ei de Obedientia tanquam Principi legitimo praestitissent posteque debere si vires habeant istius modi hominem tanquam Apostatam Haereticum ac Christi Domini desertorem Reipublicae suae inimicum hostemque ex hominum Christianorum dominatu ejicere Andraeas Philopater Responsio ad Edictum Reginae Angliae § 157. pag. 106 107. and Lawyers that if any Christian Prince fall from the Catholick Faith and would have others to follow him he himself thereby doth forthwith both by Divine and Humane Law though the Pope do no way censure him fall from all his Authority and Dignity and his Subjects are freed from all their Oaths of Allegiance which they sware to him as a lawful Prince and so they may nay and ought if they have force enough to overcome pull him down from the Throne as an Apostate Heretick a forsaker of Christ and an enemy to the Common-wealth This is excellent stuff fit for Rome and Spain who then had a Months minde to England and had many Irons in the Fire for that purpose which he did not question but to bring about having such good Instruments to work withal hoping in time to perswade the English to be brave Rebels and to believe this their Doctrine And the better to bring them about to this lure Philopater is at them again and again several times earnestly perswading them that this Proposition about the subjects thus deposing of Kings is c Atque haec certa definita indubitata virorum doctissimorum sententia doctrinae Apostolicae conformis plane consona est Ib. § 158. Id. § 160. Est igitur certissima indubitata haec communis Doctorum Catholicorum sententia de subditorum obligatione ad Principes haeretices repellâ—ndos Id. § 221. Certe opinat illa capita sunt doctrinae Catholicae quae omni Theologorum scholatot retro saeculis jarn docuit Christianorum omnium â—nanimis consensu c. the certain determin'd and undoubted opinion of all learned men and plainly agreeable and consonant to the Apostolical Doctrine Nay that it is not onely lawful but that they are a Certe non tantum licet ut jam dixi sed summa etiam juris divini necessitate ac praecepto imo Conscientiae vinculo arctissimo extremo animarum periculo ac discriâ—â—ne Châ—istianis omnibus hoc ipsum incumbit si praestare rem possunt Id. § 162. obliged to do so upon their Conscience and pain of their souls And as if with one stroke he would subdue two of the most potent Kingdoms of Europe by necessitating of them to submit to their then Enemie the Spaniard for then he endeavoured to make himself Master over them both he puts it down for a Rule that he who is not of the Roman Catholick Religion and not yet obtain'd the Crown Id. § 161. must not by any means be permitted to be King though his Title be good In this case he expresly nominates his design against France by perswading of them upon this reason never to admit of the King of Navarre for their Soveraign So that if that Nation have had any benefit from that Noble House of the Bourbons as they cannot deny but their obligations to be many they are no way beholden to this English Counsellor under the Spanish Habit. And for our selves we as little for the same Engine aims also against our Family of the Stuarts upon the same account of Religion and this is also used as an Argument upon the same account by his Friend and fellow-Rebel Father Parsons in his Book about the succession of the Crown under the counterfeit name of R. Doleman Petrus de Ledesma is willing in all things to harp upon the Authority of the Pope and therefore he would have the people before they warr'd against their King to have some recourse to the Pope or the Emperour so that here Kings have got another Temporal Ruler over them but if this be not so easie and convenient to be done what then b Poterit conventum agere talem Regem Regno pellere si opus sit vita spoliare Theol. Moral Tract 8. cap. 18. pag. 512. They may then he saith call a Parliament and depose their King nay and kill him too saith this good Spaniard And c De justitia Tom. 1. Tract 2. disp 29. col 213 214. Ludovicus Molina another Spaniard goeth much about the same way to consult his deposing And now let us see what a Portugal saith to this point and this shall be no less than Emanuel Sa one of a great name amongst the Jesuits he saith expresly in one place that if d Potest per rempublicam privari ob Tyrannidem si non faciat Officium suum cum est causa aliqua justa eligi alius à majore parte populi Em. Sa. Aphorism v. Princeps § 2. the King tyrannize and do not execute his Office and when there is any other just reason for so doing then the people may dethrone him and elect another and this he confirms again in e Tyrannicem gubernans juste acquisitum dominium non potest spoliari sine publico judicio lata vero sententia potest quisque fieri Executor potest autem deponi à populo etiam qui juravit ei Obedientiam perpetuam si monitus non vult corrigi Id. V. Tyrannus § 2. another place And you may suppose that he was very careful to finde out the truth and in this case what was the real meaning of the Roman Church from which you must think he would not swerve a jot I say you must take him here to be very exact since he tells us that he was about forty years in compiling this little Book Yet I durst fancy that his Mother would never have perswaded him with that earnestness to be a Disciple to the Jesuits had she thought that the Enemy of her Country Portugal would make use of such Principles as these to enlarge his own Territories and so to have made the Lusitanian Dragon a prey to the greedy-minded Lyon of Castile We had formerly Leonardus Lessius making the Pope swagger over Kings under the false name of Guilielmus Singletonus but here we shall see him without that Visard boldly shewing himself in his true colours but upon as bad a design as the former a Si tantum excreâ—caâ— Tyâ—â—â—nus he means one of true tâ—tle possession ut nâ—n videatur amplius tolerabilis nec ullum aliud Remedium supersit primum à Repub. vel commitiis Regni vel alio habente authoritatem esse deponendum hostem declarandum ut in ipsius personam quidquam attentare Tum enim desinit esse Princeps Leon. Less de justiâ—ia jure lib. 2. cap. 9. disp 4. § 12. If saith he the Prince grow so much a Tyrant that he seems intolerable and no other remedy appearing the People or Parliament or any other in authority may
that which was none of his own Yet they may suppose that the Inca spake this not like a Romanist but an Heathen as he was for their Writers anon will tell us another Doctrine and yet all parties smile at the Fool in Athens for thinking all other mens ships to be his own Whether the Pope hath any real Reason for the exercising of this his suppos'd Prerogative is nothing to the Purpose as Thomas Bozius affirm'd to Pope Clement the Eighth and all people else * Sitque aliquis Rex juâ—e solers industrius Poâ—ens Catholicus pius tamen Pontifex Episcopique Pontifice approhante uâ—e naturali Divino in Divinis Scriptis expresso ac tradito per Christum Apostolos valent huic auferre Imperia Regna alterique nullum jus alioque habenti adjudicare ubi judicaveâ—int id esse non modo necessarium sed expediens Tho. Bozius de jure status lib. 3 cap. 4. For although said he that the King be lawful and not onely so but understanding careful powerful one of the Popes Religion and godly too yet can the Pope take his Empire or Kingdoms from him and give it to another although there be no necessity for so doing it being enough if he think it onely convenient Nor is this all for he attributes the same Authority to the Bishops which is of sufficient validity if the Pope do but approve of their actions This Eugubian in other places of his Writings harps much upon De Italiae statu p. 300. 311. the Popes power in deposing of Kings and dividing the World amongst them as if they were his Sons and he the Father of all And then would seem to thrust Dante aut auferente Imperia Regnaque opulentissima omnium Maxima Orbem rerrarum distribuens ac partiens inter maximos omnium Principes veluti inter filios Ib. pag 301. into the World an Opinion of bad consequence of none being held for Kings but those who were anoynted and Crown'd but the Priests Watson and Clark 1603 found that this Plea would neither Id. pag. 305. quit them from Treason nor save their live Amongst other things to Buoy or bolster up this his Opinion of the Popes Spiritual and â—emporal Power he a Id. pag 430. brings the Authority of one Roderigo Zanchez Bishop of Zamora and the truth of it is that where wording is all this Spaniard may carry the Bell away boldly affirming * Est vero naturaliter moraliter Divino jure cum recta fide tenendum Principatum Romani Pont. esse verum unicum immediatum Principatum totius Oâ—bis nedum quoad Spiritualia sed quoad Temporalia Principatum Impeâ—iaâ—em esse ab ipso dependentem mediatum ministerialem instrumentalem eidem subministrantem deservientem foreque ab eo ordinatum institutum ad jussum Principatus Papalis mobilem â—evocabilem corâ—igibilem punibilem That by Natural Moral and divine Law we must believe that the Pope hath the immediate and onely Rule of the whole World in Temporals as well is in Spirituals all imperial Authority depending so much upon him that it is alterable punishable or null'd as he shall command The small esteem which this Bishop thus declared to the World by his Pen he had of Temporal Greatness Another of the same Sea viz. Antonio de Acunna by his Sword declar'd his approbation to it Prud. de Sandoval Anno 1520. though upon different accounts by his turbulent spirit adding fresh Fuel to the Treasonous humours then raging in Spain this old Don still charging in the head of above four hundred Priests which he had under his Command well armed his Word being Here my Priests But at last by a strangling he paid for his Rebellions against his Soveraign Charles the Fifth Emperour of Germany Laelius Zecchus a great man with them both for Law and Dignity is earnest for this jurisdiction of the Popes affirming Papa enim Caesares deponit jura Impeâ—ia transfert Reges Regnis privat c. Lael Zecch Tract Theolog p 82 83. that he can depose both Emperours and Kings being absolute Lord of the Christian World And another Italian Lawyer viz. a De poâ—est Rom. Pont. l. 2. c 3. Sect 18. Adversus impios Politicos hujus temporis Hereticâ—s Alexander Clericus is much of the same opinion and declares that he writ this Book against the wicked Polititians and Hereticks of his time amongst the rest whether he intended Cardinal Bellarmine let others judge since he hath several whole Chapters against him But a greater Lawyer than the former and one of more Learning and Modesty viz. b De Testament cap. 6. Sect. 19. Didacus Covarruvas is willing to let himself be perswaded by the Canon-Law to imbrace this King-deposing Opinion And his Country-man though of an ancienter Cut c De planctu Ecclesiae l. 1. cap. 13 37 56. Alvarus Pelagius out of the same Box swallows down the like Poyson Gaspar Scioppius that unruly German though of the same wicked judgement yet he will pretend to give you some pretty Reasons for it as that because the Pope is the Head as he saith and the Emperour and Kings but Arms or Hands to the same monstrous Body therefore if these do not their Itaque si Reges non nutriant neque vestiant Corpus certe manus aut brachia munere non funguntur itaque velut membâ—um inutile capitis Imperio amputantur Gasp Sciop Ecclesiasticus c. 141. p. 511 512. duty in being careful to preserve the Body the Head as Lord and Master may cut them off A pretty simile to make the supposed wise Head cause of its own ruine But if this do not please you he will give you another as good from the great benefit forsooth that some Countries have received by this Temporal Power of the Popes As by this France had their Antient Family of the Meroveens thrust out from being Kings and the Carlovingiens popt into the Throne That Germany by this hath got the Western Empire but not a word of the Emperours wanting Italy And as for Spain it 's obliged to hug and defend this unlimited Prerogative of St. Peter since it gain'd the Kingdom of Navarre by a Hispania Navarrae Regnum nullo alio titulo nisi quia capiti Ecclesiae Pontifici sui visum fuerit obtinuit Ib. no other Right nor Title but onely because it so pleas'd the Pope In the mean time was not Don John of Albret and his Wife Catharina King and Queen of Navarre and their poor Subjects also much beholden to Pope Julius the Second for his thus ruining of them by the hands of their Enemies By this Argument Schoppius might maintain the knack of Plagiery he gaining at first the name of some Learning by his slie transcribing of his Masters Notes but never the more honesty or right stuck by him nor had he mended his manners had he
sometimes is not onely tyrannical wicked and debauched but a simple Boy too and some think also a whorish b See Alexand Cook 's Pope Joan and les sieur Congnard traite contre Bâ—ondel Woman to boot So that it is no wonder that there is such striving canvassing bribery and underhand-dealing to be made Pope if their so being instantly invest them with such an unlimited Authority over all the world and that by Divine right too but of such a Nature that none can see into this Milstone but themselves or favourites And that there may not be any objection against this Authority of the Pope Bozius undertakes to demonstrate it by Examples which you shall have as he gives us them and then judge either of the Heresie or Authority of the Popes Thus he tells us that Baldwin II was lawful Successor to the Eastern Empire yet Michael Palaeologus by force of Arms and wickedness took the Empire from him However for all this injury as he saith did Pope Gregory X allow so much of it that he gave the Empire to the Invador and excluded the lawful Inheritor Another instance he giveth concerning the Western Empire viz. that Richard Duke of Cornwal Son to King John and Brother to Henry III of England being by one part of the Electors of Germany viz. by the Bishops of Mentz Colen and the Palsgrave chosen Emperour And Alonso X King of Castile being by another part viz. Archbishop of Trevers King of Bohemia Duke of Saxony and Marquiss of Brandeburg also chosen Emperour And so by consequence as he saith it must of necessity belong to one of these two Yet such was the pleasure of the aforesaid Gregory X that he threw them both by and commanded the Electors to pitch upon another by which means Rodulph Earl of Habspurgh and Hessia came to be Emperour And the same power Bozius saith the Pope hath over Infidels and to prove this by Example he hints to us the Donation of America by Alexander VI and his huge Authority divided between the Castilian and Portugal And I wonder that before this time he hath not given the World in the Moon to some of his Favourites And as Pope a H. Estiene Apol. pour Herodot p. 465 466. Clement VI commanded the Angels to carry such Souls into Paradise so might some of his Successors command some pretty vehicles or other to carry his friends beyond the Earths attraction and so into the Dominions of the Lunary World where by a zealous Croisade and a furious Inquisition those pretty people might be taught Rebellion THE REBELLIOUS AND Treasonable Practises Of the ROMANISTS From the Year DC to the Year M. With a Blow at Constantines Donation The Popes absolute Temporal Authority and Legality of his Being BOOK III. CHAP. I. The Tale of Constantines Donation proved a meer Cheat and Forgery I Shall not here ingage my self in the Dispute whether S. Peter was ever Bishop of Rome or no nor with the time of his presiding there a De Rom. Pont. l. 1. c. 6. Bellarmine their famous b Addit ad Platin. viz. S. Petri. Onuphrius and some others not agreeing about the manner and several Learned Men have imployed themselves on both parties in this Controversie Nor by what means the Popes came to that greatness they are now in and pretend of right to have Christ said c Joh. 18. 36. his Kingdom was not of this world nor did S. Peter or any of the rest of the Apostles endeavour to obtain either any such Temporal Government or upon the account of their Spiritual to lord it with a coercive Power over Secular Authority And if any of their Successors plead such Prerogatives they can draw no Arguments either from the Precept or Example of the Apostles Not but that the Clergy are as capable of Temporal Imployments as any if the Supreme Magistrate so order it without whose appointment the Lay-man himself cannot pretend to Office What jurisdiction the Bishops of Rome exercised over Princes for the first Ages as History is altogether silent so cannot we imagine that they did considering in what Persecutions they themselves lived being for their own preservation forced to sculk and lurk about here and there and that in poverty too insomuch that if we consult their own Histories we shall finde that the first XXXIII Bishops of Rome suffer'd Martyrdom till a An. 314. Sylvester in the days of Constantine the Great In whose time by the Emperours declaring himself a Christian Christianity began to appear more publick being thus countenanced by Authority whereby those who formerly lurk'd in Caves and Forrests wandred about Mountains and dissembled their Profession for fear of persecution now boldly shewed and declared themselves and had places of Trust and Authority conferred upon them whereby they became more formidable to the Pagans and Religion daily gained more Proselytes Splendour and Jurisdiction By this Emperour Constantine they say that the Popes of Rome had not onely many Priviledges but God knows how much Land too given them viz. not onely Rome it self but also all the Provinces Places and Cities of all Italy and the Western Region and that he might be more glorious and powerful in all the World than the Emperour himself And thus we see them set on Cock horse and whence many of them plead a Prerogative And for proof of this they not onely say that they can shew you the Decree it self but from it and other Authors tell the Reason of such a Donation which because the Storie is pretty and miraculous take as followeth in short Constance they say being a wicked Tyrant and an Heathen murthering his own Son Crispus the Consul c. at last was sorry Baron anno 324. § 16 17. for his own wickedness and desired to be clensed therefrom but his Pagan Priests told him That they had no means of purging such heinous Offences In the mean time one Aegyptius supposed by b Anno 324. § 27. Baronius to be Osius Bishop of Corduba a Christian told the Emperour That the Christians had a way to clense a man from any guilt To which Constantine lent a willing ear though upon that did not forsake his Idolatry but persecuted the Christians insomuch that Pope Slyvester with some others for their own safety stole from Rome and hid themselvs in the Mountain Soractes now call'd c Or M. St. Oresto Baron § 33. Monte S. Tresto corrupted as they say from Monte di S. Silvestro North from Rome upon the Westside of Tiber. For these crimes and oppressions they say he was as by a judgement strangely infected with the Leprosie or Meselry according to the old Translation of d Translat of Ranulphus of Chesters Polycron fol. 212. John Trevisa Vicar of Barckley almost CCC years ago to be cured of this disease he applyeth himself to his Physitians but with no benefit then the Pagan Priests of the Capitol advised him
ingenuement que c'a este un horrible Sacrilege digne d'estre brusle du feu du Ciel Et encor qu' Onuphre remitte en doubte cette Histoire elle est neantmoins receüe par la Commune voix de tous les Escrivains Coeffet Response au Mornay pag. 576. Nicholas Coeffeteau of his own accord quitting of us from this labour As for Pope Stephanus they say he was at last imprisoned by his Baron Coeffet Enemies and there strangled yet some onely say in the common phrase he dyed To him succeeded k An. 897. Romanus being chosen by a prevailing Faction of the Romans as l Pag. 477. Coquaeus saith against Albert Marquiss of Tuscany this obliged Romanus as an Enemy to Sergius and his party to favour Formosus whom in a Synod he vindicated condemning all that Stephanus had done against him so did his Successor m An. 898. Theodorus the Second After him there was great strivings to have the former Sergius setled in the Popedom but the contrary party carryed it who elected John the Tenth or Ninth his interest also lay for Formosus whose actions he presently Platina began to vindicate but in this a great number of Romans opposing him the Seditions and Tumults rose to such an hight that both parties had like to have gone together by the Ears and fought it out but to carry his business more clearly John leaveth Rome goeth to Ravenna where he gets LXXIV Bishops together with Sigonius an 898. whom he condemns the proceedings of Stephanus against Formosus and declar'd as sacrilegious those who had taken his body out of Coef p. 577. its Grave and cut off his Fingers and yet at the same time call'd Stephanus a Pope of a Id. p. 582. Stâ—phanum pâ—ae recordationis Baron an 904. § 4. holy and blessed memory And something he also did here in Temporals according as his interest led him for though he loved one and hated the other â—ope never so much yet self-ends perswaded him to reject and approve at his own liking for here he null'd the Coronation of Arnulph for Emperour as illegal though 't was done by his Friend Formosus and on the contrary received and declared as authentick that of Lamberts though crown'd by his Foe Stephanus the truth is he loved not the German greatness to have too much countenance neer him for which cause he desired Lâ—â—mbert to be present at this Synod for a farther confirmation of his honour And having now a King or Emperour according to his hearts wish the better to confirm the Popedom to his own associates or party he establish'd by Decree or renew'd the ancient Laws viz. b Coef pag. 577. That from that time forward the Popes should not be Consecrated but in the presence of the Ambassadors or Deputies of the Emperour Thus was Adrian the Thâ—d his Constitution contrary to this null'd And so much for this John who is branded by Platina as a Renewer or Reviver of the former broyls and seditions which were almost neglected or forgot After John succeeds Benedict the Fourth elected by the Tusculan interest and Consecrated according to c Contra Legem sine authorâ—tate Reâ—ia Sigon anno 899. Sigonius against the Law wanting the Royal or Imperial Authority Next to him we have Leo the Fourth neither humane nor divine Law being then observed and he was one neither wise nor fit for affairs as the same d Sigon an 904. Historian observeth Christopher his Chaplain taking opportunity by Leo's weakness assisted with other his Companions seis'd upon and imprisoned him and setled himself in the Popedom but ungrateful Christopher remain'd not long in this glory For e An. 906. Sergius the Third who had formerly twice attempted year 900 the Papal Chair and as oft thrust by did now play his part so well that he obtain'd his desire seis'd upon Christopher shut him up in a Monastery and after into close imprisonment where he miserably dyed This Sergius the Third again stirs up the dispute about Formosus and was so zealous an Enemy against him that he not onely thwarted all that had been done in vindication of Formosus by other Popes by his nulling and abrogating all that Formosus had decreed or done having all those re-ordained who had formerly received Orders of Formosus but not content with this he had his body f Platinada Bâ—rgamo fol. 311. Genebrard pag. 811. Carranza pag. 7â—6 Naucler Generat 31. pag. 656. Volaterran lib. 22. fol. 252. Ant. Coc. Sabellic Ennead 9. lib 1. fol. 209 La Cronique Martinianâ— fol. 103. dig'd out of its Grave again and beheaded as a Malefactor and so thrown into the River Tiber as unworthy of Christian burial and g Acta Rom. Pont. pag. 129. Baleus saith that the rest of his Fingers left on his righthand were now also cut off But some I finde of late to be very willing to have this inhumanity of Sergius towards Formosus his Carkass somewhat suspected or doubted because they tell us that Historians might mistake though in this we finde them very positive However if this will not be granted them yet if any question the innocencie or Religion of Formosus they have a Miracle at hand to help bravely at a dead-lift viz. that it chanced upon a time that some Fisher-men found this body of Formosus which they carryed to St. Peters Church which whilst they were burying all the Images there did reverence to the Carkass and if this be not good proof of his Infallibility I know not where I can satisfie or better my self And here I finde a De Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap. 12. Bellarmine b Pag. 579 580. c. Coeffeteau c Tom 1. pag. 479. Coquaeus and some others in a peck of troubles how to quit these contradictory Popes assisted by their contradictory Councils or Synods from Fallibility or being erronious But here they onely beat about the Bush and let them toyl never so much they will scare quit these infaliible Popes from two Fundamental Errors not onely of Fact but of Judgement and Doctrine viz. the acknowledging or not acknowledging of the true Pope and the re-ordaining those who had formerly rightly and legally received Orders as if they had been but meer d Tanquam nihil ab illo accepissent Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. l. 4 c. 12. Laymen for all their former Ordination since they themselves confess that an Episcopal Character is indelible though he were never so wicked otherwise they would make the vertue of the Sacrament depend upon the sanctity or wickedness of the Priest Yet rather than grant Fallibility their great e Bell. ib. Cardinal would gladly insinuate into us that Stephanus might either not know or not believe that Martin had absolved Formosus from his Oath of never being Bishop and so might judge him not to be capable of the Popedom Very pretty indeed that Stephinus an intimate
bidding him remember how Becket dyed for the Church and writes to the Bishops of London Ely and Worcester to interdict the whole Kingdom if they found the King c Contumacem Rebellâ—m disobedient and rebellious They acquaint the King with this Mandate who is willing to condescend with the Salvo's d Prâ—ns Hist of Popes intol uâ—uâ—pat boâ—k 3. c. 1. p. 251. that his rights liberties and dignities may not be violated But the Bishops would allow none of these conditions and yet we must think it hard that Becket might not have the liberty of Salvo's which provoked the King so much thus to be trod upon by his own subjects that he swore per dentes Domini that if they or any other of his subjects should presume to interdict his Dominions he would send them with the rest of their fraternity to their friend the Pope and confiscate their goods and so warn'd them from his presence Stephen Langton had in England a Brother call'd Simon who also came in the presence of the Bishops to desire the admittance of his brother to Canterbury to whom the King proffer'd to do so e Pryn p. 252 saving only his right and dignity But no sooner began the King to mention this Salvo but Simon replyed in an insolent manner He would do nought for the King therein unless he would wholly refer himself into his hands without any such saving The Bishops seeing the King would not dance after their pipe without fear or wit interdict the whole Kingdom which continued almost six years by which means there was no use of divine service only Christening of Children and giving the Sacrament to the dying insomuch that the Church-doors were shut up some say wall'd up and the bodies of the dead carried out into the fields and thrown into ditches or high-ways like f Corpora defunctorum decivitatibus villis â—fferebantur mora canum in bivâ—is fossatis sine orationibus sacerâ—oâ—â—n ministerio sepeliebaâ—tur Paris p 226. Dogs without any prayers or Christian offices An excellent sign of the meekness and charity of him that glories to be Christs Vicar to unchristen as I may say a whole Kingdom for one mans fault supposing him an offender though the case being truly stated the contrary will appear or at least not meriting so grand a punishment For if the Pope hath power to nominate to all Bishopricks he must have it either by divine right and so unalterable and therefore the now Roman Catholick Kings who deny such power are guilty and the Popes too for allowing or winking at it or by the Kings concessions which is of no validity no Monarch having authority to transfer his Prerogatives to a forraign power and if they doe so of no force to bind their successors besides story tells us that a little before this the Bishops of England rejected the designs of the Bishop of St. Davids meerly because he was elected at g â—â—rus Hist of Popes usurpat l. â— c. 1. p. 236. Rome whereby we may judge Pope Innocent to have been more faulty and extravagant than King John The Bishops aforesaid perceiving to what inconveniency and danger being Subjects they had run themselves into by opposing their Soveraign in behalf of a Forreign Power stole out of the Kingdom Excommunicating those who obey'd the King The King seeing himself and Nation thus trampled upon seized upon all the Church-mens Lands that obey'd this Interdiction and refused to celebrate Divine-Service yet was so favourable as to allow the Dissenters and Rebels to sell their Corn for their better provisions And the white Monks in obedience to God the King and their Duty continuing to say Divine-Service for the benefit of Christian people were again suspended by the Pope and for their compliance to their duty they were not after allowed the same Priviledge as others who right or wrong obeyed the Pope and his Forreign Authority The King weary of these troubles was willing to comply with 121â— the admission of Langton and the restauration of others whom he had exiled for their disobedience But give a little take an Ell if he condescended so far they doubted not to make him grant more and therefore they would have him refund the Treasures of the vacant Churches by reason of the banishment of the turbulent spirits This he refus'd as an impossibility having imploy'd them for the security of his Dominions in these tulbulent times Being not satisfied in this trifle they scorn to agree with him which made many leave their Flocks here and go beyond Seas to the Kings Enemies Upon which the King wisely and bravely by Proclamation orders all to return to their respective Churches by such a day or to forfeit their incomes and that all should be seiz'd upon who brought any Order or Bull from the Pope into his Dominions for that time knowing such things could then bring no peace to him or his Kingdom The Pope seeing King John stand so resolutely for his Prerogative year 1212 and Freedom of his Subjects from Forreign yoaks goeth to his last refuge pulls out his Nut-cracker and Louse-trap by which he deprives the King of his Dominions absolves his Subjects from their Allegiance curseth all those who take the Kings part And because this of it self hath no more power then a Dogs barking over the Moon he sends to the King of France Pâ—â—is p. â—31 desiring him to seize upon the Kingdom of England for he liberal man had given it to him and his Heirs he might as well have given the Moon and to carry this the more clearly he commanded all the Nobles Knights and other Warriors in several Countries to assist the King of France and cross themselvâ—s a Military Badge appointed for those who went against the Infidels in the Holy-land for this enterprise and they need not doubt of a reward he having order'd that their souls in this warfare shall have the same benefit as those who visit the sacred Sepulchre which we may suppose to be no less than the a In remissionem suoâ—um peccaminum Pari p. 233 238. Paris p. 232. â—ryn p. 266. pardon of all their sins And the better to withdraw Englishmen observed to be apt to give credit to tatling Prophecies from their obedience they had thrust up one b Peter of Prontfract Stow. p. 169. Peter Wakefield of Poiz to Prophesie the death or downfal of the King by such a day to which a great many idle people gave too much credit but being found a false cheating knave according to his deserts he was hang'd The King to preserve himself and people from the French had year 1213 got to the Sea-Coasts a mighty Army and Navy but a composition hindred their action For Pandolphus who had been in England once before the Popes Legate landed at Dover tells King John with what a great force the French were coming against him with whom joyn'd many of the