Roma totum negat Qui plus dat pecunia melius allegat Romani capitulum habent in decretis Vt potentes audiant manibus repletis Dabis aut non dabitur potunt quando petis Qua mensura seminas eadem tu metis Munus petitio currunt passu pari Opereris munere si vis operari Tullium nec timeas si velit causari Munus Eloquentia gaudet singulari Nummis in hac Curia non est qui non vacet Crux placet Rotunditas placet totum placet Et cum ita placeat Romanis placet Vbi munus loquitur lex omnis tacet Cum ad Papam veneris habe pro constanti Non est bonus Pauperi soli favet danti Et si munus praestitum non sit aliquanti Respondet hic tibi sic non est mihi tanti Papa quaerit Chartula quaerit Bulla quaerit Pâ—rta quaerit Cardinal quaerit Cursor quaerit Sed si dares omnibus at uni deerit Totum mare salsum est tota causa perit About that time Nigellus Vireker a Learned Monk at Canterbury wrote a Book De abusu rerum Ecclesiae and sent it to William Bishop of Ely Chancellor of England In this Book he not onely rebuked him but all Teachers under the Pope's Tyranny because they committed the Cure of Souls unto Children Belly-gods and despisers of the Sacred Word Henry the third of that name succeeded his Father King John being about ten years old and was Crowned at Glocester by a part of the Nobility and Clergy upon the perswasion of William Earl Mareshall Earl of Pembrook a Nobleman of great Authority the rest siding with the French Lewis within little more than a twelve Moneth he recovered the entire possession of his Kingdom In Whitsun-week the Pope's Legate encouraged the King's Army to fight the French King's Forces at Lincoln and after a sharp conflict they routed the Barons and Lewis's Forces slew and took many of them Prisoners with the loss onely of three Men and took the City of Lincoln with all the Treasure and baggage of the Enemy The King's Ships watching the French Fleet at Sea transporting Souldiers and supplies unto Lewis took Eustachius a Monk their Admiral Prisoner whose Head the King's Brother Richard cut off with his Sword despising the great sum of Money which he proffered for his Ransom Soon after which defeats by Land and Sea both Parties had a conference at Stanes and came to an Agreement Septemb. 3. and Lewis shamefully departed this Realm But notwithstanding this Agreement with the Barons yet the Pope's Legate exempted all the Bishops Abbots and Clergy out of this Act of pacification for their contempt of the Pope's Authority that he might dispose of their Ecclesiastical promotions and Benefices to his Instruments and put them to excessive fines at the present to fill the Pope's and his own Coffers Claus Anno 1. H. 3. m. 21. Pat. 1. H. 3. m. 16. intus This Legate Gualo did bear chief sway in the King's Council and the King sealed some Letters Patents Sigillis venerabilium Patrum Domini Gualonis Sancti Martini Presbyteri Cardinalis Apostolicae sedis Legati Domini Petri Wintoniensis Episcopi and sent them abroad under their Seals in the first year of his Reign because as yet he had no Seal The Canons of Carlisle contemning both the Pope's and his Legates Authority and Censures contumaciously celebrating Divine Service and Sacraments notwithstanding their Interdicts adhering and Swearing Fealty to the King of Scots King Henrie's and the Pope's declared enemy yea electing an interdicted Clerk for their Bishop against the King's and Legate's Wills and dividing the Revenues of the Bishoprick among themselves The King's Council thereupon sent an Epistle to Pope Honorius the third who succeeded Innocent the third that year in the King's name totally to remove these Schismatical Canons and place Prebends in their rooms to augment the Bishop's Revenues which were small and displace the intruded Bishop Upon which Letter the Pope ordered Gualo his Legate by the King 's Royal assent to constitute Hugh Abbot of Beaulieu Bishop of Carlisle In the second year of King Henry III. the Archbishop of Dublin in Ireland and other Bishops there Usurping upon the King's Crown and Temporal Courts presumed to hold pleas in their Courts Christian of Lay fee whereupon there issuing Prohibitions from the King's Court to stay these Suits they proceeded contemptuously notwithstanding upon which â—here issued out a Writ of Attachment against them to appear before the chief Justice of Ireland to answer the contempt In the third year of King Henry the third the Bishoprick of Leismore united formerly to the Bishoprick of Waterford by the Pope's Legate in Ireland while the Bishop was in England at the Consecration of the Bishop of Carlisle Macrobius a Canon of Leismore procuring an election from the rest of the Canons pretending the See to be then void obtained the Legate's and King 's Royal assent to the Election and Restitution of the Temporalties whereof the Bishop of Waterford complaining to the King the King nulled that election and commanded the Bishop to be put in possession of his Temporalties The Bishop of Ely going into France after Lewis his return thither reported King Henry to be dead and laboured to stir up a new War against him whereupon the King wrote to the Pope to deprive him and bestow his Bishoprick by provision upon some other in which Letter the King acknowledgeth the Pope's great favours and assistance to him during his Infancy puts himself and his Realms under the protection of his wings and by way of Complement stiles them the Patrimony of the Church of Rome to gain the Pope's readier protection and assistance in his Suits and Wars In the fourth year of his Reign King Henry taking notice of diverse Usurpations upon the right of his Crown in Ireland by Covents Deanes and Chapters electing Abbots and Bishops as they became void and the chief Justices approving them without his Privity License or Royal assent he issued out a Writ to his chief Justice of Ireland to reform and prevent this dangerous Usurpation for the future This year the Earl of Albemarle refusing to deliver up to the King some of his Castles and Lands committed to his custody for which he was Excommunicated by the Bishop of Norwich and the Pope's Legate thereupon the King issued out a prohibition to all his Barons and Subjects in Lancashire and five Counties more not to Aid him or his complices but to avoid them as Excommunicated Persons till they had submitted to the King Ecclesiastical Censures were then commonly inflicted in that Age for Temporal Offences and Rebellions to reduce Men to obedience to the King as well as to the Church and Pope At last the Earl came to the King under the conduct of Walter Archbishop of York and by the mediation of Pandulphus the Legate was reconciled to him Anno Domini 1221.
confirmation of his election together with a License to be consecrated in his own Church at York by the Bishop of Durham The King upon the receipt of the Pope's Bull issued a Writ for the restitution of his Temporalties Pope Boniface having confirmed the election of David Martyn to the Bishoprick of St. Davids in Wales the King upon notice given accepted thereof The Bishoprick of Ely becoming void by the death of William Luda the minor part of the Chapter elected John their Prior but the better John de Langten the King's Chancellor The King confirmed the election of his Chancellor The King by his Prerogative having granted a License to the Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield Anno Reg. 26. to hold the Hospital of St. Leonards in York in Commenda with his Bishoprick during his life out of his free Gift and special Grace confirmed it by his Patents so as this Dispensation should not prove prejudicial to him or his Heirs The Monks of Battel-Abbey by ancient Charters having the custody of the Abby and Lands during the vacancy upon their Abbot's death the King issued a Writ to restore them to their custody Mr. Prynne observeth and relateth diverse things of this year 1. That the Contests between the Archbishop Prynne's Hist of Popes Usurpations Tom. 3. Abbots and Monks of Canterbury about Exemptions Priviledges and Jurisdictions was a great cause of advancing the Pope's usurped Jurisdiction over them both and over the Rights Prerogative of the Crown and Church of England 2. The Pope's Insolency in exempting the Abbots and Monks of Canterbury and all their Lands Hospitals Churches Impropriations Priests Tenants from all Archiepiscopal and other Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and subjecting them solely to the See of Rome as likewise in subjecting the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishops of London and Rochester to the commands and censures of the Abbots of Westminster Waltham and St. Edmond 3. The pride of the Abbots in erecting Deanaries Officials Ecclesiastical Consistories and in prescribing Oaths of Canonical obedience upon the Priests and Curats of their Churches belonging to their Monastery 4. The strange injustice and contradiction of Popes Bulls nulling repealing each other by Non obstantes with all former Priviledges granted by themselves and Contracts made or ratified by others through bribery and corruption CENT XIV IN the beginning of this Century King Edward the First waged cruel Wars against the Scots Then Pope Boniface the Eighth sent his Letters to the King to quit his claim to Scotland to cease his Wars Fox Acts and Monum lib. 1. p. 444 445. and release his Prisoners of the Scotch Nation as a people exempt and properly belonging to his own Chappel He grounded his Title thereunto because it was said Scotland was first converted by the Relicks of S. Peter to the unity of the Christian Faith Hereupon King Edward called a Council of his Lords at Lincoln where he returned a large Answer to the Pope's Letter endeavouring by evident Reasons and ancient Precedents to prove his propriety in the Kingdom of Scotland This was seconded by another from the English Peerage subscribed with all their hands declaring that the King ought by no means to answer in judgment in any case or should bring his Rights into doubt and ought not to send any Proctors or Messengers to the Pope c. The Pope foreseeing the Verdict would go against him wisely non-suited himself Then Pope Boniface sent forth a Declaration in favour of the Archbishop and proceeded so violently against the Abbots Monks Chron. Will. Thorn col 1997. ad 2003. and their Adherents by Excommunications Interdicts c. that he enforced them to submit and sue unto him for Absolution and a friendly agreement between them After the death of Henry de Newark Thomas Corbridge being elected Archbishop of York repaired to Rome for his Confirmation where he was forced to resign his right of Election into the Pope's hands and to receive the Archbishoprick from him by way of provision who thereupon not only confirmed but consecrated him Archbishop at Rome and gave him his Pall and the King restored his Temporalties upon receipt of the Pope's Bull. Thomas Stubs tells us of an high Contest that happened soon after betwixt the King and him about the Chappel of St. Sepulchres in York for which the King seized his Temporalties and detained some of them till his death for obeying the Pope's Provision and Commands before the King 's Writ in refusing to admit his Clerk to this Chappel and to remove the Pope's Clerk whom he had placed therein by his Papal Provision This Archbishop's Liberties in Beverley were seized into the King's hands Anno 29. of his Reign for a contempt committed by him in the King's presence The King's Daughter Mary being a Nun professed at Ambresbury the King granted her forty Oaks each year twenty tun of Wines and several Manors of above the value of two hundred pounds a year for her maintenance In the thirtieth year of the Reign of King Edward the French King Philip with all the Peers Earls Barons Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Clergy University of Paris and the Cities and Commonalty of France did Appeal and Article against Pope Boniface the Eighth his Person Crimes Interdicts Excommunications to the next General Council in the ruffe of his Papal pride as a most detestable Heretick Simoniack Adulterer Sorcerer and Monster of Impiety and soon after seized imprisoned and brought him to a shameful Tragical end The particular Articles are recorded by Mr. Fox Fox Acts and Monuments Vol. 1. p. 450 451. Of this Pope a certain Versifier wrote thus Ingreditur Vulpes Regnat Leo sed Canis exit Re tandem vera si sic fuit ecce chimera Alter vero sic Vulpes intravit tanquam Leo Pontificavit Exiit utque Canis de divite factus inanis Then was the Bishop of Ostia created Pope and called Benedict the Eleventh Of whom one saith A te nomen habe bene dic bene fac Benedicte Aut rem perverte maledic malefac Maledicte The Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Winchelsey having plotted Treason with some others of the Nobility against the King projecting to depose him and set up his Son Edward in his Room lurked in a Covent at Canterbury till fourscore Monks were by the King's Command thrust out of their places for relieving him out of their Charity and were not restored till the Archbishop was banished the Kingdom In the year 1305. the King sent a Letter to the Pope for the Canonizing of Thomas de Cantelupe late Bishop of Hereford deceased famous for sundry Miracles as was suggested that so he and his Realm might enjoy the benefit of his Intercession for them in Heaven according to the Superstition of that blind Age. After the death of Pope Benedict Pope Clement was no sooner elected and enthroned in France but he began to exercise his new Rapines in England by complying with King Edward in granting
my Soul no more than Satan could do to the Soul of Job And as concerning these Articles I will stand to them to the very death by the grace of my eternal God And after a short instruction to the people he fell down upon his Knees holding up his Hands and Eyes to Heaven And prayed God to forgive his Prosecutors The Lord Cobham was condemned to dye being led back to the Tower he escaped out of the Tower and fled into Wales where he continued by the space of four years In January 1414. Sir Roger Acton Knight Mr. John Brown and John Beverley a Minister suffered Martyrdom in the Fields of St. Giles with thirty six more Some say that Sir Roger Acton was hanged naked at Tyburn saving that certain parts of him were covered and after certain dayes a Trumpetter of the King 's called Thomas Cliffe galeave of the King to take him down and bury him The next Month after the Execution of these Men died Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury famished to Death not for want of Food but of a Throat to swallow it such the swelling therein that he could neither speak nor eat for some days After him succeeded Henry Chichely Godwin's Catal of Bish whose mean birth interrupted the chain of Noble Archbishops his two Predecessors and Successors being Earls Sons by Extraction Although many Laws had been made against the Pope's usurped Authority in bestowing Ecclesiastical preferments by way of Provision yet durst not this man consent unto his election made by the Covent of Canterbury but committed the matter unto the Pope's determination who first pronounced the election of the Monks void and then bestowed the Archbishoprick upon him The same year the King began the Foundation of two Monasteries one of the Friars observants on the one side of Thames and the other on the other side of the same River called Shene and Sion dedicated unto the Charter-house Monks with certain Nuns of St. Briget to the number of sixty dwelling within the same precinct so that the whole number of these with Priests Monks Deacons and Nuns should equal the number of thirteen Apostles and seventy two Disciples These were to eat no Flesh to touch no Money to wear no Linnen The King held a Parliament at Leicester in which the Commons put up their Bill again which was put up Anno 11. Henry the fourth that the Temporalties wasted so disorderly by the Clergy might be converted to the use of the King and of his Earls and Knights c. In fear of which Bill the Clergy put him upon a long War with the French offering to him in behalf of the Clergy great and notable sums by reason whereof the Bill was put off again The Archbishop Henry Chichley condemned John Claydon's Books and condemned him and shortly after he was burnt in Smithfield with Richard Turning Baker Anno 1415. The next year the said Archbishop in his Convocation holden at London made sharper Constitutions than were before against the Lollards There two Priests noted for Hereticks were brought before the Bishops the one John Barton the other Robert Chappel Barton was committed to Philip Bishop of Lincoln to be kept in prison till otherwise it were determined Chappel submitted himself and with much ado received pardon and was in stead of penance enjoyned certain Articles to publish at Paul's Cross Then divers persons were forced to abjure as John Tailer of the Parish of St. Maries at Quern William James Physitian who had long lain in prison John Gourdley of Lincoln-shire a learned man John Duerser Katherine Dertford the Parson of Higley in Lincoln-shire named Mr. Robert William Henry of Tenterden John Gaul a Priest of London Richard Monk Vicar of Chesham in Lincoln-shire with divers others During the time of the Provincial Convocation Pope Martin had sent to the Clergy of England for a Subsidy to maintain the Pope's Wars against the Lollards of Bohemia Another Subsidy was demanded to persecute William Clerk Master of Arts in Oxford who sailing out of England was at the Council of Basil disputing on the Bohemians side A third Subsidy was also required to persecute William Russel Warden of the Grey-Friers in London who was fled having escaped out of prison Ralph Mungin Priest refusing to abjure was condemned to perpetual prison The recantation of Thomas Granter and Richard Monk Priests was read openly at Paul s Cross after which Granter was put to seven years imprisonment under the custody of the Bishop of London Edmond Frith recanted who was Butler to Sir John Oldcastle Besides these many other Wicklivites were sore vexed in Kent in the Towns of Romney Tenterden Woodchurch Cranbrook Staplehurst Bennenden and Rolvenden where Men and their Wives and whole Families were driven to forsake their Houses and Towns for fear of persecution Among whom were William White and Thomas Greensted Priests Bartholomew Chronemonger Joan Waddon Joan his Wife Thomas Evernden Stephen Robins William Chineling John Tame John Eacolin William Somer Marian his Wife John Abraham Robert Munden Laurence Cook which persons because they appeared not were excommunicated by the Archbishop The Lord Cobham having lived four years in Wales and being at last discovered was taken by the Lord Powis yet so that it cost some blows and blood to apprehend him till a Woman at last with a stool broke the Lord Cobham's legs whereby being lame he was brought up to London in an Horse-litter At last he was drawn upon an Hurdle to the Gallows and there was hanged and burnt In the ninth year of King Henry the Fifth he suppressed the French Houses of Religious Monks and Friars and such like in England Stow's Chron in Hen. 8. because they spake ill of the King's Conquest over France Their Lands were given by him and King Henry the Sixth to Monasteries and Colledges of learned men King Henry died in France and was brought over and buried at Westminster This King ordained the King of Heraulds over the English which is called Garter In this King's Reign Richard Fleming Bishop of Lincoln founded a Colledge named Lincoln-colledge in Oxford King Henry the sixth an Infant of eight months old succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of England Anno 1422. In the eighth year of his Age he was crowned at Westminster and in the tenth year crowned King at Paris Cardinal Henry Bishop of Winchester being present at them both The Clergy had then a strong party in the Privy Council viz. 1. Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury 2. John Kemp Bishop of London 3. Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester lately made Cardinal 4. John Wackaring Bishop of Norwich Privy-seal 5. Philip Morgan Bishop of Worcester 6. Nicholas Bubwith Bishop of Bath and Wells Lord Treasurer In the first year of this King's Reign was burned a faithful Witness of God's Truth William Tailor a Priest under Henry Chichcley Archbishop of Canterbury March 1. Anno 1423. In the year 1424. John Florence a Turner appeared before Will.
of Basil to which our Ambassadors were to represent both their Sovereign and the English Nation where they were received with honour and respect This was a troublesome Council and continued seventeen years In this Council it was concluded as before at Constance that the General Councils were above the Pope Fourteen Ambassadors were sent from the King unto Basil One Earl not that he was to vote in the Council but only behold the transactions thereof viz. Edmond Earl of Morton Five Bishops viz. Robert Bishop of London Philip Bishop of Lisieux John Bishop of Rochester John Bishop of Baieux and Bernard Bishop of Aix Two Abbots Nicholas Abbot of Glaston William Abbot of St. Maries in York One Prior William Prior of Norwich Two Knights Henry Broumfleet and John Colvil Mr. Thomas Brown Doctor of Laws Dean of Sarum Peter Fitz-Maurice D. D. and Mr. Nicholas David Archdeacon of Constance and Licentiate in both Laws John Bishop of Rochester here mentioned was John Langdon intruded by the Pope into that Bishoprick to the prejudice of the Archbishop of Canterbury But he was indeed a Learned man and died this year in his Ambassy at Basil This Council deposed Pope Eugenius and substituted in his room Amideus the most devout Duke of Savoy who was called Felix the Fifth and was crowned in the City of Basil Anno 1437. Henry Chichley Archbishop of Canterbury founded a Colledge in Oxford by the name of All-souls for a Warden and forty Fellows which number by Statute was never to be augmented or impaired and all void places by death or otherwise once in a year to be supplied Six years did he survive the first founding of this Colledge He founded another Colledge in Oxford called Barnard-colledge suppressed by King Henry the Eighth and renewed by Sir Thomas White who named it St. Iohn's-colledge one of the fairest of the University This Archbishop bestowed much money in repairing the Library at Canterbury Goodwin's Catal. of Bishops and then replenished the same with a number of goodly Books He gave unto his Church many rich Ornaments and Jewels of great price and built a great part of the Tower called Oxford-tower in the said Church He founded a goodly Colledge and an Hospital at Higham-ferries where he was born for eight secular Priests Fellows four Clerks and six Choristers it was so endowed as at the suppression of the same it was valued at 156 pounds per annum The Hospital was for poor people likewise liberally endowed Iohn Stafford Son unto the Earl of Stafford succeeded in the place of Henry Chichley deceased Pope Eugenius the Fourth translated him from Bath and Wells About the year 1446. King Henry the Sixth founded Eaton Colledge incorporate by the name of Praepositi Collegii Regaliis Col. Beatae Maria de Eaton juxta Winsor This Colledge consisteth of one Provost Fellows a School-master and Usher besides many Oppidanes maintained there at the cost of their Friends This Eaton is a Nursery to King's-colledge in Cambridge Humfry Duke of Glocester the King's Uncle at a packt Parliament at Bury was condemned of High-treason and found dead in his Bed not without rank suspition of cruel practices upon his person He gave to the Library in Oxford many pretious voluminous Manuscripts He was buried in St. Albans to which Church he was a great Benefactor The same month with the Duke of Glocester died Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal He was a man of such Wealth that at once he lent King Henry the Fifth twenty thousand pounds who pawned his Crown to him He built the fair Hospital of St. Cross near Winchester The Clergy moved in vain against the recalling of the Statute of Praemunire About the year 1453. began the broyls to break out out between the two Houses of Lancaster and York so mutually heightened that scarce a County betwixt York and London but a set Battel hath been fought therein besides other Counties in the Marches of Wales besides many other Skirmishes Corrivals with Battels so that such who consider the blood lost therein would admire England had any left And such as observe how much it had left would wonder it had any lost In the midst of these Civil wars William Sirnamed Patin from his Parents but Wainfleet from the place of his Nativity now Bishop of Winchester founded the fair Colledge dedicated to Mary Magdalen in Oxford for one President forty Fellows thirty Demies four Chaplains eight Clerks and sixteen Choristers This William Wainfleet first founded Magdalen-hall hard by and afterwards undertook and finished this most stately piece of Architecture There is scarce a Bishoprick in England to which this Colledge hath not afforded one Prelate at the least doubling her files in some places At this day besides those forementioned there are one Schoolmaster and an Usher three Readers viz. of Divinity Natural and Moral Philosophy besides divers Officers and Servants of the foundation with other Students being in all two hundred and twenty Iohn Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury built the Divinity-School in Oxford and Paul's Cross King Henry being conquered in a fatal Battel at Touton in Nottinghamshire fled with his Queen into Scotland and to make himself the more welcome resigned Berwick to the King thereof Edward Duke of York reigned in his stead This King's Reign affordeth very little Church-story This good was done by the Civil Wars it diverted the Popish Prelates from troubling the Lollards Thomas Bourchier Son unto Henry Bourchier Earl of Essex Archbishop of Canterbury kept a Synod of his Clergy at London The Parliament sitting at the same time bestowed many priviledges on the Clergy In the time of this Archbishop Raynold Peacock Bishop of Chichester was afflicted by the Popish Prelates for his Faith and profession of the Gospel after he had laboured many years in translating the Holy Scriptures into English Sir Rich. Baker's Chron. He was accused and convicted for holding and publishing certain Opinions at that time held Heretical which at last openly at Paul's Cross he revoked but was notwithstanding deprived of his Bishoprick only a certain Pension was assigned him to live on in an Abby where soon after he died Fox Acts and Monuments Luke 8.3 About the year 1465. there was here in England one Thomas Holden a Carmelite Friar who preached in Michaelmas Term at Paul's Cross in London That our Lord Iesus Christ was in poverty and did beg in the world A manifest untruth For great is the difference betwixt begging and taking what the bounty of others doth freely confer as our Saviour did from such who did minister unto him of their substance This Sermon caused a great stir The principal Champions on both sides whose Pens publickly appeared were For Mendicants 1. Henry Parker a Carmelite bred in Cambridge living afterward in Doncaster-Covent imprisoned for preaching 2. Iohn Milverton bred in Oxford Carmelite of Bristol being excommunicated by the Bishop of London and appealing to the Pope found no favour but
forty small Monasteries turning their Inhabitants out of House and home and converting their means principally to a Colledge in Oxford This alienation was confirmed by Pope Clement the Seventh so that in some sort the Pope may thank himself for the demolishing of Religious houses in England His Colledge in Oxford did thrice change it's name in seven years first called Cardinals Colledge then King's Colledge and at last Christ-church which it retaineth at this day King Henry took just offence that the Cardinal set his own Arms above the King 's on thy Gate-house at the entrance into the Colledge There have been maintained in this Colledge one Dean eight Canons three publick Professors of Divinity Hebrew and Greek sixty Students eight Chaplains eight Singing-men an Organist eight Choristers twenty four Almes-men at this present Students of all sorts with Officers and Servants of the Foundation to the number of two hundred twenty three John Higdon first Dean of this Colledge was a great Persecutor of Protestants viz. John Clark John Frith Henry Sumner Baley †John Fryer Goodman †Nicholas Harmar †Michael Drumme William Betts Such whose names are noted with a Cross did afterwards turn zealous Papists Lawney Richard Cox Richard Taverner All these were for their Religion imprisoned in a deep Cave under ground where the Salt-fish of the Colledge was kept Some of them died soon after with the stench thereof and others escaped with great difficulty Taverner was well-skilled in Musick on which account he escaped though vehemently accused the Cardinal pleading for him that he was but a Musitian though afterward he repented to have set Tunes to so many Popish ditties The example of Wolsey's haughtiness Martin's Chr. in Henry 8. made the English Clergy so proud and insolent that their labours formerly applyed to the studies of moral vertues and of Divinity were now employed to devise curious fashions in their behaviour in their apparrel and in their diet In the fifteenth sixteenth and seventeenth year of King Henries Reign this proud Cardinal under colour of the King 's partaking with the Emperor in his Wars against the French King of his own authority and wiâ—hout the King's commandement granted forth Commissions under the Great Seal of England into every Shire and Province of the Kingdome and directed them unto the chiefest men And therein every man was required to depose the true value of their Estates and then of every fifty pounds there was demanded four shillings in the pound And in London he made himself the chief Commissioner The like Commissions he granted forth against all the Clergy of the Land of whom he demanded four shillings in the pound of all their livings These things grieved the Clergy and Common People at the heart The Cardinal perceiving this recalled those Commissions and sent forth others which also being not endured the King by his Letters directed into every County commanded a present cessation of all executions of the said Commissions and protested they were granted forth without his knowledge or consent But if they would by way of a Benevolence of their own accord enlarge themselves towards him he would take it as an infallible proof of their love toward him The Cardinal now resolved to revenge himself on the Emperor Charles the Fifth for not doing him right and improving his power in preferring him to the Papacy according to his promises and intends to smite Charles through the sides of his Aunt Katharine Queen of England endeavouring to alienate the King's affections from her Wolsey now put this scruple into the head of Bishop Longlands the King's Confessor and he insinuated the same into the King's Conscience King Henry greedily resented the motion and principles of pure Conscience puts him upon endeavours of a divorce The business is brought into the Court of Rome there to be decided by Pope Clement the Seventh But the Pope at this time was a prisoner to the Emperor who constantly kept a guard about him Yet after some delay the Pope dispatched a Commission to two Cardinals Wolsey and Campegius an Italian to hear and determine the matter at London The Pope draws back the cause unto himself and the King being impatient having the consent of both Universities as also of that of Paris he forsaketh Katharine and Marrieth Anna Bolen Anno 1533. And in the year 1534. he denieth obedience to the Pope and chargeth all his Subjects that they send no Money unto Rome nor pay Peter-pence unto any of the Collectors which vexeth the Roman Court. Then he published an Edict whereby he declares himself under Christ The supreme Head of the Church of England and chargeth upon pain of Death that no man ascribe any Power to the Pope within England and commandeth all the Collectors of Peter-pence to be gone These things were confirmed by the Parliament who also enacted That the Archbishop of Canterbury should invest all the Bishops of England and that the Church-men shall pay to the King yearly one hundred and fifty thousand pounds for defence of the Kingdom Wolsey was accused in Parliament for exercising his power Legantine without leave to the prejudice of the King's Crown and dignity Mr. Cromwel Servant to the Cardinal being a Burgess defendeth his Master yet were all his goods of inestimable value confiscated to the King and he outed of most of his Ecclesiastical promotions His enemies get the King to command him away to York leaving him the whole revenues of York-Archbishoprick then worth little less than four thousand pounds yearly besides a large pension paid him out of the Bishoprick of Winchester As he was preparing there in a Princely Equipage for his Installation he is Arrested by the Earl of Northumberland by Commission from the King in his own Chamber at Cawood By slow and short Journeys he setteth forward toward London and coming to Leicester he died where he was obscurely buried Then John Fisher Bishop of Rochester was imprisoned for refusing the Oath of Supremacy The Clergy in the Province of York did a long time deny the King's Supremacy Edward Lee Archbishop of York fomented this difference He was a virulent Papist one that wrote against Erasmus and a persecutor of Protestants witness John Bale Convented before him for suspition of Heresie who in vain pleaded Scripture in his own defence till at last he casually made use of a distinction out of Scotus which the Archbishop more valued than all which he had before more pertinently alledged out the Old and New Testament The King wrote a fair and large Letter to the Convocation of York claiming nothing more than what Christian Princes in the Primitive times assumed to themselves in their own Dominions so that it seems he wrought so far on their affections that at last they consented thereunto Soon after the Clergy in the Convocation so submitted themselves to the King that each one severally promised in verbo Sacerdotis never henceforth to presume to Alledge Claim or put
abolition of Episcopacy and the ruine of all that adhered to it their actings in it being confirmed in his name by the High-Commission The news whereof caused the King to send for the Lord Wentworth out of Ireland who was presently made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and not long after with great solemnity created Earl of Strafford in the County of York As Lord Lieutenant he had power to appoint a Deputy that he might the better attend the service here without any prejudice to that Kingdom which Office he committed to Wansford a York-shire Gentleman whom he had took along with him into Ireland at his first going thither His Majesty was pleased to commit the conduct of the Scottish Affairs to a Juncto of three namely the Archbishop of Canterbury the Earl of Strafford and the Marquiss of Hammilton These three move his Majesty to call a Parliament and it was concluded that a Parliament should be called on April 13. 1640. In the mean time the Lord Lieutenant held a Parliament in Ireland and so governed the affair that an Army of eight thousand Horse and Foot was speedily raised and money granted by the Parliament to keep them in pay to furnish them with Ammunition Arms and all other necessaries And the Lords of the Council here subscribed largely for the carrying on of the War until such time as the Parliament should convene The Scots being informed of the King's preparation for a War sent the Earl of Dumferling the Lord London Sir William Douglas and Mr. Barkham to represent the Affairs of their transactions which were received by the King in a friendly manner Some dayes being unprofitably spent in these debates the Archbishop and the rest of the Committee delegated for this business made a report of the whole business to the rest of the Council who came to this result That since the Scots could not be reclaimed to their obedience by other means they were to be reduced by force Therefore the Scots as much bestirred themselves on the other side Part of the walls of Edenborough-castle with all the Ordnance upon it had fallen down on the nineteenth of November last being the Anniversary day of his Majesties birth for the repair whereof they would neither suffer Timber nor other Materials to be carried to it but on the contrary they began to raise Fortifications against it with an intent to block it up and render it unuseful to his Majesties service Neither would they suffer the Souldiers to come into the Market to recruit their victuals They made provisions of great quantity of Artillery Munition and Arms from forreign parts laid Taxes of ten Marks in the hundred upon all the Subjects scattered abroad many seditious Pamphlets for justifying themselves and seducing others some of which were burnt in England by the hand of the Hangman fortified Inchgarvy and other places imprisoned the Earl of Southesk and other Persons of Quality for their fidelity to the King took to themselves the government of Edenborough and employed their Emissaries in England to sollicit them to aid them in maintaining the War against their Sovereign But their chief corespondence was with France and Ireland In France they had made sure of Cardinal Richlieu who governed all Affairs in that Kingdom In Ireland they had a strong party of natural Scots planted in Vlster by King James upon the forfeited Estates of Tir-Owen Tir-Connel Odighirty c. But Wentworth crushed them in the beginning of the combination seizing upon such Ships and Men as came thither from Scotland imprisoning some fining others and putting an Oath upon the rest By which Oath they were bound to abjure the Covenant not to aid the Covenanters against the King nor to protest against any of his royal Edicts as their Brethren in Scotland use to do for the refusing of which Oath he fined one Sir Henry Steward and his Wife at no less than five thousand pound apiece two of their Daughters and one James Gray of the fame confederacy at the sum of three thousand pound apiece committing them to prison for not paying the fines imposed on them Some Scots having endeavoured to betray the Town and Castle of Carick fergus to a Noble-man of that Countrey the principal Conspirator was executed Finally The Lord Lieutenant gave a power to the Bishop of Down and Connor and other Bishops of that Kingdom and their several Chancellors to attach the bodies of all such of the meaner sort who either should refuse to appear before them upon citation or to perform all lawful Decrees and Orders made by the said Bishops c. and to commit them to the next Gaol till they should conform or answer the contempt at the Council-Table By means whereof the poorer sort became very obedient to their several Bishops In the mean time the Archbishop of Canterbury is intent on the preservation of the Hierarchy and the Church of England against the practices of the Scots and Scotizing English and no less busied in digesting an Apology for vindicating the Liturgy commended to the Kirk of Scotland He took order for translating the Scottish Liturgy into the Latin Tongue that being published with the Apology which he had designed it might give satisfaction to the world of his Majesties Piety and his own great care the orthodoxy and simplicity of the Book it self and the perverseness of the Scots in refusing all of it Which Work was finished and left with him the present distemper of the times and the troubles which fell heavily on him putting an end to it in the first beginning He recommended to Doctor Hall then Bishop of Exon the writing of a Book in defence of the Divine right of Episcopacy in opposition to the Scots and their Adherents Exeter having undertaken it sent the first delineations of the Pourtracture to Lambeth in the end of October which were generally well approved of by the Metropolitan who having made some alterations sent them back with many kind expressions of a fair acceptance And such was the freedom he used in declaring his judgment in the case and such the Authority which his Reasons carried along with them that the Bishop of Exon found good cause to correct his Opinon according to the Rules of these Animadversions agreeable unto which the Book was writ and published not long after under the name of Episcopacy by Divine right c. Whilst the Archbishop laboured to support Episcopacy on the one side some of the adverse party laboured as much to suppress it by lopping off the branches first and afterwards by laying the Axe to the root of the Tree Bagshaw a Lawyer of some standing of the Middle-Temple began to question the Bishop's place and vote in Parliament their Temporal power and the authority of the Commission For being chosen Reader by that House for the Lent-vacation he first selected for the Argument of his discoursings the Statute of 25 Edw. 3. cap. 7. His main design was intended chiefly for the defence
the iniquity and injustice of the Judges for the negligent preaching of the Bishops for the luxury and evil manners of the people lost their Countrey After many battles with the Britains the Pagans surprised a great part of this Island Then the Britains sent Ambassadors into the lesser Britain to Aurelius Ambrosius and Vter-Pendragon his brother desiring them to take the government of Britain upon them of which they were right heires and to expell the Saxons and King Vortigern Hereupon they came with many armed souldiers Then the Britains set up Aurelius to be their King who marched first against Vortigern to his Castle Genorium in Wales where he had fortified and immured himself but Aurelius burnt the castle and King Vortigern in it After this Aurelius fought many battles with the Saxons in the years 485. 487 488. and at last overcame them Aurelius was one composed of valour and Religion wholly employing himself in time of peace to raise new Churches repair old and endow both Johan Timnuthens in ejus vita At this time there was an Academy of learned men under Dubritius neer the river Wye in Monmouth-shire This Dubritius taught many scholars for seven years together in humane and divine learning among whom the chiefest were Theliau Sampson Vbelin Merchiguin Elquored c. at Dubritius removed to Werwick a village two miles from Cardigan and from thence to Moch-Rhos The Britains being involved in perpetual Warrs with the Scots Picts Normans Saxons the Christian Britains were at last by force and fraud undermined and driven out of their native soil into Britain in France and into Wales and Cornwall yet then was the Gospel preserved in those corners where the remainder of the Britains those antient Inhabitants of this land remains unto this day Paganism was again planted in this land and an Heptarchy was established this land being divided into seven Kingdomes The first was the Kingdome of Kent which began Anno 457. under King Hengist The second of the South Saxons comprising Sussex and Surrey This Kingdome began under King Ella Anno 491. and was the weakest of all the seven affording few Kings and fewer actions of moment The third was of the East Saxons comprehending Essex Middlesex and part of Hartford-shire This Kingdome began in Erchenwin about the year 527. The fourth of the East-Angles containing Norfolk Suffolk Cambridg-shire with the Isle of Ely and part of Bedford-shire It began Anno 575. under King Vlfa and lay most exposed to the cruelty of the Danish incursions The fifth of Mercia so called because it lay in the midst of the Island being the merches or limits on which all the residue of the Kingdomes did bound and border It began Anno 582 under King Cridda and contained the Countries of Lincoln North-hampton Rutland Huntingdon Buckingham Oxford Worcester Warwick Darby Nottingham Leicester Stafford and Chester besides part of Hereford and Salop the remnant whereof was possessed by the Welch Gloucester Bedford and Lancaster The sixt of Northumberland whereunto belonged whatsoever lieth between Humber and Edenborough Frith It was subdivided sometimes into two Kingdomes of Bernicia and Deira The latter consisted of the remainder of Lancashire with the entire Counties of York Durham Westmerland and Cumberland Bernicia contained Northumberland with the South of Scotland to Edenborough But it was not long before boâ—â— were united under King Ida. The seventh of the West Saxons who possessed Ham-shire Berk-shire Wilt-shire Somerset Dorset and Devon-shire part of Cornwall and Gloucester-shire This Kingdom began Anno 519. under Cerdicus This Heptarchy was at last swallowed up in the West Saxons Monarchy But to return to the British Church and the year of our Lord 449. wherein the Irish St. Patrick is notoriously reported to have come to Glastonbury where he lived 39 years as Abbot of that place And so great was the credit of St. Patrick at Glastonbury that after his death and burial there that Church that formerly was dedicated to the Virgin Mary alone was in after-ages joyntly consecrated to her and St. Patrick About the year 495 Cerdicus who was afterwards first King of the West Saxons having overcome the Britains at Winchester killed all the Monks belonging to the Church of St. Amphibalus and turned the same into a Temple of Idolatry Aurelius Ambrosius was poisoned in the year 498. and his Brother Vter-Pendragon took upon him the Government of this Realm CENT VI. MOst miserable at this time was the British Common-wealth crouded up into barren Corners whil'st their Enemies the Pagan Saxons possessed the East and South if not the best part of the Island Pen-dragon dying the Nobles and Bishops of Britain set up his Son Arthur being about 16 years of age to be King of Britain in the year 516. Of whom one writeth thus Cultum Religioni pene debitum in Civitatibus viris oppidis refâ—rmavit Ecclesias à Pagana Gente destructas vel dirutas reparavit in eis Res Episcopos cum Clericorum officiis prout locorum dignitas cogebat devoto Religionis studio ordinavit Vigente adhuc post Germani Episcopi labores qui ob id in Britanniam bis venerat Pelagiana labe ac desperato pene remedio David ex universae Gentis Synodo Praesul constitutus An. 519. diutina praedicatione disceptationbus publicis eandem profligavit atque aream Ecclesiae purgavit David was Unâ—kle to King Arthur he privately studied the Scriptures ten years before he would presume to Preach and always caryed the Gospels about him He kept a Synod against the Pelagian error which was now revived in Britain and confirmed many wavering Souls in the Faith The main body of the British Church was at this time in Wales whâ—re Bangor on the North and Caerleon on Vsk in Monmouth-shire in the South were the two eyes thereof for Learning and Religion Caerleon had in it the Court of King Arthur the See of an Archbishop a Colledge of 200 Philosophers who threrein studied Astronomy and was a populous place of great extent though at this day reduced to a small Village By leave obtained from King Arthur David removed the Archiepiscopal seat from Caerleon to Meneva now called St. David's in Pembrook-shire in which exchange saith Fuller his devotion is rather to be admired than his discretion to be commended Girald Cambr. leaving a fruitful soyl for a bleach barren place though the worse it was the better for his purpose being a great promoter of a Monastical life In those days such was the correspondency between the greater and lesser Britain that they seemed to possess Learned Men in common betwixt them About the same time flourished Cadocus Abbot of Llancanvan in Glamorgan shire Son of the Toparch of that Countrey He retained part of his paternal principality in his hand whereby he daily fed 300 of Clergy-men Widdows and poor People besides guests and visitants daily resorting to him Wilful poverty then was not by vow entailed upon Monastical
his Wife erecting a Chappel and Chauntry to the Virgin Mary in their Manor of Lasingby consisting of one Master and six Chaplains to sing Mass for their Souls and the Souls of their Ancestors and of King Edward and his Heirs of the present Bishop of Durham and his Successors and of all faithful Souls deceased prescribing an Oath to them of perpetual Residence and discharge of the particular Divine Services and trusts reposed in them procured the King to ratifie this his Charter Chart. 20 Ed. 1. n. 5. by his Royal Charter enrolled in the Tower King Edward the First in the twenty one year of his Reign as Superiour Lord of Scotland in that Age exercised a Soveraign Authority in and over the King Clergy and Kingdom of Scotland in Causes and Inheritances which concerned the Church Clergy or Religious Persons as well as in Secular mens cases notwithstanding any Pretences or Appeals to Rome where Justice was delayed or refused to them by the King of Scots whereof there are sundry Presidents in the Patent and Plea-Rolls of Scotland in this and succeeding years Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury was no sooner consecrated at Rome Vid. Godw. Catal. p. 427. but he procured a Bull from Pope Celestine the Fifth by his Papal provision to confer the Bishoprick of Landaff which had been void for nine years space and thereby devolved to the Pope by lapse as he pretended on any Person he should think meet for that employment Whereupon without the King 's previous Authority he conferred it by way of provision upon John de Monmouth Yet the King was not forward to restore the Temporalties of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury to this Archbishop or of Landaff to John de Monmouth thus intruded into it against his Prerogative but detained them near two years after in his hands as vacant receiving the profits and presenting to the Benefices belonging to them Upon the death of Robert Burnel Bishop of Bath and Wells the King's Chancellor William de Marchia then Treasurer of England was elected to succeed him in that Bishoprick This year John de Langton succeeded Robert Burnel in the Chancellors Office of England The King in the twenty two year of his Reign notwithstanding a Subsidy granted to him Matth. Westm wanting Moneys searched all the Monasteries and Churches throughout England where any Moneys were deposited by Religious persons or others and forcibly carried it away to supply his occasions by the advice of his Treasurer William de Marchia Bishop of Bath and Wells The same year the King granted Protections to divers Abbots and Clergy-men who aided him with their Contributions against the French He also desired the assistance of their devout Prayers unto God for a blessing upon him and his Military Forces in defence of his Inheritance against their armed Powers as appears by his Writs under his Privy Seal issued to his Bishops and other Religious persons John Duke of Brabant the King 's dear Friend and Kinsman dying this year the King issued Writs to all his Bishops and sundry Abbots and Priors to make Prayers and chaunt Masses for him according to the superstition of that Age. Then the Roman See through the Cardinals divisions continuing void about three years and three months after the decease of Pope Nicholas the Fourth the Cardinals at last elected Peter de Murone an Hermite and Monk of the Order of St. Benedict whom they named Celestine the Fifth He during his short continuance in the Papacy granted our King Edward the First a Disme for seven years from all the Clergy of England out of zeal to the relief of the Holy Land But his Wars with the French Welch-men and Scots wasted all these Dismes Pope Celestine in the month of September created twelve Cardinals among whom were two Hermits But the Cardinals being weary of this precise reforming Pope perswaded him to resign his Papacy as being unfit to manage it without the Churches ruine and his own destruction So after he had sate five months and seven dayes he resigned the Papacy Then Benedict Cajetan his grand Counsellor was chosen Pope and called by the name of Boniface How unsutable yea contradictory his actions were to both his good names he immediately discovered which occasioned this Distich to be made of and applied to him Audi tace lege bene dic bene fac Benedicte Aut haec perverte male dic male fac Maledicte Celestine returned to his Cell from whence Boniface drew him forth and cast him into a close Prison where he abode till his death whence it is reported that Celestine prophecied of him Ascendisti ut Vulpes Regnabis ut Leo Morieris ut Canis Thou hast ascended into the Papacy like a Fox thou shalt reign like a Lion and die like a Dog and so it came to pass This Pope Boniface by his Bull having appropriated the Church of Wermington to the Abby of Peterburgh whereof they had the Patronage the King authorized them accordingly to appropriate it to them and their Successors against him and his Heirs notwithstanding the Statute of Mortmain This Pope sent two Cardinal Legats a latere first to the King of France and from him to the King of England then engaged in Wars against each other under a specious pretext of mediating a Truce between England and France but instead thereof these Cardinals did twice prey upon the English and Irish Churches and Clergy and transported their Treasure into France to enrich themselves and the King's Enemies there Then King Edward sent Writs to his Archbishops Bishops Abbots and others to make Prayers sing Masses and do other Works of Piety for the Soul of his Brother Edmond and after that of Margaret Queen of France according to the superstition of that Age. Tho. Walsingh Hist Angl. p. 34. In the twenty fourth year of King Edward's Reign there arose a great Sedition and Combat between the Scholars and Townsmen in the University of Oxford wherein many were slain on both sides and the Goods of the Scholars plundered and carried away upon complaint whereof to the King by the Scholars he sent his Justices thither to punish the Malefactors and repair the Scholars damages King Edward strenuously opposed Pope Boniface's Anti-monarchical Constitution against demanding or imposing Subsidies on the Clergy Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury was stout in the prosecution of the Popes Bull which he had procured for it for which all his Tempoporalties were seized and he being forced to hide his head and reduced to great extremities was restored to the King's favour by the earnest mediation of his Suffragan Bishops on his behalf Whereupon the King issued out Writs to restore his Temporalties with all his Oxen Goods and Chattels formerly seized in the state now they were In the twenty fifth year of this King's Reign Henry de Newark being elected Archbishop of York and his election approved by the King his Proctors sent to Rome procured the Pope's
the Scots in the like distress The Queen had been secretly advertised of all passages there by Sir Nicholas Throgmorton her Majestie 's Resident in that Kingdom It being agreed on between them that the Queen should supply the Prince of Conde and his Associates with a sufficient quantity of Money Corn and Ammunition for the service of the French King against the practices of the House of Guise and that the Town of New-haven should be put into her Majestie 's hands to be garrisoned by English Souldiers Immediately a manifest was published in the name of the Queen wherein was declared that she had observed how the Guisian Faction in the names of the Queen-Mother of France and the young King had endeavoured to root out the Professors of the Reformed Religion and what massacres had been made at Vassey Paris Sene Tholouse Bloys Touers Angier and other places that there were thought to be Butchered no less than an hundred thousand of the natural Franch between the first of March and the twentieth of August then last past that with the like violence they had caused to be spoiled and imprisoned such of her Majestie 's Subjects as Traded in the Ports of Bretaign and such as sought to preserve themselves to be killed their goods and Merchandize to be seized without charging any other crime upon them but that they were Hugonots and that in consideration of the premises she could do no less than endeavour the preserving the Reformed Religion from an universal destruction and the maintaining her own Subjects and Dominions in peace and safety The ayd amounting to six thousand men was divided into two equal parts of which the one was destined to the defence of Roven and Deep then being in the hands of the Confederates the other to take possession of the Town of New-haven which by the Inhabitants was joyfully surrendâ—ed to the English The Lord Ambrose Dudley the eldest Son then living of the late Duke of Northumberland she sent to command that place whom on Decemb. 26. She had created Lord Lisle and Earl of Warwick where he was solemnly received with a peal of Ordnance A petit Rebellion hapned in Merton-colledge in Oxford The Wardenship of that house being voyd by the death of Gervase one Man is chosen to the place one Hall and his Popish faction opposed his admission and raised such a persecution that it was poenal for any to be a Protestant Archbishop Parker hearing of it summoneth Hall to appear before him but the seal of the citation was torn off by some of that party Hereupon the Archbishop made a solemn visitation of that Colledge wherein all were generally examined Man confirmed Warden Hall justly expelled his party publickly admonished the young Scholars relieved Papists curbed and suppressed Protestants countenanced and encouraged in the whole University Now many strange whispers were abroad and no small hopes conceived by those of the Popish faction for suppressing the Protestants in all parts of the Kingdom and setting up their own Religion as in former times of the plot were Arthur Pool younger brother to Reginald Pool the late Cardinal Legate and Geoffry Fortescue who had married his sister and others The substance of their charge was a design of levying War against the Queen c. with a particular intention of advancing the Queen of Scots to the Crown of England and Pool himself unto the Title of Duke of Clarence All which they Confessed upon the Indictment and did all receive the sentence of death but were all afterwards pardoned by the Queen out of that great respect which she bare to their Royal Extraction Then was that elegant discourse published by Bishop Jewel Entitled The Apology of the Church of England first writ in Latine translated presently into English French Italian Dutch and at last in Greek to the publishing whereof he was much encouraged by Peter Martyr with whom he had spent the greatest part of his time when he lived in exile But Martyr lived onely to see the Book which he so much longed for dying at Zurich on the twelfth of November following and laid into his grave by the Magistrates and people of that City with a solemn funeral The five Bishopricks erected by King Henry the eighth were so impoverished in this Queen's Reign that the new Bishops were necessitated to require the benevolence of their Clergy at their first coming to them to furnish their Episcopal houses and to enable them to maintain some tolerable degree of Hospitality in their several Diocesses The Parliament called January 12. 1562. passed an Act for Assurance of the Queen 's Royal power over all Estates and Subjects in her Dominions In which it was provided That no man Residing in the Queen's Dominions should from thence-forth either by-word or writing c. endeavour willingly to maintain the power and jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome heretofore usurped within this Realm It was also enacted that none should be admitted unto Holy Orders or to any Degree in either of the Universities or to be Barrester or Bencher in any of the Inns of Court or to Practise as an Attourney c till He or They should first take the Oath of Supremacy on the Holy Evangelists with a power given to every Archbishop and Bishop within this Realm and the Dominions of the same to Minister the said Oath to all and every Spiritual Person in their proper Diocesses as well in places exempt as els-where It had been declared by the Bishops and Clergy assembled at the same time in their Convocation To be a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God and the Custom of the Primitive Church to have publick Prayer in the Church or to administer the Sacraments in a Tongue not understood by the People therefore it was Enacted That the Bishops of Hereford S. David's Bangor Landaff and S. Asaph should take care for Translating the whole Bible with the Common-prayer book into the Welch Tongue The like care was also taken for Translating the Books of Homilies Then were the Nine and thirty Articles composed in the Convocation at London published soon after both in English and Latine with this following Title The 39. Articles compiled in Convocation viz. Articles agreed upon by the Archishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London Anno 1562. for the avoyding of Diversities of opinions and establishing consent touching true Religion These Articles came forth much about the time that the Decrees of the Council of Trent were published Many of which Decrees begin with lying and all end with Cursing threatening Anathema's to all dissenters Anno 1571. the Parliament confirmed these Articles so far that every Clerk should before Decemb. 25. next following subscribe the same And hereafter every person promoted to an Ecclesiastical living should within a time prefixed in the time of Divine Service publickly read and profess his consent to the same on pain of deprivation
of such Prohibitions as formerly had been granted by the Courts in Westminster-hall to stop the proceedings of the Court-Christian and specially of the High-Commission and in the next place to deny the Authority of the Commission it self as before was noted Hereupon the Archbishop informs his Majesty both of the Man and of his design how far he had gone in justifying the proceedings of the Scottish Covenanters in decrying the temporal power of Church-men and the undoubted right of Bishops to their place in Parliament his Majesty hereupon gives order to Finch the new Lord Keeper to interdict all further Reading on those points Hereupon it was soon found that nothing could be done therein without leave from the King and no such leave to be obtained without the consent of the Archbishop To Lambeth therefore goes the Reader where he found no admittance till the third Address and was then told That he was fallen upon a Subject neither safe nor seasonable which should stick closer to him then he was aware of Whereupon Bagshaw hasteneth out of Town Short view of the life and reign of King Charles p. 77. The Parliament came together on April 13. 1640. instead of acting any thing for his Majesties service they were at the point of passing a Vote for blasting his War against the Scots To prevent which his Majesty was forced to dissolve them on May 5. the Convocation still continuing who granted him a Benevolence of four shillings in the pound for all their Ecclesiastical promotions to be paid six years together then next ensuing The Convocation sate after the breaking up of the Parliament A new Commission was brought from his Majesty by vertue whereof they were warranted to sit still not in the capacity of a Convocation but of a Synod to prepare their Canons for the Royal assent thereunto But Doctor Brewnrigg Doctor Hacket Doctor Holdsworth Mr. Warmstrey with others to the number of thirty six the whole House consisting of about sixscore protested against the continuance of the Convocation To satisfie these an Instrument was brought into the Synod signed with the hands of the Lord Privy-seal the two chief Justices and other Judges justifying their so fitting in the nature of a Synod to be legal according to the Laws of the Realm Now their disjoynted meeting being set together again they consulted about new Canons I shall set down the number and titles of the several Canons 1. Concerning the Regal power 2. For the better keeping of the day of his Majesties Inauguration 3. For suppressing of the growth of Popery 4. Against Socinianism 5. Against Sectaries 6. An Oath enjoyned for the preventing of all Innovations in Doctrine and Government 7. A Declaration concerning some Rites and Ceremonies 8. Of preaching for Conformity 9. One Book of Articles of enquiry to be used at all Parochial visitations 10. Concerning the Conversation of the Clergy 11. Chancellors Patents 12. Chancellors alone not not to censure any of the Clergy in sundry cases 13. Excommunication and Absolution not to be pronounced but by a Priest 14. Concerning the Commutations and the disposing of them 15. Concerning some Concurrent Jurisdictions 16. Concerning Licenses to marry 17. Against vexatious Citations The Oath it self I shall set down as I find it in the Life of Archbishop Laud written by Doctor Heylin in this form following viz. I A. B. do swear That I do approve the Doctrine and Discipline or Government established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to salvation And that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish doctrine contrary to that which is so established Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Archbishops Bishops Deans and Archdeacons c. As it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand nor yet ever subject it to the usurpations and superstitions of the See of Rome And all these things I do plainly and seriously acknowledge and swear according to the plain and common sence and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And this I do heartily willingly and truly upon the faith of a Christian So help me God in Jesus Christ Toward the close of the Convocation Doctor Griffith made a motion that there might be a new Edition of the Welsh Church-bible some sixty years first translated into Welsh by the endeavours of Bishop Morgan but not without many mistakes and omissions of the Printer The matter was committed to the care of the Welsh Bishops but nothing was effected therein Near the ending of the Synod Godfrey Goodman Bishop of Glocester privately acquainted the Archbishop of Canterbury that he could not in his Conscience subscribe the new Canons The Archbishop being present with the Synod in King Henry the Seventh his Chappel said unto him My Lord of Glocester I admonish you to subscribe and presently after My Lord of Glocester I admonish you the second time to subscribe and immediately after I admonish you to subscribe To all which the Bishop pleaded Conscience and returned a denial Some dayes after he was committed to the Gate-house Soon after the same Canons were subscribed at York and on the last of June following the said Canons were publickly printed with the Royal assent affixed thereunto Fuller Church History ad An. 1640. Various were mens censures upon these Canons But most took exception against that clause in the Oath We will never give any consent to alter this Church-governmet as if the same were intended to abridge the liberty of King and State in future Parliaments and Convocations if hereafter they saw cause to change any thing therein Yet others with a favourable sence endeavoured to qualifie this suspitious clause whereby the taker of this Oath was tied up from consenting to any alteration saying that these words We will never give any consent to alter are intended here to be meant only of a voluntary and pragmatical alteration when men conspire and endeavour to change the present Government of the Church in such particulars as they do dislike without the consent of their Superiors Bishop Goodman on July the tenth made acknowledgment of his fault before the Lords of the Council and took the Oath enjoyned in the sixth Canon for preserving the Doctrines and Discipline of the Church of England against all Popish doctrines which were thereunto repugnant Upon the doing whereof he was restored by his Majesty to his former liberty Yet in the time of his last sickness it is said that he declared himself to be a Member of the Church of Rome and caused it so to be expressed in his last Will and Testament On December 27. 1639. at night and the night following there was such a violent Tempest that many of the Boats which were drawn to Land at Lambeth were dashed one against the other and were broke to pieces
Sabbath the other The Christian Alter Not many days after the Earl of Strafford was impeached of High Treason by Mr. Pym in fourteen Articles The Earl was forthwith Sequestred the House and committed to the Black Rod and sent not long after to the Tower December 18. Archbishop Laud and Bishop Wren were voted by the Commons Guilty of High Treason and a charge was immediately brought in against Bishop Laud upon the Reading of which on March 1. he was sent to the Tower The same moneth Alderman Pennington with a great multitude out of London petitioned the House against Episcopal Government and the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church A Committee was appointed to consider of matters of Religion setled in the Upper House of Parliament Ten Earls ten Bishops ten Barons At the same time the Lords appointed a Sub-committee to prepare matters fit for their cognizance the Bishop of Lincoln having the Chair in both authorized to call together divers Bishops and Divines to consult together for correcting what was amiss and to settle peace viz. The Archbishop of Armagh The Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Exeter Dr. Samuel Ward Dr. William Twisse Dr. Robert Sanderson Dr. Daniel Featley Dr. Ralph Brownrigg Dr. Richard Holdsworth Dr. John Hacket Dr. Cornelius Burgesse Mr. John White Mr. Stephen Marshall Mr. Edmond Calamy Mr. Thomas Hill The place of their meeting was Jerusalem-chamber in the Dean of Westminster's house where they had solemn debates six several days First they consult on innovations in Doctrine Then they enquire into Preter-canonical conformity and innovations in Discipline and concerning the Common-Prayer Lastly they entred on the Regulating of Ecclesiastical Government which was not brought in because the Bishop of Lincoln had undertaken the draught thereof but not finished it as employed at the same time in many weighty matters of State This consultation continued till the middle of May. But the Bâ—ll against Deans and Chapters put such a distance between the foresaid Divines that never their Judgments and scarce their persons met after together The Canons made in the late Convocation were condemned in the House of Commons as being against the King's Prerogative the Fundamental Laws of the Realm the Liberty and Property of the Subject and containing divers other things tending to Sedition and of dangerous consequence Many things were charged against the Archbishop by the Scots Commissioners viz. That he had pressed upon that Kirk many Innovations in Religion contained in the Liturgy and Book of Canons contrary to the Liberties and Laws thereof That he had required Ballentine Bishop of Dumblane and the rest of the Bishops to be present at the Divine Service in their Whites and blamed the said Bishop for his negligence in it c. That he gave order for the taking down Stone-walls and Galleries in the Churches of Edenborough to no other end but for the setting up of Altars and Adoration toward the East That for their Supplicating against these Novations they were declared Rebels in all the Parish-Churches of England and a War kindled against them by his Arts and Practices That their Covenant by him was called ungodly and that divers Oathes were imposed upon their Countrey-men to abjure the same That he in the presence of the King spared not to rail against the General Assembly held at Glascow and put his hand to a Warrant for imprisoning some of those Commissioners sent from the Parliament of Scotland for the Peace of both Nations That when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist in the War against them he had caused the same to be dissolved and continued the Convocation to make Canons against them and their Doctrines c. Such was the charge exhibited by the Scots Commissioners in which many thought there was nothing criminal enough to deserve Imprisonment much less to menace him with death The Bishop of Ely was impeached for many reputed misdemeanours in the See of Norwich That he deprived or banished within the space of two years fifty Godly Learned Painful Ministers His placing the Communion-Table Altar-wise and causing a Rayl to be set before it The practising of Superstition in his own person his bowing toward it Consecrating the Bread and Wine at the West-side of the Table with his back toward the people and elevating the same above his Head that the people might see it causing the seats in all places to be so contrived that the people must of necessity kneel towards the East Appointing no Prayers to be used by Preachers before their Sermons but that prescribed by the Canon c. In the midst of these troublesom times died Dr. John Davenant Bishop of Salisbury A little before his death he prayed emphatically for half a quarter of an hour Among many heavenly passages therein He thanked God for this his fatherly correction because in all his life-time he never had any one heavy affliction which made him often much suspect with himself whether he was a true child of God or no. Deans and Chapters being now opposed by Parliament the Cathedral-men endeavour to preserve their Foundations and by their friends obtain leave to be admitted into the House of Commons and to be heard what they could alledge in their own behalf They made choice of Doctor John Hacket Prebendary of St. Pauls to be the mouth for all the rest He shewed Fuller Church Hist Cent. 17. lib. 11. that to supply the defects of Prayer committed by private men the publick duty thereof should be constantly performed in some principal place in imitation of the Primitive practice and this is done in Cathedrals He spake much also in praise of Church-musick when moderated to Edification He took occasion to resell that slaunder which some cast on Lecture-preachers as an upstart Coâ—poration alledging that the local Statutes of most or all Cathedral Churches do require Lectures on the week-days And in the name of his Brethren he requested that Honourable House that godly and profitable Preaching might be the more exacted Then he insisted on the advancement of Learning as the proper use and convenience of Cathedrals each of them being a small Academy for the Champions of Christ's cause against the Adversaries by their Learned pens Here he proffered to prove by a Catalogue of their Names and Works which he could produce that most excellent labours in this kind excepting some few have preceeded from persons preferred in Cathedrals Now what a disheartning would it be to young Students if such promotions were taken away He alledged also that the antient and genuine use of Deans and Chapters was as Senatus Episcopi to assist the Bishop in his jurisdiction He said that Cathedral-Churches were the first Monuments of Christianity in England From things he passed to persons and began with the multitude of such members as had maintenance from Cathedrals the total amounting to many thousands All which by the dissolution of Deans and Chapters must be exposed to poverty Next he instanced