were engag'd with the French who are in strict conjunction with the Scots by an ancient and even natural Alliance that is between the two Nations and therefore that it would be very hazardous to invade the French before England was secur'd from the Scots at home To this Speech of the Earl's reply'd John Duke of Exeter a Man of great Wisdom and Learning which he had acquir'd in the Universities of Italy whither he was sent by his Father who design'd him for the Church He very eloquently maintained That the French ought first to be invaded upon whose aid the Scots relying infested the English That if they were subdued the Scots would come in of themselves according to this Aphorism of the Physicians That the Remedy must be first applied to the Cause of the Disease and that in order to the healing a Wound effectually the peccant Humour must first of all be purg'd For from whence said he do the Scots draw the first rudiments either of Learning or Arms but from their Education in France How can the Scotch Nobility be maintain'd if those Pensions should fail which they use to receive from France or if that Kingdom should be subdued with what Nation will the Scots maintain any Commerce or from whom will they implore Assistance Not from Denmark that King is allied to you by marriage with your Sister not from Portugal or Castile both those Princes are your Cousin-Germans not from Italy that is too remote not from Germany or Hungary they are both in league with us so that the Scots will submit to you of themselves when the French are conquer'd as the Tree necessarily withers when the Sap fails He also shew'd in the Instances of Malcolm and David Bruce that the Scots never invaded England but when the English were at war with France and therefore he propos'd that the Earl of Westmorland should be sent with some choice Troops to hinder them from attempting any thing in the King's absence He concluded that the Conquest of France would be a rich and plentiful reward of their Victory in comparison of which that of Scotland was but poor and inconsiderable The King and the Nobility were so much inclin'd in favour of this Opinion but especially the Dukes of Clarence Bedford and Glocester the King's Brethren who were enflam'd with the desire of acquiring Honur and Renown in the War with France by the Example of their Ancestors that when it came to be voted after the usual manner they all concurred in their Opinion with the Archbishop and cried out confusedly in the House War War with France By this means the Archbishop obtain'd great commendation of Posterity for his Wisdom who by this Counsel of his promoted a very successful War and averted a very great Calamity from the Church The King having dissolv'd the Parliament with great diligence provided his Army and Navy and made all other necessary preparations for such a War designing to invade France the next Year In the beginning of which that he might proceed according to the Law of Nations he sent Ambassadors into France the Bishops of Durham and Norwich to demand the Kingdom of King Charles who receiv'd them civilly and told them that he would shortly send Ambassadors into England to return an Answer to their Demands The Fleet and Army being ready for this Expedition and the Soldiers being order'd to rendezvouz at Southampton in order to embark on Board the Fleet The King in his Journy thither staid some time at Winchester where the French Ambassadors came to him who were the Earl of Vendosme William Bouratier Archbishop of Bourges Peter Fremell Bishop of Lisieux and Walter Cole Secretary to the King The Archbishop of Bourges made an Eloquent Oration in the name of the rest in which after he had largely and floridly describ'd the Miseries of War and the Advantages of Peace he offer'd the King in marriage the Lady Catharine King Charle's Daughter if he would desist from the War promising for her Dowry a great Sum of Money and some part of those Provinces which the King demanded by right of Inheritance The King only answer'd at that time that he would consider of the Conditions which they propos'd and the next day sitting on his Throne and attended with a great number of the Nobility the Ambassadors being call'd in he told them that the Conditions which they offer'd were such as he could not accept of with honour and calling Henry Archbishop of Canterbury he commanded him to give a fuller Anser to the Archbishop of Bourges Oration which he did to this effect That the King as soon as he came to the Crown thought nothing of greater importance than to maintain peace as well at home amongst his own Subjects as abroad with Foreign Princes For which cause he had call'd a Parliament in which having setled his Affairs at home he had sent Ambassadors into France to claim his right and to demand that part of the Kingdom of France which the Kings of England had held for some Ages by a lawful possession But seeing his Ambassadors had brought back no Answer from King Charles that he had levied an Army and provided all things necessary for the War and that he was now ready to pass over into France and revenge the wrong they had done him when he perceiv'd they made no account of his Right Nevertheless that he might testify to all the World how averse he was from shedding Christian Blood by the mutual Butchery of War that he would remit something of his Right that he would disband his Army and establish a Peace between the two Nations by marriage with Catharine upon condition that they would restore to him the Dutchies of Aquitain and Anjou and the other Dominions which his Ancestors enjoy'd in France neither forcibly nor clandestinely nor precariously That unless these Conditions were accepted the King would immediately enter France with his Army and lay it waste with Fire and Sword nor would he ever desist from slaughter and revenge till he had reduc'd it to his obedience and had recover'd the Dominion transmitted to him by right of Inheritance from his Predecessors And lastly That he call'd God Almighty both for a Witness and Avenger of his Cause whose Majesty he trusted would be propitious to so just a War When the Archbishop had done speaking the King interpos'd and with his Royal Word confirm'd all that he had deliver'd in more copious and Rhetorical Terms To which when the Archbishop of Bourges began to reply with reproachful Language and to reflect upon the King with more freedom than consisted with the Character of an Ambassador the King only reprimanded him for the liberty which he took and commanded the Ambassadors to depart the Kingdom under safe Conduct The King soon after follow'd them setting sail from Southampton with his whole Army on the 13 th of
the Virgin Mary of St. Thomas of Canterbury and King Edward the Confessor and plac'd in it Eight Chaplains or Fellows Four Clerks Six Choristers and over all these a Master who were to pray for the Souls of the deceased He also built a large Hospital for the maintenance of the Poor of that place both which Foundations he endowed with ample Revenues which were afterwards augmented with great Legacies which his Brothers Robert and William Chichele two Eminent Citizens of London left them in their Wills After his return from his visitation of the Diocess of Lincoln he held a Synod at London on the 12 th of October being sollicited by Letters from the King to demand a supply of Money of the Clergy for the War with France For after the death of Henry the Fifth and Charles the Sixth the Dauphin supposing that the Name of King would be of great advantage to him caus'd himself to be crown'd at Poictiers and took upon him the Title of Charles the Seventh King of France and a great many Princes and Governors of Towns coming in to him who still retain'd an affection for the Name of France he made preparations for War with greater vigour On the other side John Duke of Bedford who by his Brother's Will was appointed Regent of France having contracted a stricter League of amity with Philip Duke of Burgundy by marrying his Sister Ann attack'd the Dauphin in several parts of France and having divided the Forces betwixt himself and Philip Duke of Burgundy he sent Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury toward Sens with some choise Troops and desir'd of Humphrey Duke of Glocester Regent of England a fresh Supply of Men and Money Whereupon Henry Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellor of England John Stafford Bishop of Bath Lord Treasurer Richard Earl of Warwick William Alnewyke Keeper of the Privy Seal Lewis Lord Bourchier and Ralph Lord Cromwell were sent from the Duke of Glocester to the Synod The Bishop of Winchester in a formal Speech having laid before them the present condition of Affairs in France exhorted and intreated them to bestow some part of their Revenues for subduing the remains of the Dauphin's Forces But then it plainly appear'd how much they were all affected with the loss of King Henry the Fifth For whereas they had granted Tenth's so frequently and so readily in former Synods as we have related before they now stuck at the very first demand of the new King thinking that all the hopes of conquering France depended upon Henry the Fifth and that nothing could succeed now he was gone For when the Proctors for the Clergy had debated the Matter several days William Lyndewood was deputed by them to return their Answer which was That the Estates of the Clergy were so drain'd by the continual expences of the War that they were hardly sufficient to maintain them and their Families handsomely that the value of a great many Livings was so fallen that there were not Priests to be sound who would supply the Cures and in short That in the Commissions of all the Proctors for the Clergy the power of granting Tenths was expresly taken away Upon this the Bishop of Winchester went to the Lower House and in a long and pressing Oration besought them to supply the Necessities of the Publick but when he could obtain nothing of them who excus'd themselves upon the narrowness of their Commissions The Synod was adjourn'd by the Archbishop to the 26 th of January following At which time the Bishop of Winchester with the rest of the Lords came thither again and having made a Speech to the Bishops Abbots and Priors of the Vpper House in the Name of the King they granted half a Tenth protesting withal that This Concession should not oblige them unless the Proctors for the Clergy would consent to it for that a division of the two Orders of the Clergy in the matter of granting Tenths being introduced by this Example would be of very pernicious consequence to Posterity But the Lower House persisting stiffly in their former Resolutions were not at all mov'd with the importunate Demands first made by the Bishop of Winchester and afterwards by the Archbishop and the rest of the Bishops Whereupon the Archbishop presently dissolv'd the Synod and appointed another to be held two Months after on the 23 d of April thinking that by the Election of new Proctors the business would be more easily affected When this Synod was assembled the Archbishop first of all commanded the Lower House to chuse their Speaker who is commonly call'd the Prolocutor who pitch'd upon William Lyndewood of which he himself makes mention in his Commentaries After which the Lord Chancellor the Lord Treasurer William Alnewyke Keeper of the Privy Seal the Lord Scrope the Lord Cromwell with some others of the Privy Council came again to the Synod and the Lord Chancellor with his florid Speeches and the rest of the Lords engaging them severally by Flatteries Threats and Promises at length with much ado they obtain'd half a Tenth When this business was over one Robert Hoke and one Thomas Drayton both Priests one of the Diocess of Lincoln and the other of Canterbury were brought before the Synod and accus'd of Heresy It was alledg'd against them That they would not kneel before the Crucifix and that they had in their possession certain Books in which it was said that the Priest could not change the Host in the Sacrament into the Body of Christ that a Monastick Life and Auricular Confession were the Inventions of the Devil and that amongst Christians all things ought to be in common which Opinions they abjur'd publickly at Paul's Cross But the sharpest Accusation was brought against one William Russel of the Order of Minor Fryers for teaching the People in his Sermons That personal Tythes were not commanded by God but that it was lawful for all Christians to bestow them in charitable uses upon the Poor as they pleas'd themselves This extreamly troubled and perplex'd the Clergy who fear that if this Opinion should spread it self among the People they should lose this part of their Income by which the Wealth of their Order would be greatly diminish'd Wherefore he was order'd by the Synod on a day prefix'd to recant out of the Pulpit at Paul's Cross but before the time came he fled out of England whereupon he was pronounc'd contumacious by Edicts set forth against him and afterwards in open Court proclaim'd a Heretick and his Opinion was adjudg'd to be impious by the Decrees of both Vniversities which the University of Oxford presently signified by their Letters to the Archbishop and the Synod which are yet extant Shortly after the Synod being inform'd that he was at Rome sent Messengers to apprehend him and accuse him before the Pope who were allow'd a Farthing in the
consults Lower House to consult and determine whether the Pope might dissolve a General Council at his own pleasure and And what Pope they should obey if another be set up in case the Fathers at Basil should depose Eugenius and set up another Pope which of them they ought to obey To which Questions some days after Thomas Bekyngton Official of the Archbishop's Court answer'd in the name of Alledged 1 st that the Pope might dissolve a Council and if another be set up the Synod is to obey Eugenius the rest That the Pope by his sole command might dissolve a Council and that they were not to withdraw their Obedience from Eugenius though another Pope should be created at Basil For the Affections of a great many People in England began some time ago to be alienated from the Fathers at Basil upon the account of By which they resent a Decree made at Basil transferring Votes from the Nations to a few Delegates a Decree made by them which took away the Custom of voting by the Suffrages of every Nation and referr'd all things to the determination of some particular Delegates whereupon the English Representatives then at Basil Thomas Bishop of Worcester William Prior of Norwich Thomas Brown Dean of Salisbury Peter Patrick Chancellor and Robert Borton Precentor of Lincoln John Sarysbury Doctor of Divinity and John Symondisborough Licentiate in the Canon Law protested against it which was also done at the same time here in Which was protested against on the place England by William Lyndewood Proctor for the King who repeated a set form of Appeal in which he protested against the Decree as unjust for that this way of voting might hereafter be prejudicial to the King and the Rights of the Clergy and Parliament After this the Archbishop consulted with the Synod about nominating more Eight new Delegates nominated Delegates because several of those that were sent before were dead at Basil and eight Doctors of Divinity and both Laws were chosen who were to be sent to Basil provided the Fathers would admit them without imposing upon them any new Oath At this time our Affairs in France declin'd daily by the revolt of the chief Cities to King Charles who had been lately crown'd at Rhemes with great solemnity King Charles crown'd at Rhemes for which cause the Duke of Bedford who was lately come into England and his Brother the Duke of Glocester thought it expedient to raise a A new Army against France designed new Army here in England and John Stafford Bishop of Bath Lord Chancellor the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury the Lord Treasurer Cromwell and the Lords Scrope and Tiptoft were sent to the Synod Money desired of the Synod to desire Money of them The Chancellor in an elegant Speech laid before them the miserable state of Affairs in France and the poverty of the Exchequer and brought them to supply the Necessities of the King and Kingdom After a denial At first they absolutely refus'd to grant any Supply alledging that the Wealth of the Clergy was exhausted by their advancing Money continually for the use of the War by the Rapines of the King's Purveyors and by unjust Citations to the King's Courts But some other Lords soon after coming to them as the Earl of Huntington the Lords Hungerford Audly and Cornwallis who urg'd again the same Reasons and reckon'd up the extraordinary Benefits conferr'd on the Church by the Kings of England they They gave three quarters of a Tenth at length obtain'd three quarters of a Tenth For at that time the Clergy complain'd grievously of the unjust proceeding of the King's Judges and the The Grievances of the Church at that time common Lawyers That Priests against all Law and Equity were brought to their Secular Courts that the Power of the Ecclesiastical Judges was restrain'd by their unjust Prohibitions and particularly that by a fraudulent interpretation they wrested a strict Law of Richard the Second against Provisors and turn'd it upon those Persons who were Judges in the Spiritual Courts of those Causes which they pretended to belong to their Jurisdiction For which cause the Archbishop held another Synod at London the next Year on the 7 th of October where in a pathetical Speech he express'd how solicitous he was that the The Archbishop zealous to rescue her from the Oppressions of the Lawyers Church might receive no prejudice under his Government that it might be deliver'd from the illegal Oppressions of the Lawyers and restor'd to its ancient dignity and commanded them all to consider what measures were to be taken to ease the Clergy of the weight of these Oppressions But the Plague breaking out in the City the By reason of the Plague the Synod dissolved Synod was quickly dissolv'd having only appointed a Holiday to be kept in honour of S. Frideswide the Protectress of the Vniversity of Oxford and denounc'd excommunication against any one that should detract from the Privileges and Jurisdiction of the Church After this the Archbishop applied himself industriously to the Government of his Province and call'd never another Synod in three Years till the Necessities of the Exchequer call d upon the Clergy for a Supply to maintain the Charges of the War with France The Duke of Burgundy revolts to the French and Bedford dies The former occasion'd The revolt of the Duke of Burgundy to the French and the death of the Duke of Bedford which hapned the next Year gave a terrible blow to our Affairs in France For about that time by the mediation of Pope Eugenius and the Council of Basil Commissioners from our King from Charles King of France and the The ill success of the Treaty at Arras Duke of Burgundy met at Arras in order to treat of a Peace But the English and French not agreeing by reason of the extravagant Conditions demanded on either side the Burgundians at last went over to the French and soon after the Duke of Bedford fell sick and died whose death soon caus'd a great alteration in the posture of Affairs For the The English driven out of Paris c. next Year the People of Paris conspir'd privately together and drove the English out of the City and many other Towns being stirr'd up by their example and in a manner all the People of France as if they were impell'd by a And generally the French surrender'd to Charles fatal necessity surrender'd themselves to King Charles Wherefore to preserve the remains of our Dominion in France the Duke of Glocester with a great Army and a gallant Fleet sail'd over to Calais which A new English Army set sail for Calais was then besieg'd by the Duke of Burgundy and the King by Letters to the Archbishop of Canterbury press'd him to move the Clergy for a supply of Money for levying more men who having assembled the Bishops and Prelates of his Province at
upon the death of Thomas Arundel fell to the Exchequer were by a particular favour granted him by a Patent under the Great Seal after he had paid Six hundred Marks He came to Leicester upon the account of the Parliament which the King had call'd there that he might consult with his Prelates Lords and Commons about making new Laws raising Money and the State of the Kingdom in general In this Parliament the Archbishop by his great Wisdom averted a terrible Storm from the Church which was rais'd against it by the envy of the Nobility and Commonalty at the Wealth of the Prelates which had shewed it self at several times during the Reign of Henry the Fourth but now seem'd to threaten them more nearly in this new Government For ten years before this in a Parliament holden at Coventry in the Year 1404. when King Henry the Fourth demanded Money of them for his Wars with the Scots the Welsh the Bretons the Flemings and the French the House of Commons replied that there was no other way of supplying the necessities of the Publick but by diminishing the excessive Wealth of the Clergy and that such was the Condition of the People of England that they not only advanc'd Money continually for the Service of the War but also expos'd their persons to the common Enemy while the Clergy staid at home and neither serv'd their Country with their Persons nor their Estates To this Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury briskly replied That the Clergy granted Tenths oftner than the Laity did Fifteenths and that more of their Tenants and Domesticks serv'd in the Wars than of those of the Nobility beside their Prayers which they pour'd out to God day and night for the prosperity of the Kingdom And presently turning himself to the King he fell upon his Knees and besought him that he would be mindful of his Oath by which he had solemnly promis'd before God and Man to preserve the Rights and Privileges of the Church entire and unviolated by which and by engaging those of the Nobility whom he thought to favour his Cause he prevail'd so far that the Demands of the Commons were thrown out by a publick Act. Six years after this in another Parliament holden by Henry the Fourth at Westminster the Commons in an Address presented to the King set forth that the Revenues of the Prelates and Monks which they consumed in Debauchery and Excess were sufficient to supply the Necessities of the King and Kingdom that out of them might be maintain'd Fifteen Earls Fifteen hundred Knights Six thousand two hundred Esquires and One hundred Hospitals and therefore they besought the King that he would seise them into his own hands and out of them would defray the necessary Expences of the Kingdom To which Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury again replied That the Commons did not desire the Lands of the Clergy to enrich the Exchequer but to repair their own Fortunes which were wasted by their Prodigality out of the rich Spoils of the Church as it had formerly happened to the Monasteries in France which in the Wars between the English and the French were brought into the Treasury out of which said he the King has not now so much as a Noble left At that time also the King rejected the Petition of the Commons whether it were that he fear'd an eternal Infamy would attend him if he should rob the Church or because he thought that the Promoters of this Design were secret Favourers of the Doctrine of John Wickliff to which he had always a great aversion From that time during the Reign of Henry the Fourth there was nothing attempted against the Church But in this Parliament at Leicester the House of Commons in an Address petition'd the new King that their demands against the Clergy which were represented four years ago might be taken into consideration again and voted in both Houses The Archbishop was extremely troubled at this for he was very sollicitous that the Church should receive no prejudice under his Government his greatest fear arose from the consideration of the King's Youth which is generally bent upon hasty Designs and Innovations Having therefore communicated this Affair to the Bishops it was determin'd by them that the Clergy should offer the King a great Sum of Money and excite him to make war with the French and to assert his Title to that Crown which falling to Edward the Second by Marriage was by him transmitted to his Successors Most of the Writers of that Age relate that the Archbishop upon this occasion presently call'd a Synod at London yet none of their Decrees are now to be found among the publick Records Now our Kings claim'd the Crown of France by this Title Charles the Fair King of France who was the only surviving Male-Heir of the Line of Philip the Fair his Father dying without Issue Edward the Third King of England Son to Edward the Second by Isabella Daughter of Philip the Fair by his Ambassadors demanded the Crown of France of the Estates of that Kingdom as next of kin to Philip the Fair his Mother's Father and Charles his Unkle On the other side Philip de Valois Son to Charles de Valois who was Brother to Philip the Fair maintained that he was next Heir by right of Succession as Cousin German to the late King Charles the Fair whereas Edward claim'd only in right of his Mother as being Grandson to Philip the Fair by his Daughter and Nephew to Charles the Fair by his Sister which Claim was contrary to the Laws and Constitutions of France by which the Crown is to descend upon the Male-line only alledging the words of the Salick Law that no Woman should inherit in Salick Land which Salick Land he affirm'd to be the Kingdom of France The French therefore rejected King Edward's Claim and acknowledg'd Philip for their King whereupon Edward presently assum'd the Title of King of France which our Kings have us'd ever since and having invaded France successfully he left the Quarrel entail'd upon his Successors together with the Crown of England After him Richard the Second a weak Prince desisted wholly from the War with the French and Henry the Fourth though he were a Valiant Prince yet being taken up partly with the Rebellions of the Welch and partly with the Intestine Divisions of his own Nobility he could not employ the whole Force of the Kingdom against them But in Henry the Fifth all opportunities concurr'd for carrying on the War a vigorous Age a great Courage Riches and Peace at home Beside which the Archbishop was of opinion that the fierce and restless Disposition of the Young King ought to be employ'd in some difficult Enterprize and that the only way to keep him from making any Disturbances at home was to shew him an Enemy abroad as there is no other way to stop the fury of
Synod but they all refusing the Condition lest they should be accounted inferior to the Doctors in Presentations to Livings this Decree which would have been for the good of both Universities was at that time laid aside When the Synod was ended the injurious proceeding of Martin the new Pope began to be enquir'd into For about this time several Bishops dying in England the Pope substituted others at his own pleasure In the beginning of the next year he made Benedict Nicoll Bishop of St. David's William Barrow Bishop of Bangor John Chandeler Bishop of Salisbury and Philip Morgan Bishop of Worcester by vertue of that absolute Power which the Popes in that Age arrogated to themselves in disposing of the Bishoprickes of England The Clergy here had been quiet for some time during the Council of Constance after the deposing of John the Twenty third For the Bishops of Salisbury and Hereford dying at that time two new Bishops were made by the free Election of both those Chapters nor could the whole College of Cardinals by their Letters written from Constance prevail upon the Chapter of Salisbury to demand John Bishop of Litchfield the King's Commissioners at the Council for their Bishop But Pope Martin having now got quiet possession of the See of Rome became far more insolent than his Predecessors for in the beginning of his Pontificate he claim'd a Right of presentation to all Churches whatsoever reserv'd to himself the Donation of all Bishopricks by provision disannull'd all the Elections of Bishops made by the Chapters and within two years time made thirteen Bishops in the Province of Canterbury taking his opportunity while the King was engag'd in the War with France to venture upon an Action which Edward the Third and Richard the Second had prohibited by most severe Laws he also made his Nephew Prospero Colonna a Youth of Fourteen years of Age Archdeacon of Canterbury by Provision to whom some years after to gratify the Pope the King granted the Profits of as many Benefices in England as did not exceed fifty Marks yearly Besides this Complaints were made of his promiscuous uniting of Churches which are commonly call'd Appropriations and Consolidations of his easiness in granting Dispensations by which Priests were excus'd from residing upon their Benefices and Laymen were permitted to hold Spiritual Preferments and lastly that there was no notice taken of the English in the distribution of the Dignities of the Court of Rome The King's Commissioners at the Council of Constance John Bishop of Litchfield and John Polton Dean of York were order'd to represent these Grievances to the new Pope who soon obtain'd a concession of some Privileges to the English which in the Instrument it self are call'd Agreements between Martin the Fifth and the Church of England These were That the uniting of Parishes should not depend wholly upon the Pope's pleasure but that the Bishops of the several Diocesses should have power to examine into the reason of it That the Vnions of Churches and Consolidations of Vicarages made in the time of the Schism should be made void That those Dispensations granted by the Pope by which Priests were excus'd from Residence and Laymen and Monks were made capable of holding Livings should be recall'd That for the future the number of Cardinals should be lessen'd and that they should be promoted equally out of all Nations and that the English should be admitted to all other Offices in the Court of Rome About the same time the King sent another Embassy to the Pope to desire him not to intermeddle in the disposing of those Livings in England the Presentation of which belong'd to him as well by Agreement made between the Kings of England and the Popes as by his Royal Prerogative that no Frenchmen might be preferr'd to any Bishopricks or Livings in Aquitain or any other of the King's Dominions in France that Dignities and Benefices in Ireland might be conferr'd only upon those that understood English and that the Bishops of that Kingdom in their respective Diocesses might take care that the People should speak only English That for the future no Frenchmen might be admitted into the Monasteries founded by the French in England and that the Pope would grant the King a Supply who was now making war in defence of the See of Rome out of the Money that was paid to the Treasury of Rome in England To which Requests when the Pope return'd no favourable Answer the Ambassadors added that if he did not speedily satisfy their demands they were commanded to declare openly that the King would make use of his own Right in all these things which he had desir'd of him not out of necessity but only to shew his respect to his Holiness and to put in a publick Protestation concerning these Matters before the whole College of Cardinals The French also and the Germans protested against these Provisions and other Artifices of the Pope For the Estates of France being assembled at Paris in May this Year by their Edict reviv'd all the Ancient Laws that had been made to redress the Grievances and restrain the Tyranny of the Popes in which Edict it was further added that Martin should not be acknowledg'd as Pope by the French unless he would subscribe to this Decree and when he had interdicted the Church of Lyons the Interdict was taken off by the Parliament of Paris and the Rector of that University was tried for High Treason for appealing from the King's Edicts to the Pope The Germans also about this time being pillag'd by the Extortion of the Pope's Receivers desir'd of him a redress of their Grievances but they were put off with Indulgences and Pardons as Aeneas Sylvius relates who liv'd at that time in Germany Toward the end of this Year the Archbishop of Canterbury after he had visited the Diocess of Rochester being sent for by the King pass'd over into France leaving John Wodnesburgh Prior of Canterbury his Vicar-general He found the King at Roan in Normandy who since his arrival in France had taken partly by storm and partly by surrender Caen Cherbourg Allenson Constance Falaise and several other strong Towns in Normandy and had then laid siege to Roan the Capital City of that Province About this time it was agreed upon by the two Kings to send Commissioners on both Sides to treat of a Peace who were to meet at Pontlarch a Town lately taken by King Henry situated upon the Seine about eight Miles from Roan On the King of England's part were sent the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Earl of Warwick from the French King Philip Morvillier President of the Parliament of Paris the Bishop of Beauvais and Reginald Tolleville Knight and from the Pope Cardinal Vrsini who was to mediate the Peace on both Sides The Commissioners debated fifteen days about composing Matters
but came to no conclusion For the French shew'd up and down the Picture of Catharine King Charles's Daughter very curiously drawn whom they propos'd in Marriage to King Henry but the English demanding for her Dowry a Million of Crowns together with Normandy Aquitain and the County of Ponthieu independent of the Sovereignty of France the French at length openly refus'd all Terms of accord conceiving that King Charles was not capable of transacting any thing having lately lost his Senses nor the Dauphin who acted in right of another and not for himself nor the Duke of Burgundy who had no power to alienate the Dominions of the Kingdom of France All this while the People of Roan held out very obstinately though they were reduc'd to the greatest Extremities For after six Months siege in which Six thousand Men perished partly by the Sword and partly by Famine those that remain'd were forc'd to feed upon the most loathsome Animals as Dogs Horses and Mice and they were reduc'd to so great a scarcity of all things that as it is reported an Apple was sold for Three Shillings and a Dog for Ten nor could they any longer hope for Relief for King Charles was not well in his Wits and the Princes were engag'd in a Civil War in which all France was involv'd being divided between Charles the Dauphin and John Duke of Burgundy Wherefore two of the Nobility two of the Clergy and two of the Citizens with a Herald were sent out of the Town who falling down at the King's Feet humbly sued for Peace The King sent them to the Archbishop's Tent to whom he had given power together with the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury the Lord Fitz-hugh Sir Walter Hungerford Sir Gilbert Vmfrevil and Sir John Robsert to treat with the Besieged about the Conditions of Surrender The Articles being agreed on which were That the Inhabitants should be safe both in their Persons and their Fortunes and that they should pay 365000 Crowns they deliver'd up the Town This was in the beginning of the Year 1419. and on the 19 th of January the King entred the Town with his Army in a triumphant manner and having fortified it with some new Works he setled there his Exchequer and the principal Court of Judicature for all matters relating to the Province of Normandy After this he conquer'd the rest of Normandy in a little time For first he took Meudon and then Pontoise by storm The other Towns being terrified by the example of that of Roan surrender'd of their own accord The Archbishop of Canterbury staid some time with the King at Roan being entertain'd in a Convent of Preaching Fryers there and afterwards attended him in his Camp at Meudon and Pontoise serving him both in the quality of a Confessor and a Counsellor and did not leave him till the end of August At which time he return d into England that he might hold a Synod and take care of the Government of his Province This Synod was appointed to be held at London on the 30 th of October that the Clergy might consult about granting a supply of Money to the King who was carrying on the War in France with success which the King had given in charge to the Archbishop at his departure out of France and again very lately by Letters The Synod granted half a Tenth upon all Livings and it was also agreed that those that held Chappels or Chantries or that receiv'd Stipends for saying Mass should pay to the King 6 s. 8 d. each but withal a publick Protestation was made by William Lyndewood in the name of the Proctors for the Clergy that this Concession should be no prejudice to them hereafter nor be made a Precedent for succeeding Ages There was brought before this Synod one Richard Walker a Priest in the Diocess of Worcester who was accus'd of Witchcraft and several Books Waxen Images Stones and other Instruments of Charms and Conjuration were produc'd which were afterwards own'd by him and burnt at Paul's Cross John Welles Bishop of Landaff preaching a Sermon upon the Occasion He himself having done solemn Penance in a publick Procession abjur'd that wicked Art After this some Persons were accus'd before the Synod for embracing the Tenets of John Wicklyff who were forc'd to recant and thus the Synod broke up The Archbishop afterwards order'd Processions to be made to all Churches for the King's success in France who at this time by the Providence of God began to conceive some hopes of reducing the Kingdom of France without bloodshed through the Divisions of the French For Philip Duke of Burgundy in revenge of his Father's death whom Charles the Dauphin had treacherously slain at Montereau under pretence of conserring with him made a private League with King Henry by his Ambassadors and promis'd him the Lady Catharine in marriage with all other assistances for the prosecution of his Conquests He only desir'd him to come in person to Troyes and there conclude a Peace publickly with King Charles The Duke of Burgundy had at that time in his power King Charles Queen Isabel and their Daughter Catharine with Paris the chief City of the Kingdom and the whole management of the Government for Isabel who hated the Dauphin had put him by and advanc'd the Duke of Burgundy to the Regency The King that he might not let slip so fair an opportunity of managing all things to his own advantage and being much taken with the great Beauty of the Lady Catharine came with all speed to Troyes where he receiv'd her in marriage at the hands of Charles and Isabel upon these Terms That King Henry during the life of Charles his Father-in-law should have the Government of France with the Title of Regent after whose death he or his Children begotten of the Lady Catharine should succeed in the Kingdom and that the Dauphin should be look'd upon as disinherited and a publick Enemy To these Conditions the Princes and Nobles of France who were there present in great number gave their assent and with the Duke of Burgundy who first took the Oath swore Allegiance to King Henry for they conceiv'd a greater esteem of his Wisdom and Courage when they saw him present amongst them than they had done before from the bare admiration of his Actions at a distance It was toward the end of May 1420. when the Nuptials were solemnized at Troyes the News of which being brought into England the excess of joy wherewith it was universally receiv'd almost lessen'd the belief of the truth of it The Archbishop of Canterbury having left the Office of Vicar general to John Prior of Canterbury and that of Auditor to William Lyndewood on the 10 th of June took shipping at Winchelsea and sail'd over into France to congratulate the King upon his late Marriage and by his Counsels to confirm his new Government He arriv'd
abroad again some Opinions which he had recanted in the Synod two years before for which he was said to be relaps'd into Heresy His Tenets were these That God alone was to be invok'd by the Prayers of the Faithful that that Worship was due to Christ himself not upon the account of his Human Nature but of his Divine Nature only that it was not lawful to pray to Saints or any other created Being that those that offer'd Gifts to the Image of the Cross or of the Saints were guilty of Idolatry that a Monastick Life was contrary to the Institutions of Christ that the Administration of Civil Affairs and all Secular Government was forbidden to Priests by Christ himself and that many of those Opinions that were condemn'd as impious by the Council of Constance were Orthodox All these Assertions were referr'd by the Archbishop as Judge in this Affair to the four Orders of Mendicant Fryers who were to examine whether they were agreable to the Holy Scriptures and the Sense of the Fathers and the Lawyers were order'd to consider what punishment was to be inflicted on one relapsed into Heresy The Divines deliver'd their Opinion That the Tenets maintain'd by him were impious and contrary to the Holy Scriptures and the Decrees of the Church of Rome As to matter of Law William Lyndewood Official of the Court of Arches Thomas Brown Dean of the same Court and the other Lawyers answer'd That one suspected of Heresie was to be debarr'd from the Communion of the Church for a year and if after this probation he repented of his Errors he was to be receiv'd again into the bosom of the Church but if he relaps'd into Heresy again he was to be reputed guilty of a capital Crime and deliver'd over to the Secular Power whereupon by the Sentence of the Synod he was declar'd a Heretick and solemnly devested of his Orders Soon after the end of this Synod the whole Kingdom was seiz'd with the greatest consternation imaginable upon the News of the King's death who having pursued the Dauphin with too much heat as far as Bourges on the 31 st of August died at Bois de Vinciennes about three Miles from Paris of a violent Fever which he had contracted by his excessive Fatigues He died in a very unlucky time for King Charles his Father-in-Law pin'd away with grief for the death of his Son King Henry who was very dear to him and died within twenty days after The King's Body was brought over into England and buried at Westminster The Inheritance of both Kingdoms descended to Henry the Sixth who was then an Infant the government of which was left by the late King in his Will to his two Brothers that of England to Humphry Duke of Glocester and that of France to John Duke of Bedford till his Son should come of Age the care of whose Education was committed to Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester and Thomas Beaufort Duke of Exeter his Great Uncles Certainly no King of England ever excell'd King Henry the Fifth in all vertuous Qualifications nor was there any one whose death was so prejudicial to the Kingdom He was adorn'd with all the Accomplishments both of Body and Mind that could be desir'd in a Prince with Prudence Courage Constancy Modesty Bounty Eloquence Beauty and Strength all which being attended with a singular good Fortune procur'd him a wonderful esteem amongst Foreigners and are celebrated as well by the French Writers as by those of our own Nation The Duke of Glocester that he might settle the Affairs of the Kingdom according to the Injunctions of his Brother King Henry call'd a Parliament at Westminster on the 9 th of November and first of all he commanded the Archbishop of Canterbury to declare to both Houses the cause of their meeting for Thomas Bishop of Durham upon the death of the King had resign'd the Seal and other marks of the Chancellorship to which this Office belongs to the Duke of Glocester at Windsor and had laid down the Place The Archbishop having spoken largely in praise of the Vertues of King Henry the Fifth and made honourable mention of his Actions in France came to speak of the Young King and affirm'd that it was by the special favour of Almighty God that a Son of such promising hopes should succeed so great a Father that his very Title of the Sixth was attended with a lucky Omen for as the number Six was the most compleat of all the rest because in so many days God Almighty had made this vast Fabrick of the World so this King Henry the Sixth of that Name would be the greatest of all his Predecessors that he would compleat what his Father had so prosperously begun in France and that as he was descended both from the Kings of England and France so he would at length enjoy both those Crowns which were devolv'd to him by lawful Inheritance That he in the King's Name did declare to the Peers and all the People that they should enjoy all the Privileges and Immunities granted to them by his Highness's Predecessors and that he was commanded to give them three Reasons for calling this Parliament Which were That Governors might be assign'd the King by a publick Act that they might consult about the Peace of the Realm and the Administration of Justice and that they might provide for the defence of the Kingdom against the Insults of Foreign Enemies Lastly He exhorted them by the Example of Jethro Moses's Father-in-law to make choice of the best and wisest of the Nobility to take upon them the government of the King and Kingdom and besought them that they would use their utmost endeavours for the safety of the King and the benefit of their Country When the Archbishop had done speaking the Protectorship was unanimously confirm'd to the Duke of Glocester and some of the most Eminent of the Bishops and Nobility were appointed to be of the Privy Council till the King should come of Age of which the Archbishop was nam'd first But he having lost his King and Patron who had advanc'd him to the highest Honors and who dearly lov'd him when the Parliament was dissolv d retir'd within the Bounds of his Province in which he perform'd the Duties of his Function with great diligence For the Year after the death of Henry the Fifth by his Metropolitical Authority he visited the Diocesses of Chichester and Salisbury and the next year that of Lincoln in which Visitations he revers d all those things that had been acted amiss by the Ordinaries and examin'd into the Faith and Manners of the People In his journy through the Diocess of Lincoln he came to Higham Ferrers the Town where he was born in which out of a pious and commendable design of adorning the Place of his Nativity he dedicated a Noble College which he had formerly begun there to the Honour of
Fathers and for keeping privately by them several Books of John Wickliff and others concerning matters of Religion written in the Vulgar Tongue All which Opinions Some recanted others were imprison'd some of them recanted before the Synod and the rest were committed to Prison After them one Joan Dertford Joan Dertford by means of her Answer acquitted being question'd about the same Tenets clear'd her self of the Accusation by an uncertain Answer saying That she had learnt only the Creed and Ten Commandments and never durst meddle with the profound Mysteries of Religion upon which she was committed to the Bishop of Winchester's Vicar general to be instructed by him The Ordinaries also The Ordinaries charg'd to persecute the Wicklevists and Lollards of every place were commanded vigorously to prosecute those that dissented from the Church of Rome whom they call'd by the invidious Names of Wiclevists and Lollards and whose number daily increas'd and William Lyndewood Official and Thomas Brown Chancellor of Canterbury with some other Lawyers And Process ordered to be form'd against them both Canonists and Civilians were order'd to draw up a Form of the Process against them Pope Martin troubled that he obtain'd not the Tenths But Pope Martin was very much troubled to see the Power of the Keys decrease daily in England both by the denial of a Tenth for his War with the Bohemians and several other Affronts that he pretended to have lately receiv'd For some years before this having by his Bull of Provision translated Richard Flemming Bishop of Lincoln to the See of York which was then vacant by the That his Bull was opposed at York death of the Archbishop the Dean and Chapter of York oppos'd his entrance into their Church so that the Pope was forc'd by a contrary Bull to transfer him back again to the See of Lincoln The That his Legate was imprisoned Year after John Opizanus the Pope's Legate was imprison'd for presuming by vertue of that Office to gather the Money due to the Pope's Treasury contrary He expostulated with the Duke of Bedford to the King's Command which Matter the Pope by his Letters sharply expostulated with the Duke of Bedford He would certainly have call'd to mind all these things if he had not been diverted by the more important Concerns of the Council of Basil which The Pope is diverted with the prospect of the Council of Basil was now to be call'd For the time prefix'd for the assembling of it was now at hand the seventh Year being almost expir'd since the end of the last Council for which cause the Archbishop of Canterbury call'd another Synod at London in the beginning of the next Year on the 19 th of February in which Delegates Wherefore Delegates are chosen in a Synod at London with 2 d. per l. Charges were chosen to be sent to Basil and Two pence in the Pound was allow'd them out of all the Revenues of the Clergy Their Instructions were To desire in the name of the Church of England Their Instructions did run Against Pluralities And Non residence c. That a stop might be put to that vast number of Dispensations which were daily granted by which some were permitted to hold two Livings beside Dignities others had leave to be absent from their Cures and some who were scarce at Age were admitted to the highest Offices in the Church and that no Vnions of Churches might be made but where there were Convents within the bounds of the Parish The Synod gave the King a Tenth The Synod also granted the King a whole Tenth at the sollicitation of John Kempe Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England who in a long Oration told them That the Siege of For the Siege of Orleans Orleans was rais'd by the death of the Earl of Salisbury a Renown'd Commander Many other Towns revolted that Troyes Beauvais Rhemes and many other Towns had revolted to King Charles that a great number And many English slain at Patau of our Men were lately slain in a Battel at Patau and that all France would soon come under the obedience of Charles unless Supplies of Money were rais'd in England that for this cause he with several others of the Privy Council were sent to them from the King The Synod also made an Order which concerned the general good of the Kingdom The Synod decreed just Weights That Tradesmen should be oblig'd to sell their Goods by a full weight and prohibited any one under pain of Excommunication to make use of a certain deceitful Weight with which they cheated their Customers But Pope Martin though it were Popes generally afraid of Councils with great reluctancy that he had call'd the Council at Basil fearing lest his Life and Actions should be inquir'd into for which cause also the a Fr. Guicciard lib. 9. Paul Jov. lib. 2. succeeding Popes were always very averse from calling a General Council yet because this was the Place and Time appointed both by his own Edicts and the determination of the Fathers assembled first at Constance and then at Pavia that he might not seem to equivocate in the opinion of all Christendom appointed Julianus Caesarinus Cardinal of S. Angelo to preside in his Name at the Council Martin appoints a President who at that time was his Legate in the Bohemian War against the Followers of Hus the Cardinal of Winchester being lately recall'd from that Post But before his journy to Basil in the beginning of the next Year Pope Martin died at Rome and Gabriel Condelmarius who The Pope dies before he took his Place was created Cardinal at Lucca by Gregory the Twelfth as is before related was chosen into his room on the 3 d of March and chang'd his Name for that of Eugenius the Fourth by whom also Eugenius the Fourth succeeds him and continues the President who was his Legate Caesarinus being continued in the Office of Legate he went to Basil and open'd the Council there in the beginning of December In which the matter was hotly debated concerning the Power of the Pope and on the 15 th of February it was Determined That a General Council doth derive its Authority immediately from Sess 2. Christ and that the Pope is subject to it The Pope adjudged subject to the Council c. that he hath no power to remove or prorogue it that if the Pope die in the time of their Session the right of erecting a new one is in the Council and that the supreme Sess 4. Government of the Church is committed to a Council and not to the Pope and by vertue of this supreme Authority they constituted By their susupreme Authority the Council makes a Legate of Avignon c. The Pope alarm'd removes the Council to Bologne Is opposed Alfonsus Cardinal of S. Eustace Legate of Avignon and forbad Eugenius to make any
new Cardinals before the end of the Council The Pope being alarmed at these Decrees by his Edict remov'd the Council from Basil to Bologna which Translation the Fathers by a contrary Edict disanull'd and both of them by their Letters cited the Archbishop of Canterbury one to Basil and the other to Bologna Upon this the Archbishop call'd a Delegates from London Synod to the Council of Basil and others to the Pope Synod at London on the 15 th of September and advis'd with the Bishops and Prelates what course was to be taken in the Dissention between the Council and the Pope who unanimously concluded To send Delegates to the Fathers at Basil and others to Pope Eugenius to compose the Differences on both sides to whom they voted a Penny in the Pound out of all the Profits of the Clergy besides the Two pence granted in the former Synod They also gave the King half a Tenth Half a Tenth given the King which was demanded of them in an Eloquent Speech by John Stafford Bishop of Bath and Lord Chancellor of England with whom came also to the Synod William Lyndewood who was lately made Keeper of the Privy Seal This William Lyndewood was esteemed one of the Wisest and most Learned Men of that Age he was very much belov'd by the Archbishop who remov'd him first from the Chancellorship of Salisbury to that of Canterbury afterwards he made him Official at the Court of Arches and gave him several rich Livings he also recommended him to both the Kings Henry the Fifth and Sixth the first of which sent him Ambassador into Spain and afterwards into Portugal and now under Henry the Sixth he was made Keeper of the Privy William Lyndewood Keeper of the Privy Seal Seal and soon after Bishop of St. David's Amongst b Jo. Balae de scriptor Angl. Cent 7. other of his Works which are now lost he got a great deal of reputation with Posterity by his learned Writ excellent Commentaries â—n the English Constitutions And was stiled the Light of the Law Complaint in the Synod against the Vicars General c. Commentaries upon the English Constitutions which Work he dedicated to the Archbishop whom for his c In Epist Dedic great knowledge in both Laws he stil'd the light of the Law In This Synod the Clergy of the Lower House complain'd to the Bishops that their Vicars General Commissaries and Officials were for the most part ignorant both in the Civil and Canon Law and that they had never taken any degree in the Universities whereupon Decreed that a Judge of a Spiritual Court must have some degree of the Law it was Decreed That no one should be made a Judge in any of the Spiritual Courts unless he had taken some degree in Law After which the Synod broke up In speaking of This Synod we made mention of John Stafford Bishop of Bath who was made Chancellor in the room of John Kempe Archbishop of York who being lately advanc'd to the Purple with the Title of Cardinal of S. Balbina had laid down that Office Between him and the Archbishop of Canterbury there arose a very sharp Dispute about Priority For in the Parliament holden shortly after at Westminster the Archbishop of York in respect of his Cardinal's Archbishop of York as Cardinal claim'd precedence of Canterbury Dignity claim'd precedence of the Archbishop of Canterbury which he on the other side rightly maintain'd to belong to him by the ancient Prerogative of his See The Archbishop of Canterbury on the contrary by ancient Prerogative Referred to the Pope The cognizance of this Affair through their mutual Contentions being referr'd to the Pope the Archbishop of Canterbury pleaded his Cause himself by Letters and appointed Antony de Capharellis his Proctor at the Court of Rome who in his Name maintain'd that the Archbishop of Canterbury was within his The Arguments for Canterbury urgent own Jurisdiction in which it was fit that he should take place of every one and that in the Province of Canterbury no respect ought to be had to the Dignity of Cardinal possess'd by my Lord of York who being remov'd from the Pope's presence was depriv'd of the brightness of those Raies whose splendor he receiv'd by communication from his Holiness and that even a Bishop d Abb. ad c. sane n. 4. de for comp while he is in another Bishop's Diocess is look'd upon but as a private Person and not as a Bishop But the Pope out of his desire to maintain the Honour of the See of Rome and of the Cardinals his Brethren being more enclin'd to favour the Archbishop of York writ back to the Archbishop of Overborn in the Cardinal's favour Canterbury That the first Degree in the Church next to the Papacy belonged to the Cardinals that they were those venerable Priests mention'd by Moses in the Seventeenth Chapter of Deuteronomy that they were afterwards instituted by St. Peter and were to be accounted as Members of the Pope's Body and that the whole Church did turn upon them as upon its Hinges Seeing therefore that it hath obtain'd by the Customs and Constitutions of particular Churches that in the same Province a Priest should take place of a Deacon a Bishop of a Priest and an Archbishop of a Bishop that much more the Laws of the Catholick Church ought to be universally observ'd for as every Archbishop presides in his own Province so the Cardinals are set over the Universal Church by the Pope Lastly He exhorted and intreated the Archbishop to submit to the Customs of the Church of Rome and give place to the Cardinal promising both him and the whole See of Canterbury all the kindnesses that could be expected from a most affectionate Father This Letter is inserted at length by Cardinal Jacobatius in his e Lib. 1. de concil art 12. Book of Councils when he comes to discourse about the degrees of Cardinals and Patriarchs By this it plainly appear'd to Posterity how strenuously the Archbishop desended the Dignity of the Church of England against the Pope whose displeasure he had incurr'd as we said before for maintaining the King's Authority The Differences betwixt Eugenius and the Council of Basil gave occasion to the calling another Synod the next A Synod call'd at London on occasion of the difference between the Pope and Council Year For after that Eugenius had remov'd the Council from Basil to Bologna and had been urg'd in vain by the Fathers at Basil to revoke his Decree they commanded him by their Edict to submit to the Council and repair to Basil The Pope is summoned to Basil within sixty days otherwise they declar'd that they would proceed against him as contumacious and devest him of the Papacy Whereupon in a Synod begun at London the 7 th of November the Archbishop commanded the Proctors for the Clergy and all the Prelates of the Of which London Synod
There had been begun some time ago at Oxford by the Munificence chiefly of the Duke of Glocester a lofty and magnificent Structure the upper part of which was design'd for a Library and the lower for the publick Divinity Laid out a great Sum on the Structure begun by the Duke of Glocester Schools To this Work the Archbishop gave a great Sum of Money himself and was very earnest in solliciting all the Bishops and Peers who came to the Parliament at Westminster to contribute something toward it all which is gratefully acknowledg'd by the University in their t Epist Acad. Oxon. 26. Letters to him And Two hundred Marks to the publick Chest of the University He also gave Two hundred Marks to the publick Chest of the University which he order'd to be kept by three Masters of Arts two Regents and one Non-regent who were to be chosen yearly and were bound by an Oath to the faithful discharge of that Trust out With the Method of its disposal of which the University might borrow for the publick use Five Pounds every particular College Five Marks a Master of Arts Forty Shillings a Licentiate or Batchelour Two Marks and an Undergraduate One with this Condition That every one should deposite a sufficient Pawn which if the Money were not repaid within a Month was to be forfeited Besides the Decree mentioned concerning graduated Dignitaries He also did the University a signal piece of service by that Decree which we mention'd before concerning the bestowing Benefices upon those only that had taken Degrees which was made by the Synod at his intercession For they esteem'd it as a singular kindness and often u Epist Acad. Oxon 1. 124 125 143 144. in Archiu return'd him thanks upon this account with the highest expressions of gratitude for before this Constitution was made Men though they had attain'd to the knowledge of all Sciences spent their whole Life in the University These and many other Favours conferr'd by him upon the University are honourably mention'd by them in their Letters and that the memory of them might remain for ever it was ordain'd by a x Stat. cist Chich in Archiv publick Decree that his Name should be register'd His Name decreed to be Registred among the Benefactors of Oxford University among their Benefactors and read every Year in the Publick Schools by the Chaplain of the University and that a solemn Mass should be said for him on the Anniversary of his Death All this was justly due to him who had increas'd the glory of the University by Having founded two Colleges c. the soundation of two Colleges and by so many publick Benefactions beside his private Charities to many poor Students to whom he allow'd yearly Stipends as appears out of his private Accounts He adorned the Cathedral of Canterbury Repaired Christ's Church there building and furnishing a Library c. Beside this he very much adorn'd his Cathedral Church of Canterbury he there laid out a great deal of Money in repairing Christ's Church and building a Library and Steeple he also gave a great many Jewels and Ornaments to that Church and furnish'd the Library with many valuable Books in all kinds of Learning which are all reckon'd up in a publick Instrument made by the Prior and Monks of Canterbury and describ'd among the publick Acts of that Church in which they promise on their part that his Body should be laid in the Tomb that he had caus'd to be built on the North side of the Chancel and that no one beside should ever be buried in that place which they and their Successors would take care to see perform'd He also gave very liberally toward Gave liberally towards the building of Croydon Church and Rochester Bridge the building of Croydon Church and Rochester Bridge I omit the rest of his Benefactions lest the enumeration of every smaller Deed of Charity should seem to detract from the glory of his more Illustrious Actions Thus having left the Monuments of his Piety and Liberality in all Places being worn out with Age he departed this Life on the 12 th of April in the His Death Apr. 12. 1443. and magnificent Burial Year 1443. His Body was laid in the Tomb which he had built himself as we said before in the upper part of which is his Statue very handsomly cut in White Marble and on the side of it this Epitaph is written Hic jacet HENRICUS CHICHELE Legum Doctor quondam Cancellarius Sarum qui anno septimo Henrici IV. Regis ad Gregorium Papam XII in ambasciata transmissus in civitate Senensi per manus ejusdem Papae in Menevensem Episcopum consecratus est Hic etiam Henricus anno secundo Henrici quinti Regis in hac sancta Ecclesia in Archiepiscopum postulatus à Joanne Papa XXIII ad eandem translatus est qui obiit anno Domini millesimo quadringentesimo quadragesimo tertio mensis Aprilis die XII Here lies HENRY CHICHELE Doctor of Laws and sometime Chancellor of Salisbury who in the Seventh Year of King Henry the Fourth was sent Ambassador to Pope Gregory the XIIth and was consecrated Bishop of S. David's by the hands of the Pope in the City of Siena The said Henry in the Second Year of King Henry the Fifth was demanded for Archbishop in this Holy Church and translated to it by Pope John the Twenty third He died in the Year of our Lord 1443. on the 12 th of April Soon after which a Fatal Change in England Soon after his death follow'd a very deplorable Turn in the State of this Kingdom For Queen Margaret a Woman of a Masculine Spirit by the assistance and Counsels of William Pole Duke of Suffolk got the Government of the King and the whole management Which came to be governed by Queen Margaret Whence the Kingdom was divided and the People oppressed The French also under a Female Revolt to King Charles Normandy then Aquitain lost after 300 years possession of the Kingdom into her own hands upon which the Nobility was divided into Factions and drew along with them the rest of the People who were oppress'd with Exactions The French also who were under the English Dominion being encouraged by our Divisions revolted to King Charles and first we lost Normandy and then all Aquitain which we had held ever since the time of King Henry the Second almost Three hundred years The Kingdom was embroil'd in Civil Dissentions within and labour'd under a Foreign War without For the Kentish men under Jack Cade Jack Cade 's Insurrection took Arms and rais'd an Insurrection the French invaded the Coast of Kent on one side and the Scots on the other ravaged the Northern Borders and to compleat all our Miseries the Family The French invade Kent and the Scots the Borders The Civil War from the House of York in which King Henry was imprison'd exil'd
Ib. Wherein the King concurred and obtain'd it Ib. The Council begun at Ferrara by occasion of the Plague removed to Florence 162 Where the Greeks present submitted in Opinion to the Latines Ib. Which so offended the Greek Church that after their death they were not allow'd Christian Burial Ib. The Council of Basil maintain'd its Authority Ib. Deposed the Pope Ib. The English going to Ferrara 163 And by the Deputies of four other Nations Felix the Fifth elected Pope Ib. A defence of the Council at Basil Ib. The high Character of Lodovic Romanus 164 In the next Age the Council of Basil is condemned 166 A Synod call'd at London where the Statute of Praemunire is reckon'd a lamentable Church-Grievance in so far as a Suit in an Ecclesiastical Court is construed a suing in Rome 166 167 They petition the King to limit the Penalties to those who sue in a Foreign Court strictly taken Ib. The King promises them impunity till a Parliament be called 168 This Answer procured the King a Tenth Ib. The Archbishop pray'd the King to suffer his College almost finished to be founded in his Royal Name 169 Letters Patent accordingly granted Ib. The Chappel consecrated Ib. A Warden of the College made and twenty choice Fellows with power to elect twenty more for Divinity and Sciences and the Civil and Canon Law 170 Wherefore the Archbishop called the College All Souls c. Ib. Prescribed them Statutes Ib. Was very liberal to Oxford and Canterbury Church 171 Laid out a great Sum on the Structure begun by the Duke of Glocester and two hundred Marks to the publick Chest of the University 171 172 With the Method of its disposal besides the Decree mentioned concerning graduated Dignitaries Ib. His Name decreed to be Registred among the Benefactors of Oxford University 173 Having founded two Colleges c. Ib. He adorned the Cathedral of Canterbury 174 Repaired Christ's Church there building and furnishing a Library c. Ib. Gave liberally towards the building of Croydon Church and Rochester Bridge Ib. His Death Ap. 12. 1443. and magnificent Burtal 175 Soon after which a Fatal Change in England 176 Which came to be governed by Queen Margaret Ib. Whence the Kingdom was divided and the People oppressed Ib. The French also under a Female Revolt to King Charles Ib. Normandy then Aquitain lost after 300 years possession Ib. Jack Cade 's Insurrection 177 The French invade Kent and the Scots the Borders Ib. The Civil War from the House of York in which King Henry was imprison'd exil'd depriv'd of Crown and Life by Edward the Fourth Ib. Our Chichele's Wisdom supported the Kingdom Ib. From the Calamities of which he was by his happy Fate delivered Ib. FINIS ERRATA of Moment are these Two PAge 27. line 2. for Bulrush Spears r. Poisons or Medicines P. 35. l. 14. for Master of the Horse r Constable Others less material are left to the Candor of the Reader Born at Higham Ferrars in Northamptonshire Made Fellow of New-College Oxford by William of Wyckam Went to live with Medeford Bishop of Sarum Made Archdeacon of Sarum 1402. 1404. Then Chancellor of the same Parson of Odyham And chief Executor to his Benefactor Sent Ambassador by H. 4. to Pope Greg. the 12th a In nemore unionis cap. 31. By whom made Bishop of St. David's 1408. Accordingly took the Canonical Oath in England 1409. Sent Delegate to the General Council at Pisa Held to Reconcile the Competitors for the Popedom Boniface the Eighth deposed Clement the Fifth Elected Pope Who with six Successors all French Resided at Avignon for seventy Years b Dell'inferno Canto 19. del Paradiso Canto 27. c Nella terza parte sonetto 8 9 10 epist 20. Most of them hated by the Italians for their Nation or vitious Lives The Clementines added to the Canon Law Pope Gregory returned to Rome Was succeeded by Urban the Sixth For whose Rigor and Pride Clement the Sixth was set up against him Urban for preferring the Base and fomenting of Wars called Turbanus a perverse and most cruel Pope Clement not far short of Him in wickedness Urban succeeded Boniface the Ninth and Clement by Benedict the Third Both worse than the former Boniface more Politician than Grammarian Impos'd the Tax of Annates on the clergy Suffered Bishopricks to be sold by Auction Sold the same Livings twice to several Chapmen Yet made the Purchaser swear he came fairly by it Made poor Petitiâ—â—â—rs pay a Floren apiece Enquired after Gâ—…s in the time of Divine Service Had no comfort when dying but in Money Defended by the Lawyers d Jo. Andr. Ancharan Cardin. Dd ad c. 1. de Simon Felin in c. ex parte n. 1. de off deleg e Theod. Niem lib. 2. de Schism cap. 32. But opposed by the Divines f Thom. 2. 2. qu. 100. art 2. ibi Cajetan omnes Navarr in manual c. 23. n. 108. Paul Anglic. in Speculo Aureo g Panor in repetit c. extirpandae sect Cj ia vero n. 53. de Praeben in c. 1. de Simon Barâ—… t. ad c. cum pridem de pact Barthol Ugolin de Simon Tab. 1. cap. 3. sect 5. Benedict the like spiritual Robber h Bald. ad c. quia propter de elect i Bald. ad c. olim de rescript Boniface compared to an Ox Benedict to a wild Beast The Cardinal's Oath upon Boniface's death to resign if chosen Boniface sueceeded by Innocent the Seventh who broke his Oath A great Canonist debaucht and covetous On his death the Oath repeated with Imprecations Gregory the Twelfth succeeded Who treated with Benedict for the Church's peace k Anton. de Butr. ad cap. quod ad consultationem n. 3. de Sent. re jud And for a Resignation by them both at Savona Sends to Charles the Sixth of France about the same Affair Gregory harshly treated his Ambassadors at their return Drew back and shuffled Then plainly refused to stand to the Agreement Hearing Benedict was come to Savona he comes to Siena To whom Chichele was one of the Ambassadors from England and there made Bishop of St. David's Pope Gregory goes to Lucca Refuses to go to Savona Trinkles with Benedict is for his Hypocrisy called Errorius The Cardinals displeas'd for his promoting Condelmarius His own Party fly to Pisa They appeal from him to Christ a general Council and the next Pope This justified by Panormitan l Abb. ad c. Inquisitioni n 5. de Sent. Excom m Ancharan Cons 181. Card. Zabar Cons 150. Anton. de Butr. ad c. 1. n. 10. de Constit Both Popes accused of Perjury by the best Canonists The Cardinal 's leaving the Pope grateful to the Christian Princes The Kings of England and France withdrew their Obedience from both the Popes n Dec. in Consil pro Authoritate Concilii supra Papam ☞ At the Request of the Cardinal's Letters English Money with-held o Bald. add c. olim de rescript The French King withdraws Obedience to