priests onely Cassander writes and Micrologus Cassander praefat ord Romani Microl. de officio Missae cap. 19. Clicthâ—veus on the Canon of the Masse cited by Cassander ibidem and Clicthoveus among many others Circumgestation saith Cassander is contrary to the manner of the Ancients Cassander consult art 22. Feild quo supra for they admitted none to the fight of the Sacrament but the partakers and therefore the rest were bidden depart Crautzius praiseth Cusanus who being the popes Legat in Germany tooke away his Circumgestation vnlesse it were within the Octaues of Corpus Christi day The Sacrament being instituted for vse and not for ostentation Touching the honour of Saints Gerson and Contarenus Gerson de Directione cordis consider 16. sequent Contarenus in confut artic Lutheri and many others reprehend sundry superstitious obseruations and wish they were wisely abolished Whether the Saints in heauen doe particularly know our estate and heare our cryes and grones not onely Saint Augustine August de cura pro mortuis Glossa in Esay 63 Hugo Erudit Theolog. de sacram fidei lib. 2. part 16. cap. 11. and the Author of the Interlineall glosse But Hugo de Sancto victore tels vs it is altogether vncertaine and cannot be knowne So that though in generality they pray for vs or rather for all the Church on earth yet we may not safely and with faith pray to them That in the primitiue Church publike prayers were celebrated in the vulgar tongue Lyra confesseth Lyra in 1. Cor. 14 Caietan in respons ad Articulos Parisienseâ— and Caietan professeth that he thinketh it would bee more for edification if they were so now And he confirmeth his opinion out of Saint Paul Saint Bernard wrote diuers things concerning the now Romish Doctrine touching speciall faith imperfection and impurity of inherent righteousnesse merits power of freewill the conception of the blessed Virgin and the keeping of the feast of her conception a See D. Field Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 89. Bernard serm 5. de verb. Esaiae All our righteousnesse saith he is as the polluted rags of a menstruous woman b Serm. 1. de Annunciat We must beleeue particularly that all our sinnes are remitted vs. c Tract de gratia lib. arb in fine Our workes are via regni not causa regnandi they are the way that leadeth to the kingdome but no cause why we raigne d Epist 175. ad Canonicos Lugd. The blessed Virgin was conceiued in sin and the feast of her conception ought not to be kept So that what errours and abuses we haue amended in our reformed Churches those the learned men of former Ages haue espied and haue written against them and we haue made no other Reformation then they heartily desired For conclusion of this point see what a number of famous men writing and preaching against the corruptions of Rome One Vniuersity afforded and thereby gesse what the world did §. 15. Gabriel Powel de Antichristo Edit Lond. 1605. reckons these Oxford men amongst many others in his Preface 1 King Alfred Founder of Oxford Vniuersity would not haue his people ignorant of Scriptures or bard the reading thereof Anno 880 Capgrav cataloge Sanct Angliae Polydor. Virg hist Ang. lib. 5. Baleus 2 Joannes Patricius Erigena a Brittan first Reader in Oxford ordained by the King wrote a booke of the Eucharist agreeable to Bertrams and condemned after by the Pope in Vercellensi Synodo And he Martyred for it anno 884. Philip. in Chron. lib. 4. sub Henr. 4 Baleus cent 2. cap 24. 3 Some Diuines at Oxford were burnt in the face and banished for saying the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babylon Monkery a stinking carrion their vowes toyes and nurses of Sodome Purgatories Masses dedications of Temples worship of Saints c. inuentions of the Deuill anno 960. Matth. Paris lib. 4. Guido Perpin de haeresib Baleus cent 2. 4 Arnulph or Arnold an English preacher a Monke of Oxford for preaching bitterly against Prelats and Priests wicked liues and corruptions cruelly butchered anno 1126. but saith Platina greatly commended by the Roman Nobility for a true seruant of Christ Bale cent 2. cap. 70. 5 Joannes Sarisburiensis anglus Oxoniensis theologus Episcopus Carnotensis beloued of the Popes Engenius 3. and Hadrian 4. wrote against the abuses of Clergy and Bishops in Objurgatorie Cleri in Polycratico he saith The Scribes and Pharises sit in the Roman Church laying importable burdens on mens shoulders The Pope is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Ita debacchantur ejus legati ac si ad ecclesiam flagellandam egressus sit Satan a facâ—e domini and he that dissents from their doctrine is iudged an Hereticke or a Schismaticke c. 1140. Sarisburien Polycr lib. 5. cap. 16. lib. 6. cap. 24. 6 Gualo Professor of Mathematicks in Oxford much praised of Sarish in Polycrat wrote inuectiues against Priests of the Monkish profession their luxuries pompes and impostures anno 1170. Bale cent 3. cap. 15. 7 Gilbert Foliot Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Bishop first of Hereford and after of London perswaded King Henry 2 after the example of Jehoshaphat and other Kings to keepe the Clergy in subiection and oft resisted and blamed Tho. Becket to his face 1170. Bale ib. cap. 7. 8 Syluester Gyrald Archdeacon Meneuensis beloued of Hen. 2 and Iohn King of England wrote a booke of the Monks Cistertians naughtinesse c. 1200. â—eland catalogo virorum illustrium Bale cent 3 cap. 59. 9 Alexander a Diuine of Oxford sent by King John to defend his authority against the Pope which he did by reasons and Scriptures and wrote against the Popes power and temporall Dominion He was banished by Langton Bishop of Canterbury and dyed in exile he liued anno 1207. when King Iohn banished 64. Monkes of Canterbury for contumary breaking his commandement Bale cent 3 cap. 57. 10 Gualter Maxes Archdeacon of Oxford a famous man hauing been at Rome and seene the ambition of the Pope he set it out while he liued with most vehement satyricall criminations He wrote a booke called The Reuelation of the Romish Goliah and diuers others of the enormity of the Clergy lamentation ouer Bishops and against the Pope the Roman Court the euils of Monkes c. he flourished anno 1210. Siluester Gyrald in spec eccles lib. 3. c. 1. 14 Bale cent 3 cap. 61. 11 Robertus Capito Robert Grosthead Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Bishop of Lincolne wrote against Prelats idlenesse and thundered against the Romish Court he modestly but yet publikely reproued the couetousnesse pride and manifold tyranny of Pope Innocent 4. He was excommunicated to the pit of hell and cited to come to their bloudy Court but he appealed from the Popes tyranny to the eternall tribunall of Iesus Christ and shortly after dyed anno 1253. The Priests that taught mens commandements and not
Vicar or Vicegerent be applyed giuen or sold to whom he thinkes good A quaint deuise but without all this purgatory pardons pilgrimages Masses for the dead c. are to no purpose If Saint Pauls doctrine of Iustification by Christs merits onely stand then haue we no merits if no merits no supâ—rerogation if no super-erogatory merits then no pardons if no pardons surely either no purgatory or no deliuerance by the pope from thence and then a great deale of the popes income is cut off But horresâ—o refâ—rens rather then that earthly treasure be diminished the spirituall and heauenly treasure and worth of Christs merits be diminished the sound Doctrine of Iustification corrupted mans free-will merit supererogation pardons and other gainfull doctrines appendant thereunto deuised magnified and established Saint Paul said 1 Tim. 6.6 9 10. Godlinesse is great gaine these men make great gaine to be godlinesse He saith They that will be rich fall into temptations snares foolish and hurtfull lusts and that the loue of mony is the root of all euill which while some haue coueted after they haue erred from the faith Alas that they that hold the chiefest places in the Church should be of that number §. 13. I omit Crucifixes Beads Amulets Graines Medals and other things of great vertue sent from the pope to be hanged about peoples neckes or otherwise worne about them 1 Cor. 3.12 as defensatiues against euill spirits and other dangers which though they may be thought to be but hay and stubble yet when your Midaâ— hath touched them they are taken for pure gold and of great vertue farre fetched and deare bought §. 14. To omit these and many other things I will speake onely of extraordinary exactions and in our Countrey onely An. Dom. 1245. Regis 29. or especially Matthâ—w of Wâ—stmiâ—stâ—r â—n his booke called Flores Historiarum writing of King Henry the thirds tâ—me saâ—th that the Kâ—ng vpon search through euery County of England found the Romane reuâ—nues to amount to threescore thousand markes by yeare equall to the Kings reuenues And yet the popes exactions were so great besides Pag. 195. that our Nobles made complaints thereof both by words anâ— writing in the Counâ—ell of Lyons shewing the â—ntollerable grieuanâ—es oppressions of the popes Officers most impudently violently done that by the popes Commissâ—on coâ—mand with a non obstante which took away all lawes or rights and authenticke writings The pope for the present put off his answer being busied with excommunicating Fâ—edericke the Emperour But afterwards enraged with anger and disdaine at their complaints he multiplied their oppressions without measure or end So that a Parliament was called to take some course to saue the land from vtter spoyle and ruine of the pope Pag. 206 207. and all men reioyced to see the Kings courage and constancy hoping now they should be powerfully deliuered from the iniuries of the Court of Rome And first seuerall letters were sent to the pope and Cardinals wrâ—tten by the Bishops and by the King and by the Abbots and Priors and by the Earle Richaâ—d and all the Nobles with him all humbly petitioning to spare the exhausted Realme of England and recall the grieuances which in their letters they rehearsed which letters were pennâ—d in such pittifull sort that they were able to soften an heart of yron saith the story But they receiued hard answers Pag. 209 210 217. and drew more misery still vpon them For the pope shortly after demaunded of euery Beneficed man in England resident on his charge a third part and of non residents an halfe of their goods for thâ—ee yeares which prouoked all Christ and in England to hate and curse the pope And diuâ—rs Noblemen of France to wit the Duke of Burgundy the Eâ— le of Britaine the Earle of Saint Pâ—ul and many other conspired against â—im and bâ—gan a Sch sme which tâ—â— puâ—lished in writing which is extent in â—he â—â—ory and in Mâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—erswading all men to reforme and liue after the fashion of the Primitiue Church Anno 1247. But the State and Clergy of England wrote againe to the popâ— and Cardinals for ease from these exactions giuing notice also of a dangerous Shisme else like to follâ—w This caused the pope somewhat to mitigate the exaction in England and draw downe to â—lâ—uen thousand markes to be payed for his present necessities Which summe our Bishops thought best to grant to auoyde the Roman greater persecution But out of this payment they left out all the Abbots of England pag. 219. to be deeplier fleeced by the Court of Rome At the same time also the pope got vp sixe thousand markes in Jreland and in other Countries what could be raked vp pag. 210 After all this new exactions came vpon the English especially vpon the Abbots and exempted persons pag. 222. Of one Abbey of S. Albans the popes Officer demaunded foure hundred markes which yet the pope was afterward induced to mitigate Math. Paris in vlla Henrici tertij See also Speeds Chron. in Henry 3. nu 52 57 60. anno 1234. In the same Kings raigne Mathy Paris saith that by the popes mandata de prouidendo for illiterate Italian Clerkes and Gratiae expectativae to wit in giuing Benefices as they fell voyd to Italians that neuer came at them but had the yearely reuenues thereof in mony brought into Jtaly to them there went out of the land yearely more treasure then the Kings reuenues amounted vnto And because it was not possible that the English of themselues should be alwayes funished with money to be sent in such summes out of the land the popes Merchants as they called them that is men sent hither for that purpose supplied them with money vpon vsury and the Roman Farmers and Proctors like greedy Harpies scraped vp all into their hands to the great impouerishing and misery of the English So that holy men with heart-breakings teares and deadly groanes singultu cruentato saith Paris professed it were better for them to die then to see such miseries vpon their Nation and vpon holy men the Daughter of Sion becomming such an impudent Harlot Against which Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne opposeth himselfe writing to the Pope his Epistle is extant in Mathy Paris that his detestable abhominable soule-murdering actions did euince him to be an Hereticke worthy of death yea to be Antichrist and to sit in the chaire of pestilence next to Lucifer h mselfe and that he had no power to excommunicate such as resisted these his actions Paris telleth further that King Henrie requiring the Prelates to binde themselues to the Popes Merchants for a great summe of money they replyed English Prelats counted it rather Martyrdome to dye against the Pope then for him that they would rather dye then suffer such oppression holding it a more manifest Martyrdome to dye in such a cause then was the death of Thomas Becket
that the pope and his Clergy haue engrossed the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen into their custody and neither enter themselues nor suffer others to enter he disallowed Transubstantiation Masses Offices Canonicall houres and other Battologies from Baptisme he remoued the Chrisme and taught that the faithfull ought to be baptized with simple water as Christ did he disallowed Auricular confession the papists doctrine of penance satisfaction and worship of Relickes and the Inuocation of Saints whom he called Seruants not Gods for the word Knaue which he vsed signified in those dayes a seruant not as it doth in our dayes a wicked Varlet as his enemies malitiously interpret it Bellarmine for one a man vtterly ignorant of the English tongue Hee reiected humane rites new shadowes and traditions he denyed it to be lawfull for any man to adde any thing to the religion contained in holy Scriptures and to make it harder as hee complained the pope had done hee thought fit that the pallaces and all that pompe and maiesty of the Pope and also diuers degrees of the Spiritualty should be taken away he condemned the orders of Monks as superstitious impious and very hurtfull to true Religion and said they were to be forsaken as soone as could be he defended the holy Communion in both kindes he wrote as Aeneas Sylvius witnesseth aboue two hundred volumes mostwhat against the impious liues traditions and abuses of the Popes Monkes and Clergy for which he liued a while in banishment but at last being restored he had many fauourers as appeateth by the writings of Walden Knights and Peeres of the Land who in places vnder their gouernment abolished Images and cast out other rites of the Popes He flourished anno Dom. 1360. See Bale century 6. chap 1. These were the points of doctrine which Wiclife taught for which and other such like fathered vpon him he was condemned by the Councell of Constance forty yeeres after he was dead and his bones digged vp and burned D. Abbot contra Hill reason 1. §. 25. Histor Waldens lib. 2. cap. 12. His preaching while he liued was euident and so powerfull that beside the Vniuersity of Oxford it gained him many great fauourers of the Nobility as John of Gaunt and the Lord Henry Percy the one Duke of Lancaster the other Marshall of England Fox ex Regisiro Ceâ—â—tney Aot Parlam An. 5. Rich. 2. cap. 5. also Lewis Gifford and the Chancellour the Earle of Salisbury and in a manner all the inferiour people among whom it was preached in many places in Churches Churchyards Markets Faires and other places of great Congregations so generally commonly publikely with such plainnesse and euidency of the truth and notoriousnesse of the abuses which he reprooued that it wonne all mens assent and liking and tooke so large and deep root that it could not be rooted out Gabriel Powel De Antichristo edit Lond. 1605. in praefatione by all the meanes that for many yeeres after his death the popes Princes Bishops and their officers could deuise or vse Gabriel Powel reckons vp a great number of Diuines of that one Vniuersity of Oxford beside all others that from time to time and age to age euen to Luthers time maintained Wiclifes doctrine in England and many of them were persecused and put to death for it of which number these are some Vtred Bolton anno 1380. Io. Bale cent 6. cap. 85. and John Ashwarby fellow of Oriel Colledge Doctor of Diuinity Pastor of S. Maries in Oxford both of them much troubled for preaching and promoting Wiclifes doctrine the same yeere anno 1380. Iohn Ashton Fellow of Merton Colledge anno 1382. Ib. cap. 78. persecuted and finally condemned to perpetuall prison Philip Repington of Merton Colledge Ib. cap 90. afterwards Bishop of Lincolne 1382. Nicholas Herford Doctor of Diuinity Jb. cap 92. he taught that there was nothing in Wiclifes Doctrine disagreeing from the holy Scriptures 1382. Walter Brute of Merton Colledge Ex catalogo sociorum Merton Fox act tom â— Bale cenâ— â— cap. 2. ib. cap. 10. persecuted by the Bishop of Hereford 1390. Peter Pateshal preached Wiclifes doctrine ordinarily at London and in the Court auoyded persecution by flying into Bohemia 1390. At the same time Richard With of Merton Colledge preached the same doctrine Henry Crumpe an Irish man Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Ib. cent 14. cap. 58. Ex Waldeni fasciculo zizaniorum first an aduersary to Wiclife but after conuicted by his doctrine taught it boldly and being therefore persecuted by the Bishops fled into Ireland and there was long imprisoned by a Bishop 1393. Catal. sociorum Mert. Richard Wimbleton Fellow of Merton Colledge 1394. Fox act monu William Sawtrer a Diuine of Oxford imprisoned degraded and finally burned by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury 1400. Fox tom 1. William Swinderby of Kings Colledge in Oxford after preacher at Leicester taught Wiclifes doctrine being maintained by the Inhabitants against their Bishops will at last taken was compelled to recant but shortly after repenting and gathering strength and renuing his doctrine he was burned in Smithfield 1401. Walsing in chron Thomas Ocleue maintained the doctrine of Wiclife and Berengarius publikely in the schooles at Oxford 1410. Ludovic Rabus in 3 parte de martyr Fox to â—1 Fox ib. William Thorp Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford examined imprisoned and there secretly put to death by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury 1407. Laurence Redman Dauid Sawtrey William Iames Thomas Brightwell William Hawlam Radulph Greenhurst Iohn Schut grieuously persecuted by the popes friends 1420. Capgraue lib. 1. de nobilibus Hen. Fox tom 1. Sir Iohn Oldcastle Lord Cobham student in Oxford vnder William Thorp after many warres and victories for his Prince and Countrey imbracing Wiclifes doctrine with other Lords and Knights Iohn Clenborow Lewis Clifford Richard Sture Thomas Latimer William Neuel John Montacute he was lastly accused before the Archbishop of Canterbury and finally condemned and burned in Saint Giles fields 1417. Puruey in com in Apoc. Bale cent 7. cap. 50. John Puruey who wrote a learned Commentary vpon the Reuelation reprouing the pope as Antichrist and the Babylonian whore complained that many before him who had oppugned this spirituall Babylon had bin imprisoned killed and their bookes burnt and that none was suffered to preach but such as first sware obedience to the pope He was secretly made away in prison by the Archbishops appointment 1421. William White Fellow of Wickam Colledge Fox tom 1. for his preaching was taken by the Archbishop and compelled to recant 1424. but quickly repenting and publikely confessing his weaknesse and inconstancy with great lamentation and renuing his former doctrine at last hee was taken and condemned to the fire by the Bishop of Norwich 1428. Richard Wiche Fellow of Wickam Colledge Ibid. burnt for the like profession 1428. Peter Clerke an Oxford Diuine
Edwards dayes as appeareth both by your Doctor Sanders confession l Sanders de schism lib. 3. pag. 297. And by our publicke Records or Registers m Extracted published in Mr. Masons booke Ridley 1547. Ferrar 1549. Hooper 1550. Poynet 1550. Scory and Couerdale 1551. In whose consecrations good and fit prayers were vsed and all necessary ceremonies as of imposition of hands c. Auoyding onely vnnecessary superfluous superstitions Ceremonies as we call them which your owne men confesse to be accidentall things onely and not touching the essence of orders without which orders may well stand and be prefect enough Of Queene Maries time you make no doubt all was according to your minde all the Bishops and Priests were true and Canonicall and might well deliuer the like to posterity I speake this ex concessis And of Queene Elizabeths time you haue as little reason to doubt Sect. 7. Antiq. Yes for in the very beginning of Queene Elizabeths time some Bishops were depriued See Arnâ—ls of Elizabeth Engglish Darâ—â— pag. 32. and the rest denyed to consecrate new ones So that for the consecration of D. Parker Archbishop of Canterbury there could not be found Bishops to do it D. Sanders saith you had neither 3 nor 2 Bishps to do it D. Kellison saith you could finde none Antiquissimus This is a shameles vntruth For when the Deane and Chapter had elected D. Parker for their Archbishops according to the ancient and inuiolated custome of the Church as the Record n Register Mat. Parker saith the Queene sent her letters Patents to seuen Bishops giuing commission that they or at least foure of them should consecrate him c And foure of them did it accordingly the 17 of December 1559. To wit William Barlow and Iohn Hodgskins both made Bishops in King Henries Dayes and John Scory and Miles Couerdale made Bishops in King Edwards dayes Antiq. There may be some doubt whether these were Bishops or no because they fled and left their Bishoprickes in Queene Maries dayes and other Bishops were placed in their roomes Antiquissimus These prelats did but as Athanasius and many other holy Bishops did in the dangerous times of the domineering Arrians Matth. 10. â—3 who according to Christs precept fled to saue their liues and reserue their gifts to better times But as Athanasius and those otâ—er Bishops were still accounted the true Bishops and those that were set vp in their roomes were accounted vsurpers and put downe when those better times came and the other true Bishops restored to their places so at the comming of Elizabeths happy times these Bishops that fled were recalled returned and restored to their former places or preferred to other Now except you will condemne that most worthy Athanasius and the other for no Bishops in the time of their exile when others had their places you cannot reiect these worthy men as no Bishops their case being the same with those ancient Bishops And of all other you should least quarrell at these things For you know there are many in your Roman Church both Bishops and Priests which haue no particular places Bishoprickes or Benefices and yet you account them true Bishops and Priests Such was Olaus Magnus Archiepiscopus Vpsalensis o Gentil in Examine and blind Robert Archiepiscopus Armachanus p Jdem ib. Who both were sent by the Pope to the Councell of Trent to fill vp the number of Bishops q Sleidan com lib. 17. And Robert King entituled Episcopus Roanensis r Goodwin Catalogo in the Archbishoprick of Athens in Grecia vnder the Turke and many the like And your innumerable Priests without Benefices sent into England and other Countries Your owne Bellarmine saith Å¿ Bellar. De Sacram conf lib. 2. cap. 12. in fine Respondeo Suffraganeos esse verè episcopos quia ordinationem habent iurisdictionem licet careant possessione pro priae ecclesia They are true Bishops which haue ordination and Iurisdiction though they want the possession of their proper Church And this also warranteth our Suffragan Bishops wherof we had some in later times who had both due consecration by three Bishops and also Iurisdiction though not very large as other Bishops had t By the statute of 26. H. 8. c. 14. Antiquus Since you haue so well satisfied mee of Archbishop Parkers consecration when true Bishops willing to put to their hands were so hard to be found I need not doubt of the rest of al the Bishops the in more plentifull reignes of Queene Elizâ—beth or King Iames since D. Sanders u Sanders de schism lib. 3. pag 297. confesseth that the Law of King Henry 8 for consecration by three Bishops was reuiued by Queene Elizabeth and standeth in force and hath been very duely obserued in these later times Antiquissimus If you desire yet fuller satisfaction you may see the Consecrations of the Bishops in both these Princes raignes set downe largely in Master Masons booke together with a deriuation of the Episcopall line from the Bishops of King Henry 8 which you acknowledge to be Canonicall vnto George now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury with the dayes and yeares when euery of them and their Consecrators were consecrated euer more by three former Bishops and sometimes by foure or more I conclude with Bishop Andrewes answere to Bellarmine Eliensis Responsio ad Bellarmini Apologiam contra Praefationem monitoriam Iacobi Regis cap. 7. pag. 168. Our Bishops haue been alwayes ordayned by three true Bishops Bishops not as you sometimes against the CanoÌ„s by abbots Also by true Bishops euen your Bishops except yours be not true This Canon was neuer violated by vs nor that order euer interrupted And in our Bishops there is res Episcopi non nomen solum et opus non opes the office and not onely the benefice Which they performe much more frequently and diligently then yours doe Sect. 8. Antiquus I haue been very much wronged and abused with the contrary opinion which our teacherr hold so confidently and vrge so vehemently with such seeming certaine knowledge of the trueth that I thought it a shame to doubt of it And I confesse it was one principall cause of my alienation from hearing or regarding your Ministers whom otherwise I knew to be very honest and learned men Antiquissimus You may see by this how mens mindes leauened with malice will Imagine euill without cause and how mightily their passions and affections transport them to receiue vayne surmises for truest oracles and vent them for arguments vnanswerable This may occasion you to suspect their dealing in other things And as you do wisely and religiously to yeeld to the manifest truth grâ—euing that you haue been abused by the vnskilfull or deluded by the willfull euill teachers so I hope when others see the same truth they will be stayed from falling and they that haue fallen be restored to the bosome of their naturall
troubles enough from the Papacy euen in these remote parts farre from Rome after the thousandth yeer of Christ that is after the loosing of Sathan Reuel cap. 20.7 8. and after that the Pope came to his height Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury did somewhat trouble King Henry the first for whereas in former times the Bishops and Abbots of England vsed to receiue their Inuestitures from the King by receiuing a Pastorall Staffe and Ring at his hand as Saint Wulstan had done from St. Edward the King professing thereby he would resigne it onely to him now Anselme refused to consecrate certaine Bishops whom the King aduanced and gaue them their Inuestitures so that the King was compelled to send an Embassage to the Pope Paschalis and before him to pleade his cause as Anselme also did his in like manner But this matter was indifferently quietly ended for the Pope by the mediation of white and red saith a Monke the historian was content to confirme the Bishops but ordained withall that the King should doe so no more that is that the King should lose the priuiledge of his Ancestors This was done Anno dom 1104. Anselme died Henries primi anno 11. Speed Chron. pag. 457. But Thomas Becket being made first Lord Chancelor and afterwards Archbishop by the fauour of King Henry 2. troubled the King much more for the King being informed of much misdemeanour of Clergy men who besides other offences had committed an hundred murders in his raigne and that they were not punished nor degraded by the Bishops but shifted away into Abbeyes or otherwayes defended so that the wronged had no remedy the wrong-doers no punishment true innocent men no safety and none of them were in condition of subiects the King required such to be punished by his Lawes and to haue the customes of his Ancestors obserued whereunto all the Bishops assented but onely Becket who not only resisted but complained of the King to Pope Alexander and Alexander at first desiring to hold the Kings loue willed Becket to yeeld and Becket so promised to the King absolutely But when the King assembled his States at Clarendon in Wiltshire Becket relapsed and said hee had grieuously sinned in promising but would not sinne in performing yet at the instance and teares of many Noble persons and others priuately intreating him for the good of the whole land he yeelded againe and promised in verbo sacerdotali to obserue all and all the Earles Bishops Abbots and Clergy did sweare and promise the like but when hee should set his hand and seale to a writing thereof hee refused againe Of all this the King by Embassage enformed the Pope desiring a legantiue power to be sent to the B. of Yorke which the Pope vnwillingly granted and withall made it so slight that the King in disdaine sent the Bull backe againe to the Pope Then was Becket required to giue an account of his Chancelorship which he refused to doe and to come vnto the King and being told he would be condemned of periury and treason for not yeelding temporall alleagiance to his temporall Soueraigne as hee had sworne and that the Prelates would disclayme all obedience vnto him as their Archbishop hee caused to bee sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speake against mee and the vngodly persecute me And forthwith taking his siluer Crosier in his hands went armed into the Kings presence Whereat the King inraged caused his Peeres to proceed in iudgement against him they condemne him to prison for treason and periury he appeales to Rome and away gets him into France procures the French Kings fauour and by him the Popes To the Pope the King sends a Noble Embassage desiring to haue two Cardinalls sent into England to end the matter The Pope denies it reseruing the iudgment to himselfe The King by his Sherifs Sequesters all Beckets profits in England Becket in France excommunicates all in England that maintained the Auitall or ancient customes naming some great men The King fearing his owne excommunication gathers a great Army pretending to subdue Wales Meane season the Pope is perswaded to send two Cardinalls but they cannot perswade Becket to yeeld any thing and so that designe for peace was frustrate At length the two Kings of France and England being reconciled met in France before whom Becket being called and earnestly dealt withall would not yeeld any thing so that all men blamed him The Pope willed Gilbert B. of London to admonish the King to giue ouer hee did so but excused the King to the Pope The Pope excommunicates Gilbert and went so farre that the King had scarce one left to reade diuine Seruice in his Chappell The King prayes the Pope to send two Cardinals to absolue his subiects and to make peace Two come into Normandy but returne without possibility of doing any good because Becket would not yeeld a iot At last by the Popes mediation the two Kings met at Paris where King Henry offered to stand to the iudgement of the Diuines of Paris but no peace would be had After all this the King crowned his sonne the Archbishop of Yorke supplying Canterburies absence And in the beginning of the seuenth yeere of the banishment of Becket the two Kings met againe in France and the King fearing the whole Realmes interdiction by the Pope receiued Becket into fauour yeelding him his Bishopricke with all the profits and arrearages and signified it to his sonne in England Now Becket Archbishop in England shortly after published the Popes letters suspending the Archbishop of Yorke for crowning the young King which was Canterburies office with all his adiuuants and would not absolue them but vpon conditions at the earnest request of the young King which the Father King hearing in Normandy was sore displeased and shewed it by some words which foure Knights Courtiers hearing and thinking to doe a great pleasure to the King and to ease the Kingdome of much trouble posted into England and at Canterbury the next day after Innocents day killed the Archbishop at the high Altar and fled into the North. The old King was exceeding sorrowfull at the newes of this murder and sent to the Pope desiring him to send Cardinalls to enquire of the murder to whose wils he would submit himselfe if he could be found consenting Here obserue 1. What these customes were which Becket withstood 1 That without the Kings licence none should appeale from the Courts of England to the Court of Rome 2 That no Bishop nor Archbishop should leaue their Flocke and goe to Rome without the Kings license 3 That they should not interdict nor excommunicate any officer or such as held on the King in chiefe without the Kings licence 4 That Clerkes accused for secular offences should bee tried before secular Iudges 2. Obserue that these Customes besides profitable and necessary were also ancient and so termed but now shortly after Hildebrands time must be altered Kings and States depressed and
the Pope aboue all former times exalted 3. Obserue If Becket had stood for the substance of Religion or any necessary point thereof it had beene a worthy which now was a wicked part but his standing for matters against the good and peace of the Church and Common-wealth and them ancient and well established and that with obstinâ—cy against the iudgement not onely of the King Bishops and Nobles at home but euen of the Pope himselfe at the first the Cardinalls the King of France the Vniuersity of Parts and as I may say all the world argued his exceeding folly pride and peeuishnesse 4 Obserue that euen the best sort of Popes against their owne knowledge and inclination may be drawn by their Counsellors and flatterers and by the tickling desire of wealth and greatnesse to take parâ— countenance and backe most obstinate rebells periured persons and vntollerable troublers of Church and Common wealth yea to defend them while they liue and Saint them after their death Thus King Henry was troubled much by the Romish Hierarchy but King Iohn much more It appeares by this which hath beene said Flores historiarum Matthaei West monast l. 2. p 81 anno 1205 that there had beene troubles about the ancient customes libertie of Princes in the English Church which the Kings stroue still to maintaine and the Popes to infringe whereof one was that no Bishop should bee elected and inuested without the Kings consent in his owne dominions which King Iohn maintained as his predecessors had done It hapned in the seuenth yeere of his raigne that Hubert the Archbishop of Canterbury dyed and the Monks of Canterbury secretly in the night chose Reginald their Sub-prior and brought him in with Te Deum first to the high Altar and then to the Archbishops chayre and presently causing him to sweare secresie sent him with some of their company to the Pope to see how it would be taken but the Pope seeing no letters commendatory from the King made some stay and tooke time to deliberate In the meane season the Monks at home hearing of this delay and finding that Reginald in his way towards Rome had carried himselfe as Archbishop elected and so published their secrets now repenting their euill choyse and bad successe sent to the King and craued license to chuse a new Archbishop whom the King would commend The King winking at their former iniury tooke this kindly and commended vnto their choyse Iohn Grey Bishop of Norwich and brought him to Canterbury himselfe and the Monks in the Kings presence very solemnely chose him put him into the Archbishops seate and the King put him into all the Archbishops possessions writing to the Pope to accept him Had the Pope beene a pious Father of the Church as you describe him giuen to seek peace and ensue it Rom. 12. as much as in him lay he might haue beene well pleased with this peaceable course but hee was led by the spirit of Hildebrand not of Peter and Paul and tooke a course that there might be no peace and that the people might not vnder their natural Kings leade a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim 2. For he would neither accept of Reginald nor Iohn but vrged the Monks that were sent vnto him to chuse a third one Steuen Langton and against all excuses commanded them vpon their obedience and vnder payne of Anathema to doe it presently Whereupon they all yeelded except onely one Elias de Brantfield who still stucke to the King and to the election of the Bishop of Norwich a man worthy of honourable memory for his constant standing though standing alone in danger and to the Popes face to the right to his Prince to the good and liberty of the Church The rest with the Hymn brought Langton to the Altar and the Pope wrote to the King to receiue him B. Caritou iuris c. 7. §. 124. The King was herewith much moued because Steuen Langton though an Englishman born was brought vp vnder the French King promoted by him and tyed to be at his command And therefore King Iohn wrote to the Pope that he had no reason to admit such a one as Langton to such a great place in his kingdome And withall hee banished the Monks that had chosen Langton as traytors and confiscated their goods This was done vpon Saint Swithens day Mat. Westmonast vbi supra The Innocent Pope Pope Innocent the third who about the same time excommunicated Otho 4. Emperour and discharged the States of Almaine and of the Empire from their alleageance vnto him being set on fire with this news sent to the Bishops of England commanding them to put the King and his land vnder the sentence of interdiction which was executed the 24. of March by the Bishops of London Ely and Wigorne who now turned plainely subiects to the Pope and leauing England fled to Rome The King for this cause of Interdict whereby himselfe and his whole land stood accursed commanded all the goods of the Clerks to bee confiscate and theÌ„ drew as many as he could of his people to an oath of alleageance The Pope proceeds to excommunicate the King by name and finally to pronounce sentence of deposition against him discharging all his subiects of their oath of alleagiance vnto him sending also Pandulph his Legate first into England and then to Philip Augustus King of France to bestow vpon him the kingdome of England so that hee would expell King Iohn and take it by force By this meanes King Iohn was strangely and suddenly weakened and vtterly disabled to hold his kingdome seeing strong inuasions from without and daily reuolting within to open insurrections and euery man now counted a Saint and Martyr that would fight or suffer in wars against him considering that the Popes Bulles like Magike spelles had let loose many turbulent spirits not easie to be layd againe but by him that raised them After much strugling he was finally compelled to deliuer vp his Crown to Pandolph that he might receiue it againe from him as from the Popes hands and be protected hy him And this was done in the 15. yeere of King Iohns reygne anno dom 1213. And Steuen Langton made Archbishop Thus the King became the Popes vassall and the King of France forbidden by the Popes Nuncio to meddle any further against him K. Iames Remonstrance pag. 256. being now the Popes liege man whom he would protect And now Iohn held his Crowne of the Pope as a man holds his land of another in Knights seruice or by homage and fealty and did faire homage to the Popes Legate laying downe at his feet a great masse of the purest gold in coyne which the reuerend Legate in token of his Masters Soueraignty kicked and spurned with his feet and at solemne feasts was easily entreated to take the Kings Chayre of estate Obserue here first The progresse of the Hildebrandine Religion in deposing of
Kings Princes and Nations and of the whole Church their hopes should not haue beene so often deluded who sought and promised to themselues at least some tollerable reformation from him neither should there haue beene such a Rent among the Churches of Europe when euery Nation seeing Rome would doe nothing was constrained to looke to it selfe and make if not a perfect reformation yet as good as it could and as neere to the Word of God and the custome of the Primitiue Church as time and meanes would afford For if it be obiected that the intended Reformation is not perfect as appeareth by the differences of some Reformed Churches yet surely first th◠Reformers mindes were good who with all their hearts and endeuours sought it and secondly the coniunction of all Nations Wits Learning and other meanes by a free generall Councell which might ouer-rule the Pope and all other particulars was onely hindred by the Pope and his Faction But 3 surely the Reformation was most laudable and necessary if it had effected no more but this as one of them wrote in answere to Cardinalll Sadolet that they freed themselues from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and had constituted in their Countries somewhat better forme of the Church which before was most vntollerable both to Princes and People Such a Reformation as many former Ages had with greeuous sighes and grones wished and desired hungred and thirsted after but all in vaine because the truth in Europe had not yet shined out of darknesse of which our Sauiour had said ye shall know the truth Ioh. 8.32 and the truth shall set you free Therefore 1 Our late Princes 2 all the orders of the Kingdome and 3 all the people haue seene and felt the goodnesse of God and are bound to be most thankfull to him except they be of all men the most insensible and vngratefull for their great blessing following the Reformation of Religion in England 1 The Princes that they reigne now in their owne right they are not the liege-men and Vassals of the Pope that haue not their kingdome Precariò at the pleasure of another as Bayliffes of another mans inheritance that they and their Reuerend Clergy are at vnity neither fearing excommunications nor depositions from other that they diuide the care of placing Ministers with their Bishops challenging to themselues without feare that part which is due to them and concerneth the temporalls and leauing that part of the care to the Bishops which toucheth spirituals and all things which proue them to be true Kings For this blessing Kings are behoulden to Gods truth which is a friend to them which establisheth them and is with all care and diligence by them to be established Alas for those former times Inas See Polydor hist Angl. lib. 5. pag. 86. wherein amongst our Kings glorious Ancestors one led away with blinde superstition hauing zeale but not according to knowledge did of his owne accord when no necessity compelled him make his Kingdome tributary to Gregory the third King Iohn Bishop of Rome Another brought into desperation by aduerse crosses yeelded vp his Kingdome of England and Ireland to Pope Innocent 3. By whom he had bene miserably embroyled and was compelled to be content to be the Popes steward or Baily O horrid blindnesse of those times O sucessors of Peter egregiously resembling Peter in their doings O what a griefe surprized not onely the Barons Nobles and all subjects of the Realme but also the Kings and Princes throughout Europe as euery one was more wise and better then other to see the fall so heauy so foule of so great a Prince The speaches which some of them vttered at the newes of so inhumane example are committed to writing for perpetuall memory as witnesses also of their most iust both indignation and amazement Yea the speach of that vnfortunate King is extant in the writers of those times most worthy to be deeply setled in all Princes hearts After that I was reconciled to God saith hee and subjected my selfe and my Kingdomes alas for sorrow to the Roman Church nothing came to me prosperous But al things contrary Post quā ut dixi Deo reconciliatus me ac mea regna proh dolor Romana subjeci ecclesiae nulla mihi prospera sed contraria omnia aduenerunt 2 The Clergy and people of England liue happily The Bishops elect neede not run beyond the Alpes to buy their confirmation of the Pope for great summes of money nor purchase their Palles with the waight of gold nor run to Rome euery 3 yeares or as oft as the Pope list that is as oft as he thirsteth after English coyne Now they haue no such care as in times past the Bishops of England had to take vp the best benefices for Italians In which benefices as Mathy Paris saith neither lawes nor order were kept nor releefe for the poore nor hospitality nor preaching of Gods word nor necessary ornaments or repair of Churches nor care of soules nor diuine or deuout prayers as was fit and as was accustomed in the country but in their buildings the walles and roofes fell downe or were pitifully rent and torne Now the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury feareth not new Bulles from the Pope to suspend him from collating any benefices vntil 300 Romans be prouided for by benefices next falling void as it fell out anno 1239 to Edmund the Archbishop by Buls sent from Gregory 9. The Pope hauing promised it to the Roman citizens who at that time little fauored him 3 The Ecclesiasticall controuersies arising in England by a very ancient Canon wherof S. Cyprian also maketh mention are determined in England The collectors of Peter pence and other contributions the Roman visitors proctors and farmers the Marchants of Indulgences or pardons to men according to their wealth the dispencers of vowes and Institors of legitimation to make men capable of orders the Caursine Vsurers that liued at Rome but drew thither all the wealth of England lending to English Nobles others vpon morgage of their lands or other extreme vsuries money to satisfy the Pope and his Harpies The bringers of Buls for new extortions The witty Mice-catchers Muscipulatores as the Story cals them such as Petrus Rubeus and many others conning Artificers to drain money from men for the Pope and sixe hundred such like greedy and greeuous Arts by the vnvtterable benefit of the truth of Religion their names are now scarse heard of and should be vtterly vnknowne were it not for the monuments and histories of former ages Neither doth now any Legat à latere any messenger from the Popes side exercise any Rauin for money in England as many did heretofore and some with execrable hunger of gold as we read of one of them Otto sent by Gregory 9 who after three yeeres raking together of money by most detestable Artes at last departing hence left not so much money in the whole Kingdome as he either carried with
mid-day in the open light come to deceiue the residue that still are in Christ persisting in their simplicity For he hath supped vp the riuers of wise men and torrents of powerfull men Iob 40.23 and hath hope that Jordan will run in his mouth that is The humble and simple that are in the Church For he is Antechrist which counterfetteth himselfe to be not onely the day 2 Thess 2.4 8. but the midday and extols himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as God whom the Lord Iesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy in the appearing of his comming Bern. in Psal 90. vel 91. ser 6. This conclusion also he repeats writing vpon the Psalme Qui habitat Superest vt reueletur homo peccati c. It remaineth that the Man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition Daemonium non modo diurnum sed meridianum quod non solum transfiguratur in Angelum lucis sed extollitur super omne quod dictur Deus aut quod colitur c. Bern. serm 1. in convers Pauli And elsewhere Saint Bernard makes his complaint to God O God thy neere friends come neere to stand against thee The whole Vniueâ—sity of Christian people from the least to the greatest seeme to haue conspired against thee From the sole of the feet to the crowne of the head there is no soundnesse Iniquity is gone out from the elder Iudges thy Vicars Of Bernard see more in D. â—â—eld Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 88 89. which seem to rule thy people and now we cannot say such people such Priest for the people are not so as the Priest Alas alas O Lord God those are the first chiefe in persecution who seeme to loue and beare the first and chiefe place in thy Church c. Johannes Sarisburiensis told Hadrian the fourth Joh Sarisbur in Policratic lib. 6. cap. 24. plainly what the world thought of him and his Prelats that the Roman Church shewed her selfe not a mother but a step mother to all other Churches For in it sit the Scribes and Pharises laying importable burdens vpon mens shoulders which themselues will not touch with one finger They hurt very oft and herein they follow the Deuils which then are thought to doe good when they cease to doe harme except a very few who performe the name and office of Pastors Sed ipse Romanus Pontifex omnibus grauis fere intolerabilis est that is euen the Bishop of Rome himselfe is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Aliacus de Reformatione Ecclesiae Caesarius Heisterbach hist lib. 2. cap. 29. These times were euill the succeeding much worse Of which Petrus de Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray said It was a prouerbe in his time Ad hunc statum venit Romana ecclesia vt non esset digna regi nisi per reprobos The Church of Rome was come to that state that it was not worthy to be gouerned but onely by Reprobates Robert Grosthead Matth. Paris in Henric. 3. See this History abridged in D. Field church appendix part 1. pag. 97. B. Carlton Iurisd cap. 8. §. 111. a very learned and holy Bishop of Lincolne liuing anno 1140. wrote sharpely to the Pope for the euils he did specially in England that he was opposite to Christ a murderer of soules and an Hereticke in these his courses c. Vpon receit of which letters the Pope was exceedingly moued threatning to cast downe this Bishop into the pit of all confusion but was pâ—câ—fied by the more moderate Cardinals telling him of this Bishops holinesse learning reputation and since there must be a departure from their Church the medling with such an excellent man might occasion it the things which he proued being full and manifest Archb. Abboâ— contra Hill reason 1. §. 28. William Ockam an Englishman a great Schooleman liuing anno 1320. for his large reproofe of the Papacy in many points in his bookes he was excommunicated by the pope and dyed willingly vnder that sentence Catalog testium verit lib 18. D. Field ch l. 3. c. 11. He cryed out of peruerting Scriptures Fathers and Canons of the Church with shamelesse and Harlots foreheads and that many that should be pillars of the Church did cast themselues headlong into the pit of Heresies See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 1. §. 11. Michael Cesenas liued anno 1320. he was generall of the Order of the Minorites he wrote against three constitutions of Pope Iohn 22. and was by Iohn depriued and disabled from taking any other dignity but Cesena appealed from the Pope as from the head of faction in the Church to the Roman Catholicke and Apostolicke Church and was fauoured therein by Ockam and many famous learned men and by the two Vniuersities of Oxford and Paris Nicholas Clemangis Archidiaconus Baiocensis liuing anno 1417. in his booke De corupto Ecclesiae statu writes very sharpely against the Popes ambition and couetousnesse preying vpon all Churches and bringing them into miserable slauery and against the stately Cardinals and other vices of the Clergy Gerson lib. de concil o vnius obedientiae and in many other bookes John Gerson Chancellor of Paris anno 1429. writes the like wishing that all things should be reformed and brought backe to their ancient state in or neere the Apostles times Of Gersons doctrine see D. Field Appendix to the fifth booke of the Church part 2. p. 73. seq Petrus de Aliaco Cardinalis Cameracensis liuing about the same time wrote to the Councell of Constance a booke wherin he reprooueth many notable abuses of the Romanists and giueth aduice how to redresse them Arch. Abbot ibid. §. 13. Laurentius Valla a Patricias of Rome and Canon of Saint Iohns of Lateran liuing about the same time wrote against the forged Donation of Constantine and many abuses of the Pope and was by the Pope driuen into exile I might here speake of Leonardus Aretinus Antonius Cornelius Lynnichanus and diuers other writers reprouing the same things §. 13. Antiquus Let them alone for these whom you haue alledged speake not of any false doctrines of the Church of Rome but onely against the wicked liues of the Professors Antiquissimus Yes against both and especially because they laboured by false doctrine to iustifie their doings and therefore they write not onely against the Pope but against the Papacy the very office that challenged a right to doe such things as the Pope and his Clergy did The two Cardinals Cameracensis and Cusanus Camer in his booke to the Councell of Constance Cusanus Concord Cathol lib. 2. wholly condemned the Papacy as we do denying the Popes vniuersality of Iurisdiction vncontroulable power infallible iudgement and right to meddle with Princes states making him nothing but the first Bishop in order and honour amongst the Bishops of the Christian Church And this claimed power of the Pope
Gods he called Antichrists Satans priests theeues murderers of soules spirits of darknesse and their exemptions by the Pope he said were the nets of the Diuell Matth. Paris cals him Magnus Ecclesiae Doctor skilfull in the Hebrew Greeke and Latin Triuetus cals him A man of excellent wisedome most pure life and incomparable patterne of all vertues 1253. Bale cent 4. cap. 18. 12 Sevaldus Sebald Archbishop of Yorke wrastled constantly against the tyranny of the Romish Court He thought the Pope was permitted of God for the great hurt of many He wrote to the Pope in great griefe to abstaine from his accustomed tyranny and to follow the humility of his holy Predecessors and after Peters examples to feed not to clip flea bowel deuour consume Christs sheepe but the Pope contemned his admonition he dyed 1258. Matth. Paris in Hen. 3. anno 1258. Bale cent 4. cap. 23. 13 William Stengham Doctor wrote for the sufficiency of the New Testament onely for saluation against the Evangelium eternum He flourished anno 1260. Bale cent 4 c. 17. 14 Roger Bacon Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford a great Philosopher and Diuine without Necromancy saith Bale spake so much against the Antichristian errours of his time that Pope Nicholas the 4. condemned his doctrine and imprisoned him Antonius in Chron. he flourished an 1270. Bale cent 4. cap. 55. 15 Ioannes Dominicus Scotus an English man of Merton Colledge a great Schoolman and called Doctor subtilis he taught against the abuse of the Keyes and that Transubstantiation could not be proued neither by Scriptures or true Reasons as Bellarmine confesseth he flourished 1290. Scotus 4 cent dist 18. 16 John Baronthorp Doctor and publicke Reader of Diuinity in Oxford called Doctor resolutus He taught that the Pope was to be vnder the Emperour and Kings He reuiled the deceits and impostures of Antichrist flourished 1320. as appeares in his booke De Christi dominio Jac. Papiens l. de H. 8. diuortio Bale c. 5. 17 Nicolaus Lyranus an English man of the Iewes linage a Diuine of Oxford amongst other things hee wrote a Booke De visione Dei against the Pope anno 1326. Iean Wolphius tomo 1. lect memorab in anno 1326. 18 William Ockam Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford called Doctor singularis and after Doctor invincibilis wrote against Pope Ioh. 23 and against Pope Clement charging him with heresie and calling him Antichrist hater of Christian pouerty and enemy to the Common-wealth he taught that the Pope had no power in Ciuill dominion flourished 1330. Occam oper 90. dierum cap 93. Wolphius lect memorab tom 1. 19 Thomas Bradwardine of Merton Colledge Archbishop of Canterbury wrote for Gods grace against free will three bookes flourished 1340. Catal. test ver tom 2. 20 Nicolaus Orum Doctor in Oxford preached at Rome before pope VrbaÌ„ 5. the Cardinals painting out and condemning the Papacy and foretelling destruction to hang ouer the Pope and Clergies head He wrote the Epistle from Lucifer to the Clergy thanking them for sending so many soules to hell He placed his daughters to them as to their proper husbands Pride Auarice Fraud Luxury and specially Simony See the whole Epistle in Powel de Antichristo in calce libri he flourished 1351. Catalogus test ver tom 2. 21 Richard Role de Hampole Doctor in Oxford inveighed against the vnchastity auarice and filthinesse of priests and their Idolatry anno 1340. Wolphius tom 1 lect memorab 22 Giles Hay a Diuine in Oxford wrote a sharpe booke Contra Flagellatores which is to be seene in Baliol Colledge in Oxford about the same time Bale append ad cent scrip Britan. 23 Richardus Radulphi Richard Fitz-ralph an Irish man Chancellour of Oxford Archbishop of Armagh Archiepiscopus Armachanus Hibernia Primaâ— wrote against begging Friers and dedicated his booke to pope Innocent 4. and in his publike Lectures displayed their follies frauds luxuries wantonnesse pride pomps and other fryerly vertues and held it vnchristian to be a wilfull begger condemned Deut. 15. Wiclif and Walden say he was set on by the Bishops and prelates of England flourished 1355. Wiclif in Trialogo Walden in fascicul zizanorum Wiclif 24 Richard Killington Doctor in Oxford Deane of Saint Pauls in London defended the said Richards Doctrine and wrote many learned bookes against the Monkes and Fryers 1360. Bale cent 4. cap 96. 25 Iohn Wiclife Doctor in Oxford wrote great Volumes against Romish corruptions 1360. of Wiclife read more Booke 2. chap. 1. sect 3. subsect 4 § 2. c. 26 Robert Langland a Diuine of Oxford wrote against Papists corruptions in English especially the vision of Pierce Plowman which is extant about Anno 1369. 27 Sir Iohn Mandevil Doctor of physicke in Oxford Knight after his trauels said in our times it was more true then in ancient Virtus cessat ecclesia calcatur clerus errat damon regnat Sodoma dominatur 1370. Bale cent 6. cap. 46. 28 William Wickam Bishop of Winchester building two Colledges one at Oxford one at Winchester so hated Sects and Monkes that he ordained by statute vnder paine of expulsion present none of the Fellowes should enter the Religion of a Monke And though hee did many good workes yet he professed he trusted to Iesus Christs merits alone for saluation 1379. Out of the statutes of Wickams Colledge in Oxford rubrick 38. and his life written by Tho. Martin lib. 3. cap. 2. 29 Philip Repington of Merton Colledge afterwards Bishop of Lincolne boldly declaimed against the liues and vopure doctrine of the Romish Clergy the Roman Pharaoh mens traditions Fryars beggings Masses Pilgrimages Auricular confession and other things at Oxford the Vice-Chancellor Robert Rigges and the Proctors ioyning with him anno 1382. Bale cent 6. cap. 90. 30 Geffrey Chawter Knight Student in Oxford Chawcer in his Plowmans Tale passim wrote many things very wittily reprouing and scoffing at the idlenesse foolery and knauery of the Monks and other Clergy at their ignorance counterfeâ—t Reliques pilgrimages and Ceremonies yea the pope himselfe he sticked not to call an idle Lawrell a Marshall of Hell a proud enuious couetous Lucifer and Antichrist he flourished anno 1402. 31 Alexander Carpenter an Oxford man of Baliol Colledge wrote a booke entituled Destructorium vitiorum wherein he reproued the carelesse and godlesse liues of Prelats and priests calling them Traitors to Christ deceiuers theeues lyers raueners oppressors louers of pleasures fleshly hypocrites cursed tyrants and execrable Antichrists 1429. Ex destructorio vitiorum part 6. cap. 30. alibi saepius 32 Iohn Felton Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford taught the Gospell purely and much against the popes pride and tyranny 1440. Leland in Catalogo virorum illustrium Bale cent 8. cap. 3. 33 Reginold Paine or Peacocke of Oriel Colledge in Oxford made B. first of Asaph then of Cicester taught at Pauls Crosse many things against the Church-abuses of the time and that the vse of the Sacraments such as was then
part 2. cap 5. Harding 3 Sanders de schis lib. 3. pag. 299. Sanders 4 Howlet briâ—fe discoursâ—…ason 7. Howlet 5 Card. Allen. with Rhemists Annot in Rom. 10.15 Allen with his Rhemists 6 D. Stapleton princ doctr l. 13. cap. 6. Stapleton 7 Doctor Kellison Reply to D. Sutclif p. 31. Kellison 8 Will. Rainolds Calvino-Turr l. 4. c 15. p. 975. William Rainolds 9 The Cath. Priests in their supplication to K. Iames anno 1604. The number of Catholicke Priests 10 Bellar. eccles milit lib. 4. c. 8. Bellarmine 11 Posnanienses assert de Christi in terris ecclesia thes 60. Posnanienses 12 Gregorius de Valentia tom 4. disp 9. q. 3. punct 2. Valentianus 13 Turrian de Iure ordinand lib. 2. c. 3. The like hath Turrianus 14 Mattheus Lanoius and Lanoius 15 D. Tyreus cited by Schaltingiuâ—â—ib cathol t. 4. pag. 33. The words of these â—uthors you may see in the booke of Mr. Francis Mason lib. 1. cap. 2. Tyreus and other not worth the reckning without measure or end Why doe they so bitterly inueigh against our Bishops and Ministers leauing their Doctrine and discrediting their calling to make people forsake them as men vnsent vncalled vnconsecrated without successiion ordination or iurisdiction yea calling them false prophets inuaders vsurpers and other Apostataes from the Church or Rome or mere Laymen but neither true Bishops nor Ministers at any hand Which they onely say and repeat and affirme with great vehemency but neuer proue Sect. 3. Antiquus Yes they proue it too * Christ a Sacrobosco de Invost Christi eccl cap. 4. Sacroboscus reports the story of the Consecration of the Bishop Iewell Sands Scory Horne Grindal and others who met at a Tauerne or Inne in Cheapside called the Horse-head in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne being disappointed of the Catholicke Bishop of Landaffe who should there haue beene to consecrate them some of them imposed hands vpon Scory he vpon the rest and so were sons made without a father and the father procreated by the sons Thus saith Sacroboscus adding that one Thomas Neal Hebrew Lecturer at Oxford who was present told this to his old confessors and they told it to Sacroboscus and that afterward it was enacted in Parliament that these men should bee accounted lawfull Bishops The same story is also reported in a Preface to a Catholicke booke called A discussion numb 135. citing Sacraboscus for it And thus saith that Preface they vsed the like Art that the Lollards once did in another matter who being desirous to eate flesh on Good Fryday and yet fearing the penalty of the Lawes tooke a Pig and diuing it vnder the water said Down Pig and vp Pike and then after constantly auouched that they had eaten no flesh but fish So these caused him who kneeled downe Iohn Iewell to rise vp Bishop of Saliâ—bury and him that was Robert Horne before to rise vp Bishop of Winchester and so forth with all the rest Antiquissimus I wonder that men of any foreheads are not ashamed to vent such fantasticall and false tales which are confuted fully by the publike Records and Registers of those times Bishop Iewell published his answer to Hardings obiections threescore yeeres agone Anno Dom. 1567. wherein he plainely sheweth f Jewels Defence of the Apology 2. part cap. 5 printed anno Dom. 1567. that himselfe and all our other Bishops succeeded the Bishops that had beene before them and were elected consecrated and confirmed as they were So that your learned men haue had time enough to read search consider and confute or be satisfied and not still thus wickedly to proclaime to the world such falsities And Master Francis Mason hath done it more thorowly in a compleat Treatise g Of the consecration of the Bishops in England and ordination of Priests and Deacons Fiue bookes printed Anno Dom. 1613. Ex Register Park 1. fol. 18. fol. 39. printed anno DoÌ„ 1613. who sheweth out of the Register books of the Archbishops of those times among all other the Consecrations of these Bishops whom your Catholicke scoffers thus depraue 1 B. Scory was consecrated August 30. anno 1551. in the time of Edw. 6 by Archbishop Cranmer Nicholas London and Iohn Bedford 2 3 B B. Grindall and Sauds were consecrated both vpon one day the 21 of December anno 1559. being the Sabboth day and in the forenoone in the Chappell at Lambehith by Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury William Cicester Iohn Hereford and John Bedford Master Alexander Nowell the Archbishops Chaplein then preaching vpon this Text Acts 20.28 Take heed to your selues and to all the flocke whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers and a Communion reuerently administred by the Archbishop 4 B. Iewell was consecrated Ian. 21. 1559. being the Sabboth day in the forenoone in the Chappell of Lambehith by Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury Edmund Grindal Ib. fol. 46. Bishop of London Richard Gox Bishop of Ely and Iohn Hodskius Bishop of Bedford with Common prayers Communion a Sermon preached by Master Andrew Pierson the Archbishops Chaplein vpon this Text Matt. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Ib. fol. 88. 5 B. Horne was consecrated Febr. 16. 1560. being the Sabboth day in the forenoone in the Chappell at Lambehith in all respects as the former by Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Bishop of Saint Dauids See also Annals of Q. Elizabeth Engl. Darcy pag. 32. Edmund Bishop of London Thomas B. of Couentry and Liechfield which I doe thus punctually relate that the world may be satisfied thorowly and wonder at the impudency of these forgers of lies and at the folly of their beleeuers Antiq. I doubted alwayes of that vnlikely tale of the Consecration of the Nags-head depending onely vpon the report of one sole witnesse Thomas Neal an obscure man and telling it in darkenesse and now I am fully resolued out of publicke Records by you alledged easie to be sought and scarched that it is vtterly false But if it be granted that all these Bishops mentioned in that tale were orderly consecrated by 3 Bishops at the least according to the Canons how may it appeare that those other Bishops which consecrated them were themselues true Bishops Shew me how your first Reforming Bishops as you call them which vpon the banishing of the Popes authority by K. H 8 consecrated the fallowing Bishops were consecrated themselues by lawfull Bishops their Predecessors and then you say something All this out of Mr. Mason lib. 2. cap. 7. Antiq. Brit. pag. 321 322. Act. Mon. Sect. 4. Antiquissimus Our first reformed Bishop was Thomas Cranmer who had beene sent before by King Henry to the Pope with other Ambassadours who deliuered to the Pope a booke of his own writing wherin he
mother and the deceiuers themselues be confounded and ashamed of the books they haue so falsely written and all Godly people be confirmed in the truth so manifestly cleared from forgeries which obscured it All which I hope the rather because the Papist prisoners in Framlingham castle in Queene Elizabeths time said to the Protestant Ministers if you can iustify your calling we will all come to your Church and be of your Religion r Mason lib. 1. cap. 3. in fine pag. 20. Sect. 9. Antiquus Well Sir be it that your English Clergy was canonically ordained and consecrated yet what say you to the Protestant Ministers in other countries which could haue no Bishops to ordaine them But as our learned men say they ordained one another very disorderedly and insufficiently Antiquissimus You draw mee to a Digression impertinent to the Church of England to speake of other countries in whose affayres I am not sufficiently acquainted and am loth to meddle It may be your learned men wrong them as they haue done vs. But if what they say be true It was your Popes fault so auerse from all reformation that did driue the Reformers in those countries to that necessity that either one Minister must ordaine another or else the Churches must be without many profitable Ministers By the way because you dislike our word Minister as we doe your word Priest vsed in your sense for sacrificing Priest Though the word Minister bee vsed by the b Bellar. de Rom. pont li. 3 cap. 13 pag. 392. § Ratio autem cur Apostoli in Scripturis nunquam vocant sacerdotes Christianos sacerdotes sed solum episcopos presbyteros Apostles in the New Testament for Minsters of the Gospell and the word Priest neuer vsed at all by them no nor by the most ancient Fathers as c Bellar decultu Sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 4. § Ad testimonium Patrum dico pag. 275. See before chap. 2. § 2. Bell. himselfe confesseth I will to auoyd offence to both vse the word Presbyter which the Apostles vsed and which I see our late learned writers do more willingly frequent to signifie such as haue taken full orders in the Church of God But note you also by the way that our fault is very small in vsing sparingly the termes of some later Fathers and vsing commonly the words of the Apostles yours is very great in forsaking and deriding the word of the B B. Apostles and preferring the words of some Fathers and vsing them contrary to their meaning But Then I doubt not to affirme that Orders giuen to Presbyters by Presbyters onely in times of necessity when Bishops cannot be procured to giue them are of full validity and sufficiency For the giuing of orders was appointed to Bishops not of absolute necessity but for their greater honour and for the better gouernment and preseruation of peace and vnity in the Church and for those and the like reasons it is fit that course be obserued when possibly it may But when it cannot we must consider that euen Bishops themselues doe not giue orders by any other power then is found in any other Presbyter Not by their power of Iurisdiction for they may ordaine Presbyters liuing out of their Iurisdiction but by vertue of their orders onely whereby they stand Presbyters Which is manifest by this that Bishops and Suffragans which are not Presbyters cannot giue orders which they neuer receiued therefore seeing the power of giuing orders is from the vertue of the orders formerly receiued which vertue is in euery presbyter as well as in a Bishop and therein Priests Bishops and Popes are all equall d See D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. in medio alledging many Schoolmen to this purpose Then for want of Bishops to giue orders Presbyters may giue them For that is but a breach of decency and honourable conueniency whereby that thing is tyed to some chiefe Presbyters namely to Bishops which otherwise all Presbyters may doe But to the validity of the orders it maketh nothing what Presbyter soeâ—er giueth them The best learned in the Church of Rome in former times agreed to this Aâ—machanus e Armachanus lib. 11. in 4. Armenorum cap. 7. a worthy Bishop saith If all Bishops failed by death Sacerdotes minores possent Episcopum ordinare Inferior Priests might ordaine a Bishop And Alexander of Hales f Halensiâ— part 4. q. 9. memb 5. art 1 cited by D. Field ib. saith that many learned men in his time and before were of opinion that in some cases and in some times Presbyters may giue orders and that their ordinations are of force though to do so not being vrged by extreme necessity cannot be excused from ouer-great boldnesse and presumption And why not orders by ordinary presbyters as well as Baptisme by meaner persons For your Doctors in times of necessity allow Baptisme which is a principall Sacrament to be administred not onely by Bishops and Priests but by Deacons or any Laiks Baptized yea Laiks vnbaptized and very Pagans if they knew and preforme the Rites of Baptisme and women also by any person that is Homo rationalis and intendeth to doe as the Church would doe The Baptisme preformed by them is sufficient effectuall and needs no rebaptization as Bellermine teacheth at large g Bellarm. de baptismo lib. 1. cap. 7. If this will not suffice you may see more in Doctor Fields h D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. lib. 5. cap. 56. and Master Masons bookes i Mason lib. 1. Sect. 10. Antiquus Sir you may not thinke that your priuate Reason and iudgement can ouersway the iudgement and determinations of graue learned and holy counsels Antiquiss Far be from me the presumption to thinke so Yet giue vs leaue to see what we see and to say what we know we see it in your owne learned mens books and know it to be your owne practise oftentimes to breake the Canons both of ancient Councels and of the Apostles If Protestants do it in times of necessity condemne them not for necessity hath no law it is so great a tyrant that it will not suffer the Law to stand Your men are faine sometimes to yeeld vnto it Your k This appeares plainly by Greg. Epistles lib. 12. Iud. 7. epist 31. rectified by Bede of D. Stapletons owne iudicious edition translation though other copies somewhat differ See Mason lib. 2. cap. 5. pag. 61. Gregory the great Bishop of Rome sending Augustine the Monke into England who was not vntill afterward made Bâ—shop of Canterbury appointed him to ordaine the first Bishops himselfe alone in case the Brittan Bishops opposed him and that of the English or Saxons there were no Bishops and that the French Bishops would be slacke and vncertaine of ayding him And accordingly himselfe alone ordained Melitus the first Bishop and by the assistance of Melitus onely hee ordained Iustus the second and when there was a Canonicall number then
them and stirre vp the people and then all subiects will forsake their princes and serue the pope against them all Religious persons will be their Trumpâ—ters Captaines and Leaders all Cloysters Abbeyes and Colledges will be as good as Castles vnto them the promise of heauen a sufficient pay and the threatning of death not onely temporall which happily might be contemned or avoyded but eternall which by disobeying the pope is thought to be vnauoydable is terrour enough and all these giue courage enough to doe their bâ—st for the pope against all princes of the world Sir Iohn Hayward of Supremacy pag. 62. By this meanes eight Emperours besides other Kings and princes haue been excommunicate by the pope namely Fredericke the first Fredericke the second Philip Conrade Otho the fourth Lewis of Bauaria Henry the fourth and fift which was occasion enough for their subiects to revolt and for other Princes to inuade The succeeding Emperours partly vnwilling but principally vnable to sustaine so sad and heauy blowes submitted themselues to the papall power and renounced the right which by long custome they claimed and held I omit the troubles of other princes and Nations and of our owne also in formâ—r times of our Kings Henries and Iohn Our late troubles in the times of our most gracious Soueraignes Elizabeth and Iames are fresh in memory to the detestation of the Authors thereof and they are published to the world in their owne bookes See the booke entituled Important Considerations set forth by the Secular Romish Priests in England anno 1601. with Watson the Priests Preface or Epistle before it The secular Priests sticke not to relate to the world what they cannot hide the treasons insurrections inuasions and other troubles which I haue reckoned vp before and more also plotted by the Pope and his Agents to bring Queene Elizabeth and her Kingdomes to confusion Pius Quintus his plot ioyning with the King of Spaine to depose her by his Bull and execute it by the Northerne Rebellion 1569. And after anno 1572. by D. Sanders booke De visibili Monarchia iustifying that course and shewing the world how the pope had sent Morton and Webb Priests to stirre vp the Nobles and Gentlemen to take Armes against the Queene Then how Stukeley was made a great Lord and Marquesse of Ireland by the pope to take Jreland from the English but miscarried by the way After how Doctor Sanders came furnished by the Pope to take Ireland by Inuasion and Rebellion and there dyed miserable and mad After this how Gregory 13 renued the pestilent Bull of Pius 5 cursing and disabling the Queene to raigne and anno 1580. sent into England Campian Parsons and other Iesuites to perswade the subiects to execute it assuring them of a mighty inuasion from Spaine to ioyne with them and how these wicked practises iustly inforced straiter lawes to bee made against such Vipers For what Prince or state of any force or Mettall could endure their owne ruine to be wrought with their eyes open and their hands vnbound Then followed his Holinesse displaying his banner as a temporall Prince in Ireland to dispossesse the Queene and afterwards the Duke of Guises practises to transferre the English Crowne to the Q. of Scotland imploying therin Mendoza the Spanish Leager Ambassadour Throgmorton and others And anno 1583. Arden and Somerviles treason Then Doctor Parries to murder the Queene Againe Babington and his fellowes treason discouered anno 1586. And sir William Stanlies 1567. and the great Spanish Armado 1588. Then the Bull of Sixtus Quintus against the Queene And new Seminaries errected in Spaine by the procurement of Parsons the Iesuite whence issued 13 accomplished Priests to infuse Treasons into Englishmens braines anno 1591. to prepare them for a new Inuasion And anno 1592. Heskot was sent by the Iesuites to stirre the Earle of Darby to Rebellion After this Father Holt a Iesuite perswaded Patricke Colen to murder her Maiestie And anno 1593. Doctor Lopus his poysoning plot was discouered also Holt the Iesuite animated Yorke and Williams to shed her blood and Walpool the Iesuite set on Edward Squire to poyson her saddle Pommell After this for the other intended Inuasion the Spanish Fleet put twice to Sea and both times were sea beaten torne and dispersed Meane-season Father Parsons in printed bookes entituled The Jnfanta of Spaine to the Crowne of England and vsed all possible meanes to make it take place All these vncatholicke vnchristian inhumane courses the secular Priests confesse condemne and lament laying all the fault thereof from themselues and other Roman Catholâ—ckes vpon the Iesuites We doe all acknowledge say they that by our learning Ecclesiasticall persons by vertue of their Calling Important consid pag. 37. are onâ—ly to meddle with Praying Preach ng and administring the Sacraments and such other like spirituall functions and not to study how to murder Princes nor to licitate Kingdomes Jb. pag 38. nor to intrude themselues into matter of state-Priests of what order soeuer ought not by force of Armes to plant or water the Catholicke Faith but In spiritu lenitatis mansuetudinis to propagate and defend it So it was in the Primitiue Church ouer all the world The ancient Christians though they had sufficient forces did not oppose themselues in armes against their Lords Ib. pag. 39. See the Epistle Dedicatory of B. Carlton before his booke of Iurisdiction the Emperors though of another Religion The Catholicke Faith for her stability and continuance hath no need of any treachery or Rebellion it is more dishonoured with treasons and wicked policies of carnall men then any way furthered or aduanced Thus the Priests giuing vs a good hint what to iudge of their Religion that hath euermore beene thus planted and propagated It is not the Catholik Faith and Religion of the Ancients But erroneous superstition is alwayes more violent then true Religion They giue vs an Item also what our English Roman Catholiks may looke for if the Spaniard should preuaile Watson in his Epistle to the Important Considerations saith The old King of Spaine aimed at the Crown of England with the death of her Maiestie and subuersion of the State and the vtter ruine of the whole I le and the ancient Inhabitants thereof and neuer once shewed any care or respect that he had to the restoring of the Catholik Romish Faith amongst the English Nay his direct course was taken quite contrary still to extirpate the name of all Catholikes that were English out from the face of the earth Therefore he would not aid Stukeley to get Ireland for the pope and also charged the Duke of Medina his generall in 88 rather to spare Protestants then Catholikes And the Booke of important Considerations written by themselues pag. 25. saith It is well knowne that the Duke of Medina Sidonia had giuen it out directly that if once he might land in England both Catholikes and Heretiks that came in his way should be all