subversion of soules the desire of dignities Whence hath this plaguâ— crept up Whence hath this execrable presumption prevailed that unworthy men should covet dignities and by how much the lesse they deserve to ascend to honours by so much the more importunately they thrust themselves into them At this day by right and wrong at this day to the hazard of soule and body unhappy men runne to the Pastorall chaire and doe not consider that it is a Chaire of pestilence to them whiles they are the cause of ruine to themselves and others In flocks and heards witnesse Hierome the Ramme and Bull which excels in corpulency and animosity goeth before the rest But a man more beastiall then all beaâ—ts presumes so much more indiscreetly and audaciously to be above his betters by how mnch lesse he confides to the titles of vertues or sincerity
of the foresaid temporalities without any charge to the Realmâ— whereunto the King the Lords and thâ— Commons are to be invited For otherwise there seemeth to hang over our heads a great and marvellous alteration of this Relme unlesse the same be put in execution And if the secular Priests and fained religious which be Simoniacks and Hereticks which faine themselves to say Masse and yet say none at all according to the Canons which to their purpose they bring and alledge 1. q. 3. Audivimus Cap. Pudenda Cap. Schisma by which Chapter such Priests and religious doe not make the Sacrament of the Altar that then all Christians especially all the founders of such Abbies and endowers of Bishopricks Priories and Chaunteâ—ies ought to amend this fault and treason committed against their Predecessors by taking from them such secular dominions which are the maintenance of all their sinnes And also that Christian Lords and Princes are bound to take away from the Clergy such secular Dominion as nousâ—eth and nourisheth them in Hereâ—ies and ought to reduce them unto the simple and poore life of Christ Jesus and his Apostles And further that all Christian Princes if they will amend the malediction and blasphemy of the name of God ought to take away their temporalities from that shaven generation which most of all doth nourish them in such malediction And so in like wise the fat tithes from Churches appropriate to rich Monks and other religious fained by manifest lying and other unlawfull meanes likewise ought to debarre their gold to the proud Priest of Rome which doth poyson all Christendome with Simony and Heresie Further that it is a great abhomination that Bishops Monks and other Prelates be so great Lords in this World whereas Christ with his Apostles and Disciples never tooke upon them secular dominion neither did they appropriate unto them Churches as these men doe but lead a poore life and gave a good testimony of their Priesthood And therefore all Christians ought to the uttermost of their power and strength to sweare that they will reduce such shavelings to the humility and poverty of Christ and his Apostles and whosoever doth not thus consenteth to their Heresie Also that these two Chapters of the immunity of Churches are to be condemned that is Cap. Non minus Cap. Adversus Because they doe decree that temporall Lords may neither require tallages nor tenths by any ecclesiasticall persons He writes much more to the same effect The noble Martyr Sir Iohn Old Castle Lord Cobham professed That the will of God is That Priests being secluded from all worldlinesse should conforme themselves utterly to the examples of Christ and his Apostles be evermore occupied in Preaching and teaching the Scriptures purely and giving wholesome examples of good living to others being more modest loving gentle and lowly in spirit then any other sorts of people Where doe ye finde said hee to the Prelates in all Gods Law that ye should thus sit in judgement of any Christian man or yet give sentence of any other man unto death as ye doe herâ— dayly No ground have ye in all the Scriptures so Lordly to take it upon you but in Annas and Caiphas which sate thus upon Christ and upon his Apostles after his ascension Of them onely havâ— yâ— taken it to judge Christs members as ye doe and neither of Peter nor Iohn Since the venomâ— of Iuâ—as was shed into the Church Yee never followed Christ nor yet stood in the perfection of Gods Law â—y venome I meane your possessions and Lordships For then cryed an Angell in the ayre as your owne Chronicles mention Woe woe woe This day is venome shed into the Church of God Before that time all the Bishops of Rome were Martyrs in a manner and since that time we reade of very few But indeed one hath put downe another one hath cursed another â—nâ— hath poysoned another one hath slaine another and done much more mischiefe besides as all Chronicles tell And let all men consider this well that Christ was meeke and mercifull the Pope and his Prelates is proud and a Tyrant Christ was poore and forgave the Pope is rich and a malicious manslayer as his dayly acts do prove him Rome is the very nest of Antichrist and out of that nest cometh all the Disciples of him of whom Archbishops Bishopâ— Prelates Priests and Monks be the body members and these pild Friers the tayle Though Priests and Deâ—cons for preaching Gods word ministring the Sacraments with provision for the poore be grounded on Gods Law yet have these Sects no manner of ground thereof Hee that followeth Peter most nighest in pure living is next unto him in succession But your Lordly Order esteemed not greatly the behaviour of poore Peter what ever ye prate of him Pierce Plowman an anciâ—nt â—nglish Poet writes to the same effect If Knighthood and kinduite and commons by conscience Together love lelly leeveth it well ye Bishops The Lordship of Lands for ever â—all ye lese And live as Levitici as our Lord ye teacheth Deut. 8. Numb 5. per primitias Decimas c. And the Author of the same Treatise in his Plowmans complaint of the abuses of the World writes thus against the Lordlinesse and wealth of Bâ—shops and Priests Lord thou saydst Kings of the Heathen men be Lords â—ver their subjects â—nd they that usen their power be clepen well doers But Lord thou saydst it should not bee so among thy servants but he that were most should be as a servant And Lord thy Priests in the old Law had no Lordship among their brethren but houses and pastures for their beasts but Lord our Priests now have great Lordships â—nd put their brethrâ—n in greater thraldome than Lewdmen that be Lords Thus in meeknesse forsaken The deed shâ—weth well of thâ—se Masters that they desiren more maistery for their owne worship then for profit of the pâ—ople For whâ—n they be Masters they nâ— preâ—cheâ— not so often as they did before And gif they preachen commonly it is before rich men there as they mowen beare worship and also profit of their preaching But bâ—fore poore men they preachen but seldome when they bâ— Masters and so by their workes we may seene that they are but false glossers O Lord deliver the sheepe out of the ward of these Shepheards and these hired men that stondâ—n more to keep their riches that they robben of thy sheep than they stonden in keeping of thy sheep And Lord geve our King and his Lords heart to defenden thy true shepheards and sheep from out of the Wolves mouthes and grace to know thee that art the true Christ the Sonne of the heavenly Father from the Antichrist that is the Son of perdition c. Sir Geoffry Chaucer our renowned Poet writâ—s much the same effect The Emperour gaâ—e the Poet sometime So high Lordship him about That at last the sely Kyme
wicked Doctrine at Oxford were brought into judgement before the King and the Bishops of the kingdome who being devious from the catholique Faith and overcome in tryall Facies cauteriata notabiles cunctis exposuit qui expulsi sunt aregno they were stigmatized in the face which made them notable to all and then banished out of the kingdome VVhat this pravum dogma or wicked opinion was for which these men were thus stigmatized and exiled I finde not specified in Paris and Walsingham but Iohn Bale out of Guâ—do Perpinâ—anus de Haeresibus relates that those men were certaine Waldenses who taught That the Church of Rome was the whore of Babylon and the barren Fig-tree whom Christ himselfe had long agoe accursed and moreover said Non obediendum esse Papâ— ET EPISCOPIS Ordinesque Characteres esse magnae bestiae That men are not to obey the Pope AND BISHOPS and that Orders to wit Popish Orders are the characters of the great beast Had these Waldenses lived in our dayes they should not have beene branded onely in the face by our Lordly Prelates procurement but set â—n the Pillory and had both their eares cut off then banished into forraigne Islands and there been shut up close prisoners so strictly that neither their wives children friends should have any accesse unto them nor they enjoy so much as the use of bookes Pen Inke or Paper onely for opposing Episcopacy as we know some others have lately been for this very cause Expertus loquor So dangerous so fatall is it for any to oppose our Lordly Prelacy as these men did in their generation though â—hey smarted for it Yet this could not deterre our most learned â— Gualter Mapes Archdeacon of Oxford flourishing in king Iohns raigne about the yeare of our Lord 1210. from following their footsteps who in his Satyrs doubted not to stile Prelates Animalia bruta stercora Bruit beasts and dung and in his books Ad impios Praelatâ—s and Ad malos Pastores complaines that Alegis doctoribus Lex evacuatur Dilatatur impii regnum Pharaonis comparing the Bishops to wicked Pharaoh for their tyranny and oppression But of him before This Doctrine of his and other our Martyrs was this seconded by Sir Iohn Borthwike knight martyred in Scotland Anno 1540. as appeares by his answers in the sixth and seventh Articles objected against him by the Prelates The sixth Article Agreeable to the ancient Errors of Iohn Wickliffe and Iohn Hus Arch-Heretiques condemned in the Councell of Constance hee hath affirmed and preached That the Clergy ought not to possesse or have any temporall possessions neither to have any jurisdiction or authoritie in temporalties even over their owne subjects but that all things ought to bee taken from them as it is at this present in England Borthwicke The Lord in the eighteenth Chapter of the Booke of Numbers said thus unto Aaron Thou shalt possesse nothing in their Land neither shalt thou have any portion amongst them I am thy portion and inheritance amongst the Children of Israel for unto the sonnes of Levi I have given all the Tithes of Israel that they should possesse them for their Ministry which they doe execute in the Tabernacle of the Congregation Albeit I doe not doubt but that the Order of the Levites and of the Clergy is farre different and variable For the administration of their sacred and holy things after their death passed unto their posterity as it were by right of inheritance which happeneth not unto the posterity of our Clergy in these dayes Furthermore if any heritage be provided or gotten for them I doe not gainâ—-say but that they shall possesse it but still I doe affirme That all temporall jurisdiction should be taken from them For when as twice there arose a contention amongst the Disciples which of them should be thought the greatest Christ answered The kings of Nations have dominion over them and such which have power over them are called beneficiall you shall not doe so for hee which is greatest amongst you shall be made equall unto the youngest or least and hee which is the Prince or Ruler amongst you shall be made equall unto him that doth minister minding thereby and willing utterly to debarre the Ministers of his Word from all terrene and civill dominion and Empire For by these points he doth not onely declare that the office of a Pastor is distinct and divided from the office of a Prince and Ruler but they are in effect so much different and separate that they cannot agree or ioyne together in one man Neither is it to be thought that Christ did set or ordaine an harder Law then hee himselfe did take upon him For so much as in the twelfth of Luke certaine of the company said unto him Master command my brother that he divide his inheritance with mee Hee answered Man who made me a Judge or a divider amongst you Wee see therefore that Christ even simply did reiect and refuse the office of a Judge the which thing hee would not have done if it had beene agreeable unto his office or duty The like thing also hee did in the eighth Chapter of Iohn when as hee refused to give iudgement upon the woman taken in adultery which was brought before himâ— Whereas they doe alleage â—hat Moses did supply both offices at once I answer that it was done by a rare miracle Furthermore that it continued but for a time untill things were brought unto a better state besides that there was a certaine forme and rule prescribed him of the Lord then tooke hee upon him the civill governance and the Priesthood he was commanded to resigne unto his bâ—other and that not without good cause for it is against nature that one man should suffice both charges wherefore it was diligently fore-seene and provided for in all ages Neither was there any Bishop so long as any true face or shew of the Church did continue who once thought to usurpe the right and title of the sword whereupon in the time of Saint Ambrose this proverbe tooke his originall That Emperours did rather wish or desire the office of Priesthood then Priests any Empire For it was all mens opinions at that time that sumptuous palaces did pertaine unto Emperours and Churches unto Priests Saint Bernard also writeth many things which are agreeable unto this our opinion as is this his saying Peter could not give that which hee had not but hee gave unto his succesâ—ours that which hee had that is to say carefulnesse over the Congregation for when as the Lord and Master saith That he is not constituted or ordained Judge betweene two the servant or Disciple ought not to take it scornfully if that he may not judge all men And lest that hee might seeme in that place to speake of the spirituall judgement hee straightway annexeth therefore saith hee your power and authority shall be in offence and transgression not in possessions For
interdicted They will be avenged on them that never offended Full well prophesied of them Paul in the second Epistle to Timothy 3. Some men will say wouldst thou that men should fight in the 〈◊〉 unpunished Nay but let the King ordaine a punishâ—â—â—â—â—or them as he doth for them that fight in his Palace and leâ— not all the Parish bee troubled for ones fault And as for â—heir hallowing it is the juggling of Antichrist A christian man is the Temple of God and of the Holy-Ghost and hallowed in Christs bloâ—d A Christian man is holy in himselfe by reason of the Spirit that dwelleth in him and the place wherein he is is holy by reason of him whether he be in the field or towne A Christian husband sanctifieth an unchristian wife and a Christian wife an unchristian husband as concerning the use of Matrimony saith Paul to the Corinthians Iâ— now while we seeke to be hallowed in Christ we are found unholy and must be hallowed by the ground or place or walls then dyed Christ in vaine Howbeit Antichrist must have wherâ—with to fit in mâ—ns Consciences and to make them feare where there is no â—eare and to rob them of their faith and to make them trust in that that cannot helpe them and to seeke holinesse of that which is not holy in it selfe After that the old King of France was brought downe out of Italy marke what pageants have â—eâ—ne played and what are yet a playing to seperate us from the Empâ—rour least by the helpe or ayde oâ— us he should be able to recover his right of the Pope and to couple us to the French men whose might the Pope ever abuseth to keep the Emperour from Italy What prevaileth it for any King to marry his daughter or his Sonne or to make any peace or good ordinance for the wealth oâ— his Realme For it shall no longer lâ—st than it is profitable to them Their Treason is so secret that the world cannot perceive it Thâ—y dissimule those things which they are onely cause of and simule discord among themselves when they are most agrâ—ed One shall hold this and another shall dispute the contrary but the conclusion shall be that most maintaineth their falshood though Gods Word be never so contrary What have thâ—y wrought in our dayes yea and what worke they yet to the perpetuall dishonour of the King and rebuke of the Realme and shame of all the nation in whatsoever Realmes they goe I uttered unto you partly the malicious blindnesse of the Bishop of Rochester his juggling his conveying his Fox wilenesse his â—opeepe his wresting renting and shamfull abusing of the Scripture his Oratory and alleadging of Heretickes and how he would make the Apostles Authors of blind Ceremonies without signification contâ—ary to their owne doctrine and have set him for an ensample to judge all other by The cause why Laymen cannot rule Temporall Offices is the falshood of the Bishops Their polling iâ— like a consumption wherein a man complaineth of feâ—â—lâ—neâ—se and of faintnesse and worteth not whence his disease commeth it is like a pocke that fretteth inward and consumeth the very marrow of the bones There seest thou the cause why it is impossible for Kings to come to the knowledge of the truth For these spirits lay awaite for them and serve their appetites at all points and through conâ—ession buy and sell and betray both them and all their true friends and lay â—aites for them and never leave them till they have blinded them with their sophistry and have brought them into their nets And then when the King is captive they compell all the rest with violence of his sword For if any man will not obey be it right or wrong they cite him suspend him and curse or excommunicate him if he then obey not they deliver him to â—ilate that is to say unto the temporall Officers to destroy him All this and much more he â—ully proves and more largely prosecutes in his Booke intituled The Practise of Popish Prelates Concerning Bishops intermâ—dling with temporall matters he thus writes Our Saviour Jesus Christ answered Pilate Ioh. 18. that his Kingdome was not of this world And Mat. 10. he saith The Disciple is not greater than his Masterâ— but it ought to suffice the Disciple that he be aâ— his Master is Wherefore if Christs Kingdome be not of this world nor any of his Disciples may be otherwise than hee was then Christs Vicars which minister his Kingdome here in his bodily absence and hâ—ve the over-sight oâ— his flocke may be none Emperours Kings Dukes Lords Knightâ— Temporall Iudges or any temporall Officer or under false names have any such Dominion or minister any such Office as requireth violence And Mat. 6. No man can serve two Masters where Christ concludeth saying Yee cannot serve God and Mammon that is riches coveâ—ousneâ—se ambition and temporall dignities And Christ called his Disciples unto him and saydâ— Ye know that the Lords of the Heathen people have dominion over them they that be great do exercise power over them Howbeit it shal not be so among you but whosoever wil be great among you shall be your minister and he that will be chiefe shall be your servant even as the Son of man came not that men should minister unto him but for to minister and give his life for the redemption of many Wherefore the Officers in Christâ— Kingdome may have no temporall dominion or jurisdiction noâ— execute any temporall authoriâ—y or Law of violence nor may have any like manner among them But cleane contrary they must cast themselves downe under all and become servants unto all suffer oâ— all and beare the burthen of every mans infirmities and goe before them and â—ight for them against the world with the â—word of Gods Word even unto the death after the example of Christ. And Mat. 18. when the Disciples asked Who should be greatest in the Kingdome of heaven Christ called a young Child unto him and set him in the midst among them saying Except ye turne backe and become as children ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Now young children beare no rule one over another but all is fellowship among them and he sayd moreover Whosoever humbleth himsâ—lfe after the ensample of this Child he is greatest in the Kingdome of heaven that is to be as concerning ambition and worldly desire so childish that thou couldst not heave thy selfe above thy Brother is the very bearing of rule and to be great in Christs Kingdome And to describe the very fashion of the greatnesse of his Kingdome he sayd He that receiveth one such child in my name receiveth me What is that to receive a childe in Christs name verily to submit to meeke and to humble thy selfe under all men and to consider all mens infirmities and weakenesses and to helpe to heale their diseases with â—he word of truâ—h and to live
the cause that they do not execute this their office Other becaâ—se they cannot or because they have so much worldly businesse that they will not apply â—hemselves to performe both Or else they be afraid to speâ—ke the truth lest they should displease men whom Paul reproveth saying If I should please men I should not be the servant of Christ. Also the Prophet saith God breaketh the bones of them which study to please menâ— they be confounded because the Lord 〈◊〉 thâ—m Our Bishops love so well their great dominionsâ— whereby they maintaine their Lordly honour thâ—t they will â—ot displeâ—se men with preâ—ching the â—ruth lest they should â—hâ—n loose their great poâ—â—essions and consequently their Lordly glory But surely as long as they possesse their great Dominions so long they will continue and maintaine their pride And so long as they continue in pride so long they shall not receive the holy Ghost which shall reach them to speake the truth For upon whom shall my spirit rest saith the Prophet Esay but upon the mâ—â—ke and lowly and upon him which feareth my sayings Also the Prophet saith God resâ—steth the proud and unto the mâ—â—ke and lowly hâ—e givâ—th â—is grace Wherefore so long as the Bishops contiâ—â—e in this worldly wealth and honour so long will they 〈◊〉 their duâ—y and office but raâ—her persâ—cute the word of Goâ— which declareth and sheweth what is their office â—nd their duty And so long as they do not eâ—ercise their offâ—â—e â—nd vocâ—â—ion but â—o peâ—secuâ—e â—he Word and such as sincâ—â—ely pâ—each the same so long shall sinne incrâ—ase For if the eye be wicked all the body shall be â—ull of darknesse For even as at such time when the Bishop of Rome was first endowed with great possessions a voice was heard saying Now venome and poyson is cast and shed forth into the Church of God In like wise no doubt most godly Governour semblable voyce and saying may be verified in and upon all the Church of England sith your Bishops were endowed with so great possessions and Lordly Dominions No doubt gracious Lord so long as great Lordly Dominions worldly honours and wealth be annexed and knit to the vocation and offices of Bishops and other pastours these mischiefes and inconveniences shall ever ensue and follow First the most proud and ambitious the most covetous and wicked which other by mony friendships or flattery can obtaine the benefice will labour with all studie and policie to get the benefice onely for the worldly honour and not for the zeale and love which he should have to instruct and teach the people committed to his cure and charge And for the Profit which belongeth and appertaineth to the same benefice they will dissemble humility and despection of all worldly profits and pleasures so colourably and subtilly that it shall be very hard for your Majesty or any other having authority to give benefices to perceive them And when they have obtained the benefice then every Christian man shall well perceive that he hath not entred in by the doore that is for the zeale and love to do and execute the office but hath climed up and ascended by another way that is for the lucre and honour annexed to the office And then certainly whosoever ascendeth and entereth in by another way cannot be but a theefe by day and by night whose study and labour must be to steale kill and destroy as Christ whose words must ever be true saith The theefe commeth not but to steale to kill and to destroy So that so long as so much worldly profit and honour belongeth to the benefice so long will hee that for want and lacke of learning cannot doe the office and also the most covetous and proud will labour to have thâ—â—â—fice whereby the people committed to his cure shall not onâ—â— be untaught and not learned in Gods Word but also all they which can preach and teach Gods Word and love the same by such a worldly wolfe shall be extremely persecnted and tormented For hee cannot but steale kill and destroy and utterly abhorre and hate the godly as Christ saith If you were of the world the world would love his owne But because you be not of the world but I have chosen you from the world therefore the world doth hate you No doubt a man shall much rather upon thornes gather grapes and upon brambles and bryers gather figges than of such greedy theeves to have any Christian religion either set forth preached or stablished Wherefore most redoubted Prince seeing that their great possessions riches wordly offices cures and businesse be the impediment and let that they do not execute their vocation and office which is so godly profitable necessary for this your Commonwealth You being our Soveraigne Lord and King whom God hath called to governe this your Realme and to redresse the enormities and abuses of the same by all justice and equity are bounden to take away from Bishops and other spirituall shepheards such superfluity of possessions and riches and other secular cures businesse and worldly offices which be the cause of much sinne in them and no lesse occasion whereby they be letted to execute their office to the great losse and hindrance of much faith vertue and goodnesse which might be administred to your subjects through the true preaching of Gods Word And that done then circumspectly to take heed that none be admitted to be Pastours but such as can preach and have preached sincerely Gods Word And all such as will not to remove them from their cures This godly order observed in the election of spirituall Pastours the pestilent poyson removed and taken away from their vocation faith shall increase and sinne shall decrease true obedience shall be observed with all humility to your Majesty and to the higher powers by your grace appointed in office civill quietnesse rest and peace shall be established God shall be feared honoured and loved which is the effect of all Christian living O Lord save our most Soveraigne Lord King Henry the eight and grant that hee may once throughly feele and perceive what miserable calamity sorrow and wretchednesse we suffer now in these dayes abroad in the Country by these unlearned Popish and most cruell tyrants even the very enemies of Christs Crosse whose paine shall be without end when wee shall live in joy for ever Grant yet once againe I say good Lord and most mercifull Father through thy Sonne Jesus Christ that when his Grace shall know and perceive by thy gift and goodnesse their most detestable wayes in misusing thy heritage that hee will earnestly go about to see a redresse among them and to the penitent and contrite in heart to shew his accustomed goodnesse and to the other his justice according to Saint Pauls Doctrine and his Graces Lawes And most dread Soveraigne with all humility and humblenesse of heart I beseech your grace according to your accustomed goodnesse
defieth all his enemies For he saith in his heart Tush I shall neâ—er be cast downe there shall no harme happen unto me He sitteth lurking like a Lyon in his den that he may privily murther the innocent and sucke his blood When such O Lord God as will not obey their Popish and devillish proceedings are brought before that grievous Wolfe they are miserably taunted mocked scorned blasphemed as thy deerely beloved sonne was in Bishop Caiphas house and afterward cruelly committed to prison to the Tower to the Fleete to the Marshalseys to the Kings Bench to the Counters to Lollardes Tower to Newgate c. where they are kept as sheepe in a pinfold appointed to be slaine And as this cruell and bloody Wolfe dealeth with the poore Lambes even so doe the residue of that lecherous litter He with all other of that Wolvish kind hunger and thirst nothing so greatly as the devouring of the bodies and the sucking of the blood of thy poore and innocent Lambes Ah Lord God under that most wicked Queene Iezabel were not the Prophets more cruelly handled than thy faithfull Ministers be now for as in the days of the wicked Queen Iezabel the Priests of Baal were had in great honour were chiefest and of highest authority about the Queen none bearing so much rule in the Court as they none having so much reverence done unto them as they had even so now is it with the idolatrous Priests of England they alone be chiefest and of much estimation with the Queene They alone â—uffle and raigne they alone beare the swing in the Court they alone have all things going forward as they desire they alone be capped kneeled and crowched to they alone have the keyes of the English Kingdome hanging at their girdles whatsoever they binde or loose whispering and trayterously conspiring among themselves that same is both bound and loosed in the starre Chamber in Westminster-Hall in the Parliament house yea in the Queenes privie Chamber and throughout the Realme of England The very Nobility of England are in a manner brought to such slavery that they dare not displease the least of these spitefull spirituall limmes of Antichrist It is writ that certaine men gave their judgements what thing was most mighty and strongest upon earth The first sayd wine is a strong thing The second sayd the King is strongest The third sayd women yet have more strength but above all things the truth beareth away the victory But we may now say unto such an height is the tyranny of the Spirituall Sorcerers growne that Priests in England are mightier than either Wine King Queene Lords Women and all that is there besides But how agreeth this with the example of Christ which fled away when the people would have made him a King or a temporall governour Christ refused to meddle with any worldly matters as the History of dividing the inheritance betweene the two brethren doth declare Christ willed his Disciples to refuse all worldly dominion and temporall rule When they strove among them who of them should be taken for the greatest Christ sayd unto them The Kings of the Gentiles reigne over them and they that beare rule over them are called gracious Lords but ye shall not be so for he that is greatest among you shall be as the least and he that is chiefe shall be as the minister Christ sent not his Disciples to be Lords of the Councell Lords of the Parliament Lord President Lord Chauncellour Lord Bishop Lord Suffragan Lord Deane Master Queenes Amner Mr. Comptroller Mr. Steward Mr. Receiver Sr. Iohn Massemonger c. but to be Ministers and disposers of the Mysteries of God to be Preachers of the Gospell to bee labourers in the Lords harvest to be Pastors and feeders of the Lords flock to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world to be an example to the faithfull in word and conversation in love in spirit in faith and in purenesse to feede Christs flocke so much as lyeth in their power taking the oversight of them not as though they were compelled but willingly not for the desire of filthy lucre but of a good minde not as though they were Lordâ— over the Parishes but that they be an ensample to the flocke that when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare they may receive an uncorruptible crowne of glory But these things O Lord have they all forgotten These ambitious Antichrists are so drowned in vaine glory and in the desire of filthy lucre and worldly promotions that they neither regard God nor the higher powers that they neither esteeme their office nor any one point of godlinesse honesty that they neither think upon the dreadfull day of judgement nor yet remember themselves to be mortall Their whole study in the time of this their Luciferâ— like pride is nothing else but to suppresse thy holy truth and to advance and set up their Antichristan Kingdome that they as Gods may sit alone in the Consciences of men But O Lord God though thou sufferest these Priests of Baal for our unthankefulnesse a while to prosper to raigne to ruleâ— to ruffle to flourish to triumph and to tread downe thy holy Word under their â—eete yet are we certaine that thou wilt at the last arise defend thine owne cause against these Antichrists bring thine enemies unto confusion and set thy people after they have unfainedly repented in a quiet and blessed State So he and blessed be God that he after and we now live to see this verified in part Miles Coverdale once Bishop of Exeter in King Edward the sixth his reigne being deprived of it in Queene Maries would not returne thereto againe in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne but led a private life in London where he writ a booke intituled an Apologie in defence of the Church of England Printed at London 1564. wherein he writes thus of Bishops intermedling with secular affaires and of their Treasons against our Kings by the Popes instigation The Old Canons of the Apostles command that Bishop to be removed from his Office which will both supply the place of a civill Magistrate and also of an Ecclesiasticall person These men for all that both doe and will needes serve both places Nay rather the one office which they ought chiefely to execute they once touch not and yet no body commandeth them to be displaced c. And as â—oâ—uâ— we of all others most justly have left him For our Kings yea even they which with greatest reverence did follow and obey the authority and faith of the Bishops of Rome have long since found and felt well enough the yoake and tyranny of the Popes Kingdome For the Bishops of Rome took the Crowne off from the head of our King Henry the second and compelled him to put aside all Majesty and like a meere private man to come unto their Legate with great submission and humility so as all his Subjects
though I thinke untrue then it is cleare that this Angel of Ephesus who lost his first love was famous and zealous Timothy not dead when this Epistle was written as Pererius and Alcazar both Jesuites with Lyra Ribera P. Halloix and others confesse And who dare be so presumptuous as to thinke Timothy a man so eminent famous zealous and so much applauded in Scripture would prove an Apostate or backeslider and lose his first love Either therefore you must deny Timothy or this Angell to be the Bishop of this Church Ninthly grant this Angell to be a Bishop yet it was onely such a Bishop as was all one and the same with Presbyters and of which there were many in one Church noâ— one over many Churches according to the holy Ghosts and the Apostles owne institution as appeares by Act. 20.17.28 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5.7 compared with the 1 Pet. 5.2.3 Iam. 5.14 Act. 14.23 1 Tim. 5.17 which maketh nothing for but directly against that Episcopacy you contend for Tenthly and finally grant him such a Bishop as you would make him yet at the best he was an Apostate who had fallen from and lost his first love by being made a Lord Bp And it will be but little credit for our Prelates to found their Hierarchy upon an Apostate And if I conjecture not amisse this may bee one probable reason why so many Ministers prove turne-coates and Apostates losing their first love and zeale to God when they are made Lord Bishops because they have an Apostate Angel both for their foundation and imitation Happy man be their dole let them make the best of this Apostate I will not hinder but rather pitty them in this folly The second Allegation for the divine right of Episcopacy is that Timothy and Titus were Bishops such as our Lordly Prelates now are the one of Ephesus the other of Crete which Bishop White and others endevour to prove especially by the Post-script of the second Epistle to Timothy The second Epistle unto Timotheus ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians was written from Rome when Paul was brought before Nero the second time And by this Postscript to the Epistle to Titus It was wriâ—ten to Titus ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians fâ—om Nicopolis of Macedonia which Post-scripts they say are very ancient if not Canonicall and irrefragable I shall not here enter into a large discourse to prove Timothy neither a Bishopâ— nor first nor sole nor any Bishop at all of Ephesus who as some say preached the Gospell in our Island of Britaine whiles our Prelates would creaâ—e him the Apostâ—ate Angel residing in the Church of Ephesus to whom Christ writ an Epistle by S. Iohn Rev. 2.1.2 or to disprove Titus to be Lord Bishop or rather Lord Arch-bishop of Crete which had an hundred Cities in it in Homers dayes and no lesse than 4. Arch-bishops and 21. Bishops in former times since I have sufficiently manifested this long since in The Vnbishopping of Timothy and Titus not hitherto answered And indeede were there no other Arguments but two First that though Paul in his Epistles mentions Timothy and Titus more frequently than any other persons yet we never finde him so much as once stiling them Bishops no not in the Epistles to them Secondly that Paul doth never write to them in the Ordinary stile of our Lordly Prelates which it seemes he was not then acquainted with and so not with their Office viz. To the Right Reverend Father in God Timothy Lord Bishop of Ephesus To the Most Reverend Father in God Titus Lord Arch-bishop of Crete his Grace Primate and Metropolitan of all that Island which doubtlesse he would have done had they beene such Bishops as ours are and this stile had beene due or fitting for them but onely To Timothy my owne sonne or dearely beloved sonne in the faith To Titus mine owne sonne after â—he common â—aith c. these were sufficient to satisfie any indifferent man that neither of them was a Bishop or Arch-bishop of these places or at least that they were no such Lordly Prelates as ours now are who may well be ashamed of these pompous swelling Titles which no Apostle nor Apostolicall Bishop ever usurped But the onely thing I shall here insist on shall be to take away â—he grounds of this false Allegation to wit the pretended Authority and Antiquity of these two Post-scripts wiâ—h which the world hath beene much abused For their Authority It is confessed by all First that they are no part of the Text or Canonicall Scripture Secondly that they are not of infallible truth many of them being dubious others directly false as Baronius the Rhemists Estius Mr. Beza Mr. Perkins and sundry others prove Thirdly that they were not added to the Epistles Paul bâ— himself when he writ the Epistles as some have dreamed but by some third peâ—son since as the whole frame of the words running onâ—ly in the third person imports For their Antiquity when and by whom they were first added will be the sole question To cleare this doubt I shall have recourse to the Post-script of the first Epistle to Timothy which runnes thus The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea which is the chiefe City of Phrygia Pacatiana This Post-script of the first Epistle no doubt was written either before or at the same time when the Post-script of the Second Epistle was penned and that must needes be after Phrygia was commonly stiled Pacatiana since it is thus named in this Post-script Now we shall not finde Phrygia so stiled in any Authors till about 340. yeares after Christ in the reigne of Constantine the great at which time it begun to be called Pacatiana and that as some conjecture from Pacatianus who as the Code of Theodosius M. Cambden and Speede affirme was Vicegerent of Brittaine some 330. yeares aâ—ter Christ. Who it was who first annexed these Post-scripts to Pauls Epistles onely â—or the other Apostles Epistles have none will be the greatest question For resolution whereof I take it somewhat cleare that Theodoret was the man who flourished about the yâ—are of our Lord .430 For I finde these Post-scripts added to his Commentarie upon Pauls Epistles and in no other Commentator before nor in any after him till Oecumenius his Ape and transcriber who lived about the yeare 1050. Theodoret then being the first in whom Post-scripts are extant and Oecumenius his follower the next it is probable that he was the first Author of them And that which puts it out of doubt is this that Theodoret in his Preface to his Commentaries on Pauls Epistles is the first who doth modestly undertake with scriptum esse existimo onely to shew both the time when and the place from whence Paul writ his severall Epistles which Preface fully accords with the Post-scripts placed not after the text it selfe but after the end of his
Primate of Scoâ—land at what time he was not withstood by any of the oâ—her Bishops who being estranged from shewing any favour to Graham did often inâ—ringe his authority and in the end expelled the same Graham from his Archiepiscopall See After which in the yeare of Christ 1482. This Archbishop Schewes fled into his owne Country and after at the request of the King resigned his Archbishopricke contenting himselfe with the Bishopricke of Murry Andrew Steward Uncle to King Iames the third was upon the resignation of William Schews made Archbishop of Saint Andrewes after which in the yeare of Christ 1484. the King sent this Archbishop Embassadour to Rome for the obtaining of certaine priviledges which he brought to effect In the yeare of Christ 1491. in the time of King Iames the fourth about the third yeare of his Raigne was great contention betweene the Archbishops of Saint Andrewes and Glascow touching both their Authoritiesâ— Which when it had drawne many of the Nobility into divers factions it was ceased by the King for a certaine time untill all doubt thereof might be taken away by deciding the same by the Canon Law before Ecclesiasticall Judges Then in the yeare of Christ 1507. being about the nineteenth yeare of Iames the fourth the Bishop of Saint Andrewes with the Earle of Arrane were sent Embassadors into France Alexander Steward Bastard Sonne to King Iames the fourth was made Archbishop of Saint Andrewes in the yeare of Christ 1510. About the 22. yeare of the Raigne of the same Iames the fourth This man having long studyed with Erasmus in Germany and in the Low Countries was advanced to this See of the Arch bishopricke when he was yet in Flaunders who having intelligence thereof by his friends came forthwith into Scotland where he was joyfully received by the King the Nobility and his kindred He was slaine together with his Father King Iames the fourth and a Scottish Bishop more at Ploden field in the yeare of Christ 1513. The Cardinall of Scotland promised the Scots Heaven for the destruction of Englandâ— Perhaps they might obtaine it by their deaths but they got no more English earth then would interre their slaine bodies After which Iohn Hepburne Prior of Saint Andrewes strongly besieged the Castle of Saint Andrewes and forced the same to be yeelded unto him the cause of whiâ—h besiege grew that Hepburne being chosen Bishop of Saint Andrewes by his Canons of that Church whereunto the whole Nobility were helpers was hindered to possesse that Archbishopricke by such stipendary people of Gawine Dowglasse as kept the Castle whereupon the Queene and the Earle of Angus after that they understood how the Castle was by force come into the hands of Hepburne did take in evill part that he who was so troublesome unto them should ascend to so high a dignity and that Gâ—wine Dowglasse so deerely to them beloved and to whom they had given that Bishopricke should be helplesse of the recovery thereof Whereupon the Queene and the Duke of Albany diligently laboured by Embassadours sent to Rome that a third person sith Gawin Dowglasse could not obtaine it might be advanced thereunto which third man was Andrew Forman Bishop of Murry further requiring therewithall that he might be Abbot of Dumfermling and Aberbroth which in the end with much intreaty they obtained of the Pope Andrew Forman Bishop of Murry was at Edenburgh by the Popes Bulls on the eighth of the Kalends of Ianuary in the yeare of Christ 1515. being about the second yeare of the Raigne of Iames the fifth declared Archbishop of Saint Andrewes and Abbot of Dumfermeling and Aberbroth Whereupon the Prior of Sainâ— Andrewes before named still contending that he was Archbishop both in respect of the election of the Coven and the consent of the Nobility did labour all he could against Forman appealing him to Rome for which cause he with the Lord Hales and other his friends come to Edenburgh to defend the matter at what time the Lord Hume Chamberlaine of Scotland and such others as openly assisted Forman did oppose themselves against the Prior which Nobility because they were great in the Court did the more molest and hinder Hepburne shortly after by publike Edict and Proclamation of the King banishing the Prior and his followers proclaiming them Rebels and putting them to the home Hepburne being stricken with the sharpenesse of that Precept did privily depart the Towne and the Prior went to Rome hoping by the Popes authority to wrest from Forman the Archbishopricke which he could not obtaine by violence But how he sped at Rome I doe not know for I onely finde this that in the yeare following being the yeare of Christ 1516. about the third yeare of the same Iames the fifth that the Governour perceiving that all these contentions hatreds and divisions of the Nobility did arise by these bralls which were betweene Forman and Hepburne for the See of Saint Andrewes to the great diâ—quieting of the Realme by such part-takings as chanced thereabouts among the Lords desired to cure this grievous wound made in the Common-wealth Wherefore he perswaded Andrew Forman that he should resigne all his Ecclesiasticall Benefices into his hands in an open assembly at Edenburgh for by that meanes the Governour thought that he might pacifie the minds of the Nobility and utterly rout out those branches of dissention Whereupon there was a day appointed to the Nobility to assemble at what time Andrew Forman freely resigned to the Governour the Duke of Albanie all his Ecclesiasticall promotions to be disposed at the Dukes pleasure In consideration thereof the Duke bestowed the Archbishopricke of Saint Andrewes and the Abbey of Dumfermling upon the same Andrew Forman and gave the Bishopricke of Murry to Iames Hepburne greatly favoured of the Earle Bothwell and the Competitor of Forman being thereunto substitute by Iohn Hepburne Pâ—ior of Saint Andrewes in the place of the said Iohn to whom moreover the Duke appointed a yeerely pension of 1000. markes to be paid by the same Forman out of the Abbey of Dumfermling After which about sixe yeares or somewhat leâ—â—e this Forman departed this Life being in the yeare of Christ 1522. and the ninth yeare of King Iames the fifth to whom succeeded Iames Beton Iames Beton Archbishop of Glascow was Chancellor in the yeare of Christ 1513. being the first yeare of King Iames the fifth This man being of great wisedome was appointed amongst others to assist the Queene in the government of the Realme whereunto she was for a time advanced but the woman not induring to be directed by others taking quarrell against the Bishop did immediately after the marriage performed the sixth of August in the yeare of Christ 1514. betweene her and Archibald Dowglasse Earle of Angus which this Bishop incountred as much as he could take the great Sealâ— from the said Bishop of Glascow at Saint Iohns Towne whereupon the Bishop