rule and commodiously to gouerne your kingdome according as our lord hath appointed you to the honor of God and the peace tranquillity of his Chrch for which only end you haue receiued into your hand the reynes of the realme That hee by whom kings raigne whose seruice is a kingdome may preserue to you your heires a temporal kingdome after the expiration thereof an eternal one without end Thus Alexander to King Henry which is also set forth by Roger in his Chronicle But what Thomas in this passage of time beefore hee fledd into France with patience endured is to bee declared out of the afore-mentioned Authors for thus is it related The kinge in the meane while vnderstood that my Lord of Canterbury would flie off from that promise especially in that hee openly gaynesayd to seale the deede of those conditions in sorte as beefore was appointed Whereupon the Prince inraged more with fury beegan to afflicte my lord of Canterbury with more greeuous and exquisite vexations soe far forth as it was apparant to vnderstanding men that his bloud and life was thirsted after Wherefore Thomas fearing that determined to flie the Realme and comming to his Mannor called Aluter while all the rest were a sleepe accompanyd only with two with drewe himselfe secretly and getting a ship committed himselfe to the seas but long outwearyd with a contrary winde returning backe hee hardly recouered early in the morning the land againe with hazard of his life In the end his departure beeing knowne his familiars and seruantes were thereupon seuerally dispersed Yet one of them boulder then the rest comming to Canterbury S Thomas â—ttâ—mpâ—ing 〈◊〉 passe awâ—â— by seas 〈◊〉 contrary â—indes â—â—â—â—en backe againe retyred himselfe the next night into the Bishoppes owne chamber and supper being ended began carefully with sorrowe to lament the misfortunes and afflictions of his lord and hauing thus spent the beeginning of the night desirous to take his rest Goe quoth hee to his Boy and shutt the vttermost dore of the hall to the end wee may sleepe more securely this seruant therefore comming thither with a candle lighted the dore beeing open sawe my lord of Canterbury sitt alone in a corner terrifyd with which specctacle hee ran away imagining hee beheld a vision and telling his Master thereof this Clearke whom hee serued would in no case belieue it vntill himselfe made tryal of the truth and comming found all in sorte a foresayde My lord of Canterbury calling together some of his brethren of Canterbury Church declared to them what had beefallen him and how as yet it was not Godes pleasure he should departe and beeing refreshed with a light supper rested The next morning came the kinges officers to confiscate the whole estate of the Archbishop as a fugitiue but hearing and seeing hee was present confounded they helde theire peace The kinge therfore with a more heauy hand increased the afflictions of my lord of Canterbury causing him to bee peremptorily cyted for answering his Maiestie at a certayne day concerning matters The Parliament at North-Hampton to bee obiected against him The tyme being come they who were summoned assembled and a Parliament beeing helde at North-Hamptonne my lord is called to answer his cause The Archbishop together with the rest of the Bishops beeing sate and sequestred in a roome a parte the dores by the Kings commandemeÌ„t beeing shutt so as there could be no passage forth it was on his Majesties beehalfe alleaged against him that in the tyme of his Chancellorship hauing many vacancyes of Bishopprickes and Abbeys with great rentes for very many yeeres in his handes hee neuer gaue vp his accompt for the same which now the kinge required of him Heereunto sayd the Archbishop wee will consult with our counsell and answer by aduice While therefore The opinions of the Bishoppes they remayned all in deepe silence Gilbert Bishop of London Deane of the Church of Canterbury and in that respecte cheefest of his Councell in authority next vnder the Archbishop my lord of Canterbury requiring him to speake sayd if father you consider froÌ„ whence the king hath exalted you what hee hath beestowed on you and weygh alsoe the malice of these tymes how miserable a reigne you haue prepared for the Catholike Church and vs by withstandinge the kinge heerein you ought not only to yeelde him the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury but also the same were it tenne tymes better And if perchance hee could but seein you that humility hee would restore you whatsoeuer you haue lost Wee sufficiently perceaue quoth my lord of Canterbury what you haue aduisedly answered Then Henry Bishop of Winchester sayd This manner of Counsell beeing absolutely pernicious to the Catholicke Church byndeth and confoundeth vs all because if our Archbishop and Primate of England should leaue vs such an example as that euery Bishop should yeelde and forsake at the becke and threatning of his Prince his authority aÌ„d care ouer the soules committed to his charge what will bee then afterwardes the state of the Churches but only this that nothing will bee ordered according to law but all will be confounded as the king listeth and such as the Preist such will bee the people Next Hilary Bishop of Chichester a man glorious in wordes adding his opinion sayd if this instant time and the troubles of the Catholike Church did not require at our handes an other course wee ought doubtlesse to assent to your sentence But when the authority of the Cannons staggereth wee ought very much to withdrawe the rigor of seuerity that sweete dispensatioÌ„ may profit there where sharpe correctioÌ„ may otherwise destroy wherefore I thinke wee ought to yeeld to the kinges pleasure yet only but for a tyme least otherwise wee run on rashly to decree that whereupon may followe a more greeuous retractation not without confusion Afterwardes the Bishop of Lincolne a man truly simple and of lesse discretion sayd it is apparant they seeke the life and blood of this man and of necessity one of these must followe that hee must suffer eyther in his Archbishoppricke or in his life now what fruite hee can reape of his Archbishoppricke if hee loseth his life therefore I see not But Bartholomewe Bishop of Excester spoake thus it is playne that these dayes are euill wherefore if wee may vnder the shadowe of dissimulation auoyd the force of this tempest without hurte or losse it were especially to bee procured neither can wee easily attayne thereunto vnlesse there bee a great relaxation of seuerity the instance of this tyme requireth it cheefely since this persecution is not generall but particular It is better therefore one head should in parte bee subiect to danger then the whole Church of England exposed to an ineuitable perill Roger the Bishop of Worcester beeing also asked his opinion soe tempered his answer as in his very negatiue hee made apparant what his minde was In this quoth hee I will giue no aduice
comming into Normandy hee hearde not his Legates had passed the Alpes then hee should absolue the Bishoppes of London and Salisbury from excommunication first taking of them an oathe to obey our Lord the Popes Mandate they and the rest remayning neuerthelesse still in suspension Thus departed our Lord the kinges Messingers from the courte neither yet caryed they backe any thing else But when they shall come or who shall vndertake this iourney I thinke it is hetherto vnknowne to the Cardinalls Only now as I beelieue you neede not feare the Interdicton of England soe as the king will submitt himselfe to the Legates And our Lord the Pope wryteth to him and inuyteth him to humility yet hardly could hee bee wrought to wryte to him Hetherto is the relation of one of the kinges Messingers But these letters of Pope Alexander to the king of England are lost Now let vs heare a more faythfull and certaine reporte made by other the kinges Messingers vnto the king himselfe where no mention of money either offered or receaued as the other vpon his false coniecture rehearsed is made although it contayneth a most exacte recytall of all and singular matters and wordes that passed for thus it is To his dearest Lord Henry the renowned king of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitayne and Earle of Anioue R Abbot of Wallacia R Archdeacon of Salisbury R. Archdeacon of Lizieux Richard Barre and Master Henry send greeting with due obedience in all thinges and euery where These are to certify your Maiestie that when Richard Barre going beefore vs had with great danger and trauaille come to our Lord the Popes courte wee foure with the two Bishoppes the Deane of Eureux and Master Henry with much difficulty attayned Sene where for some dayes wee were constrayned to stay for Count Macarius had on all sydes soe beeset the wayes as there remayned no passage for any When wee foure together with the Bishoppes who earnestly desyred to departe could not as wee would in regarde of these exceeding difficultyes consulting in one at midnight with all secrecy wee sett forwarde and so by craggy mountains and places allmost unpassable with extreme feare and danger wee came in the end to Tusculan There found wee Richard Barre allthough as beeseemed him carefull of your honor and labouring discreetely and instantly for your commodity yet much troubled and confounded in regard neither our Lord the Pope had yet receaued him nor others had courteously and gently entertayned him And for vs at our comming the Pope would neither see vs nor receaue vs at his feete yea many of the Cardinalls would hardly afforde vs a worde Remayning therfore long and anxiously troubled in the bitternes of our soules wee by all meanes huÌ„bly besought those who more eÌ„tirely affected to you that our Lord the Pope by their intercession would some way vouchsafe vs a hearing The Lord Abbot of Wallacia R. Archdeacon of Lizieux as men least suspected were first receaued to audience But when they in salutation on your beehalfe beegan with your name inâ—ytleing you the most deuoute childe of the Roman Church The name of the king of England now hatefull at Rome The whole courte cryed out forbeare forbeare As if it were abhominable to the Pope to heare your name Soe comming from the Courte in the euening they returned agayne to our Lord the Pope deliuering to him by the aduice of vs all what by your Maiestie was commanded vs declaring also distinctly the suÌ„dry benefittes beestowed by you on CaÌ„terbury with the diuers excesses and importunityes committed by him against your dignyty and all this first in secret then before our Lord the Pope and the whole Colledge of Cardinalls where Alexander of Wales and Gunter of Flanders Clearkes of the Church of Canterbury contested and contended against you Thurseday before Easter beeing now at hand on which day according to the vse of the Roman Church our Lord the Pope was accustomed to absolue or excommunicate in publicke whereas wee were certayne that with greate attention they had long handled this weyghty cause which soe neere touched your selfe aÌ„d your kingdome wee aduysed with those who as wee knewe most fauored your Maiestie wee meane the Lords of Portua and Hyacinth The Cardinalles who fauoured the king of England the Lordes of Papia and Tusâ—ulane with Peeter Lord of Mirle for the Lord Iohn of Naples was absent importuning them with all labor and instance to lay open vnto vs our Lord the Popes intention and what hee determined to decree concerning your selfe But they on the other syde reporting nothing but disasters and matters disgracefull to your renowne wee perceiued out of the sights and sorrowfull relation of theÌ„ all especially of your faythfull well wisher brother French that our Lorde the Pope had that day resolued absolutely with the ioynt consent of all his brethren to pronounce the sentence of interdiction against your selfe by name and your dominions as well on this syde as beyond the seas and also confirme the same sentence which was allready diuulged against the Bishoppes Besett therfore with these extremityes wee attempted with our vttermost endeauors as well by the Cardinalls as those our Associates who had accesse to his holines and likewise by his inward freindes to make him desist from this purpose or at the least deferre it vntill the comming of your Bishoppes which when it could no way be obtayned wee according to our bounden duty to you beecause wee were neither able nor ought to endure the great disgrace of your person with the agreiuances of all your principalityes consulting in the end with our Associates beefore certayne Cardinalls deuysed à way good and secure for your state and honor profitable to all your dominions and necessary for your Bishoppes whereby wee auoyded that ignominy and danger euen now threatening your person subiectes and Bishoppes and exposed our selues wholly to the vttermost perill for this your deliuery beelieuing and hauing a singular hope that it is according as wee thinke to your wished desire For astonished with feare wee signifyed to our Lord the Pope by the intercession of the same Cardinalls that wee had receaued à commandemeÌ„t from you to sweare in his presence that you shall obey his Mandate and how your selfe in person shall make the sayde oathe The same thursday about nyne of the Clocke were the Messingers called in as well yours as the Bishoppes The Messingers sworne in the kings name and in the generall consistory were wee sworne the Abbot wee meane of Wallacia the Archdeacons of Salisbury and Lizieux Master Henry and Richard Barre that you shall stand to the Popes Mandate and take your corporall oathe at his appointment to this effecte Then the Messingers of the Archbishop of Yorke and of the Bishoppes of London and Salisbury swoare in like sorte that their Lordes should subiecte themselues to the Popes commandement and take an oath to that purpose Neuertheles the same day hee
the poore He was a father to poore people and a conforter of those that mourne Hee reproued liberally the sinne of the nobility knowing that where the spirit of God is there is alsoe liberty yet that hee might not seeme to cast holy things to dogges or pearles before swine hee would first prudently considere the nature of those hee did admonish or reprehend and being conducted by the spirituall vnction his communications and sermons did seeme wonderfully lerned to all sortes of hearers Hee was both learned and eloquent both in the weight of matter and eloquent deliuery After meales and his necessarie sleepe vntill his busines called him away hee passed the time in reading of the scripture or else in honest communication lest the enemy should take occasion there at to deride his Sabaoth All the time which hee could without the great detriment of his body hee did bestowe in prayer teares and holy meditation keeping chastity in his body cleanesse in his harte modesty in his wordes and iustice in his workes that hee might moue those by his example which hee was to teach by his doctrine Hee did without ceasing impugne scysme and heresie Hee greatly impugned scysme and heresies and would neuer bee induced to keepe companie with excommunicated persons for whosoeuer was an ennemy to sound doctrine hee did esteeme him as his enemy in Christ and beeing feruent in the zeale of iustice hee endeauoured that euery man should enioy his owne without respect of persons or receauing of bribes S. Thomas retourneth into Englād from the Counsel at Towers And though at his returne from the counsell of Towers into England being the second yeere after his consecration hee was receiued of the king as a father of his sonne with fauourable countenance a good respect and esteeme yet soone after discontentments beegan to arise whilst Saint Thomas without any offence offered to the king exercised the office of an Euangelicall pastor in vndergoing which charge whilst hee endeauoured to recouer the Graunges of the Church vsurped by the layety and wrongfully alienated from his predecessors hee incurred the displeasures of many and mightie mē Yea whē he touched the kinges exchecker to the quicke by litle and litle the king himselfe was moued to indignation against him For in England had the same vnconscionable custome preuailed that the exchecker couetously challenged to it selfe the reuenues arysing from the vacancyes of Churches Wherefore S. Thomas required that for two seas of Bishopprickes beeing now long vacant there might bee speedily Bishops ordeyned The ground of the discord beetweene the king and S. Thomas It did also somewhat trouble the kinges mind when S. Thomas beeing created Archbishop gaue absolutely ouer the office of Chauncellorship according to that of the Apostle no man fighting vnder the banner of God intangleth himselfe in temporal businesses 2. Timoth. 2 For the king desired to retaine him still in his seruice And for a greater addition of dislike Thomas moreouer forbad the vnlawfull exaction of a Tribute Heerewithall at the same time concurred that hee deliuered not ouer to the secular Courte a Preist condemned of murder but beeing degraded committed him to a Monasterie The like hapned concerning one Phillip a Cannon and yet a greeuous offendor whom the Archbishop enforced not to suffer punishment in such sorte as the king would haue it but only chasticed him with Ecclesiasticall censures The king by reason heerof beecommeth wrathfull The causes of the kinges indignation because there was according to the direction of the holy Cannons à milder proceeding with those of the Clergy whoe offended where vpon they might growe more insolent in wickednes Hee beegan to demanund instantly of Thomas the Archbishop that Clearkes committing such crimes might after the Canonicall punishment inflicted on them bee deliuered ouer to the secular Tribunal But this motion of the king was gainsayed by S. Thomas and many other Bishopps associate with him all of them humblie beeseeching his Maiestie to abstayne from these attemptes but hee was rather more enflamed with anger Whereupon Robert writeth in these wordes but the king somewhat moued heerewith yet much more incensed because hee sawe the Archbishop and Bishoppes with mutuall assent as hee supposed bent against him asked of them presently beeing thus constantly vnited whether they would obserue the customes beelonging to his crowne adding that these beeing in the raigne of his grandfather formerly obserued by Archbishops and Bishoppes by priuate and priuiledged persons ought not by tracte of time with a seuere sentence to bee condemned Whereupon the Archbishop hauing first consulted with his brethren answered Hee and his brethren would obserue them sauing the prerogatiue of theire order and the same euery Bishop being asked one by one did turne by turne seuerally answer only Hilarie Bishop of Chichester hearing the king more enraged for these wordes soe vttered alike by them all without aduise of the Archbishopps altered some saying hee would absolutely obserue in good faith the customes of the kingdome and for a seeming good intent truly as I thinke hee said it that hee might yet soe appease the kinges mind But the king was nothing at all calmed yea he waxed more wroth and turning himselfe to the Archbishop and Bishops vpon the hearing of this vniforme and one answer of them all said A battell was ranged against him and that poyson lurked in this captious word Sauing the prerogatiue of their order Wherefor hee required that absolutely without addition they would promise to obserue the customes of the kingdome The Archbishop answered they had sworn to him fidelitie that is to say life limme and earthly honour sauing the prerogatine of their order and that in this earthly honour the customes of the kingdome were comprehended and hee would not binde himselfe to the obseruation of them in any other sorte then they had formerly sworne Now when a great parte of the day was in this fashion passed The Kinges intemperate anger the king beeing all the while vexed without any farwell to the Bishops suddenly departed the Courte in great wrath and indignation The King was accustomed in the disturbance of his minde through the passion of anger to bee vnreasonably and outragiously altered and transported as by an example or two I shall heere laye open beefore you whereby in the very entrance of this controuersie now raised you may vnderstand how difficulte and dangerous it was to contend with him in any case were it neuer soe iust For in the 44. epistle written to S. Thomas concerning the King thus wee reade The King on a certaine day when hee was at Cane and a busines which hee had with the King of Scottes dealte seriously against Richard de Humet whoe seemed to defend the cause of the King of Scottes brake out into disgracefull wordes and openly called him Traitor and heereupon enflamed with his wonted furie threwe his cap from his heade vngirte his belte
which the world witnesseth wee neuer deserued at his handes malitiously to depraue and derogate from vs and our renowne But if the sayd Archbishoppe as of his owne accord hee departed the land soe of his owne free will would returne againe and beare him selfe to vs in such sort as he ought to behaue himselfe to his Lord and king wee then would likewise so deale with him as according to the counsell of our Clergie and Layetie as well of our kingdome as our Prouinces beeyond the seas should bee thought conuenient but wee thinke it vnfitting to call him backe whom wee neuer enforced to flye our dominions Wherefore if it â—â—all appeare to vs that wee haue any way offended or exceeded our boundes wee will with the aduice of our Clergie and Barons according to the customes dignityes and excellency of our kingdome willingly satisfy as wee are bound But if any one will attempt to trouble or diminish the lawes customes and dignityes of our crowne wee will esteeme him the publicke aduersary and open enemy of our name honor and kingdome and wee so long as wee liue will neuer endure the least detriment to the dignityes and customes of our regality which the renowned men our Predecessors haue held and inioyed in the raignes of the holy Popes of Rome Lastly in that hee commanded yee to insinuate vnto vs that wee should not afflict the Churches or Ecclesiasticall persons of our kindome or Prouinces nor yet suffer them to bee afflicted God and our Conscience doe witnes that to this very day wee neuer did nor Permitted it to bee donne Hetherto the kinges Apologie to the Cardinalls But as the image of a foule deformed and horrible Monster beeing ouercast with coulors may bee transformed into the showe of a most faire and chaste Virgin and not with standing there lurketh vnderneath what to the eyes would bee dreadfull to beehould yet outwardly it appeareth delectable Soe shall yee playnly see his detestable crymes with a deceytfull style transformed into vertues But what estimation is to bee had of him that which hath allready bin sayd and what heereafter shall bee written will apparently declare There are also other letters extant which passed this yeere in the cause of controuersy beetwene the king of England and sainct Thomas beeing writings truly of great moment and principaly that which Pope Alexander sent to the Bishop of London and is recyted by Roger in these words Alexander Bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to his reuerent brother Gilbert Bishop of London sendeth greeting with an Apostolicall Benediction In that you haue beestowed singular care and diligence about the busines wee enioyned your brotherhood and for that your haue faithfully sollicited and effectually admonished our most deare sonne in Christ Henry the renowned king of England concerning the encrease and exaltation of the Church and vs wee receaue the same as a thing most gratefull and acceptable and thereupon rendring you abundance of thankes wee doe for that cause highly commend and prayse in our Lord your watchfull and endeauouring wisedome And beecause wee loue with a more intire charity this your king as a famous Prince and our dearest sonne therefore wee haue thought good often yea very often to sollicyte and excite him by all meanes to deuotion towards the Church as well by your reuerent brethren the Archbishop of Roane and Bishop of Hereforde and also by our most deare daughter in Christ his mother sometymes the illustrous Empres of Rome And now reioyce and are greatly comforted in our Lord for the godly zeale of the same king signifyed to vs by your letters But beecause wee would haue him as intirely affected to the Church of God and to vs as in the beeginning her was accustomed to bee wee intreate admonish yea command your brotherhood that you will againe and againe both by your selfe and others carefully and diligently stirre vp exhorte and by all meanes perswade him to procure after his wonted manner with his best endeauors the honor and exaltation of the same Church and foster mayntaine and defend with all courage the cause therof that hee would loue and reuerence Churches and Ecclesiasticall persons and conserue their rightes and franchises Likewise that hee would restore to his grace and fauour our reuerent brother the Archbishop of Canterbury and for our parte if hee yeeld to sainct Peeter and vs the respect and honor which heeretofore hee hath done wee will loue him with a most tender affection and labour by all meanes as beeseemeth vs to magnify and aduance him and preserue the kingdome committed to his charge for wee had rather vanquish him with patience and mildnes then any way agreeue him soe long vs wee can possibly forbeare him Dated at Gradus Mercurii XI Kalend. Septemb. Thus wrote Alexander to the Bishop of London who in this manner answered him To his father and Lord the most high Bishop Alexander Brother Gilbert seruant of the Church of London sendeth his dutifull seruice of sincere charity and humble obedience Hauing receaued most deere father in Christ your commandement with dew reuerence wee instantly heard that your sonne our most beeloued soueraigne Lord was leading his army in the confines of France and taking with vs our venerable Brother Robert Bishop of Hereford according to your direction with all attentiue dilligence wee treated with him and laying beefore his eyes whatsoeuer you signifyed to vs by letter partly entreating and as far as beecame subiects to the Maiestie of their king also reprouing wee constantly and instantly perswaded him that hee would bee certifyed in all these pointes and if hee had swarued from the path of reason hee would returne to the way of truth and iustice beeing called backe by your admonition deliuered him by our mouth and beeing piously aduertised by his father 〈◊〉 absolutly desist from wicked actions loue God witâ— a pure harte respect his Mother the holy Church of Râ—â—e with his wonted reuerence and neuer forbid those whâ— were willing to visit her nor hinder appeales made vnto her and reducing charitably from exile our father the Lord of Canterbury hee would remayne constant and vnmoueable in the obedience of sainct Peeter and your Holines and wholy bent to the workes of deuotion would not any way afflict Churches or Ecclesiasticall persons of his kingdome or dominions nor suffer them to bee in any sorte iniured by himselfe or others but with loue defend them vnder his royall protection that hee by whom kinges doe raigne may in this world prosper his temporal Dominion and beestowe on him in heauen an eternall kingdome Otherwise if hee obeyed not your godly and wholsome admonitions your Holines who had hetherto with patience indured could no longer contayne your selfe within the compasse thereof Heereunto wee added that hee was iustly to feare least if hee corrected not his offences hee shoulde shortly incurre the wrath of Allmighty God through which his kingdome would not long continewe nor his bee
which hee hath granted authority the other to which hee would haue reuerence yeelded hee then who derogateth from the right of the one or the other resisteth Gods ordination Let not then our Soueraigne Lord disdaine to attribute to them vnto whom the highest of all vouchsafeth to attribute calling them often goddes in the holy Scriptures For hee speaketh thus I haue said yee are godes c. And againe I haue appointed thee the God of Pharao Psal 81. Exod. 9. Ibid. 22. And Thou shalt not detract from the Goddes that is to say the Preistes And speaking by Moyses of him who was to sweare hee sayth Bring him to the Goddes Ibidem that is to the Preistes Neither let our king presume to attempt to iudge his iudges For the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed not to powers of this earthe but to Preistes And therefore it is written The lippes of the Preist shall haue the custody of knowledge and from his mouth they shall require the lawe 1. Cor. ◠beecause hee is the Angel of our Lord. And also Paule sayth Shall wee not iudge Angells how much more men Wee would haue you also suggest into the mynde of our Soueraigne Lord that thing worthie of memory and imitation which wee reade in the Ecclesiasticall history of Constantine the Emperor to whom when there were offered vp in wryting accusations against Bishoppes hee receaued the Schedule of the accusations and calling the accused together hee burned it in their sight saying Yee are Goddes ordayned by the true God goe and determine your causes among your selues in regarde it is vnworthy that wee men should iudge the Goddes O mighty Emperor O discreete Gouernor on the earth not fraudulently vsurping on the authority of others and deseruing in heauen an eternall kingdome Let therefore our Lord the king indeauor to imitate soe greate soe discrete soe happy an Emperor whose memory is with prayses renowned on the earth and likewise accounted eternall and glorious in heauen Otherwise let him feare what our Lord hath threatened in Deutronomy Deut 17. saying What man soeuer shall soe deale in his pride that hee will not heare the preist hee shall dye before the iudge For to this purpose is hee called and to this end the tranquility of his temporall kingdome and that magnificency whereof you put vs in mynde are giuē him from heauen Otherwise the king is not saued by his great power although kingdomes are subiect vnto him and nations doe reuerently obey him And thus far concerning these Now whosoeuer haue ioyned with you in the wryting of these afore recyted letters let them knowe that the same answer wee make you the same wee make to them What remayneth brethren wee admonish intreate and beeseech yee that no scysmes may euer seperate vs but that wee bee in our Lord one harte and one soule and that wee harken to him who sayth In the beehalfe of Iustice contend for thy life and fight for Iustice euen to the very death and God will conquer for thee thyne enemyes Eccles 4. Let vs not forget that seuere iudge beefore whose Tirbunal Throne when wee shall appeare Truth only shall adiudge vs all feare and trust of any earthly power beeing then cleane vanished Soe in our Lord wee bid your brotherhood farewell These were this yeere written the rest shall in the yeeres following appeare in their places But the Bishoppes of England directed letters to Pope Alexander inueighing against this afore recyted Epistle written to them by saint Thomas not that they might any way succor the distressed estate of the Church as neede required but only appeale to his Holines against their Archbishoppe For these are their wordes To their father and Lord the high Bishop Alexander The Epistle of the Bishops of England to the Pope the Bishops of the Prouince of their seuerall Dioceses dispersed in sundry parishes as to their Lord and father remember their bounden seruice of charity and obedience Wee suppose father your excellency is not vnmyndfull how you conuented in your letters lōg since directed by the mediation of our reuerent brethren the Bishoppes of London and Hereforde your deuoute sonne and our most deere and renowned Lord the king of England and how with your fatherly compassion you admonished him for the amendment of some matters which appeared to the eyes of your holines as deseruing reformation in his kingdome who receauing your commandement with due reuerence as it is manifest swelled not in anger The Bishoppes commend their king nor with pryde of mynde contemned to obey you but yeelding thankes for your fatherly chastisement humbled himselfe presently to the Churches examination saying that in euery thing which according to the forme of your Mandat was dilligently expressed to him hee would submit himselfe to the iudgment of the Church of his kingdome and what soeuer they should determine to bee amended hee would reforme by their aduise with à commendable denotion and in a Prince worthie great prayse from this purpose hee flyeth not neither recalleth his mynde from his promise but hee who may sit in thrones who may consider and iudge now moued with the reuerence of diuine feare not as a king but as an obedient sonne is ready to yeelde to iudgment obey the lawfull pronounced sentence and as a Prince bounded with lawes shewe himselfe in all thinges a dutifull childe wherefore it is vnnecessary to enforce with interdictions or threates or the spurres of accursinges the man to satisfaction who subiecteth himselfe allready to the censures of the diuine lawes For his actions withdrawe not themselues from the light nor by any meanes desire to bee shrowded in darknes for this king in faith most Christian in the bandes of wedlocke most honest the conseruer of peace and iustice and one who enlargeth the boundes of the same far and neere incomparably indeauoureth with all his power and thirsteth with a feruent desire that scandalls and sinnes together with their fowle followers may bee taken away and rooted out of his kingdome and that peace and iustice may euer take place and all thinges prosper and flourish vnder him in sweete security and quiet tranquillity The Bishops excuse their king Who finding sometimes the peace of his kingdome not a litle molested with the outragious excesses of some insolent Clearkes with due reuerence to the Clergie referred their offences to the Bishoppes iudges of the Church that one sworde might assist an other and the power spirituall ground and establish in the Clergie the peace which hee ruled and fostred in his people Wherin the zeale of thee party came more to light the Bishops persisting in this setled iudgment that murder or any other like cryme should only bee punished in the Clergie by degradation the king on the other syde beeing of opinion that this punishement did not condignly answer the offence neither was it a sufficient prouision for mayntenance of peace if a Reader or
Acolythy killing some famous man renowned for Religion or dignity should escape free with the losse only of this Order The Clergie therefore vphoulding the Order established from heauen and our Lord the king persecuting only the offence as hee hopeth with a iust hatred and intending to plant his peace more deepely a certaine holy contention arose among vs which wee trust the playne intention of both partyes will excuse with your Holines Heereupon not with any ambition of larger dominion not with any concept of oppressing the Churches liberty but with an affection of confirming peace our Lord the king passed soe farre as hee would produce to light the customes of his kingdome and dignityes anciently obserued and quietly and reuerently yeelded by persons Ecclesiasticall to former kinges in the kingdome of England and to the end no longer thread of contention might heereafter bee spunne hee would haue the same to bee openly knowne Wherefore the most ancient Bishoppes and greatest peeres of the realme beeing first adiured by their faith and the hope which they had in Allmighty God and then making search into the state of forepassed tymes the dignityes of the crowne being sought were layd open and by the testimonyes of men of the greatest accompt in the kingdome were published Loe heere the cruelty of our Lord the king against the Church of God which fame hath soe spread ouer the whole world Lo heere his persecution These are his workes soe diuulged for wicked both heere and euery where Yet neuertheles in all these proceedings if there bee any thing contayned either dangerous to his soule or ignominious to the Church hee hath long since with a most sacred deuotion promised and doth still most constantly continewe in the same mynde especially being admonished and moued with your authority for the reuerence of Christ and the honor of the holy Church whom hee professeth to bee his mother and for the redemption of his soule to reforme the same accordingly as hee shall bee aduised by the Counsell of the Church of his owne kingdome And truly father our solicitation had long since as wee hope obtayned the desired end of this wished peace had not our Father the Lord of Canterbury's bitter prouocations stirred vp anew this discorde now layd asleepe and allmost absolutely extinguished For hee from whose patience wee hitherto expected peace from whose modesty the recouery of the kinges fauor assayled him afresh and without respect of his Maiestie at such time as lately hee led his army against the Peace breakers with seuere and terrible letters no whit sauoring of fatherly deuotion or Pastorall patience but most bitterly threatening him with the sentence of Excommunication and his realme with the payne of interdiction Where as on the other side hee rather ought with admonitiōs to haue mollifyed him and with meritts and meeknes ouercome him whose humility if it bee soe requited what will bee then determined against the stuborne and contumatious if the ready deuotion of obedience bee esteemed soe slightly in what manner shall willfull obstinacy bee reuenged Yea to these soe greuous threates are yet added matters far more greeuous for hee inuolued in his Excommunication some of his Maiesties Liege men most inward with our Lord the king the principall of his priuy counsell who managed the mysteryes of the kinges estate and the affaires of his kingdome and denounced them publickly excommunicate beeing neuer cyted nor defended neyther as they call it guilty of any cryme nor conuicted nor confessing any thing Yea hee stepped farther in soe much as hee suspended our reuerent brother the Bishop of Salisbury beeing absent vndefended neither confest nor conuicte from his Preistly and Episcopall Office beefore euer the cause of his suspension was approued by the aduice of those of the same Prouince or any others If therefore this course of proceedinges in iudgmentes soe preposterous I spare to say inordinate bee followed concerning the king and kingdome what will bee the end considering the time is euill and yeeldeth great occasion of exceeding malice but that the band of grace and fauour whereby the kingdome and preisthood haue bin hetherto vnited will bee rent a sunder and wee with the flocke committed to our charge bee dispersed into exile or which God forbid falling of from the faith wee owe to you into the miseryes of Scysme bee cast downe headlong into the bottomles pitt of iniquity and disobedience for this is the ready way to the ruine of all relligion and the subuersion and ouerthrowe as well of the Clergie as Layety In regard whereof least in soe miserable a tyme of your Apostolicall raigne the Church bee ouerthrowne least our Lord the king with the people subiect to him fall away which God forbid from your obedience least what someuer our Lord of Canterbury by the counsell of priuate men deuiseth bee in his wrath executed on vs wee haue as well by word as wryting appealed to your excellency against him The Bishoppes appeale to the Pope against their Archbishoppe and his Mandates importing any detriment to our Lord the king and his kingdome vs and the Churches committed to our care and haue designed for the day of our Appeale the day of our Lordes Ascension chusing rather to humble our selues before your Holines in all thinges which shall bee pleasing vnto you then to bee daily according to the lofty motions of his mynde whyle our merittes deserue nothing lesse tediously afflicted Wee beeseech our Allmighty Lord most beeloued father in Christ long to preserue your health to his Churches prosperity Thus farre the Bishoppes Pope Alexander neuerthelesse perseuering in his opinion when hee perceaued the Appeale of the Bishoppes to bee voyde by reason the Appellants appeared not at the designed day confirmed the sentence which saint Thomas pronounced against them which is wittnessed by Salusbury in his letter to saint Thomas saying As it is signifyed to mee from the Citty soe I remember I certifyed you by wryting that my Lord the Pope hath now confirmed your sentence yea hee hath challenged it as an iniury offered himselfe There are also extant Pope Alexanders owne letters written to Saint Thomas to the same purpose after hee perceaued the Bishops did not prosecute their Appeale His wordes are these Wee haue had intelligence as well by your letters as alsoe the certaine relation of many that you pronounced the sentence of Interdiction against Ioceline Bishoppe of Salusbury in regard hee was disobedient to you and hee notwithstanding hee appealed heereupon to our audience and assigned for the tyme of his appeale the Sunday wherin is sung Ego sum Pastor bonus next ensuing neither himselfe at that instant appeared neither sent any one vnto vs to answer for him wherefore wee refusing absolutely to maintayne him in his disobedience and rebellion against you will by Gods grace ratify and confirme the sentence which vpon this occasion you haue giuen against him and haue thought good to leaue the whole busines concerning
following as appeareth by what hath byn sayde for before that tyme was not the Pope certifyed theereof Which letters from his holines when the Legates had receaued by the messanger of sainct Thomas wryting backe to the Sainct they excused themselues with saying that while they remayned with the king they could not put these matters in execution against them on whom the king had beestowed the goods and how this was also the Popes intention that during the tyme they remayned Legates there with him they should endure thereupon at his handes any thing vnworthy of the Apostolike Sea But let vs followe the Legates in their returne homeward wherof Iohn of Salisbuâ—y sayth this in his Epistell to the Archdeacon of Excester The Cardinalles returne Cod. Vat lib 2. Epist 105. called backe not without confusion repeÌ„tance and complayntes that to pleasure the king they depressed to much the cause of the Church for one of them which was Papia obeyed his will in all thinges the other also dealing more remissely then beeseemed a man of so great expectation and hope Thus Salisbury who againe after many other things declareth how farre Oddo the Legate peruailed with the king in these wordes I was like to haue let passe what is not to bee passed ouer which is how my Lord Oddo a fewe dayes before hee departed from the king dealt more seriously with him to conclude a peace with the Archbishop wherunto hee answered that for the loue hee bore to the Pope and Cardinalls hee would permitt the Archbishop to returne in peace to his Sea and to dispose of his Church and all thinges thereunto beelonging And because there hath bin long contention about the customes hee sayde hee and his children would bee contented only with those which his Ancestors had and 〈◊〉 should bee made apparant they soe enioyed by the oathes of a hundred men of the realme of England a hundred of Normandy a hundred of Anione and his other principalityes and if this condition of peace displeased the Archbishop hee affirmed hee was prepared to stand to the arbitrement as well of the Bishoppes of England as those beyond the seas of Roane Bayon and Cenoman and if this were not enough hee would submit himselfe to the iudgment of my Lord the Pope with this reseruation that hee would not impeach his childrens right for during his owne life hee was contented my Lord the Pope should abrogate what hee listed Then demanded the Cardinall how hee would deale with the Archbishoppe and his associates concerning restitution which was due and required of him wherunto hee answered swearing with many exquisite oathes that hee had beestowed all the commodity whatsomeuer hee reaped therof vpon Churches and the poore But let the Iewe Appella beeleiue this for I will neuer The Cardinall replyed vnles hee changed his course and dealt more mildly with the Church of God as well Almighty God as his Church would sooner then hee expected require all these more seuerely at his handes and soe taking his leaue hee departed Afterwardes came William of Papia to him almost in the same manner but the seede of his wordes fell on the sandes Then making their returne by the most Christian kinge of France they recouered his fauour vpon condicions which this bearer shall reporte vnto you Hetherto Salisbury who concerning matters which afterwardes ensued signified moreouer in other letters thus Now doe I endure the first yeere of my exile and wheras I wanted heeretofore nothing now behould I finde abundance of comforte beecause the liberty of the Church seemeth euen now at hand and now hath partly set her foote in the Iland for the king hath renounced as Messingers from the Cardinalls protest certayne most wicked customes which neuertheles hee was beefore accustomed to challenge detesting with an oathe both them and their first authors agreeing withall that heereafter it shall bee lawfull to appeale to the Apostolike Sea that Clearks shall not bee drawne before the secular Tribunalles with the like which I wish hee would soe approue by deede as hee affirmed in worde Thus wryteth hee concerning these affaires And this was lastly the conclusion of this Legantine Embassage other matters ensue in the end of this present yeere Salisbury in an other Epistell hauing discoursed of the state of the Church beeing then imbroyled by Fredericke the Emperour and Paschall the Antipope Cod. Vad. lib. 2. Epist 62. descendeth to the troubles of sainct Thomas Pope Alexander beeing then at Beneuent where sayth hee the Embassadors of the king of England and the Arbishoppes agents mett together in the presence of his Holines and both partyes were gratiously and honorably entertayned and for those appertayning to the king as the iustice of their cause was lesse soe was their pompe with ostentation of their riches much greater But when they were not able with their flatterys and faire promises to winne my Lord the Pope then turned they to threates fayning that their king would rather embrace the errors of Norandinus the chiefe ringleader of the Mahometanes and bee a fellowe of that profane Secte then endure Thomas any longer to enioy the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury But the man of God could neither bee shaken with feare nor seduced with flattery and laying be◠〈◊〉 two ways the one of life the other of death 〈…〉 they might easilie as they had beegune contâ—â—â—â—â— the grace and patience of God make choyse of the way of perdition but hee by our Lordes assistance would not forsake the way of righteousnes Their hope therfore in shorte tyme beegan to quayle and seeing they could not in this course preuayle against iustice they sent into Cicilie the kinges Embassadours and letters for they came armed with these to the end that by the assistance of the king and queene of Cicilie they might obtayne somewhat of my Lord the Pope against the Church But the most Christian king of France seeing this flattery of the malitious commended to the elect of Panorma the cause of the Church and of my Lord of Canterbury as his owne Meane while came the messingers of the Legates whom the king of EnglaÌ„d had procured disagreeing each from other for whatsomeuer one sayde in the Courte the other denyed and of these likewise is it yet vncertayne what they shall relate backe to their Lordes Supplication was therfore made on the beehalfe of the king and the Legates with the assistance of many other intercessors to my Lord the Pope for the Bishop of Salisbury and in the end they obteyned that his Holines forgaue him the iniury and offence donne to himselfe and did alsoe wryte to the Archbishop of Canterbury entreating and conselling him to remitt the wrong the Bishop had offered him and releasing him of the sentence of suspension receaue him into his fauour and freindship allwayes prouided that either in his owne person hee should giue him security for sufficient satisfaction or else disigne two beeing the cheifest of the Clergie of his
durst appeale to the exemples of the Archbishoppe of Canterburyes Predecessors of whom it is euident that many of them did constantly resist the kinges who did violate the Ecclesiasticall liberty and vpon that occasion suffred many yeeres exile and banishment among whoÌ„ what great afflictions sainct Anselme and after him Lanfrancke who liued vnder this king Henry's Granfather for the same cause endured is in the former Tome sufficiently declared But let vs returne to Alane who Proceedeth thus in Quadrilogus While the Archbishop for a litle space seemed silâ—â—â— the king of France burst out in these wordes My Lord Archbishop will you bee greater then holy men Will you bee better then Peter what question make you Loe peace is euen at the dore To whom the Archbishop replyed True it is quoth hee my Lord my Predecessors were much better and greater then my selfe and many in their ages allthough they did not absolutely destroy all yet neuertheles did cut of some weedes which were extolled against God for had they cleane rooted out all what had bin now left to enkindle against mee this fire of temptation wherby now beeing tryed in the same fornace with them I may with them bee found alsoe worthie of the same praise and glory yea God much better prouiding for mee it is come to passe that I haue labored soe securely in their lot and meritt as I may bee partaker of their trauell and rewarde neither yet if any of them came shorte or exceeded in any thing am I bound to followe him in his want or excesse for wee reproue Peter in deniyng Christ but wee commend Peter by all meanes who resisted the Tyranny of Nero with the losse of his life and why truly but beecause Peeter would not yeeld to him in that wherin hee could not without the losse of his soule dissemble and therfore with conquering his enemyes hee dyed as to the flesh and with such pressures as these the Catholike Church hath rysen and encreased Our fathers haue suffered beccause they would not endure the name of Christ should bee drawne into subiection and should I bee restored into the fauour of a man with suppressing the honour of Christ God forbid quoth hee God forbid Wherupon the peeres of both kingdomes turned all against the Archbishop imputing the want of the peace to his arrogancy one Earle among the rest openly protesting that in regard the Archbishoppe resisted the counsell and determination of boâ—â—â—domes hee was not heereafter worthy of assistaâ—â—â— from either but cast out of England should no longer now bee entertayned in France whervnto is added by Herberte When the parlee therefore was thus dissolued euery one returned home not without great murmuring the Archbishoppes associates in exile beeing lefte in exceeding dispaire The kinges had no sooner ended this conference but they hastily tooke horse and departed neither saluting nor yet beeing saluted of the Archbishoppe Yea also the king of England who beefore slandered the Archbishoppe fowly to his face now in his departure among other thinges insulting sayde how hee had that day reuenged him on his traytor in like sorte the Courtiers who had bin Mediators for the peace did at the last in his presence deepely charge him that hee was euer proude allwayes high-mynded wise in his owne conceypte à follower of his priuate fancy and opinion adding moroeuer it was an exceeding mischeife and an immeasurable dommage and danger to the Church that hee was euer instauled a gouernour thereof and that the same beeing partly ruinated allready by him would now bee instantly and vtterly ouerthrowne But the Archbishoppe setting a watch beefore his mouth whenas sinners banded against him was made to those who vpbrayeded and insulted ouer him as a man not hearing and with humility answered gently saying Beeware brother least the Church of God bee destroyed by you for by mee God willing it shall neuer bee and the man to whom hee directed his speech was Iohn by birth an Englishman but then Bishop of Poytiers one by reason of long acquaintance and society very familiar deere and acceptable to the Archbishoppe But 〈◊〉 others who reuyled him hee made no answer beeing vndoubledly his Disciple who when hee was cursed accursed not againe and when hee suffered threatened no reuenge And thus hee departed from the parlee in France as hee did beefore from the Parliament in North-Hamptonne beeing made a reproache to the rich and contemptible to the proude and hee with his associates returning followed the king of France whose lodginges were prepared in the Castle of Mount-Mirable The Archbishop had beefore lodged in this Castle with the king who by his Courtiers did euer prouide him liberally of all necessaries But the king did not then condescend as in other parlees hee had bin accustomed to see the Archbishop in his lodging whereupon it was presently coniectured that the king stood not soe well affected to him now as beefore yet neuertheles the Archbishop shewed himselfe pleased and contented neither was his countenaÌ„ce proceiued to bee any whit altered in this respecte wherin may bee considered the constancy of this renowned man together with the inuincible courage of his mynde who in a world thus exceedingly crossing him shewed none or very little trouble or signe of care Departing on the next morrowe from the Castle and comming that day to Charters many of the people according to the custome mett together to see the passengers and asking who they were when they vnderstood the Archbishoppe of Canterbury was there they pointed at him with their fingers who knewe him not that hee was the man and saying though softly among themselues Loe heere the Archbishoppe who yesterday in parlee would not deny God for the kinges nor subiect the diuine honor to their willes And many times after as hee trauelled thorough France diuers of the people in this sorte extolled him Leauing Charters hee came with the best speede hee could to Senon The Compiler of the epistles addeth thus When hee had therfore passed three dayes in the company of the king of France in such sorte as neither the king himselfe not any in his name came to visitt him and whereas in busines of this nature my lord of Canterbury was wont to bee maintayned by the kinges liberality now after the parlee and for the tyme that I tould you hee had nothing at all beestowed on him but that sometymes the Archbishop of Senon otherwhile the Bishoppe of Poytiers or such like his brethreÌ„ moued with his misery in passing by him releiued him as a Beggar a thing terrible to all his followers beeing quite distitute of all worldly helpe Hauing thus ended the third day of this lamentable iourney whyle they sate in their lodging discoursing together heereof and deuising whether to goe my lord of Canterbury with a well contented countenance as if hee had tasted no aduersity at all and absolute against all Fortunes power applying his speech to his mournfull company smyling sayde
with Fredericke and Fredericke likewise two Embassadors being Archbishoppes to the Pope Octauian enemy to the Pope ād Cardinalles which Legates and Embassadors meeting together went ioyntly to Fredericke at Viturbi where first Octauian afterwards that firebrand of Christendome began to shewe his turbulent spirit This man nobly borne in Rome and descended from the Earles of Tuscan Preist Cardinall of the title of Saint Cecill like another Iudas euer endeauouring what hee could against the Pope the Church and Colledg of Cardinalls beeing dismissed from his Holynes in regard hee sought to raise a sedition by the Scysmatickes intruded himselfe without commission to confound the peace which was now to bee concluded by the meditation of the Legates and Archbishoppes beetweene the Pope and Fredericke but beeing sharpely reproued by his brethren the Legates hee was for this time with shame repressed and soe suppressed the poyson which since he vomited This beeing thus ouerblasted the king in a great and most solemme assembly of his nobility and knightes caused his fealty to bee sworne by his deputy to the Pope The Empeperours oathe of fealty to the Pope and Church Which was to preserue the Pope and Cardinalles with their state and not to doe any iniury or suffer any iniury to bee donne to them or theires and if any should offer to wrong them hee would withstand it to his vttermost power and if wronges were soe cōmitted hee would by all meanes redresse them Whereupon the Pope beeing satisfyd resolued to inuest him with the Emperiall crowne and a day and place was for their meeting appointed But the king neglecting to hould the Popes styrrup a custome formerly vsed by the Emperors in honor of the Apostles saint Peeter and saint Paule as was presently made manifest by authenticall recorde The cause and custome of the Emperors houlding the Popes styrrup and otherwise the Cardinalls with drewe themselues to places of safety and the Pope beeing left in the power of Frederick and his army would not for all this peryll admit the king to the kisse of peace vntill hee proformed this his duty to him and the Church which the king in the end seeing the ancient practise thereof with humility condescended vnto This Master Camden in his suruey of England noteth of Pope Adrian which hee beeing expert in historys could not choose but knowe to haue bin donne by diuers Emperors and kinges to sundry Popes But to the purpose the king proceeding to his imperial coronation was like to haue bin preuented by the Romane Arnoldistes a scysmaticall faction then swaying in the Common-wealth had not Pope Adrian with his counsell and power made way to him for his coronation in Rome Frederick croumed Emperor by Pope Adriā where hee receaued with all ceremonyes from the Pope the Crowne and Emperiall ornamentes Which finished the seditious Romanes with a sharpe fight assaulted the Germanes in which conflict many beeing killed the Germanes in the end obtained the victory with the slaughter and captiuity of their aduersaries wherein the Pope shewed himselfe to his Citticens a pious father for hee neuer left sollicitinge the Emperour vntill hee had procured their release Soe passing from the Emperour who hy this perfect or politicke amity concluded with the Pope found thereupon good successe in the warres which hee vndertooke in his returne towards Germany let vs see what beefell to William king of Cecyll after hee was excommunicated The king incensed heerewith commanded the Princes of his army to lay a streyght siege to Beneuent the Popes familiar courte of residence Beneuent beesieged by the king of Cecill to repell which iniury the Pope excited the mightyest Earle in his kindome Robert de Bassauyll his cousen-german with many others of the nobility to make warre vpon him moreouer hee called in diuers others exiled The great cōbination in war of Emperors others against the king of Cecyll and spoyled of their goods by the king and his father as Robert of Surent a Prince of Campany and Earle de Rupe canina with others renowned for parentage and power to returne into their Countrey and recouer their lost posessions promising them the assistance of the Romane Sea lastly hee solicited the Emperors both of Rome and Constantinople to inuade the kingdome of Cecyll whereupon the Emperor of Constantinople as strong in men as money tooke Hadrant a sea-towne Apulia the Cittyzens yeelding vnto him Earle Robert also with his followers what for the loue of him ād hatred of the king violently wonne Tarunt and Barum two renowed Metropolitane Seas with all the sea coastes to the very boundes of his kindome The famous and worthy peeres the Prince of Capua and Count Andrew chalenged all Campany commonly named the land of labour euen to Salern Naples and saint Germans soe as the whole region was in a mighty combustion Frederick Emperour of Rome encamping his army about the coastes of Ancon endured soe great a mortality among his souldiers as loseing his most puissant lordes scarce the tenth man remayned aliue whereupon beeing notable to retayne his powers that were willfully bent to returne into their countrey though vnwilling was ready to departe The king of Cecyl ready to submit himselfe to the Pope Now the king of Cecyl thus beegirt with assaultes retyring himselfe with dew repentance and all humility to obedience sent the Electe of Catana with the choysest of his noble attendantes as far as Salerne towards the Pope submissiuely beeseeching absolution from this excommunication and promising to doe homage and sweare Fealty to his Holines and withall to restore all the Churches of his kingdome with ample liberty and giue therefore three Castles called Palud Montfuscal and Muron with their appurtenantes for euer to the Romane Church offering to subdewe the rebellious Romanes to the Popes subiection and if hee could recouer the grace and fauor of the Pope and Church of Rome would beestow on them so much money as the Emperour of Constantinople promised The Pope therefore assured that all these should bee proformed was most willing to embrace these conditions beeing soe honorable and profitable to the Church but the Cardinals that were of the Roman Emperors faction beeing too singular in their owne conceites withstood and reiected all this and did afterwards often the like to the Church of Romes exceeding dommage For heereupon the next yeere à world of miseryes ensued in regard the king of Cecyl gathering a most powerfull army in Cecill and Calabria Anno 2. Hadr. Pa. The king of Cecyl ouerthrowing his enemys besiegeth the Pope with greate iourneys marched into Apulia where Prince Robert beetaking him selfe to flight hee ouerthrewe about Brundusium at the first onset the Grecian Hoste casting their Captayns captiues into chaynes and enriching himselfe with their treasures and bringing the whole countrey into subiection hee went forward and beesieged in Beneuent the Pope with the Cardinals where they and all the Citty being ouerwhelmed in
sinfull counsell tranformed himselfe into an Angel of light sometimes with a preteÌ„ce of exceeding piety otherwhyles with whole boastes of Bishoppes preystes and Religious yet whosoeuer considereth that Alexander was elected by fowerteene Cardinalles and Octauian by three only Three principall approbations of the Romane papacy that Alexander was chosen by all the Bishops Cardinalles Tusculan only excepted That Alexander was consecrated by the Bishop of Ostia and not Octiuian and Alexander established vpon these three principall foundations of the Romane papacy and not Octauian must needes beesides diuers other reasons bee inuincibly perswaded by these that AlexaÌ„der was truly preferred by God and his Church aÌ„d OctauiaÌ„ only bolstered out by the Emperour and the world For no Pope can hee chosen without the Bishop of Ostia I should haue wondred that soe many Bishoppes and Prelates gathered together in this vnlawfull conuenticle could soe bee ouerwhelmed in this Aegiptian darknes as they could not see this apparant light had I not knowne the like afterwardes in our owne countrey But thus it is when Bishopes feeding themselues and not theyr flockes run away at the sight of the Wolfe and beetray Godes cause with theyr slauish feare or flattery The reasons alleaged for this theyr wicked sentence against they re supreme spirtuall head were supported with the horrible periury of many eminent Clearkes a thing most detestable in soe holy a function and a great argument against him was that hee refused to bee iudged by these his subiectes a matter contrary to Religion and all rules of gouerment Heereupon these rebells against the Church excoÌ„municated the Pope out of the Church and imitated in all pointes the actioÌ„s of a true counsell but still grating vpoÌ„ the old quarrell of the league with Cecill against the Empire so was the world euer predominaÌ„t Some also pretended the cause of theyr connyueÌ„ce or coÌ„sent to this coÌ„uenticle was for an vnioÌ„ beetweene the Church and the Empyre which proued on the contrary side the originall of a tedious dissention beetweene them and some wiser then the rest subscribed to the Conuenticle to satisfy the present necessityes of the Empyre with reseruation of theyr sentence to the Churches more serious and further determination The Emperour heereupon not only adored the beaste attributing to his Idoll all honor beelonging to the papacy as kissing his feete The Emperour adoreth Octauian The Emperour persecuteth all Prelates who resiste this scysme Scysmaticks vsurpe Ecclesiastical dignitys Alexander threateneth the Emperour with excommunication The Archbishop of Mountes who first subscribed against Alexander miserablie murdered by his Cittizens CoÌ„rade succeeding the scysmatick in the Archbishoprick of Mounts left all to followe Alexander The Cistercians persecuted for Alexander houlding his styrrop and leading his horse but also proclaymed throughout the Empyre that all the Prelates should accept and reuerence him as Pope threatening banishment for euer to such as refused it And presently ensued the tyme to try the gold in the fire of persecution Now was the corne and chaffe parted For they who preferred theyr soules before theyr worldly substance left theyr countreyes their Churches and all their Ecclesiasticall dignityes which Octauians scysmaticall followers by intrusion inuaded Soe miserable was the face of this deformed Church Neyther was Alexander heerewith discomforted but the more the persecution preuayled the more couragiously hee opposed himselfe against the Emperour for hee prepared to denounce iudgmeÌ„t against him froÌ„ his Apostolicke throne hee summoned him to appeare and refusing to obey threatened him with the swoard of Excommunication Arnold Archbishop of Mountes beeing the first who absolutely subscribed against Pope Alexander for the Patriache reserued his opinion to the Churches iudgment was the first who susteyned due punishment therefore beeing on the Natiuity of saint Iohn the Baptist next following most cruelly murdered by his owne CittizeÌ„s throwne naked out as a prey for Wolues and dogges and his body after diuers abuses offered it in the end stinking aÌ„d scarce to bee knowne by stealth and with great difficulty buryed His next lawfull successor was Conrade the Emperours kinsman who leauing the Emperours scysmaticall faction followed Pope Alexander and for his iust cause endured persecution as alsoe whole Conuentes of the Cistercians who were banished for defence of Alexander But among others was Peeter Archbishop of Tarantasia most to bee admyred who not withstanding hee laboured aboue all others in mayntaining Alexander against Octauian was honored by the Emperour for his singular vertues Thus hee and some others in this ruine of Bishoppes were tryed faythfull in the Churches cause The Archbishop of TaraÌ„tasia most coÌ„stant to AlexaÌ„der yet honored by Frederick for his sanctity OctauiaÌ„ on the other side as it is sayd soe basely beehauing himselfe as hee submitted the Papal insignes to the Emperours will and receaued backe from Fredericke his inuesture by the ryng OctauiaÌ„ receaueth his inuestur froÌ„ Fredericke The king of EnglaÌ„d coÌ„stant to AlexaÌ„der coÌ„teÌ„neth Octauianes Nuntios The Archbishop of SenoÌ„ faythfull to Alexander and a great freind of saint Thomas The Cardinall of Pauy fainting in Alexanders cause proued soe to S. Thomas An. 1162. S. Edward King of EnglaÌ„d aÌ„d CoÌ„fessor canonized WhereupoÌ„ miracles were wrought Miracles wrought by the Archbishop of TaraÌ„tasia prouing the lawfull election of Alexander The Archbishop of Tarantasia confirmeth the Catholikes in obedience to the Pope in Italy Burgundy Loraygne S Anthelâ—â— Bishop of BilliceÌ„s setâ—eth the Carthusians aÌ„d Cistercians in subiectioÌ„ to Alexander winning thereby the western Church Frederick rageth Spayne Gaule and Brytaygne acknowledg Alexander Alexander not able to continue in Rome beeing oppressed by Octauian Alexander enforced to flye into France This appeareth in Alexanders Epistle to the Bishop of Lexouy wherin hee seemeth very much to relye vpon the king of Englandes constancy extolling him with extraordinary prayses For king Henry soe much contemned Octauian as hee made a scorne of his Nuntios and letters Lastly there were two thinges contrary to themselues yet concurring in this yeere which hauing relation to the history of S. Thomas are not to bee passed ouer in silence The one that the Archbishop of Senon beeing now most faythfull to Pope Alexander proued afterwardes as faythfull to saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury the other that William of Pauy Priest Cardinall of sainct Peeter ad vinculum faynting with silence at the Conuenticle of Pauy in the cause of Alexander was afterwardes as faulty in the cause of sainct Thomas King Henry the second of England acknowledging Alexander the lawfull Pope sent this yeere Embassadours to him for canonizing sainct Edward King of England and Confessor beeing 95. yeers after his death whereupon miracles beeing wrought God did with the power of these two Kinges the one in Heauen the other in earth confirme Alexanders vndoubted tytle and our remote Iland one of the vttermost boundes of the world confessed whom some of his Countreymen yea Cittizens wickedly contradicted Now also
should loose his Emperiall courtes straitghtned therfore in this sorte beeing a man of a great witt and deepe policy hee beegan to deuise how hee might with a generall assent of the Church haue both Alexander and his Idol Octauian deposed and a third elected And beecause like will to like hee made choyse of Henry Count of Trey in whom hee reposed especiall trust The Emperor entrappeth the King of France to bee heerein his strength and assistance The Counte therfore instructed by the Emperour returned home and comming as a subtle temptor to his lord the king of France a man of a Doues simplicity craftily suggested to him on the Emperours beehalfe a singular good way to make a perfect vnion in the Romane Church which was that the Emperour for the pure loue of God desired that they two beeing the greatest Princes of this parte of the world should at Auinion a towne confining on both theyr dominions assemble together the Cleargie and Layety both of the Empire and France and the Emperour to bring with him Octauian and his complices and the King Alexander with his Cardinalles and there the election of them both beeing diligently examined by the Clergie of Italy Germany and France to determine then what was best and most profitable to the Christiā Common wealth The king out of his pious disposition too confident and considering the great mischeifes which arose vpon this discord condescended to the Count promising his safe conduct to the Emperour for effecting this matter Wherupon the Count returning to the Emperour in Lumbardy confirmed this on the kinges beehalfe with his oathe Hence spread an euill rumor through Italy to the greife of all good Catholikes fearing least heereby the Churches liberty should bee endangered Against the day the Emperour with his Princes and puissant army came to the appoynted place and Octauian with his scysmaticall cōfederates followed The king with his Clergie and nobility hastened also thither meeting in the way at Saluian with Pope Alexander where honoring one an other they consulted two dayes about this appoynted assembly but beeing a thing not only vnworthy but also contrary to the Churches Canons that the Papacy beeing the highest seate should bee subiect to any earthly iudgment it was agreede by all that only some of the principall Cardinalles should bee sent to manifest to the world the lawefull election of Pope Alexander and Octauians title to bee but a fryuolous imposture Wherupō fiue Cardinalles accōpanyd the king to the parlee the Pope with the rest retyring themselues to the Monastery of Dole in Aquitayne The king with his reuerent and honorable trayne came by Diion to Mount Saon which deuideth France from Germany expecting there what the Emperour would propound Wherefore the Arch heretike Octauian seeing the Reuerent Cardinalles of the Church of Rome and the Cleargy of France constantly appearing against him beeing afrayd of his tryal complayned to the Emperour that his aduersary Alexander disdayned to appeare and himselfe whose cause was in the Emperours presence confirmed at the Counsell of Pauy must yet come to a new examination Wherupon the Emperour incensed with anger sent the king word that bee had broken his couenant and falsifyd his oath beccause hee brought not Alexander to the place The king therfore aduising with his counsell answered that allthough hee could lawfully excuse the Popes absence yet because hee would not derogate from his regality or renowne nor bee taynted with any deceyte bee it eyther iust or vniust hee would presently without any dissimulation send for the Pope and his brethren thither And soe instantly posted away messingers to call the Pope and Cardinals thither with speede or otherwise to signify that hee must yeeld himselfe a captiue into the Emperours handes according as it was couenanted betweene them Wherupon the Pope and Cardinals seeing the king thus entangled in the Emperours snares were marueylously troubled considering how they were on all sides bee set with dangers for if they wente thyther to vndergoe the iudgment of men The Pope and Cardinalles together with the Kinge of France in danger to bee surprised by the Emperour they saw the Churches liberty hazarded by violence if they went not but suffered the king to bee enthralled by the Emperour they could expect nothing for themselues but imprisonment and losse of all For the Emperour was not only dreadfull with his owne mighty army but had also the kinges of Denmarke and Behemia with his princes and powers there vnited with him intending as it seemed to accomplish in that parlee the malice which hee had long hached against the Pope and king But god who neuer forsaketh his suffered not the Pope and king to beecome a prey to the Emperour for hee styrred vp the spirit of the glorious king of England with a powerfull army of resolute souldiers to march speedily and couragiously against the Emperour The King of Englāds couragious attempt to deliuer the Pope and King of France out of the Emperours hādes sending also such a terrible famine among the Emperiales as Frederick could no longer endure there to effect his intended mischeife Wherfore to make a faire pretence for his departure hee sent by Reynold his Chancellor and others his fauorites to the king of France commanding him that in regarde theyr lord Fredericke was Emperour of the Romanes and the speciall Aduocate of the Romane Church and therfore no Prelates could iudge the cause of the Election of the Pope of Rome but such as were within the Romane Empire the king with his Bishops Clergie should repayre to him as a freind and associate to attend his sentence heerein Whereunto the king smiling answered that hee wondred a wise man would send soe foolish a message asking if hee were ignorant that Christ committed his flocke to saint Peeter and his successors or whether hee could euer proue that the king of France and his Prelates were any where excepted as beeing not sheepe of that flocke The Pope and king of France by Gods assistance rescued frō the Emperours malice The king of England visiteth the Pope and humbly kisseth his feete And so contemning the Emperour and this embassage hee departed arming himselfe and his nobility and fortifying his frontyre townes against the Emperour returned by Gods assistance with glory to his courte and the fiue Cardinalles in like sorte to the Pope shewing to his holines they re blessed deliuery The Emperour on the other side confounded with shame dispersed his army euen perishing with famine and with great sorrowe went into Germany About this time the king of England visited Pope Alexander in the Monastery of Bobien and prostrating himselfe with all humility kissed his feete and when the Pope offered him a seate meete for his Maiestie hee refused it and with his Barons sate at his feete Hee was receaued by the Pope with the kisse of peace and the king bestowing royal and bounteous giftes on him and the Cardinalles with great
ioy departed The Pope trauelling from thence to towers celebrated there the feast of Christmas This yeere also lewis king of France and Henry king of England meeting Pope Alexāder at Tociacke which is situated on the riuer of Loyre both kinges attending on foote did leade the Popes horse hee ryding thereon That kinges of Frāce and Englād together lead ioyntly the Popes horse The Pope vniteth the kinges of France and and Englād in perfect amity the king of France houlding the right and the king of England the left cheeke of his brydle and soe conducting him to a Pauylion prepared for him where hee by godes assistance vnited them in a perfect leage of amity Soe these two kinges diuided long in bloudy warres agreed both in one to honor in this sorte ioyntly together Christes vicar A thing though often vsed by Emperours and kinges to Popes yet neuer beefore excecuted by two kinges at once Soe God did honor him whom the Emperour sought to depresse rewarded the kinges for theyr humble seruice with a Benediction of Peace Now heere is to bee showed how Waldemar king of Denmark sonne of king Canutus the Martyr beeing deluded by the Emperour and Octauian Waldemar king of Dēmarke deluded by the Emperour beecame his homager yet deliuered by God from his scysme was drawne within the Lyons pawes and soe inforced to bee his homager yet mercifully deliuered by Christ from the contamination of this scysme The king beeing sollicited by the Scysmatickes and not vnderstanding the matter sent Rafe his secretary a man of more wordes then wisedome to the Emperour where ouercome with the curtesies and rewards of Fredericke and Octauian and allured also with large promises made to the king his Master of a Prouince in Italy and the gouerment of Sclauia and beeing moreouer informed how pyous an acte it was and how well beeseeming the zeale and great discretion of soe worthy a kinge to come and yeeld his assistance for vniting the Catholikes thus disioynted neyther yet Octauians humility submitting himselfe to the counsell nor Alexanders refusal to obey their iudgments beeing forgotten was thus perswaded and sent backe to relate all this to his king who more bold heerin then discreete and not soe much vpon a Religious yeale as a curiosity to see the fashons of other countreys entertayned these suggestions At that tyme Octauians Legate was in Denmarke Absolon Bishop of Rochildens a wise and vertuous Prelate but rather scorned then accepted After whose dimission the king went to Absalon Bishop of Roschildens his foster brother and faythful freind a man of rare vertues grauity and wisedome to whom laying all open hee declared his intended iourney desiring the Bishop to accompany him The Bishop discouering Frederickes deceytes condemned them assuring hee could not without violating his religion entertayne the Emperours freindship beeing more passionately then iustly transported with this scysme and for his owne parte that hee was altogether vnprouided for such a iourney The king offering to furnish him with all thinges necessary the Bishop answered hee would not hazard his soule among the professed enemyes of Gods Church The king replying hee therfore desired to haue him along beecause if his conscience should bee any wayes endangered the Bishop might rescue and deliuer him the Bishop ouercome with his importunity happily yeelded whereupon the king with a royal trayne sett forward neyther with any dangers or dissuasiōs of his faythfull counsellors could hee be-recalled but neuerthelesse preceeded on with great iustice and religion which purchassed him in all Countreyes where hee passed both loue and reuerence for though his company encreasing amounted in showe to an army yet would hee not suffer them to offer the least wrong to any The singular iustice of the king of Denmarke yea his seuere equity was such both at home and abroade as when afterwardes vpon want of prouision for his horses complayning to the Emperour hee desired hee might haue the same for money and the Emperour willed that his seruantes as others who followed those warres should gett it by spoyle of the Countrey hee cryed out hee was no theife nor would purchase by robbery and although in eases of necessity this was tolerated yet would hee not allow that in other nations which hee condemned in his owne or suffer his subiectes with forraine offences to corrupt their domesticall lawes Wherupon the Germane Princes admyring protested that happy was the Realme where such a king gouerned But to returne to the purpose After a tedious iourney approaching the Emperiall Campe hee found contrary to his expectation a cold entertaynment For Absolon the good Bishop accompanyd with Rafe that ill Embassador deliuered beefore the Emperour the cause of his lords coming But Frederike condemning first the kinges neglecte and delay sayd that hee who held his kingdome by seruice to the Emperiall Maiestie forgot himselfe much in omitting thus long his attendance Absolon answering The Emperour should haue signifyd soe much to the king before hee vndertooke his iourney and not to inuite him with such faire and large promises The Emperour wondering answered who fed the king with such hopes and promises Absolon produced Rafe saying this is hee who with your high promises abused the goodnes of our credulous king But Rafe abashed at the Emperours denyall gaue the Bishop leaue to vnfould the whole matter The Emperour still gaynsaying all Absolon desired his kinge might haue then a safe conduct backe into his Countrey But Fredericke yeelding to nothing affirmed that as hee medled not with his comming soe hee would not assist him in his goeing Heerupon the king repenting his rashnes sayd allthough the swoard hung ouer his head neuertheles hee would rather dye then inthrall his countrey to bondage And for a remedy to this mischeife lying with the Emperour on the confines of France determined by Absolons counsell to flye thither by stealth for refuge But the Emperour altering his mynde sought to win him by giftes whom hee could not bend by terror and giuing the gouerment of Sclauia allured the king to doe him Homage yet soe as it should neyther preiudice his posterity nor kingdome alleadgeing for example the glorious king of Englād who in like case for his principallityes in France did Homage to the king of France And now to descend to Octauians absurd conuenticle where the Archbishop of Clen declaymed of the iniury offered the Romane Emperour by other kinges who would intermedle with choosing the Pope of Rome where the Emperour on the contrary side neuer interposed himselfe about the elections of any Bishoppes in Cittyes subiect to their dominions And the Emperour saying also that hee doubted not but the kinges there present assembled by him for that purpose would concurre with the Bishoppes in ratifying Octauians authority When Octauian heereupon proceeded in his counterfeit solemnity to accurse Pope Alexander The king of Denmarke by the aduise of Bishop Absolon flyinge Octauian followeth Alexander the king
of Denmarke admonished by Absolon departed the place and refusing to bee present at that sacriligious excommunication shewed thereby his approbation of Alexander and reprobation of Octauian And Bishop Absolon following after when Octauian requested him to stay sayd there was no reason but as hee came with the king soe hee should departe with him and soe they both left Octauian Thus the Emperour contrary to the Canons of the Church summoned kinges to establishe the Papacy Heere now dawneth the day of sainct Thomas of Canterburyes history which beeing most tempestuous closed neuertheles in a most glorious Euening for thus writeth Cardinall Baronius This selfe same yeere a great counsell was assembled at London in England of all the Bishoppes meeting together about the election of the Archbishop of Canterbury beeing the cheife Metropolitan of the Realme after the death of Archbishop Theobalde who departed this life on Easter Tewesday Saint Thomas chosen Archbishop of Canterbury when hee had administred that place twenty yeeres the king himselfe was also there present where by the general assent of all Thomas his Maiesties Chancellor was chosen to that dignity which beeing written at large among the actions of his life cronicled by Edward a man of that age you see heere breifely collected and printed The Authors and Epistles froÌ„ wheÌ„ce Cardinall Baronius collecteth the history of saint Thomas But other matters are likewise recorded by foure Authors beeing all Disciples of saint Thomas the first Hubert his Clearke the next William of Canterbury the third Iohn of Salusbury the last Allane Abbot of Deache all which beeing digested in three bookes remayning in the Vaticane library together with selected Epistles written by diuers Authors and all tending to this purpose among which many were sent by saint Thomas and Pope Alexander and beeing by the labour of Iohn of Salusbury deuided into fiue bookes excelling all treasures shall helpe to beautify this my history Saint Thomas laboreth to flye the Archbishopprick telling King Henry that in this place hee shall offend him in defending the Churches liberty The tome it selfe remayneth in the Vaticane library Hubert testifyeth that saint Thomas sought by all meanes to auoyd this Archiepiscopull dignity for these are his wordes Thomas laboured with the king that hee should forbeare to aduance him to the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury professing if hee were soe chosen hee should proue his aduersary and enemy in defending the Churches liberty Whereunto Salusbury addeth thus hauing long resisted vpon the instant vrging of Henry of Pisapreist Cardinall of saints Nereu and Achilleus beeing there Legate hee assented wherupon they presently sent Messingers to Pope Alexander resyding then at Mount Pessulan for obtayning his pall S. Thomas coÌ„secrated Archbishop of Canterbury which for reuerence of soe great a man was out of hand graunted and soe at the Popes hands they receaued it But in laying open the excessiue tribulations and extremityes falling out in the processe of his Bishoppricke which exceedingly afflicted not only Thomas himselfe with the Church of Canterbury and all England but also Pope Alexander with the Romane Church and the whole Catholike world wee are soe ouerwhelmed with abundance of Authors as wee can hardly without great labor ploung out of them For not only Edward and those foure Authors wryting to this purpose with others who registred the occurents of the time yield plentifully most copious matter to furnish Chronicles but also 455. Epistles sent vpon that occasion by diuers to sundry persons and especially by Pope Alexander and saint Thomas himselfe out of which wee frame this Epistolary history which excelleth others presente vs with such an ouerswelling sea of discourse as our style beeing euen drowned the very plenty maketh vs poore An. Dom. 1163. Pope Alexander intending to celebrate a Counsell at Towers hastened about the beginning of Lent to speake with the king of France at Paris where the vertuous king with his lords knightes mett him two leagues before his entrance of the Citty and as the king saw the Pope hee alyghting ran to his styrrup and humbly kissed his feete whom the Pope receaued also with a kisse soe both ryding forward together with the Cardinalls were with a most solemne procession of the Clergy and great exultation brought to the Cathedrall Church Alexander celebrateth the Counsell of Towers Heere remayned his holines till Easter was passed Afterwards hee trauailled to Charters and thence to Towers where on the 14. Kalends of Iune beeing within the Octaues of Penticoste in the Church of saint Martine hee celebrated his Counsell with 17. S. Thomas comming to the CouÌ„sell of Towers was honourably receaued by the Pope Cardinalles a hundred foure twenty Bishops besides a maruilous number of the Clergie and Layetie among whom was saint Thomas who was the last yeere instauled in the Archbishopprick of Canterbury whom the Pope soe honorably receaued as hee sent all the Cardinalles except two that euer attend him to meete this Metropolitane before his entrance into the Citty and gaue him as fully as hee requested confirmation of all his Churches priuiledges Heere Arnulphus Bishop of Lexouy by the Popes appointment made the Oration beeing most pious learned aÌ„d eloqueÌ„t wherin hee touched the Emperours authority giuen only to his Ancestors by the Romane Church and thence diriued to him CoÌ„rade thâ— the elected Archbishop of Mounts leauing his Cousen the Emperour came to the Pope at the Counsell of Towers CoÌ„rade aduanced by the Pope Alexanders vndoubted tittle to the Papacy manifested OctauiaÌ„ accursed and prayeth them charitably to relieue the Pope and Cardinalles beeing now banished out of all To this Counsell came Conrade the Elect of Mountes leauing his Cousen the Emperour and all his temporall honors to follow Pope Alexander by whom hee was made afterwards Cardinall Bishop of Sabine and Archbishop of Mounts wherewith the Emperour beeing offended intruded Christian his Chancellor into his place In this Counsell Alexanders vndoubted tytle to Papacy beeing most euidently declared Octauian with all his Complices was againe accursed There are also diuers Canons of the same Counsell extant Pope Alexander beeing offered by the kinges to make choyse of some Citty within their dominions to inhabit in went in October to Senon beeing a Metropolitane Citty where hee executed freely his supreme function and authority Heere William of Newborough wandreth in two errors the one that saint Thomas at the Counsell of Towers moued in conscience Alexander residing at Senon in France gouerneth the Catholike Church William of Newberies erroâ—s because hee receaued at the kinges hands a laycall inuesture beeing neyther Canonically nor sincerely done resigned therefore his Bishoppricke secretly into the Popes handes which his Holines restored to him againe with lawfull approbation curing the scruple of his afflicted conscience which as in the processe of this worke will appeare was afterwardes The other that the only cause of controuersy beetweene the king and the
with him one parte of the deede conteyning the afore said customes to the end hee might cary with him his cause the other parte of this obligation the Arrchbishop of Yorke receiued the third the king himselfe reteyned to be enrolled among his royall Charters And soe that day they were dismissed Heere first of all you may disproue that which Roger writeth in the Chronikles of England to witt that S. Thomas promised those vnlawfull thinges to the king by Pope Alexanders perswasion for if hee did it not only by the consent but also by the perswasion of the Pope why did hee pennance beefore the said Pope for the same as a most heynous sinne if the Pope himselfe should bee the author of his offence but let vs heare what remayneth Beesides the history of Quadrilogus mentioned by vs there is added in the end thereof a more exact narration of all thinges which hapned after the dissolution of the same detestable conuentickle held at Claringtonne vntill the departure of Pope Alexander out of Fraunce from whence wee haue inserted the history heere to bee recited beeginning with the pennanâ—â— of S. Thomas in these words And hee departing from â—he Courte of the king his followers by chance beegan to â—urter among themselues some affirming according to â—he custome that in regard of this distressed tyme matters â—ught to bee thus caryed others disdaining that for the â—leasure of a man the authoritie of the Ecclesiastical liberâ—y should perish Among whom one instantly pressing more earnestly said The publick power disturbeth all â—niquitie rageth against Christ himselfe the Sinagog of Saâ—han profaneth Gods sanctuarie princes haue sate and assembled in one against Christ our Lord no man is safe who â—oueth equity in the iudgement of the world they are accounted wise and are at this time worshipped who flatter Princes in following their pleasures yea this tempest hath shaken the very â—illars of the Church while the Pastor is fled the scattered sheepe are subiect to the wolfe to conclude what place remaineth now secure for innocency who shall fight in defence of this Bullwarke or who shall triumphe in this battell the general beeing ouercome And thus hee expostulated the matter who caryed the Crosse beefore my lord of Canterbury the rest beeing silent for sorrowe and with great libertie hee added assumeing in this sorte a parable what virtue saith hee hath the man reserued to himselfe who hath lost his constancy and renowne whom meane you by this my sonne quoth the lord of Canterbury Euen your selfe answered bee it concerneth you because this day you haue for euer lost both conscience and fame hauing left beehind you to â—osteritie an example odious beefore God and contrarie to â—onesty while your handes consecrated to almightie God were stretched out to obserue those accursed customes and â—our selfe conniued with the Ministers of sinfull Sathan for â—he confusion of the Ecclesiasticall liberty This was assuâ—edly the Cocke at whose croweing Peeter awakeâ—ed did weepe bitterly For the Author proceedeth my lord of Canterbury therefore wayled and lamented S Thomas recouereth his laps imposeth pennance on himselfe and with sighes and groanes said I repent mee yea greiuously and trembling with the horror of mine offence I comdemne my selfe as vnworthy to serue heereafter aâ— a Preist at hiâ— altar whose Church I haue soe basely sould I will rest silent therefore sitting downe to sorrowe vntill Allmightie God shall visit mee from aboue that I may deserue from our lord himselfe or from my lord the Pope to receaue absolution And presently thereupon hee sent a messinger to the Sea Apostolicke Pope Alexander had lerned all this beefore by the relation of others Libr. 1 epist 20. and moued with exceeding compassion did write these letters to S. Thomas whereby hee recomforted him now drowned thus in sorrowe and absolued him from the oath The letters are these Pope Alexander absolueth S Thomas froÌ„ this sinne Your Brotherhood vnderstandeth how wee haue heard and by the reporte of some bin certifyed that in consideration of a certaine offence you haue determined to forbeare the celebration of Masse and abstayne from the consecration of the body and blood of our lord Which truly of what importance it is especially in a man of your eminency and how great a scandal may ensue thereupon I would haue you with carefull consideration to ponder and weigh the same with your watchfull discretion For you ought with prudence diligently to conceaue that there is very great difference where sinnes are wilfully committed with deliberation and where on the other side they are donne out of ignorance or necessity For it is apparant that wee ought to proceed in one sorte with these which are acted by a mans owne free will and in an other manner with those which as it is sayd are of ignorance or the compulsion of necessity and one way the first an other way the last are by men of iudgment and wisedome to bee handled and measured as by the testimonyes of holy Scriptures wee are taught Your intention giueth the name to your worke for as in an other place wee reade Sinne is soe far voluntarie as if it bee not voluntarie it is no sinne and our allmighty Lord respecteth not the action of the worker but rather considereth the intention and discerneth the will If therefore you call to minde that you haue committed anything whereof your owne conscience ought to accuse you whatsoeuer it is wee aduise you to confesse it in the Sacrament of Pennance to a Preist of discretion and prudence which beeing performed our mercifull Lord who looketh much more to the harte then to the facte will through the commiseration of his accustomed pitty forgiue it you and wee beeing confident of the meritts of S. Peeter and S. Paule his Apostles doe absolue you from what is committed and release your brotherhood thereof by the Apostolicke authority counselling and commanding that heereafter you abstayne no more in this respect from the celebration of Masse Dated at Senon the Kalends of Aprill Thus wrote Alexander But Iohn of Salisbury in his epistle to Peeter the writer I thinke of Bloys which beeing omitted in the often recited booke of epistles is afterwards placed in the end of the volume affirmeth the sinne of S. Thomas not bee excused but rather declared to bee purged by pennance for hee saith I cannot excuse his promise at Claringtonne whereunto hee was drawne by the counsell of the Bishopps because such a promise was not to bee made but confession washed away the offence hauing receiued soâ—emne pennances from the Popes holynes who in the presence of many by the Apostolical authority condemned those peruerse customes Soe writeth Iohn Now the former recited history proceedeth thus The King in the meane time perceaued that my Lord of Canterbury would flie of from this promise especially in that hee openly refused to seale the charter of these customes according to the agreement Whereupon his Maiestie
being very bitterly incensed beegan to vexe him with more greiuous and exquisite molestations in such wise as it was apparant to all vnderstanding men the blood and life of the Archbishop was thirsted after Among other matters the king soe wrought The King incensed against Saine Thomas sendeth an embassage to the Pape as hee sent messangers to Pope Alexander and required two thinges at his hands first that hee would grant the legantine authority which was vsually committed to the Archbishop of Canterbury vnto the Archbishop of Yorke then that the Pope would confirme the artickles of the customes published in the Parliament of Claringtonne Vpon receipt of which message Alexander beeing on all sides beesieged with exceeding extremities seeing this warre now turned on the Apostolicall Sea laboured with his best and most ready endeauours to calme and appease the king and soe to yeeld to him insome what which neuerthelesse should with no preiudice derogate from the Chuch of Canterbury and thereupon did write in this sorte to the Archbishop Lib. 1 epist 4 The Popes epistle to S. Thomas coÌ„cerning the Kinges dedemandes Although in regard of the wisâ—dome of your minde and sincerity of your faith wee would euer loue your persâ—â— with a more plentifull sweetnes of châ—ritie and a more enflamed desire and with a fare more feruent affection seeke the honour and exaltation of you as our most deare brother it is notwithstanding beehoofefull to vs and you who are a greate pillar of the Church warely to weigh the qualityes of the times and with a prouident moderation and dispensation to mitigate the wrath of the incensed king You on whom God hath beestowed a large talent of wâ—sedome and grace doe truly see in your discretion in what sorte our most deare sonne in Christ Henrie the renowned king of England maintaineth an outragious course in the gouerment of his kingdome and desireth to haue the same vnlawfull proceedinges strenthned witâ— the authority of the Church of Rome whereby they may obtaine the greater confirmation and fauour Whereupon when in times past hee more instantly required of vs and our brethren by our reuerent brother the Bishoppe of Lyons and our beeloued sonne the Archdeacon of Poyters that hee might haue the power Legantine of all England graunted to the Arrchbishop of Yorke and beesought alsoe that wee would command as well you as all the Bishops vniuersally to keepe and conserue the ancient customes and dignities of his kingdome because wee did not yeeld to his desire according to his owne will instantly vpon returne of his embassadors scarce hearing the answer receaued from vs hee sent our beeloued sonnes Geffry his Archdeacon and Master Iohn vnto our presence and by them most earnestly required at our handes not only the former but also other far more vnreasonable demands and to the end wee should yeelde an easyer way to his desire hee procured letters vnto vs from your brotherhood and also the foresaid Bishop of Yorke For as hee prayed vs beefore that the ancient customes and dignitys might by our command bee conserued soe now againe of late hee most earnestly requested that in like sorte as your selfe and others had promised to obserue them they might in the same manner bee assured to him and his posterity Hew far the Pope graunted or denyed the Kings requests by the Sea Apostolicke But wee reiected his petition Notwithstanding least wee should incite him to ouermuch bitternes and more passionate trouble of mynde against vs and you least also it might bee suspected that this was any way hindred in regard of your selfe moreouer fearing hee might breake out into a more furious rage against you and beeing therefore desirous to bee more prouident for you and our selues with consideration of the dangerous times wee yealded so far to the king as to grante the Legantine letters to the aforesaid Archbishop And for that subiectes are truly bound to submitt themselues to their Princes desires and obey their wille wee aduise counsail and by all meanes exhorte your wisedome that as a prouident and discreete man measuring the necessity of the time and with faithfull consideration foreseeing what aduersityes may happen by reason thereof to you and your Church you would endeuour to yeelde to your King in all thinges sauing euer the honour of your Ecclesiasticall dignity and instant labor to recouer to your selfe his grace and fauour least in doeing otherwise you disquiet him to the hurte of you and our selues and they who are transported with an other spirit might thereby purchasse power to insult ouer you and vs. And wâ—e truly as oportunity shall serue will diligently and carefully treate with your King for your honor and augmentation and will employ all necessary trauell for conseruation of the lawes and dignityes of your Church and with all conueniency bee watchfull and prouident therein Dated at Senon the third of the Nones of March Reader you beehould Pope Alexander beesett with extremityes either to loose the kinges good will or grante his requestes and yeeld to him who laboureth to extorte a petition against the Churches liberty these two soe intangleing him the one of the kings demaundes hee satisfyed giuing the Legantine authority to the Bishop of Yorke the other hee absolutely denyed beeing the confirmation of the recited customes yea to the end this Legantine power conferred on the Bishop of Yorke might no way preiudice S. Thomas hee thought good soe to restrayne the same in his later letters that hee should vnderstand this Legation of his for England to bee confined with condition that notwithstanding hee should haue no authority graunted him ouer the Archbishop or Dioces of the Church of Canterbury Lib. 1. epist 5 Lib. 1. epist 3â— 40. Pope Alexanders letters importing this restraint are extant which for breuity wee omitt thinking it sufficieÌ„t if wee leaue them heere noted with their numbres in the margent It is alsoo apparant in the same letters of Pope Alexander that hee soe gaue the legation for England to the Bishop of Yorke as neuerthelesse hee would not suffer the Bishopps to bee exempted from the obedience they owed vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury to whom in very true right they were subiecte which rather enkindled the Kinges greater indignation who desired the Apostolicall Legantine authority for the Archbishop of Yorke of purpose to depose the Archbishop of Canterbury For Alexander hereupon inclined more to the cause of Sainct Thomas The Pope endeauoreth to succour S. Thomas and was soe far of from graunting to pleasure the King against him as hee most carefully watched to supporte his prosperity with the libertys of his Church commanding also the principall Monasteries of France to pray for him vnto allmighty God which is witnessed by a messinger sent from S. Thomas to his Holines in the conclusion of whose letter are these wordes worthie of memory Last of all wee petitioning his Holines that hee would commaund you to make your repaire
because if I shall say that wee ought to leaue the care of soules receaued by vs from God at the threatening and pleasure of a king my mouth should declare againste my conscience to the condemnation of my soule if on the other side I censure that the king in this case ought to bee resisted Loe heere his followers will heare mee by whose relation his Maiestie will bee thereof certifyed and I shall presently bee cast out of the Sinagoge and hereafter ranked with his publicke and condemned enemyes wherefore I neither say this nor counsell that These thinges thus handled The first acte of this conuentiklâ— they sate awhile in silence neither was there a man who spoake a word more and deuising a way to haue a free passage out of the roome for they were locked in I would quoth my lord of Canterbury speake with two Earles who are with the kinge aad named them both And they beeing called opening the dore entred hastely in and beeing greedy to heare somewhat that might satisfy the kinges desire my lord of Canterbury vsed these wordes in their presence Wee haue consulted about those matters for which my lord the king assembled vs heere and in regarde wee haue not with vs now those persons who more cleerely vnderstand this cause wee therefore craue respite vntill to morrowe determining to answer then as our lord shall inspire vs. The Bishoppes of London and Rochester were sent to deliuer this message to the king but London like a crafty fox corrupted the busines commended to his charge telling the kinge that my lord of Canterbury beesought only at his Maiesties handes a truce of time for making ready the wrytinges as one prepared at the determined day to yeelde accompt in answer of his accusations and this hee sayde to the end my lord of Canterbury might bee thereby the more ingaged to fullfill the kinges request The Earles therefore were directed to the Archbishop for graunting him on the kinges behalfe this respite of time if hee would ratifying confirme what the Bishops on his parte had certifyd his Maiestie Whereunto Canterbury replyed hee gaue the Bishoppes no such commission neyther would alow what they had signifyed to the kinge but would the next day God willing appeare and as it was inspired vnto him from aboue soe answere Gilbert of London was therefore with shame confounded seeing himselfe fallen into the snare which hee layed to intaÌ„gle his father The couÌ„sell beeing thus dissolued for the present they seuerally departed S. Thomas left by his knightes entertaineth the poore the troopes of knightes and others who attended the Archbishop to the place terrifyed for dread of the kinge left him which Sainct Thomas seeing commanded some to seeke about the hedges villages and inuite the poore lame impotent to come vnto him saying hee might with such an army more easily obtayne the victory then by those who in tyme of temptation fledd shamefully away with these poore guestes was his house and feaste furnished and the day spent with contented delight in our lord without any open mention afterwardes made of the forepassed trouble The next day early in the morning was my lord taken with the Hiake passion a disease that followed him and as then helde him in such sorte as hee could not lifte himselfe out of his bedd whereupon making the longer delay which the malicious supposed to proceed of an vnwillingnes to appeare in the kinges Courte some were seÌ„t to coÌ„mand him more sharpely and pereÌ„ptorily to goe on with his answere Who replying sayd if this sicknes will suffer mee I will god willing to morrow appeare That day passed away and the office of the insuiâ—g night beeing finished with great deuotion arysing early to solemnize Masse and hauing according to the custome vested him calling to God for his assistance through the merittes of the blessed S. Stephen hee commanded the entrance of the Masse to beegin with Etenim sederunt Principes aduersum me loquebantur The preparation of S. Thomas and Princes haue sate also and against mee haue they spoken And soe with extraordinary deuotion ended the whole office with all thereunto appertaining the kinges seruantes who were present in silence aduisedly marked all who suspected that this signifyed somewhat Masse beeing donne hee layd asyde his Pall and Miter hauing on his other sacred ornaments and ouer all a Cope It is sayd in Quadrilogus that S. Thomas celebrated as then the Masse of S. Stephen the first Martyr by the aduice of a certaine holy and religious Monke and not in regard it was any feast of Sainct Stephen and that otherwise then his wonted order was hee performed the same in his Pall and caryed also with him secretly the Blessed Sacrament after the ancient customes but openly bore only his Crosse the Sainte thus preparing himselfe to Martyrdome because that day hee supposed hee should dye But the a fore recyted history proceedeth thus Entring the kinges chamber where his Maiestie expected him taking at the very dore the Crosse hee boare it in his owne hande the Bishoppes following and interpreting this his Acte otherwise then beeseemed them Yet Robert Bishop of Hereford offering himselfe sayd Father stay and in place of your Chaplaine I will cary the Crosse before your presence for soe is it conuenient With more iustice answered Canterbury the cariage heereof beelongeth to mee vnder whose protection I remayne more securely and that Banner appearing there is no doubt vnder what Prince I fight London replyed if the king seeth you entring in armes hee will drawe his swoard beeing of greater force then yours and strike at your heade and then you shall trye what these your armes will auayle you All this quoth Canterbury wee coÌ„mend to God Yea answered LondoÌ„ you haue bin hetherto a foole and this folly I see you will neuer leaue Soe went they forward But the king hearing the Bishop came in thus armed forgetting or leauing of his swoard mentioned by LoÌ„don withdrewe himselfe speedily into his priuy chaÌ„ber Canterbury taking his place on the one syde a parte with some very few his followers the Bishoppes sate on the coÌ„trary syde in place and mynde vnited against him At the laste are the Bishops called into the kinges counsell Canterbury beeing left to the slaughter The tyme is protracted while they sifte out the matter for condemning the innocent Canterbury with a confideÌ„t looke put on Constancy Roger Archbishop of Yorke comming forth sayd to his Clearkes present beeing Master Robert surnamed Crosse and Osbern a Rondell let vs departe hence wee ought not to beehould what will here bee instantly executed on Canterbury Master Robert replyed I will not forsake the place vntill I see what God hath determined herein if hee will fight for God and his iustice to the very death hee cannot more nobly and more worthily finish his dayes The Archbishop of Yorke departing thus Barthelmewe Bishop of Excester comming out from the kinges
Chāber and falling at my lord of Canterburys feete sayd my deere father take pitty on your selfe and haue mercy on vs this day wee perish all in respecte of hatred conceiued against you for the kinge hath published an Edict that whosoeuer shall heereafter hould with Canterbury shall bee adiudged an open enemy and condemned to dye It was also reported that Ioselin Bishop of Salisbury and William Bishop of Norwiche because they yet resisted the kinges will should bee presently drawne to execution and haue theyr limmes maymed wherefore they liKewise cryed out to Canterbury for their preseruation The Archbishop therefore fixing his eyes on Excester said flie hence because you relish not what appertayneth to God then issued out from the counsell all the Bishops together in a troubled disorder to Canterbury where one among the rest I meane the Bishop of Chichester breaking forth in these ruffling wordes sayd Sometimes you were our Archbishop and wee bounde to obey you but because you haue sworne to our lord the king your fidelity which is with your power to conserue his life limmes and earthly dignity keeping withall the customes required by him and neuerthelesse doe now endeuour to destroy them which tend to his worldly royalty and honor wee therefore pronounce you guilty of periury and as a periured Archbishop wee are no longer oblyged to obey you in reguard whereof committing and submitting vs and ours to our lord the Popes protection wee appeale frō you vnto his presence there to answer these obiections Wee heare you quoth my lord of Canterbury the Bishoppes withdrawing themselues sate apart on the contrary side remayning long in greate silence In the end came out from the king Earles and Barons with a mighty route approaching to my Lord of Canterbury among whom the cheifest Robert of Leicester sayd The king commandeth you to appeare and yeeld accompt concerning matters obiected against you as yesterday you vndertooke to doe otherwise heare your iudgmēt Iudgmēt quoth my Lord of Canterbury nay S. Thomas pleadeth his cause sonne and Earle heare you first You are not ignorant my sonne how seruiseable and how faithfull according to the state of this world I haue bin to my Lord the king in respect whereof it pleased him to prefer mee to the Arch-Bishopprick of the Church of Canterbury God knoweth against my will for myne owne weaknes was not vnknowne to my selfe and rather for his pleasure then the loue of God I consented thereunto which is this day apparant enough since God withdraweth as well himselfe as the king from mee But in the the tyme of my promotion while the Election was made Prince Henry his sonne on whom this charge was imposed beeing there present it was demanded in what manner they would giue mee to the Church of Canterbury Whereunto was answered Free and discharged from all bandes of the Courte If therefore free and discharged concerning these from which I am discharged neyther am I bounde nor yet will I heereafter answer This case is otherwise sayd the Earle then the Bishop of London informed the king Cāterbury added Withall marke this sonne Earle how much the soule excelleth the body soe much are you bound to obey God and mee beefore an earthly king neyther yet law nor reasō allowes that children should iudge or condemne they re father where vpon I disclay me from the iudgmēt of the king of you and others beeing only to bee iudged next vnder God by our lord the Pope vnto whose presence heere before yee all I appeale committing the Church of Canterbury myne order and dignity with all thereunto appertayning to God and his protection In like sorte doe I cyte yee my brethren and fellowe Bishoppes beecause yee obey rather man then God to the Audience and iudgment of my lord the Pope and soe defended with the authority of the Catholike Church and the Apostolicall Sea I departe hence As hee went away the courtyers and malitious followed him crying out against him with reproches and iniuryes and deprauing called him traytor Comming to the vttermost gate hee founde it shutt nor could hee passe no Porter beeing there to bee seene and while the matter was handled in feare and hazard as God would haue it a bunch of keyes hung by the wall which one of my Lord of Canterbury's followers catching tryed one after an other vntil in the end hee opened the gate Thus going forth a great number who were sicke of the Kinges euill together with the poore and impotent mett him reioycing and saying Blessed bee our lord who hath deliuered and rescued his seruant from the face and fury of his enemyes For it was credibly supposed hee had bin now deade S. Thomas tryampheth and feasteth the poore A great company therefore of needy and diseased persons goeing before and after him together with the Clergy and Layety hee was with ioy and gladnes brought to his Inne And hee seeing the tryumph of the people sayd to his followers Lo what a glorious procession conducteth vs from the face of our persesecutors Suffer the poore of Christ and partakers of our tribulation to enter with vs that wee may feast all together in our Lord and soe the whole house and courte were filled with these his guestes It is moreouer written in Quadrilogus that then by chance was read at the table out of the Tripartite history the persecution of Liberius when hee resisted Constantine an Heretical Emperour by whom hee was cast into banishment And out of the Gospel accustomed to bee read was also rehearsed that of the Euangelist If they shall persecute yee in one Citty flye into an other Which beeing heard by sainct Thomas Matth. 5. and taking it as spoken to himselfe hee put it presently in execution passing the seas by Gods assistance into Flanders where hee remayned a while at the Monastery of sainct Bertine what beefell him in his iourney with many thinges thereunto beelonging are set forth at large in that history For sainct Thomas who appealed to the Popes Holines ought with all conueniency to hasten to his Courte for purgation of himselfe But his aduersaryes proclaymed his iourney to bee his flight and what slanders did they forbeare to vomite against him as a fugitiue Of this subiect treateth Iohn of Salisbury in the a fore recyted Epistle to Peeter the wryter where hee hath composed a most eloquent Apologie in defence of the flight of sainct Thomas which I omitt for breuity And allthough hee hath for his excuse very many exemples of Christ his Apostles Prophets and Saintes yet one thing alone sufficeth that hee was by the Popes letters commanded to prosecute the appeale put in and also to bee with his Holines in France beefore his departure thence which was not to leaue but to labour to place in safety his Church so dangerously hazarded Heereupon sayth the same Iohn This was not assuredly to expose his Church to perill Codi Vatican ep 3. post lib. 3. but to
assented And when is constancy more required then in the midst of our persecutors Are not Christes frindes tryed with persecutions If continually they yeelde when shall they ouercome Of necessity sometimes they must resist Condescend therefore most holy father to succour mee in my flight and persecution and remember that once I was in your age an eminent man but now for your sake wearyed out with iniuryes Put your power in execution restrayne them at whose instance the cause of this persecution came slilie creeping in Neither let the fault of any of these bee layde on my lord the King who is rather a practiser then inuentor of this wicked deuice Hetherto Roger but Pope Alexander heareing heereof declared first that S. Thomas was no waye bounde by his condemnation in this Conuenticle writing thus Cod Vatican lib. 1. epist 49. Pope Alexander to Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury That the inferior cannot iudge his superior and him especially to whom in the right of Prelacy hee is knowne to bee subordinate and helde bound in the chaynes of obedience as welle diuine as humane lawes doe showe and this especially in the decrees of the holy fathers is more manifestly declared Wherefore with carefull consideration weyghing this wee to whom it beelongeth to reforme errours and amend that which for want of correction may leaue a pernicious example to posterity and moreouer beecause the Church ought not by reason of the offence of any particular person to sustayne any losse or discommoditie doe adiudge the sentence to bee absolutely voyde and declare by the Apostolical authority the same to bee of no force which by the Bishops and Barons of England in reguard you appeared not vpon the Kinges first summons was presumptiously pronounced against you whereby the sayd Bishops and Barons depriued you of all your moueable goods as well against the forme of law as contrary to the Ecclesiasticall custome and that especially since you had noe moueables but only of the Churches goods Alsoe wee determine the sayd sentence to bee hereafter of no power nor any ability to preiudice or indammage you your successors or the Church committed to your gouermeÌ„t Thus wrote Pope Alexander whoe likewise by other letters commanded restitution to bee made of all thinges taken away from the Archbisgop or any others Ibid. epist 32. vpon any occasion concerning him But that the state of the Church of England may appeare more playnly I would haue you vnderstand how these letters which by the kinges Embassadors where returned backe to his Holines agayne were first imparted to the Archbishop of Yorke vnto whom at the kinges request was decreed the Legantine authority for England but in reguard Pope Alexander had in his later letters as wee see confined him that hee should not by reason of his iurisdiction challenge any power to himselfe either ouer the person of Saint Thomas or the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury the king as frustrate of his intention who was only bent by prerogatiue of this Legate to depose S. Thomas commanded the letters of legation now vnprofitable for his purpose to bee remaunded backe to the Pope by his Embassadors designed thereunto Concerning this there are other letters extant declaring soe much in these wordes To his most beeloued lord his assured sendeth greeting and euer wisheth him well to fare THrough the mercy of Almighty God who neuer forsaketh those Lib. 1. epist 6. who repose theire trust in him it soe fell out as the same day wherein my lord the Pope was certifyd of Octauians death the Imbassadors of the kinges L and H to witt Lewes and Henry came to the Court the English truly pretending on their kinges beehalfe a shewe of exceeding humility both in open wordes and letters consonant to their speech seemed soe far to moue my lord the Pope and some of his Cardinalls that as by reporte of those who fauoured you I vnderstood they hardly could abstayne from teares wherefore after many allegations in what sorte and with what affection the kinges Maiestie receaued Pope Alexander and how great reuerence hee euer shewed to him the which hee would continew during his life these flourishes finished they returned vnto his Holines many letters concerning the legantine power which your Archdeacon obtayned dishonestly for England during the tyme I remayned with you but the condition wheruppon hee procured the same letters my lord the King by the mouth of his Embassadors absolutely renounced as neuer made or desired by him The Popes Holines soe willingly and gladly receaued the same letters back againe as if a thing most wished were now offered him in such manner as some there present maruelled very much You perceaue reader in all thinges hitherto haÌ„dled before Bope Alexander in the case of S. Thomas how hee fauored euer his side Lib. 1. epist 24. and was from the first in the passage of this busines inclined to asist him in regard wherof let Iohn of Salisbury reprou himselfe who in the beeginninge of these tumultes wryting to S. Thomas beecoÌ„meth soe bad a prophet of Pope AlexaÌ„ders proceedinges saying many thinges make against you fewe for you for mightie persons will come who are bountifull in the largesse of money which Rome neuer despised and will bee supported not only with their owne but alsoe my Lord the kinges authority whom the courte ought in no case to displease c. You may see therefore how vntruly and rashly hee censured of Pope Alexanders constancy supposing hee might bee conquered with gould who was stronger then steele Another imbassage also ensued The imbassage of the Bishoppeâ— of England â—hainst Saint Thomas addressed from the keng to Pope AlexaÌ„der by the Archbishops aÌ„d Bishops of EnglaÌ„d who were all admitted to publicke audieÌ„ce wherein the CoÌ„sistory first of theÌ„ all the Bishop of LoÌ„don houlding the first place did first beegin thus to speake Vnto you Father appertayneth the care and watchfull eye ouer the Catholicke Church that both the discreete may by your wisedom bee fostred vp to the exaÌ„ple of manners aÌ„d the vnaduised by the Apostolical authority suppressed and chasticed to reduce them to wisedom But in the depth of your discretion the man cannot bee conceaued to bee wise who presuming in the strength of his owne witt endeauoreth to disturbe the band of vnion among his brethen the tranquillity of the Church and the deuotion of the king A dissention hath lately sprung in England beetweene the kingdome and the Preisthood vpon an occasion but light and of litle importance which might haue bin easily extinguished had a moderate medicine bin thereunto applyed but my lord of Canterbury being herein singular in his owne conceyte and not guided by our counsel insisted seuerely beeyond reason neuer considering this ill affected time or what manner of mischeife may ensue vpon such a headlong entreprise and soe weaued intangling snares for the destâ—uction of himselfe and his brethren and had but our assent fauored his designes the
matter it selfe had now fallen out more fouly But in respect hee could not as hee ought not compell vs to condescend to his intended purpose hee attempted to retorte the blame of his rash presumption on my lord the king on vs yea on the whole nation wherefore to giue a coulor to the infaming of our mutuall brotherhood no man enforcing him no man threatening him hee fled the land Proueâ—b 27. according to that saying the wicked hath fled and no man persecuted him Heere my Lord the Pope interuping him sayd Forbeare Brother and London answered I will my Lord forbeare him Wherunto his Holynes replyed I bid you not forbeare him but forbâ—are to wrong your selfe At the sound of this Apostolicall trumpet Londons senses were soe amaysed by Allmighty God as hee could not after pronounce one word Wherefore Hilarie Bishop of Chichester floweing in eloquâ—nce more confident of his Rhetoricke then of the truth and honesty of his cause as appeared by the sequel pursued the matter saying My lord and father it beehoueth your Holines speedily to reduce to the orderly state of peace and concord whaâ—soeuer is disorderly landled to the destruction of the vniuersall body leastâ— such immoderate presumption may produce with the ouerthrowe of many the scysme also of the whole Catholike Church â—hiâ—h my loâ—d of Canterbury full little considâ—â—eâ—h while leauing all grauer aduice hee buildeth only on his owne braine that thereby hee may rayse more turbulent stormes and anxietyes to himselfe and his the king and kingdome the people and Cleargie and truly in a man of his eminent authority this was not seemely neither was it opportune neither can it heereafter at any time bee euer opportune Soe gaiely Hylary of Chichester played the Grammarian with his opportune adding moreouer neither yet was it opportune to his Cleagie were they well aduised to yeeld in such a case assent vnto him Heareing therefore this gallant Grammarian soe leape from porte to porte by often iterating opportune they could no longer abstayne from laughter among whom one breaking out sayd Now Sir at length you are ill arriued in the porte At which word our Lord soe abashed the Prelate as presently hee beecame silent and dumbe The Archbishope of Yorke seeing them both soe foyled before him endeauored to abate the fury of his minde and in few wordes only taxed the improuidence of the Archbishop and they in like sorte who discoursed afterwardes whom for breuity I heere ouerpasse yet ioyning all finally in this they beesought that his Holines would make a Legate a latere and send him into England to vnderstand the busines beetweene the king and the Archbishop whom they would needes haue returned backe into the same land there to receaue his iudgment which allthough they instaÌ„tly intreated yea and partly threatened that otherwise the king would breake out into scysme the Pope neuerthelesse would not yeelde to deliuer vp into their handes innocent Thomas but that they should expect his Sommons into that Courte there to haue his cause before his Holines determined whereunto they refused to agree and with disdayne departed without receauing his Apostolicall benediction There is among other epistles to bee seene the Libell farced with poyson which these Prelates offered vp to Pope Alexander against S. Thomas S. Thomas came afterwardes vnto his Holines who as saith Alane in Quadrilogus was entertayned coldly by the Cardinalles but admitted freely to my Lord the Popes presence who receaued him with a most kind and fatherly affection casting a tender compassion on his manifould afflictions and his long pilgrimage soe dangerous troublesome and tedious and while these matters were thus to fro discoursed hee was at the length coÌ„manded to lay the next day open beefore his brethren the causes of his banishment wherefore on the morrowe while it was questioned amoÌ„g his associates which of them should first vnfould the cause euery one pretending excuses the bulke of this busines fell on the Archbishop himselfe Instructed therefore by God allthough of himselfe absolutely vnprouided while placed next vnder my lord the Pope hee would for reuerence haue rysen beeing commanded to sit dow againe and soe to pleade his cause hee thus beegan Although not abounding in wisedome yet are wee not soe vndiscreete as for a trifle to leaue the king of England S. Thomas pleadetae his cause in the Consistory his Courte and commodityes for if wee would in all respectes submet our selues vnto his pleasure there is not hee within his dominions or kingdome who would refuse to bee obedient to our will and during the tyme that vnder this condition wee serued his turnes what was there that answered not our wished desires But after wee entred another course of proceedinge thorough the dewe remembrance of the profession and obedience which for the seruice of God wee haue vndertaken his former affection hee bore vs beegan assuredly to wax cold And yet truly if wee would flye backe from our intended purpose wee neede not the intercession of any for recouery of his fauour but because the Church of Canterbury hath bin accustomed in tymes past to bee the Sun of the west and her brightes in this our age is very much clowded wee had rather in thee name of God suffer any torments yea thousand seuerall deathes if soe many were offerred vs then euer with dissimulation to indure the afflictions which at this instant shee sustayneth And that wee may not seeme with curiosity or a pretence of vayne glory to haue beegun this our entreprise it is conuenient that with an eye-witnessing testimony the effecte bee made apparant And producing the writinges contayneing the customes the cause of this contention with teares hee sayd Loe heere what lawes the King of England ordayned The rroyal customes of the kingdome of England examined in the Consistorie against the liberty of the Catholike Church Bee iudges your selues if it bee lawfull to dissemble in matters of this moment without the losse of a mans soule Which once heard they were all moued to the very effusion of teares neither yet could they contayne themselues who before were to their power vehement on the contrary parte all with one voyce praysing our Lord for reseruing yet one person to himselfe who durst in this tempest of persecution stand in defence of his holy Church and they who seemed before to bee in this controuersie deuided now consented in this one opinion that in the person of the Archbishop of Canterbury the vniuersall Church was at this tyme to bee succoured But my lord the Pope hauing read and often perused and with greate diligence and attention heard and considered seuerally these customes beeing exceedingly moued instantly burst out into anger against the Archbishop reprouing him with sharpe reprehension for that yeelding an assent to these vnworthie the name of customes but truly tyrannical vsurpations hee as hee there confessed together with the other Bishops had renounced their preistly dignity and cast
the Church into bondage pronouncing they rather ought to haue vndergone all dangers then euer to giue the least way to such an vtter ouerthrowe of God Almightyes lawe and moreouer sayd assuredly in this rabell so abhominable which hath bin heere both read and heard there is nothing at all to bee allowed as good somethinges only may bee indured for the Church in a sorte to tollerate but the greater parte as reprobate by the ancient and authenticall counsells haue bin euer condemned being directly contrary to the holy constitutions And thus did the Lord and Pope in the open presence of them all reproue and sentence these to bee heereafter euer by the Church condemned These they are and thus sett forth as wee find them recorded in the aforesayd booke of the Vatican together with the addition of condemnation or tolleration according to the censure of Pope Alexander But I feare least the intermingling of wordes and termes only proper to the English should by reason of their obscurity seeme to the reader darke and difficult to vnderstand which are thus recyted The customes of England propounded at Claringtonne 1. Concerning the aduowson and presentation of Churches if any controuersie thereupon ariseth beetweene laymen or beetweene Clearkes and lay-men or beetweene Clearkes and Clearkes let the cause bee pleaded and determined in the Courte of our lord the kinge This did the Church of Rome vnder Pope Alexand. the III. condemne With. this note are they deliuered in the end of euery artickle beeing taken out of the sayd booke of the Vaticane and inserted in the conclusion of the Quadripartite history alià s Quadrilogus the Cronickles of S. Thomas Cronickles of S. Thomas 2. Churches of our lord the Kinges fee cannot bee giuen for euer without assent and consent of his Maiesty This hee tolerated 3. Clearkes cited and accused vppon any cause beeing summoned to the kinges Courte shall appeare before the sayd Courte there to answere in such sorte as to the royall Court shal seeme conuenient for them to answer soe as the kinges Bench shall send into the Court of the holy Church to see vpon what ground the cause shall bee there handled and if the Clearke bee conuicted or doe confesse the Church ought not any longer to defend him This hee condemned 4. It is not lawfull for Archbishoppes Bishopes and Persons of the kingdome to departe the realme without our lord the kinges licence and if they will departe they shall at the kinges pleasure giue security neyther in their goinge staying or comming to compasse any euill or dammage towards our lord the kinge or his kingdome This hee condemned Ad Remanens which is think to the I law 5. The excommunicate ought not to giue assurance for remayning or answering the lawe neither bee sworne but only giue pledge and security to stand to the Churches iudgement and soe obtayne absolution This hee condemned 6. Laymen ought not to bee accused in the presence of the Bishop but by testimony of certaine and lawfull witnesses so as the Archdeacon may not lose his right nor any thing which should thereby acerewe vnto him and if the accused bee such as no man will or dare accuse them the Shyreefe beeing required by the Bishop shall sweare 12. lawufll men of the neighborhood or village before the Bishop to lay open the whole truth according to their conscience This hee tolerated 7. No man who houldeth of the king in cheyfe nor any of his Maiesties househould seruantes shall bee excommunicated nor their landes made subiect to interdiction vnlesse our lord the kinge if hee bee within the land or his Lord-cheife iustice if his Maiestie bee out of the Realme bee first made priuy thereof that hee may therein determine of the delinquent according to right whereby such matters as appertaine to the kinges Court may bee there iudged and what beelongeth to the Ecclesiastical courte returned thither there to bee ended This bee condemned 8. As touching appeales if they arise men ought to proceede from the Acrhdeacon to the Bishoppe from the Bishop to the Archbishop and if the Archbishop faile to execute iustice they ought for theire last refuge to flie to our lord the king that by his commandement the controuersie may bee determined in the Archbishops Courte so as they shall not attempt any farther without the kinges assent This hee condemned 9. If there arise any controuersie beetweene Clearke and a lay-man or contrariwise about any tenement which the Clearke claymeth to bee held in free Almes the lay man in laye fee it shall bee determined beefore the lord cheife iustice according to his discretion in the kinges Bench by the verdict of 12. lawfull men whether the tenement appertayneth to free Almes or to the lay fee and if it bee found to bee free Almes then shall it bee pleaded in the Ecclesiastical court and if of a lay fee then vnless both parties auow the same to bee helde of one selfe same Bishop or Baron the plea shall bee ended in the kinges Bench but if both of them make their auowry of land helde of one selfe same Bishop or Baron then shall the plea remayne in the court of the said Bishop or Baron Allwayes prouided that hee who was first seyzed loose not his seyson by reason of this recognition This hee condemned 10. Any man of citty castle Borough or the kinges Demeasne mannor beeing cited by the Archdeacon or Bishop for any offence wherein hee is bound to answer him and will not giue satisfaction vpon his citation it shall bee lawfull for him to subiect the offendor to interdiction but not to excommunication beefore the kinges cheife officer of the place bee first acquainted therewith that hee may adiudge the offendor to make satisfaction wherein if the kinges officer bee defaulty hee shall fall into his Maiesties mercy and then the Bishop may after punish the accused with Ecclesiasticall censures This hee condemned 11. Archbishoppes Bishoppes and all Persons of the kingdome who hould of the kinge in cheife and haue possessions in his dominion as a Barony shall in reguard therof answer to the kinges iustices and officers and followe and performe all royall customes and rightes and ought to sit with the other Barons in the kinges courte vntill the iudgment come to losse of member or life This hee tolerated 12. When an Archbishoppricke Bishoppricke Abbacy or Priory of the kinges DominioÌ„ shall fall voyd or ought to be in his Maiesties haÌ„des hee shall receaue all their rentes and reuenues as those of his owne royall dedemeanes and when time commeth to prouide princiâ—all persons of the Church and the election ought to bee made in his owne chappel by his royall assent and the counsell of such Persons appertayning to his Maiestie as hee shall call to perfect the same and the Prelate elected shall there doe his homage and fealty to our Lord the King as his Leige Lord of life member and earthly honor sauing his order before such time
Saintes recounteth his charitable benignity Thus fare Peeter who although hee were the king's faithfull seruante yet seeking rather the honor of God then men omitted not as much as in him lay to defend vnder hand the cause of saint Thomas AN. DOM. 1165. Now followeth the yeere of our Lord 1165. with the xv Indiction according to times computation An Embassage to the Pope from mawde the Empresse in the beeginning whereof an Ambassag was sent from Mawde the Empresse mother of Henry king of England to Pope Alexander wherin shee beesought his Holines to ioyne in league the kinges of France and England which if hee could accomplish a peace was likely to ensue beetweene the king of England and saint Thomas When Iohn of Salisbury who was resident in Alexanders courte had notice heereof hee certifyd saint Thomas thereof by letter beeginning thus When as lately I sollicited my Lord the Pope incouraging him and carefully insinuating a way which meethought I vnderstood for reducing to him and you the tranquillity of peace hee answered that hee conceaued a hope of peace from wordes of the Empresse who vpon a vowe sent then the Abbot of saint Martyrs thither promising the king of England could easily bee perswaded to what soeuer my Lord desired if his Holines would as hath bin long wished confederate the two kinges wherein beecause my Lord the Pope is forward the king of France as surely it semeeth will easily inclyne vpon the Popes conference with the kinges and that his Holines had allready inuited the king of France to keepe the feast of the Purification with him Thus far concerning the conceaued hope of Peace and added moreouer That hee spoake with the king of France whom hee found very fearefull least vpon such occasion hee should bee withdrawne from the communion of the Church of Rome and leauing Pope Alexander cleaue to the scysmaticall faction These thinges thus signifyed Salisbury beeseecheth saint Thomas to employ himselfe rather in prayer then the study of learning from whose letters receaue these notes which in Quadrilogus are recyted out of Herebert concerning sainct Thomas while hee remayned as yet in the Monastery of Pontiniacke hee was so much affected to the reading of holy scriptures as daily after the Cānonicall houres the sacred bookes were scarce euer out of his handes whereupon by reason of his loue to the Scriptures and labour employed therein hee did in shorte tyme soe profit as most often in the nice and obscurest sentences hee excelled his instructors themselues moreouer hee bestowed his life in studying the Ecclesiasticall Cannons which endeauours of his in these dangerous tymes were no whit pleasing to Iohn of Salisbury whom saint Thomas held in no smale estimation as well in reguard of his singuler honesty as also his learning who confident of his credit with this saint admonisheth him in the same letters of these thinges worthie remēbrance saying My counsel my desire my instant intreaty is that you wholly conuert your mynd vnto our Lord Cod Vat. lib. 1. Ep. 31. and the suffrages of prayers beecause as it is written in the Prouerbes the name of our Lord is the strongest tower whereunto if any man flye Prouerb 18. hee shall bee deliuered out of all extremities Put of in the meane time as much as you may all other businesses The ptofitable admonition of à friend to S. Thomas beecause allthough they seeme maruilous necessary yet what I perswade you is more highly to bee preferd in regarde it is farre more necessary The lawes and Cannons ef the Church doe profit but beelieue mee this other woorke is now of more importance those ornamentes are not sutable to this season for they are not soe much the procurers of deuotion as of curiosity Doe you not remember how in the distresse of the people as it is written the Preists and Ministers poured out their teares beetweene the porch and the Altar Ioel. 2◠Psal 76. ibidem saying Spare ô Lord spare thy people I was exercised sayd the Prophet and I sweeped my spirit in the day of tribulation seeking our Lord with my handes Which teach vs that spirituall excercise with cleansing and examination of the conscience turneth away the scourge and obtaineth the mercy of God Who riseth with compunction from perusing the lawes and Cannons Nay I say more these exercises in schooles doe sometimes puffe vp knowledge to swell in pride but seldome or neuer inflame vs with deuotion I had rather you would meditate on the Psalmes and spend your life in saint Gregorie's Moralles then beecome a Philosopher after the Scholastical fashyon it is farre better to confer with aspirituall father for amendment of manners by whose example you may bee incensed then to sifte and discusse pointes of controuersies appertayning to secular literature our Lord knoweth with what intent with what deuotion I suggest these thinges Accept them as you please but if you performe this God will euer assist you that you shall neuer haue cause to feare what soeuer man deuiseth against you our Lord seeth that in these instant streightes of afflictions wee are not to hope as I thinke in any mortal creature c. Thus Iohn aduised saint Thomas very conueniently In the meane time S. Thomas oppressed with extreme afflictiōs although absent yet with letters doth prosecute his busines writing as well to the king of England as also to the Bishoppes who ought to exhorte and admonish their Prince To the king hee directed these letters which Roger in his Cronicle deliuereth in these wordes To his Dread Soueraigne Lord Henry by the grace of God the famous king of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and Eearle of Anioue Thomas by the same grace the humble seruāt of the Chuch of Canterbury The letter of S. Tomas to the king of England sendeth greeting and all wishes of well-doinge To speake of God is the parte of a free and well quieted mynde which causeth mee soe to speake to my Lord And I would wee might treate peaceably I humbly beeseech you my Lord to endure with patience some litle admonition concurring with the grace of God which was neuer voyd for the saluation of your soule and deliuery of myne I am on all sides beeset with extremityes for tribulation and perplexities haue found mee in the midst of two most weyghty and fearefull matters plunged I say beetwene these two important thinges dreaded silence and Admonition Let mee cease to speake death is then threatened mee nor can I auoyd the hand of our Lord saying If thou shalt not showe the offendor his fault and hee thereby dyeth in his sinne Ezech. 3. I will require his blood at thy bandes On the other side let mee admonish I see not how to eschewe which God forbid my Soueraignes indignation fearing moreouer least that should beefall which the wise man foretould saying when hee who pleaseth not commeth or sendeth to make intercession or motion it is to bee
darke clowdes of his speech Thus did saint Thomas write to the Pope Whereupon saith Alan my lord the Pope modestly answering the kinge affirmed how it was neuer in any age heard that the Church of Rome at the command of any Prince whatsoeuer forbad any person her presence especially beeing banished for the cause of iustice But that it was a priuiledg authority granted from aboue to the Apostolike Sea to succour the exiled oppressed yea from the fury of their soueraignes the violent rage of their malitious enemys The Embassadors therfore repining departed to deliuer this message to their king and my lord the Pope determining to returne to Rome vndertooke his iourney Thus Alan whom saint Thomas followed as far as Bituricum where taking leaue receauing his blessing hee departed backe to Pontiniake neuer after seeing Pope Alexander in this world AN. DOM. 1166. The yeere 1166. ensueth and the 14. indiction When Frederick the Emperour seeing the prosperitie of the Catholicke Pope Alexander daily more and more to encrease and that his holines was now peaceable setled in Rome beeing enraged with anger and enuie commanded a Conuentickle in Witemberge otherwise called Herbolis at the feast of Penticost where hee meant with his Bishops and Princes to assemble for cōfirming the power of this Antipope Guido Wherefore the king of England beeing by the Emperour inuited to this scysme beecause experience taught him that Pope Alexander inclined to the parte of saint Thomas taking aduantage of this fit oportunitie for his excuse sent an ambassage vnto the Citty to Pope Alexander determining if hee refused to yeeld to his demands then to fall off from him to Guido for the better accomplishment whereof hee wrote these letters to the Archbishop of Colen the cheife ring-leader of the scysmatickes for procurring a safe conduct for his Embassadours I haue long since desired to find out some iust occasion for leauing the parte of Pope Alexander and his vnfaithfull Cardinalls whoe presume to maintaine that Traytor Thomas sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury against mee whereupon by the aduice of all my Barons and consent of the Clergie intending now to send to Rome men of great accompt in my kingdome namely the Archbishop of Yorke the Bishop of London the Archdeacon of Poyters Iohn of Oxenford and Richard de Lucy who openly and manifestly on the beehalfe of my selfe and my whole kingdome with all other landes vnder my dominion shall propound and denounce to Pope Alexander and his Cardinalls that they shall no longer defend my Traytor but soe absolutely discharge and free mee of him as I with the counsail of my Clergie may establish an other in the Church of Canterburie and shall moreouer require that they reuoke and make voyd whatsoeuer Thomas hath done and likewise demand that the Pope in their presence cause it to bee sworne publickly that hee and his successors shall conserue for euer as far as to them appertaineth to mee and all my successors the royall customes of Henry my grandfather inuiolable and vntouched and if by chance they will gainsay any one of my demandes that then neither I nor my Barons nor yet my Clergie will euer heereafter yeeld him any obedience yea wee will openly withstand him and his and whosoeuer vnder my gouermēt shall bee found heereafter to follow his parte shall bee banished out of my kingdome I entreate you as my dearest frend all excuses set aparte to send mee speedily brother Ernold or brother Randulph of the hospitall of saint Iohn whon may on the beehalfe of the Emperour and your selfe giue safe conduct to the afore said Embassadors as well in their goeing as returne through the Emperour's dominion This was the kinges letter An Embassage was also sent to Pope Alexander which London and Oxford only executed But soe far was Pope Alexander from beeing any way moued either by the terrors of the kinges thundering letters or other threates vttered by the Embassadors in the kinges name as hauinge rebuked their rashnes hee returned to the king himselfe againe an answer fraughte with sharpe reprehension wherewith beeing terrifyd hee desisted from his wicked intention and gaue therfore great thankes to his Holines promising heereafter to obey euer readily in all thinges whereof the Bishops of England in their epistle sent the next yeere to Pope Alexander are apparant witnesses which afterwards in place conuenient wee determine to declare Meane while sayth our Author Colen requireth the Emperors aduise in what sorte hee should āswer the king of England whereunto the Emperor replyeth that hee ought to satisfy the kinges desire in reguard with how much the more solemnity this matter is accomplished soe much the greater shall bee the Popes confussion if hee condescendeth to the kinges request and it may bee that secretly by some one of the Temple or Hospital or any other whom they could not preuent the king by corruption of money may otherwise obtayne the same Wherefore brother Randolph of the Hospitall was addressed to the king of England who safely conducted the Embassadors whom the king intended to send to the courte of his Holines through the Emperors dominion Thus much there But soe it beefell that the same Embassadors came first into Germany where they were present at the Conuentickle of Witemberge but what matters were there handled the letters patents of Fredericke the Emperor dated at that place declare where among other thinges is thus written of this Embassage Moreouer the honorable Embassadors of our renowned freind the king of England directed from him to vs Cod. Vat. Epist 70. did on the beehalfe of the same king in the presence of the whole court vpon the reliques of Saintes make their publicke oath to vs that the king himselfe together with all his kingdome should continew faithfull to our side and ioyning with vs should euer defend the Lord Pascall whose parte wee take and neuer heereafter intermedle in mayntaining Rowland the Schysmaticke Beccause also wee who haue euer hitherto bin ready to abyde the examinatiō of the vprighteousnes of our cause which the aduersaries of the Church of God and vs bee it either out of their pride or the distrust of their cause haue auoyded are now by reason of their manifest obstinacy compelled to vnacustomed oathes Let therefore heereafter euery man and estate carefully eschew the Communion of Scyfmatickes for their fury allthough it hath seemed hitherto in some sorte pardonable it will heereafter bee alltogether intollerable c. Moreouer in an other letter written by one affected to Pope Alexander is sayd That Fredericke the Emperor gloryeth in the assistance of the king of England whose Embassadors were sworne to the parte of the Antipope c. In an other place likwise Fredericke Couloreth his busines with false prophesies that Pope Alexander should bee taken captiue whereunto not only the vulgar sorte but the king of England expecting the euent hath allmost giuen credit c. And out of Salisbury The
the same place cry out against you and say Aryse ô Lord adiudge thy cause call to mynde the scornes and iniuryes which are all day long offered by the king of England and his to thee and thyne forget not the reproches of thy Church which thou hast founded with thy blood reuenge ô Lord the blood of thy seruantes afflictions which are beeyond number infinite the pryde of these who hate and persecute thee and thyne ascendeth soe high as wee cannot longer indure them My Lord and king whatsoeuer your followers haue committed will all bee required at your hands for hee apparantly hath donne the iniury who hath giuen occasion of doeing the iniury Assuredly vnles you restrayne your handes from disturbing the people the sonne of the Allmighty himselfe will vppon the sighes of the settered vpon the sighes of those who crye out to him come in the rod of his fury beecause the tyme is now at hand to iudge against you iustice in equity and in the seuerity of his spirit for hee knoweth how to take away the spirit of Princes and is terrible among the kinges of the earth wee speake not thus vnto you to cōfound your face or prouoke you to farther indignation and anger as perchance the malitious who swarme about you and lye in wayte day and night for our destruction indeauoring to alienate your mynde from vs will with their wicked and vniust suggestions whispering murmur against vs Giue them ô God according to their workes and according to the naughtines of their inuentions but that wee may make you more cautions and wary in the prouision and care of your soule and cause you to auoyd the danger that is euen now instantly at hand and beecause it is our especiall charge to bee watchfull ouer your soule in regarde the care and gouerment thereof is committed to vs as the king whereof wee must render an accompt in the dreadfull day of iudgment Incline theereunto a willing eare and vse our seruice as it shall please you soe long vs wee offend not Allmighty God nor deale with wicked dissimulation to the ouerthowe of your soule and ours for what will it boote you to gaine the whole world with the danger of your saluation Consider with your selfe what is beecome of the Emperors what of the kinges and other Princes what of the Archbishopps and Bishoppes our ancient predecessours They laboured in their dayes und others haue succeeded in their trauailles what more Soe vanisheth the world and his glory Remember therefore your last and you shall not sinne eternally and moreouer if you haue offended you will then doe pennance God send you deerely beeloued grace well to fare if in true humility and speedy pennance you will bee conuerted to our Lord God Allmighty Soe fare you well againe and euer Thus saint Thomas Hee directed also other letters to the Bishoppes concerning the Hierarchicall order and vnity of the Catholicke Church which beegin in this sorte THOMAS BY THE GRACE OF GOD the humble seruant of the Church of Canterbury to all his reuerend brethren the Bishoppes of the Prouince of Canterbury sendeth greeting IF wee haue à care to liue as wee ought Codi Vat. lib. 1. Epist 97. The Epistel of S. Thomas to the Bishoppes of of England And within a fewe wordes after Now concerning the visible vnity of the Catholicke Church vnder one head In the beeginning of the Primitiue Church as the blessed Apostle teacheth Christ ascending into heauen that hee might fullfill all made truly some Apostles some Prophetts others Euangelistes others Pastors and Masters for the instruction of Saintes for the worke of ministry for the buylding of the body of Christ neither yet were all offices to bee committed to one but euery member was to bee endowed with his proper offices and yet neuertheless in that sorte as the head in whom as in a castle or certaine Capitoll all the senses of vertues are assembled together may prouyde for all and euery particular and all on the other syde may obey the head according to their seuerall conditions The Doctor of the Gentills who gloryeth that hee learned not the Gospell either of man or by man Call 1. but was instructed by Christ went vp to Ierusalem and conferred with the Prince of the Churches concerning matters of fayth least hee should run or had run in vayne And as it appeareth by many examples Gen. 2. all fluddes of the Gospell returne to the sea from whence they had their originall to the end they may flowe againe for the fountaine of Paradise is one but deuided into many riuers that thereby it may on all sydes water the earth Who doubteth the Church of Rome to be the head of all Churches and fountayne of Catholicke doctrine Who is ignorant that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were deliuered to Peeter Doth not the frame of the whole Church aryse on the fayth and Doctrine of Peeter vntill wee doe all meete beefore Christ in a perfect man in the vnity of fayth and acknowledgment of the sonne of God And afterwardes But whosoeuer hee bee that watereth or planteth God giueth encrease to none but him who hath planted on the fayth of Peeter and humbleth himselfe vnto his doctrine To him truly are referred the iudgmentes of the people which are of greatest importance to bee examined by the Pope of Rome and the Magistrates subordinate to him in the Courtes of the Church that they who are assistantes in partaking the care may excercise the power committed to their charge soe as the preist when hee cannot determine a matter incident to the flocke of his parish may referre the same to his Bishop who submitteth things surmounting his reach also to the Archbishop or Metropolitane from whom whatsoeuer is of greatest importance is reserued vnto the high Bishop of Rome This order hath Peeter taught vs and the same hath the Catholicke Church obserued vnto this day neither by Gods grace shall is euer bee ouerthrowne whatsoeuer iniquity attempteth against it Neuertheless in the kingdome of England which I cannot without exceeding greefe recall to mynd nor without teares declare they presume wonderfully against Peeter The authority of the Apostolicke Sea as much as lyeth in peruerse Potentates is extenuated and indangered whyle they who of necessity are compelled for performing their pennance or procuring the commodity of their soules or otherwise in the duty of visitation to trauell ouer to our Lord the Pope are hindred in their iourney spoyled hardly handled and forbidden to passe the seas either by those who seeke out occasions to committ mischeefes or by others who are compelled to take oathes for restrayning Clearkes and Penitents in this sayd iourney And therefore in regard they lay violent handes on the Clergie they incurre by their owne acte the condemnation of accursing which is the reason that wee vsing the authority of the Church of Rome doe command your brotherhood charging yee by the Apostolicke power in
the vertue of obedience and vpon the perill and hazard of your order that yee denounce them publickly excommunicate and cause them soe to bee declared through out your Dioceses who lay violent handes on the Clergie and that yee command your neighbouring Bishoppes by the authority of our Lord the Pope and also of vs to performe the same likewise in thier Bishopprickes Moreouer in the same manner and vnder the same payne wee command yee to denounce to such as hinder Appellantes or Penitents from trauailing to our Lord the Pope or vs that they incurre the sentence of accursing as well as they who doe it in proper person as also the kinges officers who constrayne others to this heynous offence And for such as beeing enforced thereunto haue taken vnlawfull oathes to hinder these aforesayd passengers wee absolue them from their oathes whereby they may heereafter desist from soe greate à sinne and beeing penitent for their offence learne rather to obey God then man If any one in seeking to right his Church and conserue the integrity of his faith to the Apostolicke Sea dreadeth ensuing discommodityes let him remember how the Church with far more safety and profitt purchaseth vertue then temporall treasures and that Christ who raigneth ouer the Church of Rome restrayneth the powers of his aduersaryes and hee who shall punish the mighty mightely will chastise likewise all disobedience not only bringing the poore to iugdment but also humbling the glorious of this world to the ministry of the Church against which the very gates of hell shall not preuayle Bee ashamed most deerely beeloued to put in practise vniust iudgmentes in such sorte as the peeres of the kingdome insulting vpbrayd yee saying If a poore man committeth a light offence hee is presently excommunicated by yee and your officers but if a rich person transgresseth hee is not so much as with a word chastised whereby scandalls may on euery syde bee retorted on such iudges And can greate powers against the poore soe rage Looke therefore to your selues and your Churches least if yee dissemble the iniuryes of the Romane Church yee may bee iustly thought to conspire with the impious against her and to haue forestalled the wayes of those who walked that yee might raise your commodityes vpon the Churches losse Remember rather how our fathers atchiued saluation by what meanes and how great tribulations the Church hath encreased and bin dilated what huge stormes the ship of Peeter hath escaped hauing Christ for her Pilot. Thus did saint Thomas write to his Clergy ANNO DOM. 1167. Now beeginneth the yeere of our redemption 1167. with the xv Indiction when Pope Alexander vnderstanding as well by the letters of the king of England as also from others beeing Bishoppes the Suffraganes of saint Thomas that was persecuted by them and his most worthy proceedinges condemned as hideous offences to the end hee might rayse him aboue his aduersarys and humble them to his obedience hee ordayned a king most worthie of prayse which was to make the holy Archbishop with most ample authority Legate of the Apostolicke Sea The Popes letters are yet extant indighted for that purpose in these wordes Alexander seruante of the seruantes of God to this beeloued brother Thomas Archbishoppe of Canterbury sendeth greeting and his Apostolicall blessing The most holy Church of Rome hath bin euer accustomed to embrace with greater charity Saint Thomas made Legate à latere ouer all England excepting only the Proumea of Yorke and prefer in glory and honor persons of eminent worth and them especially whom she knoweeh to bee most renowned for honesty wisedome lerning and excellency of vertues Considering therefore the constancy of your deuotion and faith wherin you haue persisted as an vnmoueable pillar for the Church of God and weighing withall the singular prudence of your integrity lerning and discretion wherin you are knowne to surpasse others wee thought it worthie to loue and honor with a certaine peculiar priuiledge and more excellent prerogatiue your person soe adorned with the insignes of such high vertues and with our vsuall hounty to prouide and with a more tender care to procure your good and commodity This is the cause that with our louing fauor wee grant and beestowe on you the Legantine authority ouer all England excepting only the Archbishoppricke of Yorke to the end that within your iurisdiction in our place and authority you correct what you find worthie amendment and that to the honor of God and of the holy Church of Rome and for the saluation of soules you doe constitute buyld and plant whatsoeuer is to bee setled and planted wherefore wee admonish yea wee command your brotherhood that you dispose all thinges extirpate vices and plante vertues in our Lordes vynyeard with that prudence and discretion which Allmighty God hath beestowed on you Dated at Auigni on the seauenth of the Ides of October Heereunto were also added other letters of Pope Alexanders beeing written for the same purpose to the Clergy of the Prouince of Canterbury And others likewise for gathering of saint Peeters Pence which the king had beefore as wee see forbidden all which were caryd into England and receaued by the Bishop of London who certifyed the king of all wryting in this sorte vnto him Lib. 1. Epist 116. Lib. 1. Epist 131. To Henry King of England Gylbert Bishop of London The Bishop of Londons letter to king Henry concerning the Popes Mandates So bige a weyght of commandementes doth my Lord at this tyme oppresse vs soe great an authority beeseegeth vs as cōpelled by extreame necessity wee are enforced to beeseech counsell and with all assistance from your Maiestie for what the Apostollicall authority commandeth cannot with Appeale bee suspended neither can there bee any remedy against his Mandate since wee must needes fullfill his precept or incurre the offence of disobedience For beeing on saint Pules day in London at the Altar wee receaued from the handes of a certaine Messinger altogether vnknowne to vs our Lord the Popes letters whereby was graunted and by authority confirmed vnto the Lord of Canterbury the Legantyne power ouer all England excepting only the Archbishoppricke of Yorke Moroeuer all wee the Bishops of the kingdome were by the same authority inioyned with all humility to obey him as the Legate of the Apostolicall Sea and at his calling without any contradiction to assemble our selues together to yeelde him an accompt of all thinges appertayning to our office and absolutely vndertake to obserue whatsoeuer hee shall decree and lastly that wee shall enforce all who by your commandement haue receaued the reuenues and goodes of the Clearkes beelonging to the Archbishop in their absence to make full restitution and satisfaction to the owners within two monthes otherwise to bee denounced accursed without any appeale at all to the contrary S. Peeters pennyes Wee are beesides required to gather of our brethren the Bishoppes saint Peeters pence and to deliuer the
same sealed vp to such Messingers as shall bee designed for that purpose And withall commanded to send or deliuer the letters of the sayd Legantyne authority together with the letters of the Archbishop to sundry Bishoppes according to their seuerall directions and not to omitt this vnder payne of infringing the integrity of our state and order Prostrate therefore in harte wee humbly beeseeche at the feete of your Maiestie that you will not in regard of the weighty affaires beelonging to the charge of your kingdome neglect to consyder of vs but to prouide out of your princely piety soe for vs as wee bee not to our eternall infamy throwne from all to nothing which you may conueniently doe if you condescend by your leaue to obey the Apostolicke commandementes and restoring saint Peeters pence and through your mercy the Clearkes to their owne You command all the Bishoppes that if they can finde any thing in the Archbishoppes letters to make against the customes of the kingdome they presently with all confidence appeale vnto the Popes holines or his Legates which are directed vnto vs soe shall you doe a worke of mercy preserue vs from the guilt of disobedience and by the common appeale of all defend our cause from receauing any detriment Our Lord instruct you to doe his will and redeeme vs out of the streightes wherin wee are at this instant plunged Farwell most beeloued Lord in Christ And thus London painting the wall without temperature whilst with the remedy of appeale and not absolute obedience hee counselled the king to redresse this matter But Thomas now strengthened with the most ample power of the Apostolicall Legation setting asyde delay S. Thomas executeth his LegaÌ„tyne authority falled downe what was to bee cult and corrected plucked vp the bastard plantes which had now beeyond all right and reason taken deepe rootes and beeing made a fanne in the hand of our Lord vndertooke with his greate labour to seperate the chaffe from the corne finding in al things not only the kinge himselfe but also the Bishoppes his most bitter aduersaries whom neither by benefitts nor admonitions hee could euer bring to better passe but indured them still as the most vile deprauers of his actions to the king Yet that hee may not appeare negligent in his office hee awaked the slougthfull restrained the wanderers and those whom hee found in regarde of their abhominable crymes altogether vnworthie hee cut them of from the communion of the Catholike Church as rotten members from a sound body All which is signifyed by the letters hee wrote this present yeere out of France into England to the Bishops subiect to his charge which beeing recorded among other his Epistells are to bee read in this sorte Codi Vat. lib. 1. Epist 9â— Thomas by the grace of God the humble seruante of the Church of Canterbury to his reuerent brethren the Bishop of London and other Bishoppes of the whole Prouince of Canterbury wisheth soe to passe through temporall felicity as they loose not eternall My most beeloued Bretthren why rise yee not with mee against the malicious S. Thomas by his Epistel correcteth the Bishops of his Prouince Why staÌ„d yee not with mee against the workes of iniquity Are yee ignorant that our Lord will disperse the bones of them who please men They shall bee confounded beecause our Lord hath despised them Your discretion sufficiently vnderstandeth that an error not resisted is approued and truth not defended is oppressed And by the testimony of saint Gregory Psalm 52. hee seemeth to consent to the erronious who essayeth not to reforme what is to bee amended Heereby is apparant that wee haue too long and too much forborne the king of England nor yet hath the Church of God reaped any commodity by this our enduring It seemeth dangerous and intollerable for vs to leaue any longer vnpunished hetherto wee haue done soe greate excesses of him and his officers against the Church of God and Ecclesiasticall persons especially since wee haue very often endeauored by messangers letters and all manner of meanes as bee came vs to recall him from his peruerse purpose Beecause therefore hee will hardly afforde vs the hearing and much lesse attentiuely listen vnto vs wee haue with inuocation of the grace of the holy ghoste publickly condemned and declared as voyd that deede of wryting together with the authority of that indenture wherin are contayned not customes but rather those wicked deuices by which the Church of England is disturbed and confounded and haue also excommunicated all the obseruers exactors counsellors assistantes and defenders of the same and doe absolue by the authority of God and vs all yee Bishoppes from that promise whereby yee were bound contrary to the constitution of the Church for the obseruation of them For who can make doubt but that the Preistes of Christ should bee esteemed the fathers and Maisters of kinges Princes and all faithfull beeleeuers Is it not a miserable madnes if the sonne should endeauour to bring the father or the scholler the Master vnder his subiection and with vnlawfull bandes to subdue vnto his will the partie by whom his faith telleth him that not only in earth but also in heauen hee may bee tyed and loosed wherefore that yee may not fall into the lapse of this sentence wee haue adiudged voyd the authority of this obligation and the schedule it selfe with all the enormityes contayned therein and haue especially declared it of no force in these thinges ensuing 1. That no man shall appeale to the Apostolike Sea vpon any cause without the kinges licence 2. That it shall not bee lawfull for an Archbishop or Bishop to departe out of the kingdome and come at the calling of our Lord the Pope without our Lord the kinges licence 3. That it shall not bee lawfull for à Bishop to excommunicate any one houlding of the kinge in cheyfe without the kinges licence or to interdict his land or the landes of his Officers 4. That it shall not bee lawfaull for a Bishop to punish any one for periury or profaning his faith 5. That Clearkes shall bee bounde to bee tryed beefore secular Tribunalles 6. That the Layety or kinge or any others shall handle causes beeloÌ„ging to the Church or Tythes or others of like nature Wee denounce also as excommunicate and haue excommunicated by name Iohn de Oxeforde who hath fallen into a damnable heresie by making oathe to the Scysmaticks whereby the scysme allmost extinguished in Almayne reuiued againe also by communicating with that infamous Scysmatick Reynold Archbishop of Colâ—n and lastly beecause against the commandement of our Lord the Pope and vs hee vsurped to himselfe the Deanry of the Church of Salisbury which acte as contrary to law and à pernicious example to the Church of God wee haue condemned and declared as voyde commanding the Bishop of Salisbury and his Chapter in the vertue of obedience and perill of their order that vpon sight
of our letters they neuer heereafter for that reason repute him Deane Wee haue likewise denounced excommunite and haue excommunicated Richard de Iuecester for his fall into the same damned heresie for communicating with Reynold the Scysmaticke of Colen and for deuising and practising all mischeefes by combining with the Scysmatickes and those Allmaynes to the ouerthrowe of God and his Church and especially the Church of Rome and by contracting couenantes beetweene our Lord the King and them Wee haue in like sorte excommunicated Richard de Lucy and Ioceline de Baliol who haue bin the authors and framers of those wicked deuises and Raynulph de Broc who possessed and with houldeth the goods of the Church of Canterbury which are by right the almes of the poore and hath apprehended our followers as well of the Clergy as Layety and detayneth them prisoners Wee excommunicate moreouer Hugh de Clare and Thomas Fitz-Bernard who haue also seized on the goods and possessions of the Church of Canterbury without our conniuence and as yet with hould the same wee haue lastly inuolued in this sentence of excommunication all such as shall heereafter lay violent handes without our will and consent on the possessions and goodes of the Church of Canterbury Afterwardes hee inserteth the decrees of the Bishoppes of Rome wherein such as these are sayde to bee condemned for excommunicate and wherby the sentence pronounced by him is approued All which beeing rehearsed hee addeth thus And wee inioyne you Brother and Bishop of London in the vertue of obedience that presently you manifest and shew these our letters to all our reuerent brethren and associate Bishoppes of our Prouince Farewell in Christ and instantly pray for vs. Thus wrote hee to London and other Bishoppes of his Prouince Saint Thomas did also certify the Archbishop of Rome of this excommunication soe denounced Beesides hee sent a letter to Pope Alexander of the same subiecte beeseeching him to confirme the sentence which hee had published against them Also to Hyacinth and Henry of Pysa Cardinalles And other letters are extant which were directed to the Bishop of London and the like to the Chapter there And to the same effect did hee write to Robert Bishop of Hereforde concerning this excommunication which Roger recyteth in the Annalls of England the yeere following But the letters to Pope Alexander for excommunicating the king of England are thus indighted To his most deerely beeloued Father Alexander by the grace of God high Bishop Thomas the humble seruant of the Church of Canterbury sendeth his dewe and deuoute obedience Long and ouerlong haue I endured most beloued father expecting the reformation of the king of England nor reaped any fruite at all of my patience but rather exceedingly encreased the losse and vtter ouerthrowe of the authority and liberty of the Church of God while I haue thus vnaduisedly forborne often haue I admonished him by religious and conuenient messingers and many tymes inuited him to make due satisfaction I haue also made knowne to him by letters the coppyes whereof I haue sent to your holines the diuine and seueere iustice and reuenge of God vnlesse hee amended his life But hee neuerthelesse waxed still worser and worser treading more vnder foote and depressing the church of God and continuing his persecution against my selfe and those exiled with mee in such sorte as hee attempteth by threates and terrours to beereaue of their benefittes and cōmodityes the seruantes of the Allmighty who for Gods sake and yours prouyde vs sustentation For hee did wryte to the Abbot of the Cistercians that as hee tendred the Abbeyes of his order which were within his dominions hee should banish vs from all benefitt and society of his sayd order What neede I more wordes The hard and cruell dealinges of the kinge and his officers haue encreased to that heygth by our endurance as by reporte of religious men who if it pleaseth your holines shall affirme the same by oathe shall bee in order deliuered vnto you And I wonder if your holines will giue credit to soe strange a thing soe constantly declared Considering therefore in great streightes and grefe of mynde and weyghing the danger as well of the king as of your holines I publicky condemned those pernitious not customes but subtell deceyptes and wicked deuises by which the Church of England is disturbed and confounded together with the instrument it selfe and the authority of the obligation the ground of their confirmation And did generally excommunicate as well the obseruers as the Exactors together with the Patrons fauorers counsellore and abettors of the same of what estate soeuer they were either of the Clergie or Layety And absolued our Bishops from that oathe whereby they were violently bounde to the obseruation of them And these are the thinges which in that wryting or obligation I haue especially condemned 1. That they shall not appeale to the Apostolicke Sea without the kings licence 2. That it shall not bee lawfull for Bishops to question any man of periury or violating his faith 3. That it shall not bee lawefull for a Bishop to excommunicate any man houlding of the king in cheife or to inderdict his land or the landes of his officers without the kinges licence 4. That Clearkes or Religious men bee drawne to the secular Iudgments 5. That the Layety the king or any others handle causes concerning the Church or tythes 6. That it shall not bee lawfull for an Archbishop or Bishop to departe the lād and come at the calling of our Lord the Pope without the kinges licence With others of this fashion The names of the excommunicated And namely I haue excommunicated Iohn de Oxeforde who communicated with that excommunicated Scysmaticke Reynold of Colen and contrary to the commandment of your holines and vs vsurped the Dearny of the Church of Salisbury and made oath in the Emperors courte for renuing the Scysme Wee haue also denounced for excommunicate Richard de Iuecester beecause hee fell into the same condemned heresy by communicating with that infamous Scismatick of Colen deuysing and contriuing all mischeises with the Scismatick and those Allmaynes to the destruction of the Church of God especially of the Roman Church by meanes of couenantes contracted beetweene the king of England and them Wee haue pronounced likewise the same sentence on Richard de Lucy and Iocelin de Baliol who were fauorers of the kinges tyrany and framers of those hereticall offences with Raynulph de Broc Hugh de sainct Clare and Thomas Fitz-Bernard who vsurped without our licence and consent the possessions and goodes of the Church of Canterbury and lastly wee haue excommunicated all who contrary to our will and assent lay handes on the possessions and goods of the Church of Canterbury Concerning the king himselfe wee haue not as yet personally excommunicated him expecting awhile his amendment whom neuerthelesse wee will not forbeare to excommunicate vnles hee speedely reforme himselfe and receaue discipline for
these his disorders To the end therefore most blessed father the authority of the Apostolicke Sea and liberty of the Church of God which in our partes are allmost wholy perished may howsoeuer bee againe able to bee restored it is necessary and by all meanes expedient that what wee haue doâ—â— may by you bee absolutely ratifyed and with your letters confirmed And soe wee wish your Holines long to prosper and flourish The reason why saint Thomas did not excommunicate the king which hee was prepared now to doe and was of the king soe much feared is thus declared by Iohn of Salisbury in his Epistle to the Bishop of Exceter Hauing lately assembled to a counsell at Chynon his peeres and familiars who are knowne to haue the sleyght and practise for contriuing mischeefes and are wise to deuise and effecte wickednes hee carefuly inquired many wayes with forerunning threates protestations what wâ—re best to bee aduised to preiudice the Church greeuously complayning not without groanes and many sighes yea very teares as the standers by reported of the Archbishop of Canterbury saying that Canterbury would depriue him both of body and soule in the end hee affirmed they were all traytors who would not with their vttermost endeauors and diligence seeke to deliuer him from the molestation of this one man HeereupoÌ„ my Lord of Roane was somewhat moued in regard of these wordes reprouing him but mildy according to his fashion in the spiritt of lenity whereas the cause of Allmighty God required rather the spirit of seuerity aÌ„d the authority of à Bishop to bee applyed to his wound who languisheth both in reason and in faith for the greife was the greater by the pressure of the feare conceaued out of the letters written by Canterbury to him and his mother the coppies wherof are sent you for hee feard and not without cause least by the authority and commandement of the Popes holines the sentence of Interdiction should bee instantly pronounced against his land and the like of Accursing against his person Caught therfore in these streyghtes the Bishop of Lexouin sayd there remayned one remedy which was to stay this sentence now ready to strike him with the barre of Appeale So I knowe not how but that truth the more it is resisted the more it excelleth and iustice the more resisted the more preuayleth While the king endeauored by his ancient customes to ouerthrowe Appeales added greater strength vnto them beeing himselfe for his owne safegard constrayned to flye to the refuge of Appeales And therefore from this Parliament as from the face of God and their king were dispatched in all haste the Bishop of Lexouine and likewise Sagien to the often named Lord of Canterbury to the end that by the interposition of an Appeale they might suspend the sentence vntill the Octaues of Easter The Archbishop of Roane vndertooke this iorney also with them not as an Appealant as hee professed but as mediator for peace a thing hee much desired But our Archbishop beeing euen now in hand to deliuer this sentence trauelled to the citty of Swesson to the end hee might there commend the care of this controuersy by prayers to our Blessed lady whose memory is there renowned to saint Drausius The Pilgrimage of S. Thomas to Swisson vnto whom men in their fightes haue refuge and to saint Gregory the Apostle of the Church of England who lyeth in the same towne intombed saint Drausius is a most glorious Confessor who as they of France and Loraigne beelieue maketh the Champions that watch and pray all night at his reliques inuincible soe as both out of Burgundy and Italy men in such necessityes haue recourse vnto him For Robert de Mount-forte beeing to incounter with Henry of Essex vsed there the same deuotion wherefore by this chance through the worke of Allmighty God was made frustrate the diâ—â—nt exployte of these king-pleasing Bishoppes beecause comming to Pontiniake they found not the Archbishop whom they should appeale but deluded of their purpose they returned with complaynte that they beestowed their money and trauell and profited nothing The Archbishop hauing watched three days nightes before the reliques of these Saintes the morrow after the Ascension hastened his iourney towardes Vizelliac to the end that there hee might on Whitsonday proceede to the sentence of Accursing against the king and his adherents But by the prouidence of God it hapned beeing in the Church at Regitane the fryday before the same feast it was reported to him as a thing most certayne that the king of England was taken with a desperate sicknes soe as hee could not come to a Parlee with the king of France beeing a matter hee greatly desired and deerely purchased but was enforced to send Richard de Poyters and Richard de Humec to make his excuse who proferd by oath to auerre this the cause of his absence by reason therefore of this beeing deliuered to the Archbishop by a Messinger from the king of France hee deferred the denouncing of this sentence against the king Thus far Iohn of Salusbury concerning the delay of this sentence against the king Then hee proceedeth to speake of the excommunication of them whom wee reade to bee specifyed by name in the letters to the Bishoppe of London and of the accursed customes there condemned by him and how with other letters yet againe hee sent his last and peremptory admonition vnto the king But for the king sayth Salisbury whom hee had beefore as well by letters as Messingers with respect of his regality according to the customes of 〈◊〉 Church inuited to satisfaction hee summoned 〈◊〉 now with a publick citation to the fruites of pâ—â—nance threatening hee would shortly pronounce against him the sentence of excommunication vnles hee reformed his abuses and made satisfaction for these soe greate and wicked attempts against the Church which neuertheles hee would not doe but by constraynte against his will neither was any of his seruantes inclyning to bee the Messinger of his sentence as yet suspended saint Thomas in his Epistle to Pope Alexander writeth thus Wee haue not yet pronounced our sentence on the kings person Cod. Vat. lib 1. Epist 138. but it may bee wee will doe it vnles hee conuerteth his errors and vpon these our admonitions embraceth discipline Thus much saint Thomas Cod. Vat. lib. 1. Epist 116. But how the king dreading this interposed an Appeale is declrared in a letter written by Iohn of Salisbury to the Bishop of Excester where hee beeginneth from the Appeale of the Bishops in this sorte How as touching the publicke estate this was afterwardes diuulged by the affirmation of many how all the Bishoppes of England assembled by the kinges commandement The Bishops interpose an Appeale to the end the sentence promulged by my Lord the Pope might not take place they appealed against their Archbishop who for their safety and the liberty of the Church was neither ashamed nor afrayd to expose his
him to bee determined by your discretion resoluing without farther obstacle of Appealation to establish whatsomeuer you shall therin Cannonically doe And the Pope likewise wrote to all the Bishoppes in england in these wordes Epistola 1.9 The Pope in these letters restrayneth the Bishoppes of England Allthough by the obligation of our office wee are bound to haue a care and bee watchfull for vphoulding the right of all sortes in perfect integrity yet notwithstanding in mayntenance of their iustice who are chosen by our Lord to vndergoe a parte of the charge committed to vs wee ought in how much they are more eminent aboue others in their authority soe much the more to reflect vppon them to prouide with greater dilligence for them and haue an especialleye ouer them Guyded therefore with this reason wee charge and command yee and in the vertue of obedience by our Apostolicall letters inioyne your brotherhood that yee presume not in any case neither yet any way attempt vpon occasion of the Appeale which yee haue made vnto vs against our reuerent Brother the Archbishop of Canterbury to intermedle in any thing knowne to appertayne to the rightes dignityes and libertyes of the Church of Canterbury without his assent and priuity And if any of yee shall vnder any coluor whatsomeuer dare to breake this our commandement wee will by the grace of God endeauor to punish him soe seuearely as hee shall learne by the paine inflicted on him how dangerous it is to violate the Apostolicall Mandates Dated at Lateran 5. Kalend. Februarij But the king fearing as yet to bee excommunicated or to haue his Realme subiect to interdiction by Saint Thomas after hee had interposed as wee see such as it was this Appeale hee directed to Pope Alexander an Embassage not soe much to prosecute the Appeale as to obtayne of his Holines an other legantine authority to the end hee might thereby weaken and infringe the sinewes of the power giuen to Saint Thomas and for the vndergoing of the busines hee desired of the Pope that a certayne Legate might bee sent him which was William Cardinall of Papia of the Tytell of Saint Peter ad vincula whom hee might haue as his intire freind To manage alsoe this matter the king made choyse of his Chaplaine who as wee lately sayde was excommunicated by Saint Thomas because hee made oath to the Archbishop of Colen for maintayning the Scysmaticall Pope wee meane Iohn of Oxeforde with whom were others also ioyned Associates in authority but in what sorte they proceeded with Pope Alexander heerein wee shall heereafter in place conuenient declare Codic Vat. lib 1. Epist 139. The king after this Appeale made as saith Salisbury sent then a Messanger into England for he◠remayned at this tyme in Normandy with letters for guarding the sea coastes dealing also with the Abbott of the Cistercians against Saint Thomas for expelling him out of the Monastery of Pontiniake who since hee continewed there two yeeres as the Authors in his life declare must needes bee sayd this yeere to haue bin banished thence for the recyted letters testify that till this yeere hee remayned there William likewise in Quadrilogus rehearseth how hee aboade two whole yeeres in that place and soe wee see hee entred first into that Abbey in the yeere of our Lord 1164. But how foule a scandall it was in the eyes of all good men to see soe greate a guest soe banished the sayd wryter sheweth at large and addeth that Lewes the kinge of France receauing tydinges thereof by letters from Saint Thomas exclamyng publickly sayd O Religion ô Religion where art thou Loe the men whom wee esteemed as dead to the world feare yet the ruines of the same world and for the fraile temporal trash which they profess to contemne for our Lord flye off from the worke which God himself hath commanded casting out of their house this man exiled for Gods cause Moreouer hee telleth vs how Saint Thomas was then entertayned by the king of France assigning him Senon to dwell in And at that tyme as the same Author reporteth it fell out that God reuealed to Saint Thomas in a vision his Martyrdome Saint Thomas afterwardes not to let shippe any thing appertayning to his office whereas hee had beefore with censures terrifyed and troubled the king now againe hee indeauored to quiet and pacify his mynde with more pleasing letters indyted in this sorte To his most beeloued Lord Henry by the grace of God King of England Duke of Normandy and Earle of Anioue Thomas by the same grace the humble seruāt of the Church of Canterbury wisheth health and all times perseuerance in goodnes with worthy resistance of all malicious suggestions Our speech to you shall bee shorte Cod. Vat. lib. 1. epist 66. least in abundance of wordes wee become ouer tedious would to God wee were more acceptable to you as to our most beeloued Lord hee knoweth this who is the searcher of hartes whatsoeuer is otherwise and falsly muttered and murmured against vs by your enemyes yea rightly and truly rather yours then ours Wee exhorte you therfore agayne on the beehalfe of Allmighty God and adiure you in the vertue in the Holy Ghost and require you for the remission of your sinnes that you make restitution sinceerly of your grace with assured peace and good security to to vs and ours and the like to the Church of Canterbury in such fullnes and liberty as our Predecessors and wee alsoe since our entrance into our Archbishoppricke haue more amply and freely enioyed the same with all the possessions Churches and prebendaryes appertayning thereunto which haue remayned voyde since the first breaking out of the discord beetweene you and vs and ours and that wee may vse and possesse the same vnder your dominion as our predecessors haue in better and more worthy sorte heeretofore done and wee alsoe since our preferment to this same Sea whereby the Church may iustly reioyce in our returne which hath for many causes to the danger of both our soules as wee beeleiue soe long wanted our presence and ought truly to lament the discommodity incurred by our absence Performe this gratious Lord with a ioyfull and pacifyed mynde that God may graunt and restore to you the peace which your harte desireth with the saluation of your soule and the soules of the people committed by our Lord to your charge and wee truly on the other syde are and will bee euer ready to doe you all seruice with more feruor and deuotion then euer heretofore so long as wee neither offend God nor violate our order thereby Concerning the goods taken away from the Church of Canterbury from vs and ours wee constantly affirme to you before God and the whole world yea were his diuine Maiestie heere present that by no meanes nor reason can the sinne bee forgiuen vnles what is vniustly taken away bee againe restored if hee who tooke it or caused it to bee taken
shortly speake against his immoderate proceedinges And thus far Iohn for this yeere but after this ensued a wonderfull mutation of matters For in the meane tyme the king of England misledde with most wicked connsell that hee might auoide the sentence of Excommunication thus threatening him searcheth out new remedys inuenting other sutle and more potent deuices which was to addresse an other embassage and send an other Sinon to Rome to deceaue Alexander with vntrue oathes and corrupt as hee could the Cardinals with money To set this sinne abroach is chosen the worst of men periured excommunicated Iohn of Oxeforde the vsurper of a Deanry as beefore is mentioned who furnished with lyes and false promises and also with gould might ouerthrowe the whole iudgment and recall Pope Alexander from pronouncing his sentences of excommunication and interdiction beeguyling him with pretended promises of peace and absolute restitution of all the Churches priuiledges inuaded by the king Pope Alexander gaue credit to this Embassadors oathe suspended his iudgment allready beegun and determined the legation desired for effecting this busines But allthough hee designed according to the kings request William of Papia Preist Cardinall of the tytle of Saint Peeter ad Vincula whom hee esteemed most conuenient to moue the king his affected freind for composing a peace betweene him and Saint Thomas neuertheles because this Cardinall in regarde of the kinges fauor might growe into some suspicion with the contrary parte hee ioyneth with him for an associate a man of singular integrity very much renowned in the Church of Rome and passing well knowne through the whole Christian world for his vertuous life Otto I meane Deacon Cardinall of saint Nicholas in carcere Tulliano who if occasion were might with his worthynes restrayne the other and confine him within the stricte boundes of iustice But allthough Pope Alexander proceeded thus warely in sending his Legates notwithstanding this which might seeme soe passing commendable by reason of the false reportes forerunning the Legates appeared to the credulous as a matter not beeseeminge such a singular Pope in soe much as all as well by wordes as wrytinges exclaymed against him yea his very freindes and those most forward for the Catholicke cause but how vniustly will bee easily perceaued by this Popes letters which shall heereafter bee recyted yet how beefore this was throughly vnderstood the tongues of men yea of the wise were let loose against him you shall see by what next ensueth and thereby learne how euery one yea though most holy is sett vp as a marke and as well his freinds as foes will sometymes shoote at him the arrowes of detraction For heare what the Champion of the Ecclehasticall liberty and defender of the lawes of the Roman Church spoake though sincerely yet bitterly Thomas I say the Archbishop of Canterbury when Iohn of Oxeforde in his returne from the Citty into England euery where boasted that hee had obtayned of Pope Alexander as well for the king as himselfe whatsomeuer hee desired intermingling many falshoodes with truthes concerning the authority conferred in the king which beeinge blazed abroade and beelieued Saint Thomas as one oppressed with exceeding sorrowe did thus wryte to Iohn a man of his owne Prouince Thomas by the grace of God the humble seruante of the Church of Canterbury to Iohn of Canterbury sendeth greetinge Cod. Vat. lib. 1. epist 164. How wee are made a reproach to our neighbors and a scorne and scoffe not only to them who are round about but also allmost to all the people of both kingdomes as well France as England and it may bee to those likewise of the empyre and what fame I say not infamy and scandall rangeth vp and downe thorough the eares and mouthes of all men against our lord the Pope beeing to vs a greater cause of greife God hee knoweth then that of our owne person with a slaunder to the whole Courte raysed by those who rage and insulte and cast irreuocable dartes of disgrace against them you may some what see out of this that followeth and secretly intimate the same to our Lord the Pope and our freindes if as yet perchance wee haue any Hee addeth thereunto what by faithfull reporte hee lately heard out of England saying Beehould Iohn of Oxeforde and other the kinges Embassadors returned lately from the courte extolling themselues aboue all whatsoeuer is called or honored as God vaunting they had obtayned of the courte all they desired that is to say concerning the band of excommunication how the king was exempted from the authority of all Bishoppes excepting only that of the Pope and his Maiestie should haue the Legate hee requested I meane William of Pauy our inueterate enemy with ample power ouer all the kinges dominions to buyld and plant and especially to pull out and pluck vp by the rootes without euer any remedy of Appeale but aboue all to decyde the controuersy now gtowne beetweene the king and vs with all matters whatsoeuer incident thereunto without any exception of preiudice as it is sayd which may herafter happen And with this pomp and pryde returned Iohn of Oxeforde into England and landing in a certayne hauen there hee found our Brother the Bishop of Hereforde expecting yet secretly a prosperious winde to passe ouer daring not openly to attempt it beeing forbidden by the kinges officers on his Maiesties beehalfe by vertue of his letters and finding him Oxeforde first commanded him in the kinges name and then in the Popes that hee should not crosse the seas the Bishop asking as his messinger comming afterwarde to excuse his lord deliuered to vs whether hee had the Popes letters to warrant this hee answered yea and that our Lord the Pope did thereby forbid both him and all other Bishoppes of England to appeare at our call or any way to obey vs vntill the comming of the Legate a latere whom the king had obtayned from the Pope and who should also determine the cause of the Appeale lately made and the mayne controuersy beetweene the king and vs and all thinges beelonging thereunto with full power and without any further barre of Appeale The Bishoppe vrging to see the letters hee replyed they were not ready at hand but that hee had sent them with his caryages to winchester 12. myles distant from the hauen of South-Hampton the Bishop taking aduice of his freindes sent with Iohn of Oxeforde to Winchester Master Edward his Clearke as wee thinke an honest faithfull man who sawe the letters and soe did likewise the Bishop of London beeing then also at the pointe of passing the seas and London perusing the letters with reioyceing burst out into these wordes now Thomas from hence forth shall bee no more my Archbishop And Iohn moreouer added that hee was a priuiledged person nor could heereafter bee excommunicated nor conuented by vs but only in the presence of our lord the Pope and likewise had free power to beestowe the Deanry of the Church
of Salisbury on whom hee listed and for our dignity that it was in euery point diminished vntill the Legates comming All this did the Bishop certify vs by his Chaplayne beeing a Cannon Regular and a Religious man whom hee sent to excuse his forbearance of comming to vs at our cyting for wee cyted him once and agayne and lastly the third time with a peremptory Mandate to appeare beefore vs beetweene that and the feast of the Purification as a man of great authority the kinges familiar and one who should mediate a peace beetweene his Maiestie and us if possibly it might bee compased All this the Cannon is ready to testify by oath that thus hee receaued the same from the mouth of the Bishop to bee deliuered on his beehalfe to vs. Which if it bee true then doubtles our lord the Pope hath choaked and strangled not our person only but alsoe himselfe with all the Clergy of both the kingdomes yea verily both Churches as well of France as England for animated with this most foule example what will not other Princes of the world dare attempt against Ecclesiasticall persons To whom shall they haue refuge How can they hee confident of the Church of Rome that hath soe forsaken and left destitute vs who maintaine her cause with fighting therefore to the very death What will beefall if these vnspeakeable and detestable priuiledges standing good together with the oppressions as well by the king as others vnder any pretext it should soe happen which God forbid that the Pope should dye or the Citty runne into confusion of troubles All these would then descend on their heires nor would euer heereafter bee wrested out of their hands And what is far worse other Princes stirred vp with this example would extorte the like priuiledges to bring the Church whether shee will or no into subiection Soe shall the Churches whole liberty vtterly decay together with the iurisdiction and power of Bishoppes no man remayning who is able to controule and restaine the outrages of Tyrants whose whole intention is at this day bent to make hauocke of the Church and Clergy nor will they haue brought them like others into bondage What will bee the end wee know not but this wee knowe that our greife exceedeth measure bee these thinges true or false which are thus propounded For wee are neither obeyed nor respected in any thing as wee were wont by Bishoppes or Abbotts or others of the Clergy of England beeing now assured of our deposition But let our Lord the Pope bee perswaded that wee will neuer on any condition passe ouer into the kinges Dominion to haue there our cause decyded nor will wee euer abide the iudgment of our enemyes and especially of Papyan who thirsteth nothing but our blood thereby to obtayne our seate which in truth as wee heare is allready promised him vpon condition the king may bee deliuered of vs. Wee haue also an other exceeding greiuance The nobles as well temporall peeres as Bishoppes with other Prelates of the kingdome of France as it were despairing now of vs shake of and send vs backe againe the Associates of our exile whom they haue heatherto mercifully relieued and what will these but perish heereafter with cold and famyne as others their fellowes haue formerly donne Intimate all these thinges diligently to our Lord the Pope that hee may prouyde vs some remedy against these mischeifes according to our request if as yet any zeale of God remayneth in him as wee hope it doth and wee pray God our hope confoundeth not Farewell and with all speede returne vs backe this messanger againe who may as well in these as other matters certify vs who rest streyghtned in great extremitys if thinges are soe as wee heare them reported And thus Saint Thomas wrote to his agent being lieger for him in the Citty But heere ended not the complaints poured out against Pope Alexander For now remayneth to be recyted an other epistle of Lumbard SubdeacoÌ„ of the Sea Apostolike who liued at this present in France and wrote thence to the Pope for it is first thus intytuled To Pope Alexander Lumbard Subdeacon of the Roman Church And afterwardes beeginneth thus To the reuerent father and Lord Alexander by the grace of God High Bishop Lumbarde his faithfull Clearke remembreth his seruice of obedience Cod Vat. lib. 1 epist 165. Whereas I am seruante to your Holines and in Christ the worke of your handes I neither can nor ought to dissemble the slanders openly spread to the reproch of your renowne and derogation of your name and such mischeifes as are subtilly deuised to the detriment of the whiâ—â— Church For Iohn of Oxeforde insolently vaunteth hee is returned from Rome with the honor of a Deanry and the fullnes of your fauor adding arrogantly withall that hee is fortifyed with your priuiledge against my Lord of Canterbury and euery Bishop and beeing as it were litle inferior to the Courte of Cardinalls that hee is subiect to you only and your Apostolike power glorying moreouer in his pryde hee affirmeth hee hath procured that for the king which neuer kingdome could yet obtayne which is the confirmation of a Mariage by your authority beetweene the king of Englandes sonne and the Earle of Britaines daughter beeing Cosyns in the third degree And lastly that Legates such as he desired were to bee sent to heare and determine whatsoeuer it should please the king to deuise against my lord of Canterbury without any remedy of Appeale All this most holyfather vpon Iohns returne from Rome was diuulged which by how much they were the more vnusuall how much the more rare to bee compased soe much they more amazed the heares myndes whereupon the king of France the deuoute childe of your Holines and of the Church was soe passionatly moued as hee sayd hee would presently addresse a message to forbid your Legates to enter his Realme and more hee did which I willed this Bearer by word of mouth to deliuer Hee resolued moreouer to assemble his Archbishoppes and Bishoppes beefore whom hee would lay open and declare how the Church of Rome rayseth alofte the malicious enemyes as well of him as her selfe endeauoring to depresse his power saying and doth hee not seeke my dishonor who subtelly compasseth to worke the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury an innocent man banished for iustice and the Churches liberty by yeelding him wickedly vp into the handes of his persecuting enemyes whom not in respect of any fauour receaued by him hauing rather bin wronged by him whyle hee serued the king who now seeketh his ouerthrowe but moued with reuerence of the most iuste cause hee mayntaineth with admiration of his vertue and the loue of my Lord the Pope who instantly entreated mee for him I constantly resolued to entertayne honorably and decently as long as hee remayned in exile and to noursih him as it were in my bosome as I haue allready beegunne denouncing to all and openly protesting
it was no lesse greiuous to him that your Holines sent Legates for managing this cause then if you had designed them for depriuing him of his Crowne Neither were they wantinge who ministred fewel to his enflamed mynde Weertupon was occasion giuen of malice and mischeiuous attemptes against vs and the Church of God to them who from the beeginning had myndes and meanes to hurte vs whose wicked purpose your clemency hath nothing changed although your authority repressed their assaultes All this I receaued from a Clearke who is faithfull and deuoted to your Holines who beeing then present did afterwards pruily deliuer the same to mee This one thing most holy father I assuredly know which I wryte not without teares that the glory of your name is somewhat eclipsed because the detraction of your fame is as it were meate and drinke to backbyters and slanderers who like men intoxicated and drunke with wyne teare in peeces your renowne and deuoure it with the iawes of misreportes and these are not the fauorers of my Lord of Canterbury but also his professed foes and that especially since the tyme of his victory and yours as many beeleiued was now at hand for the day of the Appeale beeing past the king was in that feare to see himselfe excommunicated and his whole dominion interdicted as hee sayd openly Hee neither perswaded nor compelled his Bishoppes to appeale and therefore would not intermedle in the matter the Bishoppes themselues were soe mightily troubled and feared soe much to bee interdicted as some of them sent messingers to my lord of Canterbury others were ready to appeare at his summons When Iohn of Oxeforde as your Legate assembling the Bishoppes commanded them by authority from you as it is reported in France that they should not come to the Lord of Canterbury vpon his citation Whereupon Master Robert Bishop of Hereforde beeing at the seas syde ready to passe ouer was recalled againe as in way of excuse was deliuered from him to the Lord of Canterbury by his Messingers beeing religious men and well knowne I beeing then present and therefore soe great a trouble hath inuaded the myndes of many vpon the feare they conceaue of the kinges subtell deuises to the ruine of the Church of EnglaÌ„d and all Churches within his Dominion together with the ouerthrowe of the Ecclesiasticall liberty and the longer and stronger persecution of the Archbishop For whereas it is sayde by many and that very often that the king hath set vp the rest of his hope on your misfortune and deathe which Allmighty God out of his most mercifull clemency long deferre affirming constantly as it is reported by many that hee will neuer admitt your successor vntill hee hath confirmed all the dignityes and customes of his kingdome It is therefore supposed that craftily and fraudulently hee requesteth the Legates for accomplishing his owne endes and desires as well against the lord of Canterbury as all other Bishoppes of his land or if that fayle yet at the least that hee may put of the excommunication against his person and the interdiction of his dominions and thus winning tyme hee may soe auoyde the authority of the Bishop of Canterbury as if in your Popedome hee bee not bounde hee neede not feare the power of your successor since as many say hee hath resolued not easely to receaue him Wherefore most wise father such as thirst after the spirit of God and peace of the Church desire with all the affection of their myndes that our Lord will styrre vp in you the spirit of Daniel to search out the sleyghts of Bell Daniel 14. and to kill the Dragon For which they beseech God with their deuoute and continual prayers God prosper your Holines with many yeeres Thus far Lumbard whom one reporteth to haue bin the renowned diuine who flourished in Paris and beeing properly called Peter Lumbard liued in these dayes You haue heard the complayntes of the king of France and others expressed in Lumbardes letter Heare now the exulting and insulting of the king of England deriued from this vnfortunate fountaine beeing no litle cause of lamentation to all well disposed myndes For there is extant to this purpose an epistle of Iohn of Salisbury written to Iohn Bishop of Poytiers wherin after other thinges hee sayth thus of the king of England Moreouer the king himselfe toulde the Bishop of Worcester that hee and all other Bishoppes were now exempt from the Lord of Canterburys power and commanded him not to feare any threates for hee had now my Lord the Pope and all the Cardinalls in his purse and soe far hee vaunteth as hee sayth openly hee hath now at last obtayned the priuiledge of his Grand father beecause in his owne land hee was a king a Legate a Patriarcke and Emperor and what hee list Cod vâ—t lib. 1. epist 1â—8 and soe would he bee wherin as it is probable hee aymed at the Church of Rome For what could Octauianus or the Archhereticke of Crema haue don more for him How could their Cardinalls haue pleasured him more then the forenamed Cardinalls sent from Pope Alexander who whetted the tongues of England and made them spitt fire and poyson to terrify the Pope and subiect him to their will This will bee regestred in the Chronickles of the Roman Church and doubtlesse God permitting it there will not want Historiographers to recorde that at the petition and threates of the king of England whose intollerable excesses hee had soe long endured the Champion of liberty the preacher of iustice now liuing with an infinite number of Innocents for the cause of Allmighty God as yet foure yeeres in banishment without any respect of reason or lawe as a man guilty was depriued by the Pope of his office not vpon any offence of his but only to please a Tyrant And yet neuerthelesse vnder his letters patents remayning with vs was granted him to exercise in his ample right the power of his office wherein is expressed that hee neither gaue nor restrayned the mandate for the kings excommunication O good God what a nouelty haue wee heere Isaia 58. The holy Ghost biddeth in his lawe Crye out cease not and loe an other spirit of what fashion I knowe not issuing out from the Citty into the world sayeth to the Preachers cease crye not 2. Tim. 4. The Apostle instructing a Bishop commanding biddeth Accomplish thy ministery And lo the Apostolicall man willeth saying desist from the ministery of thyne office Yet perchaÌ„ce hee supposeth hee can with patience mollify his mynde but hath hee not a sufficient tryall to the contrary in the Bishoppe of Canterbury who hauing bin allmost foure yeeres depriued of his Sea hath felt the remisnes of the Sea Apostolicke and the Tyranny of the king beeing all this while exposed to windes Let therefore I pray you my Lord the Pope bee ashamed of such a conscience and haue a care of his fame honor and preseruation of the Church
kinges customes the very ground of all this terrible discord Thus therefore by reason of the faire promises and a false pretence of contriuing a peace Pope Alexander was deceaued by him who is found a notorious lyar in this that vpon his returne hee publickly reported how by priuiledge of his Holines hee wâ—â— exempted from the iurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury For that the Archbishoppes authority was only suspended during the continuance of the Lâ—gantine power and no way abrogated what beefore is sayd doth playnly showe And Pope Alexander wryting the next yeere to the Legates against this Iohn of Oxeforde who had dispercing sowed such falshoodes in the myndes of all commanded him to bee punished with a most seuere iudgment And these letters shall also in their proper place bee recyted All this haue wee sayd to wash away the fowle slanders which Iohn of Oxeforde bruted in England against Pope Alexander and which Iohn of Salisbury too credulous relished soe ill for a tyme for although as you haue seene hee spoake hardly against Pope Alexander yet afterwardes againe hee commendeth and in parte excuseth him in regarde what hee did was vpon constraint of necessity For writing to saint Thomas hee sayth Neither haue I any greate confidence of the Courte of Rome whose manners and necessitys are well knowne to vs Pope Alexander indeede is a holy and iust man but his extremityes are soe many and soe greate is the couetousnes and wicked dealing of the RomaÌ„s as sometymes hee stretcheth to the vtermost of his power and procureth by dispensation that which is sayd to bee profitable to the common wealth allthough vnprofitable to Religion And againe neyther bee yee discomforded if yee see in the Roman Courte somewhat worthy of reprehension remeÌ„bring in the Gospell how the faithfull are commanded not to imitate the workes of them who fit in the chaire of Moyses but to followe their doctrine But hee corrected absolutely this and all the rest of his last letters written vpon this occasion after better discouery of the busines handling the whole matter from the very first comming of this most vilde man Iohn of Oxeforde and wryting to Myles Bishop of Moryn in this sorte If any man will dilligently consider the preceedinges at Rome hee shall apparantly see how the Pope albeeit circumuented yet neuertheles most faythfully handled the cause of the Church and vs. For the often recyted Iohn of Oxeford beeing in the end vpon his oath according to the custome absolued swoare againe publickly that hee did nothing in the aforesayd Conuentickle of Scysmaticks against the faith of the Church and the honor and commodity of my Lord the Pope And I would to God hee had not bin periured Afterwardes hee deliuered letters of commendation and Petition from the king wherin was written that credit should bee giuen to him in all thinges as to the king himselfe Then boulstred out with soe greate an authority hee submitteth the cause in controuersy betweene the king and the Archbishop for the wicked customes to the arbitriment of his Holines that at his pleasure they should bee either confirmed or cancelled and binding this also with another oath hee preuayled soe farre as the Pope yeelded to send his Legates to this purpose Thus sayth Salisbury whereby you may see that a man promising soe much and that not idely but fortifyed with the letters of a king and mayntayned with oathes ought not to passe vnrewarded from the Pope which rewarde his Holines beestowed as the same Author witnesseth in the Epistle next ensuing for hee sent him backe into England endowed with a Ring and preferred to the benefice of a Deanry whereupon hee grew to falsify with more confidence and had far better occasions to coulor his deceyptes And I would to God I could excuse as well as the Pope some of the Cardinalls who were corrupted with golde but God forbid I should purge with excuse that which deserueth exceeding reprehension yea I haue euer sayde these deade flyes loosing the odor of their oyntmentes are to bee prosecuted with most bitter inuectinnes The king of England endeauoreth to corrupt the Cardinalls with bribes The king of England sent therefore by the Embassadors to Rome certayne poundes of gould to bee distributed among the Cardinalls Many entertayned fowly these giftes others to their great commendation absolutely refused them beecause they beelieued these rewardes of kinges turned to the reproach of the Apostolicke Sea which assuredly soe happened for by reason heereof were raysed most greeuous scandalls and the face of the holy Church the spouse of Christ was much darkened for marke I pray you heereupon the iust complaynte of saint Thomas vttered in his epistle to the Archbishop of Mountes I speake sayth hee with greife a thing much to bee lamented Ibidem epist 21. the Citty of greate renowne which hath conquered allmost the whole world is surprysed beeing ouerthrown with the couetousnes of earthly fauor and shee who could neuer perish with the swoard yeeldeth thorough the infection of an accidentall poyson O greife in her fall is euery where found the losse of the Churches liberty for the grace of a temporall commodity A breach is made to her ruine by the subtell sleyghtes of riches shee practiseth dishonestly as a harlot who lyeth openly in the streete to the lust of many euery mighty man committeth fornication with her These and other the like with great bitternes of his mynde did Saint Thomas euen now at the poynte of his glorious Martyrdome poure out into the eares of his faithfull frind vpon occasion of this gould so sent by the king of England to corrupt the Courte of Rome Heare you also the complayntes of the Bishop of Poytiers wryting there of to Lumbardâ— in this sorte Ibidem epist 32. The king moreouer vaunted that hee had such frindes in the Courte as could quashe all the attemptes of the Archbishop of Canterbury and were so diligent in following all his busines as the Arbishop could not deliuer a petion nor obtayne the least fauor but hee had present intelligence thereof by his frindes yea wee knowe they re names whose assistance he vseth and haue lately dealt in courte that the cause of God and the power of Christ might be soulde at a vylde rate neither truly was there a multitude in the commutation of them and was it possible there should bee such ounces of golde as could enforce them to fall who should haue bine the very pillars of the Church And the king is soe puffed vp with this tryumph as they cannot conceale in his Pallace but must needes blab what Cardinalls they were who would not taste of that pestiferous and infamous gold and on the other syde who they were who disposed of the money in what sorte it should bee distributed to some more to some lesse according as euery of them did more or lesse deserue in this worke of the subuersion of iustice Thus wryteth hee of
searcher of hartes how wee conserue still in our breastes a tender affection vnto you For truly as to our remembrance wee haue signifyed often to your wisedome wee haue with all the care wee could labored to eschewe the suspicion of the king of England to the end wee might in processe of tyme bee a more effectuall meane for composing a peace beetween him and you and with all retayne still the deuotion and zeale of soe greate a prince to the Apostolike Sea And beeing now designed together with our reuerent brother Oddo a Cardinall Deacon to passe into his Signioryes for determination of the matters in controuersy beetweene you and him in such sorte as wee shall see most expedient for the Church of God wee exhorte earnestly and perswade your discretion that setting a syde as much as in you lyeth those thinges which are accustomed to beeget the causes of greater dissention you would with dilligent care bee attētiue to that which can best procure a concord For wee will bend our myndes as much as by Gods grace wee may to deale without any respect of persōs for this peace and your profit leauing nothing vndone as the proofe God willing shall make playne which wee can possibly effect for the honor of God and his Church Thus wrote William the Cardinal and Legate to saint Thomas who answered as followes To his reuerent Lord and freind worthy of loue Vvilliam by the grace of God Preist Cardinall of the tytell of Saint Peter advincula and Legate of the Apostolike Sea Thomas by the same grace the humble seruante of the Church of Canterbury wisheth health and courage against the insolency of Princes Ibidem epist The hater letters of Thomas to William the Legate Wee yeelde thankes to your charity for vouchsafing now at the last to visite with your excellencyes letters our poore afflicted person which is measured of many by the state of our present fortune not by what is paste yet God may heereafter out of his mercy when it pleaseth him and to him shall seeme conuenient restore vs agayne to better In that you say wheras many suppose you are not soe throughly affected to vs the reason heereof is the Churches greate vtility least otherwise beeing held in suspicion by the king hee should bee therby lesse deuoted to the sacred Roman Church and not soe much encline to composition of a peace with vs God the searcher of hartes best knoweth and the euent of thinges will declare If at this instant you come into his dominions as your letters signify for decyding the controuersyes beetweene vs and him in such sorte as to the Church you shall see most profitable it is a thing possible But wee are of opinion that wee certainly knowe to what intent you are come and how wee ought to receaue you whereupon wee desire in our lord most instantly to exhorte your wisedome foe to bee haue your selfe in this busines as therby God may hee honored the Church relieued and wee restored to glory amyd the people and in our nation If any fauor or peace fall to vs by your labor and industry wee shall therfore thanke God and your diligent care And wee wish you would weygh with a tender affection and compassion how greate agreiuances wee and the Church of England haue sustayned and doe as yet endure and how much the vniuersall Church is impeached in our sufferance On this busines we cast the eyes of all and all expect the conclusion thereof the insolency of Princes will eyther exalte their hornes or as they worthily deserue bee suppressed And I wish they may rather by this your comming sustayne losse then recouer strength God send you now and euer well to fare that wee and the Church may thereby fare the better Thus saint Thomas But in regard William the Legate not only in his letters to saint Thomas and others but also in wordes did openly vaunte that hee came as a Iudge of this controuersye and did vsually with greater pride and insolency vnaduisedly boaste in this sorte saint Thomas sending a messinger to Rome Saint Thomas complayneth to the Pope against Vvilliam the Legate Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 22. did presently complayne thereof to Pope Alexander by his letters wherin after hee had first set beefore his eyes howe far forth God had assisted him in conquering the pryde of the Emperor who was dreadfull to the whole world hauing experienced thereby that the helpe of Allmighty God was on his syde for the defence of the Church against any Tyrants whatsomeuer hee had now as hee sayde learned not to feare Then hee descendeth to William of Papia I would moreouer haue your Holines vnderstand that what wee dreaded is beefallen vs and what wee foretould is now apparant concerning the pryde and presumption of the lord William of Papia as you may well perceaue by these letters hee sent vs instantly vpon his comming from whom wee expected according to the tenor of your mandate to my Lord the king of France and vs rather comforte for the recouery of peace then confusion for decyding of controuersyes beetweene the king of England and vs. For hee is not the person vnto whose authority in this case wee ought to be subiect especially since hee was rather procured to come vpon the kinges instant intreaty to you then any way compelled or sent by you Wee suppose truly it is not agreable to lawe wee should bee enthralled to the iudgment or examination of him who seeketh to make his commodity of our blood let him not therfore goe about to purchasse to himselfe by the prize of our life the name and glory of iniquity Thus hee wrote because as it appeareth out of other letters it was helde for certayne that the king of England had promised William the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury if hee could depriue Thomas of the same Hee proceedeth Wee doe therfore earnestly beeseech you father if as yet you haue care of vs to abrogate his authority at leaste soe far as it concerneth vs and our causes in controuersy But let vs see what Oddo the Deacon Cardinall the other Legate à Latere did wryte to Saint Thomas who signifyed somewhat though not much by letters of greate note concerning his iourney leauing matters of more secrecy to the relation of the messinger hee sent The letter hee wrote was thus To the worthyly beloued father and his most deare brother Thomas by the grace of God Archbishop of Canterbury Oddo by the same grace Deacon Cardinall of the sacred Roman Church and Legate of the Apostolike Sea sendeth greeting The letter of Oddo the Legate to S. Thomas Ibidem epist 4. Wee certifye your dearely beeloued selfe that after our iourney vndertaken vpon our Lord the Popes commandement passing through hazardable places of exceeding greate danger wee arriued in the end by the conduction of Allmighty God in Venice our enemyes the Scysmatikes lying on euery syde in ambushments ready to intercept vs
of many to diminish the credit of our cause wher on the other parte if it standeth with your pleasure wee are not bound to admitt our aduersary for a iudge neither can wee bee confident of any heerein but only in your presence for by reason of the banishment of vs and ours the king soe frighteth and terrifyeth all men with the vexation and losses of others as none knowing it dareth once affoarde vs a good word Considering deepely all this wee tempered our answer soe as wee neither refused nor accepted this iudgment and dangerous tryall For wee sayde whensoeuer wee who were thus beerefte of Archbishoppricke gouerment and all our goodes were restored agayne to what wee lofte wee would then gladly and when wee ought submitt our selues to your determination or the iudgment of him or them whom by your mandate you should appoint nor could wee nor would wee flye from iustice in the meane tyme wee could not with any reason bee constrayned to a contentious course of lawe neither were our poore meanes able to supporte it neither could the liberality of the most renowned king without molestation extend it selfe soe far as to mayntaine vs with the poore of Christ our banished breathren vpon his expence vnder the roofes of strangers especially since hee aboundeth not at this instant with money for where hee hath plenty of victualls there can he more tollerably defray our charges Then descended they to the third question demaunding if wee would admitt the proces of the Bishoppes who appealed against vs beefore those iudges But wee answered wee receaued no mandate of yours concerning this busines nor yet that our pouerty was able to vndergoe the expences of such a controuersy forth at was the drifte of our Aduerssaryes as wee vnderstood by them who could not bee ignorant heerin to giue a taynte to our person vpon any occasion in the presence of the Legates therby to worke vs any wrong For they coniectured that none of the prouince durst assist vs against the king in regarde wherof they might the sooner procure our ruyne and the king called out only those to this conference who beeing our Aduersaryes from the first raysing of this storme were knowne to bee the inuentors of soe greate a mischeife which were the Archbishop of Yorke with the Bishoppes of London and Chichester the Bishop of Worcester beeing also sent for with them that vnder the vayle of his worthines the malice of the rest might bee shadowed But as your wisedome may remember these who now soe applaude the kinges pleasure and aboue the rest as it is openly knowne thirst our bloud are they who sometymes soe much extolled in their letters full fraught with our prayses the procuring of our Pall and the forme of our election together with our person but now contradicting both truth and themselues through an impudency of lying and flattering they beecome contemptible whilst at the pleasure of the Prince like the slaue in the Comedy now they say now they gaynesay these are they o father who giue hornes to the sinner and if hee bee not made enough incense him more laying softe cushons vnder his elbowe and lulling a sleepe on daynty pillowes the heade that languisheth with sinnes Since therfore they who ought with their counsell assistāce and authority to bee the pillars of the Church doe now with their flattery and expences animate and arme the persecutors of the diuine lawe and of our selues against her and vs it is not safe nor possible for vs to subiect our selues to iudgment but only in the presence of your Holines and to bee examined by your selfe For although the Church may conceaue a great hope of the sinceare proceeding of one of the Legates and wee are confident in him especially in matters appertayning to God neuertheles there is not any man but your selfe to whom wee dare cōmitt this cause of our Lordes and for the other God make him the man who may saue his soule and beeseeme the place of a preist Cardinall of the Romane Church yet let that neuer come to passe which pleaseth it you to remember wee forewarned and feare will yet happen if it should fortune the wisedome eloquence and authority of my Lord William should concurre with the power and willfull disposition of the king of England wee doubt wee saye they will demaunde of vs by their counsell and consent those thinges which either bee greeuous for you to heare and impossible to bee effected or otherwise displeasing to God and odious to the world And because the charge of all Churches resteth on your shoulders turne if it please you your eyes on the west marke and see in what sorte the Church is there handled let it bee tould by the lord Oddo whom wee beeleiue the spirit of God guydeth let him declare what hee behouldeth what hee knoweth concerning the Church and Prouince of Towers what hee heard reported in England what hee hath by experience found in Normandy and wee beeleiue you will say with teares there is no greife like to the greife of this For to let passe the Churches of Canterbury and Towers which hee houldeth in his handes as you haue heard and wee wish you would heare it more fully hee hath now of long tyme retayned to himselfe seauen vacant Bishopprickes in the prouinces beelonging to vs and Roan nor suffereth any pastors to bee ordayned in them the Ecclesiasticall state of the kingdome is giuen his followers to bee trampled vnder their feete and made their prey If wee looke not to this most holy father how shall wee answer Christ in the day of iudgment who will resist Antichrist at his comming if wee suffer thus the vices and offenses of his forerunners with such induring as this Potentates growe prowde the kinges of Nations turne to bee Tyrantes and imagine the Church ought to haue no right no priuiledge but depending only on their pleasure but blessed is hee who houldeth and dasheth the litle ones on the rocke For if Iudas beeing commanded by the lawe rooteth not out the Cannonytes they will growe vp to bee perpetually his Aduersary and his stinge Bee therfore father of good comforte and bee a couragious commander wee haue more on our syde then they haue on theirs God hath broken in peeces Fredericke the hammer of the impious beeing ready also shortly to strike others vnles they amend and haue peace with the Church of God And to conclude wee only expect the sentence of your mouth or of his who hath bin accustomed to beereaue Princes of their spiritts and deliuer the poore from the potent You shall receaue more by word of mouth which wee thought inconuenient to committ to wryting Let your excellency bee thus perswaded that if wee would from the beeginning haue giuen way to these wicked customes wee needed not now intercession of any Cardinall nor yet of any man liuing In vayne God willing doe they lay beefore our eyes the examples of the Cicilians or
this be dilligent attentiue and marke if there bee a dolor like this of vs and ours who are giuen vp for a prey and spoyle vnlesse thy mercy o God doe presently through the hand of the Apostolike authority succor vs we are made a scorne and derision to those who are about vs being confounded by the authority of your Legates who would to God they had not dealte thus disorderedly and presumptuously with vs and the affaires of the Church for if they haue thus vsed vs in the greene wood what will they doe in the drye wee meane in the continuance of this Legantyne authority which would it had neuer bin They haue suspended vs as much as in them lyeth from all power which wee haue enioyed ouer the Churches and persons of England although neuer by Gods grace nor by your goodnes done at the instance of any Prince or other or by Gods mercy will bee done as your excellency vouchsafed most certainly to promise vs. And why renowned Lord haue you granted this Legantyne authority to such a man let it bee spoken with your pateence in whose first entrance to this busines your Lordship ought to haue bin circumspect what the fruite of this Legation would he and more considerate what the end would proue especially in him whose endeauors were wholy bent from the first and so are still to the ruine of the Ecclesiasticall dignity and alsoe of yours if so he may be gratious therby to the king My Lord my Lord on you are cast our eyes least otherwise wee perish helpe vs my Lord and deale with vs according to your promises which wee would they had not in vayne reioyced our hartes for wee haue endured vpon the commandement of your excellency wee haue endured peace wee say and it commeth not wee haue expected by the handy worke of your Legates good and behould our affliction is more encreased and our troubles more terrible Take pitty on vs therfore my Lord take pitty since there is none vnder God who fighteth for vs but only your selfe with your faithfull Assistantes Haue mercy on vs wee say that God may haue mercy on you in that seuere iudgment when you must yeelde accompt of your Baylywicke for wee haue refuge to none vnder God but your selfe since euen they to purchase she fauor of men oppose against vs who in regarde of piety and iustice and for the reuerence of the sacred Church of Rome ought especially to mayntayne and defend vs. For your estates beeing now consumed and endles vexations assaulting vs wee haue not heereafter any meanes left how to prosecute this troublesome sute and cōtrouersy raysed by them nor the least parte therof Let then your excellency instantly if it please you helpe vs and the Church with making an end of this malitious mischeife that there be heereafter no longer delay because the tyme now importuneth it for hardly are wee able to breath our extremities are soe greate make haste therefore that wee may receaue some benefit of your fauor before wee dye God send long prosperity and life to your holy and bounteous goodnes which wee esteeme most deerely and is next vnder the loue of our Lord for vs most necessary that by your magnificence wee may beegin to reuiue who now beegin to dye Please it your wisedome to bee also informed that three dayes before these mischeifes befell vs we sent messingers with letters to signify to your Holines in what manner we departed frō your Legates For the most Christiā king of France his Queene the Princes and Bishoppes of the kingdome with others of lesser note who loued you did by theer letters congratulate you glorifying Allmighty God and thanking his diuine Maiestie and you because it was manifest vpon the comming of the Legates as they themselues by word of mouth made knowne to my Lord the king that all the rumors were false and most vntrue which Iohn the swearer of Oxeforde and others the kinges messingers had vaunted concerning the aggreiuances and ouerthrowe wee should receaue by the Legates which raysed an vnspeakable scandall throughout the whole kingdome of France and among all who heard this reporte they only excepted who were aduersaryes to the Church and vs But this harpe was turned to lamentation this mirth to morneing and the last error made worser then the first Wee humbly therfore beeseech that it would please your Holines to apply a present remedy to a sicknes yet beeginning and to let men openly knowe according to the truth how all this presumption was without your priuity and contrary to your commandement And soe againe God send your Holines well to doe now and eternally Thus much wrote Saint Thomas to Pope Alexander Which the Saint not satisfyed with this seconded with the ensuing complaintes to the sacred Colledge of Cardinalls To his reuerent Lordes and Fathers the Bishoppes Codex Vatican in the Appendix of the epistles epist 1. Preistes and Deacons by the grace of God Cardinalles of the sacred Church of Rome Thomas by the same grace the humble seruant of the Church of Canterbury a wreched and miserable banished man sendeth gteering with remembrance of his most respectiue dutifull seruice Saint Thomas complayneth to the Colledge of Cardinalls It is not easy for a wreched man to make a gratefull discourse and for the miserable to keepe a measure is speech forgiue therfore wee beeseech yee the wreched and pardon the miserable Wee beelieue most holy fathers how yee are by the ordinance of Allmighty God placed in that your hygth of dignity to this purpose especially that yee should chase away iniustice cut of all presumption gratiously succor the afflicted of the Clergy and neuer suffer them to bee ouerborne with reproches and calamitys but ayde and assist the oppressed and aggreiued suppresse their false accusers and seuerely punish such as worke their ruine For in not chastising the peruerse nor resisting the Persecutors of the Church wee doe nothing but fauor them Hee seemeth secretly to consent who opposeth not himselfe against a manifest offence whereupon wee conclude it cannot bee but that yee are hereafter bound with all your forces and endeauors to assist this cause of ours And a litle after is not our cause also yours yea absolutely yours Will yee not yet seeme to knowe that the king of England hath vsurped and euery day vsurpeth euen still the possessions of the Church how hee ouerthroweth the Churches liberty layeth hands on Gods anoynted tyrannizing euery where and without any respect ouer the Clergie castinge some into pryson dismembring others plucking out the eyes of these enforcing those to vndergoe the combate of single fight and likewise causing Clearkes to endure the tryall of fire and water making Bishoppes to disobey their metropolitan and inferior Clearkes their Bishoppes not to acknowledge themselues excommunicate who are neuertheles truly accursed and in a word which is farre worse that hee cleane abrogateth the whole liberty of the Church not
Church except the Deane and send them ouer who should sweare how â—heir Bishop had authorized them to make an oath wherby they shall protest in the name and place of their Bishop that he shall satisfy for his iniury and contumacy against the Archbishop Wherby it may bee probably gathered that my Lord the Pope did either neuer knowe of the Legates sentence for absolution of the sayd Bishoppe Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 7. or otherwise hee neuer estemeed it of any validity The same Bishop had obtayned before letters allmost purporting as much wherin neither hee nor his were obliged to any oathe but as yet hee hath made no vse of them either beecause they displeased the king or in regarde they were not soe effectuall What will be the successe on either side was vncertaine at the returne of the bearer heereof but my Lord the Pope hath answered the most Christian king that hee will not fayle to succor the Church of God and his frind of Canterbury as long as with iustice hee can releiue them Now let vs passe to the parlee which was beetweene our kinges c. in such sorte as was described this selfe same yeere wherby you may perceaue that both agree in tyme yeere and month being the same wherin this author wrote these letters Lastly towards the end of this yeere besides other Embassadors formerly sent the king of England addressed two more ouer to Pope Alexander which were Reynold and Iohn the Deane of Salisbury and the same tyme also Saint Thomas directed his agents to his holines their names were Alexander and Iohn whom afterwardes by letter he admonished of the trecherous falshood of Reynold saying Haue a continuall eye and watch vpon our aduersaryes and especially that Bastard of fornication the enemy of the Churches peace the sonne of a Preist Reynold of Salisbury Lib. 3. epist 66. who euery where as much as in him lyeth defameth and slaundereth our person exclayming wee are traytors and that wee gaue him our promise not any wa◠〈◊〉 lest his father And a litle after Hee affirmeth 〈◊〉 ouer if our Lord the Pope should departe this world hee would cause vs to bee blotted out of the booke 〈◊〉 life vaunting that in the court of Rome all thinges 〈◊〉 soe sett to sale as with the bounty of rewardes he could purchase any thinge Hee likewise moued the king of England to beecome sutor to our lord the Pope that his Holines would graunte authority to any Bishop in England to crowne his sonne and consecrate Bishoppes to the end hee might were it but in this deceaue the Pope and when the king answered that as hee thought hee could neuer obtayne these demandes of his holines Reynold replyed the Pope should deale like a foole if hee would condescend to your requestes Thus much of the kinges Embassador wherby you may see reader what manner of fellowes they were who accustomed to back-byte and detracte the high Bishoppes of Rome Concerning the other his associate Iohn deane of Salisbury that which hath before bin spoaken plainly declareth him to be a maÌ„ of greater villany What these the kinges demandes were and how instantly hee sued for them and how many and greate men were his mediators shall bee declared heereafter in place conuenient It is besides apparant that the king in the end of this yeere did by his Agentes solicite all the Cittys which were ioyned in league to Pope Alexander beestowing a hugâ— masse of money among theÌ„ and carefully endeauored to winne the king of Cicillie and the nobility of Roâ—â— to bee his that all might bee intercessors to the Pope to procure the accomplishment of his requestes agaiâ—â—â— Saint Thomas but how Pope Alexander beehaueâ— himselfe you shall heare in the beeginning of the 〈◊〉 yeere Meane while the king of France The king of France laboboring a peace beetweene the king of England and Saint Thomas bringeth them to a parlee after the Legates were departed dispatching this busines taking vp the matter soe fallen to the grownde endeauored to bring the king of England and Saint Thomas to a mutuall parlee in his presence hoping by these meanes to reunite them in a league of peace What the passage of that meeting was is exactly sett forth in Quadrilogus in the end of the second booke and in regarde this seemeth to bee omitted in the epistles the Register of them beecause his epistolary history may not bee defectiue heerin hath soe placed in this volume this discourse before the epistles as they ensuing and following in order one after an other doe manifest the whole proceedinges euen to the very end by reason wherof there wanteth no assistaÌ„ce of any history in the epistles but only this of the parlee written on this wise in Quadrilogus or the Quadriparte history out of Hubertus My Lord the king of France seeing his Holines carefull to conclude a peace himselfe as the sonne of peace and obedient to the Apostolike prelate interposed his endeauors with all labor and attention whervpon at diuers parlees which passed betweene him and the king of England hee brought thither with him the Archbishoppe placing himselfe as an arbiter of peace beetweene them Among all which there was one meeting where it was reported to the king of England that the Archbishop of Canterbury would referre thâ— whole cause to his owne will and therfore the king entertayned this his comming more gratiously Many of both sydes assembling to see the end my Lord of Canterbury fell downe at the king of Englandes feete saying I committ to your discretion the whole controuersy which hath bin the grounde of dissention betweene vs with reseruation only of the honor of God The king hearing the addition of these last wordes was offended beeyond measure abusing him 〈◊〉 â—ny reproches vpbrayding him much casti◠〈◊〉 thinges in his teeth condemning him for a 〈◊〉 insolent and vngratefull man who forgot 〈◊〉 royall bountifull liberality soe often extended to him Alanus added Hee sayde beesides to the king of France marke my Lord if it pleaseth you this man let any thing not fit his owne humor hee presently condemneth it as contrary to the honor of God wherby he will challenge not only his owne but also whatsoeuer beelongeth to mee and that it may appeare I withstand not the honor of God nor yet of him in any thing this is myne offer There haue binne kinges of England my Predecessors who haue raygned beefore mee of greater or lesser authority then my selfe and in Canterbury haue bin many Archbishops beefore him of great worth and holines what therfore the more eminent and vertuous of his Predecessors haue done to the least of my predecessors let him but giue the like to mee and the controuersy shall be concluded Wherupon followed an acclamation on all sydes that the king had sufficiently humbled himselfe The defence of Saint Thomas and his cause Here must I needes say I meruayle greately how the king
against mee are all these forces bent and I once taken away there will bee none left to pursue yee further c. Bee therfore comfortable and feare nothing Nay rather quoth they wee take pitty on you not knowing which way you caÌ„ turne your selfe beeing a man of soe greate authority and thus left by your cheifest and last frindes To Allmighty God answered Canterbury I committ the care of my selfe and since the dores of both kingdomes are now shutt against me ah other way is now to bee taken I haue heard that about Araris a riuer of Burgundie and from thence to the countrey of Prouince men are of a more liberall and free disposition to these will wee all trauell on foote who perhaps vpon sight of our afflictions will take compassion of vs and furnish vs with victualls for a tyme vntill our lord shall better helpe vs for God is able euen in the deepest pitt of distresse to releiue vs hee is worse then an infidell who despayreth of Gods mercy And Gods mercy was instantly at hand for a certaine seruante beelonging to the king of France comming to them hastely sayde my lord the king calleth yee to his Courte That hee may quoth one of them banish vs the kingdome you are noe prophet answered Canterbury nor the sonne of prophet doe not then foretell euill tydinges Comming therfore they found my lord the king sitting with a sad countenance and not according to his custome rysing to my lord of Canterbury which was vpon the first sight an vnluckly presage where they sate still after this cold inuitation and remayned long in silence the king hanging downe his head as if with greife and against his will hee deuysed which way hee might dispatch them out of his kingdome and they no lesse fearing the king who breaking out into teares and with sobbing rysing vp on the subdaine did prostrate himselfe at my lord of Canterburys feete all there present being amazed and my lord of Canterbury bowing low to lifte him vp The king of France repenting greatly humbleth himselfe to Saint Thomas the king in the end hardly comming to himselfe soe greate was his greife sayde Truly my lord and father you only did see and redoubling his sighes with sorrowe truly father quoth hee you only did see for all wee were blind who gaue you counsell against Allmighty God that in your cause yea in his diuine cause you should at the pleasure of man neglect the honor of God I repent mee father I repent mee withall my harte pardon mee I beeseech you and absolue mee wretch from this offence and heere I cast at the feete of God and you my kingdome and from this tyme forward doe promise neuer to bee wanting to yoâ— and yours in any thing so long as God willing this life shall last My lord of Centerbury therfore absoluing the king and giuing him his benediction returned ioyfully with his followers to Senon where the king of France maintayned them royally vntill their teturne into England Vpon reporte wherof the king of England sendeth worde to the king of France that hee maruelled very much how or with what reason hee could in iustice maintayne Canterbury against him seing in his owne presence hee soe humbled himselfe with readynes to endure all course of iustice neyther yet that hee was any impediment to hinder Canterbury from recouering his peace which hee proudly and contumeliously reiected wherfore quoth hee the king of France ought not heereafter to yeeld any releife to the disgrace and reproche of his liege man Whereunto the king of France replying sayde Goe messingers and reporte this to your king The renowned answer of the king of France to the king of England that if the king of England will not endure the customes which hee calleth ancient though as some affirme not agreable to the law of God yet as appertayning to his royall dignity to bee any way abrogated much lesse can I of right ouerthrowe that lawe of liberality which together with the inuesture of my Crowne falleth to mee by inheritance for France hath bin of ancient tyme accustomed to receaue all distressed and afflicted persons especially them who were banished for iustice and vntill they recouered peace to fauor protect and defend them the grace of which honor and excellency shall neuer by Gods helpe during my life vpon the request of any man bee diminished or denyed to Canterbury beeing thus exiled And soe far concerning the speech that passed beetweene the king of France and the Agents of the king of England which euery wise man will accompt worthie to bee written in letters of Golde ANNO DOMINI 1169. Now ensueth the yeere of Christ 1169. with the second Indiction when Pope Alexander refusing absolutely to yeeld to the king of Englands requestes propounded in his last Embassage and constantly perseuering in the restitution of Saint Thomas vnto his Church determined yet againe to send other Nuntios for regayning Saint Thomas his Archbishoppricke Whereof meeting to treate it is first necessary to lay open what the king demanded of the Pope which consisted of two principall pointes one that Saint Thomas beeing remoued out of France might bee called by his holines to Rome the other that hee might bee translated to an other Sea But with what trauaile and exceeding cost the king endeauored to bring his purpose to passe and winne the Popes good will certaine letters secretly written to Saint Thomas doe in this sorte declare Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 79. In regard that through the Allmighty worke of God the cause of Christe and of his Church is now restored to that security as it cannot heereafter bee endangered because the Ring-leaders of this Scysme are quayled and the hammer of the Church of England beeing taken captiue in the workes of his inuention cannot as now find any on whom hee may relye beeing driuen to the last cast The new and terribâ— attempts the king of England â—gainst Saiâ— Thomas hee made these dangerous attemptes when by solliciting as well the courte as the Scysmaticke Friedricke with his complices hee sawe hee could not that way any whit preuayle against our Lord and his anoynted hee fledd by his Embassadors to the Cittys of Italy promising to those of Millane three thousand mearkes towardes the strong reparation of their walls if they together with the other Cittys which they attempted to corrupt could obtayne at the Popes hands the deposition or traslation of the Archbishopp of Canterbury for the same purpose did hee likewise promise to Cremona 2000. mearkes to Parma a thousand and as much to Bononia But to my lord the Pope hee made offer to deliuer him with a larges of money from the exactions of all the Romans and giue him more ouer ten thousand Mearkes granting beesides that hee should ordayne at his owne pleasure Bishoppes as well in the Church of Canterbury as in all other vacant Seas through out England But beecause his greate
promises extenuated his credit in accomplishments and that hee was in his demandes conuinced of manifest iniquity hee receaued repulse yet what of himselfe hee was not able to procure hee assayed to extorte by the power of the king of Cycillie But neither hee allthough the Bishop of Syracusa and Robert Earle of Bassauile laboured heerin with their vttermost ability and the mediation of many intercessors was heard notwithstanding his royalty power or fauor which hee enioyed amply in the Church of Rome The kinges Embassadors were therfore dismissed and their demandes reiected this only beeing graunted that my Lord the Pope should send Nūtios anew for procuring of peace which were Gratian the Subdeacon and Master Viuian Archdeacon of the ancient Citty who was accustomed in the Courte to execute the office of an Aduocate Thus much was signifyed by secrett intelligence for without expressing any name the Inscription is thus A frind to his frind Saint Thomas vnderstanding thus much and also at what tyme hee should bee called to Rome by Pope Alexander was wonderfully troubled and wryting to Cardinall Humbald Bishop of Ostia after many complayntes speaketh thus of this matter In regarde wee will not transgresse the law of God with giuing place to the iniquity of Tyrantes hee endeauoreth without any necessity beesides all vtility and against authority to translate vs to an other Church and beecause wee refused to followe him when hee allured vs to accompany his sinne hee requireth wee should bee called vp vnto you that in our passage hee might make some bargaine whatsomeuer with the consortes of his iniquity for the effusion of blood for what other meaning can hee haue in soliciting those of Millane Cremona and Parma by corruption of bribes to our destruction Wherin haue wee offended those of Papia or other Cittys of Italy Wee neuer gaue them cause to procure our exile Wherin haue wee aggreeued the sages of Bononie who moued by prayers and promises would yeeld their consent to the cause of our ruine which only by relation they vnderstood Assuredly wee neuer banished Robert de bassauylle and yet hee was by sinister suggestions induced to bee a meane to you for our banishment neuertheles afterwardes peaceauing trechery and repenting this offence he entreated that his vniust petition might not bee admitted Richard the elect Bishop of Syracusa entised with a hopefull bayte of the Bishoppricke of Lincolne assisted our persecutors with money strengthened them with counsell and armed them with power Concerning the king of Cicillie himselfe in whose countrey you lately remayned they promised him in mariage the king of Englands daughter to make him their owne for the ouerthrowe of the Church and vs. Did not they by distributing their bread entertayne as their hirelinges the family of Lyons the nation of theeues and other the most powerfull Romanes not soe much to bowe as to breake the Church of Rome Nay they promise to purchase peace with the Emperor and Saxons and beesides with their bountifull guiftes of many to drawe all the Romanes to doe their fealty to my Lord the Pope if they will but satisfy the king of Englands desire in our ouerthrowe You see how secure a passage what abundant prouision the dilligence of man had heere prepared for vs. Vndoubtedly hee cared not greatly how our Creditors might bee satisfyed how sufficient necessaryes might bee ministred to our companions if any happily might bee found to trauaile along with vs how the charges of the iourney might bee supplyed with sufficient meanes for the banished multitude who now after fiue yeeres exile was to bee lefte poore afflicted and forsaken in the middest of soe great calamityes Truly with the same dilligence of these purueyers and harbingers because wee cannot bee perswaded to call the kinges name into question may the house hould stuffe and prouysion of our hostes bee poysoned and hardly can that man bee secure of his life whom the Commander of the family where hee lodgeth lyeth in wayte to kill And that wee may not heerin bee tedious in circumstances of wordes As long as this life lasteth we will neuer vpon any summons hazard our selues to so many and so great imminent dangers for if a man will vpon euery occasion runne desperately to death hee may with a knife or a halter more speedily finish his dayes Afterwards hee proceedeth to rehearse what in the end of the last yeere is declared concerning the endeauors of the king or England to depriue Saint Thomas of the king of Frances protection which wee may receaue from the reporte of his owne mouth for hee sayth The king of England sent lately his Embassadors the Bishop of Sagia and Archdeacon of Canterbury to the most Christian king soliciting him with entreaty to bannish vs out of his Dominion but the man replenished with God answered that hee receaued by inheritance this law from his ancestors and that it had bin euer the custome of the kingdome of France kindly to entertayne all such as were banished for iustice and afforded them due and cōuenient courtesyes and comfortes and affirmed hee would neuer vpon any occasions whatsomeuer leaue so laudable an inheritance being so acceptable to Allmighty God Adding moreouer that hee receaued vs from the handes of my Lord the Pope whom only in earth hee acknowledged his Superior and therfore hee would neuer for any Emperor king or wordly Potentate desist to fauor vs and our cause so long as necessity required in regard God was on our syde and wee sustayned iniuryes and losses in defence of his lawe With this answer hee dismissed these confounded Embassadors and beecame to vs for which God reward him more louing and liberall then before although hee hath bin euer both kind and bountifull Hee saith beesides hee will in this cause of ours make tryall of the sincerity and vigor of the Church of Rome together with the vertue of our Lord the Pope whose faith and constancy hee exceedingly commendeth beecause hee reioyceth that the king of England hath receaued at his handes a repulse in his vniust demaundes Thus saith Saint Thomas of the king of France wordes worthy to bee engrauen in greate letters of Gould But as the faith together with the constancy of Pope Alexander was hitherto well knowne to continue vnmoueable in the defence of iustice and truth soe did it heereafter perseuer euen to the very end vncorrupted which notwithstanding hee gouerned with sweetenes and temperance leauing nothing vnattempted before hee would denounce the king to bee excommunicate and subiect his realme to Interdiction which caused him to make especiall choyse of men who were most famous for eminence integrity and singular learning I meane the fore recyted Gratian nephew to Pope Eugenius that most renowned Bishop Two Nuntioes send by the Pope to the king of England Cod. Vaet lib. 3. epist 12. for soe much doth Iohn of Salisburyes epistle to the Bishop of Poytiers signify and Viuian a person of excellency as beeing a
bee giuen to any of these and I am assured my Lord of Canterbury will rather make choyse of banishement during life then for recouering his peace the Church of God should sustayne damage or the Apostolike Sea bee depriued of her priuiledge Perswade therfore my Lord Gratian to proceede warily in all affayres but aboue all in these Articles least which God forbid hee bee deceaued by the suttle wittes of lurking Foxes You see his vnaduised arrogancy hee who the last yeere as you haue heard scorned peace beecause sainct Thomas endeauored to mayntayne that forme of speech which was I commend the whole cause to your disposition with the reseruation of the honor of God for which only wordes hee reuyled the sainct with slanders and reproches now extolling himselfe aboue all whatsoeuer is worshipped hee would not haue the reseruation of the honor of God but the preseruation of his kingdomes dignity concluded in the conditions of peace Beecause therfore the Bishoppes who were elected by the king to penne the forme of peace could not perswade the Nuntios to admitt the forme aforesayde they deuysing with thēselues an other forme of peace A new forme of peace deuised by the Bishoppes did by the Bishop of Roane signify the same to the king in these wordes Wee could by no meanes obtayne of the Nuntios to admitt that forme of peace which you left with vs in regarde of the Clauses that as well by you as them were set downe on either syde both manifould and doubtfull Cod. Vat lib. 3. Epist 13. and for them to departe abruptly and with despaire of peace seemeth neither agreable to your honor or profitt hauing therfore considered many wayes with our selues wee happened in the end on such a forme of wordes wherin there is not the least derogation to your dignity and honor nor yet can bee ministred heereafter to Canterbury any cause of contention which is thus That for the loue of God and respect to our Lord the Pope you giue the Archbishop leaue to returne into England and cause him to haue his Archbishoppricke as amply as hee enioyed the same beefore his departure and also restore to them who either with him or for his cause left the kingdome their owne againe For this shorte and playne forme of wordes pleased vs best because it seemeth not enwrapped in any suttell deuises or suspitions wherupon wee consell and perswade you that you question not to yeeld your assent therunto And thus much Roane deliured to the king But the king vnderstanding by the Bishoppes that the Nuntios would in no case admitt the former clause which was The reseruation of the dignity of his kingdome beeing greatly incensed with anger did instantly heerupon send away two Embassadors to Pope Alexander with letters farced with complayntes requiring also the Bishoppes whom he assembled for this purpose to wryte by the same Embassadours to his Holines word by word to the same effecte all which are yet extant Ibid. Epist. 19.20.21.22 But Viuian one of the Popes Nuntios perceauing how the king addressed Embassadours in this sorte to his Holines fearing they should any way vndermyne him determined instantly to send a messanger Post by whom hee certifyed the Pope in wryting the true and faythfull relation of all their proceedinges hitherto out of the contents whereof besides the fore recyted dealinges let vs heere lay open such occurrences as beefell after the Nuntios fayling of their purpose departed from the king These are the wordes The Bishoppes beeing very earnest on the kings beehalfe that wee would admitte these wordes Ibid. Epist 26. with reseruation of the dignity of the kingdome Wee answered wee will agree to the wordes of the king so as yee will consent to the wordes of our Lord wee meant with preseruation of the liberty of the Church which they would not allowe neither yet the king allthough hee knewe that the liberty of the Church consisted in the honor of God as hee sayd would neuertheles in any case subscribe therunto and beeing not able to preuayle against vs in these formall wordes they made rather choyse that the Archbishop as before is sayd should safely returne to his Church and with good peace and security receaue the same in as ample manner as hee inioyd it before his departure without mention of any condition either on the one syde or the other and his followers in like sorte restored to their owne and at their instance wee condescended therunto Lastly beeing called by the king to Roane wee came thither with a laboursome iourney and to conclude hee signifyed to vs by his Agents in the Courte of the Archbishoppe that hee would neuer bee disswaded from those wordes Sauing the dignity of his kingdome soe as neither the first nor second nor yet the third forme of wordes deuysed by the foresayde persons could on all partes bee approued and in this sorte most blessed father wee departed wherupon wee commanded the Archbishoppes by their obligation of fidelity wherin they stood bound vnto vs to denounce to them whom wee had absolued vpon assurance of the oath which they swore to vs and to declare to their Lord the king that if peace ensued not before our departure they should loose the benefitt of their absolution and bee inuiolably subiect to the sentence pronounced against them by the Archbishop of Canterbury And thus far concerning our proceedinges with the king in these matters Wee signifyed afterwardes the kinges formall wordes to the Archbishop of Canterbury who enduring all with patience was willing also to preserue the dignity of the kingdome so far as it might stand with the conseruation of his order and his fidelity to the Church of Rome and if any one shall certify you to the contrary concerning this busines bee your Holynes perswaded neuertheles that it is no otherwise then wee haue reported neither yet in regarde my Lord Gratians name is not subscribed to these letters doth it therfore followe that hee sawe them not nor carefully perused them but that happened in respect hee hastened to returne and required these letters might bee more breifely contryued All which wee wryte that your Holines may giue no credit to the kinges Agents against vs before our returne And addeth lastly that in the end hee sent a Messinger to the king named Peter Archdeacon of Papia who beeing kindly entertayned by the king but nothing prevayling in his motion of peace was in his returne spoyled of all hee had and one of his campany beeing endangered for his life was hardly rescued The determined day appoynted by Pope Alexander for conclusion of the peace was the feast of saint Michael the Archangell which beeing once passed they who were absolued vpon this expectatiō of peace must now fall backe againe into their former sentence of excommunication inflicted on them by Canterbury Cod. Vat. lib. 3. Epist 36. concerning which the letters are yet extant which Gratian did wryte to the excommunicated
pricke of conscience Cod. Vat. lib. 3. epist 60. and tormented with an endles feare least hee should euery instant receaue the due punishment of his desertes and soe â—s his troubled soule euer oppressed with care as while bee wasteth himselfe in false suspicions of his well meriâ—ing and intirest friends through the defecte of his owne â—alshoode hee deemeth the faith to bee wauering in others which hee knoweth to bee wanting in himselfe Thus the king of England vpon reporte of your iourney as one guilty of his iniquity and dreading the lawes seuerity together with the perseuerance of vertue which you haue and doe excercise in our lord is affrighted exceedingly least your holy selfe should bee armed with Legantyne authority ouer his principalityes on this syde the sea beecause there is not any one beesides your selfe in the whole Church who dareth with stand him in repressing and confounded his malice neither yet in the Church of Rome as his followers witnes doth hee stand in awe of any but my Lord Gratian beecause if his vauntes bee true whosoeuer besides vpon any occasion haue had any accesse vnto him were heeretofore euer bowed to his will yea sometimes with the taynte of a sinister opinion Vnderstanding therfore that you and my Lord Gratian were returned bee was soe much distempered as hee could not dissemble his myndes disturbance saying hee should by yee two bee constrayned to make a peace or sustayne an eternall ignoâ—â—ny with the greate damage of him and his in regarde whereof hee recalled Master Viuian beeing partly by the letters of my Lord of Roane and G. Rydell and as Viuian in the publicke hearing of many confessed gaue him his corporall faith that in the reformation of the Churches peace hee would subiect himselfe to the Popes Mandate and his counsell hee caused moreouer letters to bee signed with his owne seale which Viuian shewed publickly 〈◊〉 his pleasure wherin was promised that for the loue bee bare to my Lord the Pope hee would restore to vs the Church of Canterbury together with all the possessions taken away from vs ours and peace also wich security that by these powerfull meanes he might more easily drawe my Lord Viuian to treate agayne of peace which hee seemed to seeke for feare of you and my Lord Gratian whatsomeuer any other doth glory but concerning things takeâ— away hee made no mention sauing only a showe that if in the Conclusion of peace wee would submitt ourselues to his pleasure hee would make vs the cheifest of his kingdome and neuer suffer vs to want Master Viuian therfore beeing thus recalled and remayning confident in his wordes the king with a fayned pretence of deuotion went to saint Denyses hut in very deede to compasse what hee allmost brought to passe which was to circumuent the most Christian king for they conuenanted in the parlee at saint Denyses that our king should deliuer his sonne Richard into the king of Frances handes to bee brought vp and instructed by him and moreouer hee should summon the Earle of saint Gyles to appeare at Towers there to answer the sayde Richard concerning the Earledome of Tolouse for the place seemed in the iudgment of wise men most conuenient where eyther parte with their assistants might with greatest safety assemble the Aduocates on eyther syde more freely pleade and the iudges without any feare or delay giue sentence against the person whom reason conuinced My Lord the king of France and Master Viuian with some others of great discretion inuited vs to the conference that wee beeing at Paris and our king at saint Denyses our peace by reason of the neighbouring places might bee more commodiously handled where the often named Viuian more earnesty and diligently pressing the king to performe faythfully his promise hee according to his accustomed manner flew of from it beehauing himselfe in such sorte as Viuian returning backe to vs sayd openly in the presence of very many hee could not remember that during his life hee euer sawe or heard of soe deceytfull a person yea hee forbore not to tell the king to his very face beefore diuers as they declared afterwardes to vs his mynd playnly and reprouing openly his double and deceytfull dealing recouered agayne for the most parte his reputation which beefore hee had greatly wronged lamenting much that hâ—â— was euer so entrapped by his suttle fraudes Which wee signify the rather vnto you beecause if in his returne to the Church of Rome hee shall presume to fauor the syde 〈◊〉 couller the wayles of this cunning deceauer your deuotion may lay open playnly before my Lord the Pope and the Cardinalls the whole truth of the busines For euen as it hapned by Gods appoyntment that my Lord Gratian should returne hauing worthely discharged his office and that you whom God wee speeake it prosperously hath placed in his Church as a most constant pillar and to whom the manners of this man are apparantly knowne should hasten your iourney to the Apostolike Sea euen so wee deeme it hath by the same prouidence bin permitted that Viâ—iaâ— contrary to his myndes intention should remayne iâ— France to publish with renowne the iustice of the Church and manifest far and wyde her glory wherin the king of England by the very man who fauored his cause should bee more perfectly discouered to those whom hee commonly before deceaued and the fallacy of his wordes heereafter far lesse beeguyle our Lord the Pope and his courte that heeretofore were too credulous in beeleiuing him When as the king of England departing from sainct Donyses passed on his iourney neere the Montayne of the Martyrs wee presented our selues before him humbly beeseeching him by the Meditation of the reuerent Lordes the Bishoppes of Roane and Sagy with others who assisted in this busines that for the loue of God and my Lord the Pope hee would restore to vs his peace and to ours his fauour peace security possessions with other thinges wrongfully taken from them tendring him our ready seruice so far forth as any Archbishop ought to performe vnto his Prince Whereunto hee answered that for his prate hee forgaue very willingly froÌ„ his harte all offences and quarells coÌ„ceaued against vs and for such thinges as were obiected against him hee was ready to stand to the iudgment of his Lord the King of Frances Courte or the determinatioÌ„ of the Church of the same kingdome or the sentence of the vniuersity of Paris Wherupon wee replyed that if it pleased him wee would no way refuse the iudgment of my Lord the kinges Courte or the Church of France yet if it liked his Maiestie wee had rather haue with him a louing composition then a litigious controuersy and if hee would gratiously restore to vs and ours our Church possessions and other thinges iniuriously taken away and yeelde vs his grace peace and security in the kisse of peace wee were ready to receaue the same desiring hee would restore one halfe of the goods
consecrated king if it may bee termed a consecration which is ministred by the Excommunicate who are odious to the holy Ghost and enemyes to the Church and this with the notorious iniury of the Church of Canterbury and of my Lord the king of France whose Daughter that aduersary of God and man would not admitt to bee partaker of this consecration This consecration or rather execration was ministred by yorke and as they say with your authority where London some others named Bishoppes whose memoryes are buryed in malediction assisted him Haue a care therfore ô father heereafter of this Church which hath perished i◠your handes least the bloud thereof bee required of you which wee thinke cannot bee otherwise done for the redemption of your fame and soule vnles with your Apostolicall power you confound the foresayde Malefactors Thus wrote Senon to the Pope There are letters yet to bee seene written in the Popes name to the Archbishop of Roane for absoluing London on certaine conditions Cod Vat. l. 3. Epist 16. and others likewise sent by Roane to his holines signifying how hee was absolued on Easter day but there is the letter of saint Thomas to Roane affirming the absolution to bee voyd Ihid Ep. 19. beecause the Popes conditions were neuer proformed Ibid. Ep. 24 And moreouer beesides all these an other letter of saint Thomas wherin hee complayneth to the Pope concerning these abuses Yet bee assured all this was but a slaunderous reporte And first as it was false that the Archbishop of Yorke euer consecrated the king by the Popes authority as the letters before recyted written both by the Pope and also by a frind to saint Thomas apparantly declare soe make no doubt it is as manifest a falshood that London and his Associate were euer absolued by the Popes Mandate and therfore loe heere the Epistle of Apologie sent by his Holines to the Bishop of Senon Wee haue gratefully receaued Ibid. Ep. 26. and with dilligente care and attention considered the letters which your deuotion sent as concerning the busines of our venerable brother the Archbishop of Canterbury The Pope purgeth himselfe of a false imputation But in regard the Bishop of London is not yet come vnto vs wee haue determined nothing in the cause If hee had appeared before vs wee would haue endeauored to preserue the iust tytle of the Archbishoppe of Canterbury soe far forth as wee might haue done with the safety of our conscience But yet how far wee haue proceeded in that controuersy wee suppose wee haue made sufficiently knowne to him in parte and also to our most deere sonne in Christ Lewes the famous king of France in such sorte as wee enioyned you by word of mouth to deliuer for wee haue therin altered nothinge since your departure nor haue wee thought good to change any thing heereafter allthough the foresayd king of England did sollicite vs most earnestly by the Consuls of Lumbardy beeing present before vs with his agents as also by the Embassadors of our most deere sonne in Christ Emmanuel the illustrous Emperour of Constantinople to graunt him a longer tyme of repite And in regarde wee esteeme the Archbishoppes cause as our owne and the Churches cause wee command your brotherhood by these our Apostolicall letters that you admonish carefully and instantly exhorte by worde of mouth or otherwise by letters if they are not personally present the Archbishop of Roane and Bishop of Niuers dilligently and speedily to execute our commandement and if as yet they haue no way proceeded in the busines omitt not in any case to reprehend them sharpely and seuerely reproue them But if they haue allready pronounced according to our commandement the sentence of interdiction vpon the sayde kings lands then doe you firmly and streightly obserue this sentence and cause as far as it lyeth in your power the same to bee obserued without any partiality at all throughout the kinges landes which are knowne to ly in your Prouince setting all excuse and appeale a syde Thus far Pope Alexander purged himselfe to Senon and allthough the Pope commanded excommunicated London to bee absolued to the end hee might bee an instrument of peace as in an other place hee sayth what offence was this especially considering hee commanded the same to bee done vpon certayne conditions Nay did not saint Thomas himselfe this very yeere at such time as the Pope commanded the excommunication to bee reiterated on London and Salisbury beeseeche his Holines to forbeare the same for feare of disturbing the peace now vndertaken Soe as it appeareth not only Alexander but also saint Thomas himselfe did vpon diuers occasions command and perswade the Excommunicated to bee bound and loosed for these are his owne wordes Allthough the Bishop of Lomdon hath bin the cheife Leader of this sedition that wee may forbeare to call it Scysme wee neuerthelesse beeseech it may bee lawfull for vs to haue cōpassion on him and Salisbury if they cannot bee punished according to your commandement without renewing of Scisme But the modesty of Pope Alexander was vndoubtedly admirable who although hee felt himselfe ouerladen with soe huge a burden of wrongfull accusations yea and was most vniustly afflicted with the cōplayntes of this soe Saintly a man signifyed by the Apostolicall Legate as also those of the king people and Clergy of France allmost wholy with clamors inueyghing against him beeing made neuerthelesse as a man not hearing nor hauing any refutations in his mouth hee handled his cause with that vnspeakeable myldnes as hee abstayned absolutely from retorting reproofes or any other spytefull replication allbeeit hee was gauled with the spurres of most sharpe letters soe as it may without all controuersy bee affirmed of him which was once sayde of Moyses that hee was of all men the meekest But whence will you say arose then this reporte so bruted in the mouthes of all that the Bishoppe of London was absolued by the Pope It is layde open in the Epistle of Iohn of Salisbury Secretary to saint Thomas wrytten to the Archdeacon of Excester and dated this yeere where among other occurrents 〈◊〉 this tyme hee inserteth this of this same It was commonly giuen out that the kinges Agents had then obtayned absolution for the Bishoppe of London and all others Cod. Vat. lib. 5. Ep. 18. and how the Archbishoppes authority for proceeding against the kingdome with the persons of his realme was withdrawne But they were presently refuted as manifest vntruthes by letters sent from his Holines yea before such tyme as the Bishoppe of London vndertooke his iourney to the Courte who doubtles would haue spared that labor and cost if as some fayned hee might haue bin absolued without soe greate difficulty Thus sayth Salisbury for clearing Alexander from the iniurious slanders raysed of him by the king of Englands Agents Whereunto may bee added the testimony of saint Thomas expostulating with king Henry thus My Lord if you hasten
was likewise necessary for his owne saluation with the good of his children and for the establishment and prosperitie of the authority graunted him from Allmighty God to recompense the holy Church of Canterbury for that most greeuous wrong wherewith hee had lately damnifyed her for hee caused his sonne to bee without all order crowned contrary to the most ancient custome and priuiledge of our Church c. Hee setteth downe in like sorte a matter of long debate beetweene the king and himselfe concerning this whom in the end hee perswaded soe farre as hee promised to make voyde and frustrate the Coronation which was solemnized by the Pope and especially executed by the Archbishoppe of Yorke and to cause againe a Canonicall consecration to bee celebrated wherin the Archbishoppe of Canterbury should crowne the kinges sonne together with his Queene and wife But of this heereafter Hee dilated also of other particulars which happened in that in meeting to bee donne by the king as where hee speaketh thus When I therefore alighting from my horse did humble my selfe at his feete hee catching my stirrop inforced mee to get vp againe and seeming to shedde tearres sayde what needeth any more my Lord Archbishoppe let vs renewe our old mutuall freindshippe and doe all the good wee can one to an other forgetting cleane this forepassed discorde but this let mee entreate you to doe mee honor beefore the company who beehould vs a farre of Beeing Saules wordes to Samuel when hee sayde Honor mee beefore the people 1. Reg. 15. Hee proceedeth And in regarde wee sawe some there present whose name this bearer will deliuer you that had bin louers of debate and sowers of discorde passing to them hee sayde If I seeing the Archbishoppe ready to right mee euery way should not on the other syde bee likewise good to him I may truly bee esteemed worser then others and shall verify the ill reportes which are raysed of mee neither can I conceaue any counsell to bee more honest and profitable then to endeauor to surpasse him in curtesy and exceede him in Charity and benefittes Which wordes of the king were receaued by allmost all there present with very greate congratulation whereupon hee sent this Bishoppes to aduise vs to make our petition in that publicke assembly and if wee woulde haue followed the Counsell of some of them wee should haue referred to his owne arbitrement our selues absolutely and the whole cause of the Church For from the beeginning to this very day iniquity hath issued from his Scrybes and Pharises and gathered strength from the authority of Seniors who ought to gouerne the people but blessed bee God who hath not suffered our soule to passe thorough their counsell nor permitted vs to expose the Churches liberty and Gods iustice to any creatures will Dismissing them and aduising our selues with my Lord of Senon and the poore of Christe the Associates of our peregrination wee resolutely determined not any way to submitt to his will the controuersy of the customes or the dammages which hee had donne to our Church or the iniury offered vs by the vsurped consecration or the losse of the Ecclesiasticall liberty with the ecclipse of our honor And soe comming to the king and his Lordes Concerning restitution of possessiōs to the Church of Canterbury wee did with all humility beeseech him by the mouth of my Lord of Senon who was our speaker that hee would vouch-safe to restore vs his fauor with peace and security to vs and ours together with the Church of Canterbury and her possessions which beeing set downe by vs in wryting his Maiestie had read and that hee would mercifully reforme what was presumtiously downe against vs and our Church in the consecration of his sonne promising him all loue and honor with whatsomeuer seruice may bee performed in our Lord by an Archbishoppe to his king and Prince The king accepting all in good parte yeelded vs our request receauing vs with all ours there present into his fauor and in regarde your Holines commanded vs not that hee should restore what was wrongfully taken from vs and ours wee would not require it neither on the other syde by Gods grace could wee bee content to remitt it Soe according to your Mandate those thinges were for the tyme put of but not put away for had you absolutely written as in your last letters you signifyed that they should bee restored without doubt satisfactiō had bin also made with an exāple for all ages heereafter very profitable to the whole Catholike Church and especially to the Apostolike Sea The king therfore hauing had much and long conference with vs after wee two had continewed in talke alone according to our ancient accustomed familiarity vntill allmost the Euening wee agreed in one that hee beeing departed wee should returne to rēder due thankes vnto the most Christian king and others our benefactors and vpon the setling of our busines to come backe to his Maiestie and remayne a while with him before wee passed into England to the end the world might take notice into how great and intire fauor hee had receaued vs. Wee intend to expecte in France the returne of our Messingers whom wee haue sent to receaue our possessions for wee are determined not to repaire to our king so long as hee detayneth one foote of Ecclesiasticall landes for by the restitution of our landes wee shall easily perceaue how sincerely hee meaneth to deale with vs. And thus farre concerning their meeting wherin a peace was concluded There is also in the same booke of Epistles an other reporte of this meetinge which beeing only gathered from the beare sayings of others and not testifyed by an eye wittnes seemeth to bee of lesse credit then the former Cod Vat lib. 3. Epist 46. And what king Henry promised saint Thomas in wordes the same did hee also performe in wryting by sendinge these letters vnto the king his sonne Ibid Ep 43 The king writheth to his sonne about the peace cōcluded betwene him and S. Thomas Knowe yee that Thomas Archbishoppe of Canterbury hath ratifyed his peace with mee according to myne owne desire wherfore I command that hee and all his inioy this peace and that you cause the Archbishop and all those who departed the land with him to haue restitution of all their estates as fully quiety and honorably as they possessed the same three monethes beefore the bishop departed out of England And that you call beefore you some of the most ancient and sufficient knightes of Lyore and Salts kind and make them vpon their corporall oathes to certify what is there heald in Fee of the Archbishoppe of Canterbury and what shall bee founde to bee of his fee you cause to bee rendred to the same Archbishoppe agayne Thus wrote the king to his sonne And with these letters did saint Thomas send his Agents into England but how many aduersaryes they found there they signifyed by their letters backe
againe to saint Thomas beeginning thus Ibid. Ep. 53. Wee haue accomplished as farre as wee could your command c. And vpon this conclusion of matters saint Thomas wrotte these letters to Pope Alexander Ibid. Ep. 52. S. Thomas writeth again to the Pope After the trompet of your Apostolicall Cominatory holy father had throughly sounded in the king of Englands eare and that the seuerity of the Church threatened as well himselfe as his dominion hee concluded his peace with vs assuredly promising hee would not omitt one iott or title of the whole contents of your commandement but absolutely fullfill the vttermost and hauing soe auoyded the blowe of this imminent sentence in some articles hee flewe of from the agreement withoulding from vs as yet certayne possessions of the Church which our Predecessor inioyde without controuersy all the days of his life and wee also afterwardes vntill the violence of this tempest arose against the Church of England And somewhat after wee truly will endeauor to winne the fauor of the man as far as wee can possibly with the preseruation of the liberty and reputation of the Church together with the testimony of a good conscience that wee may therby make tryall if all this can as yet recall him to a gentle temper Your clemency vouchsafed to send vs letters for the correction and chastisement as well of the Archbishoppe of Yorke as other our associate Bishoppes which lynes were vndoubtely inspired conceaued by the holy Ghost and are such as reproue the kinges enormityes with an authority beeseeming Peeters successor and Christes vicar Cod Vad li. 5. Epist 60. These letters as yet remayne beeing registred in the proces of the worke and are treated of in their place To these letters S. Thomas likewise added the letters which hee receaued from his agents sent into England for recouering the Churches goodes and are to bee seene in the same booke And to that purpose may you there reade also the complaintes of S. Thomas made to the king Ibid. Ep. 53. beeing seasoned with very greate modesty and sweetned with mildenes Ibid. Ep. 54. In the meane while before Pope Alexander receaued the letters of S. Thomas cōcerning the peace cōcluded with the king of England the Pope departing from Beneuent towardes Rome The Popes returne to Rome and his letters written on the way Ibid Ep. 65 and comming to Verula a Citty of the Hernicians hee directed his letters from thence to Thomas Archbishoppe of Canterbury beeginning thus Amonge the manifolde c. And excusing afterwardes himselfe in regarde hee did not according to the desire of saint Thomas seeme to proceede more speedily in this cause hee addeth these wordes Whereupon most deare brother if wee haue in the eye of the world proceeded more remissely in the matter concerning your selfe and the Church of England nor yet haue answered your petitions according to your owne will the reason was not in regarde wee reputed not the cause of your selfe and the Church of England to bee our owne and as neerely touching our selues as you or that wee would any way bee wanting to you therin but that wee thought conuenient to vse all patiēce to the end wee might cōquer euill in doeing good Wee feared also least if there grewe any greater breach in the Church it might bee imputed vnto our rough proceeding But now in respect the disturbers of the peace and the oppressors of the Churches liberty are not as it seemeth moued with any contrition at all to amend their fore passed abuses yea extending their sinnes as a long rope insulte more and more as well to your vexation as the depression of the Church of Canterbury soe far forth as they appeare in your case to bee past well-nigh all hope of repentance wee doe heere pronounce the Canonicall sentence and suspend from Apostolicall dignity your brother Roger Archbishop of Yorke with the other Bishoppes who haue bound themselues by oath to obserue the customes and doe still blowe the coales of so greate a mischeife And for the Bishoppes of Salisbury and London who seeme indebted in a greater band of gratuity and yet neuertheles are reported to repay for thankfullnes nothing but ingratitude if so they haue with their presence and ministry furthered the coronation of the new king against the prerogatiue of the Church of Canterbury wee recall them into the sentence of Excommunication from which they were absolued And last hee thus mentioneth the tyme and place where the letter was dated Datum Verulae 4. what the Pope did Verule Id. Septemb. Departing from Verula hee came to Ferentine a Citty seauen myles distant from Verula towardes Rome Cod. Vad. 5. Ep. 66.67 where the letters of Excommunication were dated vnto these English Bishoppes beeing London what 〈◊〉 wrote 〈◊〉 Ferentine Ibid. Ep. 5◠Salisbury and the rest there mentioned with an other letter aparte to the Archbishoppe of Yorke concerning his suspension both beeing dated as appeareth in their conclusion at Ferentine 16. Kaled Octob. These are the letters which saint Thomas in his to Pope Alexander concerning the same commendeth as written with an Apostolicall zeale But in the letter to the Arcbbishop of Yorke hee alleageth the cause of his suspension not to bee only the coronation of the the kinges sonne but that also in the same coronation hee omitted the accustomed caution and condition for defending the Churches liberty or at the least in place therof to make him take another oath vsuall then to bee sworne and which is worser that an oath was there giuen for an exact conseruation of his ancestors customes directly opposite to the Church Going from Ferentine his Holines with a shorte iourney of fiue myles lodged at Anagnia which is declared by diuers Epistles to the same purpose wrytten thence as first for the recalling as well of Clearkes as lay-men into the excommunication from which they were absolued if according to their promise they made not satisfaction in restoring possessions taken away from Churches limitting a terme of xv dayes for performing the same Dated as wee sayde at Anagnia 8. Octobris with other Bishoppes of England for continuing the interdiction vntill the Church were satisfyed Cod Vat li. 5. Epist 40. The morow following also were letters dated at the same place to the Bishoppes of Roane and Senon where after some other matters were these wordes for obseruing such thinges as were promised by the king in his couenants of peace Wee will and command and in the vertue of obedience by our Apostolicall letters inioyne your brotherhoode Ibid. ep 31. that within twenty days after the receipte heereof yee doe with all dilligence conferre with the king in our beehalfe and carefully admonish and instantly exhorte him sincerely to accomplish the peace which hee hath as yet in wordes only concluded with the Archbishoppe and withall that yee incite him afterwardes to restore all thinges wrongfully taken away rapaire the dammages
his former fauor I theruppon complayning before his Maiestie of the iniuryes and insolencyes committed against mee and myne especially by the Bishoppes who in despight of their Mother Church of Canterbury beelonging to my charge were not afrayde to vsurpe hee graunted mee most gratiously his leaue â—o obtayne from my Lord the Pope any censure whatsomeuer to repaire my wronged right soe as not only hee enclined to consent but vouchsafed also to promise mee his assistance And thus publickly professed saint Thomas beefore those cruell kinghtes of the kinges Guarde But let vs pursue the history and especially concerning the tyme when hee tooke shipping for England wherof Herbert in Quadrilogus of the life of S. Thomas discourseth thus In the yeere therfore of our Sauiours Incarnation 1170. and the seauenth yeere of his exile beeing now beegune on the second and third day of our Lordes Aduent the glorious frend of God and most constant defender of the Church Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury with his followers beeing imbarked in the night launched forth and hauing a prosperous wind according to their desire landed in England Soe much concerning his sayling and arriuall And Iohn of Salisbury whom saint Thomas had seâ—t before into England perswaded the people by his letters yet extant Cad Vâ—â— li. 5. 〈◊〉 65. to meete their Pastor according to the example of their ancestors who mett saint Anselme in his returne from exile But therin were they hindred by the enuy and hatred of his aduersaryes Now for the passage of matters after his comming into England thore remayneth a large relation of Iohn of Salisbury to Peeter Abbot of saint Remigius Ibid. â—p 6â— yet let vs neâ—ertheles heare a more certaine reporte of these occurrents written by saint Thomas himselfe to Pope Alexanâ—â—â— beeing the last of all his Epistles for not many dayes after was hee murdered by the kinges Guarde This of his to Pope Alexander was indighted in these wordes Vppon how iust and honorable condicions weâ—e concluded our peace with my Lord the king of England I suppose your Holines is certifyed as well by The 〈◊〉 â—â—â—stle of saâ—â—â— Thomâ—â— to the Pope the relation of vs as diuers others who haue trauelled beetweene neither yet doe wee thinke you to bee ignorant how my Lord afterwardes flewe of from these his conuenants and promises which neuertheles wee beelieue not to bee soe much his faulte as the faulte of the Preistes of Baal and the children of the false Prophetts who from the beeginning haue bin the fewell of this dissention But the cheife leaders of these are that Yorke and London who sometimes when you were at Senon vppon their returne from you hauing neither seene our king nor heard him speake were not afrayde to beereaue vs of our possessions beeing then present in the Courte of your Clemency allthough it was vndoubtedly knowne to them as beeing the parties appealed how mee prosecuted two appeales before your Holines When therfore these Ringleaders of the Baalamites were aduertised of the peace wee made with my Lord the king ioyning to them Salisbury and other their confederates they sought by sea and land to cutt in sunder this knott of vnited peace perswading as well by themselues as others my Lord the king and his counsell how vnprofitable and dishonorable this coÌ„cord should bee to the kingdome vnles the indowments of our Churches which his Maiestie had made should remayne stable and wee also bee enforced to obserue the customes of the kingdome beeing the cause of all this controuersy Wherupon they preuayled soe farre in their peruersityes as my Lord the king by their instigation tooke from vs and ours all our rents from the time of the peace which was concluded on saint Mary Magdalens day vntill the feaste of saint Martin yeelding vs then at last empty houses and ruinated barnes and yet notwithstanding his clearkes G. Rydell and Nigell de Sackeuylle doe at this day withhoulde froÌ„ vs two of our Churches which they receaued from a lay inuesture and the king himselfe denyeth vs many possessions of our Bishoppricke which in the reformation of this peace hee vndertooke to restore But albeeit as it is knowne to many hee beehaueth himselfe otherwise then it beeseemeth against the artickles of peace considering neuertheles the outragious and irreuocable spoyles of the Church and for preuentioÌ„ of farre greater hauing also taken aduise with my Lordes the Cardinalles wee resolued to returne vnto our torne Church thus troaden vnder foote which if wee cannot as wee would rayse againe and repaire yet at the least dying with her wee may more confidently in her presence spend our life for her sake which determination of ours when these our enemys did more certaynly vnderstand I knowe not vpon what feare they consulted with the kinges officers and that most sinfull childe of perdition Raynulphe Broc who abusing the power of the publicke gouernment against the Church of God hath now for these seauen yeeres made hauocke more freely therof Wherupon they concluded to keepe most carefully with armed men and a continuall guarde of scoutes and souldiers the sea coastes and hauens where they supposed wee would arriue that wee might not land beefore they had searched all our lading and taken away all such letters as wee obtayned from your Maiestie But by the goodnes of God it soe fell out that all their attemptes were made knowne to vs by our freindes who suffered not their impudency builded vpon presumption to lurke concealed For these armed scoutes did scoure the sea coastes running heere and there according as the foresayde Bishoppes of Yorke Londom and Salisbury directed them and they made choyse for execution of their malice of such as were knowne to bee our greatest enemys beeing Raynulphe de Broc Reynold de Warrenne and Geruase shyreefe of Kent who threatened openly to cutt of my heade if wee presumed to arriue These afore recyted Bishoppes came often to Canterbury that if this armed route were not outragious enough they might yet more incense them Hauing therefore more thoroughly vnderstood their determination wee sent away your letters a day before wee toke shipping excepting for the suspension of Yorke and the recalling of London and Salisbury into their former sentence of Excommunication which were deliuered to their handes On the morrow wee went to sea and sayling prosperously arryued in England taking a long with vs according to the kinges commandement How saint Thomas was vsed at his landing in England Iohn Deane of Salisbury who not without sorrowe and shame beeheld these armed troupes posting to our shippe of purpose to assault vs in our landing wherfore the Deane fearing least if any wrong should bee offered to vs and ours it would redound to my Lord the kinges dishonor mett the souldiers and charged them in the kinges name neither to hurte vs nor ours because it would taynte the king himselfe beetweene whom and vs a peace was now concluded with some note of trechery and
neuertheles would haue the ensignes of his sanctity shyne with magnificent miracles that hee who with the constancy of an inuincible vertue suffered for Christ tribulations and dangers may now bee knowne by all to haue receaued in that eternall blessednes the tryumph of his labor and combate And wee truly haueing heard the innumerable and greate miracles which the whole multitude of the faythfull declare to bee dayly wrought by the merittes of that holy man and moreouer beeing especially certifyed heereof not without our too greate contentment by our beeloued brethren Albert of the tytell of saint Laurence in Lucina and Theodine of the tytle of saint Vitalis Preistes Cardinalls and Legates of the Apostolike Sea who more perfectly discouered those miracles as hauing bin neere the place where they were wrought and giuing credit as wee ought to the testimony of diuers other persons haue solemnly in the Church a great assembly of the Clergie and Layety beeing present in the beeginning of the Fast with the deliberate aduise of our brethren cannonized the sayde Bishoppe and decreede that hee should bee numbred in the Catalogue of Saintes Wherfore wee admonish all in generall and by the power that wee enioy streyghtly command yee that yee celebrate yeerely with solemnity the festiuall day of the foresayde glorious Martyr beeing the day of his passion and labour by our deuoute prayers vnto him to purchase remission of your sinnes that hee who for Christ suffered in his life exile and in his death by vertue of his constant passion Martyrdome beeing now dayly sollicited with the suffrages of faythfull will make intercession to God for vs. Dated at Signia 4. Id. Martij There are afterwardes extant in that volume of Epistles Apostolicall letters sent to the Bishop of Auersane and letters patents and circular to all Bishoppes of the Catholike Church And lastly the payne pursueth the sinne Gods reuerence vpon the king of England for the death of S. Thomas For king Henry the yonger when hee could not obtayne of his father one Citty in England or Normandy for himselfe and his Queene the daughter of the king of France to inhabit in extremely moued with this denyall raysed a most vnnaturall and terrible warre against the king his father wherin not only his wife and all his sonnes together with his nobility subiectes seruantes and bosome freindes conspiring rebelled but also the kinges of France and Scotland the Earles of Flaunders Poytiers and others confederating ioyned all their powers against him and was originally by his owe children brought into extreme miseryes and troubles who had before raysed an vngodly persecution against saint Thomas Archbishoppe of Canterbury his spirituall father Heereupon ensued huge slaughters of his people and hee like an other Dauid terryfyed with the powers of those Absalom's was enforced to flye for succour to the Pope against them as saint Thomas was constrayned to appeale to the Pope against him O wonderfull mutability of worldly fortune or rather ô meruailous iudgment of Allmighty God! Hee that was wont soe victoriously to preuaille against all his enemyes in soe much as hee sayde himselfe hee was euery day able to conquer a castle is now plunged in these necessityes The Pope assisteth the king of Englād against his sonnes and Aduersaryes But Pope Alexander drawing saint Peeters swoard excommunicateth without remedy of Appeale vnles they returne to obediēce his rebellious wife sonnes and subiectes wherin Richard Archbishop of Canterbury and Rotrode Archbishop of Roane as well by godly discreete and perswasiue letters as by thundering out this dreadfull sentence laboured to reduce them to naturall and dutifull obedience but the king of France was in that hyght of displeasure against the father and lincked with soe streyght a league confirmed by oath vnto the sonnes that earthly hopes on all sydes vanishing hee was left for his only refuge to the prayers and patronage of S. Thomas the Martyr whom hee had beefore afflicted with soe many iniuryes ANNO DOMINI 1174. Wherfore An. Dom. 1174. commending Normandy with all his Dominions to the protection of God and his Martyr hee sayled ouer into England and setting aparte all other important matters trauelled towardes Canterbury before the entrance wherof The kinges admirable pennance at the shryne of S. Thomas as soone as hee discouered the Metropolytan Church wherin the blessed Martyrs body rested changed from the Maiesty of a king to the showe of a most silly man with naked feete and naked body beesides one only contemptible coate vpon his naked skinne with vnspeakeable deuotiō and humility like another Dauid on his bare feete in the sight of all the people passed his pilgrimage through the durty wayes and streetes thus hee whose power was terrible to kingdomes and Nations now dreading and trembling with deepe sighes and lamentations came most poorely to the Martyrs sepulcher ond there beestowed a whole day and night in fasting waching and prayer then assembling together the Bishoppes with the sacred Conuent of the Monkes and submissiuely bowing downe his heade into the Martyrs tombe God and his Martyr beehoulding it receaued vpon his naked skinne from euery Bishop fiue and from all the Religious aboue foureskore blowes with Disciplines at the sight whereof all the standers by broke out into abundance of teares Moreouer the king as truly penitent for his offence and to giue full satisfaction to the Martyr did for the honor and deuotion which hee owed him abrogate againe all his wicked customes beeing the causes of this dissention enacting for the tyme to come iust ordinances All this beeing therfore soe deuoutely and humbly accomplished the king on the morrow as a pilgrimme after celebration of the Masse of a Martyr before the reliques of this Martyr returned submissiuely as hee came on his naked and durty feete without receauing any sustenance hauing a singular hope shortly to recouer vnder the patronage of the Martyr redresse of his misfortunes Neither was it a vayne expectation for beeing with such religious and seuere pennance reconcyled to the martyr Allmighty God by the Martyrs intercession and meritts rescued him from these calamitys yee a maruaillous thing to tell as well for the Martyrs renowne The kinges enemyes cōquered by the Martyrs merites as the kinges effectuall pennance the same day beeing Sattursday and the same hower when as the Masse was sayd in honor of the Martyr and the Saint beeing as it were pacifyed the king licenced to departe at the very instant of the diuine sacrifice as the world doth wittnes and the king himselfe confessed the king of Scottes one of his greatest enemyes armed with a huge hoste of men stragling a syde from his mighty power was surprised without wounde or blowe by a fewe souldiers of no greate accompt which yet remayned faythfull to king Henry the father Neither only was this king as a prisoner in this sorte subiected to his mercy but all the other aduerse forces alsoe shortly vanquished or vanished his wife and children reduced to obedience and the clowdes of misfortunes thus dispersed king Henry the father as before victoriously shyned All which as hee attributed only to Allmighty God and his Martyr soe humbly commending my selfe to the mercys of the one and the patronage of the other I heere conclude this Translation FIN