sinfull counsell tranformed himselfe into an Angel of light sometimes with a preteÌ„ce of exceeding piety otherwhyles with whole boastes of Bishoppes preystes and Religious yet whosoeuer considereth that Alexander was elected by fowerteene Cardinalles and Octauian by three only Three principall approbations of the Romane papacy that Alexander was chosen by all the Bishops Cardinalles Tusculan only excepted That Alexander was consecrated by the Bishop of Ostia and not Octiuian and Alexander established vpon these three principall foundations of the Romane papacy and not Octauian must needes beesides diuers other reasons bee inuincibly perswaded by these that AlexaÌ„der was truly preferred by God and his Church aÌ„d OctauiaÌ„ only bolstered out by the Emperour and the world For no Pope can hee chosen without the Bishop of Ostia I should haue wondred that soe many Bishoppes and Prelates gathered together in this vnlawfull conuenticle could soe bee ouerwhelmed in this Aegiptian darknes as they could not see this apparant light had I not knowne the like afterwardes in our owne countrey But thus it is when Bishopes feeding themselues and not theyr flockes run away at the sight of the Wolfe and beetray Godes cause with theyr slauish feare or flattery The reasons alleaged for this theyr wicked sentence against they re supreme spirtuall head were supported with the horrible periury of many eminent Clearkes a thing most detestable in soe holy a function and a great argument against him was that hee refused to bee iudged by these his subiectes a matter contrary to Religion and all rules of gouerment Heereupon these rebells against the Church excoÌ„municated the Pope out of the Church and imitated in all pointes the actioÌ„s of a true counsell but still grating vpoÌ„ the old quarrell of the league with Cecill against the Empire so was the world euer predominaÌ„t Some also pretended the cause of theyr connyueÌ„ce or coÌ„sent to this coÌ„uenticle was for an vnioÌ„ beetweene the Church and the Empyre which proued on the contrary side the originall of a tedious dissention beetweene them and some wiser then the rest subscribed to the Conuenticle to satisfy the present necessityes of the Empyre with reseruation of theyr sentence to the Churches more serious and further determination The Emperour heereupon not only adored the beaste attributing to his Idoll all honor beelonging to the papacy as kissing his feete The Emperour adoreth Octauian The Emperour persecuteth all Prelates who resiste this scysme Scysmaticks vsurpe Ecclesiastical dignitys Alexander threateneth the Emperour with excommunication The Archbishop of Mountes who first subscribed against Alexander miserablie murdered by his Cittizens CoÌ„rade succeeding the scysmatick in the Archbishoprick of Mounts left all to followe Alexander The Cistercians persecuted for Alexander houlding his styrrop and leading his horse but also proclaymed throughout the Empyre that all the Prelates should accept and reuerence him as Pope threatening banishment for euer to such as refused it And presently ensued the tyme to try the gold in the fire of persecution Now was the corne and chaffe parted For they who preferred theyr soules before theyr worldly substance left theyr countreyes their Churches and all their Ecclesiasticall dignityes which Octauians scysmaticall followers by intrusion inuaded Soe miserable was the face of this deformed Church Neyther was Alexander heerewith discomforted but the more the persecution preuayled the more couragiously hee opposed himselfe against the Emperour for hee prepared to denounce iudgmeÌ„t against him froÌ„ his Apostolicke throne hee summoned him to appeare and refusing to obey threatened him with the swoard of Excommunication Arnold Archbishop of Mountes beeing the first who absolutely subscribed against Pope Alexander for the Patriache reserued his opinion to the Churches iudgment was the first who susteyned due punishment therefore beeing on the Natiuity of saint Iohn the Baptist next following most cruelly murdered by his owne CittizeÌ„s throwne naked out as a prey for Wolues and dogges and his body after diuers abuses offered it in the end stinking aÌ„d scarce to bee knowne by stealth and with great difficulty buryed His next lawfull successor was Conrade the Emperours kinsman who leauing the Emperours scysmaticall faction followed Pope Alexander and for his iust cause endured persecution as alsoe whole Conuentes of the Cistercians who were banished for defence of Alexander But among others was Peeter Archbishop of Tarantasia most to bee admyred who not withstanding hee laboured aboue all others in mayntaining Alexander against Octauian was honored by the Emperour for his singular vertues Thus hee and some others in this ruine of Bishoppes were tryed faythfull in the Churches cause The Archbishop of TaraÌ„tasia most coÌ„stant to AlexaÌ„der yet honored by Frederick for his sanctity OctauiaÌ„ on the other side as it is sayd soe basely beehauing himselfe as hee submitted the Papal insignes to the Emperours will and receaued backe from Fredericke his inuesture by the ryng OctauiaÌ„ receaueth his inuestur froÌ„ Fredericke The king of EnglaÌ„d coÌ„stant to AlexaÌ„der coÌ„teÌ„neth Octauianes Nuntios The Archbishop of SenoÌ„ faythfull to Alexander and a great freind of saint Thomas The Cardinall of Pauy fainting in Alexanders cause proued soe to S. Thomas An. 1162. S. Edward King of EnglaÌ„d aÌ„d CoÌ„fessor canonized WhereupoÌ„ miracles were wrought Miracles wrought by the Archbishop of TaraÌ„tasia prouing the lawfull election of Alexander The Archbishop of Tarantasia confirmeth the Catholikes in obedience to the Pope in Italy Burgundy Loraygne S Anthelâ—â— Bishop of BilliceÌ„s setâ—eth the Carthusians aÌ„d Cistercians in subiectioÌ„ to Alexander winning thereby the western Church Frederick rageth Spayne Gaule and Brytaygne acknowledg Alexander Alexander not able to continue in Rome beeing oppressed by Octauian Alexander enforced to flye into France This appeareth in Alexanders Epistle to the Bishop of Lexouy wherin hee seemeth very much to relye vpon the king of Englandes constancy extolling him with extraordinary prayses For king Henry soe much contemned Octauian as hee made a scorne of his Nuntios and letters Lastly there were two thinges contrary to themselues yet concurring in this yeere which hauing relation to the history of S. Thomas are not to bee passed ouer in silence The one that the Archbishop of Senon beeing now most faythfull to Pope Alexander proued afterwardes as faythfull to saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury the other that William of Pauy Priest Cardinall of sainct Peeter ad vinculum faynting with silence at the Conuenticle of Pauy in the cause of Alexander was afterwardes as faulty in the cause of sainct Thomas King Henry the second of England acknowledging Alexander the lawfull Pope sent this yeere Embassadours to him for canonizing sainct Edward King of England and Confessor beeing 95. yeers after his death whereupon miracles beeing wrought God did with the power of these two Kinges the one in Heauen the other in earth confirme Alexanders vndoubted tytle and our remote Iland one of the vttermost boundes of the world confessed whom some of his Countreymen yea Cittizens wickedly contradicted Now also
Archbishoppe was that sainct Thomas would not suffer him to punish a notarious offending Clearke which as shall bee manifested was not the only but one among other most iust occasions that moued saint Thomas to reproue the king whereupon grew this bitter dissention Yet Newborough would haue thus excused the king But let vs now follow the Archbishop returning home to his owne Church from the counsell of Towers that wee may search out the originall of this great controuersy which for seauen yeeres troubling the Romane Church found none effect for vniting this rented discord beetweene the king and him The Translation of S. Edward King of Englād and Cōfessour After the Archbishops returne vntill the translation of sainct Edward the king which was solemnized on the third of the Ides of October there remayned quiet peace and contentment beetweene the king and him but what afterwardes ensued these Authors beeing eye-witnesses of the proceedinges doe testify CONSIDERATIONS VPON the Preface LEt vs now heere behould the Christian world as at this tyme it presented it selfe Where first wee see the Pope Cardinals banished out of Rome Italy and all the mighty Emperour of Rome posessing all theyr dominiōs Ecclesiasticall temporall and mayntaineing Octauian that vsurping Scysmatick in the Papal throne The Emperour of Constantinople not intermedling with the Westerne Church and also lately ouerthrowne by the Ceciliās The king of Ierusalem though acknowledging Alexander his lawfull Pastor yet raigning a far of hardly able to defend the frontyers of Christendome against the Saracens The good king of Denmarke though lately showing himselfe an approued Catholike yet Frederickes Homager and diuorced by all Germany from assisting Pope Alexander Bohemia drowned in Germany and Hungary à remote kingdome and though subiect to the Romane Sea yet not able to succour her The king of Cecill though Alexanders faythfull freind yet soe incumbred with domesticall rebellions as hee could not rayse an army to restore him The kingdomes of Spaine though they wished him well yet soe ouercome with the Mahomet a Moores as they re states were miserable So hee was only left by God to the pious worthie king of France the powerfull king of England and in myne opinion the greatest king of the Norman race that euer swayd ouer this land for as Gilbert B. of London writing in the names of all the English Bishops to saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury sayth his dominions reached from the Perinean Mountaines to the Northerne seas and if Edward the III. Henry the V. and Edward the IV. hauing England Ireland Callis rather a tumultuous tytle then any peaceable countreyes or profitable reuenues in France were able to tryumph ouer France then how much was Henry the II. who beesides England Ireland had the Dutchyes of Normandy Aquitaine with the Earledome of Anioue his natiue soyle other honores in quiet possession to omitt Britaine that had a great dependance on him able to ouermatch the puissance of France To passe from this to his great reuerence affection to Pope Alexander I know no king that euer showed more and last to ascend to his actions the effectes of these Henry the II. drewe England France Spaine Ireland Norwaye to obey Pope Alexander and when the Emperour would haue surprysed at Mount Saon the king of France and thereby entralled the Pope Cardinalles spoyled them of all this renowned K. with his couragious army rescued them Now what a terrible attempt was it of the enemy of Mankind to withdrawe if hee could from the Pope such a king from the Church such a child But though the billowes of these seas were wonderfull yet God was more maruaylous in guiding sainct Peeters ship through them Considering all these euery indifferent man may in reading this Epistolary history iudge how great reason the Pope had as far as in conscience hee possibly could to forbeare this king soe well deseruing of the Apostolike Sea And also when inforced through iustice thereunto hee would haue executed against him the censures of the Church what a true heroicall vertuous acte it was to prefer the loue duty hee bore to Almighty God before the fauor of soe great such a deseruing freind And what aboue all others is most to bee marked in the proces of this matter although all the Bishops of this realme fearefully fowly wandred astray yea although saint Thomas of Canterbury himselfe like an other saint Peeter falling recouered againe rose to a glorious Martyrdome yet Pope Alexander whom it cheifely concerned neuer erred eyther infayth or infacte God so directed with his holy Ghost the gouernor of his Church Lastly to conclude with this famous kinge whose faire arysing sunne was soe ouerclowded with his turbulent passions as they molested the whole Church and gaue occasion though vnwitting to him of the Martyrdome of the glorious Saint hee returned neuertheles in the end soe clearly againe to himselfe as hee gaue that great satisfaction indured yea imposed vpon himselfe soe sharpe a pennance as was able to make his very enemys relent and a stony hearte with teares to pitty him Neither doe I thinke but the prayers merites of S. Thomas that conuerting his bloudy executioners to cōtrite penitētes through Christes passion saued their soules did in like sorte yea more effectually helpe to raise to the same eternall blessednes this king after hee departed this world in the Octaues of S. Peeter S. Paul An. 1189. beeing first penitēt cōfessing his sinnes receauing the most B. Sacrament This being deliuered by Card. Bar. out of Roger I haue precisely set downe because it is Cronicled that the king dyed out of charity beeing I thinke as false as that Pope Adrian according to the Scysmatickes fable was choaked with a flye or K. Iohn poysoned by a Monke THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF SAINCT THOMAS ARCHBISSOPPE OF CANTERBVRY THE olde enemie maketh continuall warre against the Church but the sonne of God who hath redeemed it with his owne blood will also by the blood of his owne membres bring the same to true and perfect liberty among which the glorious company of the Apostles and purple coulored army of holy martyrs hath the preheminence by whose doctrine the liuely stones in the building of the body of Christ are confirmed by whose blood as it were with morter and symonde they are ioyned together and vnited that the Church of God goeing forward and multiplying in piety the number of the faithfull might bee made fit for the building of an holy Temple in our Lord. And allbeit all Martirs in generall haue a supereminent prerogatiue of eternall glory The glory of martyrdome yet their title is more glorious and their Crowne more bright that haue deserued double honor by instructing of others making themselues an example to their flocke and laying downe their liues for their sheepe in the time of tryall for like as one starre exceedeth an other in
of peace establshed at Easter but vpon new occasions broke out a rupture of warre againe whereupon it was necessary the couenantes after our Lordes Ascention should once more bee reuiued sauing the king of France would not bee obliged to beestowe his daughter on Richard the king of Englands sonne Thus is it there related at large And yet although Pope Alexander as hath bin sayde admonished by letters his Legates who were sent into France that setting other busines a parte they should only bend their forces to reunite the kinges soe rent in warres neuertheles one of the Legates William of Papia not performing as it was beeseeming the office of a Mediator far from indifferency which declineth in affection to neither parte beecame presently an absolute partaker with his frind Henry king of England Vvilliam the Legate taketh partâ— with the king of England Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 32. The discourse of the incounter of the two kinges whereupon the king of France was somewhat moued against him There remayneth a perfect declaration of all this in wryting contayning other thinges worth the knowledge and is set downe in the letter of Iohn of Salisbury sent to Master Lumbard in these wordes When the kinges were come to the place appointed for conference Ewdo earle of Britane and Rowland of Dynamen broke into many and greeuous coÌ„playntes to the king of FraÌ„ce against the king of England but Edwo especially beewayled that his daughter who beeing yet a virgen was deliuered into his handes for a pledge of peace was afterwardes gotten with child by him beeing therin a Traytor adulterer and intestious For the king and Ewdoes wife were borne of two sisters But the Earle of Angolysme and Marche with the Vice-count of Doway Robert de Sylly Geffrey de Licimacke Henry de Rancore and the Abbot of Caroffy pleaded for restitution of losses they incurred by the king of England and his subiectes after the truce was taken For the Abbot affirmed his Monastery appertayned to the Dominion of the king of France since the tyme of Charles the greate who was their founder And a little after The king of France hauing there vnderstood that the Cardinall sate in the king of Englandes counsell incensed sayde hee had not deserued of the Church of Rome that the Cardinall as hitherto hee had euer donne should fauor his enemyes and that at this instant hee woulde not receaue any thing for the loue hee bore to the Earle or Cardinall but only for his owne right c. And after many matters hee addeth that the parlee of the kings beeing ended the king of England with greate ostentation vaunting shewed the Popes letters wherby hee had enioyned Saint Thomas not to publish any excommunication or interdiction against the king or any of his English soe long as the Legates remayned there suspending him thus from his authority and boasted that hee had with tryumph in a sorte obtayned of the Church of Rome whatsomeuer hee desired of the Pope The procurer of these letters was one of the Legates William of Papia Iohn of Salisbury openeth and deliuereth the whole matter in his epistle to the Archdeacon of Excester where wee thus reade It is apparant the letters whereby the king gloryeth that hee hath restrayned my Lord of Canterburys power vntill hee reconcyleth himselfe vnto his royall fauor were purchased by this deuice The often mentioned Papia knewe how my Lord of Canterbury had obtayned authority from the Apostolike Sea to publish against the king the sentence of excommunication and against his kingdome the like of Interdiction vnles the kinge within a tyme limited by the letters made full restitution to the Church of all thinges taken away with ample satisfaction wherfore hee wrote to my lord the Pope beeseeching him with a lamentable petition to proceede with the king in a milder fashion otherwise the king to the shame and eternall disgrace of the Church of Rome according as hee hath resolued if hee were more rigorously handled would caste as well himselfe as his Associate Oddo into chaynes and prisons where they should passe a life abridged with miseryes yea a tyme more terrible then death it selfe perswading thefore his Holines that the king intended thus to tyrannize hee obtayned for contenting him and continuing the free liberty of himselfe and his associate whereby they might the easyer trauell in these affaires this Apostolicall letter which hath so much afflicted the myndes of you and all other true Catholikes Soe wryteth Salisbury of this letter so fraudulenty procured from his Holines by William of Papia one of the Legates By reason heereof the king of France grewe wonderfully discontented with Pope Alexander which the elected Bishoppe of Charters perceauing certifyed his Holines thereof wryting thus of the king of France Among all the kingdomes of this world in my opinion there is not one which hath continually shewed a faith more sinceare a charity more feruent a deuotion more plentifull to the Sea Apostolike then that of France There is not one among the kinges and princes who obeyeth your Mandates with more humility honoreth the Church and Ecclesiasticall persons with more deuotion and defendeth them with greater endeauors then our most Christian king There is not a Church which hath bin more seruiceable to the Church of Rome in all her distresses then that of France This Church of France and the king himselfe beecame sutors to your Holines on the beehalfe of my Lord of Canterbury who hath for the Churches liberty and defending the dignity of your Maiestie continued a banished man in exile now fower whole yeeres There pleadeth against him before your Holines a Tyrant a persecutor of the Church and to the kingdome of France open enemy whose iniquity is notorious to all men And yet notwithstanding which I am ashamed to speake and greiue to see malice hath hetherto preuayled in vanity For why when as hee lately came to a parlee with the most Christian king where by the mediation of the Earle of Flanders who inuited my Lord of Canterbury thither The king of England vaunteth of the suspeÌ„sion of S Thomas from proceeding against him there was earnest endeauoring to renew a peace to the Church hee caused to bee read in the hearing of his Bishoppes and Peeres the Apostolicall letters wherin was decreede that the aforesayde Canterbury should not publish any sentence against him or his land nor yet any way molest any person vnder his Dominion untill hee were reconcyled to the king Vpon the hearing whereof the most Christian king was confounded and the whole realme together with all the children of the Church conceaued exceeding greife to see a iust man a reuerent Bishoppe suspended without cause and that there proceeded from the Apostolike Sea a wryting that would proue soe pernicious a President Cod Vat. lib 2. epist â—0 Thus wrote William the Elect of Charters whose singular commendation Iohn of Salisbury in his letter to Iohn Bishope of