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A56127 The antipathie of the English lordly prelacie, both to regall monarchy, and civill unity: or, An historicall collection of the severall execrable treasons, conspiracies, rebellions, seditions, state-schismes, contumacies, oppressions, & anti-monarchicall practices, of our English, Brittish, French, Scottish, & Irish lordly prelates, against our kings, kingdomes, laws, liberties; and of the severall warres, and civill dissentions occasioned by them in, or against our realm, in former and latter ages Together with the judgement of our owne ancient writers, & most judicious authors, touching the pretended divine jurisdiction, the calling, lordlinesse, temporalities, wealth, secular imployments, trayterous practises, unprofitablenesse, and mischievousnesse of lordly prelates, both to King, state, Church; with an answer to the chiefe objections made for the divinity, or continuance of their lordly function. The first part. By William Prynne, late (and now againe) an utter-barester of Lincolnes Inne. Prynne, William, 1600-1669. 1641 (1641) Wing P3891A; Wing P3891_vol1; Wing P4074_vol2_CANCELLED; ESTC R18576 670,992 826

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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 Gaun● 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 Pri●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 re●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 sustain●d by reason of the same with much adoe he obtain●● restitution of his temporalties by the mediation of Ali●● Piers a gentlewoman that in the last times of King Ed●●rd altogether possessed him Returning then unto Winchester he was received into the city with solemne proc●●sion and many signes of great joy Soone after his returne King Edward died● and the Duke hoping b● reason of ●h●●oung Kings nonage to work● some m●s●hi●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 accusations● with addi●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 exp●obrated to him the exilitie and smalenesse of his learning hee being no Scholler at all● 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 ab●ut to bring forth a f●uitfull issue which should procreate very great store of learned men which was understood of those most ample Colledges he afterwards bu●lt both at Oxford and VVincheste● 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 otherwise● he caused to be engraven in VVinchester Tower at VVinsor these words VVickham● whereof when some complained to the King as a thing derogating from his honour that another should ●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 bu●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 fift● determining to make warre upon the Bo●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 Gloster● 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 him●
as well in your Realme of France as in your Dutchie of Normandy and much other thing gone greatly as through the said colourable treatie and otherwise since the death of my brother of Bedford 14. Ite Now of late was sent another Embassador to Cale● by the labour and councell of the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke the cause why of the beginning is to me your sole Vncle and other Lords of your kin and Councell unknowne to your great charge and against the publike good of your Realme as it openly appeareth the which good if it be imployed for the defence of your Lands the marchandizes of the same might have had other course● and your said lands not to have stood in so great mischiefe as they doe 15. Item after that to your great charge and hurt of both your Realmes the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke went to your said towne of Calis and divers Lords of your kin and of your Councell in their fellowship and there as there was naturall warre betweene the Duke of Orliance and the Duke of Burgonie for murther of their Fathers a capitall enmitie like to have endured for ever the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke licen●ed and suffered the said Duke of Orleance to intreate and commune apart with Councell of your said adversaries as well as with the Douchies of Burgond●e by which meanes the peace and alliance was made betweene the two Dukes to the greatest for●e●●ing of your said capitall adversaries that could be thought and consequently my deare redoubted Lord to your greatest charge and hurt to both your Realmes under colour of which treatie your said adversaries in meane time wonne your city of Meaux and the country thereabout and many divers roades made into your Duchie of Normandy to the great noysance and destruction of your people as it sheweth openly 16. Item The said Archbishop of Yorke sent with others into this your Realme from the said Cardinall had with your advers partie at your said Towne of Calis made at his comming into your notable presence at Winsor all the swasions and colour all motions in the most app●rent wise that he could to induee your Highnesse to your agreement to the desires of your capitall Adversaries as I saw there in your noble presence of his writing at which time as I understood it was his singular opinion that is to say that you should leave your right your title and your honour of your crowne and your nomination of King of France during certaine yeares and that you should utterly abstaine and be content onely in writing with Rex ●ngliae c. to the greatest note of infamie that ever fell to you or any of your noble Progenitors since the taking of them first the said title and right of your Realme and Crowne of France to which matter in your presence there after that it had like your said Hignesse to aske mine advise thereupon with other of your bloud and Counsell I answered and said that I would never agree thereto to die therefore and of the same disposition I am yet and will be while I live in conservation of your honour and of your oath made unto your said Crowne in time of your coronation there 17. Item The said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke have so laboured unto your Highnesse that you should intend to a new day of convention in March or Aprill next comming where it is noised to be more against your worship then with it and where it was evident to all the world that the rupture and breaking of the said peace should have fallen heretofore of your adverse partie because of the great untruths now by that meanes it is like peradventure to be ●aid unto very great slander of you my doubted Lord like to come to none other purpose nor effect than other conventions have done aforetime and so by subtilties and counsell of your said enemies your land they in hope and trust of the said treatie not mightily nor puissantly purveyed for shall be like under the cullor of the same treatie to be burnt up and destroyed lost and utterly turned from your obeysance 18. Itera It is said that the deliverance of the Duke of Orleance is utterly appointed by the mediation counsell and stirring of the said Cardinall● and Archbishor of Yorke and for that cause divers persons been come from your adversaries into this your Realme and the said Duke also brought to your city of London whereas my Lord your Father poysing so greatly the inconveniences and harme that might fall onely by his deliverance concluded ordained and determined in his last Will utterly in his wisdome his conquest in his Realme of France And yet then it is to be done by as great deliberation solemnity and suretie as may be devised or thought and seeing now the disposition of your Realme of France the puissance and might of your enemies and what ayde they have gotten against you there as well under the colour of the said treatie as otherwise what might or ought to be thought or said for that labouring the said Duke all things considered by such particular parsons the Lords of your blood not called thereunto I report mee unro your noble grace and excellency and unto the said wi●e true men of this your Realme 19. Item Where that every true counsellor specially unto any King or Prince ought of truth and of dutie to counsell promote in●rease perferre and advance the weale and prosperity of his Lord The said Cardinall being of your counsell my right doubted Lord hath late purchased of your Highnesse certaine great Lands and livelihood as the Castle and Lordship of Chirke in Wales and other lands in this your Realme unto which I was called suddenly and so in eschewing the breaking and losse of your armies then againe seeing none other remedy gave thereunto mine assent thinking that who that ever laboured moved or stirred the matter first unto your Lordship counselled you● nei●her for your worship nor profit 20. More the said Cardinall hath you bound apart to make him a sure estate of all the said Lands by Easter next comming as could be devised by any learned counsell or else that suretie not made the said Cardinall to have and enjoy to him and his heires forever the lands of the Dutchie of Lancaster in Norfolke to the value of seven or eight hundred markes by the yeare which thing seemeth right strange and unseene and unheard wayes of any leige man to seeke upon his soveraigne Lord both in his inheritance and in his Jewels and goods for it is thought but that right and extreme necessity caused it there should nor ought no such things to be done from which necessity God for his mercy ever preserve your noble person Wherefore my redoubted Lord seeing that you should be so counselled or stirred to leave your Crowne and inheritance in England and also by fraud and subtill meanes as is before rehearsed so to
his place and delivered up his Seale to the Queene without the Councels consent from whom he received it not she having no right to require it For which cause hee was committed to the Tower by the Lord Protectour Richard Duke of Yorke who afterwards usurping the Crowne released the Arch-Bishop out of prison who thereupon sided and was ve●y inward with this Usurper and at last dyed of the Plague May 29. 1500. I read nothing of Savage● his next successour but this That he was not preferred to this See for any extraordinary great learning that he spent his time in a manner altogether as our Prelates doe now either in Temporall affaires● being a great Courtier or else in hunting wherewith hee was unreasonably delighted keeping a great number of tall Fellowes about him to attend his person But of his preaching or maintaining Ministers to instruct the people I read not one word It is likely his tall fellowes occasioned many a quarrell and sometimes would take a purse for a need Christopher Bambridge his Successor being Embassadour from King Henry the 8. to the Pope and Lewis the 12. of France perswaded King Henry to take the Popes part and proclaime Warre against Lewis ingageing his Soveraigne in a needlesse Warre only to pleasure his Lord and Master the Pope who for this good service made him a Cardinall he was at last poysoned by Raynaldo de Modena an Italian Priest his Steward upon malice and displeasure conceived for a blow this Bishop gave him when as a Bishop should be no striker 1 Tim. 3.3 as Goodwin relates out of Paulus Iovius Thomas Wolsie or Wolfesie as Mr. Tyndall oft times stiles him an Arch-Traytor and most insolent domineering Prelate succeeded him in that See holding likewise the Bishopricke of Bath and Wells first and after that of Ely Winchester Worcester and Hereford together with the Abbey of Saint Albanes and divers other Ecclesiasticall Livings besides his Temporall Offices in Commenda● with it This proud imperious Prelate when he was once Arch-Bishop studied day and night how to be a Cardinall and caused King Henry the Eighth and the French King to write to Rome for him and at their request he obtained his purpose Hee grew so into exceeding pride that hee thought himselfe equall with the King and when he said Masse which hee did oftner to shew his pride then devotion hee made Dukes and Earles to serve him with Wine with assay taken and to hold to him the Bason and the Lavatory His pride and excesse in dyet apparell furniture and attendance● and his pompe in going to Westminster Hall were intollerable and more then Royall or Papall Hee was much offended with the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury because he stiled him Brother in a Letter as though he had done him great injury by that Title Hee quite altered the state of the Kings house putting out and in what Officers he pleased Hee oppressed and vexed the Citizens of London causing divers of them to be executed siding with strangers both Merchants and Artificers against them Confederating with the French King he procured King Henry to permit him to redeeme Tornaye on his owne Termes Hee procured a meeting of the King of England and France to their infinite expence onely that he might be seene in his owne vaine pompe and shew of Dignitie himselfe drawing up the instrument and termes of their meeting in his owne name which began thus Thomas Arch-Bispop of Yorke c. Hee committed the Earle of Northumberland and wrought the Duke of Buckingham out of the Kings favour and at last cut off the Dukes head for opposing his pride and unjust proceedings Hee began his Letters to forraigne Princes and the Pope for the most part in this manner● ●go Rex meus I and my King putting himselfe before his Soveraigne making him but his underling and Pupill swaying him like a Schoole-boy at his pleasure Hee set his Armes likewise above the Kings over Christ-Church Colledge-gate in Oxford which he founded Hee stamped his Cardinalls Cap on the kings Coyne as our Bishops doe now their Armes and Miters on their Proces● instead of the Kings Seale and Armes Hee set up a Legan●●ne Court here in England by Commission from the Pope to which hee drew the Conusans of all Ecclesiasticall Causes and when the king had summoned a Convocation at Pauls in London by vertue of his Writ hee came most insolently into the Convocation House and by his power Legantine dissolved the Convocation summoning them all to appeare before him at Saint Peter● in Westminster the Monday following there to celebrate the Synod under him which power Legantine brought him and all the Clergi● into a Premunire to his overthrow and their cost they being enforced to grant the king an hundred thousand pounds to acknowledge him on earth supreme Head of the Church of England and to renounce the Popes Supremacie to buy their peace He dissolved 40. Monasteries of good worth converting all their goods and moveables into his own Coffers which were so stuffed with Treasure that 12. Barrels● full o● Gold and Silver were laid aside to serve the Pope in his Warres emptying the Land also of twelve score thousand pounds which he forced from the king all which he sent to relieve and ransome the Pope then in prison to the great impoverishing of his Majesties Coffers and the Realm His revenues one way or other● were equall to the kings he had no lesse then 1200. Hor●e for his retinue 80. waggons for his carriage and 60. Mules for sumpter horses when he went into France Hee carried the Great Seale of England with him in his Embassie without the kings consent so that no Writs nor Patents could be sealed nor busines of the kingdom dispatched in the interim He proclaimed warres against the Emperor without the kings consent stirred up the French king to warre against him ayding him with Monies without the Kings privity and contrary to his likeing he demanded ●he 5. part of the true value of every mans goods by way of loane toward the maintenance of the Warrs in France putting men to confesse upon their Oathes the true estimate of their Estates without the Kings privitie which caused many insurrections and mutinies in the Kingdome the people rising up and denying to pay it at which the King being very angry released the loane as an intollerable oppression sore against this Prelates will● yet the Cardinall the sole cause and urger thereof would needs lay the odium of it on the King to alienate the hearts of his Subjects from him● and take the sole praise of the release of it to himselfe as if hee with much suite and danger had obtained it Hee falsely prosecuted and imprisoned the Earle of Kildare accusing him before the Counsell to take away his life where hee pressed him so deeply with disloyalty that the presumption as the Cardinall did force it being vehement the Treason
used there to preach before the King and Prelates f●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 purpo●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 Armour● and not trusting the Poi●●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 Court● 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 ●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 Realme● 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 per●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 England● 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
at Gloster for want of sufficient forces departed thence sorely grieved to Winchester abandoning those other parts as it were to waste and ruine It therefore seemes that hee was not growne stronger or richer by the displacing of Hubert Earle of Kent and the rest and by taking new into their roomes who commonly bite and sucke hard till they have glutted themselves if at least-wise there bee any satietie in Avarice whereas the old and ancient Officers having provided in a manner for the maine chance have the lesse reason to be grievous Therefore the Lyons skinne not being large enough for the Bishop of VVinchester and his factious purposes they peece them out with the Foxes case an inevitable stratageme is devised The Earle Marshall had in Ireland all the ample Patrimonies of his Grandfather the famous Strongbow To make that member of his strengths improfitable if not also pernicious they devise certaine Letters directed to Maurice Fitz-Gerald Deputy Justice of Ireland and other principall men who held of the Earle In them they signifie that Richard once marshall to the King of EngIand was for manifest Treason by the judgement of the Kings Court banished the Realme his Lands Townes and Tenements consumed by fire other his Hereditaments destroyed and himselfe for ever disinherited that if upon his comming thither they did take him either alive or dead the King did give them all the Earles Lands there which now were forfeited by vertue of his attainture and for assurance that the sayd gift should continue firme and good they by whose advise the King and Kingdome were governed faithfully undertooke To these letters which the Monkes call bloody they caused the King to set his Seale as they themselves also did theirs Vpon receipt of which lines the parties signifie backe under the Seale of secresie that if the contents of those letters were confirmed by the Kings Letters Patents they would performe that which they desired The Letters Patents be made accordingly and having fraudulently gotten the great Seale from Hugh Bishop of Chichester Lord Chancellor who knew not thereof they make them authenticke with the impression The Kings minde therefore being still exulterated towards the Earle Marshall he grievously charged Alexander Bishop of Chester that hee had too much familiarity with the Earle affirming that they sought to thrust him from his Throne the Bishop to cleare himselfe from so haynos a s●andall put on his Episcopall habit and solemnely pronounceth all those accurst who did but imagine a wickednesse of so foule a nature against the Majestie or person of the King and thereupon by the intercession of other Prelates he was received into grace The King was then at Westminster where Edmond the Archbishop of Canterbury elect with other his Suffragan Bishops bewayling the estate of the Kingdome present themselves before him telling him as his loyall leigemen that the counsell of Peter Bishop of VVinchester and his complices which now he had and used was not sound nor safe but cruell and perillous to himselfe and his Realme First for that they hated and despised the English calling them Traytors turning the Kings heart from the love of his people and the hearts of the people from him as in the Earle Marshall whom being one of the worthiest men of the Land by sowing false tales they drave into discontentment 2. That by the councell of the same Peter his father King Iohn first lost the hearts of his people then Normandy then other lands and finally wasted all his Treasures and almost England it selfe and never after had quiet 3. That if the Subjects had now beene handled according to Justice and Law and not by their ungodly councells those present troubles had not hapned but the Kings lands had remained undestroyed his treasures unexhausted 4. That the Kings Councell is not the Councell of peace but of perturbation because they who cannot rise by peace will rayse themselves by the trouble and disinherison of others 5. That they had the treasure Castles Wardships and strengths of the Kingdome in their hands which they insolently abused to the great hazard of the whole estate for that they made no conscience of an Oath● Law Justice or the Churches Censures Therefore we O King said they speake these things faithfully unto you and in the presence both of God and man doe counsell beseech and admonish yo● to remove such a Councell from about you and as it is the usage in ot●er Realmes governe yours by the faithfull and sworne Children thereof The King in briefe answered hereunto that he could not sodainely put off his Councell and therefore prayed a short respite till their accomps were audited Meane while the behahaviours of the Marshalline faction having this backing at Court grew more and more intollerable for while the King was at Huntingdon the Lord Gilbert Basset and others set fire upon Alckmundbury a Towne belonging to Stephen de Segrave the flames whereof were seene of the Owner being then with the King at Huntingdon they also tooke Prisoners upon the Welch Marches and according to the Law of warre which saith one is lawlesse did put them to their ransomes Nothing had hitherto preserved the King more than that he could without great griefe forgoe any Favorites if hee were meerely pressed the contrary quality whereof hath beene the cause of finall desolation to so many Princes for albeit the choyce of Counsellours ought to be free yet by common intendment they should be good or howsoever they are or are not it is madnesse to hazard a Crowne or lose the love of a whole Nation rather than to relinquish or diminish a particular dependant the rights of amity ought neverthelesse to remaine inviolable but in such distance that the publike be not perverted or interverted for a private The King therefore in this point not unfortunate commanded Bishop Peter to betake himselfe to his residence at VVinton without once medling in affaires of State but against Rivalis his Treasurer he was so vehement that he sware hee would plucke out his eyes were it not for reverence of holy Orders commanding also the Proictouines to depart the Realme never to see his face Then are the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Bishops of Chester and Rochester sent into VValls to pacifie things there but the Earle Marshall had now crost the Seas into Ireland to take revenge for the spoyles and displeasures which his hired enemies had made in his Lands there by whose plots according to that secret agreement he was finally taken and died of a wound given him in the backe as he with admirable manhood defended himselfe The Archbishop of Canterbury with the other Bishops repaired to the King at Glocester upon their returne from Leoline Prince of VVales who pretended he could not conclude till the King had received into grace such of the banished Nobility with whom himselfe had beene confederate during the late displeasures The
the King with his determination The King thereupon seised into his hands the Bishops liberties appointed a new Chancellour new Justices and other officers of Durham Hee writ also to the Pope in favour of the Prior who delivering the Kings Letters himselfe the Pope adjudged him a sober and discreet man what ever the Bishop had reported of him and restored him to his place during the Bishops disgrace for this contempt the King tooke ●hree Mannors with the Church of Symondbury from the Bishopricke with divers Castles and Lands forfeited to him by Iohn Bayliol King of Scots and others The Bishop at last submitted himselfe and bought his peace Anno Dom. 1298. in the battell of Foukirke betweene the English and Scots this Bishop of Durham Anthony Beake led the second battell of the Englishmen con●isting of 39. standards who hasting forth to be the first that should give the on ●et when his men approached neere the enemies the Bishop commanded them to stay till the third battell which the King Edward the first led might approach But that valiant Knight the Lord Ralph Basset of Draiton said to him My Lord you may goe and say Masse which better becommeth you than to teach us what wee have to doe for wee will doe that which belongeth to the order and custome of warre About the yeare 1318. at the importunate suite of the Kings of England and France the Pope gave the Bishopricke of Du●ham unto one Lewes Beaumont a Frenchman borne and of the blood Royall there hee was lame of both his legges and so unlearned that hee could not read the Bulls and other instruments of his consecration When hee should have pronounced this word Metropoliticae not knowing what to make of it though hee had studied upon it and laboured his Lesson long before after a little pause Soyt pur dit saith he let it goe for read and so passed it over In like sort he stumbled at In aenigmate when hee had fumbled about it a while Par Saint Lewis quoth hee il n'est pas curtois qui ceste parolle ici escrit that is by Saint Lewes he is to blame that writ this word here Not without great cause therefore the Pope was somewhat strait laced in admitting him He obtained con●ecration so hardly as in foureteene yeares hee could scarce creepe o●t of debt Riding to Durham to be install'd there hee was robbed together with two Cardinals that were then in his company upon Wiglesden More neere Derlington The Captaines of this rour were named Gilbert Middleton and Walter Selby Not content to take all the treasure of the Cardinals the Bishop and their traine they carried the Bishop prisoner to Morpeth where they constrained him to pay a great ransome Gilbert Middleton was soone after taken at his owne Castle of Nitford carried to London and there drawne and hanged in the presence of the Cardinalls After this one Sir Iosceline Deinvill and his brother Robert came with a great company to divers of this B. of Durhams houses in the habits of Friers spoyled them leaving nothing but bare walls and did many other notable robberies● for which they divers of their company were soone after hanged at York This B. stood very stoutly in defence of the Liberties of his See recovered divers lands taken away from Anthony Beake his prede●essor and procured this sentence to be given in the behalfe of his Church quod Episc●pus Dunelmensi● debet habere forisfacturas guerrarum intra libertates sicut Rex extra that the Bishop of Durham is to have the forfeitures of warre in as ample sort within his owne Liberties as the King without I●mediately after this Bishops death in great hast but with no great good speed the Covent of Dur●am proceeded unto the Election of a new Bishop the old being yet scarcely buried and they made choise of one of their owne company a Monke of Durham This election the Arch-Bishop of Yorke confirmed yea the matter grew so forward as the same Arch-bishop was content to give him consecration also All this while the Kings good will was not sought no nor which was a greater oversight as the world then went the Popes neither The King therefore not onely refused to deliver possession of the Temporalties unto this elect but also laboured the Pope ex plenitudine potestatis to conferre the Bishopricke upon a Chaplaine of his named Richard de Bury the Deane of Wells Partly to pleasure the one that requested partly to displeasure the other for not requesting he did so and commanded the Bishop of Winchester to consecrate him which being performed at Chertsey soone after Christmasse the King presently invested him in the temporalties belonging to that See Now was the Monke a Bishop without a Bishopricke having no other home he was faine to returne to his Cloyster and there for very griefe as it is supposed within a few dayes after dyed This Richard dé Bury at what time Edward of Windsor Prince of Wales fled into France with his Mother was principall receiver of the Kings Revenewes in Gascoigne Their mony failing he ayded them secretly with a great summe of that he had received for the King It had almost cost him his life he was so narrowly pursued by some of the Kings friends that got understanding of it as hee was glad to hide himselfe in a steeple in Paris the space of seven dayes The Queene we know was then contriving an open rebellion and plotting a mischeivous treason against her husband King Edward the second whom she shortly after seised upon in an hostile manner and afterwards caused to be deprived and murthered so that this Prelates furnishing of her thus with the Kings owne monies to further this her designe was high Treason at the least Not to mention how the Pope upon King Edward the third his request consecrated Thomas Hatfield his Secretary Bishop of this See without any regard or examination of his worthinesse being a man altogether illiterate and that when some of the Cardinalls tooke exceptions against him saying that he was not onely a meere lay man but a fell●w of light behaviour and no way fit for that place how the Pope answered that if the King of England had requested him for an Asse at that time he would not have denyed him and thereupon made this A●se a Bishop Iohn Fordham Bishop of Durham Anno 1388. was by Parliament banished the Court as a pernicious instrument and corrupter of King Richard the second a Traytor a flatterer a whisperer a slanderer and wicked person Iohn Sherwood the 52 Bishop of Durham Solliciter of all King Edward the fourths causes in the Court of Rome fell off from his Masters Sonne King Edward the fifth to that bloody usurper Richard the third at whose Coronation this Bishop of Durham went on the one side of him and the Bishop of Bath on the other the Arch-bishop of Canterbury
Synode who upon his pennance and absolution gave Guliple to his Church Aquod the sonne of ●ou●f falling out with this Bishop drave him and his men into the Church of Landaffe For which hee was excommunicated by him and to bee absolved was glad to give Pennoun with the Church of Lantil●l and certaine other Lands Loumarch the sonne of Carguocaun was excommunicated by Gulfridus the 20 Bishop of this See in a full Synod for violating certaine priviledges and invading the goods of his Church but upon his humble submission on his knees to the Bishop with many teares and his offer to acknowledge his offence and to suffer any punishment the Bishop would impose upon him The Bishop upon restitution of all the goods he had taken and the gift of Treficarn pont absolved him Assac the sonne of M●rchiud having treacherously slaine one Gulayguni being excommunicated for it by this Bishop gave Segan to his Church to expiate the murther and for the soule of the slaine S●●lferth Hegoi and Arguistil the sonnes of Belli fell at variance in words with Nudd the 21 Bishop of this See and proceeding at last from words to blowes committed divers outrages upon his Land and Family but quickly remembring themselves fearing excommunication they asked pardon and submitted themselves to pennance After which performed they gave unto the Church for further confirmation of their unfeigned repentance the territory of Iulius and Aaron King Brochvaile the sonne of Mouric and his Family fell at variance with Civeilliauc the 22 Bishop of Landaffe and his Family to whom they offered some injury wherewith the Bishop being moved assembled all his Clergy together even to the inferiour degrees intending to excommunicate Brochvaile and all his family as forfeited to him and execrable to God before all the people in a full Synod for this injury which Brochvaile hearing of sought for pardon and remission which he could not obtaine from the Bishop upon any termes unlesse he would suffer a Canonicall judgement The cause being discussed the Bishop was adjudged to receive from him an Image of his face both in length and breadth in pure gold and that amends should be made by him to the condigne honour of his Family and Nobility of his parentage● which sentence Borchvaile was forced to redeeme by giving the Towne of Tref-Peren with six other pieces of Land to the Bishop and his Church One Pater being the 25 Bishop of this See Anno 955. A certaine Country fellow meeting a Deacon with a sword by his side asked him what a Coward should doe with Weapons and striving to take away the sword cut the Deacons finger whereupon the Deacon killed him and when he had done tooke Sanctuary in the Church of Saint Iarman and Saint Febrie Thereby sixe of King Gurialls houshould although there wanted not many that sought to defend the man in regard of the place he was slaine even at the very Altar of the Church These sixe men were delivered at the City of Gwentonia now Caerwent into the hands of Pater the Bishop who kept them in straight prison sixe moneths and then forced them to give all their Lands and Livings to Landaffe besides seven pound of silver to the Church which they had polluted Mouric King of Glamorgan was excommunicated by Ioseph the 28 Bishop of this Diocesse for putting out the eyes of Etgum in a time of truce to have his absolution he gave to the Bishop Paniprise Another time he was faine to give Gulich Fabrus and foure pound of silver unto the Bishop beside other great gifts to the Canons upon this occasion Hee had broken the Sanctuary of the Church of Landaffe by taking away thence violently the wife of his enemy and hurting some of the Bishops servants For so doing he was publiquely excommunicated by the Bishop in a Synod and by these gifts made way to obtaine his absolution Caratuc one of his company in the last recited action was forced to give Henriu in Wencia Riugallan the sonne of Rum being excommunicate for an assault made upon the Bishop and his men gave Riu Drein and the third part of the Wood of Yuisperthan to be absolved Cutguallam the sonne of Guriat strooke one in the Consistory in the presence of Ioseph the Bishop who kept him the said Catguallam in prison till he had made amends for that fault by giving the Church of Saint Brides Calgucam the King of Morganuc and his family was solemnly excommunicated by Herewald the 29 Bishop of Landaffe in a Synod of all his Clergy who thereupon cast downe all the Crosses and Reliques to the ground overturned their Bells and stopped up all the doores of the Churches with thornes so as they continued for a long time without divine service and pastors day and night the King and his Family in the meane time being sequestred from the society of all the faithfull and all because one of the Kings followers being drunke had laid violent hands upon Bathutis the Bishops Physitian and Kinsman on Christmas day Anno 1056. Whereupon the King though innocent upon his submission to the Bishop to obtaine his absolution was enf●rced to give Henringumna in the presence of all the Clergy people to this Bishop and his successors free from all secular regal services After which one Gistni excommunicated for a rape committed by a Nephew and follower of his upon a Virgin whom he tooke violently out of the Church of Landaffe was forced to give Milne to the Bishop and his Successors to obtaine absolution By these instances wee may partly discerne by what undue meanes Bishops at first obtained their large Temporalties and Revenues even by enforcing Kings and great persons to buy out and expiate their offences by endowing their Sees with Lands and Manors without which they could not purchase their absolution and we likewise learn hence that Bishops in those dayes excommunicated none but in a Synod with the suffrage of all their Clergy Edmund de Bromfeild the 48. Bishop of Landaffe for procuring and bringing in the Popes Bulls of Provision to make him Abbot of Bury contrary to his owne expresse Oath and the Statutes of the Realme was for this his contempt and disobedience committed to the Tower by King Richard the second where he lay prisoner a long time neither durst the Pope yeeld him any assistance to justifie his owne Bull. The late Bishops of this See as Feild and others have beene so notoriously peccant that I need not mention them wherefore I shall passe on to the Bishops of Bangor Bishops of Bangor MAuritius the third Bishop of Bangor most undutifully refused a long time to doe homage to the King of England for his Bishopricke held of him but at last was perswaded to doe it Robert of Shrewsbury joyning with Leolin Prince of Wales against King Iohn his Soveraigne was taken prisoner by the
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 O●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 ma●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 Bango● 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 matters● 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 volunta●y and free will renounced and given over the rule and governance of this Land with all rights and h●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 decer●e and declare the same King Richard before this to have beene and so to be unprofitable u●a●le unsuffi●ient and unwor●hy of the Rule and Government of the foresaid Realmes and Lor●ships and of all rights and other the appurtenances thereto belonging And f●r the same causes wee de●rive him of all Kingly dignity and worsh●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
with violence branded her in the fore-head with an hot Iron and then banished her into Ireland After which shee returning into England Odo apprehends her the second time and cuts off her sinewes at the ●ocke bone The King being therewith much exasperated spoyled all the Monkes of all their goods banished Dunstan the chiefe of the Monkes in●o Flanders who together with Cynesius the Bishop on the day of this Kings Coronation entred most audaciously into his Bed-chamber and by violence dragged him both out of his Bed and Bed-chamber where they pretended hee was sporting with his Concubine and threatned Odo with severe punishments who was taken away by death soone after and so delivered from all feare of the Kings displeasure This Odo together with his Monkes wrought so with the Subjects before his death that the Mercians with the Northumbrians did utterly cast off the yoake of obedience to Edwin and by an unanimous consent made choyce of his Brother Edgar for their King Deo dictante populo annuente God himselfe to wit by the mouth of Odo and the other Prelates and Monks dictating it and the people thereunto consenting writes Matthew Westminster Arch-bishop Parker and Bishop Godwin in the life of Dunstan Arch-Bishop of Canterbury after Odo record That during the time of Dunstan his Banishment into France King Edwin by the Rebellion of his Subjects at the instigation as is likely of our Monkes Prelates and their favourers was deprived both of his life and Kingdome Whereupon Edgar that succeeded him warned by his Brothers example was content to curry savour with them and Dunstan creating him first Bishop of Worcester next of London and finally of Canterbury A good reward for this his Treason Dunstan comming to the Arch-Bishopricke in this manner not long after caused King Edward to be slaine by his Souldiers for refusing to ayde the Bishop of Rochester against his Brother Agelredus who besieged that City and the Bishop The Monkes of that time impute th●s trecherous Act to Queene Alsdrith his Mother in Law and Gods Divine Judgement to excuse their Patron Dunstan After his Murther as Iohn Capgrave and Speed record this holy Arch-Bishop Dunstan would have advanced Edgith his sister to the Crowne and invested her against Etheldred the lawfull Heire had she not by the late experience of Edwards fall utterly refused that Title● which neither belonged to h●● Right nor was safe for her Person to undertake Whereupon Dunstan and the Monkes perceiving that Queene Elfrida Alferus Duke of Mercia and many Nobles combined for young Etheldred the right Hei●e disavowing Prince Edward surnamed the Martyr as illegitimate did with all their might oppose Etheldred holding their states dangerous and their new-gotten footing unsure if in the Nonage of the King Elfrida his Mother and other their Opposites should rule all under him as was probable For Elfrida hated Dunstan because hee desired to hinder King Edgar from ma●rying her after he was contracted to her rushing impudently into the Kings Bed-Chamber the first Night hee lay with her demanding of the King who it was he had in Bed with him who answering that it was his Queene and Consort Dunstan replyed that he could not marry her without offending God and breaking the institution of the Roman Church because of the spirituall Kindred that was betweene them he being her God-father often warning the King to be divorced from her which he refused Wherefore Dunstan and the P●elates considering that Edward was altogether wrought in their mould they abetted his Title to the Crowne though a Bastard as one lawfully borne and begot in the Nuptiall Bed of Queene Ethelfleda Their Claimes thus banded among the S●atesmen began to be diversly affected among the Commons and had put the Game to the Hazard if the wisedome of Dunstan had not seene ●he Chase For a Councell being assembled to argue their Rights the Arch-bishop came in with his Banner and Crosse and not staying for further debate de Iure did de facto present King Edward for their lawfull King and the Assembly consisting of Clergie men perswading peace drew the approbation of the rest and so was hee admitted and proclaimed their Soveraigne and after Crowned at Kingston by Dunstan and the true Heire put by for the time by this Arch-Traytor Dunstan and his Clergie till about three yeares after Edward was murthered by the procurement of Queene Elfrida and Etheldred Crowned King by Dunstan much against his will This King Dunstan and his Monkes continued to oppose● For Etheldred conceiving a just indignation against the Bishop of Rochester for his obstinacie and contumacious carriage towards him thereupon besieged his Citie Whereupon Dunstan commanded the King to desist from his purpose lest hee should provoke Saint Andrew the Patron of that City which the King refusing to doe without the Bishops submission and unlesse hee would likewise pay him an hundred pounds● Dunstan wondring thereat sent this Message to the King Because thou hast preferred Silver before God Money before an Apostle and Covetousnesse before me violent mischiefes shall come upon thee which the Lord ●ath spoken Such an Arch-Traytor and proud imperious Prelate was this Arch-Bishop Dunstan And if ●his Saint was such what thinke you may his Successors prove who were not so holy as to be Canonized This Dunstan before hee became Arch bishop of Canterbury caused King Etheldred to p●eferre him before all his Nobles and to ●ay up all his richest Royall Household-stuffe Charters Records with all his Wealth and Treasures in his Monasterie and finally to commit his very Kingdome Body and Soule to him so that all things were in Dunstans power the King not daring to doe any thing either in publike Affaires of the Kingdome or in his owne private Negotiations without Dunstans advice so that he alone exercised Royall Authority in every place In and by which he wholly imployed his endeavours how to enrich those Monasteries with Lands and Revenues which himselfe had founded or the Danes wasted wasting the Kings Treasury and appropriating the Crowne Lands to this purpose Which when King Edwyn comming to the Crowne sought to resume Dunstan much displeased herewith sharpely reprehended him then affronted him and at last cau●ed him to be murthered as is before remembred And for all this good service he was not onely made an Arch-Prelate but a Saint Siricius his next Successor but one consilio infausto by an unhappie if no● perfidious Traytorly advice perswaded King Etheldred in the thirteenth yeare of his Raigne to buy his Peace of the Danes at ten thousand pound annuall Rent to the ignominie and almost utter destruction of ●he whole Kingdome Which evill writes Henry Huntingdon hath continued to this very day and will longer endure unlesse Gods mercy helpe us For now wee pay that to our Kings out of Custome which was payd to the Danes out of unspeakeable feares Yea we a● this day have ●ared
unto our King and that absolution was blazen and blowne preached and taught throughout all the world and all doores and postes must bee decked with papers and bulls for your discharge But for to helpe your Prince you could never be discharged of your hereticall and trayterous Oath made unto the Pope against your Prince Here neither Peter nor Paul can helpe nor there is no key that can open that locke O Lord God how have we beene blinded thus trayterously to handle our naturall Prince But how this Caterpiller is come to be Lord and hath brought Kings under his feete I will speake God willing after this in a particular treatise It followeth and to his successors lawfully and regularly entring in After what Law I read in your owne Bookes of law after which me thinkes there be very few Bishops made wherein I finde among all other good things that he should be chaste of living meeke gentle to speake to mercifull well learned in the new and old Testament and that he should not forbid marriage nor should blame the eating of flesh and should also beleeve that all manner of sinnes as well actuall as originall be clearely forgiven in Baptisme How many of these things the Popes Holinesse is indowed withall and how many he alloweth his owne bookes and deedes will testifie Wherefore I reckon that your oath doth not meane this Law nor yet the Law that blessed Saint Paul writeth of For then I reckon that by the vertue of your Oath you have not beene bound to one Pope this 400. yeares so that it must follow that you have other Lawes than blessed S. Paul speaketh of or the Councell of Carthaginence to choose your Pope by the which as farre as men can reckon by common experience and practise be these Inprimis He that shall be able to be Pope must be a vengeable tyrant never keeping peace but alwayes warring for the defence as ye call it of S. Peters patrimony To suffer no Prince to dwell in rest by him but to snatch his possessiones to the unholy Church of Rome To set Princes together by the eares till they be both weary and then to take the matter in his hand and never to make an end till both parties hath given some possessions to his Holy Father-head to assoyle the soules that hath been slaine through his packing and he that dare most boldly and with least shame depose Princes without a cause he is best able to be Pope He that can by any traine craft or subtilty bring under him any Bishop or any spirituall person or invent any new clause in their Oath he is to be allowed afore other Moreover he that keepeth fewest women and hath most of them that you wo● of he is holiest and apt to be head of your Church And he that can most tyrannously burne men for preaching of the Gospell and he himselfe to take no labours therein Item to burne Priests that marry wives and he himself to live in all mischiefe and whoredome yea in such abominablenesse as no man may with honesty speake you know what I meane this man I say hath a testimony afore his spiritual●y that he is a lawfull man to that Office Furthermore he that is a whores sonne as our Holy Father is now and can finde the meanes that 12. men will forswear themselves that he is lawfully born● as this holy Clement did This is a fit Fat●●● for such children Finally he that can give most money and buy the greatest part or Cardinals of his side he is best worthy to be called Pope and to set on Peters stoole For it cannot be unknowne to you how that Thomas VVoulcy an holy pillar of your Church would have been Pope when this Clement was chosen and did offer for it a reasonable penny but Clement dashed him out of conceite with 2000● pound more than he offered and so he was judged best worthy and entred in lawfully and regularly and unto him our Bishops be sworne and obedient And why because they will have such a head as they be members for how could else their Kingdome stand For if one should be chosen after the rule of blessed S. Paul or else after the living of these new Heretickes which be simple and poor● and care not for no dignities nor will never sweare nor fight and would rather marry a wife of their owne then take other mens and are alwayes studying and preaching Gods Word seeking onely the honour of God and the profit of his neighbour and will be subject and obedient in all things desiring none exception to his Prince This man I say should be unlawfull and not elegible for he were able to destroy the whole Kingdome of the Papists and not worthy to receive an Oath of my Lords the Bishops which will not gladly be prejured for such a mans sake For he were able to destroy the whole Church of Rome unto the which our Bishops have beene before sworne It followeth in your Oath I shall no● consent in Counsell or in deede that they should lose either life or member or that they should be taken or trapped by any evill meanes What neede you to sweare thus unto the Pope doth not the order of Charity binde you thus to use your selfe toward all men that is to say neither to hurt them nor to harme them neither to intrappe them nor betray them But all men must be betray'd and with craft and subtletie undone for the maintenance of this one person The truth is that never man spake against this Popet but you destroy him and betray'd him but this Popet hath blasphemed and betrayed all Protestants and yet you were never against him And why because you be sworne to him And you will keepe your Oath be it right or wrong But in your last Oath which hath beene newly made is added this clause that no man should lay violent hands upon them in any wise or any wrong should be done unto them by any manner of Colour This part is newly brought in si●●e the flesh of the Pope hath beene so holy that no man might touch it but Harlots Christian men must patiently suffer injuries and wrongs but your head will forsweare that point and maintaine himselfe through your power against all men How neere that this is the Apostles living all Christian men can well judge It followeth in your Oath Their Councell that shall be shewed unto me either by their letters or by their messengers I shall open to no man to their hurt or damage Let Princes beware when the Pope sendeth couns●lls unto you for their meaning is to betray them For all the world knoweth that the Pope and you doe little regard what the beggars of the world doth handle But what Emperours Kings and Dukes doth handle ●hat must you let and destroy For that is the Counsell and you may shew it to no man No not to your King and why because you are sworne
12. Ed. 4. f. 201 202 223 224. Grafton 8. 12. Ed. 4. f. 678.714 Speeds Hist. l. 9. c. 17. p. 887. sect 88. Holinshed p. 683.693 19 THOMAS ROTHERAM Godwin p. 616. Speeds hist. l 9. c 19. p 929.946 20 THOMAS SAVAGE Godwin p. 617. 21 CHRISTOPHER BAMBRIDGE Godwin p. 617.618 Holinsh●d p. 835. 22 THOMAS WOLSIE Antiqu Eccles. Brit. p 355● to 374. Godw. p. 620. to 623. Mr. Tyndalls Practise of Popish Prelates p. 369. to 377. Hall Graf●on Holinshed Stow How in the life of Henry the 8. Speed hist. p. 1004 1005. to 1027. Fox Acts and Monuments p. 899. to 9●9 See Holinshed p. 835. to 930. * He was afraid of poysoning it should seeme * See 1. ● 6 c. 2 and the Brevia●e of the ●relates Encroachments * Richard Stanihurst his Continuation of the Chronicles of Ireland in Holinshed Vol. 2. p. 85. to ●8 * Holinshed p. 908. * Practise of Popish Prelates p. 368. to 373. Note this ensuing Policie which our Prelates now practise Note this policie wh●ch Cant●rbury of late imitated * Practise of Popish Prelates p. 369. to 373. Nota. Note this Note this Note this * Pag. 375. Note this * Halls Chron. 21. H. 8. f. 184 185 189 190. * Practise of Popish Prelates p. 373. * Holinshed p. 915 916. * Holinshed p. 917. Godwin p. 621. Speed hist. l. 9. c. 21. p. 1034. to 1043. Grafton An 27. H. 8. p. 1233. to 1237. 23 EDWARD LEE 24 ROBERT HOLGATE Godwin p. 624. * Fox Acts and Monuments p. 1891. to 1894. Godwin p. 625. 25 HARSN●T● Epist. 237. f. 233. 26 RICHARD NEALE See a new discovery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 92. to 108. In his Description of England l. 2 c. 1. p. 133. 1 VODINUS Speeds hist l 7. c 4. p. 207. Godw. p. 182. * Math. West An. 450. Henricus Huntindon h●st l. 2. p. 310. Polychron l. 5. c. 1. * ●olychron l. ● c. 1. f. ●84 Iacobus Vsserius de Brit. ●ccles Primordiis p. 334. Ant nini Chron Tit. 11. c 18. sect 3 f. 51. B. Vincent●i spec hist. l. 20. c. 11. 2 ROBERT DE SIGILLO William Harrisons Description of England l 2. c 1. p. 133.134 * The Bishop refused to sweare fealty to the King onely to please the Pope 3 William de Sancta Maria. * Matth W●stm Ann 1208. Matth. Paris An. 1208 p. 217.218 224. Godwin p. 194. Fabians Chron. part 1. Anno 1205. p. 28. Polichron l. 7. c. 33 Holinshed p. 171.172 Martins History p. 46.47.48 4 Roger Niger * Matthew Paris p 374 375. Godwin p. 194.195 Mathew Westm. An 1235 p. 140. * Matth. Paris p. 365.366 Matth. Westm. An● 1232. p. 132.133.134 Speed p. 606. * Matth. Paris p 374.375 Matth. Westm. An. 1233 p. 141. Speed p. 608. 5 FVLCO BSSET * Matth. Paris p 944.957.886.887 and Godwin p. 194.195 6 HENRY SANDWICH * Matth. W●st Anno. 1259. p. 182. Matth. Westm. Anno. 1265. 1266. p. 330.332.336.337.342.343 Matth. Paris p. 961.970 Godwin p. 196. Speed p. 641. Holinshed p. 271. 7 RICHARD WENWORTH * Holinshed p. 348. Yh● Walsingham Hist. Angl. pag. 110.111 8 WILLIAM COVRTNEY * Holinshed p. 420.421 Walsingham Hist. Angl. p. 216.217.218 * Walsingham Hi. Angl. p 217.218 Holinshed p. 457 458. 9 ROBERT BRAYBROOKE Stout Words of the Bishop of London * Walsingham Hist. Angl. p. 188.189 10 NICHOLAS RIDLY * Holinshed p. 1089. 11 EDMOND BONNER * Holinshed p. 159.1160 * Fox Acts and Monuments Ediit ult vol. 2. p. 215. l. 378.379.38 350.554.672 to 699. vol. 3 p. 105.106.107.251.254 to 384 759.879 898 974. Martins History p. 453. Godwin p. 144. 12 RICHARD FLETCHER Martins Hist. p. 810. Godwin p. 156. 13 RICHARD BANCROFT O● whom see more before in Cante See Lew●s Hughes his grievances p. 14.15 * See p. 151.152 14 WIL●IAM LAVD 15 WILLIAM IVXON * See the Articles of the Scottish Commissioners against Canterbury * William Harrison● his De. scrip Engl. lib. 2. c. 2. p. 141 1 WINA Matth Wes●m An. 666 p. 234. Godwin p. 132.160 * Matth West An. 834. p. 301. Godwin p 162. 2 HERREFIRDVS 3 EDSINVS * Matth. Westm. An. 1016. p. 397.398 Polichron l. 6. c. 7. Holinshed Hist. of England l. 7. c. 9 10. p. 175.176 Speed p. 425.426 4 ALWYN * Antiq. Eccl. Brit p 73 to 79. Speed p. 203 413.41● Godwin p 168. Holinshed Hist. of Engl l. 8. c. 1 2 4. * Polichr●n l 6. ● 24● 4 Stigand Godwin p 168 169. Holinshed p. 30 Godwin p. 169 170. Math. West A. ● 102. p. 23. An. 1107. p. 25 29. 5 William Giffard HENRY DE BLOYS * Malms● Novel l. 1. 2. p. 178 to 194. Matth. Paris p. 71. to 76. Matth Westm. An. 1135. to 1150. Speed l. 9 c. 5. p. 483 484 493 494 Godwin p. 221 222 223 Neuhrig Hist. l. 1.2 4 to 21. Fox Acts and Monuments p. 181. Hoveden An. pars prior p. 481 482. Holinshed p. 54. 7 Peter de la Roche * Math Paris p. 370.372 373 393. to 397. Mat. West● An. 1233. p. 134 135 c. Speed p. 607 to 612. Holinshed p. 1075. The King by advancing Strangers discont●nts his Nobles The English Peeres confederate against the strangers The ●arons contemne the Kings Summons * Paris calls him● Bacum The frank speech of a Preacher * That is Rockes and Stones * In Iuly The Barons second contempt to the Kings command The traiterous errand to the King In August nex● Rog. de Wend. M. S. In August new Rog. de Wend. M. S. The Earle Marshall in Armes * Matth. Paris Confederates himselfe with Lewelin Prince of Wales Rog. Wend M. S. Math. Pa●is * The Sunday after Michaelmas * Math Westm. Roger Wend. Math● Paris Hubert de B●rgo escapes into Wales Ypod. Neust. a An. 1205 p. 134 135 See Godwin p 172. Antiqu. Eccles. Brit p. 160 16● Roger Wendever The King gives way to the fury of the rebellious A practise to ruine the Earle Ma●shall The Pestilent tenour of the Letters * Rog. Wend. M. S. Matth. Pari● Alexander Bishop of Chester cleareth himselfe from disloyalty The Eng●ish Bishops d●ale with the King about red●esse of the the common evils Objections against the B●shop of Winton and the Poictouines The outrages of ●he Ma●shalline faction * Note th●s * Edmond afterwards canonized Antiqu. Eccles. Brit. p. 160.161 * Antiqu. Eccl. Brit p. 171 163● * Rog. de Wend. M.S. Matth. Maris * Matth. West An. 1238. p. 147. Antiq. Eccles. Brit. p. 169. * Antiqu. Eccle● Brit. p. 181.182 Mat. Paris An. 1246. p. 672. to 689. WILLIAM de RALEY 8 WILLIAM RALEY Matth. Wes●m Anno. 143. p. 174●175 An. 1244. p. 178.179 Matth. Paris p. 588.597.616.619 Godwin p. 227.228 Holinshed p. 231.232 * Matth. ●aris p. 774.775.780.788.789.794.824.830 to 834.847.890.900.994.995.946.959 Godwin p. 176.177 6 ETHELMARVS 10 GERNSEY * Matth. West and Matth. Paris An. 1265.1266 Holinshed p 271. Godw●n p. 177. See Mat. Paris p.
to the Pope But what say you to your Oath made unto your Prince wherein you sweare that you shall be faithfull and true and beare unto him above all creatures love and favour to live and to dye with him and to open him all manner of Counsells that may be hurtfull unto his grace Now it is well knowne that the Pope hath done and dayly doth handle such Counsells as be against our Princes honour and conversation And yet you may neither tell it to your Prince nor let it and why because you be sworne to the Pope and forsworne to your Prince Tell me when any thing was opened unto our Prince by you that the Pope had handled in counsell against our Prince Of this thing I will take record of his Noble grace whether I say true or false● and yet must I be accused of Treason And why because you are sworne to the Pope and I am true to the King It followeth I will helpe to defend and maintaine the Papistry of Rome against all men saving mine order And in your new Oath now in our days made is added The regalls of Saint Peter What and in all men be contained your Prince you must needes defend him And why because ye be sworne to the Pope and forsworne to your Prince For your Oath to your Prince is to defend him with all your wit and reason against all men now must you forsake one of them and your practise hath beene alwayes to forsake your Prince and sticke to the Pope for of your Oath made to your Prince you have been oftentimes assoiled And as your Law saith the Church of Rome is 〈◊〉 so to doe But of your Oath made unto the Pope there is no absolution neither in heaven nor earth Neither was it ever read heard nor seene that there could be any dispensation for it Let me be reported by all the Bookes that ever were written and by all the Bulls that ever were granted and by all the experience that ever was used and if I be found false let me be blamed and yet I am sure many men will reckon that I speake uncharitably but I would faine learne of all Charitable men in England with what other English words I could declare this intolerable or subtile treason thus long and shamefully used ag●inst my Prince which is necessary to be knowne And I am compelled by violence to declare both my con●ession and learning in this cause For men hath not beene ashamed to report that I would which am but a wretch and poore simple wonne and not able to kill a Cat though I would doe my utte●most to make insurrection against my Noble and mighty Prince whom as God knoweth I doe honour wor●hip love and favour to the uttermost power of my heart and am not satisfied because it is no more This I speake afore God Let him be mercifull unto me as it is true and if I were not so true in my heart it were not possible for me so earnestly to write against them whom I doe reckon to handle unfaithfully and untruely with their Prince yea against both Gods law and mans law The very truth is I can suffer through Gods grace all manner of wrongs injuries and slanders but to be called an hereticke against God or a Traytor against my Pri●ce he liveth not but I will say he lyeth and will be able so to prove him if I may be reported by my workes or deedes by my conversation or living or by any thing that ever I did and I dare say as much of my self notwithstanding our Prelates slanders of me But unto my purpose the Bishops doth swear one Oath to the Pope another contrary to their Prince And yet they will be taken for good and faithfull children And I poore man must be condemned and all my workes for Heresi● and no man to reade them under the paine of Treason And why because I write against their perjurie toward their Prince But how commeth Saint Peter by these regales that you are sworne to defend seeing that he was never no King but a Fisher All the world knoweth that Regalia belongeth to Kings and to like power of Kings Why are you no● rather sworne to defend Peters net and his Fisherie the which things hee both had and used and never regalls But these things will not maintaine the holy Church of Rome and therefore yee sweare not to maintaine them But what meane you by that sentence Saving mine order why say you not saving my Kings pleasure your glosse saith you may not defend these things with weapons But oh Lord God what unshamefulnesse is this thus to delude with words all the whole world Men knoweth that when the Pope hath neede of your helpe there is no men sooner in Armes than you are if you call Armes Harneys Bylles and Glaves swords and gunnes and such other things Doe you not remember how soone the Bishop of Norwich Henry Spenser was in Armes to defend Pop● Vrban it were but folly to recite examples In the yeare of our Lord 1164. was there a controversie betweene the Kings Grace and the Bishops of England for certaice Prerogatives belonging to the King Wherefore the King required an Oath and a confirmation of the Bishops as concerning those Articles prerogatives But answere was made of the Bishops that those prerogatives cum omnibus pravitatibus in regio scrip●o contentis were of none effect nor strength because they did forbid to appeale to the Court of Rome unlesse the King gave licence And because that no Bishop might goe at the Popes● calling out of the Realme without the Kings assent And because the Clerkes should be convented in criminall causes a fore a temporall Judge And because the King would heare matters as concerning tithes and other Spirituall causes And because that it was against the See of Rome and the dignity of the same that a Bishop should be convented afore the King Briefely they would not be under the King but this addition should be set unto it Salvo honore Dei Ecclesiiae Romanae ordine nostro that is we will be under your grace saving the honour of God of the Church of Rome and of our order the cause why they did except these things was this as they themselves grant For Kings received their authorities and power of the Church but the Church receiveth her authority of Christ onely wherefore they conclude that the King cannot command over Bishops nor absolve any of them nor to judge of tithes nor of Churches neither ye● to forbid Bishops the handling of any spirituall cause Is not here a marveilous blindnesse and obstinacie against their Prince They will make it against Gods honour to obey their King and are not ashamed to say in the Kings face that his power is of them But I pray you whether was Kings before Bishops or Bishops before Kings you shall finde