much upon the Clergy afterward though the King and Temporal Lords oftentimes prov'd sturdy Matt. Paris fo 361 362. For Pope Gregory the ninth An. D. 1229. demanded a Tenth of the moveables both of the Lay and of the Clergy to which the Lords would not consent Nolentes Baronias vel Laicas possessiones Rom. Ecclesiae obligare but the Clergy with some grumbling pay'd it And eleven years after he demanded a fifth part of the goods of the Clergy upon which great debate was taken Matt. Paris An. 1240. fo 536. the Clergy appealing to the King that they held their Baronies of the King and could not charge them without his consent that having before given a Tenth this again of a Fifth might create a custom with divers other weighty reasons But all would not do for the King was not against it and the Archbishop for his private ends beginning to deposite all were drawn in at last to pay which occasion'd that complaint the year following Id. fo 549. That there remain'd not so much treasure in the Kingdom as had in three years bin extorted from it the vessels and ornaments of the Church excepted But notwithstanding that reluctancy Matt. Paris fo 549. 666. 701. notwithstanding that notable Remonstrance preferred in the Council of Lions An. D. 1245. from the body of the Kingdom of the heavy burdens the Nation lay under by the exactions of Rome and likewise to the Pope himself the year following Pope Innocent the fourth invented a new way to charge every Religious House to find a number of Souldiers yearly for his service and to fight for the Church militant and about the same time attempted also ut si Clericus extunc decederet intestatus ejusdem bonas in usus D. Papae converterentur that is the Pope would make himself heir or Executor to every Clark that should dye intestate and not long after it was that he received from the Clergy eleven thousand Marks as an addition to six thousand he had receiv'd the year before And then and from that time the Pope made no spare to drain and exhaust the English Clergy at his pleasure to the shameful scandal of the Holy See at that time and to the notorious ignominy poverty and contempt of this Church and the Clergy thereof Matt. Westm Flor. Hist in An. 1301. And of these times it was that Matthew Westminster makes this complaint Porro illis diebus sal terrae caput vulgi in magnum Hydropem ceciderunt quanto enim plus pecuniam humorem hauriebant tanto amplius eam sitiebant Sedit ergo in tristitia fidelium Ecclesia deducta per vocales tutores suos miserabiliter sub tributo In those dayes the Head of the people was fallen into a dropsie which the more money it suck'd in the more it thirsted after more therefore the Church of the faithful sat disconsolate being by her Governours brought under a most miserable tribute and servitude An. D. 1302. Annal. of Ireâ— in Camb. Brit. fo 163. At this time also it was that these grievous exactions reached into Ireland recorded in the Annals thereof That the Tenths of all Ecclesiastical Benefices in England and Ireland were exacted by Pope Boniface the eight for three years as a Subsidy to the Church of Rome against the King of Arragon Neither did our Hyperborean neighbours escape Scot-free in this deluge of exaction Tho. Walsing Hist fo 48. Ypodig Neust fo 89. Flor. Hist in Ed. 1. fo 417. H. Knighton Coll. c. Pol. Vergil Fabian Speed c. Nay no less there would satisfie the Pope but the whole Kingdom for it was that Boniface the eight that then claimed the whole Realm of Scotland as part of St. Peters Patrimony against our K. Edward the first and sent his Bull of demand to the King for that purpose between whom there passed several Answers and Replies in the point and the conclusion was That the incroaching Pope was glad to sit down worsted in the cause the transactions of all which stand registred amongst the Tower Records exemplified at large to posterity by Walsingham Matthew Westminster Knighton and more briefly by others But all this while the poor Clergy languished being continually pill'd poll'd and squeezed by the unlimited avarice of this Pope and his successors emptying the Kingdom of its money and filling it with complaints the product of its poverty CHAP. IV. King John 's Pension THe troublesom raign of our King John is sufficiently related by all our Historians in whose straits the Pope appeared sometimes for him and sometimes against him but once taking him in a great exigence Jo. Serres Hist in Phil. August Matt. Paris in An 1213. fo 236. the King was wrought upon to surrender his Crown to Pandulfus the Pope's Legate and substitute laying the same with his Scepter Robe Sword and Ring the Royal Ensigns at his feet subscribing also as is said to a Charter whereby he surrendred his Kingdom to the Pope and professing that thence forward he would hold his Crown as a Feudatary to the Pope and paying an annual Pension or Tribute of 1000 marks for both his Kingdoms of England and Ireland the insolent behaviour of the Legate at this the Historians fully describe which I list not now to insist on but cannot but remember that Matt. Paris says that with this Charter and 10000 l. sterl in hand Id. fo 237. Pandulfus goes triumphing away to Rome But then when or how long after this yearly rent or tribute of 1000 marks was paid our Writers seem not to agree though all concur in the invalidity of the surrender Vid. Speed Chron. in vita Johan Rot. Parl. An. 40 Ed. 3. And at a Parliament held at Westm An. 40 Ed. 3. the Chancellour then Bishop of Ely declared to the Lords and Commons How the King understood that the Pope for the Homage that K. John did to the See of Rome for the Realms of England and Ireland and for the Tribute by him granted meant by Process to cite the King to Rome to Answer thereunto wherein the King required their advice The Bishops for themselves desired respite of Answer till the next day as also did the Peers and Commons at which time the whole Estate came together and by common consent Enacted and Declared That forasmuch as neither King John nor any other King could bring this Realm and Kingdom in such thraldom and subjection but by common assent of Parliament the which was not done And therefore that which he did was against his Oath at his Coronation besides many others causes If therefore the Pope should attempt any thing against the King by process or other matters in deed that the King with all his Subjects should with all their force and power resist the same Then for the Tribute or Pension of 1000 marks it appears to have been sometimes paid with intermissions for Pope Honorius having gratified K. Hen.
would not touch one of such a Character made him a Cardinal but the policy fail'd and it rather hastned his death for by that time his Hat was come to Callis his Head was struck off at Tower-Hill Reginald Pool Regin Pool An. D. 1536. Sleidan Câ—m Charls 5. Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal being beyond the Seas about the beginning of the Reformation wrote a Book for the Pope's Supremacy against the King and therein incited the Emperour preparing against the Turk to bend his forces against his natural Soveraign and native Country-men as being worse than Turks This Book writ by a natural born subject of the King of England was then adjudged a sufficient overt act within the Stat. 25. Edward the third De proditionibus and therefore High Treason Cook Pl. Coron fo 14. Brook Treason Tit. 24. Antiq. Brit. in vita Poli. and Pool attainted thereupon But he keeping out of the reach of Justice after the death of P. Paul the third was just upon point of being elected Pope but his own stupidity Act. Mon. fo 1774. with the imputation of incontinency slurr'd him of the dignity In the raign of Queen Mary over he comes and what he did both to the Living and Dead our Historians abundantly testifie and that the next day after the Queen dyed Cardinal Pool Et sic exit Papismus in Anglia Peter Petow Peter Petow Cambd. Britt in Warw. made Cardinal and Legaâ— Ã Latere by P. Paul the third in time of Queen Mary was coming over in pursuance of his Legatine power But the wary Queen suspecting he might act something derogatory to her regality forbad his entrance which the Cardinal took so to heart that he dyed presently after Allen Will. Allen. the last Cardinal Englishman in the raign of Queen Elizabeth appears a Herald before the Spanish Armado in 88. and by a Book dispersed over England stirs up the Nobles Sp. fo 1177. B. Carlton Remembr 141. and People to joyn with the Spaniard in execution of the Pope's sentence of deposition of the Queen But all coming to nothing our Cardinal dyed an exile at Rome An. D. 1594. Godw. in vita Bishop Godwin takes farewel of him with this character He was last of our England Cardinals in time and worst in wickedness deserving not to be reckon'd amongst Englishmen as like another Herostratus to get himself a name endeavoring to fire the English Church without envy be it spoke the noblest in the world so that his memory deserves oblivion Et sic exit Cardinalismus Several others are reckon'd in the Cataeogues of England Cardinals but because it is doubtful whether some of them were English and others whether ever Cardinals and little memorable left of most of them these already mentioned shall suffice to testifie that the Italian promotions were generally more fatal than fortunate to our Countrymen and that the pains and cost was not recompensed by the acquist And so we pass from these highest dignities on Earth to such coelestial Honour as was and is to be purchased in the Church of Rome CHAP. XX. Canonizations c. CAnonization and Sainting of Men Women and Boyes was another way whereby great summs were often brought unto the Popes And that was when any person lived more austerely or devoutly than ordinary or being fam'd for any miracles pretended to have been done by him in his life time or by his Reliques or at his Tomb after his death or that he dyed for or in defence of the truth or the Church's cause Then if his Surviving friends or relations made application to the Pope upon payment of good summs according to the abilities and qualities of the persons solliciting for sentences fees Orders references and others things requisite in such case the party by a kind of Apotheosis was made a Saint and a place assign'd him in the Calender Of this extraction were the famous St. Cuthbert St. Guthlac St. Dunstan St. William St. Swithun St. Tibba St. Thomas of Canterbury St. Thomas of Lancaster St. Winisniâ—d St. Hugh and infinite more who for money had their names put into the rolls of Glory and their fames and merit celebrated and supplicated here on Earth I find that great endeavours were used to have Robert Grosthead the renowned Bishop of Lincoln sainted and particularly King Edward the first laboured it by an express unto the Pope for that purpose Rot. Rom. An. 34 Ed. 1. but nothing could prevail in regard he had so signalized himself against the corruptions of the Church and times then when as Becket Anselme Hugh of Lincoln and multitudes more were Canonized for money or something they had done signally and meritorious for the Papacy But this King had better success in his sollicitation to the Pope for the Cononization of Thomas de Cantelupe Bishop of Hereford then deceased famed for a multitude of miracles as was suggested Tho. Walsing in Ed. 1. fo 11. Thomas Walsingham abounds in the celebration of him and his miracles Mart. Westm in Ed. 1. but more modestly than the Monk of Westminster who ascribes to him no less then 163 miracles and others many more too many in all conscience to be believed or here remembred in particular But of such esteem it seems he was Godw. in vita ejus that this King Edward the first to obtain the benefit of his Prayers and intercession in Heaven for himself and his Realm according to the perswasion prevailing in those ignorant times sent his Letter of request to Pope John 22. to have him a Canonized Saint to which the Pope after some dealing withal for that purpose was at last wrought But for the King's Letter being still preserv'd amongst our Records and which we conceive may be acceptable to some to peruse we will take the liberty to transcribe Sanctissimo in Christo Patri Domino Divina Providentia Sacrosanctae Romanae ac universalis Ecclesâ—ae Summo Pontifici Claus 33 Ed. 1. m. 3. dorso De translatione S. Thomae de Hereford Edwardus eadem gratia Rex Angliae c. devota pedum oscula beatorum Pium justum esse censetur ut sicut gloriosus Deus in Sanctis suis in Majestate mirabilis Ministros fideles suos magnificat altis decorat honoribus coelestis efficit beatitudinis possessores in coelis Sic Sacrosancta Romana Ecelesia vestigia ipsius prosequens eos ad quorum memorias ipse Deus suae virtutis potentiam manifestat signa ac prodigia faciens pro eisdem digno venerationis offlcio laudari glorificari studiis sollicitis honorari efficiat in terris ut per hot fides catholica roboretur idem altissimus qui laudabilis est in saecula glorificetuâ— amplius laudetur ac ex hoc salutis nostre causam miserecordius miseribilius operari dignetur Cum itaque Thomas dictus de Cantilupo Ecclesiae Herefordensis Antistes qui nobili
3. Cap. 1 2. Stat. 38 Ed. 3. Cap. 3. Stat. Statutes of Pâ—ovâ—sors and Preminire 16 Ric. 2. Cap. 5. Stat. 2 Hen. 4. Cap. 3. Stat. 6 Hen. 4. Cap. 1. Stat. 7 Hen. 7. Cap. 6. Stat. 3 Hen. 5. Cap. 4. Stat. 1 Hen. 7. Cap. 4. Stat. 24 Hen. 8. Cap. 12. Stat. 25 Hen. 8. Cap. 21. Stat. 1 Eliz. Cap. 1. c. By all which with the foregoing Resolutions and Presidents to which a multitude more to the same purpose might be added it doth appear clearly that long before the time of King Hen. 8. divers Statutes and Laws were made and declared against forrain incroachments upon the Rights of the Crown in this matter and those as sharp and severe as any Statutes for that purpose have been made in later times though then both King Lords and Commons that made those Laws and the Judges that did interpret them did for the most part follow the same Opinions in Religion which were held and taught in the Church of Rome And therefore those that will lay upon this Nation the imputation of Schism for denying the Pope's Supremacy here Vid. Case de Premunire in St. John Davys Rep. must charge it many Ages before the time of King Henry the eighth For the Kings Lords and Commons of this Realm have ever been most eminent for asserting their just Rights and Liberties disdaining to become a Tributary Province as it were to the See of Rome or part of St. Peter's earthly Patrimony in Demesn And the Faith and Loyalty of the English race hath bin generally such though true it is that every Age hath brought forth some singular monsters of disloyalty as no pretence of zeal or Religion could ever draw the greater part of the Subjects for to submit themselves to a forrain Yoke no not when Popery was in greatest height and exaltation of all which the aforesaid Statutes are manifest Evidences being generally made at the Prayer of the Commons as by their Preambles may appear most worthy to be read Particularly in the Preamble to the Statute of 16 Ric. 2. They complain Sta. 16 Ric. 2. cap. 5. That by Bulls and Processes from Rome the King is deprived of that Jurisdiction which belongs of right to his Imperial Crown That the King doth lose the service and Counsel of his Prelates and learned men by translations made by the Bishop of Rome That the King's Laws are defeated at his will the Treasure of the Realm is exhausted and exported to inrich his Court And that by those means the Crown of England which hath ever bin free and subject unto none but immediately unto God should be submitted unto the Bishop of Rome to the utter destruction of the King and the whole Realm which God defend say they and thereupon out of their zeal and loyalty they offer to live and dye with the King in defence of the liberties of the Crown And then they pray the King to examine all the Lords in Parliament what they thought of these wrongs and usurpations and whether they would stand with the King in defence of his Royal liberties which being done the Lords Spiritual and Temporal did all answer that these usurpations of the Bishop of Rome were against the liberties of the Crown and that they were all bound by their Allegiance to stand with the King and to maintain his Honour and Prerogative Upon producing and averrement of all this it is requisite some satisfaction be given about the conclusion that hapned so different to these premises For if the Kings and People of England have in all times been so sensible of and zealous for their just Rights how could the Roman Power in derogation of those Rights arrive to such a consistence and height as here it was for many years To this as to the means and manner of that acquist to keep within our Historical compass First let it be premised as undoubtedly true That before the time of the Norman Conquest the Bishops of Rome had very little or nothing to do here as well in matter of Fact as of Right For before that time the Pope's Writ did not run in England His Bulls of Excommunication and Provision came not hither no Citations or Appeals were made from hence to the Court of Rome Our Archbishops did not purchase their Palls there Neither had the Pope the Investiture of any of our Bishopricks And Ingulphus who lived in the Conquerours time a Favourite and one preferred by him thus informs Ingulph Hist fo 901. A multis namque annis retroactis nulla Electio Praelatorum erat libera mere Canonica sed omnes dignitates tam Episcoporum quam Abbatum per annulum baculum regis curia pro sua Complacentia conferebat For as it is observable that under the Temporal Empire of Rome Brittain was one of the last Provinces that was won and one of the first that was lost again So under the Spiritual Empire of the Pope England was one of the last Countrys of Christendom that received the Yoke and one of the first that cast it off But for our purpose that the Bishops of Rome had any Jurisdiction or Hierarchical Authority in the times of the Brittains Saxons or Danes there is an altum silentium in all our Histories and Records For the times of the Brittains Eleuth Epist Eleutherius Pope about 180 years after Christ writes to Lucius the Brittish King and stiles him God's Vicar within his own Kingdom and sure he would not have given that Title to the King if himself under pretence of being God's Vicar-General on Earth had claimed Jurisdiction over all Christian Kingdoms After that Beda Eccl. Hist Matt. Westm Polychron Fab. Huntingd. c. about the year 600. Austin the Monk was sent by Pope Gregory into England to convert the Saxons to the Christian Faith But the Brittish Bishops then residing in Wales gave no regard either to his Commission or his Doctrines as not owing any duty to or dependence upon Rome but still retained their Ceremonies and Traditions which they received from the East Church upon the first plantation of Christianity being both divers and contrary to those of the Church of Rome which Austin did indeavour to impose upon them Usser de Prim. Eccl. Brit. Then about the year 660 there is a famous disputation celebrated between one Colman and one Wilfrid touching the Observation of Easter wherein the Brittains differed from the practice of the Roman Church from which is plainly inferrable that the Authority of the Bishop of Rome was at that time of no estimation in this Island And that the Primitive Churches of Brittain were instituted according to the form of the East and not of the West Church Nay upon the first coming of Austin and his retinue into Brittain there was such a strangness and averseness to him that one Daganus a British Beda Eccl. Hist lib. 2. cap. 4 Spelm. Concil Tom. 1. fo 129.
Imprimatur Anto. Saunders Rmo in Christo Patri ac D no D no Gilberto Archi-Episc Cantuar. à sac Dom. Septemb. 24. Ex Aed Lambeth The Romish Horseleech OR AN Impartial ACCOUNT OF THE Intolerable CHARGE OF POPERY TO THIS NATION In an Historical Remembrance of some of those Prodigious summs of money heretofore extorted from all degrees during the exercise of the Papal power here To which is Annexed an Essay of the Supremacy of the King of England Quantas divitias comparavit nobis haec fabula Christi Verè enim hortus deliciarum Papis fuit tum Anglia puteus inexhaustus Innocent 4. Pap. London Printed by R.W. for Ralph Smith at the Sign of the Bible in the Piazza of the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1674. TO HIS Honoured Friend A.B. SIR WHen you and my self in an exercise of Friendship and Conversation which I always have esteemed no small felicity of my life have frequently within a few years last past entertained our selves in taking together some view of our present Times and sometimes again making a retrospect to the Times of our Fore-fathers in this Kingdom not forgetting also that sometimes by way of prospect we have made no less than a kind of Prophets of our selves in guessing at what might hereafter come to pass amongst us for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. Him the best Prophet we confess That well of future things can guess But for what is past we have made some remarks upon those vicissitudes and changes which we and our Ancestors have seen in this Kingdom And particularly noting the different state and posture of the same we concluded that the alteration and change must needs have been very great as to the most important concerns of the Nation since the Power and Jurisdiction of the Popes of Rome was here exauctorated Upon which as I remember we wished some particular account of the State and habit of our Body Politick when the Influences from Rome were praedominant over it and that as well in reference to our Head the King's Majesty as also to the Members the People wherein we desired seriously to know whether the Pope's Power was prejudicial to them or either of them In which matter that I might give some satisfaction to you and my self also I set my self to methodize such notes and instances as formerly had occurred to me First Touching the Property of the People and how that was invaded by the Romish Practices And then touching the Supremacy of the Royal Majesty of the King of England and how that was Eclipsed by the interposition of the Papal Power And now I have put these Collections together you see what they amount unto I confess the Subjects are transcendant and vast and not to be measured with my line The trivial Controversies amongst Neighbours about Meum and Tuum frequently puzzle the gravest Judges but for the Fundamental Arcana imperii he that shall endeavour to poise them shall sooner discover the weakness of his own Arm than their weight I have known the united strenghts of Parliaments put to puffing and blowing when they have lifted at them But as the Divines say of the Holy Scriptures though they contain many Mysteries and things hard to be understood yet there is plainly and clearly deliver'd in them so much as is sufficient to make men good Christians So in the Doctrine of the King's Supremacy though we cannot reach its utmost import there is yet so much of it clearly discoverable as is sufficient to make all Englishmen good Subjects And as to that I have entituled my Discourse an Essay only not pretending to say all that the subject affords and have travelled no farther therein than our Laws Statutes Authorities and Records have lead me and I hope that thereby I have produced Demonstration sufficient that our Soveraign is invested with a most just Authority over all his Subjects and in all Causes within his Dominions and then seeing that Veritas est index sui obliqui it follows by all the rules of consequence that the Pope's Usurpations were most unjust For that other concern relating to the People's Property I took that task at first to have been much the easier of the two that is that it would not have been very hard to have comprehended and given some reasonable estimate of those summs which heretofore went out of England to the Popes and Court of Rome But after a little dealing therein I strangely found the account to swell beyond all bounds and soon experienced the difficulty to lye as much in the mutiplicity in this as in the intireness in the other This Grievance was and could be adequately known only to our Ancestors who felt it but the smart is not as yet quite worn off of their Posterity and therefore what is offered in this affair I have thought fit to stile a Remembrance and indeed it ought not to be forgotten But now Sir I may possibly deliver a sound Paradox That though it is conceiv'd a very hard thing now to understand as formerly it was to endure and once thought more hard to remedy all the mischiefs which our Fore-fathers suffered from the Papal Usurpation and Tyranny yet certainly the Cure was at all times not so very difficult to have been effected the Antidote was as near as the Poyson and there never wanted a Panpharmacon which if duly applyed would at any time have removed those malignant distempers that invaded the Kingdom 's constitution And that was in a word the Execution of the good Laws It is the Honour and Excellency of the Laws of England that no man can have a wrong or damage but the Law if rightly managed will do him right Did the Papal Power usurp and incroach upâ—n the King 's Rights the inherent vertue of the Common Law declared all to be illegal and void Did the Romish Practices weaken and impoverish the People the same Law at once arraigned and damned those Novelties and grievances and hence it was that all the supervenient Statutes ran but as Declaratory of the old Law Vid. Coke 5. Râ—p Cawdrys Case The Law indeed may sometimes be laid asleep by connivance or manaâ—led by some contrivance but it is a true and good Rule Dormit aliquando jus moritur nunquam and when the Law is awakened and let loose it soon discovers and breaks all offences and offendors The incomparable Spenser in his Faery Queen sets forth one Sir Arthegal the Patron of Justice attended with Talus his Iron man the Executioner whom nothing could withstand Pardon me if I give you his description of this notable Officer Our renowned Poet relating how the Divine Astraea loathing to sojourn longer amongst wicked men retired to Heaven from whence at first she came But when she parted hence she left her Groom Faery Queen lib. 5. Canto 1. Stanz 12. An yron man which did on her attend Always to execute her stedfast doom And willed him with Arthegall to
the Popes and Cardinals have mightily inriched Sons Nephews Relations and Kindred and oftentimes raised great Families as those of Borgia Aldobrandini Sfondrati Caraffi Peretti and many more Yet I have lately met with a notable Observation of an intelligent Roman Il Nipotismo di Roma P. 2. lib. 3. fo 163. who with great reason and experience informs That seldom or never any of those Families prosper but suddenly decay and wither And that if any one please but to run over the actions of all the Popes and the Histories of their Families he will find it an infallible truth that they are all either extinct or reduced unto a very mean inconsiderable condition as if Heaven would not endure the Patrimony of St. Peter should be made an universal scandal to the World and be an occasion of eternizing the memory of the Sacriledge they have committed The Observator proceeding to give this further reason Because says he it so pleases God not to suffer those who have raised themselves unto that greatness out of the Bowels of those in Purgatory to continue long without some signal mark of his displeasure Heaven is offended to see sacred things transformed into profane Alms into Theft Churches into Palaces Altars into Lordships Holy things into Comedy and sport Divine worship into Adoration of Riches or rather Adoration into Riches And as this was and is one way still of employing the Churche's Treasure viz. to raise Families and inrich Nephews c. So you see what it comes to at last And because the Popes are generally chosen old men their Kindred and Nephews as their discretion dictates make the best use of their time and with all greeciness ingross all that they can whilst the old Gentleman is supported with Cordials neither are they satisfied with what can be finger'd at present but reversions and remainders must be secured also Nay to above five or six of Pope Urban's little Cozens at one time there were Benefices and preferments given while they were yet rocking in their cradles And sometimes Benefices have been disposed off to those that were not yet born Id. fo 91. for in the Articles of Marriage not long since of one of the Barberines with a Lady of the Family of Colonna this was one That a certain Abby should be given to the First-born Son But now Sir I cannot but tell you of a certain difficulty which I have often ruminated upon being a great inconsistence as I have conceiv'd in the Roman Church And that is That this external Splendor Glory and Riches should by some be urged as an infallible mark of the True Church To see the Majesty of the Son of God set forth in the exaltation of the Pope his Vicegerent seated in a glorious Throne adorned with a Triple Crown and other suitable habiliments Emperours holding his stirrop and laying their necks before him to be trod upon to see him served at the Table by Kings and offering his Toe to be kiss'd with great reverence and devotion by persons of the highest quality to see him assisted by a conclave of glorious Cardinals and with them appearing like the Major and Aldermen of this blessed Corporation All which they fay must needs be the Characteristical marks of the true Vicar of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who by his Royal Charter hath invested his Substitute and his Associates with these Honours When again by others in the same Church and those of great repute amongst them the true marks and signs of the Catholick-ship thereof are made to confist in wilful Poverty in going bare-foot and bare-leg'd in watchings fasting and penances in going attired in Sackcloth tatter'd and lowsey rags in shewing sour and mortified looks and bloody backs affirming that for an eminence in these severities it was that the glorious St. Francis is now advanced to the vacant Throne of Lucifer the highest place in Heaven because he was the poorest wretch on Earth I now say to which of those so different Characters or marks shall we apply our selves and from whence seeing they are not yet agreed amongst themselves shall we take our measures to pitch upon the true Church whether from Riches or Poverty from Honour or Contempt from Rule or Subjection from a plump or a macerated looks from outward gorgeousness or poorness of spirit I must confess my self at a stand and shall take a little time to consider of it But I will detain you no longer with these speculations and for these subsequent remarks which were conceived at your instance I now put them into your hands but if you suffer them to fall under the Eyes of any such as shall be startled or offended at them I know not how they will help themselves It is a hard matter to answer Demonstrations and matters of fact drawn from the most authentick Registers and Manifesto's of time which hath been my work chiefly to exhibite And if I should have proceeded to have set forth all that train of vanities and mischiefs which attend Popery it would have been infinite and far exceeded my designed limits besides it would be no news to you who can far better decipher them than my self But for this which is already done I give it wholly to your dispose as also is Your humble Servant c. The Contents Of the First TREATISE PEter-pence pag. 2 First Fruits and Tenths p. 10 Confirmation and Admission money p. 19 Legatine Levies p. 22 Kings John's Pension p. 28 Appeals p. 33 Dispensations p. 37 Indulgences Pardons p. 46 Reliques Agnus Dei's Crosses Pictures c. p. 70 Rood of Grace Images Miracles p. 78 Jubilees Pilgrimages p. 85 Offerings Gifts Presents c. p. 97 Collections Contributions p. 102 Courts Jurisdictions p. 106 Contributions for the Holy Land p. 110 Croisado's p. 114 Ambassadors Agents p. 116 Strangers Beneficed p. 120 Priories-Alien p. 124 Knights Templars and Hospitallers p. 129 Elections of Popes and Cardinals p. 134 Siding in Schisms p. 138 English Popes and Cardinals p. 147 Canonizations p. 156 Pope's Legats Collectors c. p. 161 Caursins Lombards p. 168 Complaints of the People p. 170 Summs exhausted p. 175 Matthew Paris Vindicated p. 180 Abbys Monasterys c. p. 186 Chanterys Free Chappels Colledges p. 190 Shrines Reliques c. p. 194 Itinerary Priests Consecrations Visitors Courts Confessions c. ibid. Purgatory with its dependants p. 197 Masses Anniversaries Obits Requiems Dirge's Placebo's Trentals Lamps c. p. 199 The Place and Torments of Purgatory p. 205 The Fryer's Case p. 208 AN Historical Account Or a Remembrance of some of those summs of money heretofore going out of England to the Papacy and Court of Rome when the Pope exercised his Power here I Will not pretend to be as exact in the account and computation as the Pope's Officers were in the Collections of those summs Stat. 25 Heâ— 8. cap. 21. when I find a Statute affirming the ways means and Instruments of drawing
Sureties shall pay only a Fourth part of the First Fruits If he live out the year and dye or be outed within six moneths after the year then only half the First Fruits shall be paid If he live out the year and half and dye or be outed within two years then only three quarters thereof shall be paid But if he live out two whole years then the whole First Fruits are to be paid these Bonds being of like force as a Statute Staple And thus the First Fruits and Tenths stand at this day Concerning which it may be further noted that the Bishop of Norwich antiently had Fitzherbert Tit. Jurisdiction 22. 19 Ed 3. and enjoyed by Prescription the First Fruits within his Diocess of all Churches after every avoidance as also had the Archdeacon of Richmond within his Archdeaconry but these also were given to the Crown by the said Statute of 26 Hen. 8. cap. 3. What great summs were antiently paid to the Popes upon these accounts by the rule of proportion may be guessed at but no other certainty known but that they were very great as by the complaints about them and the impoverishing of the Realm by that means of which you shall hear more may be observed And what every Bishop paid to the See of Rome at his entrance for First Fruits I find thus particularized viz. Canterbury is rated in the Kings Books at the summ of 2816 l. 17 s. 9 d. and used to pay to the Pope Gâ—d wâ— de Praes Angâ— Note that every Floren contained 4 s. 6 d. of our money Dâ—â—a 8 s. for First Fruits 10000 Florens besides 5000. for his Pall. London is valued at 1119 l. 8 s. 4 d. and used to pay to the Pope for First Fruits 3000 Florens Winchester is valued at 2491 l. 9 s. 8 d. ob and paid to the Pope for First Fruits 12000 Ducats Ely is valued at 2134 l. 18 s. 5 d. ob q. and paid to the Pope 7000 Ducats Lincoln is valued in the Kings Books 894 l. 18 s. 1 d. ob and paid to the Pope for First Fruits 5000 Ducats Coventry and Lichfield rated in the Exchequer at 559 l. 17 s. 7 d. ob q. and paid to the Pope some say 1733 Ducats others but 300. Salisbury is valued at 1385 l. 5 s. ob and paid to the Pope upon every vacancy 4500 Ducats Bath and Wells is valued at 533 l. 15 d. and paid to the Pope at the ingress of every new Bishop only 430 Florens Quod miror saith Bishop Godwin in regard it was esteem'd one of the richest Sees in England Exeter by a late valuation set in the time of King Ed. 6. is valued at 500 l. and yet paid heretofore to the Pope for First Fruits 6000 Ducats Norwich valued at 899 l. 8 s. 7 d. q. and used to pay to the Pope upon every vacancy 5000 Ducats Worcester valued at 1049 l. 17 s. 3 d. ob q. and paid to the Pope for First Fruits 2000 Florens Hereford valued at 768 â— 10 s. 10 d. ob q. and paid to the Pope for First Fruits 1800 Florens Chichester valued at 677 l. 15 d. and used to pay to the Pope 333 Ducats as an Income Rochester valued at 385 l. 3 s. 6 d. and paid to the Pope for First Fruits 1300 Florens St. David's valued in the Kings Books at 426 l. 22 d. ob and paid to the Pope 1500 Florens Landaff valued at 154 l. 14 s. 1 d. and paid to the Pope for First Fruits 700 Florens Bangor valued in the Exchequer at 132 l. 16 s. 4 d. ob and paid to the Pope for First Fruits 126 Florens St. Asaph valued at 131 l. 16 s. 4. d. ob and paid for First Fruits to the Pope 126 Florens York Archbishoprick payes to the King for First Fruits 1609 l. 19 s. 7 d. and paid to the Pope 10000 Ducats besides 5000 for the Pall. Durham valued at 1821 l. 17 d. and used to pay to the Pope for First Fruits 9000 Florens Carlisle valued at 531 l. 4 s. 11 d. ob and used to pay to the Pope on every avoidance 1000 Florens What was paid to the Pope for Spiritual Livings other than Bishopricks we must conclude it uncertain though certainly very great part whereof as also from the Bishopricks was annual and certain as the Tenths and part casual and uncertain as the First Fruits depending on the uncertain deaths of Incumbents and such as did succeed them But besides these ordinary and known rates and summs payable as Fines or Incomes at first entrance and the annual summs proportioned from them as aforesaid it commonly and generally hapned that some other vast summs extraordinary went to Rome before any Bishop could be absolutely setled in his See and that upon Appeals and several other accounts of which we will here give a few instances By the death of Geffrey Plantagenet the Arch-bishoprick of York becoming void Godw. in vita Walteri Gray Eborac Simon Langton Brother of Stephen Langton was chosen Archbishop by Capitular Election but because Stephen was fallen into the Pope's displeasure and suspended the Pope refused to confirm Simon and sent order they should choose another whereupon Walter Gray was pitch'd upon and recommended to the Pope's approbation with this commendation that he had never known woman in all his life At which the Pope swore by St. Peter Virginity was in those dayes a great vertue and he should be the man But the private agreement was that Walter should give the Pope ten thousand pound Sterling for payment whereof he became bound in the Court of Rome which cast him into such a debt that he was necessitated to be continually scraping to discharge his bond and for that reason as my Author sayes the Bishop is by all Historians charactered to have bin a most niggardly and penurious man At another time Matt. Paris in An 1243. Hâ—n 3. the Bishoprick of Winchester being void the Monks made choice of one William de Raley alià s Radley but altogether against the mind of the King who intended another and therefore the King sent his Messengers Theobald a Monk of Westminster and Mr. Alexander a Lawyer with a great summ of money to Rome to get the election vacated and commanded the Magistrates to shut the Gates of Winchester against him whereby Raley finding himself repulsed he curses and interdicts the whole City of Winchester and posts away to Rome where in despite of the King he gets his election confirmed upon the tender of eight hundred marks of which the Pope as the Historian sayes would not abate him one penny whereby he was constrained also to live a miser and in debt all his dayes The Bishoprick of Durham being once vacant Acts and Mâ—n Tâ—m 1. fo 259. and several putting in for the place King Henry the third laboured what he could that Mr. Lucas his Chaplain should be elected but the Monks slighting the King made choice of one William
Scot who runs presently to Rome for confirmation and the King presently sends after him the Bishop of Lichfield and the Prior of Lanthony to sollicite against Scot but after a long tugging and expence of all their money on both sides it was determined that a third man viz. Richard Poor should have the Bishoprick After the death of Stephen Langton Matt. Paris in An. 1228. fo 350. 355. Anâ—quit Brit. in viti Richard Maâ— Archbishop of Canterbury the Monks made choice of Walter de Hempsham to succede him at which the King then being displeased Walter hasts away to Rome as the use then was for his confirmation and the King presently sends after him as his Proctors the Bishops of Coventry and Rochester who appearing before the Pope complained grievously of the misdemeanor of the Monks in making choice of that man as being of no experience suitable to that Dignity but of mean learning one of a debauched and scandalous life having gotten several Bastards upon a Nun and for his extraction his Father had bin condemn'd and hang'd for Theft as himself had also deserv'd having bin a Ringleader amongst Rebels and Traitors But all this would not satisfie the Pope to set him aside Polychron 1.7 cap. 34. until the King ingaged the Pope should have a Disme or the Tenth part of all the moveable goods both of Clergy and Laity throughout England and Ireland which granted the election of Walter Hempsham was declared null and Richard Wethershed promoted to the place The next Successor to Richard Wethershed was Edmund between whom Antic Brit. Godw. in vita Edmundi and the Monks of Rochester a great contest happen'd about the election of one Richard Wendover to be their Bishop whereupon the Bishop goes to Rome and the Covent send their Proctors and these carrying the most money got the cause and Edmund condemn'd by the Pope in 1000. Marks The Bishoprick of Chichester being once void Matt. Paris iâ— Hen. 3. the Canons there elected one Robert Passelew to gratifie the King who had a great kindness for the man but others stemaching him means was made at Rome to have his election quashed and one Richard de la Wich to have the place and thereupon all parties run to Rome with money Bribes complaints and recriminations all which being heard and the money taken the King's man was fob'd off and Wich setled in the See The story is at large in Matthew Paris and a multitude more of like nature might here be exhibited but these shall suffice with this averrement that seldom any election went so cleverly off but something extraordinary came to the Pope besides what was certain by the first Fruits From which we proceed to payments of other natures CHAP. III. Legatine Levies THE Statute of 25 Henry 8. Stat. 25 Hen. 8. cap. 21. Providing that no more summs of money shall be pay'd to the Bishop of Rome begins with recital how the subjects of this realm had for many years been greatly decayed and impoverished by intolerable exactions of great summs of money taken and claimed by the Bishop of Rome called the Pope and the See of Rome as well in Pensions Censes Peter-pence Procurations Fruits suits for Provisions and Expeditions of Bulls for Archbishopricks and Bishopricks and for Delegacies and Rescripts in Causes of Contentions and Appeals Jurisdictions Legantine Dispensations Licences Faculties Grants Relaxations Writs of perinde valere Rehabilitations Abolitions and other infinite sorts c. as the words of the Statute are I cannot now pretend to enumerate or specifie them all when the Statute declares them to be infinite and therefore we shall content our selves to point but at some of them beginning with the Legatine Levies as I may call them Vid. Matthew Westm Flor. Hist in An. 1245 1246. c. Mart. Paris Polychron c. And these were summs of money exacted and levyed upon the King's Subjects throughout the whole Kingdom by Legats and Officers for that purpose deputed by the Pope And these were called for as often as the Popes pretended a need of them for the Court of Rome did inculcate and would have the world to believe Matth. Paris An. 1226. fo 328. That being a Mother she ought to be relieved by her Children Now the first Extraordinary Contribution raised for the Pope in this Kingdom of this kind appears to have bin about the year 1183. when Pope Lucius the third having some quarrel with the Citizens of Rome Rog. Hovedeâ— P. Postenor fo 622. sent to King Henry the second postulans ab co à clericatu Angliae auxilium requiring Aid from him and his Clergy whereupon Consuluit Rex Episcopos suos Clerum Angliae de petitione Summi Pontificis Cui Episcopi Cleri consuluerunt ut ipse secundum voluntatem suam honorem faceret auxilium D. Papae tam pro seipso quam pro illis quia tolerabilius esset plus placeret eis quod D. Rex si vellet accepisset ab eis auxilii recompensationem quam si permisisset Nuncios D. Papae in Angliam venire ad capiendum de eis auxilium quia si aliter fieret posset verti in consuetudinem ad regni sui detrimentum Adquievit Rex consilio suorum fecit auxilium magnum D. Papae in auro argento The King consulted the Bishops and Clergy about the Popes request to whom the Bishops and Clergy returned That the King might if he so pleased and for his honor send aid to the Pope as well for himself as for them because it would be more tolerable and more acceptable to them for his Majesty if he pleased to take a Compensation from them for his Aid than that he should permit the Pope's Officers to come into England to receive it of them which might turn to a custom detrimental to the Kingdom To this counsel the King adher'd and sent a great Aid to the Pope in Gold and Silver as Rog. Hoveden hath at large related the Carriage of that business In which several passages are very remarkable as that the King did in matters that concern'd the Pope consult with the English Church and follow'd their advice and then the care and circumspection of the Clergy to avoid mischievous consequences for the future and that not without very good cause for the Popes were so prone to be busie and tampering in this matter of money that afterward in the time King Edward the first Papa miâ—it bullas inhibitatorias quod nulla persona Ecclesiastica daret seculari personae contributionem ullam absque licentia specialita Romana curia concessa in hac parte Henry de Knighton Coll. 2489. he prohibited the Clergy from giving any thing to the King without his leave first obtained and that under pain of the great excommunication a great presumption this but without any considerable effect to the purpose intended But notwithwanding the before mention'd caution the Popes gained
him that King John wrote to the Pope the next year Matr. Paris in An. 1206. fo 214. Quod uberiores sibi fructus proveniant de regno Angliae quam de omnibus regionibus citra Alpes c. That the Pope had greater profits out of England than all other Countreys on this side the Alpes c. Nay and these Levys were continued sometimes for six years together as Thorn notes Thorn ut supr wherein the Kings themselves were wont to promote the business by being indulged by the Popes to go snips in the gains After the death of Pope Clement the 4th the See of Rome continued void two years and ten months Matt. Westm fo 352. Contin Matt. Paris fo 976. Tho. Walsingh by reason of the great discord and potent factions amongst the Cardinals And at last Theobald the Arch-deacon of Liege who had been comrade and fellow-souldier with our King Edw. 1. in the Holy Land was elected and took the name of Gregory the 10th whereupon was made these verses Papatum munus tenet Archidiaconus unus An. D. 1272. Quem Patrem Patrum fecit discordia fratrum The Papal Office one Archdeacon takes Whom Father of Fathers Brethren's discord makes King Edward the First coming out of the H. Land into England after the death of his Father King Henry the Third touch'd at Rome where he was nobly entertained and caressed by his old friend this then Pope Gregory the 10th and between them it was contrived to raise some great summs in England under pretence of aid and succour for the Holy Land and in pursuance thereof a special Nuntio was sent from the Pope Reimundus to compell all Ecclesiastical persons to pay Two years Dismes but so it happened that as the moneys came in the King and the Pope's Collectors scrambled for it but the Pope as was believed got the greatest share and the King wanting for his occasions of state was forced to borrow several summs of the Collectors on sufficient security given for repayment Pat. 20 Ed. 1. m. 10. as by the Bonds Securities Counter-bonds and Acquittances upon that occasion still extant amongst the Tower Records may be seen and by this token that at one time the King received of the Pope's Collectors 100000 marks but not one penny as I can learn employed for the use pretended And from this practice of the King and Popesgoing sharers in these and other summs gotten from the People when discovered grew that infamous Proverb Matt. Paris in An. 1255. fo 917. That the King and the Pope were the Lion and the Wolf as on the like distasted occasion these Satyrical Rhimes had also been made Ecclesiae navis titubat regni quia clavis Errat Flor. Hist An. 1306. Rex Papa facti sunt unica capa Hoc faciunt Do Des Pilatus hic alter Herodes The Church's ship in safety cannot home pass When the chief Pilot once mistakes his Compass When King and Pope are given both to plundring One Pilate proves the other Herod thundring Which trick of sharing with the Popes Arnold Ferron de reb Gall. was learned by the French Kings of ours but some of them grew so cunning at last as to put all that was raised that way into their own Pockets and so out-shot the Pope in his own Bow CHAP. XIV Croisado's CRoisado's and vowed expeditions to the Holy Land and against Turks and Infidels dispenced withall or commuted was another trick of the like nature and oftentimes brought great summs into the Pope's Exchequer For it being observed that the Turks ever warred against the Christians with great alacrity S. Hen. Blunts voiage into the Levanâ— upon a belief that if they were killed ipso facto they went into Mahomet's Paradise The Pope to beat the Turk at his own Weapon would oftentimes publish a Croisado that is invite persons to undertake expeditions against the Infidels upon promise of pardon of all their sins Gapitula apud Gaitintun Chron Gervas fo 1522. Temp. Hen. 2. Speln Concil Tom. 2. fo 117. Rad. de Diceto Coll. 707. Quicunque Clericus vel Laicus crucem acceperit ab omnibus peccatis suis auctoritate Dei beatorum Apost Petri Pauli summi Pontificis liberatus est absolutus as was declar'd in one of our Councils Upon which multitudes of all sorts as Kings Nobles and Common people according to the zeal and perswasion of those times would vow to go and list themselves for the Holy War and in token thereof continually afterwards wore upon their Backs Crouchbacks the sign or badge of a Red Cross as being to fight against the enemies of Christ's Cross Now the Pope being God's Lieutenant over these Troops for mony would absolve these of their vows or such of them as upon second thoughts desired to stay at home Will. Malmâ—â— lib. 4. cap. 2. Frequently would he also divert and turn their Arms to other uses as to subdue the Albigenses Waldenses and many others of the Popes private enemies Matt. Paris in An. 1250. fo 803. And Matt. Paris tells a story how once the Pope sold these crossed Pilgrims to others even for ready money as the Jews did their Sheep and their Doves in the Temple Besides when some great expedition was in hand and great contributions made to carry on the War the Pope must be made the Treasurer but never gave any account of his disbursements keeping or converting all or most of the money to his own use Also in absence of Princes upon those expeditions the Popes and their Officers took their full swings to the inriching themselves besides many other considerable advantages and acquists as by the Histories and Complaints of Christendom in that matter most fully and at large it doth appear CHAP. XV. Ambassadors Agents AMbassadors Leiger and Extraordinary Proctors and Agents constantly residing at Rome with their retinues and servants maintained there by our Kings drew as constantly great summs of money out of the Kingdom For Rome being the seat of Policy and the Popes making themselves concern'd and busie in the affairs of all Princes these took it as it was indeed their interest to have continually their respective Agents and Ambassadors there to sollicite for their Master's interest to oppose contrary Factions and to gain intelligences And for these and the like purposes our Kings always had two three or more at a time there from and to whom multitudes of Internuntio's Carryers and Messengers were continually posting and running with Letters Instructions and Dispatches all occasioning a vast expence And by these it was â— Ninotismo dâ— Roma that the Popes were courted and caressed their Nephews Cardinal Patrons and Favourites bribed and presented For the Popes are never without their Creatures and Privado's a Caesar Borgia a Donna Olympia or some such like who must be effectually dealt withall and by them way made to the Pope's ear and savour besides
the tenth and afterwards Pope himself by the name of Clement the seventh Hieronymus de Nugutiis upon the resignation of Jul. Medices injoyed it many years And such prevalence had the Popes and Cardinals in this matter that once King Edw. 1. having promised the Cardinal-Bishop of Sabine at his instance to present one Nivianus an Italian his Chamberlain to a Benefice in Licolnshire then in his gift by the death of another Italian the Popes Chaplain and forgetting his promise presented his own Clark thereunto but being reminded thereof to make good his promse Pâ—t 5 E. 1. m. 16. De praesemation pro M Aptonio de Niviano he revoked his first Presentation and Presented Nivianus to it as appears by his Patent for that purpose still preserved amongst our Records At such time as Rubeus Mar. Paris in An. 1240. fo 540 and Ruffinus two of the Pope's Factors were very busie here in England in Collecting money for the Pope one Mumelinus comes from Rome with Four and twenty Italians with orders that they should be admitted to so many of the best Benefices that should next fall void Mâ—â—t Pâ—jâ—â— codem anno And in the same year it was that the Pope made agreement with the People of Rome that if they would effectually aid him against Frederick the Emperour their Children should be put into all the vacant Benefices in England And thereupon order was sent to Edmund Arch-bishop of Cant. the Bishops of Lincoln and Salisbury that Provision should be made for Three hundred Romans Children to be served of the next Benefices that should fall unde stupor magnus corda haec audientium occupavit timebaturque quod in abyssum desperationis talia audiens mergeretur as the Historian hath it But this made such an impression upon the Archbishop being a tender man to see the Church in that manner wounded and so much evil in his days that he disposed of his affairs and retired into France where for a little while he lived Godw. in vita ejus bewailing the deplorable state of his Country and of grief dyed at Pontiniac CHAP. XVII Priories-Alien PRiories-Alien were another cause or means of carrying great summs for a long time out of the Kingdom And these were of this Original viz. according to the devotion of the times many forraign Monasteries and Religious Houses were endowed with possessions here in England and then the Monks beyond Sea partly to propagate more of their own Rule and Order and partly to place Stewards as it were to transmit a good proportion of the Rents and profits of these their new acquir'd possessions at so great a distance would either by themselves or the assistance of others build a Cell or competent and convenient reception for some small Covent to which they sent over from time to time such numbers as they thought fit and constituted Priors over them successively as occasion required and thereupon they were called Priories-Aliens because they were Cells to some Monasteries beyond the Seas And these Foundations became frequent after the Conquest So as in the raign of King Edward the third they were increased to the number of one hundred and ten in England With some proportion or allowance out of the revenues of these the Prior and Monks sent over were maintained and the residue transmitted to the Houses to which they were allyed to the great damage of the Kingdom and inriching of strangers In time the Foundations of these Priories-Alien became very numerous being spread all over the Kingdom Lamb. Peram of Kent Weav Fun. Mon. One John Norbury erected two the one at Greenwich the other at Lewsham in Kent both belonging to the Abby of Gaunt in Flanders At Wolston in Warwick-shire a Cell W. Dugd. Warw. in Wolston or Religious House was founded subordinate to the Abby of St. Peter Super Dinam in France Another at Monks-Kirby in the same County Id. fo 50. founded by Geffry Wirce of Little Brittain in France appropriated to the Monastery of Angiers the principal City of Anjou And another at Wotton Wawen in the same County Id. fo 604. a Cell of Benedictin Monks belonging to Conchis in Normandy of all which Mr. Dugdale hath several remarks of Antiquity At Hinckley in Leicester-shire Burton Descrip of Leic. fo 134. a Priory of Canons Aliens was founded by Robert Blanchmains Earl of Leicester or as some say by Hugh Grandmeisnell Baron of Hinckley belonging to the Abby of Lira in Normandy and this of a very good value Roger de Poictiers founded a cell for Monks-Aliens at Lancaster Cambd. Brit. in Lancast Edward the Confessor Id. in Glocest fo 362. by his Testament assign'd the religious place at Deochirst in the County of Gloucester and the Government thereof to the Monastery of St. Denis near Paris in France in this remarkable that it will be hard to given another instance of such an assignation before the Norman Conquest King Henry the third once gave licence to the Jews Stow Survey in Broadst Ward Lindwood Constit lib. 3. Tit. 20. at their great charge to build a Synagogue in London which when they had finished he order'd should be dedicated to the Virgin Mary and then made it a Cell to St. Anthony's in Vienna And near unto Charing-Cross there was another Stow Survey in Westm fo 495. annexed to the Lady of Runciavall in Navarre in the Diocess of Pampelone founded in the fifteenth year of King Edward 4. At Sion Cambd. in Midd. fo 420. in Middlesex there was antiently a Monastery for Monks-Aliens Mr. Cambden tells us when they were expuls'd and how it was converted into a Nunnery for Virgins to the honour of our Saviour the Virgin Mary and St. Briget of Syon But Lindwood tells us Lindwoed l. 3. Tit. 20. that the Superior House to which at first it belonged not mentioned by Mr. Cambden was at Wastena in the Kingdom of Sweden of the Rule of St. Austin But the richest of all for annual revenue Harpsfield Catalog Ae l. Rel. fo 762. was that which Yvo Talbois built at Spalding in Lincoln-shire giving it to the Monks of Angiers in France the yearly revenue whereof was valued at 878 l. 18 s. 3 d. per annum Instances might be made of a multitude more of the like Foundations all tending to carry money out of the Kingdom and most commonly to the King's Enemies beyond the Seas Which mischief being apprehended Rot. Parl. 50 E 3. nu 128. and great complaints thereof frequently made in Parliament these Priories-Alien became oftentimes seised into the King's hands and the revenues thereof sequestred to the King's use and then restitutions made and seisures again as occasion required untill the fourth year of King Henry the fourth Claus 4 Hâ—n 4. nu 30. when a new consideration was had in Parliament about these Priories-Alien and resolved that all should again be seised into the King's hands
which are the French Italians German English Provençal Auvergnois Castilian and Arragonian These Albergs are buildings like Colledges and the Seignior of each Nation is Superiour of the Alberg Grand Prior of his Nation of the Gran Croce as they call it and of the Privy Council of the Great Master Amongst these there is an Alberg or an apartment for the English Nation or rather a piece of ground inclosed with the foundation of an Alberg the Walls being not quite reared up This standing now void for want of English to stock it some of the Citizens would have bought the ground to have built upon but the Grand Master and Council would not sell it expecting that one day the English Nation would be reduced again to the Obedience of the Roman Church and then it would be finished and replenish'd with such for whom it was first designed In the time of Mr. Sand's being there an Irish-man living in Naples and receiving a large Pension from the King of Spain bore the Title of Grand Prior for the English but who hath since succeeded in that Office I have not thought it very necessary to inquire And in like manner as we are informed the other dissolved Orders especially those as were of greatest note and most richly endowed still keep up and continue their Successions as well as they can with Rentals and Particulars of the possessions of their respective Houses in hopes they will revert once again to their former use CHAP. XIX Elections of Popes and Cardinals THE Election and making of Popes and Cardinals was another way of carrying great summs frequently out of England to Rome And that upon this account The Pope being both a spiritual Monarch and a Temporal Prince it could not otherwise be but by that sway which he bore in the Consciences of such as owned his authority he came to have a great influence over all the State affairs of Christendome besides his challenging a power to depose Kings absolve Subjects of their Oaths of Allegiance dispence with Vows and Oaths and dispose of Kingdoms and States as he pleased and then the Kings and States of Europe acting according to their respective rules of State and Policy there continually happen'd a reciprocation and recurrence of Treaties Leagues Alliances Quarrels and Warrs amongst them And the Popedome being Elective all those Princes and States amongst whom our Kings had their proper concerns made it their interest and utmost endeavour in a vacancy to procure the promotion of such a one to that See as might be favourable or at least not noxious to their interests and designs And hence all the subtile contrivances the secret Cabals sometimes the twisting and at other times the unravelling of interests and factions the canvassing of parties the buying of votes the purchasing of intelligence the bribing of Officers and any thing or every thing that money would do must be set on foot and carryed on with utmost vigour cost and pains At such a time and occasion Rome becomes throng'd with Ambassadors and Agents with their Guards and Retinue from all quarters and all at a vast expence watching labouring and sweating every one for his Master's business whilst the roads are pester'd with Messengers Curriers and Posts carrying and re-carrying of News intelligence and instructions Then by reason of all this packing and canvassing it often happens that the Conclave cannot agree in many moneths though generally those Princes who had bin most liberal have had their turns serv'd and many times again by reason of the fierce opposition and difficulties the Cardinals not to disgust the contending factions are fain to pitch upon some heavy old overgrown man who is likely to do neither hurt nor good or at least not long and sometimes again the Conclave becomes so divided and rent that one part of them chooses a Pope and another part an Anti-Pope and when these with their partisans have for some time scuffl'd tug'd and fought for 't in comes a third dog and catches the hare from them both and sometimes three Popes have been up and in play at one time In this hurly-burly St. Peter's chair is overturn'd and broke in pieces one Pope snatches up part of it and runs into Germany another scrambles for another part and runs with it into France whilst another pieces up the remaining shivers and seats himself at Rome Presently the world is fill'd with complaints Remonstrances and Manifesto's The Emperour storms and sayes his man had foul play and that his Imperial Eagle shall fly his utmost pitch to do him right The surly Spaniard grumbles and protests he will hazard all his Indies before his Creature shall be so baffled And the French King swears that all his Flowers de Lis shall wither before his Confident shall be rooted out neither are our Kings of England only lookers on whilst this game is in playing but either their Arms or their money must be layd to stake on one side In this Battle-Royal after many incounters and ran-counters the weakest though not alwayes the worst most commonly goes to the Walls one of them perhaps sent out of the world with a Fig or a Potion another entrapp'd and thrown into a Dungeon whilst the third for a few moneths or it may be years struts up and down claps his wings and crows as victor and then goes himself to the Pot and leaves the Pit for other Combatants and the spectators to their expectation of more sport Of this sort Bellarmine reckons up six and twenty schisms in the Roman Church but Onuphrius a more exact accountant Onuphr in vita Clem. 7. reckons up thirty whereof some lasted ten some twenty and one fifty years The Contemplation whereof hath caused some to make a very shrewd objection against the perfect unity compleat succession and Divine Infallibility so much boasted of in that Church I might and could easily here make particular instance of all these famous bickerings scuffles and counter-scuffles but the same being obvious to all that converse with books Dr. Stilling-fleet of the divisions of the Rom. Churâ—h and something having bin lately worthily done to that purpose and it being a Parergon to the drift of these papers we will no further ingage in these quarrels than to note that they were cause for the reasons aforesaid of great expence to our English Kings when they thought it their interest to have a friend seated in the Pontifical chair and the reason of that Policy now ceasing we being altogether unconcern'd in that affair the money that used to leak that way is kept within the Kingdom to the great ease quiet and benefit both of King and People I will only here take liberty to mention one famous schisme the procedure and conclusion thereof justifying all that we have before pointed at in this matter About the year 1404. Platina in vitis Innoc. 7 Greg. 12. Alex. 5. Jo 24 Innocent the seventh being Pope by the prevalence of a
Priests the lewdest are made Cardinals and of the Cardinals the worst are chosen Popes But the most famous that sprung up there of the English growth of both sorts take as follows Pope Joan shall lead the dance Pope Joan. Plaâ—ina in vita J. han 8. Jo. Bale in vita ejus Et Godw. Alex. Cook of Pope Jour of whom much might be said but let it suffice here to be known That all writers agree her to be English by Parentage though some say she was born at Mentz in Germany others that she was born in England When she came to ripe age she ran away in man's apparel with a Monk of Fulda and studied in many famous Academies both of the Greeks and Latins especially Athens where her Paramour dyed and then she came to Rome where in Disputations and Scholastick exercises An. Dom. 855. she got such a fame that after the death of Leo the fourth she was elected Pope which office she exercised two years Contulit sacros ordines promovit Episcopos ministravit sacramenta caeteraque Rom. Pont. exercuit munera Cor. Agrip. de Van. scient cap. 62. de fact monast O Lucina fer opem five months and three days celebrating Mass giving Orders and acting in all things her part as a compleat Pope only wanting the Masculine Gender But so it proved that in the time of her Papacy she was gotten with Child and going to the Lateran between Colosses and St. Clements she fell in â—â—bour but wanting a Mid-wife and other accommodations requisite in that case she there dyed and for the scandal thereof her successors in all their Processional pomps have ever since avoided that way and to prevent the like to come the Porphyry Chair was devised Sabellic lib. 1. Aenead 9. thus described by Sabellicus Spectatur adhuc in Pontificia domo marmorea sella circa medium inanis qua novus Pontifex residat ut sedentis genitalia ab ultimo Diacono attrectentur A marble Chair with a hole in the seat wherein the new Pope fitting the junior Deacon may handle his Genitals This story of Pope Joan the modern Pontificians do not like though related by all these Writers and who were all Romanists Marianus Scotus Sigebertus Gemblacencis Martinus Polonus Sabellicus Mantuanus Johan Parisiensis Antoninus Nauclerus Fascic Temp. Author Fulgosus Theodoric à Nyem Ravisius Textor Laonicas Chalcondylas Fran. Petrarcha Johannes Boccacius Ranulph Cestrensis Johan Lunidus Alph. de Cartagena Jo. Tritemius Palmerius Valatteranus Canstantin Phrygio Christ Masseus Anselm Rid. Supplem Chron. Author Chronic. Chronicorum Gotefridus Viterbiensis And for them all Platina the famous writer of the Popeâ—s lives who tells all the story at large concluding thus Platina in vita Johan 8. Quae ideo ponere breviter nude institui ne obstinate nimium pertinaciter videar omisisse quod fere omnes affirmant that is He would not omit the relation because almost all men then believ'd it to be true Nicholas Breakspear Adrian 4. An. D. 1154. born at Langley near to St. Alban's in the County of Hartford acquir'd the Popedom by the name of Adrian the fourth This man suffered Frederick the Emperour to hold his stirrop as he alighted from his Horse and then checkt him for not shewing himself an expert Groom and after excommunicates him for standing upon his right and writing his name before the Popes but not therewithal sufficiently revenged and with his Cardinals conspiring to ruine the Emperour sending a Counterfeit to stab him and an Arabian to poyson him he was choak'd with a Fly that got into his Throat verifying what he used often to say That none can be more unfortunate than to be made Pope William Grisant Urban 5. An. D. 1362. Tho. Walsingh Hist fo 172. an Englishman obtain'd the Papacy by the name of Vrban the fifth Of this man Thomas Walsingham tells this story That he waiting long in the Court of Rome for preferment and none coming he complain'd to his friend that he verily thought in his heart if all the Churches in the world should fall yet none would fall upon his head but when he was Crowned Pope his friend remembred him of what he had said and told him he had now gotten on his Head all the Churches in the world But the vertue of them all could not preserve him from poyson Balaeus in vita ejus of which he dyed at Marseils in his return as is said into Italy Geffry of Monmouth Geffry of Monmouth Pontic Virun Ciacon Magdeburgens the famous Historian is affirmed by some to have been a Cardinal But the very learned Bishop Godwin in the Lives of the Bishops of St. Asaph of which this Geffry was one much doubts it I think it not worth the while now to examine the business or seasonable to animadvert upon the fabulosity of his History only there comes to mind a story that Roger Hoveden tells of him Rog. Hovedâ—n pars posterior Hen. 2. fo 544. how once he was slurr'd both of his Bishoprick of St. Asaph and the Abbacy of Abingdon when he cunningly designed to have held both The story is thus In a Council then held the Clergy of St. Asaph beseeched the Archbishop of Canterbury that out of the plenitude of his power he would command Geffry their Bishop to return to his Cure and charge or send them another in his stead for that he had withdrawn himself from them and being come into England King Henry had given him the Abbacy of Abingdon then voidâ—â— whereupon the Archb. convented Geffry before the Council and injoined him either presently to return to his charge or to resign it and stand to favour in hope whereof he resigns into the hands of the Archbishop by delivering up his Ring and Pastoral staff But the consequence was that thereby he became strip'd of both for the King presently gave the Bishoprick to one Adam a Welchman and the Abbacy to a certain Monk Boso Boso An. D. 1155. Balaeus an Englishman was made a Cardinal of whom nothing is left memorable but that by his vehement stickling he prov'd mainly instrumental in the Election of Alexander the third to the Popedom against the strong factions of Victor Innocentius Paschalis and Calixtus who all stood for the place and thereupon came to participate of the alternate fortunes of his Master in his bickerings with the Emperour at that time Stephen Langton was created Cardinal of St. Steph. Largton An. D. 1206. Matr. Paris Antiquit Britt in Steph. Langt Godw. in vita Chrysogon and the Archbishoprick of Canterbury falling void by the death of Hubert the Monks chose Reginald the Sub-Prior with great secrecy and injoined him silence till he could get his confirmation at Rome But he being big of his Honour could not forbear tattling insomuch as King John then raigning dealt with the Monks to elect John Gray Bishop of Norwich upon which the two Elects appeal to
exortus prosapia dum carnis clausus carcere tenebatur pauper spiritu mente mitis justitiam sitiens misericordiae deditus mundus corde vere pacificus prout firmiter recolimus nos expertos utpote cujus apud nos diu laudabilis conversatio gloriosae vitae insignia ex mulâ—a familiaritate quam nobiscum habuit eadem fuerunt evidentius nobis nota quod Sanctitatem ipsius conversationem laudabilem cernebamas quemadmodum degens in seculo magnis pollebat meritis nunc veniens in coelo magnis corruscare miraculis dignoscatur in tantum quod ipsius meritis intercessionibus gloriosis lumen caecis surdis auditus verba mutis gressus claudis alia pleraque beneficia ipsius patrocinium implorantibus coelesti dextera conferuntur de quorum miraculorum corruscatione multiplici nonnullis de regno nostro certitudinaliter innotescit Nos attendentes per Dei gratiam fideles in Christo nosque praecipue populum regni nostri ejus posse suffragiis adjuvari ut quem familiarem habuimus in terris mereamur habere Patronum in coelis Sanctitati vestrae devotissime supplicamus quatenus tantam lucernam absconsam sub modio remanere diutius non sinentes set eam mandantes super Candelabrum collocari hiis qui sunt in domo Domini solatium praebituram dignemini ipsum ascribere Sanctorum Cathologo venerando ut ejus precibus Dominus exoratus gratiam in praesenti gloriam nobis praebeat ia futuro Conservet vos Altissimus ad regimen Ecclesiae suae per tempora foeliciter longiora Dat. apud Westm Secundo die Novemb. Anno regni nostri 33. And upon this as I said before he was Canonized for a Saint The Letter it self I have the rather exemplified at large that you may see upon what ground the Popish Confidence is founded and what by-wayes have been beaten in quest of Heaven King Henry the seventh had a desire to have had King Henry the sixth Lo. Bacon Hist Hen. 7. fo 227. his Predecessor Canonized for a Saint thereby to acquire some coelestial Honour to his own House and Line of Lancaster and for that purpose he dealt with Pope Julius who knowing that he had an able Chapman in hand made his demands accordingly Some indeed say that that Pope who was a little more than ordinary jealous of the dignity of the See of Rome and of the Acts thereof knowing that King Henry the sixth was reputed in the world but for a simple man was afraid it would diminish the estimation of that kind of Honour if there were not a distance kept between Innocents Lo. Bacon supr Speed Chron. in Ed. 4. fo 885. and Saints But the general opinion was that Pope Julius was too dear which the wary King perceiving having somewhat tasted of the charge in expences upon witnesses References Commissions and Reports for the verification of his Holy Acts and Miracles a thing usual in the Court of Rome when a good Client comes thought good to reserve his money for some better bargaine and withdrew his suit betimes Et sic nihil inde venit The manner of Canonizations with the Ordinary charges Sir H. Spelm. Conc. Tomâ— fol. 717 718. too long to be here inserted but most worthy to be noted you may find exhibited by Sir H. Spelman in the second Tome of his excellent collection of the English Councils CHAP. XXI Pope's Legats Collectors IN the foregoing Chapters particular instances have been made of some of those many and great summs of money heretofore going out of England to the Pope and Court of Rome with some of the wayes and means of drawing the same thither wherein we had occasion of mentioning the Pope's Legates Agents Collectors and Officers imployed about the gathering and transmitting those summs of some of whom it will not I conceive be impertinent to revive some memorials as tending something to the amplification of the particulars before specified Pandulfus of these shall be the Antesignanus though not first in time Pandulsus Matt. Paris John Serres Hist in Phil. August Speed Chron. yet as most notorious To him as the Pope's substitute it was that King John was inforced to surrender his Crown laying the same his Scepter Robe Sword and Ring the Royal Ensigns at his feet subscribing to a Charter whereby he surrendred his Kingdom to the Pope and paying an Annual Pension of 1000 marks for both the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and professing that thenceforward he would hold Crown and Kingdoms as a Feudetary to the Pope But of this Legat and this action enough before in King John's Pension from whom we pass to Nicolas Thusculanus Nicolas Thusculanus who was the next Legat and came to get the former Grant of King John renewed This man sped so well in his Negotiation as he returned to his Master with great summs of money besides having disposed of a multitude of the spiritual Dignities and Benefices to the Pope's Kinsmen to Italians and Strangers all absent unknown and insufficient yea and to some unborn John Derlington was several years Collector of Peter-Pence Jo. Derlingt Disms and other summs accruing hence to Pope John Nicolas the third and Martin the third of whom Leland sayes thus Jo. Leland Coll. Nullo enim tempore defuerunt suae artes Romanis corrodendi pecunias relicto religioso Apostoli Petri Derlingtonus iniqui proditoris Judae permansit in Officio to reward which service of Derlington the Pope by Provision made him Archbishop of Dublin In an 7 Ed. 1. Bal. de Script Britt Cent. 4. c. 56. wherein as John Bale sayes he carryed himself ut mercenarius non Pastor non ut pascat sed ut mulgeat vel tondeat Otho comes next Otho Matt. Paris fo 446. Acts Mon. Tom. 140.260 H. d'Knight coll fo 2440. who how received and presented how he abused the King pilled the Clergy and in intolerable manner damnified the whole Kingdom is at large related by Matthew Paris and others one viz. Henry de Knighton gives him this exit Hic cum esset onustus pecunia quaedam Statuta edidisset reversus est ad locum unde exierat Of him we meet with this passage Once making an essay to enter Scotland to see what he could get there the Scots King advised him to beware for his Subjects were rough fellows and certainly would do him a mischief when they understood his errand Besides it being a bare Country he might well be slighted as once an honest poor man did the Thieves which he was told were broken into his house Let them alone said he for they will have much ado to find something in the dark when I my self can find nothing in the light But notwithstanding all this discouragement on he went as far as he durst that is to the Borders where some of the Bishops of Scotland meeting him partly with good words and partly with meances
Baronii Bellarmini confectura The modest and learned Ger. Jo. Vossius Ger. Voss de Hist Latinis lib. 2. cap. 58. on whose credit much may be taken up of our Historian saith thus Historia Matt. Paris Cantabrigiae adservatur in Collegio S. Benedicti Vti in Bibliotheca Baronis de Lumleio ac primum Londini post Tiguri typis divulgata fuit atque id fide bona ut Manuscripti quos dixi codices culvis fidem fecerint and then he takes notice of that invidious aspersion of Twine who being an Oxford man it seems he was never so happy as to see that incomparable treasure of Antiquities in Benet Colledge Library in Cambridge congested by that most worthy Prelate where his own Eyes might have confuted the slander of his pen. Degoreus Whear Deg. Whear de Mâ—hâ—d legend Hist sect 29. in his excellent Methodus c. ranks our Historian amongst the rest thus His etiam adnectat veram illam fidelem Matthaei Parisiensis Historiam Lastly An. D. 1640. Londini Dr. W. Watts a very good Antiquary and Historian puts forth Mat. Paris again in an excellent Equipage and with all attendants befitting his merit having first compared the former London Edition of Archb. Parker with all the Manuscripts extant and then Printing this Verbatim with the former as not finding that differing at all from the Manuscripts One whereof remaining in the King's Library at St. James's Proleg ut supr and which Is Casaubon examined and had some time in his keeping is taken to be the very authentick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Author written with his own hand and heretofore kept in the Monastery Library of St. Alban's Then for the aspersion of Twine it is without all doubt as false and frivolous as it is unworthy proceeding chiefly from his inveterateness against the most eminent University of Cambridge which it seems he could not vent without endeavouring to blast the memory of a most reverend learned and faithful Prelate whose great integrity and fame will ever stand impenetrable to the teeth of this angry nibler Thus having set our honest Author rectus in Curia upon the testimonies of so many creditable Witnesses we may well conclude That the Times the Popes and the Court of Rome were corrupted and not the Historian and that what we have of Matt. Paris is but the Eccho of the People's complaints and groans in those times which sounding so harsh in the Romanists ears it is no wonder they are so displeased to hear it CHAP. XXIV Abbies Monasteries c. HItherto our Collections have reached only to mention or point at such summs of money as heretofore went out of England to the Popes and Court of Rome whilst they excercifed any power here Now if I should proceed to specifie the other vast summs of money as yearly nay daily issued out of the King 's publick Exchequer and the People's private purses upon the score of Popery and as appurtenant thereunto spent and expended within the Kingdom to vain insignificant and superstitious purposes I should tire my Reader with multitudes of particulars and yet shame my self in falling so infinitely short of such an Account as Truth would make And therefore I shall only hint briefly at some heads or generals of the same In the first place then Vâ—d Speed's Catalâ—gâ—e the founding and endowing of a multitude of Abbies Monasteries Nunneries Chanteries Free-Chappels and Colledges within the Realm and those generally with the best lands and revenues exhausted and swallowed up many fair estates diverting them from the right heirs to the ruine or decay of many noble Houses and Families Then the Votaries that entered into these Abbies Monasteries and Nunneries alwayes carryed their portions and estates along with them and by themselves or their friends gave either Lands Goods Plate Jewels Copes Vestments or some other Ornament at their first admittance into one of the Convents as many English do at this day upon their entrance into religious houses and Orders beyond the Seas These Houses were also wonderfully inrich'd by the burials of great Persons in them Weaver Pun. Mon. fo 158. For in this matter of Sepulture Monasteries and Abbies were alwayes preferred greatly before all other Churches upon the estimation of the Sanctity of those places and a presumption that their Souls in Purgatory should have some benefit by the Prayers of the professed there with this further confidence that such as were buryed in Fryers habits should have wonderful advantages thereby For which purpose St. Riâ— Baker in K. John Dugdal Ant. Warw. fo 115. it is said that King John was buryed at Worcester in a Monks Cowl And Mr. Dugdale makes mention of some of the Honourable family of the Hastings that lye buryed in the Grey Fryers at Coventre in the very habits of Fryers Minors Proceeding that this Orders of Fryers was so much reverenced by the generality of people that by the Bequests and Testaments of most men and women of abilities it appears that formerly they seldom neglected to give more or less to one or other religious House of this Rule and if they were Persons of quality they commonly made choice of their Sepulture in one of them Neither was it the least policy of these Fryers to obtain from great persons such a disposal of their bodies considering how they were generally employed and trusted in making their Wills and Testaments for where ever they sped in that kind they were sure to have a good Legacy from the Testator and not without hope by so fair an Example to obtain no less advantage by his posterity Thomas Walsingham Tho Walsing in Ed. 1 fo 20. speaking of the burial of Queen Elianor's heart in the Church of the Fryers Minors in London did not without cause complain thus of them Qui meaning the said Fryers sicuti cuncti fratres reliquorum ordinum aliquid de corporibus quorumcunque potentium morientium sibimet vendicabant more canum cadaveribus assistentium ubi quisque suam particulam avide consumendam expectat i. e. These as all the Fryers of the like Orders challenged something as their due from the bodies of great men dying like a company of dogs snatching every one at a piece of a dead Carcass Thus Walsingham being a Monk out of envy spared not to snarle at the nimble Fryers who no doubt but some time or other would be even with him and those of his Order Then these Professed Monks and Fryers upon their visiting and confessing of the sick alwayes used the most perswasive arguments they could for the sick person to bestow something toward maintenance of their Fraternities or repairing of their Covents and that he would bequeath his Body to be buryed in the Church of their Covent promising they would daily say Prayers and Masses for his soul's ease in and release out of Purgatory And by confessing such as were in health they frequently
matters into his care and cognisans He call'd Synods and Councils and ratified their Canons into Laws He routed the Conventicles of the Donatists made Edicts concerning Festivals the Rites of Sepulture the immunities of Churches the Authority of Bishops the Priviledges of the Clergy with divers other things relating to the outward Politie of the Church In which affair he was carefully followed by his Successors as evidently may appear to all conversant in the Civil Law And the aforesaid Stephen Gardiner in that his notable Oration of true Obedience makes instance in the Roman Emperour Justinian who with the approbation of all the world at that time set forth those Laws of the most Blessed Trinity the Catholique Faith Justiniani factum qui leges edidit de Trinitate de fide Catholica c. Steph. Wint. Orat. fo 19. of Bishops and Clergy-men and the like The like also appears by the most famous Partidas set forth by Ferdinando the Saint and his Son Alphonso for the antient Kingdoms of Castile Toledo Leon and others of Spain celebrated in the Spanish Histories Correspondent to which also hath bin the practice of the Kingdom of France Lew. Turquet Hist of Spain whose Kings have ever been esteemed in some sence the Heads of their Church and this is the reason that the opening their most ancient Councils under the first and second the Merovingian and Caroline line was ever by the power and authority and sometimes the presidency of their Kings and Princes It being a noted saying in one of their Councils Câ—ncil Parisienâ— 6. lib. 2. cap. 2. Cognoscant Principes Seculi se Deo debere rationem propter Ecclesiam quam à Deo tuendam accipiunt And according to this Doctrine C d. Lâ—g Antiq Gall. fâ— 827. Lâ—ndenbrog for matters of Church or State of Charls the Great Ludovicus Pius Lewis le Gros Pepin and others collected by the French Antiquaries And at this day generally amongst the Lawyers and most learned of the French Nation it is held and declared Vid. le Reâ—â—w de le Council de Trent Boreâ— lib. 4. de Decret Eccl. Gall. That the Bishop of Rome was anciently the First and chiefest Bishop according to the dignity of of Precedency and order not by any Divine institution but because Rome was the chief City of the Empire That he obtained this Primacy over the Western Church by the grace and gift of Pepin Charls the Great and other Kings of France And that he hath no power to dispose of temporal things That it belongs to Christian Kings and Princes to call Ecclesiastical Synods to establish their Decrees to make wholesome Laws for the government of the Church and to punish and reform abuses therein That the Laws whereby their Church is to be governed are only the Canons of the more ancient Councils and their own National Constitutions and not the Extravagants and Decretals of the Bishop or Court of Rome That the Council of Constance assembled by Sigismund the Emperour with a concurrent consent of other Christian Princes Decreeing a General Synod or Council to be Superior to the Pope and correcting many abuses in the Roman Church which yet remain in practice was a true Oecumenical Council as also was the Council of Basil That the Assembly of Trent was no lawful Council and the Canons thereof rather to be esteemed the Decrees of the Popes who call'd and continued it than the Decrees of the Council it self and that in regard the number of Bishops there met was but small bearing no proportion to the import of a General Council as also the greatest part of those present were Italian and Vassals to the Pope and nothing there resolved on but what was before determined at Rome which then occasion'd this infamous by-word That the Holy Ghost was carryed in Cloak-bags every Post from Rome to Trent That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ought to be administred under both kinds and that at the least a great part of Divine Service ought to be performed in the vulgar Tongue Thus far the French and Many the like instances might here be added to the same purpose but yet under favour all Crowns Imperial must give place in regard of this one Flower or Jewel of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to the Crown of England For as the first Christian King that ever the world saw is recorded to have been of this Island the renowned Lucius so is he intimated to be the first that ever exercised Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction being directed thereunto by Pope Eleutherius Vâ—d Eleuth Epist to fetch his Laws by the advice of his Council out of the Old and New Testament and by the same to Govern his Kingdom wherein he was God's Vicar According to which advice the Brittish Saxon Danish and first Kings of the Normans have governed their Churches and Church-men as may appear by the Laws by them for that purpose made Archaionem Analect Angl. Brit. li. 1 2. Hist Cambr. fo 59. Jo. Brompton c. and lately exhibited to the publick by Mr. Lambard Mr. Selden Dr. Powell and others Neither can any Ecclesiastical Canons for Government of the English Church be produced till long after the conquest which were not either originally promulged or afterwards allowed either by the Monarch or some King of the Heptarchy sitting or directing in the National or Provincial Synod Nay in the after usurping times there is to be seen the Transcript of a Record An. Manus Chronic Abb. de Bello Vide the like Charter of exemption to the Abbot of Abbindon by Kâ—nulphus in Stanf. pl. Cor. l. 2. fo 111. b. 1 Hen. 7. fo 23 25. 3 Hen. 2. wherein when the Bishop of Chichester opposed some Canons against the Kings exemption of the Abby of Battel from Episcopal Jurisdiction the King in anger replyed Tu pro Papae authoritate ab hominibus concessa contra dignitatum Regalium authoritates mihi à Deo concessas calliditate arguta niti praecogitas Dost thou go about by subtilty of Wit to oppose the Pope's authority granted by the connivence of men against the authority of my Regal Dignity given by God himself And thereupon requires reason and justice against the Bishop for his insolence And thus it is most easily demonstrable that the Kings of England have had these Flowers of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction planted in the Imperial Crown of this Realm even from the very beginning of the Christian Monarchy in this Island where we hope they have now taken such root that neither any Fanatick whispers at home nor the roaring of any Romish Bulls from abroad will ever be able to shake or blast the same And from hence was the Resolution of our Judges mentioned before in the Case of Cawary Cook 5. Rep. De Jure Reg. Eccl. that the said Statute made in the first year of the Queen concerning Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction was not introductory of a new Law but Declaratory of the old which appears
Sero recusat ferre quod subiit jugum But notwithstanding the infinite subtle arts and mighty efforts for that purpose the Papacy found it at any time a most difficult thing to carry any thing here by a high hand and to bring the Ecclesiastical State of this Nation to depend on Rome For our Princes never did doubt but they had the same Authority within their own Dominions as Constantine had in the Empire and our Bishops the same as St. Peter's Successors in the Church Ego Constantini Ailred Rival Coll. 361.16 Vos Petri gladium habetis in manibus said King Edgar in an eminent Speech unto his Clergy And what Power in the Church our Kings took themselves anciently to have appears by their Laws and Edicts published by themselves Leg. Edv. confess cap. 17. fo 142. Leg. Canut Inae apud Jornal Mart. Paris w. 2. and acknowledged by their subjects All speaking thus That the ordering and disposition of all Ecclesiastical Affairs within their own Dominions was their sole and undoubted Right the Foundation thereof being that Power which the Divine wisdom hath invested the Secular Magistrate withal for the defence and preservation of his Church and People against all attempts whatsoever And all our Laws and Lawyers concurring in this Rex sub nullo nisi tantum sub Deo Bracton Leg. Sanct. Edw. cap. 19.17 That the King of England is subject to no Power on Earth but to God only and in King Edwards Laws he is called Vicarius summi Regis as also in Bracton that being the Cognomen as it were given by Pope Eleutherius long ago to King Lucius here as not being under the power of any other And this in effect acknowledged by the whole Body of the English Clergy Reg. Hoveden in Hen. 2. pa. post fo 510. in a Letter of the Bishops of the Province of Canterbury to Tho. Becket An. D. 1167. as it stands recorded at large by Roger Hoveden To this it will be but seasonable and pertinent to add the Historical Instances and evidences some of them as occurr demonstrating as the continual claim and when they could the exercise of this Right by the Kings of this Island so the worthy resistances as from time to time have been made against all forraign usurpations and incroachments upon the same sufficient to shew that our Princes did not command the Ecclesiasticks here who made up so great a part of their subjects according to the will and pleasure of any forrain Potentate nor that they were only lookers on whilest others governed the English Church Therefore we may observe All Councils and Convocations Eadmer fo 25.5.11 Florent Wigorn An. 1070. fo 434. Stat. 25 H. 8.19 assembled at the King's appointment and by the King 's Writt Jubente praesente Rege as one says and that upon the same Authority as the Emperour Constantine had long before assembled the Council of Nice Some appointed by the King to sit in those Councils and supervise their actions Matt. Paris ad An. 1237. fo 447. ne ibi contra regiam coronam dignitatem aliquid statuere attentarent And Mat. Paris gives us the names of the Commissioners for that purpose in one of the Councils held in the time of King Hen. 3. And when any did otherwise he was forced to retract such Constitutions as did Peckham or they were but in paucis servatae Lyâ—dw de soro competent cap. 1. as were those of Boniface as Lyndwood ingenuously doth acknowledge No Synodical Decree suffered to be of force but by the King's allowance Eadmer fo 6.29 and confirmation In hoc concilio ad emendationem Ecclesiae Anglicanae assensu Domini Regis Gervas Dorobern An. 1175. fo 1429. Mat. Paris Hen. Huntingd Eadm passim Pat. 8 9 Johan R. m. 5.8 primorum omnium regni haec subscripta promulgata sunt capitula as Gervasius Dorobern informs us No Legate suffered to enter into England but by the King's leave and swearing to do nothing prejudicial to the King and his Crown All matters of Episcopacy determined by the King himself Eadmer 115.23 inconsulto Romano Pontifice No Appeals to Rome permitted None to receive Letters from the Pope Thorn Coll. 2152. Coke 3. Instit cap. 54.10.127 Hoveden Hen. 2. fo 496. without shewing them to the King who caused all words prejudicial to him or his Crown to be renounced and dis-avowed by the bringers or receivers of such Letters Permitted no Bishops to Excommunicate Eadmer fo 6.31 or inflict any Ecclesiastical censure on any Peer nisi ejus praecepto Caused the Bishops to appear in their Courts Addit Mat. Paris fo 200 to give account why they excommunicated a subject Bestowed Bishopricks on such as they approved Forent Wigorn An. 1070. fo 536. and translated Bishops from one See to another Erected new Bishopricks Godwin de Praef. Angl. So did King Hen. 1. An. 1109. Ely taking it out of Lincoln Carlile 1133. out of York or rather Durham Commanded by Writ Coke 2. Instit 625. Addit Mat. Paris fo 200. nu 6. the Bishops to Residency Placed by a Lay hand Clerks in Prebendary or Parochial Churches Ordinariis penitus irrequisitis as it is phrased in Matt. Paris By these and many other instances of the like nature exercised by our Kings it appears that the English ever took the outward Policy of this Church or Government of it in foro exteriori to depend on the King And therefore the writs of Summoning all Parliaments express the calling of them to be Pro quibusdam arduis urgentibus negotiis nos statum defensionem Regni nostri Angliae Ecclesiae Anglicanae concernentibus c. In the Reign of King Edward the first Broâ—k Tit. Praemunire pl. 10. A subject brought in a Bull of Excommunication against another subject of this Realm and published it to the Lord Treasurer of England and this was by the ancient Common Law of England adjudged Treason against the King his Crown and Dignity for which the Offendor should have bin drawn and hang'd but at the great instance of the Chancellor and Treasurer he only abjur'd the Realm King Edw. Trin. 19 Ed. 3. Fitzh Quare non admisit pl. 7. presented his Clark to a Benefice within the Province of York who was refused by the Arch-bishop for that the Pope by way of Provision had conferred it on another The King thereupon brought a Quare non admisit the Archbishop to it Pleaded that the Bishop of Rome had long time before Provided to the said Church as one having Supream Authority in that case and that he durst not nor had power to put him out who was possessed by the Pope's Bull. But for this high contempt against the King his Crown and Dignity in refusing to execute his Soveraign's commands against the Pope's Provision by Judgement of the Common Law the Lands of his whole Bishoprick were seized
manners and customs and in their very pronunciation so liquid plain and distinct more to symbolize and agree with us English than any other people of Italy which so is either because we learned of them or they of us or both mutually of each other when there was that great commerce and intercourse between us and that City for so many years together But for so much of all this as concerns the interchange of manners and customs I leave it to the consideration and observance of such as have to deal with them whilest nothing is more certain than that by that communication and commerce that happen'd between us the Italians ingrossed most of our wealth and riches which is sufficient for the purpose of our present design And indeed as the occasions of running and flocking to Rome were infinite so many that went thither never came back again resolving to lay their bones in that holy ground and many others over-grown with a longing zeal would purposely transplant themselves thither as to the fountain of grace and then their revenues and estates must of course be transmitted after them and spent there Now to shew that the women would not be left at home in these zealous excursions and to what purpose many of them went I will be so bold as to give you one Paragraph out of a famous Epistle of advice from Boniface Archbishop of Mentz to Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterb. Epist Borifac Aâ—â—h â—â—gunâ— ad Câ—â—hb Arch. Câ—nt in S. Hen. Spelm. Concil Tom. 1. fo 241. which is this si prohiberet Synodus Principes vestri mulieribus velatis foeminis illud iter frequentiam quam ad Romanam civitatem veniendo redeundo faciunt quia magna ex parte pereunt paucis remanentibus integris Perpaucae enim sunt civitates in Longobardia vel in Francia aut in Gallia in quibus non sit adultera vel meretrix generis Anglorum quod scandalum est turpitudo totius Ecclesiae vestrae I was sorry I confess to find this blot upon the reputation of our Country-women on record in such manner but that downright Boniface did not use to spare the faults of any that came in his way if not the miscarriages of Princes Vid. Epist ad Ethelbald in W. Malmsb. Spelm Sup. fo 136. and Priests much less could the notorious misdemeanors of the women miss him from whom it seems many of the Italians may derive their pedigrees and to that probably in some measure may be assigned that agreement and likeness which our Travellers observe between them and the English at this day the communicated tincture being not yet worn out in so many descents CHAP. X. Offerings Gifts and Presents OFferings Gifts Presents Bequests and Legacies to Saints their Altars Shrines and at Holy Places amounted to a very great value We have mentioned before and shall have occasion to mention more of those many occasions which many had or made unto themselves of running to Rome upon Appeals or as Ambassadors Agents or otherwise And few would hope their journeys to prove successful if they did not visite such famed Holy Places with suitable Gifts and offerings whilst many that stayed at home would take the opportunity to send by the hands of others what they had vowed or design'd for that purpose The proximity Major è Longinquo reverentia and commonness of a thing takes off much from the esteem conceived by hear-say or first sight Many famous Saints and Shrines we had here in England and they were zealously adored and presented from Forrainers whilst the devotion of the English was not satisfied with our home objects but he was the happy man that could bestow something at Rome the Holy And the Italians would laugh at the English for their bigottry as they call'd it in travelling so far with such ardent zeal and liberality to so little purpose as they thought in regard those objects by reason of their vicinity to them and experienc'd inefficacy were by them contemned whilst on the contrary they themselves in a like strain of Fanatick zeal or devotion would run to St. James of Compostella in Spain or to our St. Thomas of Canterbury or further to shew they could be as fond and liberal in our quarters as we had been in theirs And hence it was that the Shrines and Altars of many Saints became so excessive rich What vast treasure in Jewels Gold and Silver Stows Anna's in Hen. 8. W. Somner Antiquit. of Cant. Erasm Pereg. Relig. Ergo. Antiq. of Darham Camb. Britt was conferred on our St. Thomas of Canterbury Cuthbert of Durham Lady of Walsingham and multitude more in our own Country both by natives and strangers our Historians and others with admiration testifie So for the reasons aforesaid great quantities of our English Gold Silver Jewels c. were swallowed up in the Treasuries of Saints beyond the Seas especially in Italy and at Rome The greatest Treasure of that nature thought to be in the world at this day is at the Lady of Loretto in Italy esteemed sufficient if so imployed to maintain a Warr against the Turks many years the same being daily increased by Gifts and offerings from those who have an esteem to the pretended Sanctity of the place This Treasury being shewed to Strangers and Travellers with admiration they behold the most costly vestments the hugest and massiest Plate the most precious Jewels with the choicest rarities of Art the world affords and for Silver the plenty of it there makes it of as little esteem as in the days of Solomon and all this for the most part the Oblations Gifts and Presents of Kings Princes Queens and Nobles of the Romish Religion of other Countrys Now to shew that all the Gifts Presents and Bounty did not always run to Rome and Italy but that sometimes there were Vestigia pauca retrorsum we find that sometimes and on some occasions the Pope would send as tokens of his grace and benediction some presents hither again of which we will produce a few instances Pope Alexander the second Speed in vit Harald sent to William the Conqueror besides a consecrated banner and an Agnus Dei one of the hairs of St. Peter King Henry the second Rog. Hâ—veden in Hen. 2. Sâ—eed Chron. Hen. 2. obtained of Pope Vrban the third that he might make one Son of his Lord of Ireland and particularly his Son John to whom the Pope sent as a special mark of grace a Coroner made of Peacocks feathers woven with gold Pope Julius the second sent to K. Hen. 8. a precious consecrated perfumed Rose of Gold and constituted W. Warham Archbishop of Canterbury his Deputy to present it with fitting ceremonies as appears by his Letter or Instrument for that purpose preserved amongst our Metropolitical Archives in these words Cod. Ms. in Regist principali Archb. Cant. nuncupato Warham fo 26. Venerabili Fratri Guilielmo Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi Julius Papa
Faction one Petrus de Luna was set up at Avignion as Antipope against him between these was great strugling and holding till the death of Innocent but the Faction dyed not with him Petâ—r Moon for the Cardinals chose Gregory the twelfth between whom and Peter de Luna who called himself Benedict the thirteenth the schism continued with great sury whereby such mischief and disturbance grew in the world that to appease the matter there was no other remedy but to depose them both which was done in a Council at Pisa and a third man Alexander the fifth chosen in their rooms the two disbanded Popes sneaking away to their Friends But this Alexander soon dying as not injoying his dignity above eight moneths A Neapolitan Balthasar Cossa was chosen in his stead who took the name of John the twenty-fourth and then the two discarded Popes peep out and begin to stir again with many abetters on all sides To compose all which there being now three Popes on foot at once a Council was call'd at Constance where all these three were deposed in which transaction the King of England had a great stroke as Platina expresly sayes but long it was In vita Johan 24. and with much ado before all would submit to Martin the fifth who was then chosen Gregory the twelfth dyed soon of grief upon it Peter de Luna betakes himself to a strong Castle and stands upon his guard and justification having many friends and particularly the Scots as is specially remembred but all would not do his party was run down and he from that time vanished The third that is John 24. took his heels and ran for 't in a disguise but being discovered and apprehended by the Count Palatin he was kept several years a Prisoner Platina sayes in the Castle of Heidelberg Camerar Hist meditat l. 4. cap 7. but Camerarius hath it in the Castle of Mansheim where sayes he they use to shew the Chamber in which he was imprisoned and where at his Exit he left these verses of his own making bewailing the lubricity of fortune the vanity of the world and his own Captivity Qui modo summus eram gaudens nomine Praesul Tristis abjectus nunc mea fata gemo Excelsus Solio nuper versabar in alto Cunctaque gens pedibus oscula prona dabat Nunc ego poenarum fundo devolvor in imo Vultum deformem quemque videre piget Omnibus e terris aurum mihi sponte ferebant Sed nec gaza juvat nec quis amicus adest Sic varians fortuna vices adversa secundis Subdit ambiguo nomine ludit atrox Papa fecit I who of late injoy'd the highest place Now all forlorn bewail my wretched case I lately wore the glorious Triple Crown All kiss'd my feet with humbly-falling down But now I 'me thrown into a pit of woe And my abhorred face dare hardly show From all parts treasure flowed in to me But now or Gold or Friend I cannot see Thus Fortune's rolling wheel pursues its scope Sometimes she smiles and then deludes our hope By the Pope But up his exauctoration or reducement one made this Distich Balthasar imprimis vovitabar inde Johannes Depositus rursus Balthasar ipse vocor First Balthasar and then Pope John I was But now depos'd for Balthasar must pass Neither was all this labouring tugging and canvassing for that supream dignity of the Popedom only but proportionably as great endeavours and expences were had for the obtaining of the intermediate promotions of Priorys Abbacys Bishopricks and Cardinalships all being as mediate steps whereby to mount at last the Pontifical Throne And this matter of promotion and preferment continually carryed great summs to Rome from private and particular persons who aimed to climb as high as money would carry them and without that the greatest merit or endeavours were but to little purpose Ambition is rooted in the nature of all men and scarce ever any took Orders but he design'd to arrive at the highest dignity his Order was capable off hence all that holding thrusting and striving for all those improveable and growing preferments here from the Priest to the Bishop and all that appealing and running to Rome for Confirmation and after that all the sollicitations bribing and driving of interests for a Cardinalship and never any rest till they arrive at St. Peter's Chair or the Grave In the raign of King Henry the Fifth Spâ—ed Chron. in Hen. 5. what a vast summ of money was amassed by H. Beaufort Bishop of Winchester of which at one time he lent the King 20000 l. and took his Crown to pawn for it with part of this he obtain'd a Cardinalship but lived not to finish with the rest his design'd purchase of the Papacy In the raign of King Henry the Eight Lo. Herb. Hist Hen. 8. the great and rich Woolsey was never quiet but alwayes caressing and presenting with great summs sometimes the Emperour sometimes the K. of France and at all times some leading Cardinals for their interest and favour for his Election to the Popedom and thereupon after the death of Pope Leo the tenth he renews his sollicitations to the Emperour and French King and sends Doctor Pace his Agent with good summs to the Cardinals at Rome but Adrian the sixth was chosen before the heavy sollicitor came to the end of his journey But then again after the death of this Adrian Woolsey puts hard for it again with all that wooing intreaty and money could do but such an ill Planer reign'd over his projects that he was gull'd of his money and baffled once again Julio de Medici by the name of Clement the seventh carrying it clear from him but a little to comfort our repulsed Cardinal upon his earnest request this Pope Clement condescended that the Legantine power which Adrian before had granted only for five years and so from five years to five years should now be conferr'd â—on Woolsey for term of life whereby he might injoy a kind of Papal authority in England which he missed at Rome but this Cordial proved too strong for him to digest and utterly ruin'd his constitution as by the series of his story doth appear And now these mighty endeavours and expenses for those promotions in the Court and Church of Rome to Cardinalships and the Papacy makes me conceive it not altogether impertinent here to make a little enquiry what Countrymen of ours attained those dignities and whether the pains and cost expended was answered by the preferment I confess not many of our Countrymen have reached those high dignities of Pope and Cardinal though always some or other of them have been gaping and aspiring that way the Pontifical Chair and the steps to it having been mostly possest by Italians intimated by that noted Observation in Italy it self That of the Romans Sr. Edw. Sands Eâ—rop specal 10.91 the Priests are the most wicked And of the
something he got out of them as I remember about 3000 l. of which no doubt but he gave a good account At another time this Otho came to Oxford where he was entertain'd with good respect Ypod. Neustr fo 59 Knighton Coll. 2432 Polychron l. 7. c. 35. and the Schollers after dinner coming to give him a visite the rude Porter at the Gate gave them an uncivil repulse which with throwing scalding water in one of their faces and in revenge thereof the death of the Master Cook such a hubbub was raised that the Legate was glad for safety to get into the Steeple where sculking he might hear the rabble ranging about searching for him and crying out where is that Usurer that Simoniack that piller and poller and filcher of our money who perverting the King and subverting the Kingdom inricheth strangers with our spoils But in the dead of the night out he creeps and with some difficulty got over the River running to the King not far off to whom he tells a pittiful story with his hazards beseeching his protection for those of his Company in great danger left behind Whereupon the King presently sends a Company of armed men who apprehended thirty Schollers ingaged in the Riot which they carryed in Carts to Wallingford Castle and thence to London who being brought barefoot to the Legate's dore upon great intreaty of the Bishops and their penitent submission all were pardoned and the University released of Interdiction Petrus Rubeus comes next in play Pet. Rubeus for the understanding of whose Negotiation and Artifices I will give you only one Paragraph of Matthew Paris Matt. Paris in An. 1240. fo 533. Flor. Hist An. 1240. viz. Per eosdem dies venit in Angliam nova quaedam pecuniae exactio omnibus saeculis inaudita execrabilis Misit enim Papa pater noster Sanctus quendam exactorem in Angliam Petrum Rubeum qui excogitata muscipulatione infinitam pecuniam a miseris Anglicis edoctus erat emungere Intravit enim Religiosorum Capitula cogens seducens eos ad persolvendum exemplo aliorum Praelatorum quos mentitus asserebat gratanter persolvisse Dixit enim ille Episcopus ille ille Abbas ille jam libens satisfecit quidnam vos ignavi tam moramini ut grates cum muneribus amittatis Fecit enim praedictus Impostor jurare ut hoc genus pecuniam extorquendi nulli hominum infra dimidium anni facerent manifestum quasi eliciens hoc ex singulorum primitiva professione cum tantum de honestis sit Consilium Papale celandum Hoc faciendo more praedonum domesticorum qui fidem ab expoliatis extorquent ut nulli pandant nomina spoliantium Sed etiam si homines silerent lapides Ecclesiarum contra grassatores clamorem levarent Nec potuit hoc maleficium latere sub tenebris quomodo enim possent Praelati à suis sibi subjectis pecuniam exigere nisi causa exactionis exprimeretur To all which being so plain and notorious although there needs neither Translation nor Comment yet the English Reader may please to know the import of it to be this An D. 1240. That about that time came into England an abhominable way of exacting money never heard of before For our Holy Father the Pope sent a notable fellow Peter Rubeus by name who with a cunning mouse-trap trick wip'd the poor English of infinite summs of money For he would come amongst the Ecclesiasticks when they were met together in their Chapters and perswade and compel them to promise and pay certain summs telling them lies that many others had given freely That this Bishop and that this Abbot and that had given such and such summs and upbraiding them for their slackness Then the Impostor would make them swear that they would not discover to any one within half a year what they had given telling them that was the antient way of keeping the Popes secrets according to their Oath or promise at their first profession Therein doing like Thieves that extort Oaths from them they rob not to discover their names But here if men should hold their peace the very stones of the Churches would cry out against these robbers c. Contemporary with Rubeus Ruffious Mumelinus were Ruffinus and Mumelinus who acted their parts also in this Tragedy and of whom something before Stephanus Stephanus An. D. 1249. another of the Pope's Legates took his turn also to the great profit of his Master and the universal damage of the Kingdom For the Pope being at difference with the Emperour Frederick this Stephanus was sent to demand and collect the Tenths of all moveables of all the Clergy and Laity both in England Ireland and Wales on which occasion the Argument was apply'd That Rome being the Mother of all Churches ought to be relieved by her Children which was done very dutifully at that time Walo another Legat Walo must not be forgotten and his Province was to gather Procurations throughout all England of all Cathedrals Churches and Religious Houses which he managed strenuously William de Testa was another of the Pope's Legates and Collectors W. de Testa Flor. Hist An. 1307. Tho. Walsin fo 64. Ypod. Neust 97 98. Matthew Westminster and Thomas Walsingham end the raign of King Edward the first with the general Complaints of the Nobles Commons and Clergy of England against the grievances and exactions of this William de Testa and one Peter Hispan the Pope's Legat à Latere in the Parliament held at Carlile The Petitions and address to the King Ryley Placit Parliamentaria fo 376 377. Albertus c. for remedie of those grievances are very remarkable still preserved amongst our Records and lately exhibited to publick view Albertus Alexander Johannes Anglicus Johannes de Diva Ferentinus Martinus Rustandus Petrus Enguelbanck Gasper Pons Pol. Vergil and a multitude more might here be remembred but our Histories being generally fraught with their Acts and devices the curious are referred thither for more satisfaction if they please Besides these Legates Collectors Caursins Lombards and Factors there was another sort of men came over into England much instrumental in improving An. D. 1235. and transmitting the Pope's moneys And these were called Caursins and Lombards Mart. Paris in Hen. 3. fo 417. Italians by Country and terming themselves the Pope's Merchants these drove the trade of letting out of money of which they had great Banks and were esteemed far more severe and merciless than the Jews Matthew Paris gives this Etymology of the name Caursini quasi Capientes ursini because they worryed men like Bears Now because the Pope's Legates and Collectors were all for ready money when any summ by Levy First Fruits Tenths Dispensations c. became due and payable to the Pope by any Prelate Covent Priest or Lay person these Caursins would furnish them with present Cash upon their entring into some solemn Bond or
flood of Mischiefs whereby the purity of the Church was desiled and the Common-wealth perturbed That by his Reservations Commenda's and Provisions of Benefices for such persons as sought to fleece and not to feed the flock of God he committed a sin than which none was at any time more hateful to God or destructive unto man except that of Lucifer nor ever will be but the sin of Antichrist He signified further that no man could with a good Conscience obey the mandates he had sent though they came from the highest order of Angels for they tended not to the edification but the utter ruine of the Church With much more to the like purpose At all which the Pope was so gall'd that he exclaim'd against him thus What means this old dotard this surd absurd man thus to arraign our actions By Peter and Paul I could find in my heart to make him a dreadful example to all the World Is not the King of England our Vassal and both he and his at our pleasure But some of the more temperate Cardinals endeavour'd to allay the Pope's heat telling him the Bishop had said nothing Ut enim vera fateamur vera sunt quae dicit Mat. Parisupr but what they all knew to be true and that it would not be discretion to meddle with a person of his piety worth and fame whereupon all was smother'd and no more words made on 't But for that notable Epistle it self I have been credibly told that it is inrolled in perpetuam rei memoriam in the Red Book in the King's Exchequer at Westminster with this Marginal Note Papa Antichristus And there is a very memorable Epistle of Petrus Cassiodorus a noble Italian Knight Jo. Bal. de Rom. Pont. Act. lib. 6. Acts Mon. vol. 1. fo 46◠written to the English Church about the twenty ninth year of K. Edw. 1. exhorting them to cast off the Romish yoak of Tyranny oppression and exaction formerly preserved in Manuscript in St. Albans Monastery but since made publick too large to be here inserted but most worthy to be perused The Poets also according to the scantling of the wit of those times spared not to satyrize upon these intolerable exactions of the Popes one whereof made this Distich Roma capit marcas bursas exhaurit Antiquit. Britt An. 1337. arcas Vt tibi tu parcas fuge Papas Patriarchas Rome drains all Bags all Chests and Burses Of all their Pounds and Marks If therefore you would save your Purses Fly Popes and Patriarchs Observable also is it upon these incroachments and extorsions how sometimes our Kings would despond and tamely suffer the Popes and their Legates to grow upon them and at other times rouze up themselves and give some check to their insolencies As K. Hen. 3. though a facile man yet was once so inrag'd against Rubeus that he bad him be gone out of his Kingdom in the Devil's name And as these exactions were at the height in that King's time yet his Successors did not always suffer them so to continue being forced to set some bounds to those avaricious torrents Pol. Vergil Hist in Ric 2. lib. 20. by the Statutes of Provisors and Premunire and oftentimes to give stout denials to unreasonable demands as the English Clergy themselves at last Lo. Herb. Hen. 8. fo 57 59. adventured to do in the years 1515. and 1518. And observable also is it that Q. Mary though most zealous for the Doctrines of the Church of Rome yet in restoring the Pope's Supremacy she and the State were very cautious like those whom others harms had made to beware and some prudent provisions were made in that behalf Stat. 1 2 Phil. mar cap. 8. Coke 3. Instit cap. 4. fo 127. neither were the Statutes of Premunire repeal'd in all her raign but the Pope's Supremacy was restor'd not simpliciter but secundum quid as bounded within some legal limitations But her raign was short and not pleasant and the Pope wanted time to work her for his purpose for having got his head in he did not doubt but by degrees to thrust in his whole body for it is ever observable that in the Papal concerns there is no moderation for they must have all or nothing let their pretences and promises at first admission be what ever they will And whatever Prince or State shall once admit of any Papal authority within their Dominions their destiny may easily be read that they and their people must for ever after be slaves or if they once begin to boggle or kick the Casuists have legitimated many ways to rid them out of the World for the advancement of the Catholick cause and the propagation of the Roman Faith Now after this imperfect Account given of the Rents and Revenues of the Popes heretofore issuing out of this Kingdom if any one shall desire to have some estimate made of the summs I must profess it beyond the reach of my Arithmetick and when I see any Accountant do it Erit mihi magnus Apollo Yet this is certain that they were very vast Otherwise there was no ground for that Complaint which was made by the Kingdom 's Representative in the raign of K. Edw. 3. Rot. Parl. 50 Ed. 3. nu 105. Mat. Paris 224. That the Pope's Collector held a receipt or audit equal to a Prince Or for that which King John wrote to the Pope in his time That this Kingdom yielded him more profits than all the other Countreys on this side the Alpes Id. 224. Or for that boast of the Pope Vere inquit Papa hortus noster deliciarum est Anglia vere puteus est inexhaustus Et ubi multa abundant de multis multa sumere licet Antiq Britt fo 178. Or for the computation made in the time of King Hen. 3. Repertus est annuus redditus Papae talis quem ne regius quidem attigit That the Pope's rents exceeded the Crown revenues Or the Remonstrance to the same purpose from the whole Kingdom to Pope Innocent the fourth in the year 1245. Matt. Paris fo 666. 698. Act. Mon. Tom. 1. exhibited by Mat. Paris Fox and others too long to be here inferred but most worthy to be read and the import thereof throughly understood Nay we may well judge the Pope's incomes to exceed all account when it appears that notwithstanding some notable provisions of State to the contrary the Pope's intradó should yet carry so huge a proportion That in the Parliament held in the twenty third year of King Hen. Io. Herb. Hist Hen. 8. fo 330. 8. it was computed that the Papacy had received out of England for the Investitures of Bishops only since the second year of King Hen. 7. not much above 40 years 160000 l. sterling an incredible sum considering the scarcity and value of silver at that time and the laws against such exportations And the sums going to Rome
which enough before Now the yearly value of all those Lands Tenements Rents and Revenues which were setled upon these Abbys Monasterys Nunnerys Chanterys Colledges and Free-Chappels without doubt was as vast as to us now unknown the Pope being better able to give an account of them at this day than we our selves for they say that Rentals and Particulars of all those Lands and revenues are still kept upon the file in the Pope's study that great Landlord of the world in expectation and hope they will once revert to their former use and behoof but the generous English will not easily be gull'd and they will not be wheadled by Romish Arguments out of their Estates In the next place Shrines Images Reliques c. Shrines Images Reliques Indulgences c. in a multitude of places within the Kingdom daily drew great summs out of the People's purses both in the procuring and purchasing and donation of such precious Commodities and in daily resorting to them afterwards with Vows and Offerings But these being of the same nature and ejusdem farinae with those at Rome and elsewhere of which enough before we will trouble you no more with them here So the Commanding Dispensations and forbidding many things wherein Dispensations might be had from Courts and Officers here as certain obstacles of marriage the use and difference of meats vows c. and all to be redeem'd for money Many wandring Mountebank Priests went up and down the Country Mountebank Priests preaching the lives of some holy men and Saints and promising the simple people that if they vowed themselves to those Saints and payd something in hand and such a yearly tribute they should be freed from such diseases as they desired The Bishops had divers wayes Bishops and Priests and Artifices to scrue money out of the Priests under them and then those Priests to heal themselves were forced to cheat and wring money out of the people Great Consecrations and frequent expences were had in Consecrating and hallowing of Churches Church-yards c. Baptizing of Bells making repairing apparelling and adorning of Images and such like matters for upon pretence that these or any of these were prophaned by several and trifling wayes then all must be consecrated anew and the Parish and the People Assessed and constrained to pay deeply for it And of this kind of grievances great complaints were often made Many Courts were also in England Courts to which citations and summons were made and therein People continually vexed tormented and excommunicated and thence dismissed never till excessive summs were extorted and payd the aggrieved partys not daring to appeal to Rome for fear of more excessive charges Nay the corruptions in and the grievances growing by these Courts as they were innumerable so no other way tolerable but that all was to be redeemed for money And one pretty trick the Ecclesiastical Judges had in these Courts that when the business of matrimony had proceeded so farr that one of the partys had pretended a Contract which the other denyed and that some gifts as earnests of love or marriage had passed between them the Ecclesiastical Judges separating the partys would keep the gifts for themselves as forfeited or escheated Visitors Visitors c. and Synodal Judges travelling about the Country with a numerous retinue of Advocates Proctors Notaries Registers Summoners Servants Apparitors and Officers under Colour of visiting of Churches Chappels and Parishes were a very great burden and charge to the People where ever they came scruing money upon every pretence out of their pockets as they pleased besides annual summs claimed as due making themselves stalking-horses whereby any man might satisfie his revenge or malice upon his Neighbour upon Complaint Suggestion or information of wrongs done or Canons broke whereupon sentences censures Condemnations and Excommunications with all rigour followed to the utter undoing of many men the inriching the Judges and Officers but never turning to any avail or satisfaction of the Complainant These Itinerants also extorted great summs as they pleased weekly monethly or yearly from Usurers Brokers Scriveners Bakers Butchers Victuallers Physitians Surgeons Midvives Schoolmasters c. Private Confessions Confessions as they were managed were the more frequently and excessively abused for the drawing moneys out of men in regard the cheat was closely handled whilst the Sinner's conscience was quieted and the world served with a publick penance or some visible addresses to these Confessors The new Doctrine Purgatory and invention of Purgatory bred by Superstition and nursed by Covetousness as it was managed became a most forceable engine continually to drain the People's money For when men were made to believe that after death their Souls should enter into a region of Fire there to suffer long and bitter torments to be purged and fitted for the region of bliss but yet to be eased there and the sooner released according to the measure and number of the Masses Offices and Prayers which should be made on their behalf here whilst they lay broiling in that fearful State People were put upon it to make the best provision they could in their life-time or at least at their deaths that such helps and means should be used on their behalf as they might reasonably reckon upon a short and tolerable continuance there To this purpose the Founding and Endowing of Monasteries Abbys Nunnerys by the best and richer sort and the Colledges Free-Chappels and Chanterys by the middle sort of people according to their respective abilitys and the apprehensions they had of this future State all pointed at the good of the Founder's soul after death and the souls of such others as he appointed of which we have had something before But then alas for those poor Creatures whose small estates and narrowness of fortunes would not reach to such provisions what would become of them These then were put to it to make the best shift they could for themselves by endeavouring in their life-time to get an interest in the favour and merit of some Saint and by purchasing and getting all the Indulgences they could for it was a very sad thing to leave all to chance or to trust to the voluntary intercession of others this would leave them at a great uncertainty and in articulo mortis make the poor Soul shift its mansion in a most fearful apprehension and horrour Indeed Sir Thomas Moore was so Charitable a Sollicitor for these poor Souls Sr. Thomas More 's Suppâ—ication of souls In imitation of Gerson's querâ—â—a defunctorum in igne Purgatrorio ad Supersites amicoâ— Pars 4 oper Coll. 959. that he drew up a most Pathetical Supplication for them and presented it in their names thus To all good Christen people in most piteous wise continually calleth and cryeth upon your devout Charity and tender pitie for help comfort and relief your late acquaintance kindred Companions Spouses Playfellows and friends and now your humble
of the King's Supremacy in Ecclesiastical matters without professing yet a stature to reach the top of this sublime or the bottom of this profound concern In the first place then we are to know that the King 's just and lawful Authority in Ecclesiastical matters is in part declared by a statute made in the first year of Queen Elizabeth Stat. 1 Eliz. Ca. 1. Non novam introduxit sed antiquam declaravit Coke 5. Rep. Cawdrys Case fo 8. And it was one of the Resolutions of the Judges in Cawdry's Case That the said Act of the First year of the Queen concerning Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction was not a Statute introductory of a new Law but Declaratory of the Old But for our purpose it will be sufficient to transcribe the Preamble of the Act which runs thus Most humbly beseech your most excellent Majesty your faithful and obedient Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this your present Parliament assembled that where in time of the raign of your most dear Father of worthy memory King Henry 8. divers good Laws and Statutes were made as well for the better extinguishment and putting away of all usurped and forrain powers and authorities out of this your Realm and other your Highness Dominions and Countrys as also for the * Nota. restoring and uniting to the Imperial Crown of this Realm the ancient Jurisdictions authorities Superiorities and preheminences to the same of right belonging by reason whereof we your most humble and obedient Subjects from the 25. year of the raign of your said dear Father were continually kept in good order and were disburdened of divers great and intolerable charges before that time unlawfully taken and exacted by such forrain power and authoritie as before that was usurped until such time as all the said good laws and Statutes by one Act of Parliament made in the first and second years of the raigns of the late King Philip and Queen Mary your Highness Sister Intituled An Act repealing all Statutes Articles and Provisions made against the See Apostolick of Rome since the 20th year of King Henry 8. and also for the establishment of all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical possessions and hereditaments conveyed to the Laity were all clearly repealed and made void as by the same Act of repeal more at large appears By reason of which Act of repeal your said humble Subjects were est-soons brought again under an usurped forrain power and authority and yet do remain in that bondage to the intolerable charges of your loving Subjects if some redress by the Authority of this your High Court of Parliament with the assent of your Highness be not had and provided May it therefore please your Highness for the repressing of the said usurped forrain power and the restoring of the Rights Jurisdictions and preheminences appertaining to the Imperial Crown of this your Realm that it may be Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament c. And then it proceeds to Repeal the said Act of Philip and Mary and revives the former Statutes of King Hen. 8. and King Edw. 6. abolisheth all usurped forrain powers and authorities and restoreth and uniteth all Jurisdictions Priviledges Superiorites and Preheminences Spiritual and Ecclesiastical to the Imperial Crown of this Realm This Statute doing Right to the Queen and her Successors ever since as in Temporal Causes the Kings of England by the mouths of their Judges in the Courts of Justice have judged and determined the same by the Temporal Laws of England So in all Ecclesiastical and spiritual Causes as Blasphemy Ecclesiastical Causes Stat. de circumsuecte agatis 13 Edw. 1. Articuli Cleri 9 Edw. 2. Fitzh Nat. Bre. 41 42 43 c. Apostasie from Christianity Heresie Schisme Ordering Admissions and Institution of Clarks Celebration of Divine service Rites of Matrimony Divorces Bastardy Substraction and Right of Tiths Oblations Obventions Dilapidations Reparation of Churches Probate of Wills and Testaments Administrations and Accounts upon the same Simony Fornication Incest Adulteries Sollicitation of Chastity Appeals in Ecclesiastical causes Commutation of Penance Pensions Procurations c. the Conusans of all which belongs not to the Common Law but the determination and decision of the same hath been by Ecclesiastical Judges according to the King 's Ecclesiastical Laws of this his Realm And although the said Stat. 1 Eliz. declares how and by whom the King may appoint the same to be done yet as is intimated before the King by Law may do the same although that Statute had not bin made And hence it was that Stephen Gardiner the noted Bishop of Winchester Significantiori vocabulo competentem Principi jure Divino poâ—estâ—tem exprâ—mi clarius voluâ—runt in his Oration De vera Obedientia once said That by the Parliaments stiling of King Hen. 8. Head of the Church it was no new invented matter wrought only their mind was to have the power pertaining to a Prince by God's law to be more clearly expressed by this Emphatical compellation And certainly this was the ground of that answer which King James gave to the Non-conforming Divines at the conference at Hampton Court upon the seven and thirtieth Article of the Church of England the said Divines urging that these words in the Article viz. Confer at Hamp Court fo 37. The Bishop of Rome hath no Authority in this land were not sufficient unless it was added nor ought to have To which the King being somewhat moved roundly replyed What speak you of the Pope's authority here Habemus jure quod habemus and therefore in as much as it is said He hath not it is plain and certain enough that he ought not to have Nor is this Authority united to the Crown of England only but of right also to all other Christian Crowns and accordingly avowed by all other Christian Princes And to this purpose I could multiply the Suffrages of many antient Fathers and Doctors of the Church but my aim being rather at matter of fact I will forbear the particularizing the explicite Judgements and Declarations of those Devout and just men who were as careful in its degree and proportion to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's as to God the things that are God's But for the matter of practice And in the first place here I cannot but take notice That in the first Ages of Christianity Religion did not only subsist but spread by immediate influence from Heaven only but when by vertue of the same influence it had once prevailed and triumphed over all oppositions of Pagan superstition and persecution and subdued the Emperours themselves and became the Imperial Religion then Ecclesiastical Authority assumed and fixed it self in its natural and proper place and the excercise of its Jurisdiction and what that was I shall shew also was restored to the Imperial Diadem and Constantine was no sooner setled in his Imperial Throne but he took the settlement of all Ecclesiastical
as well by the Title of the said Act as by the Body of it An Act restoring to the Crown the ancient jurisdiction over the state Ecclesiastical and spiritual 1 Eliz. 1. in divers places for that Stat. doth not annex any Jurisdiction to the Crown but that which in truth was or of right ought to be by the ancient Laws of this Realm parcel of the Kings Jurisdiction Now it is not unknown how from the root as it were of this inherent Authority grow the several Branches of the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As that he hath the supream Right of Patronage over all England and all Ecclesiastical Benefices within the same so that if the immediate Patron present not a Clark in due time nor the Ordinary nor Metropolitan the Right of Presentation devolves on the King and there rests Nullum tempus occurrit Regi He only hath the Patronage of all Bishopricks and none can be chosen but by his Conge d' Eslier and whom he nominates none can be consecrated Bishop or take possession of the Revenues of the Bishoprick without a special Writ or Assent from the King The King only calls National or Provincial Synods and by his Commissioners or Metropolitans gives life to Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions relating to the Government and Ceremonies of the Church for reformation and correction of Heresies Schismes Contempts c. Halls Case Coke 5 Rep. The King hath Power to pardon the violation of Ecclesiastical Laws to dispence with the rigour of them and to regulate all Ecclesiastical Persons as that a Bastard may be made a Priest 11 Hen. 7.12 a. That a Priest may hold more Benefices than one That he may succeed his Father That he may be non-Resident c. And for his Superintendency over the whole Church the King hath the First-Fruits and Tenths of all Ecclesiastical Benefices And from him lyes no Appeal to any forrain Jurisdiction whatsoever Neither is it unknown what strange incroachments and usurpations have been made upon the fundamental Right of our Kings by the Popes and Court of Rome and again how strenuously in all times it hath been asserted and vindicated by the Kings and People of England the Papal Dominion rising and falling here according to the quality of the Times and the measures of resistance which it met withall And evident is it also by what means this forrain Dominion came to be owned here for in the Empire the Bishops of Rome usurp'd one half of the Imperial Power and annexed the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Supremacy to their own See for taking advantage of the publick distractions occasion'd partly by the incursions of the Barbarians on the North and East parts and chiefly by the divisions of the Empire it self and by some opportunities of serving some weak and vicious Emperours in their unworthy purposes they gain'd at last by force or fraud the whole Dominion of Religion to themselves and by pretending to the Spirit of Infallibility they usurp'd an absolute Empire over the Faiths and Consciences of men which yet they could not maintain without the continual disdained affronts to the Princes of Christendom the last whereof reduced under this yoke were the Kings of this Island and for which there were not Arts enough wanting As by making a bad use of innocent and good meanings and improving the humility of others for an advantageous step whereon to mount it self For when Religion came to a consistency here the Bishop of Rome was greatly reverenced by the Christians of this Island as one that was the Primate of one of the then most glorious Churches in the World Patriarch of the West and residing in a City famous for Arts and Learning and the seat of the Empire And then the fame of this eminent Bishop crescens eundo Tacit. Hist lib. 2. and majora credi de absentibus as Tacitus speaks acquired a mighty reverence for him in these remoter parts though the devout Brittains who received more probably their first conversion from Asia applyed themselves chiefly to Judaea as a place of the greatest sanctity yet amongst the Saxons for the reasons aforesaid Beda Hist li. 4. cap. 23. Romam adire magnae virtutis aestimabatur as Ven. Beda hath it But as this was of their part no other than as to a great Doctor or Prelate from whose countenance and assistance they hoped for great advantages so those Instructions they received from Rome were not as coming from one that had Dominion over their Faith the one side not at all giving nor the other assuming more respect than what was decent and fit out of Charity Reverence and Christian affection each unto the other And therefore observable is it in that famous transaction of the Kingdom of France Platina in vita Zach 1. Spondan in eod about the deposing of Childerick and setting up Pepin in his room which some have contended to have been done by the Pope's Authority The Truth is Mente stupidus vitâ ignavus Paul Aemil. Childerick was set aside by the Peers of France for a Fool or Frantick and Pepin stepping up applyed himself to the then Pope Zachary to confirm not to confer his new obtained Kingdom for in those days they gave no such power neither did Pope Zachary claim it Only that such an extraordinary action might carry the better face in the world it was thought requisite to have the suffrage of so grave an Oracle and therefore Baronius confesses and that you will will say is much Baron Annal. Francos non Zachariae paruisse decreto sed acquievisse consilio and there is great difference between an Authoritative Injunction and a Prudential Advice which is only an Answer out of discretion and left to discretion and so can imply no obligation at all And Sabellicus relates it thus That the Peers of France deposed Childerick Sabell Ennâ—ad 8 lib. 8. and set up Pepin in his stead Romano Pontifice consulto whence this Gloss upon one of their Laws Papa deposuit id est deponentibus consensit But enough of this But certain it is that by one way or other the Papal Dominion arrived to a great height in the World and particularly in this Island in after times and then the former addresses of the Christians of this Island to the Bishop of Rome were made use of as notes and evidences of subjection and what had passed by the Popes advice and Counsel only was afterward said to have been done by his Authority And so the ordering and determining of Ecclesiastical affairs was endeavoured to be drawn to a forraign Judicature to the apparent prejudice and diminution as well of the Rights of the Crown as of this Church And therefore in this case it fared with our Ancestors as with her in the Tragedy Quisquis in primo obstitit Repulitque amorem tutus ac victor fuit Sâ—nec Trag. Hippolyt Qui blandiendo dulce nutrivit malum
into the King's hands and lost during his life And this Judgement was before any Act of Parliament made in that case Nota. And there it is said That for the like offence the Archbishop of Canterbury had bin in worse case by the Judgement of the Sages in the Law if the King had not extended favour to him Although by the Ordinance of Circumspecte agatis Coke 5 Rep. Case de jure R. Eccl. made in the thirteenth year of King Edward the first and by a general allowance and usage the Ecclesiastical Court held Plea of Tithes Oblations Obventions Mortuaries Redemption of Penance Laying of violent hands on a Clark Defamations c. yet did not the Clergy think themselves assured nor quiet from Prohibitions purchased by subjects till King Edward the second by his Letters Patents under the Great Seal Staâ— 9 Edw. 2. Artic. cler ca. 16. in and by consent of Parliament upon Petition of the Clergy had granted them Jurisdiction in those cases An Excommunication by the Archbishop Finzh Excom 4.16 Ed. 3. Broâ—k Excom pl. 5.14 H. 4. although it be dis-annulled by the Pope or Legate is to be allowed Neither may the Judges give any allowance of any such sentence of the Pope or his Legate And it hath often bin adjudg'd 30 Ed 3 Lib. Assiz pl. 19.12 Ed. 4.16 and declared That the Pope's Excommunication is of no force in England It is often Resolved in our Books that all the Bishopricks in England were founded by the King's Progenitors and the Advowsons vowsons of them all belong to the King and at first they were * Per traditionem annuli pastorasis baculi Donative And that if an Incumbent of any Church with cure dyes if the Patron Present not within six months the Bishop of that Diocess ought to collate that the cure be supply'd if he neglect by the space of six moneths the Metropolitan of that Diocess shall confer one unto that Church and if he also neglect six moneths then the Law gives to the King as Supreame within his own Kingdom and not to the Pope power to provide a Pastor The King may not only exempt any Ecclesiastical Person from the Jurisdiction of the Ordinary but may grant unto him Episcopal Jurisdiction as it appears the King had done of antient time to the Archdeacon of Richmond 17 Ed 3.13 20 Ed. 3. And the Abbot of Bury was exempted from Episcopal Jurisdiction by the King's Charter The King Presented to a Benefice 21 Ed. 3.40 and his Presentee was disturbed by one that had obtained Bulls from Rome for which offence he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment If Excommunication be the final end of any suit in the Court of Rome as indeed it is and be not allowed Fitzh Nat. Br. fo 64. f. or allowable in England as it hath often bin Declared It then follows that by the Ancient Common Law of England no suit for any cause though it be spiritual arising within this Realm may or can be determined in the Court of Rome Quia frustra expectatur eventus cujus effectus nullus sequitur At a Parliament held An. Stat. 25 Ed. 3. de Provisorib 25 Edward the third It was Enacted That as well they that obtained Provisions from Rome as they that put them in execution should be out of the King's Protection and that they should be dealt withal as the King's Enemies and no man so dealing with them should be impeached for the same At a Parliament held An. Stat. 16 Ric. 2. cap. 5. 16 Ric. 2. It is declar'd That the Crown of England hath bin so free at all times that it hath bin in subjection to none but immediately subject to God and none other and that the same ought not in any thing touching the Regality of the said Crown to be submitted to the Bishop of Rome nor the Laws and Statutes of this Realm by him frustrated or defeated at his Will And the Commons in that Parliament affirmed that the things attempted by the Bishop of Rome be clearly against the King's Crown and his Regality used and approved in time of all his Progenitors in which points the said Commons professed to live and dye and to all which the Lords assented also as being thereto bound by their Allegiances It is resolved that the Pope's Collector 2 Hen. 4 fo 9. though he have the Pope's Bull for that purpose hath no Authority within this Realm And there it is said That the Archbishops and Bishops of this Realm are the King 's spiritual Judges And in another place it is said Papa non potest mutare Leges Angliae 11 Hen. 4. fo 37. Per Curiam In the raign of King Henry the sixth 1 Hen. 7. fo 10. the Pope wrote Letters in derogation of the King and his Regality and the Church-men durst not speak any thing against them But Humfrey Duke of Glocester for their safe keeping put them into the fire In the raign of King Edward the fourth 1 Hen. 7. fo 20. the Pope granted to the Prior of St. John's to have Sanctuary in his Priory and this was pleaded and claim'd by the Prior but resolved by the Judges Keilway Reports 8 H. 8. fo 191. b. That the Pope had no power to grant any Sanctuary within this Realm and therefore the same was disallowed by Judgement of Law In Brook Tit. Presentation al Esglise Bro. Present al Esglise p. 12. It is affirmed That the Pope was permitted to do certain things within this Realm by usurpation and not of right untill the Raign of King Kenry the eighth quod nota sayes the Book Stat. 24 Hen. 8. ca. 12.25 H. 8.21 And in what esteem the Pope's Authority here was in that King's time may sufficiently be collected from the Tenor and Purview of the Statutes about that affair in his raign made In the raign of King Kenry the sixth Henry Beaufort Uncle to the King being Bishop of Winchester was made Cardinal and thereupon purchased from the Pope a Bull Declaratory that he might still hold his Bishoprick yet it was held and adjudged that the See of Winchester was become void by the assumption of the Cardinalship and therefore the Cardinal fallen into a Praemunire 4 Hen. 6. in Arch. Turr. Lond. for which he was glad to purchase his pardon as by the Records of all this it doth appear It was Adjudged in the Court of Common Pleas Dier 12 Eliz. by Sir James Dyer Weston and the whole Court That a Dean or any other Ecclesiastical Person may resign as divers did to King Edward the sixth Vid. Grend ca. in Plowd Com. for that he had the Authority of the Supream Ordinary With all this may be noted also the several Statutes heretofore made against the usurpations of the Bishops of Rome in this Kingdom the principal whereof these viz. Stat. 25 Ed. 3. de Provisorib Stat. 27 28 Ed.
or Scottish Bishop happening into their Company he would neither eat with them nor under the same roof where they were as Mellitus Laurentius and Justus complained in an Epistle of theirs to the Scots Bishops For the Saxons though King Ina Larga Reg is Benignitas or some other gave the Peter-pence partly as Alms and partly in recompence of a house erected in Rome for entertainment of English Pilgrims Yet it is certain that Alfred Athelstan Edgar Edmund Canutus Edward the Confessor so called and divers other Kings of the Saxon race gave all the Bishopricks of England per annulum baculum without any other Ceremony or any application to Rome as was usual by the Emperour the French King and other Christian Princes so to do as also in all their Laws for the Government of the Church here they consulted only with their own Clergy without any regard to the Authority of Rome But under the Norman Conquest the Papal usurpation march'd in for as the Conquerour came in with the Pope's Banner So either by the way of complemental gratitude or surprize the Pope presently layd hold upon part of the purchase as boasting all was gain'd by his aid and blessing And thereupon he sent two Legats into England favourably received by the Norman by whom a Synod of the Clergy was convened Will. Malm. de gest Ponâ—if Angl. lib. 1. fo 204. Rog. Hoveden pa. prior fo 453. and old Stigand Archbishop of Canterbury deposed because he had not purchased his Pall in the Court of Rome and many other Bishops and Abbots displaced on supposal for the like reasons of the invalidity of their Titles but speciously to place the Normans in their rooms or rather ultimately to introduce the Papal authority in cases of the Church Amongst these is to be noted that the King having earnestly moved the old Bishop of Worcester Matt. Paris Hist in Will 2. fo 20. Wulstan to give up his Staff his answer was that he would only give it up to him of whom he first receiv'd the same and so the old man went to St. Edwards Tombe and there offer'd up his Staff and Ring with these words Of thee O holy Edward I received my Staff and Ring and to thee I now Surrender the same again not acknowledging any authority in the Pope or in any other on his behalf to receive or dispose them as Matthew Paris relates the story at large And though the Conqueror did thus Complement the Pope in the admission of his Legates and some other small matters yet how far he really submitted himself appears by an Epistle to Gregory the seventh by him wrote thus Excellentissimo S. Eccl. Pastori Gregorio Gratia Dei Anglorum Rex Dux Normannorum Willielmus Salutem cum amicitia Hubertus tuus Legatus ad me veniens ex tua parte me admonuit ut tibi successoribus tuis fidelitatem facerem de pecunia quam antecessores mei ad Romanam Ecclesiam mittere solebant melius cogitarem unum admisi alterum non admisi fidelitatem facere nolui nec volo quia nec ego promisi nec antessores mees antecessoribus tuis id fecisse comperio Pecunia tribus fere annis in Gallia me agente negligenter collecta est nunc vero divina misericordia me in regnum meum reverso quod collectum est per praefatum Legatum mittetur quod reliquum est per Legatos Lanfranci Archiep. fidelis nostri cum opportunum fuerit transmittetur c. But in the time of his next successor K. Will. Rufus a further attempt was made that is to draw Appeals to the Court of Rome and that appears in the noted transactions with Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury at large reported in our stories And afterwards in the time of King Henry the first another step was made viz. to gain to the Pope the Patronage and Donations of Bishopricks and other Benefices Ecclesiastical at which the King taking courage writes roundly to the Pope thus Notum habeat Sanctitas vestra Hist Jorvall Coll. quod me vivente Deo auxiliante dignitates usus regni nostri non minuentur si ego quod absit in tanta me directione ponerem magnates mei imo totius Angliae populus id nullo modo pateretur Notwithstanding which upon the regress or restoring of Anselme and some difficulties that pressed the King in reference to his elder Brother Robert Matt. Paris in Hen. 1. fo 63. in a Synod held by Anselme at London in the year 1107. a Decree passed Cui annuit Rex Henricus statuit as Matthew Paris saith ut ab eo tempore in reliquum nunquam per donationem baculi pastoralis vel annuli quisquam de Episcopatu vel Abbatiaper Regem vel quamlibet laicam manum investiretur in Anglia But yet with this clause of salvo Sr. H. Spelâ— Concil Tom. 2. fo 28. Suis tantum juribus regalibus sepositis exceptis as appears in the Exemplification of the Acts of that Synod by the learned Collector of our English Councils In recompence whereof the Pope that there might be quid pro quo yielded to the King that thenceforth no Legate should be sent into England without the King's leave and that the Archbishop of Canterbury for the time being should be for ever Legatus natus and for the honour of the See it was obtained that the Archbishop of Canterbury should in all General Councils sit at the Pope's foot tanquam alterius orbis Papa But this agreement was soon broken on both sides the Pope sending his Legates and the King resuming the Investiture of Bishops Matr. Paris fo 65. as the same Historian relates in divers instances In the next troublesome raign of King Stephen it was won clearly that Appeals should be made to the Court of Rome established in a Synod at London Speim Concil Tom. 2. fo 44. held by Henry Bishop of Winchester the Pope's Legat for before that time In Anglia namque Appellationes in usu non erant as un unquestionable Historian hath it donec eas Henricus Wintoniensis dum Legatus esset Hen Huntingdon lib. 8. fo 395. malo suo crudeliter intrusit in eodem namque Concilio ad Romani Pontificis audientiam ter appellatus est And in the raign of King Henry the second began the claime and usage of exempting Clarks from the secular Power whatever their crimes were And from this root sprang the famous contention between this King and his Archbishop Thomas Becket together with the Constitutions of Clarendon for the rectifying that abuse at large to be read and observed in the Historians of those times To all this it will be but pertinent to subjoine some brief disquisition touching the Canon Law how and by whom compiled and when introduced into this Iland under which where admitted no small part of the Papal authority was neatly and artificially drawn in For which