any Christian Princes Hoel-Dha then held a National Council for all Wales at Ty-quin or the White House The Canons therein were wholly in favour of the Clergy enacting this amongst the rest That the presence of a Priest and a Judge constitute a legal Court as the two persons only in the Quorum thereof There were then seven Episcopal Seats in Wales 1. S. Davids 2. Ismael 3. Degenian 4. Vsyl 5. Teylaw 6. Teuledauc 7. Kenew King Edgar died peaceably leaving his Crown to Edward his Son whom being under Age he committed to the tuition of Dunstan In this King's reign three Councils were successively called to determine the difference between Monks and Secular Priests The first was at Winchester where the Priests being outed of their Convents earnestly pressed for restitution Polydor Virgil writes that in the Synod it was concluded that the Priests should be restored But a voice was immediately heard from the wall as coming from a Crucifix behind Dunstan saying They think amiss that favour the Priests That was received as a Divine Oracle and the Priests were secluded from their Benefices and Monasteries A second Council was called at Kirtlington now Catlage in Cambridge-shire but to little effect The same year a third Council was called at Caln in Wilt-shire hither came Priests and Monks in great numbers Beornelm a Scottish Bishop defended the cause of the Priests with Scripture and Reason But on a sudden Dunstan by his Art caused the Beams or Joists of the Room where they were assembled to break and fall Catal. test verit many were wounded most of the Secular Priests were slain and buried under the ruines thereof only Dunstan was safe with his Chair that was fixed on a Pillar So the controversie was ended with devilish cruelty It appears not what provision was made for these Priests when ejected King Edward went to Corff-Castle where at that time his Mother-in-Law with her Son Egelred lay and by her contrivance he was barbarously murthered as he was drinking on Horse-back and was buried at Wareham and Ethelred Edward's half-brother succeeded him in the Throne Dunstan died and was buried on the South-side of the high Altar in the Church of Canterbury After his death the Monks were cast out of the Convent of Canterbury by reason of their misdemeanours Siricius the next Archbishop of Canterbury endeavoured the re-expulsion of the Priests which by Elfrick his Successor was effected By him a Sermon was appointed to be read publickly on Easter-day before the Communion The same Author hath two other Treatises one directed to Wolfsin Bishop of Shirburn and another to Wulfstan Bishop of York about the Sacrament Soon after the Danes by a firm Ejection outed the Monks before they were well warm in their Nests Their fury fell more on Convents than Castles England for these last sixty years had been freed from their cruelty which now returned more dreadful than ever before These Danes were also advantaged by the unactiveness of King Ethelred who with ten thousand pounds purchased a present Peace with the Danes The multitude of Monasteries invited the Invasion and facilitated the Conquest of the Danes over England Holy Island was forsaken by the fearful Monks affrighted with the approach of the Danes and Alhunus the Bishop thereof removed his Cathedral and Convent to Durham an Inland place of more safety The Danes having received and spent their Money invaded England afresh according to all Wise mens expectation CENT XI IN the beginning of this Century certain Danes fled into a Church at Oxford hoping the Sanctity thereof according to the devout Principles of that Age would secure them But by command from King Ethelred they were all burned in the place whose blood remained not long unrevenged The Danish fury fell fiercest on the City of Canterbury with fire and sword destroying eight thousand people therein Swanus the Dane tithed the Monks of S. Augustine's Abbey killing nine by cruel torment and keeping the tenth alive for slaves They slew there of Religious men to the number of nine hundred And when they had kept the Bishop Elphege in strait prison the space of eight months because he would not agree to give them three thousand pounds after many villanies done unto him at Greenwich they stoned him to death Next year a nameless Bishop of London was slain by them and a great part of the City of London was wasted with fire The Danes burnt Cambridge to ashes and harassed the Country round about King Ethelred sent his Wife Emma with his two Sons Alfred and Edward to Richard Duke of Normandy which was Brother to the said Emma with whom also he sent the Bishop of London whither also himself went after he had spent a great part of the Winter in the Isle of Wight whither he was chased of the Danes Swanus hearing that Egelred was departed out of the Land imposed great Exactions upon the people and among other he required a great sum of money of S. Edmond's Lands which the people there claiming to be free of all King's tribute denied to pay Hereupon Swanus entred the Territory of St. Edmond and wasted the Countrey threatening to spoil the place of his burial The men of the Countrey fell to fasting and prayer and soon after Swanus died suddenly crying and yelling among his Knights In fear whereof Canutus his Son and Successor ditched the Land of St. Edmond with a deep Ditch and granted to the Inhabitants thereof great Immunities quitting them from all Tribute and after builded a Church over the place of his Sepulture ordained there an House of Monks and endowed them with rich possessions After that time the Kings of England when they were crowned sent their Crowns for an offering to St. Edmond's Shrine and redeemed them afterward with a condign price After the death of Egelred great contention was in England for the Crown some were for Edmond Ironside the Son of Egelred and some for Canutus After many bloody Fights both parties agree to try the quarrel betwixt them two only in sight of both Armies they make the Essay with Swords and sharp strokes in the end upon the motion of Canutus they agree and kiss one another to the joy of both Armies and they covenant for parting the Land during their lives and they lived as Brethren Within a few years a Son of Edrik Duke of Mercia killed Edmond traiterously and brought his two Sons unto Canutus who sent them to his Brother Swanus King of Denmark willing him to dispatch them But he abhorring such a fact sent them to Solomon King of Hungary who married Edwyn to his Daughter and soon after died Edward married Agatha the Daughter of the Emperour Henry the Third Swanus King of Denmark died and that Land fell to Canutus who anon after sailed thither and took the possession and returned into England and married Emma late Wife of Egelred and by her had a Son called Hardiknout He assembled a Parliament at
who had entertained Thomas at Sens passed over into England to Worship him and made his Devotions to his Relicks Then Richard Prior of Dover who divided Kent into three Archdeaconries was made Archbishop of Canterbury Fabian saith Fabian in Henry 2. He was a man of evil living and wasted the goods of the Church inordinately A Synod was called at Westminster the Pope's Legat being present thereat where was a great Contention between the two Archbishops of Canterbury and York for Precedency words begat blowes and the Archbishop of Canterbury's party pulled York from his Seat to the ground and tore his Casule Chimer and Rochet from his Back and put the Legat in such fear that he ran away The next day after York Appealeth to Rome Here the Pope interposed and to end old divisions made a new distinction Entitling Canterbury Primate of all England and York Primate of England King Henry died at Chinon in Normandy and was buried with very great Solemnity in the Nunnery of Font-Everard in the same Countrey a Religious House of his own Foundation and Endowment At that time were many Married Priests in Britain His Son Richard the first sirnamed Coeur de Lyon succeeded him and on September 3. was crowned at Westminster of Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury Then this King ordained the City of London to be ruled by two Bailiffs The two first Bailiffs were Henry Chornhil and Richard Fitz-River In the time of the Coronation of the King multitudes of the Jews in this Land were destroyed The King in part of satisfaction for his trespass against his Father for Queen Elianor and his Sons had sided with the King of France against him agreed with Philip the French King to take upon them the recovery of the Holy Land Fabian Chron. King Richard gave over the Castles of Barwick and Roxburgh to the Scottish King for the sum of ten thousand pounds He passed away the Earldom of Northumberland unto Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham for a great sum of Money for term of life scoffing that he had made a young Earl of an old Bishop Besides by the commandment of Pope Clement the third a tenth was exacted of the whole Realm Fox Acts and Monuments The King set over the Realm as principal in his absence the Bishop of Ely his Chancellor and the Bishop of Durham whom he ordained to be Chief Justice of England Ely to have custody of the Tower with the oversight of all other parts of the Land on this side Humber and Durham to have charge over all other his Dominions beyond Humber The Pope also made William Bishop of Ely his Legate through all England and Scotland As for Men and Souldiers the Prelates Friars and other Preachers had stirred up innumerable by their manifold exhortations the Archbishop of Canterbury having travelled through Wales in Person for that purpose in Pulpits and private Conferences Then King Richard with some of our English Nobility who adventured their Persons in the Holy War crossed the Seas into France to Philip King thereof After some necessary stayes having passed the River Rhene at Lions they parted company Philip marching over the Alpes into Italy and King Richard to the Sea-side at Marsilia there to meet with his Navy King Richard's Fleet of Ships being not come he embarked himself in twenty hired Galleys and ten great Busses a kind of Shipping then peculiar to the Mediterranean Seas and set Sayl toward Messana in Sicily the Rendezvouz of both the Kings and their Armies In which passage King Richard lying at Anchor on occasion in the mouth of the River Tiber not far from Rome Octavianus the Bishop of Hostia repaired unto him desiring him in the Pope's name that he would visit his Holiness which the King denied to do alleadging that the Pope and his Officers had taken 700 Marks for Consecration of the Bishop of Mains 1500 Marks for the Legative power of William Bishop of Ely but of the Archbishop of Burdeaux an infinite sum of Money whereupon he refused to see Rome King Richard studying to fit himself for the great attempt he had in hand called before him his Archbishops and Bishops that accompanied him into a Chappel at the House where he was lodged where he made a penitent confession of his sins humbly Praying to God for Mercy and them as his subordinate Ministers for Absolution and God saith R. Hoveden respected him with the eyes of Mercy so that from thence-forth he feared God eschewing evil and doing good King Richard sent for Joachim Abbot of Calabria a Man of great Learning and Understanding in the Scriptures who at his coming he heard expounding the Apocalypse of St. John touching the afflictions of the Church and the state of Antichrist which saith he was then born and in the City of Rome of whom the Apostle said He should exalt himself above all that is called God Afterwards at the siege of Acres or Ptolemais in Palestine Radulphus de alta ripa Archdeacon of Colchester ended his Life there also died Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury and Hubert Walter Bishop of Sarisbury afterward Archbishop of Canterbury was a most active Commander there besides many more of the eminent Clergy engaged in that service William Bishop of Ely playd Rex in the King's absence abusing the Royal Authority committed to him Acres was delivered to the King 's of England and France who divided the spoil of that City betwixt them King Richard after this and many other notable Atchievements in Palestine at his return from thence was taken Prisoner by Leopald Duke of Austria and detained by him with hard and Unprince-like usage whil'st the English Clergy endeavoured the utmost for his enlargement His fine was an hundred and fifty thousand Marks to be paid part to the Duke of Austria part to Henry VI. Emperor of Germany Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury with much diligence perfected the work and on his ransom paid King Richard returned into England Hubert Walter Archbishop of Canterbury had almost finished a fair Covent for Monks at Lambeth began by Baldwin his Predecessor but upon the petitions of the Monks of Canterbury to the Pope contrary to the King 's and Archbishop's desire the Covent at Lambeth was utterly demolished As this Richard was the first of the English Kings who bare Armes on his Seals so was he the first who carried in his shield Three Lions Passant born ever after for the Regal Armes of England This King 's daily exercise after his return was to rise early and not to depart from the Church till Divine Service were finished Moreover he bountifully relieved every day much Poor both in his Court and Towns about and restored Gold and Silver to such Churches from which to pay his ransom they had been taken away The Bishop of Beavois being also an Earl of the Royal Blood and the eleventh Peer of France valiantly fighting against John the King's Brother was taken Armed at all points and bravely
any House of Religion he should incur the pains of Praemunire He also gave authority unto Bishops and their Ordinaries to imprison and fine all Subjects who refuse the Oath ex Officio The Statute made pro Haeretico comburendo In the same Parliament it was ordained That all Lollards that is those who professed the doctrine which Wickliff had taught should be apprehended and if they should remain obstinate they should be delivered to the Bishop of the Diocess and by him unto the secular Magistrate to be burnt This Act was the first in this Island for burning in case of Religion and began to be put in execution Anno 1401. The first on whom his cruel Law was hanselled was William Sautre formerly Parish-priest of St. Margaret in the Town of Lyn but since of St. Osith in the City of London It seemeth he had formerly abjured those Articles for which he suffered death before the Bishop of Norwich Therefore he was first adjudged to be degraded and deposed which was in order as followeth From the Order of 1. Priest 2. Deacon 3. Subdeacon 4. Acolyte 5. Exorcist 6. Reader 7. Sexton by taking from him 1. The Patin Chalice and plucking the Chasule from his Back 2. The New Testament and the Stole 3. The Alb and the Maniple 4. The Candlestick Taper Vrceolum 5. The Book of Constitutions 6. The Book of Church-Legends 7. The Key of the Church-door and Surplice How many steps are required to climb up to the top of Popish Priesthood how many trinkets must be had to compleat a Priest and here we behold them solemnly taken asunder in Sautres degradation And now he no longer Priest but plain Lay-man with the Tonsure on his crown rased away was delivered to the Secular Power with this complement worth the noting Beseeching the Secular Court that they would receive favourably the said William unto them thus recommitted But see their hypocrisie The Popish Bishops at the same time for all their fair language called upon the King to bring him to speedy execution Hereupon the King in Parliament issued out his Warrant to the Mayor and Sheriff of London that the said William being in their custody should be brought forth into some publick place within the liberty of the City and there really to be burnt to the great horrour of his offence and manifest example of other Christians which was done accordingly After this Richard Scroop Archbishop of York with the Lord Moubray Marshall of England gathered together a great company against King Henry in the North Countrey to whom was adjoyned the ayd of the Lord Bardolf and Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland They drew up ten Articles against the said King and fastened them upon the doors of Churches and Monasteries to be read of all men in English The Earl of Northumberland and the Lord Bardolf were slain in the field fighting against the Kings part Anno 1408. But the Archbishop of York and the Lord Moubray were taken and beheaded Anno 1409. Thomas Badby a Tailor was by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury condemned for the Testimony of the truth He was brought into Smithfield and there being put into an empty barrel was bound with Iron bars fast to a stake and dry wood put to him and so burned Some Professors of the Gospel at that time did shrink back as John Purvey who wrote many Books in defence of Wickliff's Doctrine and among others a Commentary upon the Apocalypse wherein he declareth the Pope of Rome to be that great Antichrist He recanted at Paul's Cross John Edwards Priest revoked at the Green-yard at Norwich Richard Herbert and Emmot Willy of London and John Beck also at London John Seynons of Lincoln-shire revoked at Canterbury Then was William Thorp examined before the Archbishop of Canterbury who rehearsed his belief before the Archbishop afterwards he was committed to close Prison where he was so straitly kept that either he was secretly made away or else there he died by sickness John Ashton also another follower of Wickliff who for the same Doctrine of the Sacrament held by Thorp was committed to close Prison after he was condemned where he continued till his death Philip Rippington was made Bishop of Lincoln who of a Professor became a cruel Persecutor of the Gospel Synods of the Clergy were very frequent in this King's Reign but most of these were but Ecclesiastical meetings for secular Money Sir John Tiptoff made afterwards Earl of Worcester put up a Petition to the Parliament touching Lollards which so wrought on the Lords that they joyned in a Petition to the King that they and every of them be taken and put in Prison without being delivered in Bail or otherwise except by good and sufficient mainprise to be taken before the Chancellor of England c. The Popish Clergy had gained Prince Henry set as a Transcendent by himself in the Petition to their Side entring his youth against the poor Wickliffists and this earnest engaged him to the greater Antipathy against them when possessed of the Crown A Petition was put up in the Parliament That the King might enjoy half of the profits of any Parson's Benefice not resident thereon whereunto the King answered That Ordinaries should do their duties therein or else he would provide further remedy or stay their pluralities The ninth year of the King's Reign the Commons desired of the King That none presented be received by any Ordinary to have any Benefice of any Incumbent for any cause of privation or inhabitation whereof the Process is not founded upon Citation made within the Realm and also that such Incumbents may remain in all their Benefices untill it be proved by due Inquest in the Court of the King that the Citations whereupon such privations and inhabitations are granted were made within the Realm and if such Ordinaries do or have presented or others do present to the contrary that then they and their Procurators c. incur the pain contained in the Statute made against Provisoe's Anno 13. Ric. 2. Also that no Pope's Collector should from thence-forth levy any Money within the Realm for first Fruits of any Ecclesiastical dignity under pain of incurring the Statute of Provisoe's The Commons in the same Parliament put up a Bill to the King to take the Temporalties out of the Hands of the Spiritualty which amounted to three hundred and two and twenty thousand Marks by the year Then came the Cardinal of Burges into England being sent from the Colledge of Cardinals to inform the King and Clergy of the unconstant dealing of Pope Gregory Anno 1409. 〈◊〉 Chro. 〈◊〉 4. After the Feast of the Epiphany the Archbishop of Canterbury Convocated an Assembly of the Clergy at London to chuse meet persons to go to the General Council holden at Pisa whereunto were chosen Robert Holam Bishop of Salisbury Henry Chisely Bishop of St. Davids and Thomas Chillindon Prior of Christ-Church in Canterbury and the King had
had long since resolved upon the Question which afterwards they declared by their publick Votes for on the eleventh of September the Vote passed in the House of Commons for abolishing Bishops Deans and Chapters celebrated by the Citizens with Bells and Bonfires the Lords not coming in till the end of January when it past there also The War now begins to open The Parliament had their Guards already and the affront which Hotham had put upon the King at Hull prompted the York-shire Gentlemen to become a guard to his Person Both Houses presently Vote this to be a levying War against the Parliament for whose defence not onely the Trained bands of London must be in a readiness and the Good people of the Countrey required to put themselves into a posture of Armes but Regiments of Horse and Foot are listed a General appointed great sums of money raised Hereupon the King hastens from York to Nottingham where he sets up his Standard inviting all his good Subjects to repair unto him for defence of their King the Laws and Religion of their Countrey And marching with great Forces he was encountred at Edge-hill by the Parliaments Forces where five thousand men on both sides were slain on the place among which was the King's General Yet the King kept the field and made his way open forced Banbury Castle and entred triumphantly into Oxford with an hundred and twenty Colours taken in the Fight The King resolves on his advance towards London and goes forward as far as Brainford out of which he beats two of their best Regiments takes five hundred prisoners and sinks their Ordnance But understanding that the Earl of Essex joyning with the London-Auxiliaries lay in way before him at Turnham-Green near Chiswick he retreated toward Oxford where he receives Propositions of Peace from the Houses of Parliament Among which I find this for one That his Majesty would be pleased to give his Royal Assent for taking away superstitious Innovations and to the Bill for the utter abolishing and taking away all Archbishops Bishops their Chancellors Commissaries Deans Subdeans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Deacons Canons and Prebandaries and all Chantors Chancellors Treasurers Sub-treasurers Succentors and Sacrists and all Vicars Choral and Choristers old Vicars or new Vicars of any Cathedral or Collegiate Church and all other their under-officers out of the Church of England To the Bill against scandalous Ministers To the Bill against pluralities And to the Bill for consultation to be had with Godly Religious and Learned Divines That his Majesty would be pleased to pass such other Bills for setling of Church-government as upon consultation with the Assembly of the said Divines shall be resolved on by both Houses of Parliament and by them to be presented to his Majesty Which Proposition with the rest being presented to him on Candlemas-day he referred to the following Treaty to be held at Oxford but the Commissioners were so tyed to their Instructions that nothing could be yielded by them Heylin Hist of Archbishop Laud. But the Parliament had now entred on the Rents and profits of all the Episcopal Sees and Capitular Bodies which were within the power of their Armies and sequestred the Benefices of many under the common notion of scandalous Ministers who if they had transgressed the Laws of the Realm by the same Laws were to have been proceeded against that so being legally deprived the vacant Churches might be left to be filled by the Patrons with more deserving Incumbents But this consisted not with the present design Most of the silenced Lecturers and Ministers which within ten years past had left the Kingdom for Inconformity were put into these sequestred Benefices with which his Majesty being made acquainted he presently signified his dislike of it by his Royal Proclamation bearing date May 15. 1643. In which he complains That divers of the Pious and Learned Clergy were forced from their Cures and Habitations or otherwise silenced c. for no other reason but because contrary to the Laws of the Land and their own Consciences they would not pray against Him and his Assistants or refused to publish any Illegal orders for fomenting the War raised against him but conformed themselves according to the Book of Comon-Prayers and preached God's Word according to the purity thereof without any mixture of Sedition Next That many Factious and Schismatical persons were intruded into them to sow Sedition and seduce his good Subjects from their Obedience contrary to the Word of God and the Laws of the Land amp c. And thereupon he straitly commandeth all his good Subjects to pay their Tythes to the several and respective Incumbents or their Assignes without guile or fraud notwithstanding any Sequestration pretended Orders or Ordinances whatsoever from one or both Houses of Parliament c. Requiring all Church-wardens and Sides-men to be assistant in gathering and receiving their Tythes Rents and Profits and to resist all such persons as much as in them lay which were intruded into any of the Benefices or Cures aforesaid But this rather served to declare his Majesties piety than to stop the course of those proceedings Then an infamous Pamphlet is dispersed Licensed by John White Chair-man of the Committee for Religion called The Committee for plundred Ministers under the Title of The first Century of Scandalous and Malignant Priests c. Their Commissioners were no sooner returned from Oxford but they called an Assembly of Divines by their own Authority who met at Westminster in King Henry the Seventh his Chappel These were of four several natures First Men of Episcopal perswasion as the most Reverend James Vsher Archbishop of Armagh Doctor Ralph Brownrigg Bishop of Exeter Doctor Westfield Bishop of Bristol Doctor Daniel Featly Doctor Richard Holdsworth c. Secondly Such who in their judgements favoured the Presbyterian Discipline c. among whom we take special notice of these Doctor Hoyle Divinity Professor in Ireland Cambridge Dr. William Gouge in Black-friers Dr. Peter Smith Mr. Oliver Bowles Mr. Thomas Gataker Mr. Henry Scudder Mr. Anthony Tuckney Mr. Stephen Marshall Mr. John Arrow-Smith Mr. Herbert Palmer Mr. Thomas Thorowgood Mr. Thomas Hill Mr. Nathanael Hodges Mr. John Gibbon Mr. Timothy Young Mr. Richard Vines Mr. Thomas Coleman Mr. Matthew Newcomen Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker Mr. John Lightfoot c. Oxford Dr. William Twisse Dr. Cornelius Burgesse Dr. Edmond Stanton Mr. John White of Dorchester Mr. Harris of Hanwel Mr. Edward Reynolds Mr. John Maynard Mr. Charles Herle Mr. Corbert of Merton Colledge Mr. Conant Mr. Francis Cheynel Mr. Obadiah Sedgewick Mr. Cartar Senior Mr. Cartar Junior Mr. Joseph Caryl Mr. Strickland Mr. Thomas Baily c. Thirdly Some who formerly disliking Conformity removed themselves beyond the Seas now returned home at the beginning of this Parliament These afterward proved dissenting Brethren to some transactions in the Assembly as Thomas Goodwin Philip Nye Sidrach Symson Jeremiah Burronghes William Bridge Fourthly Some Members of the Lords and Commons were
Monks of Rochester of all their moveable Goods all the Ornaments of their Church Writings Evidences yea and of great part of their Lands Possessions and Priviledges He built the Hospital at Stroud near Rochester and endowed it with fifty two pounds yearly revenue 38. Benedictus 39. Henry de Sandford This man preaching at Sittingburn before a great Audience declared openly That God had revealed unto him now three several times how that on such a day the Souls of King Richard the First Stephen Langton late Archbishop and another Priest were delivered out of Purgatory 40. Richard de Wendover 41. Laurence of St. Martin 42. Walter de Merton Lord Chancellor of England Before he was a Bishop he built Merton-colledge in Oxford 43. John de Bradfield 44. Thomas Inglethorp 45. Thomas de Woldham 46. Haymo Confessor to King Edward the Second 47. John de Sheppey 48. William Wittlesey 49. Thomas Trillick 50. Thomas Brenton 51. William Boltsham 52. John Boltsham 53. Richard Young 54. John Kemp 55 Iohn Langdon 56. Thomas Brown 57. Iohn Wells 58. Iohn White 59. Thomas Rotheram 60. Iohn Alcock 61. Iohn Russel 62. Edmond Awdley 63. Thomas Savage 64. Richard Fitz-Iames 65. Iohn Fisher 66. Iohn Hilsey 67. Nicholas Heath 68. Nicholas Ridley 69. Iohn Poynet 70. Iohn Scory 71 Maurice Griffin 72. Edmond Guest 73. Edmond Freak 74. Iohn Piers 75. Iohn Young 76. William Barlow 77. Richard Neile 78. Iohn Buckeridge 79. Walter Curle 80. Iohn Bowles 81. Iohn Warner 82. Iohn Dolben Bishops of Oxford About the year 730. Didan Duke of Oxford by the request of his Daughter built a Monastery there for Nuns and appointed her the Abbess Anno 847. in the time of King Ethelred certain Danes flying into this Monastery to save their lives from the cruelty of the English pursuing them the Monastery was burnt and they all burnt in the same but it was shortly after re-edified by the said King and further enriched with divers Possessions This Monastery was neglected but Anno 1110. Guimundus Chaplain to King Henry the First became Prior of this renewed Monastery repaired its ruines and by the favour of the King recovered unto it what Lands soever had been given heretofore unto the Nuns In this state it continued until Cardinal Wolsey got license to convert it into a Colledge Anno 1524. calling it Cardinals-colledge He leaving it unperfect King Henry the Eighth gave it a foundation the stile whereof he first appointed to be Collegium Regis Henrici Octavi but afterwards he entitled the Church Ecclesia B. Mariae de Osney He translated that See to the foresaid Colledge placing in it a Bishop a Dean eight Prebendaries a Quire and other Officers and finally stiled it Ecclesia Christi Cathedralis Oxon ex fundatione Regis Henrici Octavi The Bishops were 1. Robert King 2. Hugh Curwyn 3. Iohn Underhill 4. Iohn Bridges 5. Iohn Howson 6. Richard Corbet 7. Iohn Bancroft 8. Robert Skinner 9. William Paul 10. Walter Blandford 11. Nathanael Crew Son to the Lord Crew Bishops of Glocester Osrike King of Northumberland founded a Nunnery in the City of Glocester in the year 700. Kineburg Eadburg and Eva Queens of Mercia were Abbesses of this Monastery one after another it was destroyed by the Danes and lay waste until Aldred Archbishop of York re-edified the same Anno 1060. and replenished it with Monks and erected from the very foundation that goodly Church which is now the Cathedral See of that Diocess Being given into the hands of King Henry the Eighth by Parliament he allotted the Revenues of it unto the maintenance of a Bishop a Dean six Prebendaries and other Ministers The Bishops were 1. John Wakeman Abbot of Tewksbury he was consecrated the first Bishop of this new erection September 7. 1541. 2. John Hooper He was burnt at Glocester for the profession of the Gospel in Queen Maries dayes 3. James Brooks 4. Richard Cheiney 5. John Bullingham 6. Godfry Gouldsborough 7. Thomas Ravis 8. Henry Parry 9. Giles Thomson 10. Miles Smith 11. Godfry Goodman 12. William Nicholson 13. _____ Prichard Bishops of Peterborough Penda the Son of Penda the first King of Mercia that was a Christian began the foundation of a Monastery there Anno 656. but was taken away by Treachery before he could finish the work But this Monastery was afterward built up in stately manner by his Brother Wolpher This Monastery he dedicated to St. Peter and appointed one Saxulf to be the first Abbot thereof Two hundred years after it was destroyed by the Danes and having lain desolate one hundred and nine years Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester a great Patron of Monkery re-edefied it King Edgar assisted the Bishop much in this foundation and Adulf Chancellor to the said King who became Abbot there After him Kenulph another Abbot compassed this Monastery with a strong wall about the year of our Lord 1000. through the liberality of divers Benefactors it grew to that greatness of wealth as that all the Countrey round about belonged to it King Henry the Eighth converted it into a Cathedral Church and the Revenues upon the maintenance of a Bishop a Dean six Prebendaries and other Ministers The Bishops were 1. Iohn Chambers Doctor of Physick he was last Abbot of Peterborough and first Bishop thereof Anno 1541. 2. David Pool Doctor of Law 3. Edmond Scambler 4. Richard Howland 5. Thomas Dove 6. William Peirs 7. Augustine Lindsel 8. Iohn 9. Benjamin Laney 10. Ioseph Henshaw Bishops of Bristol Robert Sirnamed Fitz-Harding because his Father that was Son unto the King of Denmark was called Harding this Robert I say being a Citizen of Bristol founded the Monastery of St. Augustines and placed Canons in the same Anno 1148. This Foundation was afterwards confirmed and augmented by King Henry the Second who preferred the Author of the same to the marriage of the sole Heir of the Lord Berkley Of them are descended all the Lords Berkley In that place King Henry the Eighth erected an Episcopal See and converted the Revenues of the same unto the maintenance of a Bishop a Dean six Prebendaries and other Officers 1. Paul Bush was the first Bishop of Bristol 2. Iohn Holyman 3. Richard Cheiney 4. Iohn Bullingham 5. Richard Fletcher 6. Iohn Thornborough 7. Nicholas Felton 8. Rowland Searchfield 9. Robert Wright 10. George Cook 11. Robert Skinner 12. Iohn Westfield 13. Gilbert Ironside 14. _____ Carlton Bishops of Chester King Henry the Eighth converted the Monastery the Church whereof there first built by that famous Earl Leofricus and dedicated unto St. Wergburg into a Cathedral Church erected a new Bishoprick there The Bishops were 1. Iohn Bird He was deprived in Queen Maries dayes 2. Iohn Coates 3. Cuthbert Scot 4. VVilliam Downham 5. VVilliam Chadderton 6. Hugh Bellot 7. Richard Vaughan 8. George Lloyd 9. Thomas Morton 10. Iohn Bridgeman 11. Iohn VValton 12. Henry Fern 13. George Hall 14. Iohn VVilkins 15. Iohn Pearson Bishops of S. Davids 1. David Vnkle
the iniquity and injustice of the Judges for the negligent preaching of the Bishops for the luxury and evil manners of the people lost their Countrey After many battles with the Britains the Pagans surprised a great part of this Island Then the Britains sent Ambassadors into the lesser Britain to Aurelius Ambrosius and Vter-Pendragon his brother desiring them to take the government of Britain upon them of which they were right heires and to expell the Saxons and King Vortigern Hereupon they came with many armed souldiers Then the Britains set up Aurelius to be their King who marched first against Vortigern to his Castle Genorium in Wales where he had fortified and immured himself but Aurelius burnt the castle and King Vortigern in it After this Aurelius fought many battles with the Saxons in the years 485. 487 488. and at last overcame them Aurelius was one composed of valour and Religion wholly employing himself in time of peace to raise new Churches repair old and endow both Johan Timnuthens in ejus vita At this time there was an Academy of learned men under Dubritius neer the river Wye in Monmouth-shire This Dubritius taught many scholars for seven years together in humane and divine learning among whom the chiefest were Theliau Sampson Vbelin Merchiguin Elquored c. at Dubritius removed to Werwick a village two miles from Cardigan and from thence to Moch-Rhos The Britains being involved in perpetual Warrs with the Scots Picts Normans Saxons the Christian Britains were at last by force and fraud undermined and driven out of their native soil into Britain in France and into Wales and Cornwall yet then was the Gospel preserved in those corners where the remainder of the Britains those antient Inhabitants of this land remains unto this day Paganism was again planted in this land and an Heptarchy was established this land being divided into seven Kingdomes The first was the Kingdome of Kent which began Anno 457. under King Hengist The second of the South Saxons comprising Sussex and Surrey This Kingdome began under King Ella Anno 491. and was the weakest of all the seven affording few Kings and fewer actions of moment The third was of the East Saxons comprehending Essex Middlesex and part of Hartford-shire This Kingdome began in Erchenwin about the year 527. The fourth of the East-Angles containing Norfolk Suffolk Cambridg-shire with the Isle of Ely and part of Bedford-shire It began Anno 575. under King Vlfa and lay most exposed to the cruelty of the Danish incursions The fifth of Mercia so called because it lay in the midst of the Island being the merches or limits on which all the residue of the Kingdomes did bound and border It began Anno 582 under King Cridda and contained the Countries of Lincoln North-hampton Rutland Huntingdon Buckingham Oxford Worcester Warwick Darby Nottingham Leicester Stafford and Chester besides part of Hereford and Salop the remnant whereof was possessed by the Welch Gloucester Bedford and Lancaster The sixt of Northumberland whereunto belonged whatsoever lieth between Humber and Edenborough Frith It was subdivided sometimes into two Kingdomes of Bernicia and Deira The latter consisted of the remainder of Lancashire with the entire Counties of York Durham Westmerland and Cumberland Bernicia contained Northumberland with the South of Scotland to Edenborough But it was not long before boâ—â— were united under King Ida. The seventh of the West Saxons who possessed Ham-shire Berk-shire Wilt-shire Somerset Dorset and Devon-shire part of Cornwall and Gloucester-shire This Kingdom began Anno 519. under Cerdicus This Heptarchy was at last swallowed up in the West Saxons Monarchy But to return to the British Church and the year of our Lord 449. wherein the Irish St. Patrick is notoriously reported to have come to Glastonbury where he lived 39 years as Abbot of that place And so great was the credit of St. Patrick at Glastonbury that after his death and burial there that Church that formerly was dedicated to the Virgin Mary alone was in after-ages joyntly consecrated to her and St. Patrick About the year 495 Cerdicus who was afterwards first King of the West Saxons having overcome the Britains at Winchester killed all the Monks belonging to the Church of St. Amphibalus and turned the same into a Temple of Idolatry Aurelius Ambrosius was poisoned in the year 498. and his Brother Vter-Pendragon took upon him the Government of this Realm CENT VI. MOst miserable at this time was the British Common-wealth crouded up into barren Corners whil'st their Enemies the Pagan Saxons possessed the East and South if not the best part of the Island Pen-dragon dying the Nobles and Bishops of Britain set up his Son Arthur being about 16 years of age to be King of Britain in the year 516. Of whom one writeth thus Cultum Religioni pene debitum in Civitatibus viris oppidis refâ—rmavit Ecclesias à Pagana Gente destructas vel dirutas reparavit in eis Res Episcopos cum Clericorum officiis prout locorum dignitas cogebat devoto Religionis studio ordinavit Vigente adhuc post Germani Episcopi labores qui ob id in Britanniam bis venerat Pelagiana labe ac desperato pene remedio David ex universae Gentis Synodo Praesul constitutus An. 519. diutina praedicatione disceptationbus publicis eandem profligavit atque aream Ecclesiae purgavit David was Unâ—kle to King Arthur he privately studied the Scriptures ten years before he would presume to Preach and always caryed the Gospels about him He kept a Synod against the Pelagian error which was now revived in Britain and confirmed many wavering Souls in the Faith The main body of the British Church was at this time in Wales whâ—re Bangor on the North and Caerleon on Vsk in Monmouth-shire in the South were the two eyes thereof for Learning and Religion Caerleon had in it the Court of King Arthur the See of an Archbishop a Colledge of 200 Philosophers who threrein studied Astronomy and was a populous place of great extent though at this day reduced to a small Village By leave obtained from King Arthur David removed the Archiepiscopal seat from Caerleon to Meneva now called St. David's in Pembrook-shire in which exchange saith Fuller his devotion is rather to be admired than his discretion to be commended Girald Cambr. leaving a fruitful soyl for a bleach barren place though the worse it was the better for his purpose being a great promoter of a Monastical life In those days such was the correspondency between the greater and lesser Britain that they seemed to possess Learned Men in common betwixt them About the same time flourished Cadocus Abbot of Llancanvan in Glamorgan shire Son of the Toparch of that Countrey He retained part of his paternal principality in his hand whereby he daily fed 300 of Clergy-men Widdows and poor People besides guests and visitants daily resorting to him Wilful poverty then was not by vow entailed upon Monastical
The King being under the Wardship of Peter Bishop of Winchester was on Whitsunday Crowned the second time at Winchester by Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury Soon after which there being a difference concerning the Bishoprick of Ely between Galfridus de Burgo Archdeacon of Norwich and Robert of York the Pope at last nulled both their Elections and â—onferred the Bishoprick upon John Abbot of Fontain who was Consecrated at Westminster The same year and day Hugh Bishop of Lincoln was Canonized a Saint by the procurement of the Archbishop He likewise caused his Predecessor Thomas Becket to be Translated Enshrined and Adored with great Solemnity Most of the English many of the French Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Clergy and of other Countries were by the Archbishop's invitation present at Thomas Becket's Translation The translation and enshrining of Thomas Becket The King by the Legat's and his Council's advice changed the Heathenish and long-continued Trials in criminal Causes by Fire and Water into other ways of Trial and Punishments by Imprisonment or abjuring the Realm Benedict Bishop of Rochester Richard Bishop of Sarum Hugh Bishop of Lincoln William Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury Richard Bishop of Durham Henry Abbot of Ramsey and other Clergy-men were all made Justices Itinerants this year Henry Bishop of Landaff dying thereupon Pandulphus the Pope's Legate conferred it upon William Prior of Goldcliff William de Marisco Bishop of London of his own accord resigning his Bishoprick Eustachius de Faucumberge then Treasurer of the Exchequer was chosen Bishop of London whose Election was confirmed by the Legate Pandulphus This Legate sent a Letter to Peter Bishop of Winton and Hugh de Burgh to prohibit and suppress the Usury of the Jews taken from Christians and to stay a Suite brought by a Jew against the Abbot and Covent of Westminster before the Justices of the Jews wherein he exacted usury from them to the great scandal of Christianity and the King's dishonour and to joyn some discreet Persons with the Sheriff in each County for the collection of Amerciaments to prevent their Malice and Extortions About this time was taken an Impostor at Oxford having five wounds in his Body and Members sc in his Side Hands and Feet who counterfeited himself to be Christ with two Women his followers counterfeiting themselves to be the Virgin Mary the Mother of Christ and Mary Magdalen They were immured together with him without any Victuals and starved to Death Then was a Council held at Oxford under Archbishop Stephen where many Constitutions were made most of them being very useful to reform Extortions Abuses Procurations in Visitations the taking of any Fees for Letters of Order Funerals or Administring any Sacrament as also against Pluralities Non-residence and other abuses of Clergy-men Soon after this the Archbishop and the Bishop of Lincoln commanded by their Injunctions That none should sell any victuals to the Jews nor have any communion with them of which the Jews complaining the King issued a Writ to the Majors of Canterbury Oxford and Norwich to countermand the Bishop's Injunctions that all should sell victuals and other necessaries to them and that they should imprison every one refusing to do it till further order Then the Prior of St. Patrick of Dune in Jreland sent a Petition to the King to grant him and others some small Cell to reside in in England their Houses in Ireland being frequently burnt in the Wars for St. Patrick's and other Irish Saints sake whose Relikes he then sent to the King for a present The King to satisfie the Archbishop wrote a Letter to the Pope to give way for the return of his Brother Simon Langton into England out of which he was formerly banished as well as Excommunicated and deprived of all his Ecclesiastical Benefices for adhering to Lewis and contemning the Pope's Excommunications But we find not that the Pope consented to this request Our Kings by reason of their manifold Affairs in the Court of Rome relating to the Pope and other Forreign States usually constituted sometimes general otherwise special Proctors by their Letters Patents to implead and defend in their Names and Rights all matters there depending for or against them of which there are many different Formes in our Records King Henry standing in need of a subsidy from the Bishops and Clergy Pope Honorius thereupon sent his Bull to the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors and Clergy entreating them to grant him a competent subsidy to be disposed of by common consent onely for publick benefit of the Realm leaving the grant free to the Bishops and Clergy to impose and proportion it This year sc 1225. the Archbishop of Canterbury and his Suffragans instead of granting the King a subsidy or punishing leacherous Clearks passed severe Decrees against their Concubines onely principally intended against the Wives of Clergy men whom they stiled Concubines in that Age. The Bishop of Cork in Ireland having obtained the King's Royal assent at the Pope's request to be Archbishop of Cassel taking a journey to Rome to procure it received his Writ for the restitution of his Temporalties after his return Then the Pope dispatched Otto his Legate into England with Letters to the King for his own filthy lucre The King assembling a Parliamentary Council of his Nobles and Prelates Otto read the Pope's Letters and Proposals wherein the detestable Avarice Extortion and Rapine of the Pope and Court of Rome were clearly discovered related by Matthew Paris Matth. Paris Hist Angl. Otto pursuing his Rapines in England by exacting Procurations from the Clergy was by the Archbishop's means suddenly recalled thence by the Pope to his great discontent and the prosecuting the Pope's former proposals committed to the Archbishop This year Pope Honorius the third sent his Bull to Geoffry de Lizimaco the King 's sworn Vassal absolutely subverting all Papal dispensations with Subjects just Oaths to their Sovereignes The Pope also sent prohibitory Letters to the King of England to stop his intended Military Voyage into France to recover his just Rights Then the King paid ten thousand Marks being all the Arrears of the sum granted by King John to the Pope by his Charter Godwin Catal of Bish p. 515.516 Richard de Marisco Bishop of Durham dying suddenly at Peter-borough-Abbey as he was posting to London with a great troop of Lawyers to prosecute his Suits against the Monks of Durham thereupon they bestowed this Epitaph upon him Culmina qui cupi tis Est sedata si tis Qui populos regi tis Quod mors immi tis Vobis praeposi tis Quod sum vos eri tis Laudes pompasque siti tis Si me pensare veli tis Memores super omnia si tis Non parcit honore poti tis Similis fueram bene sci tis Ad me currendo veni tis Upon his Death there grew a great difference between King Henry the third and the Monks of Durham about the election of a Successor
the Virgin Mary with Christ in her Armes on the other side curiously and decently guilt and the cause thereof engraven on it in the place where the offence was committed calling the Major of the Town and Cofferers of the Jews to his assistance and till they made and delivered to the Proctors of the University another portable Cross of Silver handsomly guilded with a Spear as large as that carried before the Archbishop to be carryed before the Masters and Scholars of the University in their future processions And because diverse Jewes to prevent it had secretly convayed away their goods to others to enquire diligently after such goods and sell them that the work might be speedily effected before St. Edwards Feast The Money hereupon being levyed of the Jews to make these Crosses and the King being informed that the Marble-cross could not be erected in the place prescribed without damage and prejudice to some Burgesses of Oxford whereupon they purposed to erect it just over against the Jews Synagogue there The King and his Council conceiving that place inconvenient ordered it to be set up within the place of Merton Colledge near the Church and the other portable Cross to be delivered to the Scholars thereof to be kept in their House and carried in Processions of the University as aforesaid Of the Dismes granted to the King by the Pope Parker Antiqu Eccles Britan. p. 194. the King had usually the least share the Pope the Cardinals and Legates swallowing up the greatest part of them as the Learned Archbishop Matthew Parker hath observed Boniface the Military Archbishop of Canterbury died beyond the Seas Anno Dom. 1271. when he had reaped the profits of that See and pillaged that Province twenty six years six moneths and sixteen dayes most of which he spent in Wars and negotiations beyond the Seas and never Preached one Sermon all that time for ought we find That year there was so great an inundation of Rain at Canterbury such Lightening and Tempest as had not been seen nor heard for a long time The Thunder was dreadful and continued a whole day and night and such an inundation of Water followed that it overthrew Stones Vines and Trees Cattel were drowned and much Corn spoiled and the City was so over-flown that Men nor Horses could pass After this Flood there followed a great Famine and the Plague swept away many in the City and Countrey round about Mr. Fox relates That a little before King Henry's death there fell out a controversie between the Monks and Citizens of Norwich about certain Tallages and Liberties that after much altercation and wrangling words the furious rage of the Citizens so much encreased that they set upon the Abbey and Priory and burned both the Church and Bishop's Palace At the last King Henry calling for certain of his Lords and Barons sent them to Norwich that they might punish and see Execution done on the chiefest Malefactors some of them were condemned and burnt and some were drawn by the heeles with Horses through the Streets of the City and so in much misery ended their lives King Henry having in his company the Bishop of Roâ—hester and the Earl of Glocester followed his Justice Thomas Trivet to Norwich The Bishop having Excommunicated all who consented to this wickedness and the Judge Executed the nocent the King condemned the Town in three thousand Marks of Silver to be paid by a day toward the repairing of the Church so burnt and also to pay one hundred pounds in Silver toward the repair of a Cup arising to twenty pounds in Gold He returning thence towards London fell grievously sick at the Abbey of St. Edmonds in Suffolk where after he had in a Religious manner acknowledged his sins he rendered up the same to his Redeemer when he had reigned fifty six years and twenty dayes A Prince writes Speed whose devotion was greater than his discretion as we see in permitting the depredation of himself and his whole Kingdom by Papal overswayings After the Death and Funeral of King Henry who was Buried at Westminster Church Founded and almost finished by him Prince Edward his Son being at that time in the holy Land where he obtained many notable Victories against the Saracens Who thereupon suborned an Assassinate to kill him under pretext of delivering a Message to him from the Soldan of Babylon who stabbed him into the Body with a poisoned Knife Thomas Walsingham Matth. Westm to the hazard of his Life his Nobles notwithstanding his remote absence were so Loyal as to Proclaim him King and Swear Fealty and Allegiance to him as their Sovereign Lord. They sent out Writs whereby they Proclaimed the King's peace They first of them were directed to all the Sheriffs of England to Proclaim in their respective Counâ—ies the other to the King 's chief Justice of Ireland to be there Proclaimed who with others was authorized likewise to receive the Fealty as well of all the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Clergy as Nobles and other Lay-subjects in Ireland due unto him as their King and Sovereign Lord. In the third year of this King's Reign Walter de Merton Bishop of Rochester and Chancellor of England finished the Colledge of his own Name in Oxford This Walter de Merton was one of the Guardians of the Realm in the King's absence A Writ was issued to Lewellin Prince of Wales requiring an Oath of Fealty from him to King Edward as his Sovereign Lord and two Abbots thereby made Commissioners to receive his Oath who refused to appear or give any answer to them The Abbots made a special return of their proceedings therein to the Lord Chancellor The first thing this King and his Council did was to make a publick Declaration and Protestation against Pope Clement the fifth his late Usurpation who a little before King Henry his death had by his Papal Provisions conferred the Bishoprick of Winton on John dâ— Pontissera and the Archbishoprick of Canterbury upon Robert Kilwardby without the King 's precedent License or Monks Election rejecting William de Chilenden duly Elected by the Monks of Canterbury by King Henry's License that so he might Usurp the disposal of all other Bishopricks by these and other former like Presidents After the death of Pope Clement the fourth the See of Rome continuing void for two years and ten moneths by reason of the Cardinals discord about a Successor at last they Elected Theobald Archdeacon of Leige Pope who was with King Edward the first in the holy Land of him these two Verses were made Papatum munus tenet Archidiaconus unus Quem Patrem Patrum fecit discordia fratrum Prince Edward in his return from the holy Land repaired to this new Pope's Court his late Chaplain and fellow-souldier who at his request Excommunicated the Murderers of his kinsman Henry Son and heir to the King of Germany at Viterbium and disinherited some of them by his Imperious Decree till they should come personally to
him there the Archbishop and Bishop declared the Judgement of the Pope concerning Wickliff's Doctrine The Archbishop sent Wickliff's Condemnation to Robert Rigges Chancellor of the University of Oxford to be divulged Rigges appointed them to Preach that day whom he knew to be the most zealous followers of Wickliff and among others he ordered one Philip Rippinton a Canon of Leicester to Preach on Corpus-Christi day who concluded his Sermon with these words For speculative Doctrine saith he such as is the Sacrament of the Altar I will set a bar on my lips while God hath otherwise instructed or illuminated the hearts of the Clergy King Edward the third died June 21. Anno 1377. in the sixty fift year of his Age when he had Reigned fifty years four Months and odd dayes whose Body was solemnly buried at Westminster Richard the second born at Burdeaux the Son of Edward called The black Prince being but eleven years old succeeded his Grandfather in the Kingdom In the first year of his Reign Pope Gregory sendeth his Bull by the hands of one Edmund Stafford directed to the Chancellor and University of Oxford rebuking them sharply for suffering so long the Doctrine of John Wickliff to take root At the same time also he directed Letters to Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury and to William Courtney Bishop of London with the Conclusions of John Wickliff therein enclosed commanding them to cause the said Wickliff to be apprehended and cast into prison and that the King and the Nobles of England should be admonished by them not to give any credit to the said John Wickliff or to his Doctrine in any wise Wickliff was summoned personally to appear before the Archbishop and the rest of the Bishops at his Chappel at Lambeth He came accordingly when in comes a Gentleman and Courtier named Lewis Clifford on the very day of examination commanding them not to proceed to any definitive sentence against the said Wickliff Linwood's provinc lib. 5. fol. 183. The Bishops affrighted proceeded no farther onely the Archbishop summoned a Synod at London in which he made four Constitutions three whereof concerned Confession grown now much into disuse by Wickliff's Doctrine The Popish Bishops and Monks obtained of King Richard that Wickliff should be banished out of England He therefore repairing into Bohemia brought a great Light to the Doctrine of the Waldenses where John Husse being but yet a young man Comen histor Sclavon Eccles had diverse Conferences with him about diverse divine matters But at length he was recalled home again from Exile and the year before he died he wrote a Letter to John Husse Encouraging him to be strong in the grace that was given to him to fight as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ both by word and work Doctrine and conversation c. John Husse hereby took heart very daringly in the University Church at Prague to inveigh against the overflowing abominations of the times and not onely at Prague but throughout the whole Kingdom of Bohemia did he Preach against them The same year Jerome of Prague returning out of England and carrying Wickliff's Books with him rooted up the then prevailing error with the like boldness in the Schools as John Husse did in the Church Wickliff died the last of December 1387. and was buried in his Church of Lutterworth in Leicester-shire In the second year of the Reign of King Richard the second a Parliament was called at Westminster where the Laity moved That no Officer of the Holy Church should take pecuniary sums more or less of the people for correction of sins but onely enjoyn them Spiritual penance which would be more pleasing to God and profitable to the Soul of the offender The Clergy stickled hereat for by this craft they got their gain Ex Rotulis in Turri Lond. But here the King interposed That Prelates should proceed herein as formerly according to the Lawes of the Holy Church and not otherwise Yea diverse things passed in Parliament in favour of the Clergy As That all Prelates and Clerks shall from hence-forth commence their Suits against Purveyors and Buyers disturbing them though not by way of crime by actions of Trespass and recover treble damages Also That any of the King's Ministers arresting people of the Holy Church in doing Divine Service shall have imprisonment and thereof be ransomed at the King's will and make gree to the parties so arrested In the Parliament held at Glocester the same year the Commons complained that many Clergy-men under the notion of Sylva caedua lop-wood took Tithes even of Timber it self requesting that in such cases Prohibition might be granted to stop the proceedings of Court Christian But this took no effect Then the Archbishop of Canterbury inveighed as bitterly of the Franchises infringed of the Abbey-Church of Westminster wherein Robert de Hanley Esquire with a Servant of that Church were both horribly slain therein at the High Altar even when the Priest was singing high Mass and pathetically desired reparation for the same Complaints were also made against the extortion of Bishops Clerks to which as to other abuses some general Reformation was promised In the next Parliament called at Westminster one of the greatest grievances of the Land was redressed namely Forreigners holding of Ecclesiastical Benefices for many Italians had the best livings in England by the Pope collated on them yea many great Cardinals resident at Rome were possessed of the best Prebends and Parsonages in the Land who generally farmed out their places to Proctors their own Countrey-men and by this means the wealth of the Land leaked out into Forreign Countries to the great impoverishing of this Land Therefore the King and Parliament now enacted That no Aliens should hereafter hold any such preferments nor any send over unto them the Revenues of such Benefices Sir Rich. Baker's Chron. in Rich. 2. Then burst forth the dangerous rebellion of Wat Tyler and Jack Straw with thousands of their wicked company who burnt the Savoy the Duke of Lancaster's house from the Savoy they went to the Temple where they burnt the Lawyers lodgings with their Books and Writings also the house of St. Johns by Smithfield they set on fire which burned for seven days together Then came they to the Tower where the King was lodged where they entred and finding there Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor and Sir Robert Hales Lord Treasurer they led them to the Tower-hill and there in most cruel manner struck off their Heads as also of diverse others Neither spared they Sacred places for breaking into the Church of the Augustine Friars they drew forth thirteen Flemmings and beheaded them in the open Streets as also seventeen others out of other Churches They committed outrages afterwards at St. Albans cancelling the antient Charters of the Abbots and Monks there At the same time there were gathered together in Suffolck to the number of fifty thousand by the instigation
of one John Wraw a lewd Priest These destroyed the Houses of the Lawyers they beheaded Sir John Cavendish the Lord Chief Justice of England and set his Head upon the Pillory in St. Edmunds-bury Then Henry Spencer the valiant â—ishop of Norwich gathered together a great number of Men Armed with which he set upon the Rebels discomfited them and took John Littester and their other Chieftaines whom he caused all to be Executed and by this means the Countrey was quieted Jack Straw John Kirkby Alane Tredder and John Sterling lost their Heads Wat Tyler was slain by William Walworth Lord Mayor of London These had to their Chaplain a wicked Priest called John Ball Stowes Chro. in Rich. 2. who counselled them to destroy all the Nobility and Clergy so that there should be no Bishop in England but one Archbishop which should be himself and that there should nor be above two Religious persons in one house and their possessions should be divided among the Lay-men for the which Doctrine they held him as a Prophet But he was executed at St. Albans William Wickham about this time finished his beautiful Colledge in Oxford called new Colledge which giveth the Armes of Wickham viz. two Cheverons betwixt three Roses each Cheveron alluding to two beams fastned together called couples in building to speak his skill in Architecture There is maintained therein a Warden seventy Fellows and Scholars ten Chaplains three Clerks one Organist sixteen Choristers besides Officers and Servants of the Foundation with other Students being in all one hundred thirty five Within few years after the same Bishop finished the Colledge at Winchester wherein he established one Warden ten Fellows two Schoolmasters and seventy Scholars with Officers and Servants which are all maintained at his charge out of which School he ordained should be chosen the best Scholars always to supply the vacant places of the Fellows of this Colledge Anno 1391. There was a Synod in England which because many were vexed for causes which could not be known at Rome ordained That the authority of the Pope of Rome should stretch no farther than to the Ocean Sea and that who so Appealed to Rome besides Excommunication should be punished with loss of all their goods and with perpetual imprisonment Then came the Parliament wherein was Enacted the Statute called the Statute of Praemunire The Statute of Praemunire which gave such a blow to the Church of Rome that it never recovered it self in this Land The Statute of Mortmain put the Pope into a sweat but this put him into a Fever That concerned him onely in the Abbies his darlings this touched him in his person About this time died that faithful Learned and aged Servant of God John de Trevisa born at Crocadon in Cornwal a Secular Priest and Vicar of Berkley painful in Translating the Old and New Testament into English with other great Books The History of William Swinderby Priest in the Diocess of Lincoln whereunto he was forced by the Friars the Process of John Tresnant Bishop of Hereford into whose Diocess he removed had against him in the cause of Heretical pravity as the Papists call it the Articles that were exhibited against him with his protestation and answer to the same The Process against William Swinderby with his answer and declaration to certain Conclusions the Bishop's sentence against him and his Appeal from the Bishop to the King with the causes thereof together with Swinderby's letter to the Parliament may be read at large in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments of the Church Then were there Articles exhibited against Walter Brute of the Diocess of Hereford a Lay-man and Learned touching the cause of Heresie as they called it unto the Bishop of Hereford his examination and answer is also largely described by Mr. Fox Fox in Ric. 2. Then were there two Bulls sent out by Pope Boniface the ninth one against the Lollards another to King Richard the second Queen Anne Wife to King Richard at the same time had the Gospels in English with four Doctors upon the same King Richard wrote a notable Letter to the Pope wherein he sheweth That the election of the Pope was not as before comparing the Popes to the Souldiers that crucified Christ That Secular Princes are to bridle the outrages of the Pope and seemeth to Prophecy of the desolation of the Roman Pope King Richard was not long after deposed and barbarously murdered at Pomfret-castle In the time of the conspiracy against King Richard among all the Bishops onely Thomas Merks Bishop of Carlisle was for him For when the Lords in Parliament nor coâ—â—â—nt to depose King Richard were devising more mischief against him up steps the foresaid Bishop and thus expresseth himself There is no man here worthy to pass his sentence on so great a King as to whom they have obeyed as their lawful Prince full two and twenty years This is the part of Traitors Cut-throats and Thieves None is so wicked none so vile who though he be charged with a manifest crime we should think to condemn before we heard him And you do ye think it equal to pass sentence on a King anointed and Crowned giving him no leave to defend himself How unjust is this But let us consider the matter it self I say nay openly affirm that Henry Duke of Lancaster whom you are pleased to call your King hath most unjustly spoiled Richard as well his Sovereign as ours of his Kingdom More would he have spoken but the Lord Marshal enjoyned him silence and the other Bishops said he discovered having been a Monk more Covent-devotion than Court-discretion in dissenting from his Brethren yet at that time no punishment was imposed upon him But the next year 1400. when some discontented Lord 's arose against King Henry the fourth this Bishop was taken prisoner and judicially arraigned for high Treason for which he was condemned and sent to St. Albans The Pope gave unto him another Bishoprick in Samos a Greek Island But before his translation he died CENT XV. KIng Henry Trassel in vit Henrici IV. the fourth held a Parliament at Westminster during which Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury had convocated a Synod which was held in St. Paul s Church to whom the King sent the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland who declared to the Clergy That they were from the King to acquaint them that the King resolved to confirm all their Priviledges unto them and to joyn with them as they should desire him in the punishment of all Hereticks and opposites to their Religion received for which so doing he craved but their supplications to God for him and his posterity and prosperity of the Kingdom which was by all there present religiously promised In the second year of his Reign King Henry ordained That if any person should obtain from the Bishop of Rome any provision to be exempt from obedience Regular or Ordinary or to have any Office perpetual in
ipso facto if omitted This subscription was extended only to men of Ecclesiastical Function After the return of the Queen of Scots out of France into Scotland Besides the Ratifying the Act of Oblivion formerly condescended to in the Treaty at Edenburgh there were also past some other Acts viz. one Act for repairing and upholding Parish Churches and the Church-yards of the same for burial of the dead Another against letting Parsonages Gleabes or Houses into long Leases or Fee But on the other side no safety or Protection could be found for the Queen 's own Religion no not so much as the Chappel Royal or the Regal City In contempt whereof a force was violently committed in the moneth of August in the Chappel of the Palace of Holy-rood house where certain of the Queen's servants were assembled for their own devotions the doors broke open some of the Company haled to the next prison and the rest dispersed the Priest escaping with difficulty by a private passage the Queen being then absent in the North. In France the City and Castle of Cane besieged by the confederate forces both French and English was finally surrendred to the Admiral Chastilion to the use of the Princes After which followed the surrendry of Baieux Faleise S. Lod's and divers other Towns and Castles The Town of Hareflew on the Seine was gallantly taken by the help of the English of Newhaven on the tenth of March and garrisoned by such Souldiers and Inhabitants as were sent from thence These successes amazed the Guisian faction that they agreed unto an Edict of Pacification by the which the French forces were restored to the King's Favour the Hugonots to the free exercise of their own Religion But they must buy this happiness by betraying the English whom they had brought into the Countrey and joyn their forces with the rest to drive them out of New-haven if they would not yield it on demand The French closely besiege the Town and the Plague raging sore among the English they capitulate and leave the Town to the French on July the twenty ninth and carry the Plague with them into England The Pope was so incensed against Queen Elizabeth that he dispatched a commission to the Fathers of Trent Hist Concil Trident. to proceed to an excommunication of the Queen of England But the Emperour Ferdinand wrote Letters both to the Pope and to the Legates in which he signified unto them That if the Council would not yield that fruit which was desired at least they should not give occasion to the Hereticks to unite themselves more which certainly they would do in case they proceeded so against the Queen of England by means whereof they would undoubtedly make a league against the Catholicks Hereupon the Pope desisted at Rome and revoked his Commission sent before to the Legates at Trent The Plague brought out of France by the Garrison Souldiers of New-haven had so dispersed it self and made such desolation in many parts of England that it swept away above twenty thousand of the City of London which was the greatest at that time which any man living could remember Soon after this the Queen makes peace with France Then the Queen went in progress to take the pleasures of the Countrey and visited the University of Cambridge where being with all kinds of honour received by the Students and delighted with Comedies Tragedies and Scholastical disputations she survayed every Colledge and in a Latine Oration takes her leave of Cambridge giving them encouragement to pursue their Studies The English Bishops being impowered by their Canons began to shew their Authority in urging the Clergy of their Diocesses to subscribe to the Liturgy Rites and discipline of the Church and such as refused the same were branded with the name of Puritans The Non-conformists in this Age were divided into two Ranks some mild and moderate contented onely to enjoy their own conscience Others fierce and fiery to the disturbance of Church and State saith Fuller Among the former was Father John Fox for so Queen Elizabeth termed him summoned to subscribe by Archbishop Parker The old man produced the New Testament in Greek To this saith he will I subscribe But when a subscription to the Canons was subscribed of him he refused it saying I have nothing in the Church save a Prebend at Salisbury and much good may it do you if you will take it away from me However such respect did the Bishops most formerly his fellow-exiles bear to his Age parts and pains that he continued his place till the day of his death With Mr. Fox we may joyn his dear friend Laurence Humfery who was Regius Professor of Divinity in Oxford But such wâ—s his quiet carriage that notwithstanding his non-subscribing he kept his Professors place and Deanery of Winchester as long as he lived A second sort of Non-conformists were fierce sticklers against Church-discipline we will begin with Anthony Gilby bred in Christ's Colledge in Cambridge His fierceness against the Ceremonies take from his own pen They are saith he known Liveries of Antichrist accursed leaven of the blasphemous popish Priest-hood cursed patches of Popery and Idolatry c. William Whittingham succeeds who after his return from his exile in Germany was made Dean of Duxham Christopher Goodman is the third who wrote a book stuffed with much dangerous Doctrine wherein he maintained That Sir Thomas Wait was no Traitor that his cause was God's c. These three saith Mr. Fuller were the Antesignani of the fierce Non-conformists for David Whitehead is not mentioned with them Yet find we none of them silenced Onely we meet with Thomas Sampson Dean of Christ-church in Oxford who was displaced out of his Deanery for his Non-conformity This Deanery was then conferred on Dr. Thomas Godwin Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen who was after advanced to the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells who was Father to Francis Godwin late Bishop of Landaff the Author of the Catalogue of the English Bishops Bullinger and Gualter two Divines of Switzerland men eminent in all points of Learning being sollicited by some zealous brethren to signifie their judgement in the present controversie about the Habit of the Clergy return an approbation of it but send the same enclosed to Sandy's Horn and Grindal Now the Queen thought fit to make a further signification of Her Royal Pleasure legally declared by Her Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical according to the Acts and Statutes made in that behalf The Archbishop is thereupon required to consult together with such Bishops and Commissioners as were next at hand upon the making of such Rules and Orders as they thought necessary for the peace of the Church with reference to the present estate thereof Which being accordingly performed presented to the Queen and by her approved the said Rules and Orders were set forth and published in a certain Book Entitled Advertisements partly for due Order in the publick Administration of the Common-prayers and using
according to their different devices But the Earl of Sussex advancing out of the South with an Army to oppose them they fled Northwards and mouldered away to nothing Northumberland fled into Scotland lurked there awhile was betrayed to Earl Murrey sent back into England and beheaded at York Westmorland fled into Flanders where he long lived very poor on a small pension Many were executed by Sir Seorge Bowes Knight Marshal in every Market-town betwixt New-castle and Witherby Leonard Dacres the next year laboured to raise a New Rebellion but by the valour and vigilancy of the Lord Hunsdon his deâ—â—â— was seasonably defeated Commissioners were appointed by Queen Elizabeth to take cognizance of the cause of the Queen of Scots Murrey cometh to York being the City appointed for that purpose and with him seven of his Inwardest friends as Delegates for the Infant-King and for the Queen of Scots Delegates also appeared After Lidington's admonition to the Scots and the Scots Protestation the Delegates for the Queen delivered a Declaration in Writing Some few dayes after Murrey the Regent and the Delegates for the Infant-King gave in their Answer To this the Queen of Scots Delegates renewing again their former Protestation opposed their Replication Murrey refuseth to yield reasons for deposing the Queen Then were the English Commissioners Revoked and their Authority abrogated to the great rejoycing of the Duke of Norfolk who had ever favoured the Queen of Scots Title to the Succession to the Crown of England New Commissioners were appointed to hear and examine the matter but the matter cometh to nothing Murrey propoundeth to Norfolk a Marriage with the Queen of Scots yet spreadeth rumours against her The Queen of Scots was committed to the Earl of Shrewsbury Camden's Hist of Q. Elizab. Queen Elizabeth relieveth the Protestants in France Edicts being published there whereby the exercise of the Reformed Religion was utterly forbidden the Professors thereof removed from Publick Offices and the Ministers of the word commanded to depart the Realm within a prefixed time She also gratiously received the Netherlanders of whom a great multitude had withdrawn themselves into England as into a Sanctuary from the cruelty of the Duke of Alva John Story Doctor of the Lawes a great persecutor in Queen Mary's dayes being allured by a wile into a Ship which was reported to have brought over English Merchandises and Heretical Books the Master of the Ship presently set Sail and brought him into England where afterwards he was executed as a Traytor to his Countrey at Tyburn Then were the English Merchants in the Netherlands and Spain drawn into the Inquisition and condemned to the Galleys and their goods confiscate The old store of Papists in England began now much to diminish prisons consumed many Age more of their Priests and they had no place in England whence to recruit themselves Hereupon they resolved to erect Colledges beyond the Seas for English youth to have their education therein This project begun Anno 1569. was so effectually prosecuted that within the compass of fifty years nine Colledges were by them founded and furnished with Students and they with maintenance Doway-colledge in Flanders was founded 1569. by Philip the second King of Spain all the Recusants in Eâ—gland were Benefactors to it The first Recâ—â—r was William Allen afterwards Cardinal He died Anno 1594. The second Thomas Worthington Rector Anno 1609. The third Matthew Kellison Rector 1624. Whereas the government of all other English Colledges belongs to Jesuites this onely is ruled by Secular Priests The second Colledge was at Rome founded Anno 1579. Pope Gregory the thirteenth exhibited maintenance first to six then to fourteen at last to threescore Scholars therein to the yearly value of four thousand Crowns The Welch Hospital in Rome founded and endowed many hundred years since by Cadwallader King of Wales for Welch Pilgrims with the Rich Lands thereof were conferred by the said Pope on this Colledge Now whereas Anno 1576. there were but thirty old Priests remaining in this Realm these two Colledges alone within two years sent above three hundred Priests into England The first Rector was Dr. Maurice The second Ferdinando a Neapolitan Jesuite The third Robert Parsons The fourth Thomas Fitz-herbert 1623. The third Colledge was founded by Philip the second King of Spain at Valladolit in old Castile Donna Luysa de Caravaial a rich Widow Lady in Spain gave all her estate being very great to this Colledge and came over into England where she died Father Walpool by pretending to have gained Mr. Pickering Wotton Son and Heir to the Lord Wotton to the Romish Church got above five hundred pounds to this Colledge Sir Francis Inglefield Privy Counsellor to Queen Mary forsaking his fair estate in Berk-shire in the first year of Queen Elizabeth was a bountiful Benefactor to this Colledge The fourth Colledge was of Sivil founded by Philip the second King of Spain Anno 1593. The fifth was at S. Omers in Artois founded 1596. by Philip the second who gave them a good Annuity for whose soul they say every day a Mass and every year an Obitum Their Rector generally is a Fleming though this Colledge be of English only The sixth Colledge is at Madrid in new Castile founded 1606. Joseph Creswel the Jesuite with money of the two Colledges of Valladolit and Sivil bought an House here and built a Colledge thereon The seventh a Colledge of Lovain in Brabant founded 1606. by Philip the third King of Spain who gave a Castle with a Pension to the English Jesuits to build them a Colledge therewith The eighth Colledge was at Liege in Lukeland founded 1616. The Archbishop of Collen being at this time also Bishop of Liege gave them a Pension to live on and leave to build a fair Colledge here Many of the English Nobility and Gentry under pretence of passing to the Spaw to recover their healths dropped here much of their Gold by the way The ninth Colledge was of Gaunt in Flanders founded 1624. by Philip the Fourth who gave them a Pension The Colledge of St. Omers generally is for Boyes to be taught in Grammar Rome for Youths studying the Arts All the rest for Men Novices or professed Jesuits save that Doway is for any of what age or parts soever It is incredible what a mass of money was yearly made over out of England for the maintenance of these Colledges having here their Provincials Sub-provincials Assistants Agents Coadjutors Familiars c. who collected vast sums for them The solemn Oath which each Student arrived at man's estate ceremoniously sweareth when admitted into one of these Colledges is as followeth I A. B. one bred in this English Colledge Continuation of Sanders de Schismat Anglicano p. 116. considering how great benefits God hath bestowed upon me but then especially when he brought me out of my own Countrey so much infected with Heresie and made me a member of the Catholick Church as also desiring
Rushton an ungrateful wretch who afterwards railed on the Queen in Print who gave him his life In the year 1584. Two conferences were kept at Lambeth about the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church For the same were the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and Cooper Bishop of Winchester Unconforming Ministers against it The Lords of the Privy Council and some other Honorable persons Auditors thereof This conference effected nothing on the Disputants as to the altering their Opinions Some of the Lords afterwards secretly acted against the Archbishop in favour of the other party The Archbishop now take's another course enjoyning all admitted to the Ecclesiastical Orders and Benefices the subscription of the following Articles I. That the Queen had supreme Authority over all persons born within her Dominions of what condition soever they were And that no other Prince Prelate or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Civil or Ecclesiastical within her Realms or Dominions II. That the Book of Common-Prayer and the Ordination of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth nothing contrary to the Word of God but may lawfully be used and that they will use that and none other III. That the Articles of Religion agreed in the Synod holden at London Anno 1562. and published by the Queens Authority they did allow of and did believe them to be consonant to the word of God Now came forth the Rhemish Translation of the New Testament every where bespeckled with hard words which transcend common capacities taxed by our Divines as full of abominable errors Secretary Walsingham soliciteth Mr. Thomas Cartwright to undertake to refute this Rhemish Translation and sent him an hundred pounds out of his own purse the better to enable him for the work Walsingham's Letters to Cartwright were seconded by another from the Doctors and Heads of Houses and Dr. Fulk among the rest at Cambridge besides the importunity of the Ministers of London and Suffolk to the same purpose Cartwright prepares for the work But Archbishop Whitgift having notice thereof prohibiteth his further proceeding therein Cartwright hereupon desisted But some years after encouraged by an honourable Lord he resumed the work but prevented by death he perfected no further than the fifteenth Chapter of the Revelation Many years lay this worthy work neglected and the Copy thereof Mouse-eaten in part at last came forth though late Anno 1618. a Book to which the Rhemists never durst return the least answer But whilst Cartwrights work lay retarded Dr. William Fulk Master of Pembrook-hall in Cambridge entred the list against the Rhemists and Judiciously and Learnedly performed his undertaking therein This year came forth the Exposition of Mr. Thomas Rogers on the Articles of the Church of England not onely the two extremes Papists and Schismaticks but many Protestants of a middle temper were offended thereat Mr. Rogers his restrictive Comment shut out such from their concurrence with the Church of England which the discreet laxity of the Text admitted thereunto On November 23. 1585. The Parliament was begun and holden at Westminster wherein the Statute against Jesuites and Priests their departing out of England and not returning thither was made with penalty for relieving them A Convocation was kept in St. Pauls Church in London and from hence removed to St. Peter's in Westminster where William Redman D. D. was chosen and presented Prolocutor An Assembly of Ministers met at the same time but the certain place of their meeting not known being Clandestine Arbitrary and changeable as advised by their Conveniences Some Agents for them were all day at the door of the Parliament-house and some part of the night in the Chambers of Parliament-men effectually solliciting their business with them What impression was made by the Agents of the Ministers may appear by an ensuing Letter sent to her Majesty by Archbishop Whitgift wherein he complaineth of several Bills that had the day before the dating of his Letter passed in the House of Commons in favour of the Non-conformists about Marrying at all times in the year concerning Ecclesiastical Courts and Episcopal Visitations which saith he may reach to the overthrow of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and study of the Civil Law But the Queen would alter nothing material to Church-government The Parliament being dissolved the Convocation ended the next day after having effected nothing of moment save that in the ninth Session thereof John Hilton Priest made a solemn Abjuration of his blasphemous Heresies The Non-conformists now missing their mark abated much of their former Activity insomuch as that Mr. Cartwright began to make by the mediation of the Earl of Leicester who now design'd to make him Master of his new-built Hospital in Warwick compliance with the Archbishop though he not over-fond of his friendship warily kept him at distance as appears by the Earl of Leicester's Letter to the Archbishop in Cartwright's behalf and the Archbishop's answer thereto Now the Earl of Leicester went over into the Low Countries commanding a great Army with the Title of General of the Auxiliaries of the Queen of England and the Non-conformists lost their best friend in Court And afterwards the Archbishop being sworn one of the Privy Council it fared worse with them Three Protestant Bishops died this year viz. Richard Curteys Bishop of Chichester Nicholas Robinson Bishop of Bangor and John Scory Bishop of Hereford The same year also died John Fecknam late Abbot of Westminster The Jesuites began now to possess their English Proselites with high Opinions of the Spanish power as the Nation designed by God's providence to work their restitution in England and they sent into England as Pasquier saith one Samier a man of their Society to draw Noblemen and Gentlemen to the Spaniards party and to thrust forward the Queen of Scots to dangerous practices by telling her That if she were refractory neither She nor her Son should Reign and by exciting the Guises her kinsmen to new stirs against the King of Navar and the Prince of Conde that they might not be able to ayd her In the year 1586. a firm League of Amity was concluded and ratified betwixt the Queen of England and James King of Scotland A dangerous conspiracy against the Queen of England begun by John Savage but prosecuted by Anthony Babington and others was discovered The chief discover of this Conspiracy was one Gifford a Gentleman of a good house at Chellington in Stafford-shire not far from Chartley where the Queen of Scots was kept prisoner He was sent by the English fugitives in France under the counterfit name of Luson to put Savage in mind of the vow which he had made to kill Queen Elizabeth and to convey Letters between them and the Queen of Scots Gifford revealed the plot to Secretary Walsingham who sent him down into Stafford-shire to do the work he had undertaken Here Gifford bribing the Brewer of the house where the Queen of Scots lay so contrived the matter with him that by a hole in the
again and leaving the University of Paris took great pains in Reading Disputing and Writing divers Learned Books whereby he became so famous even in Forreign Nations as by Pope Innocent the Second he was sent for to Rome by Celestine the Second made Cardinal Sancti Eusebii Anno 1144. and by Lucius the Second appointed the Pope's Chancellor he died Anno 1150. 4. Two years after the preferment of Bullen Nicholas Breakspear was made Bishop Cardinal of Alba and a while after Pope he was born in Hartford-shire at Abbots-Langley near unto St. Albans a younger brother of the house of Breakspear and the Son of one Robert a married Priest the which Robert waxing old and having lost his Wife became a Monk in St. Albans at which time his Son Nicholas was but a tender youth resorting to his Father for relief and maintenance the old man out of a superstitious conceit that the next way to Heaven was to renounce all care of Friends Children and all things else save what by the rule of their Order was enjoyned in a rude and churlish manner cast him off willing him to try his fortune abroad without expecting from him any manner of succor He being thus turned off to the wide World without all means of livelihood went over into France and travelling through the Countrey found no entertainment till he came to Valentia in Provence where the Monks of the Abbey of St. Rufus seeing him a beautiful and towardly child witty and for his age very industrious took him in and in process of time not onely admitted him into their fraternity but also chose him first Prior and afterward Abbot having in the mean time by painful study attained to much learning But many differences grew between him and his Monks who accused him of many things unto the Pope that then was Eugenius the third He after examination of the cause acquitted the Abbot and sharply reprehended the Monks as froward fellows charging them hereafter to yield unto him as their Governour all dutiful obedience notwithstanding which after a little while they renewed their complaints And as before so now the Abbot answered all their accusations and that with such eloquence discretion and modesty as the Pope taking a great liking of the man he told his Accusers they were unworthy of him and therefore willing them to seek for some other for his place with whom they might better agree he created him Bishop Cardinal of Alba Anno 1146. Soon after which time upon experience of his great Wisdom and Learning he sent him as his Legate into the Countries of Denmark and Norway the Inhabitants whereof being then Pagans he converted unto Christian Religion At his return out of those parts Anastatius the Pope who Eugenius being dead in the mean time had succeeded him together with his Cardinals received him with great honour much approving his doings It hapned that within a few moneths after his return the said Pope died also and this man also taking upon him the name of Hadrian the Fourth was chosen Pope in hi room This was He that brought under his entire obedience the Citizens of Rome that compelled the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to hold his Stirrup and appointed the Abbot of St. Albans to be the first Abbot of England as St. Alban to whom the Abbey was dedicated was the first Martyr of England Having sate four years nine moneths he died at Anagnia being choaked by a fly in his dâ—ink 5. Some report that Geoffry of Monmouth the Author of the British History was a Cardinal at Rome This can hardly be made good but this is evident he was consecrated Bishop of St. Asaph Anno 1151. 6. Busa an English-man saith John Bale Nephew unto Pope Hadrian was made a Cardinal and the Pope's Chamberlain Anno 1155. his Titles were first S S. Cosmae Damiani then S. Crucis in Jerusalem afterwards S. Pudentianae Through his endeavour chiefly Alexander the Third was chosen Pope by the voices of nineteen Cardinals yet another Antipope was set up against him having four voices onely Under him the said Alexander he lived in great authority and favour and died Anno 1180. 7. The book entitled Antiquitates Britannicae ascribed to the late most Reverend Archbishop Matthew Parker reporteth how that William Corbet Archbishop of Canterbury being deceased Henry de Bloys Bishop of Winchester and Brother unto King Stephen procured himself to be made a Cardinal and appointed Legate a latere from the Pope 8. Herebert born at Bosham in Sussex brought up in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor in Divinity was Secretary unto Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury at the time of the said Becket's slaughter the History whereof he wrote besides divers other works mentioned by John Bale Pope Lucius the Third made him Cardinal Anno 1178. and bestowed upon him the Archbishoprick of Beneventum 9. John Cummin an English-man and Archbishop of Dublin was created a Priest-cardinal by Pope Lucius the Third at Velitum Anno 1183. as testifieth that vertuous learned and eloquent man Giraldus Cambrensis 10. Stephen Langton afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury was created Cardinal S. Chrysogoni 1212. 11. Robert Curson a Gentleman well descended and an Oxford-man was made Cardinal of S. Stephen in Coelio monte he was a good Divine and eminent Preacher From Oxford he went to Paris where he proceeded Doctor of Divinity Anno 1219. he was with King Lewis the French King at the taking of Damiata in Egypt after that in the time of Honorius the Third he was here as Legate in England he left behind him a sum of Divinity and a Discourse touching the salvation of Origen certain solemn Lectures and some other Works much esteemed 12. Robert Somerscot made Cardinal of S. Eustachius Anno 1234. he was a man saith Matthew Paris discretus circumspectu omnibus amabilis merito gratiosus He was to have been elected Pope after Pope Gregory the Ninth but that some of the Cardinals caused him to be poisoned in the Conclave where the Cardinals were assembled to make the election 13. Matthew Paris maketh mention of an English Cardinal called John that when the Pope was very angry because King Henry the Third withstood a certain exaction of His and threatned to do great matters against him sought by many effectual reasons to divert him from his publick course but to no purpose till at length the King for fear of his thunderbolts was fain to yield This man died at the Council at Lyons Anno 1274. 14. Atcherius Archdeacon of London where John Bale saith he was born was created Cardinal of S. Praxedis Anno 1261. He died at Rome November 1. 1286. and was buried in the Church to which he was entitled 15. William Bray Doctor of Divinity an English-man between whom and the said Archerus had been a long continued Band of friendship even from their childhood Being Archdeacon of Rhemes he was created by the same Pope Cardinal of S. Mark Anno 1262. He died
and Bishop of Winchester was created Cardinal of S. Eusebius by Pope Martin the Eighth June 23. 1426. He died April 11. 1447. and was buried in his own Church 37. Henry Chichely was created Cardinal Anno 1428. saith the Author of Antiquit. Britan. 38. John Kemp Archbishop of York was ordained Cardinal of S. Eusebius August 9. 1439. long after being Archbishop of Canterbury he was removed to the Title of S. Ruffinus 39. Thomas Bourchier Archbishop of Canterbury was created by Pope Paul the Second Cardinal S. Syriaci in Thermis Anno 1464. He died March 30. 1486. 40. John Morton Archbishop of Canterbury was by Pope Alexander the Fifth created Cardinal S. Anastasii Anno 1493. He died Anno 1500. 41. Christopher Bainbrigg Archbishop of York was made a Cardinal S. Praxedis Anno 1511. 42. Thomas Wolsey Archbishop of York was created Cardinal S. Coeciliae September 7. He died November 29. 1530. 43. John Fisher Dâ—ctor of Divinity and Bishop of Rochester was made Cardinal S. Vitalis for refusing the King's supremacy and dissallowing his marriage wiâ—h the Lady Anne Bolen he was beheaded on the Tower-hill 1535. 44. Reginald Pool afterward Archbishop of Canterbury was created Cardinal by Pope Paul the Third May 22. 1536. and had three several Titles the first S. Nerei Achillei then S. Mariae in Cosmedin and lastly S. Prisâ—ae He died November 7. 1558. 45. Peter Petow a Friar was made Cardinal by Pope Paul the Fourth June 13. 1557. and also nominated by him unto the Bishoprick of Sarum and all to cross and disgrace Cardinal Pool He died in France within the compass of the same year and might never set Foot in England to make shew of his red Hat as doubtless he greatly desired to have done 46. William Allen born in England He raised a great combustion in our Church This fugitive was born in Lancashire and brought up in Orial Colledge he ran away beyond the Seas for his treasonable practices against his Countrey he was by the Pope and other Enemies of the same promoted to divers Ecclesiastical preferments and lastly had a Cardinal's hat bestowed upon him in August 1587. He died a Priest-cardinal S. Martini in Montibus 1594. and was buried in the Church of the English Colledge at Rome Of the several Orders and Monks that have been in England Ex Fuleri Eccles Hist 1. MAthew Paris tells us that in his time Tot jam apparuerunt ordines in Anglia ut ordinum confusio videretur inordinata there then appeared so many Orders in England that there seemed to be an inordinate confusion of Orders 1. The Benedictines or black Monks the primitive Monks in England so called from St. Benedict or Bennet an Italian first Father and founder of that Order Augustine the Monk first brought them ovâ—r into England and these black Monks first nested in Canterbury whence they have flown out into all the parts of the Kingdom For as Clement Reyner observeth rightly all the Abbies of England before King William the Conqueror and some while after were filled with this Order and though the Augustinians were their Seniors in Europe yet they were their Juniors in England The same Order was afterwards set forth in a new edition corrected and amended under the names of First Cluniacks These were Benedictines refined with some additionals invented and imposed upon them by Odo the Fourth of Clugny in Normandy who lived Anno 913. But these Cluniacks came not into England till after the Norman Conquest and had their richest Covents at Barnstable in Devon-shire Pontefract and Meaux in York-shire c. Secondly Sistercians so called from one Robert living in Cistercium in Burgundy He the second time refined the drossie Benedictines and Walter Espick first established their Order in England at Rival in York-shire besides which they have had many other pleasant and plentiful habitations at Warden and Woburn in Bedford-shire Buckland and Ford in Devon-shire Bindon in Dorset-shire c. The Bernardine Monks were of a younger house or under-branch of the Cistercians King John built an Abbey of the Cistercian Order at Beaulieu in Hant-shire Thirdly Of Grandmont which observed St. Bennet's rule These were brought into England Anno 1233. and were principally fixed at Abberbury in Shrop-shire These Benedictines with their several branches were so numerous and so richly endowed that in their revenues they did match all the Orders in England especially if the foundations of Benedictine Nuns be joyned in the same reckoning 2. The Augustinian Monks succeed it is conceived that Eudo the Dapifer or Sewer to King Henry the First first brought them into England Anno 1105. and that St. Johns at Colchester was the prime place of their residence Doctor Fuller saith that Waltham Abbey for Benedictines at the first had it's Copy altered and bestowed on Augustinians These Augustinians were also called Canons Regular This Order in England brought forth seventy eminent Writers and one in Germany worth them all in effect I mean Martin Luther who gave a mortal wound to all these Orders yea to the root of the Romish Religion 3. Gilbertine Monks a mongrel Order observing some select rules Camden in Lincoln-shire partly of St. Bennet partly of St. Augustine so named from Gilbert son to Joceline a Knight Lord of Sempringham in Lincoln-shire Being backed with the Authority of Pope Eugenius the Third he ordained a Sect consisting of men and women which so grew and encreased that himself laid the foundations of thirteen Religious houses of this Order 4. Carthusian Monks much famed for their mortified lives and abstinence from all flesh Bruno first founded them in the Dolphinate in France Anno 1080. and some sixty years after they were first brought over into England William de long a Spata Earl of Salisbury founded the first house of Carthusian Monks at Heltrop whose wife Ela after his death founded the house of Nuns at Lacock in Wilt-shire and there continued her self Abbess of the place The Books of the English Carthusians were many there being no less than eleven hundred Authors of them their writings tend much to mortification and out of them Parsons the Jesuite hath collected a good part of his resolutions Of the Benedictine Monks there is reported to have been of that Order twenty four Popes of Rome one hundred eighty two Cardinals one thousand four hundred sixty four Archbishops and Bishops fifteen thousand and seventy Abbots of renown Pope John the Twenty second saith there have been of this Order five thousand six hundred fifty six Monks Canonized and made Saints The cloathing and rule of the Cluniacks was according to the appointment of St. Benedicts rule The Cestercians wear red shooes and white rochets on a black coat they are all shoâ—â— saâ—e a little circle The Order of those of Grandmont is to lead a strait life as Monks use to do to give themselves to Watching Fasting and Prayer to wear a coat of Males upon their bodies and a black