some urged that Parenthesis Although himself long before c. to have been studiously interpolated in Bede on purpose for the Purgation of Augustine by some in after-Ages that favoured him alledging that it is not in the ancient Saxon Copies being put in as a piece of new Cloth into an old Garment with intent to fill it up but in event making it worse because this Passage checketh the Pen of Bede in the full Speed thereof no lesse against the Rules of History then of Horsemanship as he was writing the Life of Augustine the Story whereof notwithstanding still runs on and continues untill the end of the next Chapter Here some of the Jury betook themselves to the point of Chronologie as most proper to decide the matter now depending but such was the Variety of Authors that no Certainty could thence be extracted For though the Massacre of the Monks of Bangor is generally noted to be d Matt. West Chichestr MS. Bibl. pub Cantabâ—ig Anno 603. which falls out before the Death of Augustine yet the Annals of Vlster whose Authority is not to be contemned e Iames Usher Brit. Eccles Antiq. pag. 1157. Mr. Fox his moderation much moveth the Iury. observe the same in the year 613. which undoubtedly was after Augustine's Decease 14. Then a second sort of Witnesses presented themselves as f Antiq. Britan pag. 48. M. Parker g Apol. part 1 page 11. Bishop Iewel and others somewhat sharp against Augustine in their Expressions which wrought the lesse with the Jury partly because of such Authours their known Opposition to the Romish Church and partly because of their Modern writing almost a thousand years after the matter in fact Onely the Moderate Testimony of Reverend M r. Fox much moved the whole Court as one throughly well-affected in Religion and averse from all Popery and Cruelty thus expressing himself h Acts and Monum part 1. p. 154. col 2. This seemeth rather suspicious then true that Ethelbert being a Christian King either could so much prevail with a Pagan Idolater or else would attempt so far to commit such a cruel Deed But of uncertain things I have nothing certainly to say lesse to judge This I say prevailed so far with the Iury that consulting with themselves they found an Ignoramus With whose commendable Charity I concurre preferring rather to clear a Twi-light Innocence into Noon-day then to darken it into Midnight 15. To return to the Monks of Bangor Their innocent Bloud went not long unrevenged for we find i Nicolas Trivet largely cited by Sir Henry Spelman in his Councills pag. 112. recorded The bloud of Bangor Monks revenged how three British Princes namely Blederick Duke of Cornwall Margaduc Duke of south-South-VVales and Cadwan Duke of North-VVales bade Battel to the Northumberlanders as they were invading VVales and not onely dangerously wounded the aforesaid Ethelfride their King but also discomfited his Army and slew ten thousand and sixty of his Souldiers forcing him at last to Articles of Composition that he should confine himself within his own Country North of Trent and leave all VVales to be entirely and peaceably enjoyed by the Britans the true Owners thereof 16. However here to our great Grief we are fain to take our Farewell Farewell taken for some years of the British Church for some hundreds of years of the British Church wanting Instructions concerning the Remarkable Particulars thereof Yet D r. Harpsfield deserves a Check both for his false a Eccles Hist Seculo 7. c. 39. pag. 114. Ground-work and presumptuous Inference built thereupon For first he slighteth the British Nation as such an one as since this their Dissenting from Augustine and the Romish Church in Ceremonies never archieved any Actions of Renown or mounted to any Eminency in the world Then he imputeth their being so long depressed and at last subdued by the English as a just Punishment of God on their not Complying with Rome so pragmaticall a Prier he is into Divine Secrets But he who thus casteth forth a National Abuse can never see where such a Stone lighteth for besides the Nation for the time being their Posterity ingaged therein have just cause either to find or make Reparation to themselves I could and would my self assert the British from this Scandalous Pen were it not against the Rules of Manners and Discretion to take this Office out of the hands of some of their own Nation for whom it is more proper as they are more able to perform it 17. Onely give me leave to insert a Line or two some Pleasant Discourse will not do amiss Commendation of the British language after so much Sad matter in Commendation of the British Tongue and Vindication thereof against such as causelesly traduce it First their Language is Native It was one of those which departed from Babel and herein it relates to God as the more immediate Authour thereof whereas most Tongues in Europe ow their Beginning to humane Depraving of some Original Language Thus the Italian Spanish and French Daughters or Neeces to the Latine are generated from the Corruption thereof Secondly Unmixed For though it hath some few Forrain Words and useth them sometimes yet she rather accepteth them out of State then borroweth them out of Need as having besides these other Words of her own to express the same things Yea the Romans were so far from making the Britans to do that they could not make them to speak as they would have them their very Language never had a perfect Conquest in this Island Thirdly Unaltered Other Tongues are daily disguised with forrain Words so that in a Century of years they grow Strangers to themselves as now an English-man needs an Interpreter to understand Chaucer's English But the British continues so constant to it self that the Prophesies of old Teliessin who lived above a thousand years since are at this day intelligible in that Tongue Lastly Durable which had it's Beginning at the Confusion of Tongues and is likely not to have it's Ending till the Dissolution of the World 18. Some indeed inveigh against it Causelesly traduced by ignorance as being hard to be pronounced having a conflux of many Consonants and some of them double-sounded yea whereas the Mouth is the place wherein the Office of Speech is generally kept the British words must be uttered through the Throat But this rather argues the Antiquity thereof herein running parallel with the Hebrew the common Tongue of the Old World before it was inclosed into severall Languages and hath much Affinity therewith in joynting of words with Affixes and many other Correspondencies Some also cavil that it grates and tortures the eares of Hearers with the Harshnesse thereof whereas indeed it is unpleasant onely to such as are Ignorant of it And thus every Tongue seems stammering which is not understood yea Greek it self is Barbarisme to Barbarians Besides what is nick-named Harshness therein maketh it
Credit hereunto multiplying Objections against it Obj. There were say they many places besides Cambridge in the Kingdome of the East-Angles conteining Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgeshire which with equall Probability may pretend to this School of Sigebert's Foundation seeing Bede doth not nominatim affirm Cambridge for the particular Place where this University was erected 50. Ans Answer Though Bede be Dumb in this particular notnaming Cambridge yet he makes such Signes that most intelligent Antiquaries by us alledged understand him to intend the same especially seeing Cambridge is acknowledged by all Authours time out of mind to have been a place for the Education of Students in Literature 51. Obj. Second Objection If any such University was founded by Sigebert it was at Grantchester differing as in Appellation so in Situation from Cambridge as being a good mile South West thereof Cambridge therefore cannot entitle it self but by apparent Usurpation to the ancient Priviledges of Grantchester 52. Ans Answer Most usuall it is for ancient places to alter their Names Babylon to Bagdet Byzantium to Constantinople our old Verulam to S t. Albans still retaining the numerical Nature they had before Oxford they tell us was once called a Bryan Twine Antiq. Acad. Ox. pag. 114. Bellositum and yet not altered from it's same self by another Name Nor is it any news for great Cities in processe of time as weary of long standing to ease themselves a little by hitching into another place Thus some part of modern Rome is removed more then a mile from the ancient Area thereof Thus Ierusalem at this day is come down from Mount Sion and more South-West climbed up Mount Calvary Yet either of these Places would account themselves highly injured if not reputed for the main the same with the former Sufficeth it that some part of Cambridge stands at this day where b Mr. Camden an Oxford-man in his description of Cambridgeshire alloweth Grantchester and Cambridge for the same place Third Objection Grantchester did which anciently c Cajus de Antiq. Cantab ex libro Barnwellensi pag. 11. Answer extended North-West as far as the Village called Howse and that 's enough to keep possession of the Priviledges of Grantchester as properly belonging thereunto Especially seeing Oxford at this day layes claim to the Antiquityes of Crekelade and Lechlade Towns distant sixteen miles off the one in VVilts the other in Glocestershire two ancient Schools of Greek and Latine as some will have it removed afterwards to Oxford from whence some of her Assertours do date her Beginning 53. Obj. Sigebert founded but Scholam which makes little to the Honour of Cambridge For thereby her Professours are degraded to Pedants and by a retrograde Motion Cambridge is sent back to Eaton I mean is made no better then a great Grammar-School 54. Ans If the best of Latine Oratours may be believed Schola properly signifies the Place where all Arts are publickly professed d Tully De natura Deorum Ex Platonis schola Ponticus Heraclides Ponticus Heraclides came out of the school of Plato Which is notoriously known to have been an Academie yea all his Scholars known by the name of Academicks to this day Those of Salerno in Italy dedicating a book of Physick to our Henry the second I take it begin thus Anglorum Regi scribit Schola tota Salerni School-boys deserve to be whipped indeed if presuming to prescribe Receipts to a King But that Schola there is sufficiently known to have been a famous University And under the favour of the University the word Vniversitas is but a base and barbarous Latine whiles Schola is pure Greek originally to design either the Place where generall Learning is publickly professed or the Persons studying therein And though I dare not totally concurre with that e Mr. Camden in his Britannia pag. 381. in Oxfordshire Fourth Objection Learned Critick that Vniversit as was first used in the foresaid sense about the reign of King Henry the third yet I believe it will not be found in any Classicall Authour in that modern acception 55. Obj. In good Authours Sigebert is said to have founded not only Scholam a School but Scholas Schools in the plurall If Schola therefore be an University either he made moe Universities then one in Cambridge which is absurd to affirm or else he erected moe Universities in other places of his Kingdome which Cantabrigians will not willingly confesse 56. Ans Answer The variation of the Number is of no Concernment For if respect be had to the severall Arts there professed Sigebert founded Schools in the plurall but if regard be taken of the Cyclopaedy of the Learning resulting from those severall Sciences he erected but one Grand School Every Fresh-man knows that the single Quadrant wherein the publick Lectures are read and Acts kept is called plurally the Schools in each University 57. Obj. Fifth Objection But Bede terms them Pueros Boyes properly under the Rod and Ferula whom Sigebert placed in his School and the word Paedagogi Vshers placed over them imports the same that they were no University-Students but a company of little Lads that lived there under Correction 58. Ans Answer Criticks will satisfie you that the word Pueri signifies even those of more Maturity especially if living sub regimine under the Discipline of Superiours Secondly Bede being a great Divine and conversant in Scripture-phrase borroweth an expression thence Christ calling his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Iohn 21. 5. Children He useth also Paedagogos in the same notion with b 1 Cor. 4. 15. S t. Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our last Translatours reade Instructours in Christ even to the Corinthians who still needed such Paedagogues or Teachers though already c 1 Cor. i. 5. enriched in all utterance and knowledge Thirdly the Saxon ancient Copy of Bede which doubtlesse doth emphatically render the Latine translates pueri â—eonâ—e menn Fourthly Asserius Menevensis speaking of Alfred's founding of Oxford faith that he endowed the same Suae propriae Gentis nobilibus Pueris etiam ignobilibus and it is but equal that the Pueri at Cambridge should be allowed as much man in them as those at Oxford Lastly the young Frie of Scholars when first admitted is such to whom * All the Scholars of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge not being Fellows are termed pueri in their Statutes Pueri in the proper sense thereof may well be applyed And here it may seasonably be remembred how an d Bryan Twine Antiq. Oxon. p. 322. Oxford Antiquary affirmeth that Edward the fifth Prince of VVales and Richard his brother Duke of York Oxoniae studuerunt studied at Oxford in the life-time of their Father Stout Students no doubt whereof the Elder could not then be ten the Younger not nine yeares old But I forget what Lawyers hold that the Kings eldest Son is at full Age for
Christian Princes His Reign was blest with Peace and Prosperity both by Land and Sea insomuch that in a royall Frolick eight petty Kings rowed him over the river Dee near to Chester namely five Princes of VVales whereof Hoel-Dha was the principall Kened King of Scotland Malcolm King of Cumberland and Mac-huse a great Sea-Robber who may passe for the Prince of Pirats 31. This Hoel-Dha A Nationall Council in Wales contemporary with King Edgar 970 was he that held a Nationall Councill for all VVales at a place called Ty-guin 13 or the VVhite-house because built of white Hurdles to make it more beautifull regulated after this manner Out of every Hundred in Wales he chose six Lay-men with whom he joyned all the eminent Ecclesiasticall Persons accounted an hundred fourty in his Dominions Out of those he chose eleven Lay-men and one Clergy-man but such a one as who alone by himself might passe vertually for eleven Blangoridus by name to enact what Laws they pleased which after the impression of Royall Assent upon them should be observed by that Nation One might suspect this Council thus over-powered with Laicks therein which pinch on the Priests side whereas we find the Canons therein wholly made in favour of the Clergy enacting this among the rest That the presence of a Priest and a Iudge constitute a legall Court as the two Persons onely in the Quorum thereof 32. But methinks the Lawes therein enacted which a learned b S r. Henry Spelman in his Councils pag. 411. Antiquary presents us at large fall far short of the Gravity of a Councill The merry Lawes made therein except any will excuse it from the Age thereof what we count light and triviall might be esteemed serious and solid in those dayes Besides the Laws discover in them a conceited affectation of the Number of Three In three Cases a Wise may legally leave her Husband first if he hath a Leprosy secondly if he hath a stinking Breath thirdly if he be unable to give her due Benevolence In three cases it was lawfull for a man to kisse his Neighbours Wife first at a Banquet secondly at the Welch Play called Guare-raffau and thirdly when he comes from a far Journey by way of Salutation If a Man and his Wife were to part asunder they were to divide their Goods betwixt them so that she was to have the Sheep he the Hogs she the Milk and milk-Vessels with all the Dishes save one he all the Beer and Barrels with the Axe Saw c. 33. But how silly soever these Canons seem to our modern Criticks Confirmed by the Pope they were then conceived of such Weight and Worth 971 that King Hoel-Dha with his Arch-bishop of S t. Davids 14 the Bishops of Bangor Landaffe S t. Asaph are said to have taken a Iourney to Rome and procured the Popes Confirmation to them Nor find I ought else of this Synod save that the Close thereof presents us with a list of seven Episcopall Seats then in Wales I. S t. Davids 2. Ismael 3. Degenian 4. Vssyll 5. Teylaw 6. Teuledauc 7. Kenew c Quaere whether Bangor Landast and S t. Asaph be not comprised under these I am not Welch man enough to point at these places and to shew you where they be at this day which we leave to some skilfull Antiquary of their own Nation Anno Regis Edgari 14 Onely we find that whereas the Churches were burdened with some Payments out of them Anno Dom. 971 two of the Bishops Seats Vssyl and Kenew were freed from the same And this satisfactory Reason is rendred of their Exemption quia terris carent because they had no Lands belonging unto them 34. King Edgar was peaceably gathered to his Fathers 17 Regis Edvardi Martyris 1 leaving his Crown to Edward his Son 974 and his Son because under age to the Tuition of Dunstan A Council at Winchester with a miraculous voice in it In this Kings Reign three Councils were successively called to determine the Differences between Monks and Secular Priests The first was at Winchester where the Priests being outed of their Convents earnestly pressed for Restitution and sought by Arguments to clear their Innocence and prove their Title to their ancient Possessions The Council seemed somewhat inclinable to favour unto them when presently a Voice as coming from a Crucifix behind Dunstan is reported to be heard saying Absit hoc ut fiat absit hoc ut fiat Iudicastis bene mutaretis non bene God forbid it should be done God forbid it should be done Ye have judged it well and should change it ill Whether these words were spoken in Latine or English Authours leave us unresolved Monks equall this for the truth thereof to the a 1 Kings 19. 12. still small Voice to Elijah whilest others suspect some Forgery the rather because it is reported to come as from a Crucifix they feare some secret Falsehood in the Fountain because visible Superstition was the Cistern thereof However this Voice proved for the present the Casting Voice to the Secular Priests who thereby were overborn in their Cause and so was the Council dissolved 35. Yet still the Secular Priests did struggle 4 refusing to be finally concluded with this transient aiery Oracle 977 b Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony Secular Priests strive still if they speak not according to this word c. They had no warrant to relie on such a vocal Decision from which they appealed to the Scripture it self A second Council is called at Kirtlington now Katlage in Cambridge-shire the Baronry of the right Honourable the Lord North but nothing to purpose effected therein Dunstan say the Monks still answered his Name that is Dun a rocky Mountain and Stain a Stone but whether a precious Stone or a Rock of Offence let others decide persisting unmoveable in his Resolution nor was any thing performed in this Council but that by the Authority thereof people were sent on Pilgrimage to S t. Mary at Abbington 36. The same year a third Council was called Aportentous Council at Caln at Caln in VViltshire Hither repaired Priests and Monks with their full Forces to trie the last Conclusion in the Controversie betwixt them The former next the Equity of the Cause relied most on the Ability of their Champion one Beornelm a Scottish Bishop who with no lesse Eloquence then Strength with Scripture and Reason defended their Cause When behold on a sudden the Beams brake in the Room where they were assembled and most of the Secular Priests were slain and buried under the Ruines thereof All were affrighted many maimed onely the place whereon Dunstan sate either as some say remained firm or fell in such sort that the Timber the Sword to kill others proved the Shield to preserve him from Danger 37. Some behold this Story as a notable Untruth
Witness my self at Westminster c. Date we from this day the achme or vertical height of Abbeys which henceforward began to stand still at last to decline Formerly it was Endow Monasteries who would hereafter who could having first obtained licence from the King Yet this Law did not ruine but regulate not destroy but direct well grounded liberality that bounty to some might not be injury to others Here I leave it to Lawyers by profession to shew how many years after viz. the eighteenth of of Edward the third Prelates Impeached before the Kings Justices for purchasing land in Mortmain shall be dismissed without further trouble upon their producing a charter of licence and process thereupon made by an Inquest ad quod damnum or in case that cannot be shewed by making a convenient Fine for the same who the active Prelats of this age 14. The late mention of the Prelates advise in passing a Law so maleficial unto them giveth me just occasion to name some the principal persons of the Clergie present thereat namely 1. John Peckam Arch-Bishop of Canterbury a stout man He afterwards excommunicated the Prince of Wales because he went a long journey to perswade him to peace with England but could not prevaile 2. William Wickwane Anno Regis Ed. 1. 11. Arch-Bishop of York Anno Dom. 1283. accounted a great Scholar Author of a Book called Memoriale and esteemed a petty-saint in that Age. 3. Anthony Beake soon after Bishop of Durham the richest and proudest alwayes good manners to except Cardinal Wolsey of that place Patriarch titular of Jerusalem and Prince of the Isle of Man Yet in my minde Gilbert Sellinger his contemporary and Bishop of Chichester had a far better Title as commonly called the Father of Orphans and Comforter of the widdows These with many more Bishops consented though some of them resorbentes suam bilem as inwardly angry to the passing or confirming of the Statute of Mortmain To make them some amends the King not long after favourably stated what causes should be of spiritual cognizance 15. For a Parliament was called at Westminster 13. eminent on this account 1285. that it laid down the limits The Spiritual and Temporal Courts bounded by Parliament and fixed the boundaries betwixt the Spiritual and Temporal Jurisdictions Hitherto shall you come and no farther though before and since both powers have endeavoured to enlarge their own and contract their Rivals authority We will present first the Latin out of the Records and then the English out of our printed Statutes and make some necessary observations on both REX talibus Judicibus Salutem Circumspectè agatis de negotiis tangentibus Episcopum Norwicensem ejus Clerum non puniend eos si placitum tenuerint in Curia Christianitatis de bis quae merè sunt spiritualia viz. de correctionibus quas Prelati faciunt pro mortali peccato viz. pro fornicatione adulterio hujusmodi pro quibus aliquando infligitur paena corporalis aliquando pecuniaria maximè si convictus fuerit de hujusmodi liber homo Item Si Praelatus puniat pro cemeterio non clauso Ecclesia discooperta vel non decenter ornata in quibus casibus alia poena non potest inffigi quam pecuniaria Item Si Rector petat versus parochianos oblationes decimas debitas vel consuetas vel si Rector agat contra Rectorem de decimis majoribus vel minoribus dummodo non petatur quarta pars valoris Ecclesiae Item Si Rector petat mortuà rium in partibus ubi mortuarium dari consuevit Item Si Praelatus alicujus Ecclesiae vel advocatus petat à Rectore pensionem si debitam omnes hujusmodi petitiones sunt faciend in foro Ecclesiastico De violenta manuum injectione in Clericum in causa diffamationis concessum fuit aliàs quod placitum inde teneatur in Curia Christianitatis cum non petatur pecunia sed agatur ad correctionem peccati similiter pro fidei laesione In omnibus praedictis casibus habet judex Ecclesiasticus cognoscere regia prohibitione non obstante THe KING to his Judges sendeth Greeting Use your self circumspectly in al matters concerning the Bishop of Norwich his Clergie not punishing them if they hold plea in Court Christian of such things as be meerly spiritual that is to wit of penance enjoyned for deadly sin as fornication adultery and such like for the which many times corporal penance or pecuniary is enjoyned specially if a free man be convict of such things Also if Prelates do punish for leaving Church-yards unclosed or for that the Church is uncovered or not conveniently decked in which cases none other penance can be enjoyned but pecuniary Item If a Parson demand of his parishioners oblations and tythes due and accustomed or if any person plead against another for tythes more or less so that the fourth part of the value of the Benefice be not demanded Item If a Parson demand mortuaries in places where a mortuarie hath used to have been given Item If a Prelate of a Church or if a Patron demand a pension due to themselves all such demands are to be made in a Spiritual Court And for laying violent hands on a Priest and in cause of defamation Anno Dom. 1285 it hath been granted already Anno Regis Ed. 1. 13. that it shall be tried in a Spiritual Court when money is not demanded but a thing done for punishment of sin and likewise for breaking an oath In all cases afore rehearsed the Spiritual Judg shall have power to take knowledge notwithstanding the Kings prohibition Something must be premised about the validity of this writing learned men much differing therein Some make it 1. Onely a constitutiou made by the Prelates themselves much too blame if they cut not large pieces being their own Carvers 2. A meer Writ issued out from the King to his Judges 3. A solemn Act of Parliament compleat in all the requisites thereof Hear what * Mr Nath. Bacon in his Hist Dis of the Government of England lib. 1. pag. 233. a Bacon but neither S r Nicolas nor S r Francis the two Oracles of Law writes in this case A writing somewhat like a Grant of Liberties which before times were in controversie and this Grant if it may be so called hath by continuance VSURPED the name of a Statute but in its own nature is no other then a Writ directed to the Judges Presently after he saith It is therefore no Grant nor Release but as it were a Covenant that the Clergie should hold peaceable possession of what they had upon this ground And in the next page more plainly For my part therefore I shall not apprehend it of a higher nature then the Kings Writ which in those dayes WENT FORTH AT RANDOM 16. Come we now to the calme judgment of S r Edward Cook Judg Cokes decision on whose decision we may
of the Duke de Alva drove over more Dutch into England But enough of this subject which let none condemn for a deviation from Church-history First because it would not grieve one to goe a little out of the way if the way be good as this digression is for the credit and profit of our Country Secondly it reductively belongeth to the Church-History seeing many poore people both young and old formerly charging the parishes as appeared by the accounts of the Church Officers were hereby enabled to maintain themselves 14. The extortion of the Pope being now somewhat abaâ—ed in England The Popes Italian Usurers turn Merchants the Caursines or Lumbards formerly the money Merchants of his Holinesse and the grand Vsurers of England did not drive so full a Trade as before Wereupon they betake themselves to other Merchandize and began to store England with forraign commodities but at unreasonable rates whilst England it self had as yet but little and bad shipping and those lesse imployed 15. But now King Edward But at last are prohibited by the King to prevent the ingrossing of Trade into the hand of Forreigners and to restore the same to his native Subjects took order that these Aliens should no longer prey on the Radical moisture of his Land but began to cherish Navigation in his own Subjects and gave a check to such Commodities which Forreiners did import as in ancient Poems is largely described whereof so much as concerneth our purpose He made a Statute for Lombards in this Land Liber de custodia Maris extant in Hacluits voyages book 1. p. 191 That they should in no wise take on hand Here to inhabit here to charge and dsscharge But forty dayes no more time had they large This good King by wit of such appreise Kept his Merchants and the sea from mischiefe But this was a work of time to perform and took not full effect to the end of this Kings reign yea the Lombards were not totally routed till the reign of King Richard the third 16. About this time the Clergie were very bountifull in contributing to the Kings necessities A survey made of the Cleargies Glebeland in proportion to their Benefices Hereupon a survey was exactly taken of all their Glebeland and the same fairly ingrossed in parchment was returned into the Exchequer where it remaineth at this day and is the most usefull Record for Clergie men and also for Impropriators as under their claim to recover their right Many a stragling Acre wandring out of the way had long since by Sacrilegious Guides been seduced into the possession of false owners had not this Record directed them at last to their true proprietary 17. The worst is Partly useless by ill engrossing whilst some Diocesses in this Terreer were exactly done and remain fairly legible at this day others were so slightly slubbered over that though kept with equall carefulnesse they are useless in effect as not to be read Thus I was informed from a Clerk in that Office * Walt. Hillary lately desceased who when Living was older and as able as any therein And thus Manuscripts like those men who wrote them though starting with their equals hold not all out to the same length their humidum radicale their inke I mean not lasting alike in all Originals 18. It was now generally complained of as a grand grievance Clergie-men engrosse all offices that the Clergie engrossed all places of Judicature in the Land Nothing was left to Lay-men but either military commands as General Admiral c. or such Judges places as concerned only the very letter of the Common Law and those also scarcely reserved to the Students thereof As for Embassies into forraine parts Noblemen were imployed therein when expence not experience was required thereunto and Ceremony the substance of the service otherwise when any difficulty in civil-law then Clergy-men were ever entertained The Lord Chacellor was ever a Bishop as if against Equity to imploy any other therein yea that Court generally appeared as a Synod of Divines where the Clerks were Clerks as generally in Orders The same was also true of the Lord Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer 19. Some imputed this to the pragmaticalnesse of the Clergie Severall opinions of the causes thereof active to insinuate themselves into all employment how improper soever to their profession Others ascribed it to the Kings necessitie The war engrossing the maine of his men of merit so that he was necessitated to make use of Clergie-men Others attributed it to the Kings election no way weak in head or hand plotting or performing finding such the fittest to serve him who being single persons and having no design to raise a family were as knowing as any in the Mysteries of money * Matters of weight and safest to be entrusted therein * The founding of Q. Col. in Oxford by R. Englesfield But more hereof hereafter 20. Robert Eglesfield Batchelour of Divinity Chaplain to Queen Philippa wife to King Edward the third Anno Dom. 1340. founded a Colledge on his own ground Anno Regis Ed. tertii 15. by the name of Queens Colledge commending the Patronage thereof to his Lady the Queen and to the Queens of England successively which he endowed with Lands and Revenewes for the maintenance of a Provost and twelve Fellows which were to be augmented as the Revenews increased 21. Now though this was called Queens A paire of Princes bred therein from their Honorarie Patronesses a Rossus war wicensis Mâ—â—in Henricâ— quinto it may be stiled Princes Colledge from those paire of Students therein Edward the black Prince who presently after this foundation had his Education therein and Henry the fift as yet Prince of Wales under Henry Beaufort Chancelor of this University and his Uncle his Chamber was over the Colledge gate where his picture at this day remaineth in brass with this inscription under it In perpetuam rei memoriam Imperator Britanniae Triumphator Galliae Hostium Victor sui Henricus quintus hujus Collegii Et cubiculi minuti satis Olim magnus Incola which lodging hath for this sixteen years belonged to my worthy friend Mr. Thomas Barlow that most able and judicious Philosopher and Divine being a Library in himself and keeper of another that of Sir Tho. Bodlyes erection out of which he hath courteously communicated to me some rarities of this University 22. Now according to the care and desire of the founder Queens nursing Mothers to this Colledge The Queens of England have ever been Nursing Mothers to this Foundation O what advantage they have when lying in the bosoms of their Royall Consorts by whom they cannot be denyed what is equall and of whom they will not desire what is otherwise Thus Queen Philippa obtained of her Husband King Edward the third the Hospital of St. Julians in Southampton commonly called Gods House Queen Elizabeth wife to King
whthout knots tied thereon ready to disburse such summes as should be demanded Indeed the Clergie now contributed much money to the King having learned the Maxime commended in the Comedian b Terent Adelph Pecuniam in loco negligere maxumum interdum est lucrum And perceiving on what ticklish termes their state stood were forced to part with a great proportion thereof to secure the rest c Vide infrà in hist of Abbeys lib. 2. cap. 1. the Parliament now shrewdly pushing at their temporal possessions For although in the first year of King Henry the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland came from him to the Clergie with a complement that the King onely d Antiq. Brit. pag. 273. Harpsfield hist Ang. pag. 618. out of whom the following table of Synods is composed desired their prayers and none of their money Kingdoms have their honey-moon when new Princes are married unto them yet how much afterwards he received from them the ensuing draught of Synods summoned in his dayes doth present Place President Preacher Text. Money granted the King The other Acts thereof 1. Saint Pauls in London The Prior and Chapter of Canterbury in the Arch-Bishops absence William Bishop of Rochester Cor meum diligit Principes Israel Nothing at this time but the Clergies prayers required The King at the request of the Universities promised to take order with the Popes Provisions 1399 provensions 1. that so learned men might be advanc'd St Gregory his day made holy 2. Saint Pauls in London 2 Thomas Arundel 1400  A Tenth and half For a single Tenth was first profered him and he refused it Nothing else of moment passed save Sautres condamnation 3. Ibidem 4 Idem 1402.  At the instance of the Earl of Somerset of Lord Ross the Treasurer a Tenth was granted The Clergy renewed their Petition of Right to the King that they should not be proceeded aganist by temporal Judges nor forced to sell their goods for provision for the Kings Court No answer appears 4. Ibidem 6. Henry Bishop of Lincoln 1404 the Arch-Bishop being absent in an Embassie  A Tenth towards the Kings charges in suppressing the late Rebels Constituted that the obsequies of every English Bishop deceased should be celebrated in all the Cathedrals of the Kingdom 5. Ibidem 7. Thomas Arundel 1405  A Tenth when the Laity in Parlian t. gave nothing Nothing or consequence 6. Ibidem 8. Henry Beaufort Bish 1406 of Winchest the Arch-Bishop being absent Thomas Bishop of Carlile Magister adest vocat te A Tenth Nothing of moment 7. Ibidem 10. Thomas Arundel 1408 John Monke of S t Augustine in Canterbury Faciet unusquisque opussuum  This Synod was principally employed in suppressing of Schism and the following Synod in the same year to the same purpose 8. Saint Pauls in London Idem Anno Dom. 1408. John Botel general of the Franciscans Vos vocati estis in uno corpore   9. Ibidem Anno Regis Hen. 4 10 Henry Bishop of Winchester the Arch-Bishop being abroad in an Embassie John Langdon Monk of Canterbury Stellae dederunt lumen A Tenth and a Subsidy granted saith a Antiq. Brit. p. 274. Matthew Parker but b Harpsfield Ecc. Ang pag. 616. others say the Clergie accused themselves as drained dry with former payments Also the Popes Agent progging for money was denied it 1411. Little else save some endeavours against Wicliffs opinions 13. 10. Ibid. Thomas Arundel John God-mersham Monk of Canterbury Diligite lumen sapientiae omnes qui praeestus A Tenth 1412. The Clergie compained to the King of thier grievances but received no redress The Popes Rents sequestred into the Kings hands during the Schisme betwixt Gregory the 12 th and Benedict 14. We will not avouch these all the conventions of the Clergie in this Kings Reign who had many subordinate meetings in reference to their own occasions but these of most publick concernment Know this also that it was a great invitation not to say an inforcement to make them the more bountiful in their contributions to the King because their leaders were suspicious of a design now first set on foot in opposition to all Religious Houses as then termed to essay their overthrow Which project now as a Pioneer onely wrought beneath ground yet not so insensibly but that the Church-Statists got a discovery thereof and in prevention were very satisfying to the Kings Pecuniary desires Insomuch that it was in effect but ask and have such their compliance to all purposes and intents The rather because this King had appeared so zealous to arm the Bishops with terrible Laws against the poor naked Lollards as then they were nick-named 9. Now we pass from the Convocation to the Parliament Anno Regis Hen. quart 14. onely to meddle with Church-matters therein Anno Dom. 1412. desiring the Reader to dispense in the Margin with a new Chronology of this Kings Reigne A new Crhonologie assuring him that whatsoever is written is taken out of the Authentick Records of the Parliament in the Tower 10. It was moved in Parliament A severe motion against the Welch that no Welch-man Bishop or other be Justice Chamberlain Chancellor Treasurer Sheriff Constable of a Castle Receiver Escheator Coroner or chief Forester or other Officer whatsoever or * Ex rot Par. in tur Lond. in hoc anno Keeper of Records or Lieutenant in the said Offices in any part of Wales or of Councel to any English Lord not withstanding any Patent made to the contrary Cum clausula non obstante Licet Wallicus natus 11. It was answered that the King willeth it except the Bishops Moderated by the King and for them and others which he hath found good and loyal lieges towards him our said Lord the King will be advised by the advise of his Councel 12. Such as wonder why the Parliament was so incensed against the Welch The cause of his auger seeing Henry Prince of Wales was their own Country-man born at Monmouth may consider how now or very lately Owen Glendowre a Welch Robber advanced by the multitude of his followers into the reputation of a General had made much sepoil in Wales Now commendable was the King's charity who would not return a national mischief for a personal injury seing no man can cause the place of his Nativity though he may bemoan and hate the bad practises of his own Nation 13. The Kings courteous exception for the Welch Bishops The Quaternion of welch Bps. who and what at this time putteth us upon a necessay enquiry who and what they were placed in Sees at this time S t Davids Landaffe Bangor S t Asaph Guido de Dona. Thomas Peberell Richard Yong. John Trebaur Or of Anglesey A true Briton by birth witness'd by his Name He was at the present Lord
pay and reward some of his poorest servants giving them money on this condition that hereafter they should serve no subject but onely the b Rex Platonicus pag. 43. King himself as if this had been suscipere gradum Simeonts for those who so long had attended on a Lord-Cardinal But this happened many years after we return to this proud Prelate while he flourished in the height of his Prosperity 36. Their heads will catch cold Wolsey turns his waiting into revenge which wait bare for a dead Popes Tiple-Crown Wolsey may be an instance hereof who on every avoidance of S t Peters Chaire was sitting down therein when suddenly some one or other clapt in before him Weary with waiting he now resolved to revenge himself on Charles the Emperour for not doing him right and not improving his power in preferring him to the Papacy according to his promioses and pretences He intends to smite Charles through the sides of his Aunt Katharine Queen of England endeavouring to alienate the Kings affections from her And this is affirmend by the generality of our Historians though some of late have endeavoured to acquit Wolsey as not the first perswader of the King divorce 37. Indeed he was beholding The scruple of the Kings marriage for the first hint thereof to the Spaniards themselves For when the Lady Mary was tendered in marriage to Philip Prince of Spain the Spanish Embassadours seemed to make some difficulty thereof and to doubt her extraction as begotten on a mother formerly married to her husbands elder brother Wolsey now put this scruple into the head of Bishop Longlands the Kings Confessour and he insinuated the same into the Kings conscience advising him hereafter to abstain from the company of his Queen to whom he was unlawfully married Adding moreover that after a divorce procured which the Pope in justice could not deny the King might dispose his affections where he pleased And here Wolsey had provided him a second Wife viz Margarite Countess of Alenzon sister to Francis King of France though heavens reserved that place not for the Mistress but her Maid I mean Anna Bollen who after the return of Mary the French Queen for England attended in France for some time on this Lady Margarite 38. Tunder needs no torch to light it The King willingly embraceth the motion the least spark will presently set it on flame No wonder if King Henry greedily resented the motion Male issue he much wanted and a young Female more on whom to beget it As for Queen Katharine he rather respected then affected rather honoured then loved her She had got an habit of miscarrying scarce curable in one of her age intimated in one of the Kings private papers as morbus incurabilis Yet publickly he never laid either fault or defect to her charge that not dislike of her person or conditions but onely principles of pure conseience might seem to put him upon endeavours of a Divorce 39. The business is brought into the Court of Rome The Pope a Captive there to be decided by Pope Clement the seventh Bnt the Pope at this time was not sui juris being a prisoner to the Emperour who constantly kept a guard about him 44. As for the Queens Councel Fishers short plea. which Anno Dom. 1529 though assigned to her Anno Regis Hen. 8 25. appear not dearly accepted by her as chosen rather by others for her then by her for her self I finde at this present little of moment pleaded or performed by them Onely Bishop Fisher affirmed that no more needed to be said for the validity of the marriage then Whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder A most true position in it self if he could have cleared the application thereof to his Royal Client but Hoc restat probandum the contrary that God never joyned them together being vehemently urged by her adversaries 45. Notwithstanding the Queens absence The pleas of the Kings Councel the Court proceeded And first the Kings Proctors put in their exceptions against both Bull and Breve of Pope Julius the second dispensing with the Kings marriage with his brothers wife viz. 1. That they were not to be found amongst the Original Records in Rome 2. That they were not extant in Chartaphylacio amongst the King of Englands papers most concerned therein but found onely in Spain amongst the writings of a State-Officer there 3. That in them it was falsely suggested as if the same were procured at the instance of Henry Prince of Wales who then not being above thirteen years old was not capable of such intentions 4. That the Date thereof was somewhat discrepant from the form used in the Court of Rome 46. After this Secrets sub sigillo thalami many witnesses on the Kings side were deposed July 12. and though this favour is by custome indulged to the English Nobility to speak on their Honours yet the Canon-Law taking no notice of this their municipal priviledg and for the more legal validity of their restimonies required the same on oath though two Dukes one Dutchess one Marquess many Lords and Ladies gave in their depositions These attested 1. That both were of sufficient age Prince Arthur of fifteen years the Lady Katharine somewhat elder 2. That constant their cohabitation at board and in bed 3. That competent the time of the same as full five moneths 4. That entire their mutual affection no difference being ever observ'd betwixt them 5. That Henry after his Brothers death by an instrument produced in Court and attested by many witnesses refused to marry her though afterwards altered by the importunity of others 6. That by several expressions of Prince Arthur's it appeared he had carnal knowledg of the Lady Katharine The beds of private persons are compassed with curtaines of Princes vailed also with canopies to conceal the passages therein to which modesty admitteth no witnesses Pitty it is that any with Pharaoh should discover what is exchanged betwixt Isaac and Rebekah all which are best stifled in secrecy and silence However such the nature of the present cause that many privacies were therein discovered 47. Observe by the way A shrewd retortion that whereas it was generally alledged in favour of the Queen that Prince Arthur had not carnal Knowledg of her because soon after his marriage his consumptionish body seemed unfit for such performances this was retorted by testimonies on the Kings side his witnesses deposing that generally it was reported and believed the Prince impaired his health by his over liberal paiment of due benevolence 48. It was expected that the Cardinals should now proceed to a definitive sentence An end in vain expected according as matters were alledged and proved unto them The rather because it was generally reported that Campegius brought over with him a Bull Decretal to pronounce a nulsity of the match if he saw just cause for the same Which rumor like