Oath first and then administred it to others saying that he was glad in his heart that this Oath was imposed upon all the Clergie of England for now the true Children of the Church would bee knowne from the spurious and bastards And further hee hath deâ—yed to conferre Orders upon such who refused to take the said Oath as namely upon one Mr. Gibbonâ— And hath enforced the sayd Oath upon divers he hath ordained Ministers since the making thereof That the sayd Bishop hath beene a great fomentor and incourager of the late divisions and wars betweene the Kingdomes of England and Scotland conventing and urging the Clergie of his Diocesse in the yeares of our Lord 1638. 1639. to contribute a liberall benevolence towards the maintenance of the sayd wars using this speech as one motive to induce them to this contribution that it was Bellum Episcopale and saying that what ever cause the King had expressed in hiâ— Declaration yet in truth this war was for Vs meaning Vs the Bishops And whereas some of the Clergie denyed the payment of so large a Benevolenceâ—s â—s the sayd Bishop demanded in regard of their poverty and because they were still in their first fruites when they were free from Subsidies the sayd Bishop threatned by his power to put more Armes and horses upon them saying that if they would not serve the King with their purses they should serve him with their Armes And thereupon compelled them to pay the summes he demaunded of them against all Law as namely Mr. Roswell Mr. Ioanes Mr. Abbot and others And not contented herewith the sayd Bishop pretending that there were divers poore Vicars and Ministers in his Diocesse that were noâ— able to pay the Benevolence â—o as hee could not raise the summe he expected thereupon directed his Letters to divers of his wealthier Cleâ—gie causing some of them to pay a second contribution 13. That the sayd Bishop not content with this first Benevolence hath since that in the yeare of our Lord 1642. compelled divers of his Clergie to pay all or part of the sixe illegall subsidies or Benevolences imposed by the late pretended Synod without confirmation of Parliament threatning to excommunicaâ—e and deprive them ipsoâ— facto who fayled paymenâ— of it at the dayes prefixed by the Synod and sent out a processe to Master Newton Minister of Tauâ—ton even whiles the sayd Townâ— was much visited by the Pestilence long before the sayd Subsidy or Benevolence was due to enjoyne him to pay it punctually at the day or else he would inflict on him the penalties prescribed by this Synod and used these speeches that if they did not pay the sayd Subsidie or Benevolence they should be ground to powder And the sayd Commons by proâ—estaâ—ion sâ—â—ing to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the sayd Bishop And also of replying to the answeres that he the sayd Bishop shall make unto the sayd Articles or to any of them and of offering proofes also of the premisses or any of them or any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them as the cause shall according to the course of Parliaments require doe pray that the sayd Bishop may be put to answere to all and every tâ—e premisses And that such proceedings examinations tryalls and judgements may be upon every of them had and used as is agreeable to Law and Justice By these Articles of impeachment you may easily discover what a prophane impious turbulent Prelate this Bishop is even such a one whom no age I thinke in many particulars is able to parallell whose prodigiously prophane speeches and actions proclaime to all the world that our present Prelates impieties have made them fit for judgement yea to be castout and trampled under feere of men as the very excrements and off-scouring of all things I have now runne through all our ancient Bishoprickes with that of Chester lately revived and given you a briefe account of the extravagant actions of some of those Lordly Prelates who possessed them I shall now in the close of this Chapter give you but a touch of some of the late Bishops of Oxford Bristoll Peterborough and Glocester which Bishopricks were erected out of dissolved Monasteries by King Henry the eight towards the end of his Reigne and so conclude Oxford TO passe by the first Bishops of this See none of the best there have beene three successions of Bishops in Oxford since I left the University Houson Corbet and Bancroft all of them Patriots of Innovations Erronious Popish Arminian Doctrines superstitious Ceremonies prophane Sports Revels and Bacchanals on the Lords day scandalous in their lives notoriously given to the flesh enemies to frequent preaching and the true Practise of Piety Of the two first of them I have given a touch in Durham and Norwich page 519. to which I shall referre you and for the last of them a Non-preaching Prelate who for ought I can learne never preached above one or two Sermons if so many all his life time he had a finger in the late Canons Oath lone in pressing whereof he was not negligent and had not death arrested him with the other two I doubt not but the Parliament had bin troubled with many complaints against them all which now being buryed together with them I will not revive Bristoll THE Bishopricke of Bristoll was first possessed by Paul Bush who was deprived in Queen Maries dayes for being married Iohn Holy-man a Papist succeeded him after whose death the See continued voyd some foure yeares Anno 1562. Richard Cheyny Bishop of Glocester and Iohn Bullingham his successor held Bristoll in Commendam so as it stood void oâ— a Bishop otherwise than as it was held by Commendamâ— one and thirty yeares Richard Fletcher next enjoyed it till he was translated to Worcester Anno. 1593. After which it stood vacant ten yeares to 1603. and then Iohn Thorneborough Bishop of Limbrick in Ireland and Commendatory Deane of York was translated to it This Bishop and some of his successors had great contests with the Major Aldermen and Citizens of Bâ—istoll whom he would force to come every Lords day morning and solemne Holiday to the Cathedrall Sermon to dance attendance and doe their homage to their Lordships which they for some yeares refused till at last after sundry complaints to the King and Councel the Bishops and they according the Major and Citizens yeelded to come to the Colledge now and then on solemne days if the weather were faire and sometimes in the Sommer season Robert Wright one of the late Bishops of this See had a great contestation with the Deane and Chapter of Bristoll and Master George Salterne Steward of the City for opposing him in setting up Images in the Cathedrall and other Churches which gave great offence to the people he was a great Innovator and maintainer of Superstitious Ceremonies at Bristoll to humor
others of them were so palliated and countenanced by their owne over-swaying greatnesse that none durst question nor record them thougâ— notoriousâ— and some of them were questionlesse concealed by our Histoâ—ians who being for the most part Monkes Priests or the Prelates owne creatures flatterers and dependants out of favour or affection did labour all they could to palliate not to record or lay open their ghostly Fathers nakednesse in this kindeâ— Neither have I collected every particular of this nature which our Historians relate buâ— onely selected such presidents as I cursorily observed in ow Annals and hastily collected for the most part long since to which I presume â—he diligent Reader may accumulate many more yet these I conceive are so many for number so prodigious for circumstance that they exceede both in multâ—tude and heinousnesse all disloyall practises of like sort acted against our English Monarches by all other their subjects of what quality soever the Nobles and others attainted formerly of Treason Rebellion and suffering for the same being for the most part but the Prelates instruments the chiefe Architects Arch-plotters and inciters of all the Conspiracies Treasons Rebellions warres and dissentions that ever hapned in our Kingdome and yet these Arch-traytors and Incendiaries commonly escaped the hand of Iustice by reason of their unholy holy Order and appeales to Rome when as their under-hand Instruments though lesse culpable received due execution If then we consider the paucity of our Arch-Prelates and Lord Bishops of England of which there is but one in each See at a time when full and sometimes none for divers yeares in times of vacancy in comparison of the numerosity of the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty of England on the one side and then on the other hand compare the multitude of the Prelates notorious Treasons Rebellions Seditions and Contumacies against their Kings with thosâ— of the Nobility Gentry Commons which they farre exceede in number and notorius circumstances Or if we observe with what an high hand these Prelates have acted justified defended these their villanies not onely by protecting but canonizing the Authors of them for holy Saints and Martyrs as Dunstane Becket Anselme Hugh and others onely because they were Prelates when as in truth they ought so much the rather to have branded them for notorious Traytors and Rebels execrable both to God and man we must necessarily conclude their NO BISHOP NO KING to â—e a notorious Bull and NO KING VNLESSE NO BISHOP to be a more probable and most true Position and that ouâ— English Lord Bps especially those of Canterbury Primates of all England â—nely in evill for the most part have beene the most notorious Traytors Rebels Conspirators Incendiaries Vipers Pests Grievances to the Kings and State of England of all otâ—ers and so by consequence rather of Antichristian and Diabolicall thâ—n Divine or Apostolicall instiâ—ution fit to be utterly extirpated both by King and Kingdome neither of which shall long flourish in happinesse piety or tranquillity whiles Lordly Prelates beare the sway and manage the chiefe Tempâ—rall Offices or Affaires contrary to Christs owne expresse Inhibitions Mat. 20.25 26 27 Luk 22.25.26 Act. 6.4 2 Tim. 2.4 1 Pet. 5.1 â—33 Rom. 12.7 8. 1 Johâ— 3.9 10 If any surmise I write thus sharpely onely out of malice against our Prelates I shall desire but this favour from them to suspend their censures till they have impartially surveyed the ensuing Particulars which I have sincerely related as I finde them recorded without flattery on the one hand or malignity on the other and then I doubt not but they will change their mindes and readily subscribe to my Conclusions ratified by so many ancient Presidents of old and so many visible experiments fresh before our eyes Now because the Arch-Prelates of Canterbury erected by Gregory the first his Bull then Pope of Rome which have engaged them ever since to be Popes sworne Vassals for the most part and to imitate Popes in their most execrable Treasons and Conspiracies have beene the Archest Tâ—aytors Rebels and Opposites to the Kings â—f England in all Ages I shall for Order and Honour sake begin first with their Contumacies Treacheries and Rebellious practises and that in a Chronologicall manner according to their severall Antiquities and from them I shall descend to the Arch-bishops of Yorke the greatest Arch-traytors and Rebels next to those of Canterbury and then passe to otâ—er of our Prelates in their order with as much brevity and perspicuity as the subject matter will permit me concluding with such materiall observations against our Lordly Hierarchy as shall be infallibly warranted by the ensuing Histories and with such domesticke Authorities against Episcopacy the Lordlinesse Secularity wealth and temporall imployments of our Prelates and their mischievousnesse both in Church and state as I trust will abundantly satisfie the most Episcopall men whose arguments both for the pretended Divinity and perpetuity of Episcopacy in our Church I hope I shall satisfactorily answere But not to detaine you longer with a Prologue I shall addresse my selfe to the subject matter surveying the Bishops of Canterburies actions in the first place THE ANTIPATHIE OF THE ENGLISH LORDLY PRELACIE BOTH TO REGALL MONARCHY AND CIVILL UNITY CHAP. I. Containing the severall Treasons Conspiracies Rebellions Seditions Contumacies Disloyalties of the Arch-bishops of Canterâ—ury against their Soveraignes Kings of England the severall Warres Tumults Dissentions occasioned and raysed by them in or against our Realme with their manifold practises and attempts to undermine our Lawes IN relating these Disloyalties of our holy Arâ—h-Prelates of Canterbury I cannot sing as the Poet once did Ab Iove principium Musae Iovis omnia plena sith there is little of God in any of their actions I am now to relate unlesse I take Iove here not for the true living God but for a meere impious treacherous murthering usurping Devill incarnate who thrust his Father Saturne out of his Royall Throne and injuriously possessed hâ—mselfe of his Kingdome against all right and equity And in this sense I may truely chaunt Ab Iove principium c. since I must not onely begin but proceede and end with Devils incarnate masked under a Pâ—â—laâ—es white Rocher rather than with holy Fathers of the Church One of the first men of this stampe that encounters me in the Sea of Canterbury is Odo surnamed the Severe possessing this Ponâ—â—â—call Chaire about the yeare of our Lord 940. This pragmaticall turbulent Arch-Prelate as hee was thrice in Armes in the Field after he was made a Bishop where he â—ought like a valiant Champion so hee caused King Edwin wiâ—h whom hee had very evill agreement to bee divorced from his Queene some say for consanguinity others for other reasons Whereupon the King betaking himselfe â—o his Concubines Odo thereâ—pon suspended the King from the Church excommunicated his Concubines causing one of them whom the King unreasonably doâ—ed upon to bee fetcht out of the Court
amazed but with great eloquence he could goe about to perswade them not to imbrue their hands in the blood of their Arch-Bishop their chiefe Pastor assuring them that all the Realme would be interdicted â—or it and the fact must needes be punished first or last by the temporall Law And lastly though these failed God the just Judge would revenge it either in this or in the world to come if not both But these Varlots were so eagerly bent that the very songs of the Syrens would nothing have moved them seeing therefore nothing but death before his face with comfortable words forgiving the executioner that scarce ever requested him so to doe with a very cheerefull countenance he kneeled and yeelded himselfe to their fury once he was stricken in the necke so weakely as that notwithstanding he kneeled still upright and putting his hand up to the wound he used these words A ha it is the Hand of God Hee had not remooved his hand from the place when a second stroake cut off his fingers ends and felled him to the ground with much adoe having hacked and hewed his necke with eight blowes they got off his head upon Fryday Iune 14. 1381. All which day and a part of the next his body lay there headlesse no man daring to offer it buriall as for his head they nayled his hood upon it and so fixing it upon a pole set it on London Bridge By all which it appeares that he was very odious to the people and no other but a Traytor in their estimation William Courtney next Arch-Bishop to him in succession as he opposed the grant of a subsidy to the King whiles he was Bishop of Hereford as you heard before in the Acts of Whitlesey so in the yeare 1376. when hee was Bishop of London when King Edward the third desired a pecuniary ayd to helpe to supply his wants and defray his Warres this proud Prelate withstood these payments complaining that many injuries were done to him and to William Wickam Bishop of Winchester which put into writing he tendred to the Synod and requested that nothing might be granted to the King before he had made satisfaction to them for these injuries which the Synod assented toâ— and thereupon Wickam formerly banished by the King was restored to his Bishopricke and admitted into his Synod Hee received his Archâ—Bishopricke by provision from the Pope against the Law and made great scruple whether he might have his Crosier borne before him or whether he might marry the Queene of Boâ—omia his Sister to King Richard the second before he had received his Pall from â—he Pope which yeâ— he did at last interposing this wary Protestation that hee did it not in contempt oâ— the Court of Rome He excommunicated the Bailiffes oâ— Canterbury for pâ—nishing adultery and other crimes which were to be punished by the Prelates who neglected for to doe it After which he excommunicated one Richard Ismonger of Ailsford in Kent because he corrected criminals by Lay Authority which were to be punished by the Prelates and so violated the priviledges of the Church he humbly desired to be absolved promising by oath never hereafter to violate the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and that he would undergoe any punishment for his former contumacy and rashnesse that the Archâ—Bishop should impose upon him who enjoyned him this punâ—shment First that in the Market place of Westâ—alling in the greatest assembly of the people he should for three Market dayes together be stript naked and bastinadoed with clubs and after that he should undergoe the same punishment as often both at Maidstone and Canterbury and that aâ—ter his last castigation at Canterbury he should enter into the Cathedrall Church there naked and offer a Taper of five pound weight at Thomas Beckets shrine which punishment if he refused to performe he should relapse into his former state of excommunication a strange punishment for the Kings Officer to undergoe onely for executing justice upon delinquents in the Prelates defaults This Arch-Prelate so farre incensed King Richard the second that he commanded his goods and temporalties to be feased and the Bishop himselfe was glad to hide his head in secret corners with a few attendants till he had made his peace with the King In this Arch-bishops time there were great contests betweene him and his Suffraganes who opposed him in his Metropolâ—ticall visitation and in levying the taxe of foure pence the pound on the Clergy within his Province which he to their great opprâ—ssion had procured from the pope He had a great contestation with the Earle of Arundell whose servants he excommunicated for fishing in one of his Ponds in the Mannor of Southmalling in Chichester Diocesse whereupon the Earle complained to the King who hearing the cause commanded the excommunication directed to the Bishop of Chichester to be revoked In this Arch-Bishops time the Statute of Provisions and Premunire was enacted which the Pope and Prelates laboured forthwith to cause the King to repeale to which the Nobles and Commons would by no meanes consent Ann. Dom. 1387. when divers causes of high Treason were debated in Parliament the Arch-Bishop with his Suffraganes who by Law could not be present in the House in debating causes of blood departing the House made this Protestation In the Name of God Amen Whereas of right and by the custome of the Realme of England it appertaines to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury for the time being as also to his Suffragans his Brethren and fellow Bishops Abbots Priors and all other Prelates whatsoever holding of our Lord the King by Barony to be personally present in all Parliaments of the King as Peeres of the said Realme and there of the businesses of this Kingdome and other things there usually handled with the â—est of the Peeres of 〈◊〉 said Kingdome and others having right to be there present to consulâ— and handle ordaine decree and define and to doe other things which are there ready to be executed in time of Parliament in all and every of which we William Courtney Arch-Bishop of Canterbury c. for us and our Suffragans fellow Bishops and Confreers as likewise for the Abbots Priors and all Prelates aforesaid protest and every one of them here present by himselfe or his proxie publickely and expresly protesteth that we and every of us intend and intendeth will and willeth to be present in this present Parliament and others as Peeres of the said Realme after the usuall manner to consult handle ordaine decree and define and to exercise other things with others who have right to be present in the same our state and order and each of them in all things alwayes saved But because in the present Parliament some matters are handled at which by the deâ—rees of sacred Canons it is not lawfull for us or any to be any wayes personally present for those things we will and every of them protest and every of them here present
done for them before when the Commons in this Parliament required that all such Lands and revenues which sometime belonged to the Crowne and had beene given away by the King or by his predecessors King Edward or King Richard should be restored againe to the Kings use unto which request the Arch-Bishop and other the Prelaâ—es would in no wise consent Thus by this Arch-Bishop Arundel that Petition of the Commons the â—pirituall Temporalities came to naught Afterwards in an other Parliament Anno 1410. the Commons of the â—ower House exhibited a Bill to the King and Lords of the Upper House containing in effect as followeth To the most excellent Lord our King and to all the Nobles in this present Parliament assembled your faithfull Commons doe â—umbly signifie that our Soveraigne Lord the King might have of the Temporall possessâ—ons Lands and Tenements which are lewdly spent consumed and wasted by the Bishops Abbots and Priors within this Realme so much in value as would suffice to finde and sustaine an 150. Earles 1500. Knights 6200. Esquires and 100. Hospitals more than now be which is more largely and particularly related in Fabian The King as some write mis-liked the motion and therefore commanded that from thenceforth they should not presume to study about any such matters Another thing the Commons then sued to have granted to them but could not obtaine That Clerkes convict should noâ— thenceforth bee delivered to Bishops Prisons Moreover they demanded to have the Statâ—te either revoked or qualified which had beene enacted without their consent in the Second yeare of this Kings raigne against such as were reputed to be Heretickes or Lollards But the King seemed so highly to favour the Clergie that the Commons were answered plainely that they should not come by their purpose but rather that the said statute should be made more rigorous and sharpe for the punishment of such persons and all this by meanes of this bloodly Arch-Bishop Arundel of whom we have heard sufficient Henry Chichely being elected Arch Bishop by the Monks of Canterbury with the Kings consent immediaâ—ly after Arundels death hee refused to accept of this their Legall election and against the expresse Statutes of the Realme touching Provisions and Premuniâ—es accepted of the See onely by Collaâ—ion from Pope Iohn the 23. in affront both of the King and those Lawes which the Pope endeavored in vaine to get repealed and therefore opposed in point of practise all that he might reserving by a Decree of the Councell of Constance all vacancie to his own dispoâ—all bestowing all the Bishoprickes of England as soon as they were voyd at his own pleasure by the Arch-Bishops connivence in affront of the Lawes and the Kings royall Edicts This Arch-Prelate published throughout his Province Pope Martins Bulls for the extirpation of the Wicklevists and Hussites by force of armes and promised the same Indulgences to those who should take up the Crossado and warre against them as those enjoyed who went to the holy Land to fight against the Sarecens For which good service the same yeare Anno 1429. he received the Title of the Cardinall Presbyter of S. Eusebiusâ—rom â—rom Pope Martin the 5. who also created him his Legate here in England without the Kings privity and contrary to Law But to colour the businesse lest he should seeme to receive that power Legatine without the Kings permission and Licence against the Lawes and Customes of the Realme one Richard Condray was made the Kings procurer that hee might appeale to the next generall Councell from all injuries grievances and prejudices offered or to be offered by the Pope or Court of Rome to the King and the Kingdome Thereâ—ore as soon as it was known that the Arch-Bishop had received this Legatin power without the Kings privity or licence Condray made this appeale to Humfrey Duke of Gloster Lord Protector and others oâ— the Kings privie Councell in writing In which he expressed that no Legate of the Sea Apostolicke ought to come into the Kingdome of the King of England or other his Lands or Dominions but at the vocation petition requisition or intreaty oâ— the King of England for the time being the Roman Pontifex tolerating and consenting thereto as well tacitely as expresly in which appeale notwithstanding if the sayd Arch Bishop not as a Legate but as a Cardinall would say open or propound any thing from the Pope to the King it might be lawfull for him to doe it In which the King would so farre assiâ—t as he mighâ— doe it by the Lawes and Priviledges of his royall Crowne and of his famous Kingdome of England The appeale being read the Arch-Bishop in the presence of the Prelates and Nobles there present confessed and protested That it was not nor is nor should be his intention by his entring into England nor by any things done or to be done by him spoken or to be spoken for to exercise the Legatine power which hee had undertaken without the Kings permission or to derogate in any thing from the rights priviledges liberties or customes of the King or Kingdome or tâ— contradict â—hem but to preserve defend maintaine and roborate all and every of them By this device he deluded both the King Counsell and Lawes how well hee kept this his protestation his subsequent Acts will evidence For immediately after hee made a Synodicall Constitution That no married man or Lay man should exercise any Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction or be Iudge or Register in any Ecclesiasticall Court in causes of correction of the soule under paine of incurring the greater excommunication ipso facto if they offered to intermeddle in any of the premises contâ—aâ—y to the Councels prohibition which further makes voyd all citations processe and Acts whatsoever had and made by Laymen in the Cases aforesayd and suspends all Ordinaries from the exercise of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction and ingresse into the Church who should grant any married or Lay man power to exercise any Ecclesiasticall Office or authority under them What the true intent of this Arch-Prelates Constitution was and how farre this Decree intrenched upon the Kings Prerogative Royall appeares by the Statute of 37. H. 8. c. 17. made purposely to repeale this Constitution which I shall here insert In most humble wise shew and declare unto your highnesse your most faithfull humble and obedient Subjects the Lords Spirituall and Temporall aud the Commons of this present Parliament assembled that whereas your Majesty is and hath alwayes justly beene by the Word of God supreame head in Earth of the Church of England and hath full power and authority to correct punish and represse all manner of Heresies errours vices abuses Idolatries hypocrisies and Superstitionsâ— springen and growing within the same and to exercise all manner of Iurisdictions commonly called Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction Neverthelesse the Arch-Bishop of Rome and his adherents minding utterly as much as in him lay to abolish obâ—cure
and gracious Lady and Queene much false and erroneous Doctrine hath beene taught preached and written partly by divers naturall borne subjects of this Realme and partly being brought in hither from sundry other forraine Countries hath beene sowne and spread a broad within the same by reason wherof as well the spiritualiâ—y as the temporality of your Highnesse Realmes and Dominions have swerved from the obedience of the See Apostolicke and declined from the unity of Christs Church and so have continued untill such time as your Majesty being first raised up by God and set in the seat royall over us then by his divine gracious providence knit in marriage with the most Noble and Vertuous Prince the King our Soveraigne Lord your husband the Popes holinesse and the See Apostolike sent hither unto your Majesties as unto persons undefiled and by Gods goodnesse preserved from the common infection aforesaid to the whole Realm the most reverend father in God the Lord Cardinall Poole Legate de Latere to call us home againe into the right way from whence we have all this long while wandred and strayed abroad and we aâ—â—er sundry long and grievous plagues and calamities seeing by the goodnesse of Godâ— our owne errours have acknowledged the same unto the said most reverend Father and by him have beene and are the rather at the contemplation of your Majesties received and embraced into the unity and bosome of Christs Church and upon our humble submission and promise made for a declaration of our repentance to repeale and abrogate such Acts and Statures as had beene made in Parliament since the said 20. yeare of the said King Henry the 8. against the supremacie of the See Apoâ—stolike as in our submission exhibited to the said most reverend Father in God by your Majesties appeareth The tenor whereof ensueth Wee the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons assembled in this present Parliament representing the whole body of the Realme of England and the Dominions of the same in the name of our selves particularly and also of the said body universally in this our supplication directed to your Majesties with most humble suit that it may by your graces intercession and meanes be exhibited to the most reverend Father in God the Lord Cardinall Poole Legate sent specially hither from our most holy Father Pope Iulius the third and the See Apostolike of Rome do declare our selves very sory and repentant of the Schisme and disobedience committed in this Realme and dominions aforesaid against the said See Apostolike either by making agreeing or executing any Lawes ordinances or Commandements against the supremacy of the said See or otherwise doing or speaking that might impugne the same offering our selves and promising by this our supplication that for a token and knowledge of our said repentance we are and shall be alwayes ready under and with the Authorities of your Majesties to the uttermost of our powers to doe what shall lye in us for the abrogation and repealing of the said Lawes and Ordinances in this present Parliament as well for our selves as for the whole body whom wee represent whereupon wee most humbly desire your Majesties as personages undefiled in the offence of this body towards the said See which neverthelesse God by his providence hath made subject to you so to set forth this our most humble suit that wee may obtaine from the See Apostolike by the said most reverend Father as well particularly as generally absolution release and discharge from all danger of such censures and senâ—enâ—â—s as by the Lawes of the Church wee are fallen into and that wee may aâ— children repentant be received into the bosome and unity of Christs Church so as this noble Realme with allâ— the members thereof may in this unity and perfect obedience to the See Apostolike and Popes for the time being serve God and your Majesties to the furtherance and advancement of his honouâ— and glory wee are at the intercession of your Majesties by the authority of our holy Father Pope Iulius the third and of the See Apostolicke assoyled discharged and delivered from excommunication interdictions and other censures Ecclesiasticall which have hanged over our heads for our said defaults since the time of the said schisme mentioned in our said supplication The which time the said Lord Legate and wee do all declare recognise and meane by this Act to be onely since the 20. yeare oâ— the raigne of your most Noble Father King Henry the 8. It may now like your Majesties that for the accomplishment of our promise made in thâ— said supplication that is to repeale all Lawes and Statutes made contrary to the said supremacie and See Apostolike during the said schisme which is to be understood since the 20. yeare of the raigne of the said late King Henry the 8. and so the Lord Legate doth accept and recognise the same After which they repeale in this Act also the Statutes against the Popes supremacie and profit And declare that the title or stile of supemacie or supreme head of the Church of England and of Ireland or either of them never was nor could be justly or lawfully attributed or acknowledged to any King or Soveraigne Governour of this Realme nor in any wise could or might rightfully justly or lawfully by any King or Soveraigne Governour of this Realme be claymed challenged or used And withall they commend Queene Mary for omitting this stile though sâ—â—â—led by Act of Parliament And to colour this disloyalty and prejudice to the Crown they adde this srivolous clause to the end of this Act And forasmuch as we your Majesties humble obedient subjects the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled neither by the making or delivering of either the supplications aforâ—said nor by any clause Articles or Sentence thereof or of any other Clause Aâ—ticle or Sentence of this or any other Statuâ—e or the preambles of the same made or agreed upon in this Session of this prâ—sâ—nt Parliament by any manner of interpretation construction implication or otherwise intend to derogate impaire or diminish any of the prerogatives liberâ—ies franchesies preheminences or jurisdictions of your Crowne imperiall of this Realme and other the Dominions to the same belonging Wee do most humbly beseech your Majesties that it may be declared and ordained and be it â—nacâ—ed and declared by authority of this present Parliament that neither the making exhibiting or inferring in this present Statute or in the preambles of the same of the supplicaâ—ions or promise aforesaid or either of them nor any other things words sentences clauses Articles in the preambles or body of the Acts aforesaid shall be construed understood or expounded to derogate diminish or take away any the liberties priviledges prerogatives preheminences authorities or jurisdictions or any part or parcell thereof which were in your Imperiall Crowne of this Realme or did belong to your said Imperiall Crowne the 20.
paper once allowed them to write to their friends for necessaries and by a bloody cruell warre betweene England and Scotland which Bishop Peirce truly termed Bellum Episcopale the Bishops warre he would have thought himselfe a Prophet this saying of his more experimentally verefied by this Arch-prelate than by any of his Predecessors all whose tyranny malice fury violence injustice lawlesnesse oppression inhumanity trechery pride ambition extravagances treasons and prelaticall vices seeme to meere and lodge together in him as in their propâ—r center as I could largely manifest by particulars did not his unjust and rigorous proceedings against my selfe and all who had relation to mee without any just cause or provocation on my part or theirs command mee silence lest I might seeme malicious or revengefull Since therefore these his practises are so notorious unto all I shall forbeare to rip up particulars and close up all concerning him with the whole house of Commons Articles and Charges of high Treason against him as they were transmitted to the Lords by that worthy Gentleman my much honoured friend M. Iohn Pymme which being a publike charge of all the Commons by way of justice in the supremest Court of Judicature published already to the world in Print I hope it will neither be reputed a scandalum magnatum nor matter of revenge in mee if I here insert them since most pertinent to the Subject matter of this Treatise which I had in part digested many yeares by-past before his last information in Starchamber exhibited against mee A true Copy of the Articles of the Commons assembled in Parliament against WILLIAM LAUD Archbishop of Canterbury in maintenance of their accusation whereby hee stands charged with high Treason and of the Speech or Declaration of JOHN PYMME Esquire upon the same upon their transmission to the Lord. My Lords I Am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled for the Commons in Parliament to deliver to your Lordships these Articles in maintenance of their Charge against the Archbishop of Canterbury Their desire is that first your Lordships would be pleased to heare the Articles read and then I shall endeavour to present to you the sense of the Commons concerning the nature of the Charge and the order of their proceedings Articles of the Commons assembled in Parliament in maintenance of their accusation against WILLIAM LAUD Archbishop of Canterbury whereby hee stands charged with high Treason 1. That hee hath traiterously endeavoured to subvert the fundamentall Lawes and Government of this Kingdome of England and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitâ—ary and tyrannicall Government against Law and to that end hath wickedly and traiterously advised his Majesty that hee might at his owne will and pleasure leavie and take money of his Subjects without their consent in Parliament and this hee affirmed was warrantable by the Law of God 2. He hath for the better accomplishment of that his traiterous designe advised and procured Sermons and other discourses to be Preached Printed and published in which the Authority of Parliaments and the force of the Lawes of this Kingdome have bin denyed and absolute and unlimited power over the persons and estates of his Majesties subjects maintained and defended not onely in the King but in himselfe and other Bishops against the Law And he hath beene a great protector favourer and promoter of the publishers of such false and pernicious opinions 3. Hee hath by Letters Messages Threaâ—s and Promises and by divers other wayes to Judges and other Ministers of Justice interrupted and perverted and at other times by meanes aforesaid hath endeavoured to interrupt and pervert the course of Justice in his Majesties Courts at Westminster and other Courts to the subversion of the Lawes of this Kingdome whereby sundry of his Majesties Subjects have beene stopt in their just suits deprived of their lawfull rights and subjected to his tyrannicall will to their ruine and destruction 4. That the said Archbishop hath trayterously and corruptly sold Justice to those who have had causes depending before him by colour of his Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction as Archbishop High Commissioner Referree or otherwise and hath taken unlawfull gifts and bribes of his Majesties Suâ—â—â—â— and hath as much as in him lies endeavoured to corrupt the other Courts of Justice by advising and procuring his Majesty to â—ell places of Judicature and other Offices contrary to the Lawes and Statutes in that behalfe 5. He hath trayterously caused a booke of Canons to be composed and published without any lawfull warrant and authority in that behalfe in which pretended Canons many matters are contained contrary to the Kings Prerogative to the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of this Realme to the right of Parliament to the propriety and liberty of the subject and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence and to the establishment of a vast unlawfull and presumptuous power in himselfe and his successors many of which Canons by the practise of the said Archbishop were surreptiâ—iously passed in the late Convocâ—tion without due consideration and debate others by feare and compulsion were subscribed by the Prelates and Clarkes there assembled which hâ—d never beene voted and passed in the Convocation as they ought to have beene And the said Archbishop hath contriveâ— and endeavoured to assure and confirme the unlawfull and exorbitant power which hee hath usurped and exercised over his Majesties Subjects by a wicked and ungodly oath in one of the said pretended Canons injoyned to be taken by all the Cleargie and many of the Laity of this Kingdome 6. He hath trayterously assumed to himselfe a Papall and tyrannicall power both in Ecclesiasticall and Temporall matters over his Majesties Subjects in this Realme of England and in other places to the disherison of the Crowne dishonour of his Majestie and derogation of his supreme authority in Ecclesiasticall matters And the said Archbishop claimes the Kings Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as incident to his Episcopall and Archiepiscopall office in this Kingdome and doth deny the â—ame to be derived from the Crowne of England which he hath accordingly exercised to the higâ— contempt of his royall Majesty and to the destruction of divers of the Kings liege people in their persons and estates 7. That he hath trayterously indeavoured to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established in this Realm and in stead thereof to set up Popish superstition and Idolatry And to that end hath declared and maintained in Speeches and Printed Booke divers popish doctrines and opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion established by Law Hee hath urged and injoyned divers Popish and superstitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law and hath cruelly persecuted those who have opposed the same by corporall punishments and Imprisonments and most unjustly vexed others who refused to conforme thereunto by Ecclesiasticall censures of Excommunication Suspension Deprivation and Degradation contrary to the Lawes of this Kingdome 8. That for the better advancing of his
trayterous purpose and deâ—igne he did abuse the great power and trust his Majesty reposed in him and did intrude upon the placeâ— of divers great officers and upon the rigâ—t of other his Majesties Subjects whereby hee did procure to himselfe the nomination of sundry persons to Ecclesiasticall Dignities Promotions and Benefices belonging to his Majesty and divers of the Nobility Clergy and others and hath taken upon him the commendadation of Chaplaines to the King by which meanes hee hath preferred to his Majesties service and to other great promotions in the Churchâ— suâ—h as have beene Popishly affected or otherwise unâ—ound and corrupt both in doctrine and mannerâ— 9. Hee hath for the same trayterous and wicked intent chosen and imployed such men to be his owne Domesticall Chaplaines whom hee knew to be notoriously disaffected to the reformed religion grosly addicted to popish superstition and erroneous and unsound both in Judgement and practise and to them or some of them hath hee committed the Licensing of Bookes to be Printed by which meaneâ— divers false and superstitious bookes have beene published to the great scandall of Religion and to the seducing of many his Majesties Subjects 10. He hath trayterously wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church Rome and for the effecting thereof hath consorted confederated with divers popish Priests and Jesuites and hath kept secret intelligence with the Pope of Rome by himselfe his Agents Instruments treated with such as have from thence receivedâ— Authority and instruction he hath permitted and countenanced a popish Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall government to beâ— established in this Kingdome by all which trayterous and malicious practises this Church and Kingdome hath beene exceedingly indangered and like to fall under the Tyranny of the Roman See 11. Hee in his owne person and his suffragans Visitors Sutrogates Chancellors and other Officers by his command have caused divers learned pious and Orthodox Ministers of Gods word to be silenced suspended deprived degraded excommunicated otherwise grieved without any just and lawfull cause and by divers other meanes hee hath hindred the preaching of Gods word caused divers of his Majesties loyall Subjects to forsake the Kingdome and increased and cherished Ignorance and profanenesse amongst the people that so hee might thâ— better facilitate the way to the effecting of his owne wicked and trayterous designe of altering and corrupting the true religion here established 12. Hee hath traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord betwixt the Church of England and other Reâ—ormed Churches and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the Priviledges and Immunities which have beene by his Majesty and his royall Ancestors graunted to the Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdome and divers other wayes hath expressed his malice and disaffection to these Churches that so by such disunion the Papists might have more advantage â—or the overthrow and extirpation of both 13. Hee hath maliciously and traiterously plotted and endeavoured to stirre up warre and enmity betwixt his Majesties two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and to that purpose hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdome of Scotland divers Innovations both in Religion and Government all or the most part of them tending to popery superstition to the great grievance and discontent of his Majesties Subjects of that Nation aâ—d for their refusing to submit to such Innovations hee did trayterously advise his Majesty to subdue them by force of Armes and by his owne Authority and Power contrary â—o Law did procure sundry of his Majesties subjects and inforced the Clergie of this Kingdome to contribute towards the maintenance of that warre and when his Majesty with much wisedome and Justice had made a Pacification betwixt the two Kingdomes the said Aâ—chbishop did presumptuously censure that pacification as dishonourable to his Majestie and by his counsels and endeavours so incensed his Majestie against his said subjects of Scotland that hee did thereupon by advice of the said Archbishop â—nter into an offensive warre against them to the greaâ— hazzard of his Majesties person and his subjects of both Kingdomes 14. That to preserve himselfe from being questioned for these and other his trayterous courses hee laboured to subverâ—s the rights of Parliament and the ancient course of Parliamentary proceeding and by false and malitious slanders to incense his Majesty against Parliaments By which words counselâ— and actions he hath traiterously and contrary to his allegiance laboured to alienate the hearts of the Kings liege people from his Majesty and to set a division betweene them and to ruine and destroy his Majesties Kingdomes for which they do impeach him of High Treason agaiâ—st our Soveraigne Lord the King his Crowne and Dignity The said Commons do further averre that the said VVilliam Archbishop of Caterbury during the times that the crimes aforementioned were done and committed hath beene a Bishop or Archbishop of this Realm of England one of the Kings Commissioners for Ecclesiasticall mattersâ— and one of his Majesties most honourable Privie Councell and hath taken an Oath for his faithfull discharge of the said Office of Councellor and hath likewise taken an oath of supremacy and Allegeanâ—e And the said Commons by protestation saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the said Archbishop and also of replying to the Answers tâ—at the said Archbishop shall make unto the said Articles or to any of them and of offering further proofe also of the Premises or any of them or of any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them as the cause shall according to the coursâ— of Parliament require do pray that the said Archbishop may be put to answer to all and every the Premises and that such proceedings examination tryall and Judgement may be upon every of them had and used as is agreeable to Law and Justice The Articles being read M. PYMME proceeded in his Speech as followeth My Lords There is an expression in the Scripture which I will not presume either to understand or to interpret yet to a vulgar eye it seemes to have an aspect something surable to the Person and Cause before you It is a description of the evill Spirits wherein they are said to be spirituall wickednesse in high places Crimes acted by the spirituall faculties of the Soule the Will and the Understanding exercised about spirituall matters concerning Gods Wordship and the Salvation of Man seconded with power authority learning and many other advantages do make the party who commits them very sutable to that description Spirituall wickednesses in high places These crimes My Lords are various in their Nature haynous in their quality and universall in their extent If you examine them Theologically as they stand in opposition to the truth of God they will be found to be against the rule of Faith against the power of godlinesse against the meanes of Salvation If you examine
the Earle to be sent backe to the Church Fulco Basset his next successor a man of a haughty stout spirit as he opposed the Popes exactions Rustands his Legate so he had many contâ—sts with King Hâ—nry the third and was the maine pillar of the Barons who reposed all his hope in him before such time he grew cold and remisse in standing for the publike liberties whereby hee much blemished his fame and incensed the Barons and people against him in so much that the King reviled him in these words that neither he nor any of his name were ever true unto him threatning to finde meanes to correct him for his obstinacy In the presence of some whom hee knew would tell the King of it he sticked not to use this bold and couragious speech unfitting a Pâ—elate My Bishopricke my Myter and Crosier the King and the Pope may take from me but my helmet and sword I hope they will not yet neither of these two could secure him from Gods stroke for he died of the Plague at London Anno 1258. Henry Sandwich Bishop of London tooke part with the Barons who rebelled against King Henry the third for which cause he was excommunicated by Ottobon the Popes Legate with other Bishops being the chiefe incendiaries in these warres of whom Matthew Westminster writes thus The high Priests that I say not the Pharises gathered a counsell together against the Lord and against his annoynted saying Ye see that we have profitted nothing if we let the King escape thus The Romans will come and take away our purses with the money let us therefore ordaine 24 Elders round about his Throne who excluding the Parthians Meedes Elamites and strangers of Rome and freeing Ierusalem from Egyptian bondage may governe and order all and singular the affaires of the Realme The Knights Barons and Prelates therefore meeting together at Oxford in the 42. yeare of King Henry the third his reigne the King and Edward his eldest sonne being present ordained by common consent that twelve men nominated by the King and twelve by the Barons and Prelates should governe the Realme to which order the King and his sonne for feare of perpetuall imprisonment assented all and singular the Prelates except Ethelmaâ— Bishop elect onely of Winchester the Kings brother tooke a corporall oath faithfully to observe this infidelity and a sentence of excommunication was denounced by all the Archbishops and Bishops of the Kingdome against the transgressors of it Moreover saith he it is not without admiration with what face these Senators that aged Bishop of Worcester and other Prelates the Fathers Iudges of mens consciences should give such free assent to take away the Kings royall power when as they had taken a corporall Oath of giving terrene honour to the said King and his Lords which they very ill observed in ordaining that they should never governeâ— but ever be governed by others After which the Lords and Knights perceiving the generall inconvenience of this Ordinance in setting up so many Kings in stead of one the Bishop of Worceter would by no means yeeld to alter it saying that this ordinance was ratefied by an Oath and that the Pope could not dispence with the Oath making conscience of this unjust Oath like Herod and of Schisme and error contrary to the Lawes and Cannons drawing many false Prophets to him to foment this his error After this the King commanded the Bishop of Hereford a great stickler against him in these rebellious courses an oppressour of his subjects apprehended imprisoned and his goods confiscatedâ— Not long after the Prelates Earles and Barons who so sediciously held their King captivated meete at London where they ordained that two Earles and one Bishop on the behalfe of the Comonalty should elect nine persons whereof three should alwayes be assisting to the King and that by the advise of those three and the other nine all things in the Kings house as well as in the Kingdome should be ordered and that the King should doe nothing without their advise at least without the consent of these three Whereupon the Earles of Lecester Worcester Glocester and the Bishop of Chechister who the day before the battell of Lewes absolved all those who fought against his Soveraigne Lord the King from all their sinnes were chosen out to be the chiefe Councellers and Captaines who eleâ—ted other nine The King for feare of perpetuall imprisonment and that they would chuse another King consented to the ordinance OMNIBVS EPISCOPIS all the Bishops Earles and Barons consenting thereunto and sealing it with their Seales The Bishops of London Winchester Worcester and other Bishops were sent to the Popes Legate Cardinall of Sabine whom they would not suffer to come into the Realme to confirme this agreement who sharply reprehended the Bishops because they consented to so great a depression of the Kings power citing them three dayes after to appeare before him at Boâ—onâ—e about the affaires of the Kingdome who neither appearing by themselves nor their Proctors the Legate thereupon suspended them excommunicated the Barons the Cinque ports the city of London and the Bishops to for hindring him from comming into England and for their default But the said Bishops and the rest not regarding this thunderbolt appealed from it to the Pope and the next generall Councell and to the Church as well Triumphant as Militant and trusting to the defence of the Martiall sword little esteemed the spirituall the Bishops presuming to be present at and to exercise divine offices notwithstanding this suspention and excommunication till Otho his comming into England who calling a Councell at Wiâ—â—minsterâ— suspended this Henry Bishop of Londonâ— Iohn Bishop of Winchester and Stephen Bishop of Chichesterâ— both from their office and Benefice who â—ostered and incouraged the part of the Kings enemies excommunicating the Bishop of Lincolne for the same cause who at last supplicated for mercy not judgement with Walter Bishop of Worcester who lying at the point of death confessed he had erred fovendâ— in fomenting and fostering the part of Simon Montford and thereupon sent Letters to the Legate desiring the benefit of absolution which he obtained and so died By which relation of Matthew Westminister seconded by the continuer of Matthew Paris and other of our Chroniclers it is most apparant that this Bishop of London and the other Prelates were the chiefe fomenters of all the warres and rebellions against the King and those that stirred up and encouraged the Barons in their unnaturall bloody wars against their Soveraigne Henry the third as Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury was the principall author and contriver of those against King Iohn Anno. 1329. 1330. Richard Wentworth Bishop of London was accused by Edmond Woodstocke Earle of Kent for conspiring with him to helpe set up a new King Edward the second after his death whom Thoraas Dunhead a Fryer affirmed for cetaine by
of him and of his Realme he should have Proctors of his Nation as other Christian Kings had in the Court of Rome and not to abide in this Land nor to be in any part of his Counsells as beene all the spirituall and temporall at Parliament and other great Councells when you list to call them And therefore though it please you to doe him that worship to set him in your privy Councell after your pleasure yet in every Parliament where every Lord both spirituall and temporall hath his place he ought to occupie but his place as a Bishop 3. Item The said Bishop now being Cardinall was assoyled of his Bishoppricke of Winchester whereupon he sued unto our holy Father to have a Bull declarative notwithstanding he was assumpt to the state of Cardinall that the See was not voyd where indeed it stood voyd for a certaine time yet the said Bull were granted and so he was exempt from his ordinary by the taking on him the state of Cardinall and the Church Bishopricke of Winchester so standing voyd hee tooke againe of the Pope you not learned thereof nor knowing whereby hee was fallen into the case of provision so that all his goods was lawfully and cleerely forfeited to you my right doubted Lord with more as the Statute declareth plainely for your advantage Iâ—em It is not unknowne to you doubted Lord how through your lands it is noysed that the said Cardinall and the Archbishop of Yorke had and have the governance of you and all youâ— land the which none of your true leige men ought to usurpe to take upon them and have also estranged me your sole uncle my cosin of Yorke my consin of Huntington and many other Lords of your Kin to have any knowledge of any great matâ—er that might touch your high estate or either of your Realmes and of Lords spirituall of right the Archbishop of Canterbury should be your cheefe Counsellour the which is also estranged and set aside and so be many other right sadd Lords and well advised as well spirituall as temporall to the great hurt of you my right doubted Lord and of your Realmes like as the experience and workes shewne cleerely and evidently more harme it is 5. Item In the tender age ofâ— you my right doubted Lord for the necessity of a Army the said Cardinall lent you 4000 pound upon certaine Jewels prised at two twenty 1000-markes with a letter of sale that if they were not quited at a certaine day you should leese them The said Cardinall seeing your money ready to have quitted your Jewells caused your Treasurer of England at that day being to pay the same money in part of another army in defrauding you my right doubted Lord of your said Jewells keeping them yet alway to his owne use to your right great losse and his singular profit and availe 6. Item the said Cardinall then being Bishop of Winchester Chancellor of England deluâ—â—ed the King of Scots upon certaine appointments as may be shewed presumptuously and of his owne authority contrary to the Act of Parliament I have heard notable men of Law say that they never heard the like thing done among them which was too great a defamation to your highnesse and also toâ—wed his Neece to the said King whom that my Lord of notable memory your Father would never have so deluâ—â—ed and there as he should have paid for his cosâ—sâ— forty thousand pounds the said Cardinall Châ—â—cellor of England caused you to pardon him thereof ten thousand marks whereof the greater somme hee paid you right a little what I report me to your highnesse 7. Itâ— where the said Cardinall lent you my redoubted Lord great and notable Sommes he hath had and his assignes the rule profit of the port of Hampton where the Customers bin his servants where by likelihood and as it is to be supposed he standing the chiefe Merchant of the wools of your landâ— that you be greatly defrauded and under that rule what woolls and other Merchantdizes have been shipped and may be from time to time hard is to esteeme to the great hurt and prejudice of you my right doubted Lord and of all your people 8. Item Howbeit that the said Cardinall hath divers times lent you great sommes of money sith the time of your raigne yet this loane hath beene so deferred and delayed that for the most part the convenable season of the imploying of the good lent was passed so that little fruit or none came thereofâ— as by experience both your Realmes have sufficiently in knowledge 9. Item Where there was Jewells and Plate prised at eleven thousand pound in weight of the said Cardinall forfeited to you my right redoubted Lord hee gate him a restorement thereof for a loane of a little percell of the sameâ— and so defrauded you wholly of them to your great hurt and his avayle the which good might greatly have eased your highnesse in sparing as much of the poore Commons 10. Item The Cardinall being feoft of my said Lord your Father against his intent gave Elizabeth Beauchampe three hundred markes of livelihood where that his will was that and she were wedded within a yeare then to have â—â— or else not where indeede it was two or three yeares after to your great hurt and diminishing of your inheritance 11. Item Notwithstanding that the said Cardinall hath no manner of authority nor interest into the Crowne nor none may have by any possibility yet he presumeth and taketh upon him in party your estate royall in calling before him into great abusion of all your land and derogation of your highnes which hath not been seen nor vsed in no dayes heretofore in greater estate then he is without your expresse ordenance and commandment 12. Item the said Cardinall nothing considering the necesity of you my right redoubted Lord hath sued a pardon of dismes that he should pay for the Church of Winchester for terme of his life giving thereby occasion to all other Lords spirituall to draw their good will for any necessity to grant any disme and so to lay all the charge upon the temporalty and the poore people 13. Item by the governance and labour of the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke there hath beene lost and dispended much notable and great good by divers embassadors sent out of this Realme Firstâ— to Arras for a feigned colourable peace whereas by likelinesse it was thought supposed that it should never turne to the effectuall availe of you my right doubted Lord nor to your said Realmes but under colour thereof was made the peace of your adversary and the Duke of Burgoyn for else your partie adverse and the said Duke might not well have found meanes nor wayes to have communed together nor to have concluded with other their confederations and conspirations made and wrought there then at that time against your highnesse whereby you might have right doubted Lord the greater partie of your obisance
a Lyon by the paw I am commanded to lay this great malefactour at your doores one who hath beene a great oppugner oâ— the life and liberty of Religion and who set a brand of infamy to use his own words upon Ipswich education In summe one who is a compleate mirrour of innovation superstition and oppressionâ— he is now in the snare of those Articles which were the workes of his owne hands The rod of Moses at a distance was a serpent it was a rod againe when it was taken into his hands this Bishop was a serpent a devouring serpent in the Diocesse of Norwich your Lordships peradventure will by handling of him make him a rod againeâ— or if not I doubt not but your Lordships will chastise him with such rods as his crimes shall deserve My Lords I am commanded by the House of Commons to desire your Lordships that this Bishop may be required to make answer to these Articles and that there may be such proceedings against him as the Course and Justice of Parliament doth admit You see by this Parlamentary impeachment what a Regulus Tyrant and Serpent this Wren hath beene I shall say no more of him but leave him to his legall triall Richard Mountague who next succeeded Bishop Wren in this Sea proceeded on in his extravagant courses and Popish innovations witnesse his strange Visitation Articles printed for the Diocesse of Norwich many whereof are directly Popish others unjust absurd and strangely ridiculous as of what Assise is â—our Surplesse What is your Surplesse or Lords Table worth if it were to be sold Is your Communion Table rayled in so as Cats and Dogges he might as well have added Rats and Mice cannot get through unto it c. This Bishop conscious to himselfe of his owne guiltinesse came not up to this last Parliament for feare of questioning and being complained of for suspending a Lecturer in Norwich without any just cause even sitting this Parliament the House thereupon made an Order that a speciall Committee should be appointed to examine all his offences old and new the newes whereof so affrighted him that within few dayes after he died to ease the Parliament of that labour of whom see more in Chichester Since his decease this See hath continued vacant and the whole Diocesse earnestly desire it may so remaine till Doomesday having beene almost ruined and infinitely vexed by their late monstrous Prelates of whom I shall now take my farewell and shape my course to Chester Diocesse The Bishops of Chester The Bishopricke of Coventry and Lichfield in former times had three Episcopall Sees Chester Coventry and Lichfield whence some of the Bishops in our Chronicles were formerly called the Bishops of Chester because they there resided of some of whose Acts I shall give you a taste Hugh Novant Bishop of Chester whom Godwin reckons among the Bishops of Coventry and Lichfield about the yeare 1188. when King Richard the first was taken prisoner by the Arch-duke of Austria joyned with Iohn Earle of Morton the Kings Brother against the King to dispossesse him of his Kingdome his brother went from this Earle and the French King to the Emperour with Letters a message promising him a great summe of money in their names to detaine the King still in Prison after the Articles for his release and ransome were concluded for which treason and conspiracy after the Kings enlargement this Bishop was indicted in a Parliament at Nottingham that he being privy to the Kings secrets had revolted from him to the King of France and Earle Iohn his enemies adhered to them plotting all mischiefe for the destruction of the King and of the Kingdome whereupon hee was peremptorily cited to appeare and answer this indictment within 40. dayes which he failing to doe was adjudged to be punished by Ecclesiasticall censures as he was a Bishop and as an Officer to the King he was also by the Laity banished the Realme and at last enforced to purchase his peace with a Fine of 5000 markes to the King Anno 211 90. he having purchased the Monastery of Coventry from the King came thither with a power of armed men to place in secular Priests in stead of the Monkes who making resistance against him he invaded them with forces chased away some lamed others of themâ— spoiled their house burnt their Charters and Evidences himselfe being wounded and that in the Church before the High Altar in this conflict to the effusion of his blood In the yeare of our Lord 1234. in the Purification of St. Mary King Henry the third came to a conference at Westminster wherein he sharpely rebuked certaine Bishops Et maximè AlexandruÌ„ Cestrensem Episâ—opum especially Alexander de Savensby Bishop of Chester that they were over-familiar with the Earle Marshall Et quòd ipsum de regni solio depellere nitebantur that they indevoured to depose him from his royall throne But this Bishop clad in his Pontificalibus when hee knew such things were objected to him and also that some had suggested to the King by way of exasperating that the Bishops favouring the party of the Marshall would create another King was exceedingly moved especially against Roger de Catelu whereupon hee incontinently excommunicated all those who imagined any such wickednesse against the King or maliciously imposed such things upon the Bishops who were altogether folicitous of the Kings honours and safety The innocency of the Bishops being thus manifested and proved and the sowers of dissention confounded Catelu held his peace being not free as it seemedâ— from the Anathema So the other Bishops who were present intervening Alexander Bâ— of Chester was pacified and his spirit quieted Nimis antè amaricatus being overmuch imbittered before Edmond Elect Archbishop of Canterbury with many of his suffragans were present at this conference who all condoling at the desolation of the King and Kingdome came to the King and as it were with one heart mind and mouth said O our Lord the King let us tell you in the Lord as your faithfull subjects that the counsell which you now have and useâ— is neither wholsome nor safe but cruell and dangerous to your selfe and to the Kingdome of England to wit the counsell of Peter Bishop of Winchester of whom before Peter de Rivallis and their complices Fiâ—st of all because they hate and contemne the English Nation calling them Traytors and causing them all to be so called and turning your minde away from the love of your owne Nation and â—hâ— hearts of your people from you as appeares in the Marshall who is the best man of your Land whom they have perverted and estranged from you by lyes they have scattered abroad of him And through this very counsell to wit by the said Bishop your Father King Iohn first lost the hearts of his people after that Normandy afterwards other lands and in the end exhausted all his treasure and almost lost the
the worse for this President it being much insisted on to justifie the late Taxe of Ship-Money Such perfidious and pernicious Counsellers of State have these Prelates beene in teaching Princes in every Land to lay new Exactions on and Tyrannize more and more over their Subjects Woe saith Mr. Tyndall is to the Realmes where they are of the Councell as profitable are they to the Realmes with their Counsell as the Wolves unto the Sheepe or the Foxes unto the Geese As was this Arch-Prelate who is much blamed in our Histories for this his advice Robert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury layd the first foundation of the Normans Conquest in England perswading King Edward to make Duke William his Heire Whereunto when he had condiscended himselfe became the Messenger of this good tidings unto the Duke taking Harold with him that he might hamper him with an oath as hee did indeede and so barre him from all possibility of the Kingdome which Oath he breaking afterward lost both his liâ—e and Kingdome together The Arch-Bishop now assuring himselfe of the favour of the King not onely presentâ— but him that was to succeede could not endure that any should beaâ—e so great sway as himselfe in Court and therefore fell to devise how he might overthrow Emma the Kings Mother who onely served to over-top him Hee began therefore to beaâ—e into the Kings head how hard a hand his Mother had held upon him when he lived in Normandie how likely it was that his Brother came by his death by the practise of her and Earle Godwyn and that she used the company of Alwyn Bishop of Winchester somewhat more familiarly then was for her honour The King somewhat too rashly crediting these Tales without any further examination of this matter seized upon all his Mothers goods and committed her to Prison in the Nunnery of Warwell banished Earle Godwyn and his sonne and commanded Alwyn upon paine of death not to come forth of the Gates of Winchester The Queene made the best friends she could to be called to her answere but the Arch-bishop so possessed the King as other tryall of her innocencie might not bee allowed then this shee must walke over nine Plough-shares red hot in the midst of the Cathedrall Church of Winchester If shee performed not this Purgation or were found any thing at all hurt she and the Bishop both should bee esteemed guilty if otherwise the Arch-Bishop was content to submit himselfe to such punishment as they should have endured The Arch-Bishops Authority was then so prevalent over the most powerfull persons that the Queene her selfe neither by her owne power nor of the King her Sonne nor of the Nobles and Bishops nor by any other meanes than by her innocencie could keepe off this so notorious an injury and contumely the King and Bishops being forced to approve this most severe Edict of the Arch-Bishop against their wills Whereupon the Queene led by two Bishops in the open sight of the people did this hard Purgation and â—o acquitted her self and Alwyn of the Crimes objected The King then greatly bewayling the wrong done to his Mother by the Arch-Bishops malicious false suggestions asked her forgivenesse upon his knees restored her and the Bishop to their goods and places and to make satisfaction would needes be whipped by the hands of the Bishops there present and receiving three stripes of his Mother was by her clearely forgiven The Arch-bishop the author and plotter of all this stirre and mischiefe fearing the successe of this matter held himselfe at Dover under pretence of sickenesse and as soone as he heard how the world went knowing England to be too hot for him got him over to the Abbey of Gemmeticum where overcome with shame and sorrow he there shortly after ended his dayes the King having passed a publike Sentence against him and his confederates Quod Statum Regni conturbarant c. That they had disturbed the State of the Kingâ—dome stirring up the Kings mind against his Mother and faithfull subjects whereupon he was deprived Stigand placed in his Sea before his death after William the Conquerour had slaine Harold and vanquished his Armie in Battlefield Edwyn and Mercar endeavoured to Crowne Edgar Etheling the rightâ—ull Heire to whosâ— side most of the Nobles the Citizens of London with the Navall Forces adhered and so did Aldred Arch-Bishop of Yorke who presently with the other Prelates â—ell off to William the Conquerour being the stronger side to whom the Pope had sent a consecrated Banner an Agnus Dei and one of Saint Peters haires in way of good speed refusing to side with the Lords whereupon their designements were all suddenly quashed But Arch-bishop Sâ—igand and Eglesigne Abbot of Saint Augustines assembling all the Kentish men together encouraged them to stand for their Liberties though with the losse of their lives and marching before them as their Generalls enclosed him and his Armie by a Stratagem with Branches of trees their Banners displayed and Bows bent and so purchased a confirmation of their Freedomes and Customes from him by way of composition Then comming to London the Conquerour refused to be Crowned by Stigana Aldred Archâ—Bishop of Yorke performing this Ceremonie on â—he day of Christs Nativitie Anno. 1066. Stigand not long after and Alexander Bishop of Lincolne fled intâ— Scotland where they kept themselves close for a season and at last returning King William departeâ— into Normandie knowing Stigand to be of a crafty Pate and perfidious heart and of great power among his Kentish men carryed him over Sea with him lest he â—hould raise new stirres and cause a Revolt from him in England during his absence and then returning into England he caused him with other Bishops that had beene â—reacherous to him to be deposed from his Arch-Bishopricke in a Synod at Winchester for holding the Bishop of Winchester in Commendam with his Arch-Bishopricke for invading the Sea of Canterbury whiles Robert livedâ— for using his Paâ—l left at Canterbury for Simonie and to prevent him from raising any further Tumults The King after his degradation spoyling him of his goods committed him to perpetual Prison where at last he was starved with hunger refusing to reveale those infinite Treasures which hee had heaped up in store to worke some mischieâ—e which were discovered after his death Not long after which plures Episcopi Abbaâ—es many Bishops and Abbots joyned in a Conspiracie with Ralph de Ware and Roger Earle of Hereford against the Conquerour to thrust him out of his Kingdome such faithfull Subjects were they to their Soveraigne to whom they had sworne allegeance William the Conquerour dying by the perswasion of Lanfranke Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who had brought up William Rufus from his Child-hood he left the Crowne of England to his younger sonne William putting the eldest son Robert from the Crowne which was due unto him In which Action God blessed not the Arch-Bishop for the
forbad Stephen Langhton entrance into the Realme The Pope hearing this sends his Mandates unto William Bishop of London Eustace Bishop of Ely and Mauger Bishop of Worcester wherein hee willed them first to admonish and perswade the King to restore the Monkes their goods and place and to give the Arch-Bishop possession of his Temporalties by a day then if he refused so to doe to interdict the whole Realme They durst not but obey and finding the King resolute in his determination at the time appointed they published the Popes Interdiction interdicting the whole Realme And as well foreseeing the ensuing trouble to come as their present danger got them out of the Land together with Ioceline Bishop of Bath and Giles of Hereford The King immediately seized all their Goods and Temporalties into his hands and moreover banished all the friends and Kinsfolks of these Bishops that were likely to yeeld them any comfort or reliefe During the time of this Interdict all Divine Service ceased throughout the Realme Gods Service giving place to the Popes pride and malice except onely Baptisme of Children Auâ—icular Confession and the Administration of the Sacrament unto such as lay upon the point of death The Pope seeing this Curse prevailed not at the instigation of the Arch Bishop and other Prelates proceeded to a particular Excommunication of the King and not long after deprived him by a Judiciall sentence of his Crowne Kingdome and all Regall authority a thing till that time in no age ever heard of For the better executing which sentence he writes to Philip the French King to expell King Iohn out of his Kingdome promising him remission of all his sinnes and giving the Kingdome of England to him and his successors for this his good service and withall sends â—orth his Bulls to the Nobles Knights and Souldiers in divers Countries that they should signe themselves with the signe of the Crosse to cast the King of England out of his Throne and revenge the injury of the Universall Church by ayding King Philip in this Catholike Warre promising them all as large and ample indulgences in all things as those enjoyed who visited the Lords Sepulcher at Hierusalem whereupon the French King prepared a great Armie both by Sea and Land to expulse King Iohn who made himselfe so strong by Sea and Land in a short time that he had farre more Ships and Land-Souldiers than Philip which Pandolfe the Popes Legate perceiving and doubting of the successe willingly repaires into England tells King Iohn in what danger he and his whole kingdome were how much Christian blood he was like to cause to bee spiltâ— to prevent all which inconveniences hee counsels him to resigne his Crowne and Kingdome to the Pope and then to receive it from him againe which he yeelded to at last See now to what extremities this poore King was brought by these rebellious and traytorly Prelates meanes who refused to appeare before him when he sent for them his whole Land was under Interdiction and so remained for 5. whole yeares like an Heathenish Nation without the celebration of Divine Service and Sacraments Iohn himselfe was by Name Excommunicated and had so remained for divers yeares All his Subjects were released freed a Regis fidelitate subjectione from owing either fidelity or subjection to him yea they were forbidden and that under paine of Excommuniâ—ation so much as to company or converse with him either at Table or aâ— Councell or in speech and conference Further yet Iohn was deposed from his Kingdome and that judicially being in the Romane Court deprived of all right to his Kingdome and judicially condemned and that sentence of his deposition and deprivation was solemnly denounced and promulgated before the French King Clergie and people of France Neither onely was Iohn thus deposed but his Kingdome also given away by the Pope and that even to his most mortall enemie for the Pope to bring his sentence to execution writ unto Philip the French King perswading yea enjoyning him to undertake that labouâ— of dethrâ—ning Iohn actually as judicially hee was before and expelling him from the Kingdome promising him not onely remission of all his sinnes but that hee and his Heires â—hould for ever have the Kingdome of England withall the Pope writ Letters to all Nobles Souldiers and Warriors in divers Countries to signe themselves with the â—rosse and to assist Philip for the dejection of Iohn Philip was not a little glad of such an offer bâ—â— hereupon gathered Forces and all things fit for such an expedition expending in that preparation no lesse than 60. thousand pounds all these things being notified to King Iohn did not a little daunt him and though he was too insensible of the impendent calamities yet to strike a greater terrour into his amazed heart and make a more dreadfull impression in his minde of the dangers which now were ready to faâ—l on his head Pandolph was sent from the Pope unto him to negociate about the resigning of his Kingdome to which if hee would consent he should finde favour protection and deliverance at the Popes hands Pandulf by a crafty kinde of Romish Oratory at his comming to the King expressed yea painted out in most lively colours all the difficulties and dangers to which the King was subject the losse of his Crowne the losse of his honour the losse of his life that there was no other way in the world to escape them but by protection under the Popes wings Iohn seeing dangers to hang over him on every side by the French abroad by the Barons at home and being dejected and utterly dismayed and confounded with the ponderation of them resolved for saving his life to lose his liberty and honour and to save his Kingdome from his open Adversary to â—ose it and give it quite away to his secret but worst enemie that hee had and to take an Oath of sealty to the Pope recorded in Holinshed p. 178. doing herein as if one for feare of being slaine in the open field should kill himselfe in his owne chamber It was not piety but extreame misery nor devotion but feare onely and despaire that caused and even â—orced Iohn against his will being then drowned in despaire to resigne his Crowne and to make two severall grants thereof to the Pope The first Charter was made to Pandulph the Popes Legaâ—e on the 15. day of May in the 14. yeare of King Iohns raigne the Copie whereof is set downe in Matthew Paris Matthew Westminster The second Charter was made to Nicholâ—s Bishop of Tusculum the Popes Legaâ—e for the Popes use in Saint Pauls Church in London the 3. of October in the 15. yeare of King Iohn An. Dom. 1213. agreeing verbatim with the former differing onely from it in this that the first was sealed with Wax the second with Gold which severall Grants were so detestable to the whole
world that it made all men exclaime against and detest King Iohn How much the Barons disliked this Grant of King Iohn his owne words to Pope Innocentius as also the Popes answere do witnesseâ— Our Earles and Barons saith he and the Pope writes the like were devout and loving unto us till we had subjected our selves to your Dominion but since that time and specially even for so doing they all rise up against us The manifold opprobrious speeches used by the Barons against King Iohn for subjecting himselfe and his Kingdome to the Pope doe declare the same Iohn say they is no King but the shame of Kings better to be no King than such a King behold a King without a Kingdoâ—e a Lord without dominion Alas thou wretch and servant of lowest condition â—o what misery of thraldome hast thou brought thy self Thou wast a king now thou art a Cow-heard thou wast the highest now the lowest Fie on thee Iohn the last of Kings the abominaton of English Princes the confusion of English Nobility Alas England that thou art made tribuâ—ary and subject to the rule of base servants of strangers and which is most miserable subject to the servant of servants Thou Iohn whose memory will be wofull in future time thou of a most free King hast made thy selfe tributary a farmer a vassall and that to servitude it selfe this thou hast done that all might be drowned in the Hell of Romish Avarice Yea so detestable was both this Fact of Iohn and dealing of the Pope that Philip the French King though the mortall enemie of King Iohn heaâ—ing thereof even upon this very point That the Barons and State did noâ— consent to that Act did proclaime both the absolute freedome of the Kingdome of England noâ—wiâ—hstanding this grant of Iohn and declaime also against this Pope for seeking to enthrall Kingdomes unto him As the King by the Treason and trechery of these Prelates and especially of the Arch-Bishop was thus enforced most ignominiously to resigne and prostituâ—e his Crowne and Kingdome to the Pope to the losse of his Kingly honour and the hearts of all his Barons and Subjects so he was faine to receive the Arch-Bishop and restore the other Bishops Monkes and banished Rebels against him to their Bishoprickes Goods and Revenues and to give them such Dammages and Recompence as the Pope should thinke 〈◊〉 For this King Anno Domini 1213. intending a Voyagâ— into Guien his Realme standing as yet interdicted his Lords refused to goe with him unlesse the interdicting might be first released and he clearely absolved of the Popes Curse to the end that Gods wrath and the Popes being fully pacified hee might with better speede move and maintaine the Warres whereupon he was constrained to alter his purpose and comming to Winchester dispatched a messenger with letters signed with the hands of twenty foure Earles and Barons to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Bishops of London Lincolne and Hereford then sojourning in France requiring them with all other banished men to returne into England promising them by his Letters Patents not onely a sure Safe-conduct for their comming over but that hee would also forget all passed displeasures and frankely restore unto every man all that by his meanes had beene wrongfully taken from them and as yet by him detained Hereupon the Arch-Bishop and other Bishops with all speede came into England with the other exiles and went to Winchester where the King then remained Who hearing that the Bishops were come went forth to receive these Traytors and at his first meeting with the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the King kneeled downe at his feete who should have rather kneeled to the King and asked him forgivenesse and that it would please him and the other Bishops also to provide for the miserable state of the Realme requiring of the Arch-Bishop having as then the Popes power in his hands as being his Legat to be absolved promising upon his solemne received Oath That he would before all things defend the Church and the Order of Priesthood from receiving any wrong also that he would restore the old Lawes made by the ancient Kings of England and namely those of S. Edward which were almost extinguished and forgotten and further that he would make recompence to all men whom he had by any meanes endammaged This done he was absolved by the Arch-Bishop and shortly after sent his Orators to Rome to take off the Interdict The Pope hereupon sent the Cardinall of Tusculum into England to compound the differences and dammages betweene the King and the Bishops and then to release the Interdict Who after a Convocation summoned and sundry meetings had at London Reading Wallingford and elsewhere some messages to Rome ordered the King to pay 40000. Markes dammages to these rebellious Prelates which done the Interdict was solemnly released by the Legat in the Cathedrall of Pauls in London Iune 29. 1214. after the terme of 6. yeares 3 moneths and 14. dayes that the Realme had beene shaken with that dreadfull Dart of Correction as it was then esteemed After this King Iohn raysed an Army intending to goe against those Lords who refused to follow him to Poictou But the Arch-Bishop meeting him at Northampton sought to appease himâ— but hee marching on to Notingham there with much adoe the Arch-Bishop following him and threatning to excommunicate all those that should ayde him enforced him to desist his Enterprise This done he thought all troubles at an end but the worst were yet behind For the King having wound himselfe into the Popes favour by this his Resignation and holding his Crowne from him as his Feudatarie began to curbe the Arch-Bishop and his Faction who finding the King stronger in the Popes favour than they thereupon stirred up the Barons to rebell and take Armes against the King who had lost their hearts by his Resignation In this Rebellion and Conspiracie Stephen Langthon the Arch-Bishop was the Ring-leader yea the principall Abettor Conspirer chiefe Agent and Counsellor as Matthew Paris Wendover Speed Holinshed and other our Historians testifie The Pope hereupon excommunicates the Barons and all other English or French who impugned King Iohn even in the generall Councell of Lateran then heldâ— and the Bishop of Winchester and Pandulph the Popes Legat who solemnly denounced the Popes Curse against the Barons did likewise suspend the Arch-Bishop from all his Episcopall authority who thereupon repairing to Rome for absolution was in the Councell of Lateran accused and convict of Conspiracie and Treason against the King and contempt against the Pope and Churches Censure for which the Pope resolving to depose him from his Sea and dignity by the Cardinals intercession for him hee being their brother Cardinall was intreated to deale somewhat milder but yet confirmed his suspension from his Bishopricke by publik sentence commanding by his Letters all his Suffragan Bishops to withdraw their obedience from him and for a
Royalties in their Ecclesiasticall Courts Hee thereupon sent forth Writs to restraine them to this effect Rex Archiepiscopis c. The King to the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots Priors Deanes Arch-Deacons Chancellours Praecentors Provosts Sacrists Prebends in Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches and to all other Ecclesiasticall Persons constituted in what-ever Dignity or Office as also to publike Notaries and all others greeting It behoveth us so much the more carefully to doe our endeavour and more soliciâ—ously to extend our hand to our Royall Prerogatives lest they â—hould utterly perish or by the undue Usurpations of any be in some â—ort substracted by maintaining them as farre as we lawfully may by reducing them to their due stateâ— if any of them have beene substracted and seized on as likewise by bridling the impugners oâ— our said Royall Jurisdictions and by punishing them as it is meet according to their demerits And so much the rather by how much we are knowne to be obliged to doe it by the Bond of an Oath and behold more men from day to day to impugne the same Rights to their utmost power whereas we have recovered in our Court before us by consideration of the said Courâ— our Collation to the Prebend of S. in the Church of Saint Peters in Yorke c. And now we have understood that certaine men endeavouring with all thâ—â—r might to impugne our Royall Right and forâ—saiâ— Judgement as likewise our Collation made to our said Clerke have made and procured to be made certaine Provocations Appealeâ— Indictions Inhibitions c. by the which if they should proceed our Royall Right and foresaid Judgement and the effect of our Collation should be annulled which might many wayes generate prejudice and exheredation to us and our Crowne We desiring by all meanes we may to prevenâ— such prejudice and exheredation and to restraine the unlawfull endeavours of all the impugners of the Rights of our Crowne strictly prohibite you and every of you that you doe not by pretext of any Commission made or hereafter to be made to you or any of you presume by any Authority without our advice to attempt or by others in any soâ—â— cause to be attempted any thing which may tend to the derogation of our Royall Right or annulling of the â—oresaid Judgement rightly given or the weakening of our said Collation knowing that if you shall doe otherwise we will proceed to apprehend you in a grievous manner Tanquam violatores Iuris nostri Regii as violaters of our Royall Right By these Writs the Usurpations of this Arch Prelate and the Bishops on the Kings Royall Prerogative and Courts of Justice were somewhat restrained otherwise they had in time made themselves absolute Kings and the Kings of England meere Cyphers and onely executioners of their Papall pleasures Robert Winchelsie his Successour exceedingly opposed his Soveraigne King Edward the first Who having spent an infinite summe of Money in the Warres of Scotland summonâ—d a Parliament at Barwicke wherein when the Temporalty contributed liberally toward the charge of that Warre the Clergy alledging the Canon of the late Councell of Lyons wherein it was decreed That no Clergie-man should pay any Ayde or Subsidie to any Temporall Magistrate without the Popes licence which Canon the Arch-Bishop alledged against the Subsidie granted by the Clergy two yeares before in his absence causing them then to set it downe for a Canon afterwards to be kept inviolably refused to grant the King a Subsidy without the Popes consent and would then give no Subsidy nor supply at all to the King though at the same time they readily granted three Subsidies to the Pope towards his Warres against the French The King would not take this for payment and therefore presently tooke order That all Barnes of these undutifull rebellious Clergy-men should be locked up and by Proclamation put all the Clergy from out of his protection so that hereafter it should be lawfull for any man to sue them for any Cause but they might not commence Suite against any man holding a Parliament with his Temporall Lords and Commons onely and shutting the Bishops and Clergy out of the Parliament house This constrained some of the Clergy after much contest though animated and sollicited by the Arch-Bishop still to resist to submit to the King at last and to be content to grant him such a proportion of their goods though it were the fifth part of their Revenues as he should like of onely the Arch-Bishop the Head of this â—action continued obstinate making no other answer to the King but this Under God our universall Lord we have two other Lords a Spirituall Lord the Pope and a Temporall Lord the King and though wee be to obey both yet rather the Spirituall Lord then the Temporall When therefore he saw all the rest inclining to yeeld using no other words then this Salvet unusquisque animam suam Let every man save his owne Soule as if Rebellion against his Prince were the only meanes to save his soule and pronouncing all those excommunicated that contributed any thing to the King he rose up and suddenly departed out of the Convocation House The King for this his contumacy seized all his Lands and commanded all such Debts of his as were found in the Rolls of the Exchequer to be leâ—ed with all speed on his Goods and Cattell which he seized into his hands and made shew of great displeasure Notwithstanding shortly after being to make Warre with the French King in France hee thought good before his departure to receive this Arch-Rebell to favour againe who had caused the King to be cited up to the Court of Rome and there suspended But this grace endured not long for presently upon his returne the King laid divers high Treasons to his charge as That he had dehorted his Subjects in his absence from paying their Subâ—idies That he went about to trouble the quiet state of the Realme and to defend and succour Rebellious persons That he had conspired with divers of his Nobility to deprive him of his Kingdome though the best Prince that ever England had before to commit him to perpetuall Prison and to Crowne his Sonne Edwaâ—d King in his stead and that he was the Ring-leader and Authour of this Conspiracy The Arch-Bishop noâ— able to deny these Treasons and being suspended from his Office by the Pope till he should purge himselfe of these things he fell downe on the ground at the Kings feete craving pardon of his heynous offences with teares and howling calling the King then his Lord which he never did before neither with his month nor in his Letters Thus this proud Prelate exâ—crable both to God and man who had twice a little before prohibited the King in the Popes name to make Warre with the rebellious and treacherous Scots his Enemies who had invaded his Kingdome in his absence because the Pope had taken them into his protection who had
unfaithfully the Bishop had dealt with him how hee refused to come to his Answere but in full Parliament and would not appeare before him upon generall Summons though he offered him Safe-conduct under his Great Seale how hee undutifully rayled upon him and his Councell in his Excommunication Letters and Answers calling the King himselfe an Oppressour of his people against Justice and how he endeavoured by his strange practises to stirre up the People to Sedition and Rebellion Which Letters at large recorded by Matthew Parker and others with the Bishops Answeres to them the King commanded to bee published every where The Arch-Bishop thereupon publisheth a large Answere to them in the beginning whereof he affirmes the Bishops Authority to be above the Kings and therefore that the Kings Highnesse ought to know that hee ought to be judged by the Bishops not they by him nor yet to be directed at his pleasure For who doubts that the Priests of Christ ought to be accounted the Faâ—hers and Masters of Kings Princes and all faithfull people And therefore it would bee a strange madnesse if the Sonne should endeavour to subjeâ—t the Father or the Scholar the Master to their Censures After which hee sheweth That Popes and Bishops have excommunicated and judged divers Emperours and Kings and therefore they ought not to judge Bishops by which kind of Logicke Bishops and Clergie-men must be Judges of all other men yea of Kings and Emperours but no men else Judges of them or their Actionsâ— concluding That he had received no honour or advancement from the King but onely from God and that he would give an account in no Court and to no person but iâ— Parliament The King hereupon writes his predecessours who were wont to honour and love their Princes and to make prayers and supplications for them and to instruct them with the spirit of meekenesse begins against us and our Counsellors in the spirit of pride a thread of rash faction and perverse invention by prolonging his iniquity and seeking the consolation of miserable men namely to have many Consorts in punishment And which is worse hee endeavours all hee may to precipiâ—ate into our â—ontempt and irreverence with lying speeches his Suffragans in sinne with other devout people and our loyall Subjects And albeit with God not the highest degree but the best life is most approved yet hee glorying in the altitude of his State requires reverence to be given to him which yet he renders not to us though it be due from him to us For whereas hee and other Prelates of this Kingdome who receive the Temporalties of their Churches from us out of the debt of sworne fidelity ought to render us fealty honour and reverence â—e alone is not ashamed Profide PERFIDIAMâ— to render us perfidiousnesse in stead of Loyalty Contumely in stead of Honour and Contempt in lieu of Reverence Whereupon albeit wee are and alwayes have beene ready to reverence Spirituall Fathers us is meeâ—e yet we ought not with conniving eyes to passe by their offences which we behold to redound to the perill of Vs and Our Kingdome But the same Arch-Bishop complaines that certaine crimes in our fore-sayd Letters of excuse were objected against him being absent unheard and undefended and that he was judged guilty of capitall crimes as if we as he foolishly pretendeth â—ad proceeded against him criminally to the uttermost which is not true whereas we onely acted the part of an excuseâ— compelled by necessitie lest we should seeme to neglect our Reputation But let this calumnious Reprehender see if this complaint may not justly be retorted on his owne head who falsely and maliciously with assertive words hath described Vs his King and our Counsellours being absent unheard undesended not convicted to be Oppressors and Transgressors of the Lawes when as he is deservedly blame-worthy who incurs the crime reprehended by himself and condemnes himself in that wherein he judgeth another whiles himselfe is found guilty of the same c. But because it becomes us not to contest with a contentious man nor to consent to his perversenesse we firmely enjoyne and command you in the Faith and Love wherein you are obliged to us that notwithstanding any Mandate of the Arch-Bishop himselfe to which you ought not to yeeld obedience in derogation of our Royall honour against the Oath of Allegeance made unto us that you proceede to the publishing of those things contained in our fore-sayd excusatory Letters according to their order And because we are and ought to bee principally carefull of the conservation of our Royall Rights and Prerogatives which the worthily to be recognized Priority of our Progenitors Kings of England hath magnifically defended and the sayd Arch-Bishop to stirre up the Clergie and people against us and to hinder the Expedition of our Warre which we have principally undertaken â—y his Counsell hath made and by others caused to be made and published certaine Denunciations and Publications of sentences of Excommunications and injurious Monitions prejudiciall to the Right and Royall dignity of our Crowne and by them endeavours in many Anticles to take from us the Iurisdiction notoriously knowne to be competent unto us of which since we are an unconquered King we are known to be capable and which we and our Progenitors have peaceably used from old time both with the knowledge and sufferance of the chiefe Pontifs and of the Prelates and Clergie of our Kingdome to the wounding of our Majestie and the manifest derogation of our Rights and Prerogatives Royall Wee strictly command you under the perill that shall ensue that you doe not at the sayd Arch-Bishops command or any others in any sort by you or others make or as much as in you is suffer to be made by others these undue Denunciations Publications or Monitions derogatory and prejudiciall to our Royall Rights and Prerogatives or any things else whereby our Liege people may be stirred up against us or the Expedition of our Warre by any way hindered to the subverâ—ion of us and our Liege people which God forbid And if any thing hath beene attempted by you in this kinde that you speedily revoke it By which we see what a loyall Subject this Arch-Prelate was Who to adde to his former contempts being required by King Edward the third to come to him at Yorke out of his obstinate disloyall humour would not appeare by reason whereof Scotland the same time was lost Yet was he suffered though for this he deserved to lose his head The two next Arch-Bishops Iohn Vfford and Thomas Bradwardyn swept away with the Plague within one yeares space before their instalments had neither time nor opportunity to contest with their Soveraigne But their next Successour Simon Islip as he had greâ—t conâ—ests with the Bishop of Lincolne about the University of Oxford and with the Arch-Bishop of Yorke about Crosse bearing which troubled the King and Kingdome much of which more
ill as Turkes or Sarazens so that what paine or study soever they tooke for the Common wealth or what Acts or Lawes soever they made or stablished should be taken as Lawes made by Painims and Heaâ—hen People and not worthy to be kept by Christian men Wherefore he most humbly besoâ—ght the Kings Highnesse to call the sayd Bishop before him and to cause him to speake more discreetly of such a number as was in the Commons-house The King was not well contented with the saying of the Bishop yet he gently answered the Speaker that he would send for the Bishop and send them word what answere he made and so they departed againe After this the King sent for the Archbishop of Canterbury and sixe other Bishops and for the Bishop of Rochester also and there declared to him the grudge of the Commons to the which the Bishop answeâ—ed that he meant the doings of the Bohemians was for lacke of Faith and not the doings of them that were in the Commons House Which saying was confirmed by the Bishops being present who had him in great reputation and so by that onely saying the King accepted his excuse and thereof sent word to the Commons by Sir VVilliam-Fitz-VVilliams Knight Treasurer of his Household which blind excuse pleased the Commons nothing at all After divers assemblies were kept betweene certaine of the Lords and certaine of the Commons for the Bills of Probates of Testaments and the Mortuaries the Temporalty layd to the Spiritualty their owne Lawes and Constitutions and the Spiritualty sore defended them by prescription and usage to whom this answer was made by a Gentleman of Grayes-Inne The usage hath ever beene of theeves to Rob on Shooters-hill Ergo is it Lawfull With this answere the Spiritual men were sore offended because their doings were called robberies But the Temporall men stood still by their sayings insomuch that the said Gentleman said to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury that both the exaction of Probates of Testaments and the taking of Mortuaries as they were used were open Robbery and theft After long disputation the Temporall Lords began to leane to the Commons but for all that the Bills remained unconcluded for a while The King like a good and discreete Prince not long after ayded them for the redresse of their griefes against the Spiritualty and caused two new Bills to be made indifferently both for the Probates of Testaments and Mortuaries which Bills were so reasonable that the Spirituall Lords assented to them all though they were sore against their minds and in especiall the Probates of Testaments sore displeased the Bishops and the Mortuaries sore displâ—asedâ— the Parsons and Vicars After these acts thus agreed the Commons made another Act for Pluralities of benefices Non-Residence buying selling and taking of Farmes by Spirituall Persons which Act so displeased the Spiritually that the Priests railed on the Commons of the Common house and called them Heretickes and Schismatickes â—or the which divers Priests were punished This Act was sore debaâ—ed above in the Parliament Chamber and the Lords Spirituall would in no wise consent Wherefore the King perceiving the grudge of his Commons câ—used â—iâ—ht Lords and eight of his Commons to meeâ—e in the Sâ—aâ—â—â—hâ—â—â—er aâ— an after-noone and there was sore debating of the cause insomuch that the Temporall Lords of the Upper house which were there â—ooke part with the Commons against the Spirituall Lords and by force of reason caused them to assent to the â—ill with a little qualifying Which Bill theâ— next day was wholly agreed to in the Lords house to the great rejoycingâ— of the Lay people and to the great displeasure of the Spirituall personsâ— Immediately after this not onely Cardinall VVolâ—e himselfe but the Arch-bishop and whole Cleâ—giâ— of â—â—gland were brought into a Pr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this Parliamenâ— the Cardinall for accepting of a power Legatiâ—e from thâ— Pope contrary to the Lawes of the Realme and the 〈◊〉 of the Clâ—â—â—iâ— for consenting and submitted thereunto and holding a Synode by vertue of iâ— to avoid this danger and purchase a pardon the Clergie of the Province of Canterbury proâ—fered to give the King one hâ—ndred thousand pounds and the Clergie of the Province of Yorke 18000 â—ounds more but the King would not accept of this summe unlesse they would declare him in the Act by which they granted him this subsidie to be supreame head of the Church of England here on earth next under Christ but proceeded to take the forfeiture of the Premunire against them This put the Prelates the Popes sworne vassals to a great Dilemma for either they must plainly renounce the Popes usurped supremacie or the Kings mercy and fall under the lash of a Premunire whereby all their Bishoprickes goods livings were forâ—eited to his Majestie and their lives and liberties at his devotion Loath were the Bishops to forsake their old Lord the Pope whose servants they had beene so long and therefore they used all delayes and adjournments to spin out the time and delude the King but hee would not be mocked by them At last therefore they agreed upon this recognition Wee acknowledge the Kings Majestie to be the singular Protector the supreame Lord and likewise supreame head of the Church and Clergie of England so farre forth as it is lawfull for him to be by the Lawes of Christ. But the King much offended with this ambiguous dubious and equivocating acknowledgement which in truth was no concession of what he demanded required them to make a full and plaine acknowledgement of his supremacie in direct and positive termes without ambiguity or shifts or else to denie and conclude against it and incurâ—e the penalty of the Premunire Being thus put to it the Archbishop and Bishops hereupon made many adjournments of the Convocation and at last put it over from Aprill to the fifth of October to â—hunne the rocke on which they were like to split themselves or their holy Father the Pope in which space the Archbishop died At last they agreed to give the King the Title he desired and inserted it into a publike instrument Whereupon the King at last granted them a generall pardon in Parliament which begins thus The King our Soveraigne Lord calling to his blessed and most gracious remembrance that his good and loving subâ—ects the most Reverend Father in God the Archbishop of Canâ—erbury and other Bishops Suffragans Prelates and other spirituall persons of the Province of the Archbishopricke of Canterbury of this his Realme of England and the Ministers under-written which have exercised practised or executed in spirituall Courts and other jurisdictions within the said Province have fallen and incurred into divers dangers of his Lawes by things done perpetrated and committed contrary to the order of his Lawes and spâ—â—ially contrary to the forme of the Statutes of Provisours Provisions and Premunire and his Highnesse having alway a tender eye with mercy pitty and compassion â—owards his spirituall
yeare of the raigne of your the Queens Majesties most noble Father Henry the 8. or any other your most noble Progenitors before the said 20 yeare And the Popes holinesse and See Apostolicke to be restored have and enjoy such authority preheminence and jurisdiction as his Holinesse used and exercised or might lawfully have used and exercised by authority of his supremacie the said 20. yeare of the raigne of the King your Father within this your Realme of England and other your Dominions without diminution or enlargement of the same and none other and the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction of the Archbishops Bishops and Ordinanaries to be in the same Staâ—e for processe of suiâ—s punishment of crimes and execution of censures of the Church with knowledge of causes belonging to the same and as large in these points as the said jurisdiction was the said 20. yeare Where observe that the Prelates usurped Jurisdiction over the Kings prerogative was much eclipsed if not quite abolished by severall statutes made in King Henry the 8. and Edward the 6. his raigne and expired together with the Popes as appeares by these words of the Clergies supplication recited in the body of this Act. Nos Episcopi Clerus c. cum omni debita humilitate reverentia exponimus Majestatibus vestris quod licet Ecclesiarum quibus in Episcopos Decanos Archidiaconos c. constituti sumus bona Iurisdictiones jura in pernicioso hujus Regni praeterito schismate DEPERDITA ET AMISSA omni studio totis nostris vâ—ribus recuperare ad pristinum ecclesiarum jus revocare juris remediis niti deberemus c. Insuper Majestatibus vestris supplicamus ut pro sua pietate efficere dignentur ut ea quae ad jurisdictionem nostram libertatem Ecclesiasticam pertinent sine quibus debitum nostri pastoralis officii curae animarum nobis commissae exercere non possumus nobis superiorum temporum injuria ablata restituantur ea nobis ecclesiis perpetuo illaesa salva permaneant ut omnes leges quae hanc nostram jurisdictionem libertatem Ecclesiasticam tollunt seu quovis modo impediunt abrogentur ad honorem dei majestatum vestrarum c. As therefore the Bishops Popes Jurisdiction were suppressed together before so it is worth the observation that they are both revived together by this Act upon the restauration of Popery And good reason for Nicholas le Maistre in his Instauration of the Ancient Principality of Bishops Dedicated to the great French Cardinall Richeleiu Printed at Paris 1633. in his Dedicatory Epistle to this Cardinall informes us That verily the Majestie of the Pontificall and Episcopall jurisdiction is so conjoyned and confederated together that the enemies cannot so guide their hands but with the same audacity wherewith they assaulted the Popes Crowne they likewise shaked the Bishops Miters and as it were with one bloody wound pierced both their sides Whence it came to passe that the atrocity of the Bishops sorrowes increased so farre that their patience sufficient to digest their owne domesticke injuries was let loose to the dangers of the chiefe Pontise the Pope and brake forth into the most sharpe indignation and hatredâ— that thence it might appeare that the glory of their owne name could never be more secure than when and where the Popes greatnesse shall be adorned with greatest honours which being violated all the splendor of the Episcopall Order must necessarily dye and grow contemptible Hence we see it comes to passe by a certaine Divine assent and Counsell that the Authority of Bishops should be expelled out of the same Provinces out of which unhappy lust had thrust out the Papall Majestie So this Author of late by which we may discerne what a neare and indissoluble connexion there is betweene the Papacy and the Prelacie and how the Pope and Prelates ever mutually strive to support and advance one anothers authority Cardinall Poole thus reviving the Popes and Prelates Jurisdiction and suppressing and eclipsing the Royall Prerogative as you have heard hereupon the Queenes name and Title formerly used in all Ecclesiasticall Processe with this clause Suprema Autoritate Regia legitime fulcitus the like was wholly omitted out of them and whereas all such processes were sealed with her seale and all Probates of Wills and Letters of Administration granted in her name and under her seale onely not the Bishops like Writs at the Common Law according to the Statute of 1 Ed. 6. c. 2. the Bishops thenceforth used onely their owne seales and names excluding hers and so set themselves in her Royall Throne To effect this the Cardinall and Prelates caused Queene Mary to send Articles to the Ordinaries to be put in Execution whereof this was one that no Bishop or his Oâ—ficer or any other Person hereafter in any of their Ecclesiastical writings in proces or other extrajudiciall Acts doe use to put in this clause or sentence Regia autoritate fulcitus or doe demand any Oath touching the Primacy to which Master Fox annexeth this Marginall annotation The Kings Authority giveth place to the Popes Authority the supremacy of the King repealed and hereupon in the Queenes writ to Bonner â—or the sommoning of a Convocation her stile of Supremum caput was taken away where note good Reader writes Master Fox concerning the altering and changing of the Queenes stile the later part hereof to be leâ—t out of her Title which is Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hibernae supremum caput because in the Parliament last past the supremacy being given away from the Crowne of England to the Pope thereupon this parcell of the Title was also taken away likewise the sayd Bonner giving his Certificate upon the same left out Autoritate illustrissimae c. legitime fulcitus which parcell also in the said Parliament was reprived and taken away the same time Which notable usurpation upon the Crowne though abolished by 1. E l. c. 1.8 E l. c. 1.1 â—ac c. 25. and other Acts which revive the statute 1. E l. 6. c. 2. being nothing but the Common Law our Prelates in imitation of these and other their undutifull Popish Predecessors have not onely continued but likewise upon the now Arch-Bishop of Canterburies motion in Star-Chamber procured a Resolution and Certificate of all the Judges of England against the Laws Kings prerogative royall to justifie this their usurpation of issuing out processe under their owne names and seales and keeping Visitations and Courts in their owne names without any Patent or Commission from his Majestie to be legall as appeares by two Orders of Starre-Chamber 12. Maii and 4. Iunii 13. Caroli This Arch-prelate Cardinall having thus re-established the Popes and Prelates jurisdiction here by Act of Parliament caused divers of our Martyrs to be burnt of which his Predecessor Cranmer was one and in his Visitation at Oxford and Cambridge caused the dead
the cunning devises of some who accused him as a favourer of the Puritans Conventicles and prophecying which he justified in a particular treatise which I have seene dedicated to the Queene and subscribed by all his suffragans hee utterly lost the same being thereupon suspended from his Bishopricke and so dyed suspended Martin records that the true cause of his suspension was for disallowing the matrimony of Julio an Italian Physitian with another mans wife therein thwarting the Earle of Leicesters pleasure In his dayes M. Iohn or rather Philip Stubs of Lincolnes Inne lost his hand for writing a booke against the Queenes intended match with the Duke of Anjou with this Title The gulfe wherein England will be swallowed up by the French marriage with which the Queene was sorely vexed and displeased Sentence was pronounced against him by vertue of a Law made in the raigne of Philip and Mary then expired and personall to them whereupon the Iudges and chiefe Lawyers were at variance concerning the force of that Statute but might prevailed therein against right And about the same time Edward Campian Ralph Sherwin Luke Kerby Alexander Briant Priests were indited condemned and executed for high Treason for plotting the ruine of the Queene and Kingdome as adhering to the Pope the Queenes enemie and comming into England to raise forces against her Iohn VVhitegift next to him in succession a stately Pontificall Bishop contested much for the authority and Lordly jurisdiction of Prelates in defence whereof hee then writ though hee durst not averre our Archbishops to be of divine institution Hee had some contestations with the Judges whom he much troubled about Prohibitions ex officio oathes and proceedings the power of the high Commission and other Exclesiasticall Courts 〈◊〉 he endeavoured to enlarge to the prejudice of the Queenes prerogative and the Subjects liberties whereupon in the Parliament Anno 1585. divers Bils and complaints were exhibited against the oath ex officio the granting of faculties by Bishops Non-residencie and other abuses which this Prelate by his power to prevent a reformationâ— crossed and frustrated to the great disturbance of the Church and State and the increase oâ— schismes and divisions in both After this Anno 1588. hee procured these reverend Ministers and Gentlemen M. Vdall M. Penry M. Cartwright King Prudlar Paine M. Knightly M. Wigstone and others to be questioned and fined in Starchamber for writing against the English Hierarchy and caused M. Penry Vdall and others against all Law and Justice to be condemned and executed for this cause whereupon the Judge before whom they were arraigned much troubled in conscience fell into desperation and died miserably These his violent proceedings stirred up VVigginton Coppinger and franticke Hacket whom the Prelates oppression made starke mad to accuse the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke of high Treason and to runne into extravagant actions and opinions which they afterward recanted And not these alone but others likewise opposing the government of the Church of England disallowed the calling of Bishops and got some eminent Lawyers as M. Maurice Atturney of the Court of Wards and others to write against the government of Bishops and the Oath ex ofâ—icio which troubled much the whole Church State Judges Parliament and Kingdome and fired them almost into an uproare this Archprelate straining his Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction beyond its bounds farre higher than any of his predecessors since the reformation Whereupon multitudes of bookes were written against the calling Lordlinesse and extravagances of the Prelates and their Courts some in serious others in more light and jesting manner wherewith the Prelates were much nettled and their government rendred very odious among the people which certainly had then beene subverted had not the power of this Archprelate made a privy Counsellor and of Chancellour Hatâ—on a man popishly affected as was generally then reported kept it from ruine This Archprelates traine of servants was extraordinary great to the number of above 60 menservants who were all trained up to martiaâ—â—â—â—â—ires and mustred almost every weeke his stable being stiâ—l well furnished with good store of great horses a commendable thing in a warlike Prelate though scarce allowable in a pious Apostolicall Bishop who should rather traine up schollers for the pulpit than souldiers for the field Richard Bancroft his great creature and immediate successor had many conflicts with the Judges concerning prohibitions ex officio Oathes and the power of the High Commissioners before the King and Councell to the great disquiet of the Realme and oppression of the people hee defended the Bishops Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to be jure Divino and not derived immediately by Letters Patents from the King like an ungratefull wretch contrary to the expresse Acts of 26. H. 8. c. 1.31 H. 8 c. 9 10.37 H. 8. c. 17. 1. Edw. 6. c.. 1. Eliz. c. 1.1 2. Phil. Mar. c. 8. 8. Eliz. c. 1. and the whole streame of the Fathers forraine Protestants and our English writers to the great affront of the Kings prerogative royall And if some men yet alive may be credited who accused him to the Councell of these crimes and offered to prove them hee had a hand in the compiling of Dolmans the Jesuites Booke concerning the succession of the Crowne of England the maine scope of which booke written as some say by Cardinall Allen and Fr. Ingelfield Dolmans enemies was to exclude all persons how neere soever allyed to the Crown unlesse they were Roman Catholikes contending further for the right of Isabel Infanta of Spaine and seeking to disprove King Iames his most rightfull title thereunto which Dolman with other old Priests and Jesuites hee harboured in his house where they affirme this booke was Printed and some thought hee was privie to that devillish plot of the Gunpowder-treason most of the traytors lying at Lambeth whiles they were about that hellish worke This Relation I had from others who averred it for truth and offered to prove it in his lifetime could they have beene heard And it seemes for the point of Dolmans booke and conniving at such other seditious traiterly popish pamphlets of that nature this Prelate was not altogether cleare for in the Conference at Hampton Court before King Iames when D. Reynolds moved the King that such unlawfull and seditious bookes might be suppressed at least restrained which unsetled and corrupted the minds of many young Schollers in both Universities instancing in Ficlerus a Papist De jure Magistratus in subditos for one Bancroft then Bishop of London supposing himselfe principally aimed and why should hee have such a suspition unlesse conscious of some guilt upon such a generall motion and information answered first in the Generall that there was no such licentious divulging of those Bookes as hee imagined or complained off And secondly to the particular instance of Ficlerus that he detested both the Author and applyer alike But for the first my Lord Cecill
used there to preach before the King and Prelates fâ—eely told him That if hee did not remove from him Peter Bishop of Winchester and Peter de Rivallis he could never be in quiet The King did hereupon a little come to himselfe and Roger Bacon a Clergie-man also of a pleasant wit did second Roberts advise telling the King that Petrae and Rupes were most dangerous things at Sea alluding to the Bishops name Petrus de Rupibus The King therefore as hee had the happinesse in his mutabilitie to change for his more securitie taking that good advise of Schollers which he would not of his Peeres summons a Parliament to be holden at VVestminster giving the World to know withall that his purpoâ—e was to amend by their advise whatsoever ought to be amended But the Barons considering that still there arrived sundry strangers men of warre with Horse and Armourâ— and not trusting the Poiâ—â—ovine faith came not but presumed to send this message to the King that if out of hand he removed not Peter Bishop of Winchester and the Poictovines out of his Courtâ— they all of them by the common consent of the Kingdome would drive him and his wicked Counsellours together out of it and consult about creating a new Soveraigne The King whom his Fathers example made more timerous could easily have beene drawne to have redeemed the love of his naturall Liege-men with the disgrace of a few strangers but the Bishop of VVinchester and his Friends infused more spirit into him Whereon to all those whom hee suspected the King sets downe a day within which they should deliver sufficient pledges to secure him of their loyalty Against that day the Lords in great numbers make repaire to London but the Earle Marshall admonished of danger by his Sister the Countesse of Cornewall â—lyes backe to VVales and chiefely for want of his presence nothing was concluded The King not long after is at Gloster with an Armie whither the Earle and his Adherents required to come refused the King therefore burnes their Mannors and gives away their inheritances to the Poictovines This Rebellion had not many great Names in it but tooke strength rather by weight then number the knowne Actors were the Earle Marshall the Lord Gilbert Basset and many of the inferiour Nobles The Bishops arts had pluckt from him the Kings brother and the two Earles of Chester and Lincolne who dishonourably sold their love for a thousand Markes and otherwise as it seemed secured the rest Neverthelesse they may well bee thought not to have borne any evill will to their now forsaken confederate the Earle Marshall who tooke himselfe to handle the common cause certainely hee handled his owne safety but ill as the event shall demonstrate The Earle hearing these things contracts strict amity with Lewelin Prince of Wales whose powers thus knit together by advantages of the Mountaines were able to counterpoise any ordinary invasion To the kings ayde Balwin de Gisnes with many Souldiers came out of Flanders The king now at Hereford in the midst of his Forces sends from thence by VVinchesters counsell the Bishop of Saint Davids to defie the Earle Marshall How farre soever the word defie extends it selfe sure it seemes that the Earle hereupon understood himselfe discharged of that obligation by which hee was tyed to the king and freed to make his defence the king notwithstanding after some small attempts and better considerations did promise and assume that by advise of counsell all that was amisse should at a day appointed bee rectified and amended About which time Hubert de Burgo having intelligence that the Bishop of VVinchester who was a Poictovine plotted his death escaped out of the Castle of Devises where hee was prisoner to a Neighbour Church but was haled from thence by the Castle-keepers The Bishop of Sarisbury in whose Diocesse it hapned caused him to be safe restored to the same place from whence by the Earle Marshall and a troope of armed men his friends hee was rescued and carryed into VVales The king at the day and place appointed holds his great Counsell or Conference with the Lords but nothing followed for the peace of the Realme it was not an ordinary passage of speech which hapned there betweene the Lords and Bishop of VVinchester For when the English Bishops and Barons humbly besought the king for the honour of Almightie God to take into grace his naturall Subjects whom without any tryall by their Peeres hee called Traytors the Bishop offended it seemes at Peeres takes the words out of the kings mouth and answers That there are no Peeres in England as in the Realme of France and that therefore the king of England by such Justiciars as himselfe pleaseth to ordaine may banish offenders out of the Realmeâ— and by judiciall processe condemne them The English Bishops relished his speech so sharply that with one voyce they threatned to excommunicate and accurse by name the kings principall wicked Councellours but VVinchester appealed Then they accursed all such as alienated the heart of the king from his Naturall Subjects and all others that perâ—urbed the peace of the Realme Matthew VVestminster writes of this Peter de la Roche that hee was more expert in Military than Scholasticall affaires That the king by his Counsell removed all English Officers out of his Court and precipitately cast away all his Counsellours as well Bishops as Earles Barons and other Nobles of his kingdome so as hee would beleeve none but this Bishop whom hee adored as his God and his Darling Peter de Rivales Whence it came to passe that expelling all Gardians of Castles almost through all Englandâ— the King committed all things under the custodie of this Peter Then this Prelate drew into his confederacie Stephen de Segrave too much an enemie both to the kingdome and Church who had given most detestable counsell formerly to Stephen the Popes Chaplaine to the inestimable dammage of the Church many wayes and Robert de Passelewe who with all his might and with effusion of no small summe of money had plotted treason and grievances at Rome against the king and kingdome This man kept the kings treasure under Peter de Rivalis and so it came to passe that the Reines of the whole kingdome were committed to Strangers and base persons others being rejected Yet Godwin for the honour of his Rochet magnifies this Prelate for his notable Wisdome so as the Counsell of England received a great wound by his death though it and the whole Realme received such prejudice by his life The Earle Marshall writes Speed encreasing in strength and hatred against such as were the kings reputed Seducers makes spoile and bootie on their possessions and after joyning with the power of Leoline Prince of Wales puts all to fire and sword as farre as Shrewesbury part whereof they burnt to Ashes and sackt the Residue The king then
threats of his brother Richard and of the Bishops conspiring with him to draw the King hither and thither to make him odious both to the Pope and people among whom the Bishop of Winchester was chiefe to whom power was given by the Pope to interdict the Kingdome yeelded at last to this taxe being overcome and debilitated with feare The passages whereof are more largely related by Matthew Paris together with the Popes intollerable exactions upon England William Raley the 41. Bishop of Winchester imployed in this former service for the Pope Anno. 1243. being unduly elected by the Monkes of Winchester contrary to King Henry the third his command the King hereupon commanded that no man should give him or his any victuall or lodging charging the Major and Citizens of Winchester to forbid him entrance into that city which they did the Bishop thereupon excommunicated the Major Monks and whole city and interdiâ—ted the Cathedrall for which he felt the burthen of the Kings displeasure so heavy upon him in England as he thought good to fly the Realme till at last by Boniface the Archbishops intercession and the Popes earnest Letters to the King and Queene he was restored to the Kings favour and obtained License to returne The Bishop hereupon in thankefulnesse bestowed upon the Pope 6000. markes for his fatherly care of him which hee in good nature because he would not be reputed disdainfull tooke every penny It is recorded of this Bishop that a little before his death he had the Sacrament brought unto him and perceiving the Priest to enter his Chamber with it he cried out Stay good friend let the Lord come no nearer unto me it is more fit that I be drawne to hira as a Traytor that in many things have beene a Traytor unto him His servants therefore by his commandement drew him out of his bed unto the place where the Priest was and there with teares he received the Sacrament and spent much time in prayer and soone after died at Turon the 20th of September 1249. Ethelâ—arns halfe brother unto the King a man saith Matth. Paris in respect of his orders yeares and learning utterly unsufficient was at the Kings speciall request elected next Bishop of this See he had at that time other spirituall livings equivalent in revenue to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury which that hee might keepe and yet receive all the profits likewise of the Bishopricke of Winchester he determined not to be consecrated at allâ— but to hold it by his election and so did indeede for the space of nine yeares In the meane time he and the rest of his countrymen with whom the Realme was much pestered were growne very odious as well with the Nobility as the Commons not onely for their infinite wealth and immoderate preferment much envied but much more for their pride and insolency which a man can hardly beare in his owne friend much lesse in an alien and â—tranger whom men naturally dislike much sooner then their owne countrimen Amongst the rest this Ethelmarus bare himselfe so bold upon the King his brother as he gave commandement to his servants to force a Clergy man out of the possession of a Benefice whereunto he pretended some right and if he withstood them to draw him out of his possession in contumelious manner the poore man loath to loose his living defended it so long till by my Lord Elects men he was slaine himselfe and his people so soare beaten and wounded as within few dayes one or two of them died This fact and other like complained of by the Barons to the Pope and King brought all the Poictavins into such hatred as the Realme was ready to rise against them and the rather upon this occasion Anno. Dom. 1252. a certainâ— Priest intruded himselfe by authority of this Prelate into the Hospitall in Southwerke within this Diocesse founded by Thomas Becket Eustathius de Len. Officiall to the Archbishop of Canterbury conceiving himselfe injured hereby because by reason of the patronage his consent ought to have intervened which was omitted through contemptâ— thrice admonished the said Priest to depart because his entranee was injurious and presumptuous the Priest stiled commonly the Prior of this Hospitall refuseth to doe it keeping possession The â—fficiall hereupon excommunicates him for his contumacy under which excommunication the Prior continued fortie dayes multiplying threats and revilings The Officiall not brooking such pride at last commanded this contumacious Prior to be apprehended who hearing of itâ— enters into the Church in his Priestly Vestments were he fortifieth himselfe the officers purposely sent to apprehend him spared him not because he had contemned the keyes of the Church The Officiall therefore commanded him to be carried to Maydstoneâ— a manner of the Archbishops untill it were determined what should be done hereupon thinking to keepe him there beâ—ause the Archbishop was said to be neare that place But the Bishop of Winchester hearing of it was more angry than became him as if he had sufferâ—d a great injury with disgrace presented a grievous complaint to his brethren with whose ayde and councell being puffed up he calling a band of Souldiers together with no small company following them sent them to seeke and apprehend the authors of this violence They therefore with great â—orce and tumult as in a hostile war came to Suwerke thinking to have found them there where searching all places and finding none of them they went hastily with a swift pace to Maydstone to free the Captive Prior there detained with a powerfull hand and breaking downe all that stood in the way searching all secret corners when they found not him they sought for because hee was hid they called for fire that they might burne all to ashes And after many injuries there committed when they found not him they sought for certified by some whisperers where the Officiall was they sought forâ— to wit at Lambeth neare London they all ran thither in a troope where heaving up the doores from their hinges and breaking them running in altogether in a confused troope sodainely before the houre of dinner they tooke the Officiall premeditating no such thing in a hostile and unseemely manner and haling him away they set him on a horse like a vile slave deprehended in the act of stealing to be carried whether they pleased he being not suffered so much as to touch the reâ—nes of the horses bridle that carried him O rash presumptionâ— O unexcusable â—rreverence saith Matth. Paris which so ignominiously handled and worried such an authenticall man so excellent learned so perspicuosly famous and representing the Archbishops person Moreover they inhumanly handled the Chaplaine serving in his Chappell and flying to the hornes of the Altar rayling upon him The Officiall after they had done all things which anger yea fury had perswaded they drew by the Bridle to Fâ—rnehold till they were certified of the Priors restitution detaining him violently against his will
was true enough for hee died soone after Holinshed saith hee died â—or sorrow because he could not cleere himselâ—e of his offence in the said rebellion albeit that he laboured most earnestly so to do that hee might thereby have obtained the Kingâ— favour againe Ranulph Flambard his very next successor a very wicked man nothing scrupulous but ready to do any thing for preferment was by King William Rufus who â—ound him a fit man for his purpose to bring great summes of money into his coffers by any unlawâ—ull meanes made chiefe Governour of all his Realme under him so as hee had all thaâ— authority which now the Lord Treasurer Chancellour and divers other offices have divided amongâ—t them this auâ—hority he abused very impudently not caring whom he offended so as he might enrich either the King or himselfe Many times when the King gave commandement for the levying of a certaine summe of moneyes amongst his Subjects hee would require of the Commons twice as much whereat the King being very well content would laugh and say that Ranulph was the onely man for his turne who cared not whom hee displeased so hee might please his Master It was impossible but hee should be very odious both unto the Common people and Nobility also and no marvell if many complaints were made unto the King of him against all which hee shut his eares obstinaâ—ely When therefore that way succeeded not some of his discontented adversaries determined to wrecke their malice on him by killing him They faine a message from the Bishop of London his old Master that hee was very sicke and ready to depart the world that hee was wonderfull desirous to speake with him and to the end hee might make the better speed had sent him a Barge to convey him to his house being then by the water-side Hee suspecting no fraud went with them in great haste attended onely by his Secretary and some one or two other They having him thus in their clutches carried him not to the appoiâ—ted Staires but unto â— Ship provided for him ready to set saile As soone as hee perceived how hee was entrapped hee cast away his Ring or manuell Seale and after his great Sâ—ale into the river lest they might give opportunity of forging false grants and conveyances Then hee falls to intreating and perswading but all to no purpose for they were determined he should die They had appointed two Marinâ—rs to dispatch him either by knocking out his braines or heaving him alive over-board for doing whereof they were promised to have his cloathes These executioners could not agree upon the division of the reward â—or his gowne was better worth than all the rest of his apparell while they were reasoning upon that point it pleased God to raise a terrible tempest so as they looked every minute to die thâ—mselves and therefore had no very good leasure of thinking to put another man to death Ranulph then omitting no opportunity of his deliverance like another Orion by the musicke of his eloquence seekes to disswade them from the bloody execution of their determinationâ— laying before them the danger that was like to ensue them upon the execuâ—ion of so cruell a murther which could not be hid and lastly wishing them to consider how God by raising this tempest had threatned to revenge his death and had as it were set the Image of vengeance before their eyes promising them mountaines of gold if they saved his life By which hee so farre prevailed that one of them offered to defend him and Girald the author of this conspiracie was content to set him aland and to conduct him to his owne house But so soone as hee had done not trusting a reconciled foe hee got him out of the Land Aâ—ter this notable voyage hee was consecrated Bishop of Durham Hee was scarce warme in his See but King William Rufus was slaine and his brother Henry succeeded him This Prince not able to withstand the importunity of his Nobles and the innumerable complaints made against this Bishop by the vote of the whole Parliament clapt him up in the Towre But hee so enchaunted his keepers as they were content to let him goe and runne away with themselves William of Malmesbury saith that he procured a waterbeaâ—er in his Tankâ—rd to bring him a rope by whiâ—h hee slid downe from the wall to the ground and so although hee hurt his arme and galled his legge to the bone away he escaped getting himselfe into Normandy where hee arriâ—ed in the beginning of February Ann. 1101. There hee never left buzzing into the eares of Robert Duke of Normandy that the Kingdome of England was his by right till hee procured him to aâ—tempt the invasion of the Realme to his owne great losse the effusion of much Christian blood and the great disturbance and dammage of the whole Realme How long hee continued in his exile is not recorded by our Historians who brand him for a notable extortioner oppressor rebell and desperate wicked wretch ad omne scelus paratum as too many of his coate since him have beene who set the whole Realme into an uproare and combustion About the yeare 1100. King Edgar gave to the Monkes of Durham the lands of Coldingham And to this Bishop of Durham he gave the towne of Barwicke but for that the said Bishop afterward wrought treason against him hee lost that gift and the King resumed that Towne into his hands againe Hugh Pusar his successor the 33. Bishop of that See nephew to King Stephen a man very wise in ordering temporall matters not spirâ—tuall exceeding covetous and as cunning in getting money as covetous in desiring it was refused to be consecrated Bishop by Murdack Archbishop of Yorke for want of yeaâ—es and lightnesse in behaviour whereupon he obtained his consecration at Rome King Richard the first â—or a great masse of money hee had prepared for his voyage into the holy Land dispensed with his vowe of pilgrimage thither and likewise made him Earle of Northumberland The King having created him an Earle turned him about unto the company and laughing said I have performed a wonderfull exploit for quoth hee of an old Bishop I have made a young Earle Hee likewise gave the King one thousand Markes to make him chiefe Justice of England qui nimirum consultius proprio contentus officio divini juris multo decentius quam humani minister extitisset cum nemo possit utrique prout dignum est deservire atque illud dominiâ—um ad Apostolos maxime Successores Apostolorum respiciat Non potestis Deo servire mammonae Si enim velit Episcopus ut coelesti pariter terreno Regi placeat ad utrumque se officium dividere certe Rex coelestis qui sibi vult ex toto corde tota anima tota virtute serviri ministerium dimidium non approbat non diligit non acceptat Quid si Episcopus nec saltem dimidius quae
with the rest of the Bishops and Abbots mitred and in rich Copes every one of them carrying Censers in their hands going in great solemnity before him and afterwards crowning both him and his Queene according to the custome of the Realme so officious were they to this usurper Cutbert Tonstall the 58. Bishop of Durham December 20. 1551. was committed to the Tower for his disobedience to King Edward the sixth where he continued all his Reigne The King was so farre offended with him that 7. Edward 6. the Bishopricke of Durham was dissolved by Act of Parliament and all the Lands and hereditaments thereof given to the King but he dying this Bishopricke was againe revived and erected 1. Mar. Parliament 2. cap. 3. and this Bishop thereunto restored Who in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth for his contumacy and disobedience in maintaining the Popes Supremacie which he oppugned formerly and for refusing the oath of Supremacy which he had sworne unto in the raigne of King Henry the eight he was justly deprived and committed prisoner to Lambeth House where he dyed I finde this Tonstall highly applauded by some who lived since his dayes but M. Tyndall who knew him farre better than they writes thus of him And as for the Bishopricke of Durham to say the very truth he to wit Cardinall Wolsie could not but of good cougruity reward his old Chaplaine and one of the chiefe of all his Secretaries withall still Saturne that so seldome speaketh but walketh up and downe all day musing and imagining mischiefe a doubling hypocrite made to dissemble Which for what service done in Christs Gospell came he to the Bishopricke of Londâ—n Or what such service did he therein hee burnt the New Testament calling it Doctrinam peregrinam strange learning The story of whose buying and burning of M. Tyndals New Testaments who with the money set forth a new and better Edition is related by M. Hall at large in his Chronicle 21. H. 8. f. 186. Yea Verily looke how strange his living in whose blood that Testament was made was from the living of the Pope even so strange is that Doctrine from the Popes Law in which onely and in the Practise thereof is Tunstall learned Which also for what cause left he the Bishopricke of London Even for the same cause he tooke it after that he had long served for it covetousnesse and ambition Neither is it possible naturally pray marke this passage that there should be any good Bishop so long as the Bishoprickes be nothing save worldly Pompe and honour superfluous abundance of all manner of riches and liberty to doe what a man left unpunished things which onely the evill desire and good men abhorre For the late Bishops of this See of Durham Neale Howson their dispositions and actions against goodnesse and good men and their turbulencie both in Church and State are so well knowne to most that I neede not mention it And as for the present Bishop Dr Morton whom I honour for his learning and workes against the Papists how farre hee hath degenerated of late yeares from his Pristine zeale and hatred of Romish Superstitions and Innovations and how farre he hath ingaged himself in the late Wars and differences between England and Scotland I leave to others to determine Onely this I cannot preâ—ermit in silence that as the first Popish Innovations and superstitions which lately over-spread our whole Church had their Originall from Bishop Neale and his Chaplaine Dr. Cosens at Durham so God hath made that City and Bishopricke of Durham the onely County of England stiled by the name of a Bishoprick the seate of our late wars wherein the Scottish Armie now resides to manifest to all the world that these unhappie civill warres sprung from the Bishops since the seate of them is no where but in this Bishoprick the Scottish Generall for the most part hath kept his residence in the Bishop of Durhams own Palaces who for feare hath left them vacant and fled that Country which he hath much oppressed From Durham I proceede to Salisbury Salisbury Alstane or Adelstane Bishop of Sherburne which See was not long after translated to Salisbury turned warrior and led an Army into Kent against Ethelwolfe King oâ— that County and chased away both the King and all other that would not submit themselves to Egbert over the Thames out of their Country He fought oft against the Danes provided money and furnished out men to withstand them and tooke upon him to order all matters of the State under King Ethelwolfe When King Ethelwolfe returned from Rome Adelstane who bare no small rule in the Kingdome of the West-Saxons would not suffer him to be admitted King because he had done in certaine points contrary to the Lawes and Ordinances of the Kingdome as he conceived whereupon by this Bishops meanes Ethelbald this Kings sonne was established King in his Fathers steed and so continued till at last by agreement the Kingdome was devided betwixt them This Bishop was fervently set on covetousnesse and greatly enriched his See of Sherburne where he continued Bishop 50. yeares Roger the great rich Bishop of Salisbury advanced and specially trusted by King Henry the first for all the benefits that he and his friends received from him proved not so thankfull or faithfull to his Majestie as was to be expected For King Henry the first having lost his onely sonne and Heire apparent Prince William by mis-fortune upon the Sea and having no issue lawfully begotten to inherit the Kingdome but onely Mawd the Empresse thought good to take an Oath of all the Nobility wherein they promised to yeeld obedience to her as their Soveraigne and to none other This Oath Roger not onely tooke himselfe but likewise administred to all the other being then Chancellour of England yet notwithstanding forgetting all duties of Religion towards God of thankfulnesse towards his patron and Loyalty towards his Prince he was the first man who upon the death of the King fell to plotting for the advancement of Stephen unto the Kingdome who likewise had taken the former Oath and swore homage and fealty unto Mawde which by his perswasion he first attempted and much deale by his ungracious counsell at last obtained At the time of King Henry his death it hapned that Mawde was in Normandy with her Father wherefore Stephen Earle of Bologne taking this advantage wrought so with this Bishop and the Bishop of Winchester and they with him as they were content to set the Crowne upon his head who otherwise than by a kinde of election which they procured had no colour of right unto the same For if they regarded nearenesse of blood not onely Mawde and her sonne were nearer but Theobald also Earle of Bloyes Stephens elder brother Howbeit these Clergie men that bare all the sway in those times desirous to continue their owne greatnesse would needes make choyse
and Lincolne both detained Prisoners affirming that it was a miserable wickednesse that the king was so farre seduced by incendiaries that he should command hands to be layd on his owne people especially on his Bishops in the peace of his Court That a Celestiall injury was hereby added to the kings dishonour that under pretence of the defaults of the Bishops Churches should be spoyled of their possessions That the kings excesse against the Law of God did so farre grieve him that he would rather suffer much losse both in his body and estate than the Episcopall celsitude should be cast downe with so great indignity that he ofâ— admonishedâ— the king to amend this same who even then refused not the calling of the Councell that therefore the Arch-bishop and the rest should consult together what was needfull to be done and hee would not be wanting to the execution of their advise neither for love of the king who was his brother nor for the losse of his possessions no nor yet for the perill of his head The King not distrusting his cause sent some Earles unto the Councell demaunding why he was summoned thither The Legate answered them in briefe that he who remembred that he had subjected himselfe to the faith of Christ ought not to be angry if he were called by Christs Ministers to make satisfaction being conscious of so great guilt as these ages had never seene For it was the act of secular Gentiles to imprison Bishops and strip them of their possessions Therefore they should tell his Brother that if he would give a willing assent to his Councell he would by Gods direction give him â—uch as neither the Church of Rome nor the Court of the king of France nor Count Theobald brother to them both should contradict but ought favourably to embrace that the king for the present should doe advisedly if either he would give an account of his fact or undergoe the judgement of the Canons for he ought of duty to favour the Church by reception into whose bosome and not by a â—and of Souldiers he was promoted to the kingdome Whereupon the Earles departing returned not long afâ—er wâ—th Albin Deâ—er an experienced Lawyer Who pleaded that Roger the Bishop had many wayes inâ—ured king Stephen that he came very seldome to his Court thaâ— his men presuming on his power had raised seditions that as often in other places so of late at Oxford they had made assaults on men and that upon Earle Alans owne Nephew and upon the Servants of Henry de Lyons a man of so great Nobility so haughty a brow that he would never upon king Henries request condescend to come into England That this injury redounded to king Stephen for whose loves sake hâ—e came that so great violence was offered to him that the Bishop of Lincolne out of his inveterate hatred against Alan had by his Servants beene the Author of Sedition that the Bishop of Salisbury secretly favoured the kings enemies dissembling his double dealing in the interim till a fiâ— occasion that the king had undoubtedly discovered this by many things and by this especially that he would not suffer Roger Mortimer with the kings Souldiers which he led in great â—eare of the Bristow men so much as to stay one night at Malmesbury that it was in every mans mouth that as soone as ever the Empresse should arrive that he with his Nâ—phewes and Castles would revolt to her that Roger was thus taken not as a Bishop but as the Kings Servant who both administred his affaires and received his wages that the King had not taken away the Castles from them by violence but that both the Bishops thankefully rendered them that they might excuse the calumny of the tumult which they had raised in the Court that the King found some money in the Castles which were lawâ—ully his owne because the Bishop had collected it out of the Rents of the Royall Exchequer in the time of King Henry his Uncle and antecessor that the Bishop for feare of his offences against the King willingly parted from them as he did from his Castles of which â—he King wanted not witnesses that therefore he desired the agreements betweene him and the Bishops should remaine firme Roger on the other side alleaged that he was never a Servant to the King nor received his wages moreover some threatnings were uttered by this generous Prelate who scorned to be dejected with mis-fortunes that if he found not justice in that Councell for the things taken from him that he would complaine thereof in the audience of a greater Court. The Legate answered mildlyâ— That they ought first to inquire as of other things so of all things which are spoken against Bishops in an Ecclesiasticall Councell by way of accusation whether they be true or not rather then to pronounce sentence against men uncondemned contrary to the decrees of the Canons let the King therefore doe that is lawfull to be done in secular judgements revest the Bishop of the things taken away by the Law of the Nations disseised men shall not plead Many things being spoken on both sides after this manner the cause at the Kings request was deferred 3. dayes longer till the Archbishop of Rhoan came Who sayd he granted that Bishops might have Castles if they could prove by the Canons that by law they ought to have them Which because they could not that it was extreame dishonesty to contend against the Canons And grant saith he that they may enjoy them yet verily because it is a suspitious time all the great men according to the custome of other Nations ought to deliver up the Keyes of their Fortresses to the Kings pleasure who ought to wage warre for the peace of all men Thus all the controversie of the Bishops was weakned For either according to the Decrees of the Canons it is unjust they should have Castles or if this be tolerated by the Kings indulgence they ought to yeeld up the keyes tâ— the necessity of the time To this Albric the Kings Lawyer added that the King was informed that the Bishops threatned among themselves and provided to send some of them to Rome against him And this saith he the King commendeth to you that none of you presume to doe it for if any one against his will and the dignity of the Kingdome of England shall goe any where from England peradventure his returne shal be difficult Moreover he because he seeth himselfe grieved of his own accord appeales you to Rome After the King partly by commending partly by way of threatning had commanded these things it was understood whither it tendedâ— Wherefore they so departed that neither he would suffer the censure of the Canons nor be judged by them neither did the Bishops thinke fit to exercise it and that for a double reason Either because it would be temerarious to excommunicate the King without the Popes privity Or else because they heard and some also
saw that there were swords drawne round about them for words were no jests but there was a contention almost about life and blood Yet the Legate and Archbishop gave not over but prosecuted the tenor of their office for casting themselves humbly downe at the Kings feete in his Bedchamber they beseeched him to compassionate the Church to compassionate his owne sâ—ule and fame that he would not suffer a dissention to be made betweene the Kingdome and Priesthood He rising up courteously although he removed the envie of the things done â—rom himselfe yet he made no effectuall performance of his good promises And so this great suite wherein the Prelates presumed to convent the king himselfe before them to try his title to Castles being temporall possessions ceased and the pretended execution of their owne Canons never pressed before that I read of vanished into nothing These bickerings betweene the Bishop his Nephewes and the king to whom he owed even the Crowne he wore caused all the Bishops to fall off from him againe and joyne with Maude This their treachery to King Stephen is most fully recorded by William Malmesbury who relates that the Bishop of Winchester brother to king Stephen and the Popes Legate taking some offence against the king came to a Parley with Maude in the fields neere Winchester where Maude the Empresse swore and vowed to him that all the greatest businesses in England and especially the Donations of Bishoprickes and Abbies should be at his disposall if he with the holy Church would receive her for their Soveraigne and be continually loyall to her some of the greatest Nobles of her party making the same oath Whereupon the Bishop made no scruple to receive the Empresse as Lady of England and to sweare to her by himselfe and some others that as long as she brake not this agreement that he would be faithfull to her which done the next day she was received by the Bishop in the Cathedrall Church of Winchester with an honourable Procession the Bishop of Winchester going on her right hand and Barnard Bishop of Saint Davids on her left there were other Bishops present beside these as Alexander Bishop of Lincolne Robert of Hereford Nigellus of Ely Robert of Bath with sundry Abbotsâ— a few dayes after Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury came to the Empresse at Winchester being invited by the Legate but deâ—erred to sweare fealty to the Empresse without the kings privity being as hee thought a dishonour to his fame and person but after some conference had with the king by the Cardinall and most of the Prelates who intreated leave of him to yeeld to the necessity of the time they condescended to the Legates motion and fell off to the Empresse Whereupon about a fortnight after Easter Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury held a Councell of all the Bishops of England and of many Abbots in great state at Winchester wherein the Bishop of Winchester made this speech That by vertue of his Legatine power which he derived from the Pope he had summoned the Clergie of England to this Councell that they might consult in Common of the peace of the Country which was in great danger of Shipwrack that in the time of King Henry his Uncle England was a singular houshold of peace c. Which King some yeares before his death caused all the Bishops and Barons to sweare to the Empresse his Daughter and onely Childe that the whole kingdome of England with the Dutchy of Normandy should descend to her if he had no issue male by the Duke of Loraines daughter That dismall fortune envied his most excellent Uncle so as he dyed in Normandy without issue male Therefore because it seemed long to expect the Lady who resided in Normandy and delayd to come into England to provide for the peace of the Country my Brother was permitted to raigne And although I became a surety betweene God and him that hee should honour and exalt the holy Church maintaine good Lawes and abrogate evill yet it grieves me to remember it shames me to relate what a one he hath shewed himselfe in his kingdome how no justice hath beene exercised upon the presumptuous how all peace was presently abolished almost the same yeare the Bishops apprehended and compelled to a reddition of their possessions Abbies sold the Churches rob'd of their treasures the Counsells of wicked men heard of good men either suspended or altogether contemned You know how often I have convented him both by my selfe and by the Bishops especially in the Councell the last yeare summoned to that purpose and that I got nothing but hatred thereby Neither can it be unknowne to any who will rightly consider it that I ought to love my mortall brother but ought much more to esteeme the cause of my immortall Father Therefore because God hath exercised his judgement touching my brother that he might permit him without my knowledge to fall into the power of the Mighty left the kingdome should â—ottet if it wanted a king I have invited you all by the right of my Legation to assemble together at this place Yesterday the cause was secretly ventilated before the greater part of the Clergie of England to whose right especially it belongs both to elect and ordaine a king Therefore having first invocated as it is meete Gods assistance we have â—lected the Daughter of a peace-making king a glorioâ—s king a rich king a good king and in our time incomparable to be Queene of England and Normandy and we promise fidelity and maintenance to her When the Bishop of Winchester had thus spoken all the Bishops and Clergie present as William of Malmsbury then present at the Councell relates did either modestly give their acclamation to the sentence of Mauds election and Stephens rejection or keeping silence did not contradict it In this Councell many who tooke king Stephens part were excommunicated and by name William Martell who had intercepted some of the Legates goods aâ—ter this Councell the City of London formerly addicted to king Stephen and the greatest part of England willingly submitted to the dominion of Maude who was principally counselled by Robert her brother and by the Legate of Winchester who pretended that hee sought her welfare but within few dayes after there fell out a difference betweene the Legate and Maude which occasioned a great alteration and was the cause of many new mischiefes in Englâ—nd Whereupon the Bishop Legate departed from the Court absolved all those whom he â—ormerly excommunicated in the Councell without the consent of the Bishops raised up a complaint against the Empresse that she intended to apprehend him and made no account of any thing she had sworne to Which report was spred over all England Whereupon he stirred up the Londoners and Barons against the Empresse whom he beseiged and restored Sâ—ephen not onely to his liberty but to the Crowne In the meane time â—his Roger Bishop of Salisbury dyes of a Quarâ—aine Fever which
he fell into out of griefe of minde This Prelate was so high in king Henries favour that he denyed little or nothing to him that he demanded he gave him Lands Churches Prebends of Clarkes whole Abbies of Monkes and committed the kingdome to his trust making him Chancellor of England Roger therefore pleaded causes he moderated expences he kept the kings treasure and that without a companion and witnesse both while the king was present in England and absent in Normandy and not onely by the king but likewise by the Nobles and even by those who secretly envied his felicity and especially by the kings Servants and debtoâ—s all things almost that he could thinke of were conferred on him if any thing was contiguous to his possessions which might conduce to his utility that he either begged or bought if not he extorted it by violence he alone was in greatest honour abounding in wealth pompe â—riends authority stately houses and Castles and seemed the onely happy man on earth Yet at last in a moment fortune cruelly stung him with her Scorpions tayle so as he saw many of his friends wounded and his most familiar Souldiers beheaded before his face himselfe captivated two of his Nephewes most potent Prelates to be put to flight and taken prisoners and a third a young man whom he most loved to bee bound in chaines his Castles to be rendred up his treasures spoyled himself afterwards in a Councell torne with most foule reproaches the residue of his money and plate which he had layd upon the Altar to finish a Church to beâ— carried away against his will and which is the extremity of calamity Cum multis miser videreturâ— paucissimis miserabilis erat So much envy hatred had he contracted out of his over great power and that undeservedly with some whom he had advanced to honours So Malmesbury writes of him of whom you have heard sufficient Anno Dom. 1223. Huberâ— de Burgo Earle of Kent being taken and proclaimed a traytor escaped out of the Castle of Veâ—â— or Devises and tooke sanctuary in the next Church those who kept the Castle hearing of it sent and tooke him with those that helped him to make his escape out of the Church and imprisoned him againe in the Castle Robert Bingham the Bishop of Salisbury hereupon came to the Castle and threatned to curse them if they would not deliver the Earle restore him to sanctury againe They made answer they had rather the Earle should hang for them than they for him and so because they would not deliver him the Bishop excommunicated them and after riding to the Courâ— and taking with him the Bishop of London and other Bishops prevailed so much by complaint to the King that the Earle though a traytor was restored to the Church againe but so as the Sheriffe of the Shire had commandement to compasse the Church about with men to watch that no reliefe came unto him whereby he might bee constrained through famishment to submit himselfe but hee shortly armed was there rescued by a power of armed men who conveyed him armed and oâ— horsebacke into Wales where he joyned with other of King Henry the thirds enemies And all through the pride and practise of this Prelate to whose pretended jurisdiction even in case of Treason the King himselfe must submit William of Yorke the ninth Bishop of Salisbury about the year 1247. was a Courtier from his childhood and better seene the in Lawes of the Realme which hee chiefly studied than in the Law of God a great deale Matthew Paris reporteth that he firâ—â— brought in the custome that tenants should be suiters unto the Courts of their Landlords This Matthew Paris stiles a very bad custome in magnum subditorum damnum detrimentum superiorum parvum vel nullum emolumentum unde qui nunquam hoc fecerant mirabantur se ad hoc fuisse coactos And speaking of this Bishops death he saith This Bishop passed from these worldly cares and imployments to the dangers which secular men and Courtiers are beleeved to undergoe for their workes follow them Anno 1392. King Richard the second picked a quarrell against the Major and Sheriffes of London upon this occasion Walter Romay one of Iohn Walthams servants then Bishop of Salisbury and high Treasurer of England tooke a horseloafe from a Bakers man as hee passed by in Fleetstreet and would not deliver it againe but broke the bakers mans head when he was earnest to recover his loafe the cohabitants of the streete hereupon rose and would have had the Bishops man to prison for breaking the Kings peace but hee was rescued by his fellowes and escaped to the Bishops house in an Allie close by The people set in a rage for this rescue gathered in great multitudes about the Bishops Palace gate and would have fetched out the offender by force assaulting the house to breake it open but the Major and Sheriffes comming thither after some perswasions used appeased the people who retired quietly to their houses The Bishop being then at Windsor where the Court lay being informed of this riot tooke such indignation therewith that taking with him Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Yorke then Lord Chancellor of England he went to the King and made an hainous complaint against the Citizens for their misdemeanour whereupon the Major Sheriffes and great sort more of the Citizens were sent for to the Court and charged with divers misdemeanors notwithstanding their excuses they were all arrested and imprisoned the Major in the Castle of Windsor the rest in other places to be safely kept till the King by the advice of his Counsell should further determine what should be done with them Moreover the liberties of the City were seised into the Kings hands the authority of the Major utterly ceased and the King appointed Sir Edward Darlingrug to governe the City by the name of Lord Warding and to see that every man had justice ministred as the case required who because hee was thought to be overfavourable to the Citizens was removed and Sir Baldwin Radington put in his roome At length the King through suit and instant labour of certaine Noblemen especially of the Duke of Glocester began somewhat to relent and pacifie his rigorous displeasures against the Londoners and releasing them out of prison and confirming some of their priviledges and abrogating others hee was at last reconciled to them after they had purchased his pardon with many rich presents to him and his Queene whom they royally intertained and the payment of ten thousand pounds which they were compelled to give the King to collect of the Commons of the City not without great offence and grudging in their minds And aâ—l this came through the pride and malice of this Prelate of Salisbuâ—y whose servant had occasioned this riot and yet went Scotfree when the innocent Major and Citizens were thus rigorously dealt withall M. Fox observes truly
and concluded there was no such meaning couched in it as was suggested but the quite contrary namely That he could not be an absolute King unlesse the Bishops who had still beene Rebellious dâ—sloyall and opposite to their Soveraignes so farre as to uncrowne or make them no Kings in a manner were suppressed which was all I intended in this passage as is evident by its opposition to their no Bishop no King by the speech of King John who hearing of Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury his death sayd I was never a King till now by reason of Huberts presumptuous daring to crosse and frustrate his royall resolutions from whence I borrowed this mis-interpreted clause by Mr William Tyndals passages here cited to the same effâ—ct Part. 2. p. 366.369 which I alluded to and by the whole scope of the Antipathy to this effect By this malicious false suggestion with others of like nature heretofore the sole cause of al my former sufferings the world may easily judge what malicious calumniators what impudent false informers our Lordly Prelates are and how much I have beene beholding to them for their malicious mis-interpretations of my words and misrepresentations of my sincere intentions to his Majestie whom they ever laboured to incense against me by these most sinister meanes and not content therewith since his Majestie hath beene satisfied touching this fore-cited passage some of them have not spared to report abroade to others That there were such passages in my Prologue for which my life might be questioned and I beleeve it true were they to be both my accusers and Iudges but blessed be God this ever hath beene and shall be my consolation that they can onely slander not convict me of any disloyalty or misdemeanor And if they will still calumniate me for well doing as hitherto they have done that golden Apothegme of Alexander the great will be a sufficienâ— Antidote against the poyson of their tongues and pens Regium est malè audire cùm benè facias Now lest they should chance to slander me for any false quotations by reason of the variety of the Impressions and Pages of some of our Historians I have frequently quoted to prevent this inconvenience I shall advertise them and thee kind Reader what Editions I have used Malmesbury Huntindon and Hoveden here quoted were Printed at Francfort by Wichâ—lus Anno 1601. Matthew Paris Tiguri 1589. Matthew Westm. Londini 1570. Walsingham Londini 1574. by Iohn Day Speed London 1623. Holinshed the last Edition Of Godwins Catalogue of Bishops there are two Editions the first Printed by Geoâ—ge Bishop 1600. the latter with a Discouâ—se of the Conversion of Britaine and some Additions Printed for Thomas Adams London 1615. both these Editions I have quoted for the most part promiscuously and sometimes with distinction if the pages vary in one Edition peruse the other and these Editions of the Historians which I follow and then every page and quotation will prove true and punctuall if examined And now Reader having given thee this advertisement I shall desire God to Sanctifie this Treatise to thy private information and the publick Reformation of all corruption in our Church Farewell A COMPLEATE TABLE OF THE SEVERALL CHAPTERS of this Second Part of the Antipathy which may serve in steede of an Index Chap. IV. COmprising the Treasons Conspiracies Seditions Contumacies Disloyalties c. of the Bishops of Ely Exeter Worcester and Hereford Chap. V. Containing the Treasons Conspiracies Seditions Contumacies Disloyalties c. of the Bishops of Chichester Carlile Norwich Chester Coventry and Lichfield Chap. VI. Comprising the Treasons Conspiracies Seditions Contumacies Disloyalties c. of the Bishops of Rochester S. Davids Landaffe Bangor Asaph Bath and Wels with a short touch of the Bishop of Oxford Bristow Peterborough and Glocester and of our Bishops in generall Chap. VII Containing the severall Treasons Rebellions Seditions Schismes Contumacies Warres and disloyalties of the Bishops of France Normandy Scotland and Ireland in reference to our Kingdome and Kings of England Chap. VIII Containing certaine Conclusions deduced from the Premises with the judgements and resolutions of divers of our ancient Writers Martyrs and some of our learnedest Bishops and Authors in Queene Elizabeths Reigne touching the pretended Divine Institution and Iurisdiction of Bishops their Treasons Rebellions Temporalties large possessions intermedling with secular affaires the taking away of their Temporalties not to be sacriledge and the uselessenesse unprofitablenesse and mischievousnesse of Lordly Bishops and their government in our Church Chap. IX Comprising an answere to the principall Objections alleaged by the Prelates in defence of the pretended divine Institution and for the continuance of their Episcopacy in our Church Kind Reader I pray correct these subsequent Errors which have escaped the Presse in some Coppies in my absence ERRATA IN the booke p. 200. l. 18. or read for p. 203. l. 12. insolently 207. l. 2. him to â— him To. p. 235. l. 12. mony p. 238. Manwaring p. 242. l. 2. than l. 6. henries Stephens p. 250 l. 10. forced p. 251. l. 36.11000 p. 255. l. 1â— Eiicâ—rent p. 322. l. 2. not p. 328. l. 1. after averre p. 322. l. 34. Churches Churchmen p. 342. l 7. our your p. 356. l. 10. Cefenas p. 393. l. 11. It is p. 404. l. 11. and destruction p. 405. l. 18. that p. 411. l. 8. perceive p. 417. l. 19â— Fisher Fish p. 419. l. 11. be both p. 424 l. 3. dele in p. 430. l. 21. can cannot l. 22. In Master p. 434. l. 23. fol. l. 24.32.22 l. 37. or spirituall p. 435. l. 6. dele greate p. 446. l. 5. Pastures p. 440. l. 3. he thus writes And l. 10. where which p. 453. l. 5. understand l. 15. Erasmus p. 481. l. 31. Angelorum l. 33. this booke p. 482. l. 16. never ever l. 31. of and. p. 484. l. 32. men p. 486. l. 6. by Paul p. 490. l. 27. deny deem l. 35. it them p. 499. l. 23. habetur p. 501. l. 13. dele together p. 503. l. 11. dele other p. 510. l. 6. dele ad l. 31. whole In the Margin p. 208. l. 2. Fordham p. 357. Ioan Baleus Scrip. Brit. Cent. 3. c. 61. omitted p. 253.254 are omitted p. 365. l. 9 Common Canon p. 487. l. 2. Timotheum l. 5. Romanorum p. 499 l. 12. H. 8. p. 500 l. 14. Finan p. 513. l. 25. Ingulph THE SECOND PART OF THE Antipathy of the English Lordly Prelacy both to Regall Monarchy and civill Vnitie CHAP. IV. Conteining the Treasons Conspiracies Seditions Contumacies and disloyalties of the Bishops of Ely Exeter Worcester and Hereford THe Bishopricke of Ely was first erected by the pride of Richard Abbot of Ely who in respect of his great wealth disdained to live under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Lincolne to whose Diocesse Cambridge-shire at that time appertained But hee had reasonable pretences or his ambition He caused the King to be told that the Diocesse of Lincolne was
too large for one mans government that Ely were a fit place for an Episcopall See c. These Reasons amplified with golden Rhetoricke so perswaded the King as he not onely consented himselfe that this Monastery should be converted into a Cathedrall Church and the Abbot made a Bishop but also procured the Pope to confirme and allow of the same but Richard dying before his enstalement Henry the first Anno 1109. appointed this Bishopricke unto one Hervaeus that had beene Bishop of Bangor and agreeing ill with the Welchmen was faine to leave his Bishoppricke therâ— and seeke abroad for somewhat elsewhere Nigellus the second Bishop of this See by reason of his imployment in matters of State and Councell could not attend his Pastorall charge and therefore committed the managing and government of his Bishoppricke unto one Ranulphus sometime a Monke of Glastonbury that had new cast away his Cowle a covetous and wicked man King Stephen and he had many bickerings and as Matthew Paris writes hee banished him the Realme he was Nephew to Roger Bishop of Salisbury from whom in ejus pernâ—â—iem traxerat incâ—ntiuum he had drawne an incentive to his distruction but of him and his contests with this King you may read more in Roger of Salisbury his Vncle. This See continuing void five yeares without a Bishop after Nigellus death Geoffery Rydell Anno. 1174. succeeded him a very lofty and high minded man called commonly The Proud Bishop of Ely King Richard the first and he accorded so ill that he dying intestate and leaving in his coffers great store of ready money namely 3060. markes of silver and 205. pound of gold the King confiscated and converted it to his owne use William Longchamp next Bishop of this See being made Lord Chancellour of England chiefe Justice of the South part of England Protector of the Realmeby Richard the first when he went his voyage to the Holy-land set the whole Kingdome in a combustion through his strang insolence oppression pride violence For having all temporall and spirituall Jurisdiction in his hands the Pope making him his Legate here in England at the Kings request which cost him a thousand pounds in money to the great offence of the King infatuated with too much prosperity and the brightnesse of his owne good fortune he began presently to play both King and Priest nay Pope in the Realme and to doe many things not onely untowardly and undiscreetly but very arrogantly and insolenâ—ly savoring aswell of inconscionable covetousnesse and cruelty as lacke of wisedome and policy in so great a government requisite He calling a Convocation by vertue of his power Legantine at the intreaty of Hugh Novant Bishop of Chester displaced the Monkes of Coventree and put in secular Priests in their roomes Officers appointed by the King himselfe he discharged and removed putting others in their steeds He utterly rejected his fellow Justices whom the King joyned with him in Commission for government of the Realme refusing to heare their Counsell or to be advised by them Hee kept a guard of Flemmings and French about him At his Table all Noblemens children did serve and waite upon him Iohn the Kings brother and afterward King himselfe hee sought to keepe under and disgrace by all meanes possible opposing him all hee could that he might put him from the Crowne He tyrannized exceedingly over the Nobility and Commons whom he grieved with intollerable exactions oppressions extraordinary outward pomp and intollerable behaviour He was extreame burthensome one way or other to all the Cathedrall Churches of England His Offices were such prolling companions bearing themselves bold upon their Masters absolute authority as there was no sort of peaple whom they grieved not by some kinde of extortion all the wealth of the Kingdome came into their hands insomuch that scarce any ordinary person had left him a silver belt to gird him withall any woman any brooch or bracelet or any gentleman a ring to weare upon his finger Hee purchased every where apase bestowed all Temporall and Ecclesiasticall Offices and places that fell where he pleased Hee never rode with lesse than 1500. horse and commanded all the Nobility and Gentry when he went abroad to attend him lodging for the most part at some Monastery or other to their great expence having both Regall and Papall authority in his hands hee most arrogantly domineered both over the Cleargy and Layety and as it is written of a certaine man That he used both hands for a right hand so likewise hee for the more easie effecting of his designes as our Lordly Prelates doe now used both his powers one to assist the other for to compell and curbe potent Laymen if peradventure he could doe lesse than he desired by his secular power he supplied what was wanting with the censures of his Apostolicall power But if perchance any Clergy man resisted his will him without doubt alledging the Canons for himselfe in vaine he oppressed and curbed by his secular power There was no man who might hide himselfe from his heate when as he might justly feare both the rod of his Secular and the sword of his spirituall jurisdiction to be inflicted on him and no Ecclesiasticall Person could by any meanes or authority be able to defend himselfe against his royall preheminence Finally glorying of his immense power that the Metropolitane Churches which as yet did seeme to contemne his excellency might have experience of his authority he went in a terrible manner to both And first of all to Yorke to the Bishop elect whereof hee was most maliciously dispitefull And sending before him a mandate to the Clergy of the said Church that they should meete him in a solemne manner as the Legate of the Aposticke See when as they had thought to appeale against him he regarded not the appeale made to the higher power but gave the appellants their choyce that they should either fulfill his commands or be committed to prison as guilty of high Treasonâ— Being therefore thus affrighted they obeyed and not daring so much as to mutter any further against him as to one triumphing they with a counterfeit sorrow bestowed as much honor glory on him as he would himself The chiefe Chanter of that Church had gone out of the way a little before that he might not see that which he could not behold without torment of mind which the Bishop undestanding raging against this absent person as a rebell with an implacable motion by his own Sergeants spoiled him of all his goods Having preyed upon the Archbishoppricke and pursed all up into his Treasury this famous tryumpher departed And not long after he triumphed in like manner over those of Canterbury when as no man now durst to resist him Having therefore both Metropolitane Sees thus prostrate to him he used both as he pleased In a word the Lay-men in England at that time writes Neubrigensis found
May the 13th This Bishop riding a horse somewhat too lusty for him was cast and so brused with the fall as he died by and by to wit May 13â— 1254. Thomas Merkes the Fiftenth Bishop of this See amongst many unworthy preferred to Bishopprickes in those dayes was undoubtedly a man well-deserving that honour for he was both learned and wise but principally to be commended first for his constant and unmoveable fidelity unto his Patrone and preferrer King Richard then for his excellent courage in professing the same when he might safely yea and honestly also have concealed his affection Some other there were of the Nobility that remembring their duety and allegiance when all the world bâ—sâ—de forsoke this unfortunate Prince followed him with their best assistance even till the time of his captivity This man nothing regarding the danger might ensue not onely refused to forsake him when he had forsaken himselfe but defended him and his cause the best he could when he might well perceive his endeavour might hurt himseâ—fe much without any possibility of helping the other when the furious and unstable multitude not contented that King Richard had resigned his Crowne to save the head that wore it and their darling Henry the fourth seated himselfe in his royall throne importuned the Parliament assembled to proceed yet farther against him desiring no doubt that to make all sure his life might be taken from him This worthy and memorable Prelate stepping forth doubted not to tell them that there was none amongst them meete to give judgement upon so noble a Prince as King Richard wasâ— whom they had taken for their Soveraigne and Leige Lord by the space of twentie two yeares and more And proceeding further I assure you quoth he I report his words as I find them in our Chronicles there is not so ranke a Trayter nor so arrant a theefe nor yet so cruell a murtherer apprehended or detained in prison for his offence but he shall be brought before the justice to heare Judgment and will you proceed to the judgment of an annointed King hearing neither his answere nor excuse I say and will avow that the Duke of Lancaster whom ye call king hath more trespassed to King Richard and his Realme the King Richard hath done either to him or us for it is manifest and well knowne that the Duke was banished the Realme by King Richard and his Councell and by the judgement of his owne Fatherâ— for the space of tenne yeares for what cause ye remember well enoughâ— This notwithstanding without Licence of King Richard he is returned againe into the Realme and that is worse hath taken upon him the name title and preheminence of King and therefore I say that you have done manifest wrong to proceede against King Richard in any sort without calling him openly to his answer and defence This Speech scarcely ended he was attâ—ched by the Earle Marshall and for a time committed to ward in the Abbey of St. Albanes Continuing yet his loyall affection unto his distressed Master soone afâ—er his inlargement he trayterously joyned with the Hollands and others in a conspiracy against King Henry the 4th which being bewrayed to the destruction of all the rest he onely was pardoned peradventure in regard of his calling for it had seldome or never been seene hitherto that any Bishop was put to death by order of Law peradventure in some kind of favour and admiration of his faithfull constancy for vertue will be honoured even of her enemies peradventure also to this end that by forcing him to live miserably they might lay a punishment upon him more grevious than death which they well saw he despised The Pope who seldome denied the King any request that hee might afford good cheepe was easily intreated to translate forsooth this good Bishop from the See of Carlile that yeelded him honourable maintenance unto Samos in Greece whereof he knew he should never receive one penny profit he was so happy as neither to take benefit of the gift of his enemy nor to be hurt by the masked malice of his counterfeit friend disdaining as it were to take his life by his gift that tooke away from his Master both life and Kingdome hee died shortly after his deliverance so deluding also the mockery of his Translation whereby things so falling out he was nothing damnified Hall reports that hee died for feare more than sicknesse as one rather desirous to die by deaths dart than the temporall Sword which this his Treason deserved being a great blemish to his former fidelity Owen Oglethorpe the 31. B. of this See was deprived with divers other Bishops for withstanding Q. Eliza. proceedings and refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance in the yeare 1559. Of other Bishops of this See since his dayes I find little mention most of them being translated to other Sees I shall therefore proceede to the Bishops of Norwich The Bishops of Norwich Iohn de Gray the fifth Bishop of Norwich if we beleeve Matthew Paris was one of those three Court Bishops who were consiliarios iniquissimos most wicked counsellors to King Iohn during the time of the inderdict of the Realme who desiring to please the King in all things consilium non pro ratione sed pro voluntate dederunt gave the King counsell not according to Reason but Will and thereby wrought much trouble both to the King and Kingdome Pandulphus the next Bishop of this See consecrated by the Pope at Rome Anno. 1222. was the Popes Legate and the chiefe instument who perswaded King Iohn most ignominiously and shamefully to resigne up his Crowne and Kingdome to the Pope to become his Vassall to his eternall infamy and to submit himselfe to Sâ—ephen Langhton and those other Trayterly Prelates who intardicted the Realme excommunicated this King published the Popes deprivation of him from his Crowne and instigated the French King to invade the Realme of England and usurpe the Crowne which the Pope had conferred on him upon King Iohns deprivation from it of which you may read more at large before in Stephen Langhton Archbishop of Canterbury p. 33. to 41. Onely let me informe you that during the time of this inderdict aboue six yeares space all Ecclesiasticall Sacraments ceased in England except Confession and the viaticum in extreame necessity and the Baptisme of Infants so as the bodyes of dead men were carried out of Townes and Villages and burried like dogges in Highwayes and Ditches without prayers and the ministry of Priests as Matthew Paris and others testifie Such was the Prelates piety and charity About the yeare of our Lord 1271. In the time of Roger de Skerwing 12. Bishop of Norwich there was raysed a dangerous sedition betweene the Citizens of Norwich and the Monkes of the Cathedrall Church the History whereof is briefely this At a Faire that was kept before the gates of the Priory there hapned
namely Richard Hurrell Iohn Punchard and others some more some lesse for writing one Presentment to the grievous oppression of his Majesties poore subjects in his Diocesse XXIV Whereas by the Lawes of this Realme no tythes ought to be paid out of the rents of houses nor is there any custome or usage in the City of Norwich for such payment yet the said Bishop indeavoured to draw the Citizens and other inhabitants within the said City against their wills and consents to pay two shillings in the pound in liew of the tithes of houses within the severall Parishes of the said City unto the Ministers there of the said respective parishes And the better to effect this his unjust resolution he did by false and undue suggestions in the fourteenth yeare of his Majesties reigne that now is procure his Majestie to declare under his Highnesse great Seale of England his royall pleasure That if any person within the said City shall refuse to pay according to the said ratâ— of two shillings the pound unto the Minister of any Parish with in the said city That the same be heard in the Court of Chancery or in the Consistory of the Bishop of Norwich And that in such case no prohibition against the said Bishop of Norwich their Chancellors or Commissaries in the sâ—â—d Courts of Consistory be gâ—anting the same upon â—ight of his Highnesse said Order shall forthwith grant a consultation to the Minister desiring the same with his reasonable costs and charges for the same which said Order and Decree under the great Seale of England tended to the violation of the Oathes of the Judgesâ— and was devised contrived and made by the said Bishop And afterwards by his evill counsels and false surmises he did obtaine his Majesties royall consent thereunto and by colour of the order aforesaid and other the doings of the said Bishop the Citizens and inhabitants of Norwich aforesaid viz. Iohn Collar Judith Perkeford and others have beene inforced to pay the said two shillings in the pound in liew of tythes or else by suits and other undue meanes beene much molested and put to great charges and expences contrary to the Law and Justice XXV That he assumed to himselfe an arbitrary power to compell the respective parishioners in the said Diocesse to pay great and excessive wages to Parish Clarksâ— viz. the Parishioners of Yarmouth Congham Tostocke and others commanding his officers that if any parishioner did refuse to pay such wages they should certifie him their names and hee would set them into the High Commission Court for example of them And that one or two out of Ipswich might be taken for that purpose And the said Commons by Protestation saving to themselves the libertieâ— of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the said Matthew Wren late Bishop of Norwich and now Bishop of Ely and also of replying to the answer to the said Articles or any of them or of offering proofe of the premisses or any other impeachments or accusations that shall be exhibited by them as the case shall according to the course of Parliaâ—ents require doe pray that the said Matthew â—ren may be called to answer the said severall crimes and misdeâ—eanours and receive such condigne punishment as the same shall deserve and that such further proceedings may be upon every of them had and used against him as is agreeable to Law and Justice Sir THOMAS WIDDRINGTONS SPEECH At a Conference betweene both Houses on Tuesday the 20â— of Iuly 1641. At the transmission of the impeachment against Matthew Wren Doctor of Divinity late Bishop of Norwich and now Bishop of Ely My Lords I am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled for the Commons in Parliament to deliver to your Lordships these Articles against the Bishop of Ely May it please your Lordships first to heare them read MY Lords These Articles are dipped in those Colours in which this Bishop rendred himselfe to the Diocesse of Norwich they neede no Glosse nor Varnish In them you may behold the spirit and disposition of this Bishop heare the groanes and cries of the people see a shepheard scattering I had almost said devouring his owne flocke He that was desired to paint Hercules thought he had done enough when he had made a resemblance of the Lyons skin which he was wont to carry about him as a Trophee of his honour I will not say that in these you will finde a resemblance of the Lyons skin I am sure you will finde the resemblance of the skins that is to say the tottered and ruin'd fortunes of poore innocent Lambs who have extreamely suffered by the violence of this Bishop In the yeare 1635. this man was created Bishop of Norwich he is no sooner there but he marcheth furiously In the creation of the world light was one of thâ— first productions the first visible action of this Bishop after his creation into this See was to put out many burning and shining lights to suspend diverse able learned and conscientious Ministersâ— he that should have beene the Golden â—nuffer of these lights became the extinguisher and when these are taken away where shall poore men light their Candles My Lords this was not all He put out lights and sets up firebrands in their places suspends painfull Ministers and sets up idle factious and superstitious Priests to use their owne language in their places yet it is the fortune of these men at this time like Rivers in the Ocean to be buried the in extreme activity of their Diocesan He made a scourge not of small cords but of new Injunctions and numerous Articles tyed about with a strong twist of a most dangerous oath and with this he whips not out buyers and sellers but the faithfull dispensers of the word out of their Churches out of their estates out of their deere Country This Noah if I may so call him without offence assoone as he entred into the Arke of this Diocesse he sends nay forces Doves to fly out of this Arke and when they returne unto him with Olive branches in their mouthes of peaceable and humble submissions he will not receive them into this Arke againe unlesse like Ravens they would feed upon the Carrion of his new Inventions they must not have any footing thereâ— he stands as a flaming sword to keepe such out of his Diocesse My Lords unlesse he had done this he could never have hoped to have brought that great worke he undoubtedly aymed at to any perfection Whilst the Palladium of Troy stood that Citie was impregnable The Greekes had no sooner stollen that away but they instantly won the Citieâ— So then he first put out the Candles then was the opportunity to shuffle in his workes of darknesse hâ— first beaâ—s off the Watchmen and seers then was likely to follow that which the impiety of some was pleased to stile the piety of the times This being done he then begins to dresse
out Gods Worship according to his owne fancy this he expresseth in Injunctions and directions the Minerva's of his owne braine we find them stiled Regales Injunctiones Domini Episcopi a stile too sacred to Baptise his brats withall I shall be bold to caâ—l them Tyrannicas injunctiones Doâ— Episcopi stories afford not a more barbarous cruelty then to joyne a dead and a living body together the one is miserable killed with the stinch of the other This Bi. who like Aaron should have stood between the living the dead hath joyned to lively ordinances many dead venemous ceremonies which have no other life than what they received from the breath of his Injunctionsâ— and these are pressed upon the Consciencesâ— even these must be observed as morall lawes An arbitrary government in the Church is more dangerous more grievous than that in the state this is exercised upon menâ— conscienâ—es the most tender parts and is the very pinacle of â—yranny and of all other most intollerable thaâ— blow which will hardly be felt by the arme will put out the eye My Lords in the time of King Riâ—h 1. one of this mans predecessors a valiant Bishop went into the holy warre this Bishop hath raised a warre at home in his owne Diocesse a warre not against Saâ—azenâ— Barbarians Turks or Infidels but against good well disposed people I know not what stile to give this warre without doubt my Lords this was no holy warre The weapons of this warfare were 28. Injunctions â—â—9 Articles containing 87â— questions The souldiers were Chancellors Commissaries Officials Commissioners Rurall Deanes c. Himselfe commanded in chiefe The wayes of assault and killing were by excommunications suspensions deprivations I stay here Mille modis moriâ—ur mortales The Magazin wherein all these were originally hatched and lodged was the superstitious and malicious brest of this Bishop This Dioces was the stage where the direfull tragedies of this warre were acted by the space of two yeares and upwards Thus did he trouble Israel in the time of peace nay by these he put some of the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel to flight out of these he raiseth a farme of 500. pounds for his primary Visitation if it be considered cum pertinentiis it was not deere yet well improved for formerly but 40. pound in the time of some of his predecessors Will it please your Lordships with patience to cast your eyes upon the modell of this Bishops zeale piety and Religion Let his affection to prayer and preaching speake for all the rest First for prayer It was his hap to finde a prayer which is no prayer pretended to be prescribed by a Canon which is no Canon I meane the 55. Canon set forth in the yeare 1603. and no other prayer must be used in his Dioces before Sermons That monster of conceived prayer pardon the expression it s not my owne seemed as bad to him as a spell or charme It must not be used upon any occasion without doubt he would never have beene so strait-laced and severe in this particular if hee had but dreamed of that strait which a minister a friend of his was put unto by this meanes the story is short A Butcher was gored in the belly by an Oxe the wound was cured the party desired publike thanksgiving in the Congregation the Minister finding no forme for that purpose reads the Collects for Churching of women Next for preaching That hee is most able in this kinde is agreed by all But that he ever preached himselfe in this Diocesse saving once I never heard affirmed by any His next care was that others should not preach too often if they did they must be put into his blacke Bill He changed that golden sentence of vae mihi si non praedicavero into vae aliis si praedicaverint he was so farre from the practise of Saint Paul the great Preacher of the Gentiles who we reade preached till midnight that there must be no Sermons in the afternoone there may be nay there must be sports and pastimes then And as if he had stood in feare of inarticulate language bells which might foretell a Sermon hee cannot endure to heare the noise of a Sermon in the toll of a Bell. In a word he adorned Churches at the charge of other men and spoyled Pulpits which ought to have beene the greatest part of his owne charge My Lords you have now presented to your Lordships a brother nay one whose place ingaged him to be a father of the Clergy yet one who like Iosephs brethren hath taken the coat from Ioseph nay they were forced to fly from him as Ioseph from his Mistris or else they must taste of his forbidden waters but in their going away he rents their skirts nay their whole garments and livelihoods from them hee hath taken the locks from many Sampsons and done what he could to put out their eyes and to make them grinde in the mill of his pernicious and dangerous innovations He should like Moses have led his flocke Moses led the children of Israel through the red Sea this man drives part of his flocke over the Sea but went not himselfe Like Nimrod he hath invaded the lawes and liberties of the subject he hath beene as great a robber as ever was presented to your Lordships He hath robbed the King of his Subjects the greatest glory of Kings the Kingdome of trade of tradesmen the supporters of it He that deprives the King of one subject you know his punishmentâ— and what shall be the punishment of him who hath robbed the King of so many subjects In the time of King Henry the thirdâ— we finde a tenant in Dower punished in action of waste because she had destroyed two rich villeynes and made them beggers I appeale to your Lordships what is his offence who hath committed so much wilfull waste and spoyle beggered hundreds not villaines but free borne subjects He robbed the soules of that sweet Manna which is pabulum animarum the Word of God My Lords I have not yet recounted all his robberies he hath robbed God of part of his dayâ— makes part of that a day of sports he hath robbed the subjects of their indubitable birth-right the Lawes of the Kingdome The citizens of Norwich must pay tythes for the rents of houses there 's no Law in England nor Custome in Norwich for it Nay and that they may be sure to be robbed of justice too the suite for these tithes must be in his owne Consistory from whence there must be no appeale no prohibition The trueâ— Patrons of Churches they are robbed of their presentationsâ— others who had none or small pretence of right are admitted upon this unhallowed maxim That if hee should institute those who had right the pretender was without remedy by this he inverted a fundamentall Law of this Nation to invest remedilesse rights with unjust possessions My Lords I cannot tell you all but you can measure
King in his owne Cathedrall Church and ransomed for 200. hawkes after this dying he was buried not in the Church-yard but in the market place of Shrewsbury by his owne appointment Richard the 10. Bishop of Bangor excommunicated David ap Lhewelin Prince of Wales for that contrary to his Oâ—th he took his Brother Gryffith prisoner who was content upon the Bishops word to goe to his Brother and when he saw that course would not reforme him he never lin complaining first to the King of England then to the Pope that he so incensed them as the one excommunicated him the other made warre upon him untill he delivered his said Brother into the Kings hands who caused him to be kept in the Tower of London till he endeavoring there to escape by misfortune brake his necke The Prince hereupon so wasted the Bishopricke that in the yeare 1248. this Bishop and the Bishop of Saint Asaph were forced to beg their bread Whereupon this Bishop came to the Abbot of Saint Albanes desiring that the Bosome of Mercy might be opened unto his poverty and he abiding there untill his Bishopricke wasted and spoiled with continuall warre should recover some better estate might together with his Chaplaine there breath and rest themselves from those calamities wherewith they had beene long afflicted in like sort as heretofore the Bishop of Hereford had done who was honorably entertained there almost the space of twenty yeares Richard Young the 22. Bishop of Bangor for some contempt and disobedience against the King and confederating as is likely with that Rebell Owen Glendor was imprisoned two or three yeares till the Pope Anno 1404. translated him to Rochester by his Bull. Lewis the 23. Bishop of Bangor Anno. 1408. joyned with the Earle of Northumberland the Lord Bardolfe and others in open Rebellion against King Henry the fourth The Earle was slaine in battell in the field the Lord Bardolfe mortally wounded and their heads set upon London Bridge The Bishop was likewise taken prisoner in the battell but obtained pardon from the King because he had no Armes upon him when he was taken though the incendiary of the other two and as great a Traytor as they but the Abbot of Hayles was hanged because hee had borne Armes in that Rebellion So happy are Traytorly and Rebellious Bishops as to scape scot free in their Treasons and Rebellions when all other sorts of men have execution done upon them Arthur Bulkly Bishop of Bangor and Iohn Lewis Vicar of Llain-geynwina were attainted in a Praemunire at the prosecution of William Whorewood the Kings Attorney for suing for the right of Patronage and Tithes of the said Church and for severall summes of money due on bond for Tithes in this Bishops Ecclesiasticall Court which had no cognisance of them being temporall and belonging only to the Kings Civill Courts to the derogation of the imperiall Jurisdiction of the King and his Crowne and subversion of the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme And hereupon judgement was given against them according to the Statute This Bishop sold away five faire Bells out of the Steeple of his Cathedrall Church which maâ—d the Musicke there Should I rip up the scandalous lives and Actions of some of the late Pilates of this See one of whom published The Practise of Piety which some say he never writ though neither he nor any of his successors did ever much practice it in their lives or should I recite the vile complaints of late against one of them in 2 or 3 late Parliaments I should be over tedious and pollute my paper with such beastly actions as would cause chast eyes to blush and turne their aspect from them Wherefore I shall passe them over in silence he being gone to answer them before the supreame tribunall informing you only that he imposed Armies upon his Clergy and provided an Armory for them to be kept in within his Cathedrall at Bangoâ— And so I post on to Assaph Diocesse Saint Assaph IOhn Trevaur Bishop of Saint Assaph pronounced the sentence for deposing King Richard the second in which instrument he is first named as appeares by this ensuing Copy of it In the Name of God Amen We Iohn Bishop of Saint Assaph chosen and deputed speciall Commissaries by the three states of this present Parliament representing the whole body of the Realme for all such mattersâ— by the said estates to us committed Wee understanding and considering the manifold crimes hurts and harmes done by Richard King of England and misgovernance of the same by a long time to the great decay of the said Land and utter ruine of the same shortly to have beene had not the speciall grace of our God thereto put the sooner remedy And also further more adverting that the said King Richard by acknowledging his owne insufficiency hath of his owne meere voluntaâ—y and free will renounced and given over the rule and governance of this Land with all rights and hâ—nours unto the same belonging and utterly for his merits hath judged himselfe not unworthily to be deposed of all Kingly Majesty and Estate Royall We the Premisses well considering by good and diligent deliberation by the power name and authority to us as aforesaid committed pronounce decerâ—e and declare the same King Richard before this to have beene and so to be unprofitable uâ—aâ—le unsuffiâ—ient and unworâ—hy of the Rule and Government of the foresaid Realmes and Lorâ—ships and of all rights and other the appurtenances thereto belonging And fâ—r the same causes wee deâ—rive him of all Kingly dignity and worshâ—p and of all Kingly worship in himselfe And we depose him by our sentence definitive forbidding expresly to all Archbishops and Bishops and all other Prelates Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons and Knights and all other men of the foresaid Kingdome and Lordships Subjects and Leiges whatsoever they be that none of them from this day forward to the foresaid Richard as King and Lord of the foresaid Realmes and Lordships be neither obedient nor attendant Immediatly as this sentence was in this wise passed and that by reason thereof the Realme stood voyd without head or governour for the same The Duke of Lancaster rising from the place where before hee sate and standing where all the house might behold him laid claime to the Crowne to which the Lords assented After which the Archbishop of Canterbury Arundel having notice of the minds of the Lords stood up and asked of the Commons if they would assent to the Lords which in their minds thought the claime of the Duke made to be rightfull and necessary for the wealth of the Realme and them all Whereto the Commons with one voyce cryed Yea yea yea After which answer the said Archbishop going to the Duke and kneeling downe before him on his knees addressed to him all his purpose in a few words which ended he rose and taking the Duke by the right hand
led him unto the Kings Seat the Archbishop of Yorke assisting him and with great reverence set him therein When he was thus placed in his Throne the Archâ— of Canturbury began a briefe Collation taking for his Theame these words written in the first Booke of Kings the ninth Chapter Vir dominabitur in pâ—pulo c. handling the same and the whole tenour of his tale to the praise of the King Thus was this King deprived by the Bishops meanes who were chiefe actors in deposing him and setting up King Henry yet some of them especially Yorke were the authors of that evill counsell which was the cause of his deprivation And no wonder since in his reigne as Holinshed writes such were preferred to Bishopricks and other Ecclesiasticall livings as neither did nor could teach nor preach nor know any thing of the Scripture of God but onely to call for their tythes and duties so as they were most unworthy of the name of Bishops being lewd and most vaine persons disguised in Bishops apparrell Furthermore there reigned abundantly the filthy sinne of Lecheâ—y and Fornication with abominable adultery in the King but chiefly in the Prelacy whereby the whole Realme by such their evill example was so infected that the wrath of God was daily provoked to vengeance for the sinnes of the Prince and people and tooke so sharpe an edge that it shred the King off from the Scepter of his Kingdome and gave him a full cup of affliction to drinke After which this Bishop was sent Ambassador into Spaine to shew the King the rightfulnesse of Henry the fourth his Tiâ—le to the Crown of England and soone after his returne thence Anno 1404. as Thâ—mas Walsingâ—am reports perceiving Owen Glendor that Welch Râ—bell to prosper in his waâ—res against King Heâ—ry the fourth Conversus est in virum pravum factus transfuga ad Owenum hee turned a lewd Traytour and Rebell flying away from the King to Owen What became of him upon Owens defeate I find not Thus this Bâ—shop was a Traytor and Rebell to two severall Kings and which was worst of all to him whose title he thus tooke upon him publikely to defend but a little before Such faith and loyalty is there in lordly Prelates I shall not trouble you any more with our Welch Bishops only let me acquaint you for a farewell that the present Bishops of Asaph Bangor and Landaffe are now complained against in Parliament and impeached by the Commons House for the late Canons Oath malevoleâ—t benevolence and other crimes for which I suppose they will ere long receive their doome The Bishops of Bath and Wels. GISO the fifteenth Bishop of Bath and Wels had many conflicts with Harold before and after hee came to the Crowne so that he was forced to fly the Land all his time Ioseline the one and twentieth Bishop of this See joyned with Stephen Langhton that Arch-rebell against King Iohn and had an hand in interdicting the Realme and excommunicating the King for which he was glad to fly the Land for five yeares the King seizing upon his goods and temporalties whereupon the Monkes and Prelates raised many vile reports of the King which you may reade in Matth. Westminster Robert Stillington the nine and thirtieth Bishop of Bath and Wells though highly advanced by Kâ—ng Edward the fourth sided with that Usurper Richard the third and was a man specially employed in his Coronation hee was a great enemy to King Henry the seventh being sent Embassador to the Duke of Brittaine for apprehending him whiles hee was Earle of Richmond Anno 1487. Hâ—e was accused of high Treason for yeelding assistance to Lambert the counterfeit Earle of Warwicke and some such other treacheries whereupon having a guilty conscience he fled to the Vniversity of Oxford hoping that the priviledges of the same might be some shelter and defence unto him whereof the King having advertisement sent one Edward Willoughby his Chaplaine to the Chancellor of the University to require the Bishop to bee delivered to his Officers as being one to whom the Priviledges of the University could not extend being at the time no Student there so farre at least as to protect him in a matter of Treason unto which no priviledge ought to yeeld any patrociny After two or three refusals at last by the connivence and permission of the Chancellour hee was there arrested and committed prisoner to the Castle of Windsor where hee lay prisoner foure yeares space till his decease 1491. Hadrian de Castello the two and fortieth Bishop of this See though he conspired not against the King yet being at Rome and there made a Cardinall he entred into a conspiracy with Cardinal Alfonso Petruccio and others to murther Pope Leo the tenth out of an ambitious conceit that surely he should be elected Pope iâ— Leo were once dead a Witch having foretold him that a certaine old man named Adrian borne of meane parentage as hee was should be advanced to the Papacy This conspiracy comming to the Popes eares Petruccio was thereupon apprehended and executed The Pope comming into the Consistory promised pardon to all the other Cardinalls who should then and there immediately confesse their faults Hadrian hereupon and some other falling downe on their knees before him acknowledged what they had done and humbly besought him of mercy He promised to bee as good as his word Howbeit Hadrianâ—earing â—earing the worst shortly after stole secretly away and was neither seene or heard of ever afterward and thereupon deprived of his Biâ—hopricke William Barlow the six and fortieth Bishop of Bath and Wells incurred a Praemunire for presuming to visite the Deane and Chapâ—er of Wells being a Donative for which he was glad to buy his peace as appeares by Brooke Praemunire Sect. 21. Guilbert Bourne the seven and fortieth Bishop of Bath and Wells in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth was deprived of his Bishoprick for refusing to subscribe and take the Oath of Alleageance and then committed to the custody of Master Cary Deane of the Queenes Chappell The Bishops since his time I shall pretermit for brevity and descend to William Pierce the present Bishop of this Diocesse This man having been Vicechancellor in the University of Oxford wherein hee was over-busie and turbulent in persecuting good men and in causing Pareus his Commentary on the Romans to be publikely burnt in an ignominious manner was for his good service made Bishop of Peterborough and from thence translated to Bath and Wells where his tyranny oppression impiety and practises have been so excessive that the whole County of Somerset with sundry particular persons both Ministers and people there weary of his insupportable government and vexatious oppressions have exhibited divers Petitions against him to the high Court of Parliament now assembled upon the full hearing whereof before a speciall Committee for that purpose the Committees have drawn up this following
Common-wealth hâ—th sustained by the exorbitant courses of the Bishops and knowing well what the wiseman saith Eccles. 8.11 Thaâ— iâ— senâ—â—nce be not speedily executed against â—n evill wâ—rke the hâ—arts â—f the sonâ—e of men are set upon further mischiefe â—he timely râ—drâ—sse wheâ—eof doth better become the wisedome of Parliamentâ— then a too-late wofull râ—pentance have commanded me to represent unto your Lordships That Walter Bishop of Winchester Robert Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield Godfry Bishop of Glocester Joseph Bishop of Exâ—ester John Bâ—shop of Asaph William Bishop of Bath and Wells Geoâ—ge Bâ—shop of Hereford Matthew Bishop of Ely William Bâ—shop of Bangor Robert Bishop of Brisâ—oll John Bâ—shop of Rochâ—ster John Bishâ—p of Peterborough Morgan Bishop of Landaffe Together with Williâ—m Archbishop of Canterbury and others of the Clergie of that Province at a Convocation or Synod for the same Province begun at London in the yeare 1640. did contrive make and promulgâ— severall Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall containing in them divers matters contrary to the Kings Prerogative to the fundamentall Lâ—wes and Statutes of the Realme to the Rights of Parliament to the Propriety and Liberty of the Subjects and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence And to adde the more weighâ— and efficacie to this their monstrous designe They did at the same Synod under a specious and faire Title grant a Benâ—volâ—nce or Contribution to his Majesty to be paid by the Clergy of that Province contrary to Law It rested not there for though this had beene enough to have affrighted and terrâ—fied the Kings people with strange apprehensions and feares yet that these might not seem to be contrivancies of their brain or Fancies oâ—lyâ— they were put in Execution and were executed upon divers with animosity and rigour to the great oppression of the Clergy of this Realme and other his Majesties subjects and in contempt of the King and of the Law Whether these persons my Lords that are culpable of these Offences shall be thought fit to have an Interest in the Legislative power your Lordships Wisdome and Justice is able to judge But for these matters â—nd things the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House in Parliament in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England doe impeach the said Bishops before-named of the Crimes and Misdemeanors before expressed and do therefore pray that they may bee forthwith put to their Answers in the Presence of the Commons and that such further Proceedings may bee had against them as to Law and Justice shall appertaine Now that the world may take notice what Power the Clergy in their Conâ—ocation have to make Canons and Constitutions to bind the subjects and of what validity their late Canons are I shall avouch the Votes of the Commons House concerning them as I find them printed at the end of this Impeachmeâ—t of Bishops The Votes concerning the Bishops late Booke of Canons in the House of Commons THat the Clergy of England convented in any Convocation or Synod or otherwise have no power to make any Constitutions Canons or Acts whatsoever in matter of doctrine or otherwise to binde the Clergy or Laity of this Land without the common consent of Parliament That the severall Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall treated upon by the Archbishops of Canturbury and Yorke Presidents of the Convocation for the respective Provinces of Canterbury and Yorke and the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of these Provinces and agreed upon by the Kings Majesties licence in their â—everall Synods begun at London and Yorke 1640. doe not bind the Clergy or Laity of this Land or either of them And thus I have donâ— with our English Lordly Prelates whose only study is and hath been to support their Lordly dignity not true religion devotion and pietyâ— I shall conclude with them in Saint Bernards words Vides omnem Ecclesiasticum zelum fervere sola pro dignitaâ—e tuenda Honori totum datur sanctitati nihil aut parum Nisi quod sublime est hoc salutare dicamus quod gloriam redolet id justum Ita omne humile probro ducitur inter Palatinatos Et tunc potissimum volunt dominari cum professi fuerint servitutem Fideles se spondent ut opportunius fidentibus noceant Ante omnia sapientes sunt ut faciaâ—t mala bâ—num autem facere nesciunt Hi invisi terrae coeâ—o utrique injecêre manus impii in Deum temerarii in sancta seditiosi in invicem aemuli in vicinos inhumani in extraneos quos neminem amantes amat nemo Hi sunt qui subesse non sustinent praeesse non norunt superioribus infideles inferioribus importabiles Docuerunt linguam suam grandia loqui cum operentur exigua Blandissimi adulatores mordacissimi detractores simplicissimi dissimulatores malignissimi Proditores O miserandam Sponsam talibus creditam Paranymphis qui assignata cultui ejus proprio retinere quaestui non verentur Non amici profectò Sponsi sed aemuli sunt Erunt inquam hujusmodi maximo studio corrigendi ne pereant aut ne perimant coercendi CHAP. VII Containing the severall Treasons Rebellions Seditions Schismes Contumacies Warres and disloyalties of the Bishops of France Normandy Scotland and Ireland with reference unto the Kings of England HAving thus passed through the Treasons Rebellions Seditions Warres and disloyall practises of our English Lordly Prelates I shall here in the next place give you a taste of the like crimes and practises of some French Norman Prelates against our Kings their Soveraignes either here or in Normandy and likewise of the Bishops of Scotland and Ireland which I thought meet to couple with our English Prelates these Kingdomes being now happily united under the Government of our gracious Soveraigne and his deceased Father French and Norman Bishops Acts of this kind I shall begin with Saint German Bishop of Aâ—xerre in France of whom it is storyed that comming into England in King Vortigerns time and repairing to his Court with his Companions in a cold frosty night the King shut him out and would give him no lodging which the Kings Herdsman seeing taking pitty upon them and commiserating their affliction lodged them in his house and killed a calfe which they did eate at supper whose bones Saint German commanded to be brought to him when supper was ended and putting them all into the Calves skin he miraculously raisâ—d up the Calâ—e againe from the dead whereas Christ and his Apostles never raised any dead beast but dead men onely and put him to his damme where he sell a eating hay And on the next day by command from God as some writers affirme German deposed Vortigerne from his Kingdome and made the Herdsman King in his place to the great admiration of all men and from thence forth the Kingâ— of the Britaine 's descended from the race of this Herdsman But Gildas in his History saith that this happened not to
the King of France and after slew Thomas Becket and last of all thou forsakest the Protection of Christs Faith The King was mooved with these wordâ— and sayd unto the Patriarch Though all the men of the Land were one body and spake with one mouth they durst not speake â—o me such words No wonder said the Patriarch for they love thine and not thee That is to meane they love thy goods temporall and feare the losse of promotion but they love not thy soule And when he had so said he offered his head to the King saying Doe by me right as thou didst by Thomas Becket for I had rather be slaine of thee then of the Sarasens for thou art worse then any Sarasen and they follow a prey and not a man But the King kept his patience and said I may not wend out of my Land for my owne Sonnes will arise against me when I am absent No wonder said the Patriarch for of the devill they came and to the devill they shall and so departed from the King in great ire So rudely have Prelates dealt with the greatest Princes as thus both in words and deeds to revile and contemne them as if they were their slaves to be at their command though with the hazard of their lives Crownes and Kingdomes upon every humour I now passe on to the Scottish Prelates The Bishops of Scotlands acts in this kinde TO passe from Normandy to Scotland before I enter into a Relation of any of the Scotish Prelates actions I shall inform you what Holinshed writes of King Davids erection of Bishoprickes in Scotland and his endowing of them with large temporall possessions This Church in the originall plantation of the Gospell having beene governed onely by Presbyters and wanting Bishops for some hundred of yeares following herein the custome of the Primitive Church as Iohn Fordon Iohn Major Bishop Vsher and Spelman testifie David King of Scots erected foure Bishoprickes within this Realme Rosse Brochin Dunkeld and Dublaine indowing them with rich Rents faire Lands and sundry right commodious possessions Moreover he translated the Bishops See of Murthlake unto Aberden for sundry advised considerations augmenting it with certaine revenues as he thought expedient He was admonished as the report goeth in his sleepe that he should build an Abbey for a religious Order to live in together Whereupon he sent for workemen into France and Flanders and set them in hand to build this Abbey of Canons regular as he was admonished dedicating it in the honour of a Crosse whereunto he bare speciall devotion for that very strangely it slipped into his hands on a time as he was pursuing and following of a Hart in the Chase But enough of these Monkish devises Many prudent men blame greatly the unmeasurable liberality of King David which he used towards the Church in diminishing so hugely the revenues of the Crowne being the cause that many Noble Princes his Successors have come to their finall ends for that they have beene constrained through want of treasure to maintaine their royall estates to procure the fall of sundry great Houses to possesse their Lands and livings also to raise payments and exactions of the Common people to the utter impoverishment of the Realme And sometime they have beene constrained to invade England by warres as desperate men not caring what came of their lives Other whiles they have beene enforced to stampe naughty money to the great prejudice of the Common wealth All which mischiefes have followed since the time that the Church hath beene thus enriched and the Crowne impoverished Therefore King Iames the first when he came to King Davids Sepulcher at Dunfirmling he said that he was a sore Saint for the Crowne Meaning that he left the Church over-rich and the Crowne too poore For he tooke from the Crowne as Iohn Major writeth in his Chronicles 60000. pound Scotish of yearely revenues Wherewith he endowed those Abbyes But if King David had considered how to nourish true Religion he had neither endowed Churches with such riches nor built them with such royalty for the superfluous possessions of the Church as they are now used are not onely occasion to evill Prelates to live in most insolent pompe and corrupt life but an assured Net to draw gold and silver out of Realmes Thus Holinshed of the Bishops and Bishoprickes of Scotland in generall In a Convocation at Fairefax under King Gregory Anno 875. It was decreed by the Bishops of Scotland that Ordinaries and Bishops should have authority to order all men both publike and private yea Kings themselves as well for the keeping of Faith given as to constraine them to confirme the same and to punish such as should be found in the contrary This was a high straine of insolency and treachery against the Prerogative of the King and Nobles priviledges whom these Prelates endeavoured to enthrall to their Lordly pleasures and perchance it was in affront of King Davids Law who ordained Anno 860. but 15. yeares before that Priests should attend their Cures and not intermeddle with secular businesses or keepe Horses Haukes or Hounds A very good Law had it beene as well executed Anno 1294. the Scots conspiring together against their Soveraigne Lord and King Iohn Bailiol rose up in armes against him and inclosing him in a Castle they elected to themselves twelve Peeres after the manner of France whereof the foure first were Bishops by whose will and direction all the affaires of the Kingdome should be managed And this was done in despite to disgrace the King of England who set the said Iohn over them against their wils Whereupon the King of England brought an Army towards Scotland in Lent following to represse the rash arrogancy and presumption of the Scotsâ— against their owne Father and King and miserably wasted the Country over-running it quite and making both them and their King whom he tooke Prisoner to doe homage and sweare fealâ—y and give pledges to him as Walsingham reciâ—es more at large Among these Bishops it seemes that the Bishop of â—lascow was one of the chiefe opposites against the King of Scotland and England for Anno 1298. I finde this Bishop one of the chiefe Captaines of the Rebellious Scots and leading an Army in the field which being disbanded for feare of the English forces upon promise of pardon this Bishop Ne proditionis notam incurreret lest he should incurre the brand of treason rendred himselfe to Earle Warren sent into Scotland with an Army who committed him prisoner to the Castle of Rokâ—burrow for a Rebell where he was detained William of Neubery records Thaâ— David King of Scots was divinely chastised by one Wimundus an English man of obscure parents made Bishop of the Scottish Islands who waxing proud of his Bishopricke began to attempt great matters Not content with the dignity of his Episcopall Office he did now in
his mind walke in great and wonderfull matters above himselfe having a mouth speaking great things with a most vaine heart In conclusion gathering together Poore and bold men noâ— fearing the judgement of verity he gave out himselfe to be the Sonne of Count Murrey spoyled of the inheritance of his Fathers by the King of Scots that he had an intention noâ— onely to prosecute his right but likewise â—o revenge his wrongs that he desired to have them the Consorts both of his danger and fortuneâ— that iâ— was a businesse verily of some labour and danger but of great reputation and much emolument All of them therefore being animated by and sworne to his words he began cruelly to play Rex through the Neighbour Islands and he was now like Nemroth A mighty hunter before the Lord disdaining according to the duty of his Episcopall Office to be a Fisher of Men like Peter his Millitary troopes encreasing dayly amongst whom he being taller than the rest almost by the head and shoulders like a great Generall inflamed the mindes of all the rest He made excursions into the Provinces of Scotland exterminating all things with rapines and murthers and when as a royall Army was sent against him retyring himselfe into remote Forrests or â—lying backe into the Ocean he eluded all their warlike preparations and the Army retyring hee brake out againe out of his lurking places to infest the Provinces When therefore he prospered in all things and became now terrible even to the King himselfe a certaine Bishop a most simple man miâ—aculously repressed his violence for a time to whom when he denouncing warre threatned utter devastation unlesse he would pay him a tribute He answered The will of the Lord be done for by my example never shall any Bishop be made the tributary to another Bishop Therefore having exhorted his people he meetes him comming with fury onely greater than he in Faith but farre unlike him in other things and for the encouragement of his Souldiers he himselfe giving the first stroke of the battle casting a small Axe at him by Gods good pleasure prostrated the enemy marching in the front With whose fall the people being encouraged rannâ— violently upon the Robbers and slaying a great part of them compelled the most fierce captaine unmanfully to fly This hee himselfe was wont afterwards to relate among his friends with mirth as glorying That onely God could over come him by the Faith of a simple Bishop After this resuming his Forces he wasted the Iâ—lands and Provinces of Scotland as at first Whereupon the King was compelled to appease this Robber to which end using better counsell than formerly he â—esolved to deale wisely with a proud and craâ—ty enemy with whom he could not deale valiantly Therefore granting to him a certaine Province with the monastery of Fornace he suspended his excursions for a time But when as he gloriously passed through the subdued Province like a King with a powerfull army and became exceeding troublesome to the Monastery it selfe of which he had beene a Monke by the consent of the Nobles who hated either his power or his insolence some Inhabitants of the said Province laid waite for him and having gotten a convenient time when as hee followed the multitude he had sent before him to his lodging with a slow pace and a small guard they apprehending him bound him and put out both his eyes because both were wicked and cutting off the cause of a virulent race they gelt him writes my Author for the peace of the Kingdome of Scotland not for the Kingdome of Heaven This Bishop thus emasculated afterwards came to Belleland and there continued quiet many yeares till his death Yet he is reported then to have said that if he had the eye but of a Sparrow his Enemyes should no way insult off their Acts against him So Neubrigensâ—s If all our Lordly Bishops were gelt like this for the peace of the Kingdome both of Scotland and England that we might be no more troubled with this their Lordly virulent generation in â—uture ages I presume it would be as great a blessing as could befall both Kingdomes and Churches About the yeare 1230. the men of Cathnes sore offended with their Bishop named Adam for that upon refusall to pay their Tithes he had accursed and excommunicated them fel upon him within his owne house And first scourging him with Rods at length set fire upon him and burnt him within his owne kitchin Which Act being reported to the Scoâ—tish King Alexander as then sojourning at Edenburgh he hasted forth with all speed to punish the offenders not ceasing till he had taken 400â— of themâ— all which number he caused to be hanged and for that he would have no succession to come of such a wicked seed he appointed all their Sons to lose their stones The place where they were so gelded is called even to this day the Stony-hill The Eaâ—le of Cathnes for that he neither succoured the Bishop in time of need nor yet sought to punish the offenders that did this cruell deed was deprived of his Earledome and the Lands belonging to the same The Pope highly commended King Alexander for this punishment taken of them that had so cruelly murthered their Bishop Thus was one small cruelty occasioned by this Bishops covetousnesse and perversenesse punished with a farre greater yea such a one as is hardly parralleld in story and that by the instigation of the Prelates and Pope who applauded this barbarous cruelty Had all Lordly Traytorly Rebellious and Seditious Prelates beene thus gelded that no succession mighâ— spring from their wicked seed to infest both Chuâ—ch and State it had beene a more profitable and commendable action than the gelding of these poore Laymen King Iames the fourth Anno 1504. when he had formerly ministred justice so amongst his Subjects that they lived in great peace and quietnesse William Elfinstone Bishop of Aberdene one of his Counsell devised wayes to win the King great profit and gaine by calling his Barons and all those that held any Lands within this Realme to shew their evidences by way of recognition and if they had not sufficient writings to shew warrantablâ— by the antecedent Lawes of the Kingdome the Lands should remaine at the Kings pleasure But when the King perceived his people to grudge herewith and not without caâ—se as with a thing devised to disquiet his people and the whole Country of his owne courteous nature he easily agreed with the possessors of such Lands For the which he purchased great love amongst his people and the Bishop the deviser of this Ordinance wanne passing great hatred and malice Anno. 1521. A Parliament was summoned to be kept at Edenburgh the 26. of Ianuary and a generall Sommons of forâ—eiture proclaimed at the Market Crosse in Edenburgh wherein divers were sommoned to make their appearance in the said Parliament to be tryed
for sundry great offences by them committed Whereupon Gawin Dowglasse Bishop of Dunkeld hearing of this Proclamation though not named in it conscious to himselfe of great offences fled into England and remained aâ— London in the Savoy where he dyed Anno 1569. There was a great rebellion in the North by the Earles of Westmorland and Northumberland and others Murray then Regent of Scotland informed Queene Elizabeth that the Bishop of Rosse then in England was the Authour of that Rebellion whereupon he was committed to the Bishop of London to remaine his Prisoner As the Archbishops of Canterbury Primates of all England have beene the greatest Traytors and Incendiaries of all other our Prelates so have the Bishops and Archbishops of Saint Andrewes Primates of all Scotland beene the like in that Realme of which I shall give you a taste In the yeare of our Lord 1180. Richard Bishop of Saint Andrews deceasing there arose a great Schisme about the election of a new Bishop for the canons of the Church of S. Andrews elected Iohn Scot for their Bishop and William King of Scots made choyce of Hugh his Chaplaine and caused him to be consecrated by the Bishops of his Kingdome notwithstanding the said Iohns appeale to the Pope Whereupon Pope Alexander sent Alexis a sub-Deacon of the Church of Rome into Scotland to heare and determine the controversie betweene these two competitors Who after a long debate finding that the said Iohn was Canonically elected and that Hugh after the appeale to the Pope was violently intruded by the King into the Bishopricke of Saint Andrewes immediately deposed him from his Bishopricke and by his authority imposed perpetuall silence on him confirmed the election of Iohn and caused him to be consecrated Bishop of Saint Andrewes by the Bishops of Scotland the King neither prohibiting nor contradicting it yea permitting it by the Counsell of the Bishops of his Realme But immediately after his consecration the King prohibited him to stay within his kingdome and Hugh carryed himselfe as Bishop no lesse than he did before his deprivation and taking with him the Episcopall Chaplet Staffe and Ring with other things he unlawfully detaining them and beginning his journey towards Rome departed And because he would not restore the things he carryed away Allexis excommunicated him interdicted his Bishopricke and the Pope confirmed that sentence Hereupon the Pope writes three Letters one to the Bishops Abbots and Prelates of all Scotland the Prior of Saint Andrewes and the Clergy and people of that Diocesse honourably to receive Iohn as their Bishop within 8 dayes after the receipt of this Letter and to submit unto him as their Bishop and putting on the spirit of fortitude to labour wisely and manfully for the preservation of Ecclesiasticall Justice and to endeavour to appease the Kings displeasure But if the King were averse or inclining to the Counsell of wicked men then they ought to obey God and the holy Church of Rome more than men otherwise he must and would ratifie the sentence which Hugh Bishop of Durham had pronounced against the contumacious and rebellious Another Letter to all the Bishops and Prelates of Scotland to denounce Hugh excommunicated and to avoyd his company as an excommunicate Person till he restored to Iohn the goods of the Church he had taken away and given him competent satisfaction for the things he had destroyed Moreover the Pope granted to Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke a power Legatine in Scotland and commanded him that he together wiâ—h Hugh Bishop of Durham should denounce a â—entence of excommunication against the King of Scotland and interdict his Kingdome unlesse he would permit the said Iohn to hold his Bishopricke in peace and give security to him to keepe the peace And the same Pope strictly commanded Iohn by vertue of his canonicall obedience that neither act of love nor feare oâ— any man nor through any mans suggestion or will he should rashly presume to relinquish the Church of Saint Andrewes to which he was consecrated and in which he was confirmed by Apostolicall authority nor presume to receive another Bishopricke adding that if he should attempt it he would take away both Bishopricks from him without exception After which Pope Alexander writ a Letter to King William himselfe enjoyning him thereby within twenty dayes after the receipt thereof to give peace and security to the Bishop and to receive him unto his favour so that he ought not to doubt the Kings indignation Alioquin noveritis c. Else he should know that he had commanded Roger Archbishop of Yorke Legate of the Apostolicke See in Scotland to put his Kingdome under interdict and to excommunicate his person notwithstanding any appeale And that he should know for certaine that if he persisted in his violence as he had formerly laboured that his kingdome might have liberty so he would thenceforth doe his endeavour Vt in pristinam subjectionem revertatur that it should revert unto its Priestine subjection He meant I take it not to himselfe but to England But the King obeying in nothing his Apostolicall mandates expelled Iohn Bishop of Saint Andrewes and Matthew Bishop of Aberden his Uncle oâ—t of his kingdome Whereupon Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke Hugh Bishop of Durham and Alexis prosecuting the Popes command Pronounced a Sentence of Excommunication against the Kings person and a sentence of Interdict against his Kingdome And Iohn on the other side fulminated a sentence of excommunication against Richard de Mâ—rtue Constable of Scotland and other of the Kings familiars who disturbed the peace betweene the King and him And Roger of Yorke and Hugh of Durham likewise enjoyned the Prior of Saint Andrewes and all Ecclesiasticall persons within the Diocesse to come to Iohn their Bishop and yeeld due subjection to him else they would pronounce a sentence of suspention against them as contumacious and rebellious And when as certaine Ecclesiastickes of the Diocesse for feare of the said suspension came to the said Iohn the King cast them all out of his kingdome with their children and kindred and with their very sucking children yet lying in their swathing cloutes and hanging on their Mothers brests Whose miserable proscription and exile the foresaid Roger of Yorke and Hugh of Durham beholding Reiterated their former excommunication and interdiction Commanding all Bishops Abbots Priors and Ecclesiasticall persons firmely and unmoveably to observe the same and very warily to shunne the King himselfe as an excommunicate Person Not long after Roger of Yorke fell sicke and dyed which the King of Scotâ— hearing rejoyced exceedingly thereat And taking advise with the Bishops Earles and other wise men of his kingdome he sent Ioceline Bishop of Glascow Arnulfe Abbot of Melros and others to Pope Lucius to absolve him from the foresaid Excommunication and interdict and if they might by any meanes to procure Iohn to be deprived By whose solicitation the Pope released the Excommunication and interdict as appeares by his Letter
colour or fraud that I have formerly erred in this that I thought the government of the Church to be like the regiment of terrene Kingdomes expresly against the precept of Christ our Lord and that the Monarchy whereby the Church is governed did not rest in the person of Christ our Saviour alone as it doth in truth but likewise in the Ministers who yet are nothing else but vassalls and Clarks under Christ Et aequales inter se and equall among themselves c. Lastly I confesse that the Office of a Bishop as now it is used and claimed omni authoritate verbi Dei destituitur solo politico hominum commento fundatur is destitute 〈◊〉 all authority from Gods Word and founded onely upon the politicke device of men out of which the Primacy of the Pope or Antichrist hath sprung Et merito damnandum est and it is deservedly to be condemned because the assembly of the Presbytery who have the power of Iurisdiction and Inspection both in Visitations and in Ordinations performeth all these things with greater authority piety and zeale than any one Bishop whose care for the most part is intent not upon God or their function but the world which he principally ordereth Consider after what sort it hath beene usurped these 506. yeares last past with how great cruelty and tyranny they have exercised it and thou shalt finde that it hath beene the Principall Originall of suppressing the Word of God in every kingdome which will evidently appeare to any one who shall survey the Ecclesiasticall History This Arch-Prelate held correspondency with our English Bishops from whom asking leave of the generall Assembly to goe into England about his Civill affaires onely as he pretented he received his consecration to this Arch-bishopricke in a secret manner Anno. 1589. and then returned into Scotland where he durst nor exercise his Archiepiscopall authority openly for a space King Iames after he was made Archbishop brought him from Saint Andrewes to Edenburgh that he might preach there openly in the great Church the King himselfe accompanying him with his Guard to secure him from the people brought him into the Church sending halfe of his Guard to convey the Bishop to the Pulpit doore which Master Iohn Cooper one of the ordinary Ministers of Edinburgh had prepossessed who standing up to say prayer and preach assoone as he perceived the King in his seate the King perceiving it sayd Master Iohn Cooper I will not have you preach this day I command you to goe downe out of the Pulpit and let the Bishop of Saint Andrewes come up and preach to me to the which the ordinary Minister replyed Please your Majesty this is the day appointed to me to preach and if it were your Majesties pleasure I would faine supply the place my selfe But the King replyed againe I will not heare you at this time I command you to goe downe and let Master Patricke Adamson come up and Preach this day and beside the King had remembred that he should not have stiled him a Bishop by reason there were so strait Acts against them Then Master John Cooper sayd I shall obey Sir and came downe from the Pulpit yet the rest of the Ministers that were there sitting with him at the entry of the Pulpit did not open the doore to the Bishop while the King commanded him and then so soone as the Bishop was entred into the Pulpit and began with low becke to doe reverence to the King and to other inferiour Magistrates the whole people rose out of their places with a great out-cry and lamentation and ranne out of the Church especially the women and when the Guard thought to have kept them in they ran over the Guard and Master Iohn Cooper going also out of the Church went to Mr. Robert Bruce his house the women all going with him and many men and there heard his Sermon which he should have Preached in the Church the fearefull noyse yet continuing in the Church many running out of the Church and some comming in againe to see whereto the matter would returne made the King to cry out and say What a devill ayles the people that they may not heare a man Preach but cry what he would cry for the space of a long time not any audience could be given so with what feare the Bishop Preacht that day and with how little audience they can best tell that considered the matter rightly alwayes the King set the Bishop in the midst of the Guard and so tooke him downe to the Abbey with him but so soone as he came to Saint Andrewes againe the Presbytery entred in Proces against him for taking upon him to be a Bishop which they proved by many reasons but chiefely for that the King called him so and albeit they had many hinderances and the King caused a great delay to be made devising meanes to save him from excommunication yet in the end he was excommunicated by the Provinciall Assembly albeit by the Kings earnest dealing his excommunication was not published in all Churches as it should have beene upon some promises which he made and yet never performed them This Arch-bishop by the instigation of our English Prelates writ and Preached in defence of Episcopacy as he afterwards confessed in the Synod of Fiffe where he retracted this his Doctrine as erronious and being put from his Bishopricke excommunicated and hated of the people who put him to the horne for his debts he fell into a great sicknesse called a Dogges appetite and wanting meate to satisfie his hunger he was in manner starved to death confessing in his sickenesse that his sentence of excommunication was justly pronounced and desired the Assembly to release him from it for Christs sake whereupon he was afterwards absolved after his forementioned recantation After this the very calling of Bishops having beene condemned and abjured in the Assembly at Dundy as unlawfull Anno. 1580. the Church of Scotland upon this Adamsons death continued free from the government and tyranny of Bishops till King Iames was possessed of the Crowne of England and some yeares after at which time some ambitious Scottish Ministers stealing secretly into England procured themselves to be consecrated Bishops by our English Prelates and by certaine insensible degrees by the helpe of our English Bishops by perjury forgery and other indirect meanes with much difficulty and opposition set up Episcopacy againe in the Church of Scotland to the great disturbance of that Church and State whereupon after the assembly at Glascow An. 1610. where Episcopacy was againe revived by admitting Ministers to have Vote in Parliament though with many a limitation which they afterwards frustrated and eluded by degrees one Gladstaine was ordained Arch-bishop of Saint Andrewes who is credibly reported to have made a solemne recantation at his death for his acceptance of such an unlawfull office which recantation was suppressed After him one Sprotswood succeeded a very vicious false and crafty
Machiavilian who confederating with Laud now Arch-bishop of Canterbury by his meanes procured himselfe to be made Chancellor of Scotland who by reason of this great temporall office was the better able to introduce all Canterburies Innovations into that Church with more facility This Arch-Prelate with the other Prelates of Scotland conâ—ederating with Canterbury who had usurped a kinde of generall and Papall Superintendency over all his Majesties three Kingdomes in the yeare 1636. framed a booke of Canons and Constitutions for the government of â—he Scotland tending to the utter subversion of the established Discipline of that Church and opening a doore for many doctrinall and disciplinary errours and Innovations And to prevent all obloquy against them they enjoyne none to speake either against these Canons or the booke of Common prayer which was to be set forth under heavie censures The next yeare following in Iune 1637. the sayd Arch-bishop and Bishops by Canterburies direction caused a New booke of Common prayer to be Prinâ—ed for the use of the Church of Scotland which was appointed by his Majesties letters to be received as the onely forme of Gods Worship whereunto all subjects of that Realme civill or Ecclesiasticall ought to conforme and the contraveners to be condignely punished To set on this designe the better every Minister was by Proclamation enjoyned and some charged with letters of horning to buy two of the sayd Bookes for the use of the Parish and to scare all men from opposing it Canterbury in the very same month of June caused Doctor Bastwicke Mr. Burton and Mr. Prynne to be severely censured in the Starchamber for opposing his Innovations here in England which hee then intended to introduce into the Church of Scotland and to be set in the Pillory at Westminster where all oâ— them had their eares close cut off one of them his cheekes â—eared this barbarous execution finished even before their wounds were cured he then sent them away close Prisoners to three remote Castles Dr. Bastwick to Lanceston Castle in Coâ—newall Mr. Burton to Lancaster and Mr. Prynne to Carnarvan Castle in North-Wales where they were shut up close Prisoners so that neither their Wives Children nor any of their friends could have accesse to speake with them nor they so much as enjoy the liberty of Pen Inke or Paper to write for necessaries or the liberty of any licensed Books except the Bible and some few other Bookes for private devotion And not content herewith by an extrajudiciall order oâ— the Lords he soone after caused them to be conveyed close Prisoners into the Isle of Iersie Garnsey and Silly there to be close imprisoned in three Castles giving strict order that no man should be admitted to speake with them there nor Dr. Bastwickes and Mr. Burtons wives permitted so much as once to come into the Islands where they were and that all letters to them should be intercepted and no pen inke or Paper allowed them to write upon any occasion This transcendent new kinde of Prelaticall tyranny wherewith Canterbury imagined to terrifie and appale the Scots comming to their eares wrought quite contrary effects stirring them up with greater animosity to resist the Prelates encroachments both upon their consciences Lawes liberties and established Discipline Whereupon when the Bishop of Edenburgh accompanied with the two Arch-bishops and some other Prelates of Scotland began the use of their new service booke in the chiefe Church of Edenburgh the 23. of Iuly next after this sentence and execution the most part of the people much discontented with such a great and sudden alteration as imported a change both of the externall forme and nature of the former publicke worâ—hip did at one instant rise and hinder the new Service calling it superstitious and Idolatrous and the same was also stopped in another Church of Edenburgh where it was to be reade by the Bishop of Arguile This notwithstanding the Prelates procured by Act of Councell the paine of death without all favour or mercy to be denounced against all those who should any wayes raiâ—e or speake against the Bishops or any of the inferior Clergie or against the service Booke They discharged the ministers and Readers of Edenburgh who refused the Book their wonted service and interdicted the publicke Evening and Morning Prayer reading of Scriptures singing of Psalmes for a long time still pressing the buying and practising of the sayd booke by all Ministers which mooved the Ministers first to petition and next many of the Nobility Gentry Burgesses and Ministers to meete and to supplicate the Lords of the Privie Counsell against the sayd Bookes of Canons and Common Prayers and the illegall way of introducing the same till at last the Bishops violence and practises forced the whole kingdome into a combustion against them and caused them in their generall assembly at Edâ—nburgh Anno 1639. not onely to abjure but to extirpate Episcopacy and banish all their Bishops as Incendiaries out of their Realme except the Bishops of Dunkeld and of Orcanies who recanted and abjured their Episcopacy Canterbury and the Prelates of Scotland and England storming at these proceedings take occasion from thence to raise up a civill warre betweene England Ireland and Scotland thinking to restore Episcopacy againe in that Kingdome by force of Armes And when as this warre was happily pacified and all differences fully accorded Canterbury with his agents caused the former pacification â—o be annulled new Armes to be raised and a fresh warre to be undertaken to the unsupportable expence and great danger of all his Majesties three Kingdomes which by the Prelates practises are at this day still enforced to maintaine three Armies in the field and had the Prelates buâ— their wish we had long ere this embrued our hands deepely in one anothers blood and made our Kingdomes so many Aceldamaes to maintaine their Antichristian pompe and Lordlinesse But blessed and for ever honoured and praysed be our gracious God who hath miraculously continued and preserved our peace in the midst of war and â—rustrated the designes of our blood-thirsty Prelates turning their Bellum Episcopale as themselves termed it into a warre not for but against themselves to a probable extirpation of them for ever out of all three Kingdomes which have a long time groaned under their tyranny England and Ireland now desiring and petitioning earnestly to the Parliament to be eased of their inâ—olerable yoake of bondage as Scotland hath already exonerated themselves thereof Now to manifest that this present warre Originally sprung from the Scottish Prelates and from Canterbury the very fountaine of all late mischiefes in all three Kingdomes I shall neede no further evidence than the charge of the Scottish Commissioners against Canterbury presented to our present Parliament the Coppie whereof though already in Print I shall here insert as pertinent to my intenâ—â—d Theame The Charge of the Scottish Commissioners against the Prelate of Canterbury NOvations in Religion which are Universally acknowledged
both hands yet being â—ryed it importeth much as that he must stand with his hinder parts to the People representing saith Durand that which the Lord said of Moses Thoâ— shalt see my hinder parts He must have the use of both his hands not for any thing he hath to doe about the Bread and Wine for that may be done at the North end of the Table and be better seene of the people but as we are taught by the Rationalists that he may be stretching forth his armes to represent the extension of Christ on the Crosse and that he may the more conveniently lift up the Bread and Wine above his head to be seen and adored of the people who in the Rubricke of the generall Confession a little before are directed to kneele humbly on their knees that the Priests elevation so magnified in the Masse and the peoples adoration may goe together That in this posture speaking with a low voyce and muttering for sometimes he is commanded to speake with a loud voyce and distinctly he be noâ— heard by thâ— people which is no lesse a mocking of God and his people then if the words were spoken in an unknowne language As there is no word of all this in the English Service so doth the Booke in King Edwards time give to every Presbyter his liberty of gesture which yet gave such offence to Bucer the censurer of the Booke and even in Cassanders owne judgement a man of great moderation in matters of this kind that he calleth them Nunquam satis exâ—â—randos Missâ— gestus and would have them to be abhorred because they confirme to the simple and superstitious ter impiam exitialem Missae fiduciam The corporall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament is also to be found here for the words of the Masse-booke serving to this purpose which are sharpely censured by Bucer in King Edwards Liturgy and are not to be â—ound in the Booke of England are taken in here Almighty God is in called that of his Almighty Goodnesse he may vouchsafe so to blesse and sanctifie with his Word and Spirit these gifts of Bread and Wine that they may bee unto us the body and blood of Christ. The change here is made a worke of Gods Omnipotency the words of the Masse ut fiant nobis are translated in King Edwards Booke That they be unto us which are againe turned into Latine by Alesius Vt fiant nobis On the other part the expressions of the Booke of England at the delivery of the Elements of feeding on Christ by Faith and of Eating and drinking in remembrance that Christ dyed for thee are utterly deleated Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion of the bodily Presence of Christ very agreeable to the Doctrines taught by his Secretaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliâ—er both objective and subjective Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The Booke of England abolisheâ—h all that may import the oblation of any unbloody Sacrifice but here we have besides the Preparatory oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the Booke of England now nor in King Edwards Booke of old the oblation of the body and blood of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopere laudatur This also agreeth well with their late doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kinde as grounds laid for missa sicca or the halfe Messe the private Messe without the people of communicating in one kinde of the consumption by the Priest and consummation of the Sacrifice of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth and not in the hand c. Our supplications were many against these Bookes but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations We were constrained to use the remedy of Protestation but for our Proâ—estations and other lawfull meanes which we used for our deliverance Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebels and Traitors in all the Parish Kirkes of England when we were seeking to possesse our Religion in peace against these devices and novations Canterbury kindleth warre against us In all these it is knowne that he was although not the sole yet the principall Agent and adviser When by the Pacification at Berwicke both Kingdomes looked for peace and quietnesse he spared not openly in the hearring of many often before the King and privately at the Counsell-Table and the privy Iointo to speake of us as Rebels and Traitors and to speake against the Pacification as dishonourable and meeâ—e to be broken Neither did his malignancy and bitterâ—eâ—â—e ever suffer him to rest till a new warre was entred upon and all things prepared for our destruction By him was it that our Covenant approven by Nationall Assemblies subscribed by his Majesties Commissioner and by the Lords of his Majesties Counsell and by them commanded to be subscribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome as a Testimony of our duty to God and the King by him was it still called ungodly damnable Treasonable by him were Oaths invented and pressed upon divers of our poore Countrey men upon the paine of imprisonment and many miseries which were unwarrantable by Law and contrary to their Nationall Oath When our Commissioners did appeare to render the reasons of our demands he spared not in the presence of the King and Committee to raile against our Nationall Assembly as not daring to appeare before the World and Kirkes abroad where himselfe and his Actions were able to endure tryall and against our just and necessary defence as the most malicious and Treasonable Contempt of Monarchicall Government that any bygone age hath heard of His hand also was at the Warrant for the restraint and imprisonment of our Commissioners sent from the Parliament warranted by the King and seeking the peace of the Kingdomes When we had by our Declarations Remonstrances and Representations manifested the truth of our intenâ—ions and lawfulnesse of our Actions to all the good subjects of the Kingdome of England when the late Parliament could not be moved to assâ—st or enter in warre against us maintaining our Religion and Liberties Canterbury did not onely advise the breaking up of that high and honourable Court to the greaâ— grieâ—e and hazard of the Kingdome but which is without example did sit still in the Convocation and make Canons and constitutions against us and our just and necessary defence ordaining under all highest paines that hereafter the Clergy shall Preach foure times in the yeare such doctrine as is contrary not onely to our proceedings but to the doctrine and proceedings of other Reformed Kirkes to the judgement of all sound Divines and politiques and tending to the utter slavery and ruining of all Estates and Kingdomes and to the dishonour of Kings and Monarches
judiciall manner against Law and have perpetrated practised and done many other trayterous and unlawfull acts and things whereby as well divers mutinies seditions and rebellions have beene raised as also many thousands of his Majesties Liege people of this Kingdome have beene ruined in their goods Lands Liberties and Lives and many of them being of good quality and reputation have beene utterly defamed by Pillory mutilation of members and other infamous punishments By meanes whereof his Majesty and the Kingdome have beene deprived of their service in Juries and other publique imployments and the generall trade and traffique of this Island for the most part destroyed and his Majesty highly damnified in his customes and other Revenues That they the sayd Iohn Lord Bishop of Derry c. and every of them the better to preserve themselves and the sayd Earle of Strafford in these and other trayterous courses have laboured to subvort the rights of Parliament and the ancient course of Parliamentary proceedings all which offences were contrived committed perpetrated and done at such time as the sayd Sir Richard Bolton Sir Gerard Lowther and Sir George Radcliffe Knights were Privie Counsellours of State within this Kingdome and against their and every of their Oathes of the same at such times as the sayd Sir Richard Bolton Knight was Lord Chancellour of Ireland or chiefe Baron of his Majesties Exchequer within this kingdome and Sir Gerard Lowther Knight was Lord chiefe Justice of the sayd Court of Common Pleas and against their Oathes of the same and at â—uch time as the sayd Iohn Lord Bishop of Derry was actuall Bishop of Derry within this Kingdome and were done and speciated contrary to their and every of their allegiance severall and respective Oathes taken in that behalfe For which the sayd Knights Citizens and Burgesses doe impeach â—he saâ—d Iohn Lord Bishop of Derâ—y c. and every of them of high Treason againâ—t our Soveraigne Lord the King his Crowne and dignityâ— What proceedings will insue upon this accusation against this Prelaâ—e time will discover Not to mention â—he lewd beastly Sodomiticall life and most detestable Actions of Aderton Bishop of Waâ—eâ—fordâ—n â—n Ireland for which he was lately aâ—â—aigned condemned and hanged as a Bishop without any preceding degradation to the great dishonour of his Rochet I shall close up this Historicall Epitome of the Irish Bishops with a Petition and Remonstrance of many thousand Protestanâ— Inhabitants in severall Counties of Ireland against Episcopacy presented lately to the High Court of Parliament here in England wheâ—ein the evill â—ruites and seditious oppressive ungodly practises of the present Irish Prelates are fully anatomized To the Honourable Assembly of Knights Citizens and Burgesses in this present Parliament The Humble Petition of some of the Protestant Inhabitants of the Counties of Antrim Downe Tyrone c. part of the Province of Ulster in the Kingdome of Ireland Humbly REpresenteth unto your grave Wisedomes and judicious considerations That your Petitioners having translated themselves out of the severall parts of his Majesties Kingdomes of England and Scotland to promote the Infant Plantation of Ireland wherein your Petitioners by their great labour and industry so much contributed to the settlement of that Kingdome as they were in a most hopefull way of a comfortable abode and when they expected to reape the â—â—uite of their great and long labour partly by the cruell severity and aâ—bitâ—ary proceedings of the Civill Magistrate but principally through thâ—â—nblest way of the Prelacy with their faction ouâ— Soules are starved our estates undone out familâ—es impoverished and many lives among us cut off and destroâ—ed Tâ—e Prelates whose pretended Authority though by some pubâ—â—shed to be by divinâ— Right as we humbly conceive is directly against the same have by their Canons of late their Fines Fees and imprisonments at their pleasure their silencing suspending banishing and excommunicating of our learned and conscionable Ministers their obtruding upon us ignorant erronious and prophane persons to be our teachers their censuring of many hundreds even to excommunication for matters acknowledged by all to be indifferent and not necessary their favouring Popery in this Kingdome a double â—ault their persecuting purity and indeavouring to bring all to a livelesse formality divers of them being notorious incendiaries of the unquietnesse and unsetled estate betweene these Kingdomes with many the like too tedious to relate as more fully in our ensuing grievances doth appeare These our cruell Taske-masters have made of us who were once a people to become as it were no people an astonishment to our selves the object of piety and amazement to others and hopelesse of remedy unlesse hee with whom are bowels of compassion worke in you an heart to interpose for your Petitioners reliefe They therefore most humbly pray that this unlawfull Hierarchicall government with all their appendices may be utterly extirpated such course layd downe as to your great wisedomes shall â—eeme meete for reparation in some measure of our un-utterable dammages â—ustained by the parties thus injuriously grieved your Petitioners setled in a way whereby their persecuted Ministers may have leave to returne from exile and be freed from the unjust censures imposed on them â—â—d an open doore continued unto us for provision of a powerfull and able ministry the onely best way to promote Plantation and settle the Kingdome in the profession and practise of true Religion Which as it is the earnest expectation so it shall be the dayly prayer of many thousands besides your Petitioners who will ever entâ—eate the Lord for your direction herein and in all other your waighty and important affaires as becommeth your poore Petitioners c. A Particular of manifold evills and heavie pressures caused and occasioned by the Prelacy and their dependants BEfore they had so much as a pretended Canon for their warrant the Prelates urged their Ceremonies with such vehemency that divers of our most learned and painefull Ministers for not obeying them were sâ—lenced and many of us for the like oppressed in their Courts In the yeare â—634 they made such Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall as enjoyned many corruptions in the worship of God and government of the Church which exceedingly retarded the worke of reformation animated Papists and made way for divers Popish Superstitions Our most painefull godly and learned Ministers were by the Bishops and their Commissaries silenced and deprived for not subscribing and conforming to the sayd unlawâ—ull Canons yea through the hotnesse of their persecution â—orced to flee the Land and afterward excommunicated to the danger of all and losse of some of their lives In their places others were obtruded not onely ignorant lazie and lukewarme but many of them unsound in doctrine prophane in life and cruell in persecution Many though sufficiently furnished were not admitted to the Ministry onely for not swallowing downe their groundlesse Innovations yea some though conforme yet for appearing strict in Life were likewise kept out Good and painefull
thereof he termes a sore law and much declaimes against them Chap. 8. Though after the determination of Doctors a man is not an hereticke for that onely that hee erreth but for that hee opinatively defendeth his errour and that neverthelesse the spiritualty as a common voyce goeth among the people have in time past punished many for heresie upon light causes and offences whereupon many people have grudged and that grudge hath beene another occasion of this Division Chap. 9. That the partiality that hath beene shewed upon suits taken in the Spirituall Court by spirituall men hath beene another cause of this Division Chap. 10. That the extreme and covetous demeanour of some Curates with their Parishioners hath beene another cause of this Division Chap. 11. That the granting of pardons for money as it were to some Charitable use that hath not after followed hath raised another grudge among the people which hath beene another occasion of this Division Chap. 12. That making of Lawes by the Church which they had no authority to make hath beene another occasion of this Division In which Chapter he cites divers Lawes made by the Clergie and executed contrary to the Lawes of the Realme touching Tythes of wood exemption of Clerkes from secular jurisdiction and the like which lawes while spirituall men sticke fast to and stifly maintaine temporall men by reason of common use and custome that they have seene to the contrary have resisted them whereupon have risen great strife and variances and expences in the spirituall Law Chap. 13. The lacke of good visitations hath beene another occasion of this Division wherein hee shewes that Bishops keepe their visitations onely to gaine money and procurations not to refraine vices Chap. 14. That the great multitude of Licenses and dispensations made by the spiritualty for money upon light suggestions hath beene another cause of this division Chap. 15. That the great laxenesse and worldly pleasures of religious persons whereby the people hath beene greatly offended hath beene another occasion of this Division Chap. 16. Then for a conclusion of this Treatise it is somewhat touched how good it is to have a zeale of Soules and how perilous it is to do any thing whereby they might be hurt And that if zeale of Soules pitty good doctrine and devout prayer were abundantly in this world mist specially in Prelates and spirituall Rulers that then a new light of grace and tractability would shortly shew and shine among the people The summe of the whole Treatise is to prove that the Bishops and Prelates are the authors of much division trouble and dissention both in Church and State and that by their Episcopall practises and unjust usurpations lawes and proceedings William Wraughton who wrote about the same time In his Rescuing of the Romish Fox Dedicated to King Henry the 8. writes thus Wee have put downe some of your orders of the world there remaine yet two orders of the world in England That is the order of pompous and Popish bishops and Gray Fryers Which if they were put downe as well as the other put downe before I reckon that there should be no Kingdome wherein Christ should more raigne than in England And there hee proves at large the Canon Law to be the Popes law and that as long as the Bishops maintaine it in England they maintaine the Pope in his soveraignty and Legislative power in England and that the reading of this Law makes men papists Roderickâ—â—ors sometimes a Gray Fryer in his Complaint to the Parliament house of England about the 37. yeare of King Henry the eight Chap. 23 24. writes thus of our Prelates No doubt one Bishop one Deane one Colledge or House of Canons hath ever done more mischiefe against Gods Word and sought more the hinderance of the same than tenne houses of Monkes Fryers Canons or Nunnes The Kings Grace began well to weed the Garden of England but yet hath he lest standing the more pitty the most fowlest and stinking weedes which had most need to be first plucked up by the rootes that is to say the pricking thistles and stinging nettles which still standing what helpeth the deposing of the petty members of the Pope and to leave his whole body behind which are the pompous Bishops Canons oâ— Colledges Deanes and such other Surely it helpeth as much as to say I will goe kill all the Foxes in Saint Iohns wood because I would have no more Foxes breed in England Which well pondered wee may say and lye not that the Pope remaineth wholly still in England save onely that his name is banished For why his body which be Bishops and oâ—her shavellings doâ—h not onely remaine but also his tayle which be his filâ—hy Traditions wicked Lawes and beggerly ceremonies as Saint Paul calleth them yea and the whole body of his pestiferous Canon Law according to which judgement is given throughout the Realmeâ— So that we be still in Egâ—pt and remain in capâ—ivity most grievously laden by observing and walking in his most â—ilhy drosse aforesaid which is a mistie and endlesse maze And so long as yee walke in those wicked lawes of Antichrist the Pope and maintaine his Knights the Bishops in such inordinate riches and unlawfull authority so long say I yee shall never baniâ—â— that monstrous beast the Pope out of Englandâ— yea and it shall be a meanes in processe of time to bring us into temporall bondage also againe to have him raigne as he hatâ— done like a God and that know our forked caps right well which thing maketh â—hem so boldly and shamelesly to right in their gods quarrell against Christ and his Word c. The Bishops by their subtilâ—es and most crafty wiles make the people to abhorâ—e the name of the Pope of Rome for a face and compell them to walke in all his wicked lawes and the Word of God which wee say we have received is not nor cannot be suffered to be preached aâ—â—â—aught purely and sincerely without mixing it with their invâ—nted traditions and service Wherefore to open the conclusion oâ— this little lamentation â—f â—ee will banish for ever the Antichrist the Pope out of this Realme yee must fell downe to the ground those rotten poasts the Bishops which be clouds withouâ— moystureâ— and utterly abandon all and every of his ungodly Lawes traditions and ceremonies Now will I speake no further against the particular Pope for as much as every Bishop is now a Pope and yee may plainly see by all the premises that the proud Prelates the Bishops I meane be very Antichrists as is their Father of Rome So he and much more Henry Stalbridge in his Exhoâ—tatory Epistle to his deerly beloved Country of England against the pompous Popish Bishops thereof as yet the true members of their filthy Father the great Antichrist of Rome Printed at Basill in King Henry the eighth his dayes thus seconds him I say yet once againe and that in the seale of the
Lord as hee is my Judge I wish if his gracious pleasure so were that first the Kings Majesty and so forth all those to whom God hath given power and authority upon earth under him may throughly see and perceiveâ— how that noâ— onely the bloody Beare-Wolfe of Rome but also the most part of the other Bishops and stout sturdy Canons of Cathedrall Churchesâ— with other petty pronlers and prestigious Priests of Baalâ— his malignant members in all Realmes of Christendome especialle here in England doth yet roare abroad like hungry Lyonsâ— freâ— like angry Beares and bite as they dare like cruell wolves clustering together in corners like a swarme of Adders in a dunghill or most wily subtill serpents to uphold and preserve their filthy Father of Rome the head of their bawdy broodâ— if it may be No lesse do I iudge it than a bounden duty of all faithfull ministers to manifest their mischiefes to the universall worldâ— eveâ—y man according to his Talent given of God some with pen and some with tongue so bringing them out of their old estimation lest they should still raigne in the peoples consciences to their soules destruction An evident example have they of Christ thus to do which openly rebuked their filthy forefathers the Scribes Lawyers Phariâ—ees Doctors Priests Bishops and Hypocrites for making Gods commandements of no effecâ—â— to support their owne traditions Markâ— 8. Luk. 12. Paul also admonisheth us that after his departure should enter in among us such ravenuing wolves as should noâ— spare the flocke These spirituall manhunters are the very off-spring of Cain children of Caiphasâ— and successors of Simon Magus as their doctrine â—nd living declareth needing no fâ—rther probation most cruell enemies have they beene in a lages to the verity of God ever since the Law was first given and most fierce persecutours of Christ and his Church which hee there proves at large by severall examplesâ— â— No where could the verity be taught but these glorious gluttons were ever at hand to resist it Marvell not yee Bishopâ— and Prelates thâ—ugh I thus in the zeale of Helias and Pâ—ineas stomacke against your â—â—urdie stormes of stubbornenesse for never was any tyranny ministred upon Christâ— and his mysticall members but by your procurements and now in our dayes where are any of the Lords true Servants burned or otherwise murthered for true preaching writing glossing or interpretting the Gospell but it is by your cruell calling upon c. If you be not most wicked workers against God and his verity and most spitefull Traytors to the King and his Realme I cannot thinke there be any living upon the earth Be this onely spoken to you that maintaine such mysteries of madnesse never sent Christ such bloody Apostles nor two horned warriours but the Devils Vicar Antichrist which is the deadly destroyer of faithfull Beleevers What Christian blood hath been shed betweene Empire and Empire Kingdome and Kingdome as between Constantinople and Almaine England and France Italy and Spaine â—or the Bishops of Rome and how many cruell watres of their Priests calling on were too much either to write or to speake Alwayes have they beene working mischiefe in their idle Generation to obscure the verity of God I say yet once againe that it were very necessary for the Kings worthy Majestie with earnest eyes to marke how God hath gratiously vouchsaâ—ed to deliver both him and his people from your troublesome Termagaunt of Rome which afore made all Christian Kings his common slaves and to beware of you hollow hearted Traytors his spirituall promoters considering that your proud predecessours have alwayes so wickedly used his Graces noble Progenitors the worthy Kings of this Realme since the Conquest and aâ—ore Who overthrew King Herald subduing all his land to the Normans Who procured the death of King William Rufus and caused King Stephen to be throwne in prison Who troubled King Henry the First and most cruelly vexed King Henry the second Who subdued and poysoned Kings Iohn Who murthered King Edward the second and famished King Richard the second most unseemingly Besides that hath been wrought against the other Kings also To him that shall read and throughly marke the religious acts of Robert the Archbishop of Canterbury of old Egelwinus Anselmus Randolfe of Durham Ralfe of Chichester Alexander of Lincolne Nigelus of Ely Roger of Salisbury Thomas Becket Stephen Langhton Walter Stapleton Robert Baldocke Richard Scrope Henry Spencer Thomas Arundell and a great sort more of your anointed Antecessors Pontificiall Prelates mitâ—ed mummers mad mastry workers ringed ruâ—â—lers rocheted rutters shorne sawcy swilbols it will evidently appeare that your wicked generation hath done all that and many other mischiefes more By these your filthy â—orefathers and such oâ—her hath this Realme beene alwayes in most miserable captivity either of the Romans or Danes Saxons or Normans and now last of all under the most blasphemous Behemoth your Romish Popâ— the great Antichrist of Europe and most mighty maintainer of Sodome and Gomorrah How unchristianly your said Predecessors have used the Rulers of all other Christian Realms it were too long to write I reckon it therefore high time for all those Christian Princes which pretend to receive the Gospell of salvation and accordingly after that to live in mutuall peace and tranquillity for ever to cast you out of their privy councels and utterly to seclude you from all administrations till such time as they find you no longer wolves but faithfull feeders no destroyers but gentle teachers For as Saint Peter doth say 1 Pet. 5. Yee ought to be no Lords over the people of your Diocesse but examples of Christian meeknesse Who seeth not that in these daies your bloody Bishops of England Italy Cycell France Spaine Portugall Scotland and Ireland be the ground and originall foundation of all controversies schismes variances wars betwixt Realme and Realme at this present c. Consider your beginningâ— never came yee in with your Miters Robes and Rings by the doore as did the poore Apostles but by the window unrequired like Robbers Theeves and manquellers with Simon Magus Marcion and Menander never was your proud Pontificall power of the heavenly Fathers planting and therefore it must at the last up by the rootes yee must in the end be destroyed without hands Dan. 8. c. I thinke â—he devils in hell are not of a more perverse mind nor seek no more wayes to the soules destruction than you Yee play Pharaoh Caiphas Nero Trajanus with all tyrants parts besides Oh abominable scorners and theeves which practise nothing else but the utter destruction of soules If any thing under the Heavens hath need of Reformation let them thinke this to be one which minded any godlinesse for never did cruell Pharaoh hold the people of Israel in so wicked captivity as doth â—his superstitious sort idle Sodomites the most deerly redeemed heritage of the Lord. If they be no spirituall theeves soule murtherers heretickes of and
defieth all his enemies For he saith in his heart Tush I shall neâ—er be cast downe there shall no harme happen unto me He sitteth lurking like a Lyon in his den that he may privily murther the innocent and sucke his blood When such O Lord God as will not obey their Popish and devillish proceedings are brought before that grievous Wolfe they are miserably taunted mocked scorned blasphemed as thy deerely beloved sonne was in Bishop Caiphas house and afterward cruelly committed to prison to the Tower to the Fleete to the Marshalseys to the Kings Bench to the Counters to Lollardes Tower to Newgate c. where they are kept as sheepe in a pinfold appointed to be slaine And as this cruell and bloody Wolfe dealeth with the poore Lambes even so doe the residue of that lecherous litter He with all other of that Wolvish kind hunger and thirst nothing so greatly as the devouring of the bodies and the sucking of the blood of thy poore and innocent Lambes Ah Lord God under that most wicked Queene Iezabel were not the Prophets more cruelly handled than thy faithfull Ministers be now for as in the days of the wicked Queen Iezabel the Priests of Baal were had in great honour were chiefest and of highest authority about the Queen none bearing so much rule in the Court as they none having so much reverence done unto them as they had even so now is it with the idolatrous Priests of England they alone be chiefest and of much estimation with the Queene They alone â—uffle and raigne they alone beare the swing in the Court they alone have all things going forward as they desire they alone be capped kneeled and crowched to they alone have the keyes of the English Kingdome hanging at their girdles whatsoever they binde or loose whispering and trayterously conspiring among themselves that same is both bound and loosed in the starre Chamber in Westminster-Hall in the Parliament house yea in the Queenes privie Chamber and throughout the Realme of England The very Nobility of England are in a manner brought to such slavery that they dare not displease the least of these spitefull spirituall limmes of Antichrist It is writ that certaine men gave their judgements what thing was most mighty and strongest upon earth The first sayd wine is a strong thing The second sayd the King is strongest The third sayd women yet have more strength but above all things the truth beareth away the victory But we may now say unto such an height is the tyranny of the Spirituall Sorcerers growne that Priests in England are mightier than either Wine King Queene Lords Women and all that is there besides But how agreeth this with the example of Christ which fled away when the people would have made him a King or a temporall governour Christ refused to meddle with any worldly matters as the History of dividing the inheritance betweene the two brethren doth declare Christ willed his Disciples to refuse all worldly dominion and temporall rule When they strove among them who of them should be taken for the greatest Christ sayd unto them The Kings of the Gentiles reigne over them and they that beare rule over them are called gracious Lords but ye shall not be so for he that is greatest among you shall be as the least and he that is chiefe shall be as the minister Christ sent not his Disciples to be Lords of the Councell Lords of the Parliament Lord President Lord Chauncellour Lord Bishop Lord Suffragan Lord Deane Master Queenes Amner Mr. Comptroller Mr. Steward Mr. Receiver Sr. Iohn Massemonger c. but to be Ministers and disposers of the Mysteries of God to be Preachers of the Gospell to bee labourers in the Lords harvest to be Pastors and feeders of the Lords flock to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world to be an example to the faithfull in word and conversation in love in spirit in faith and in purenesse to feede Christs flocke so much as lyeth in their power taking the oversight of them not as though they were compelled but willingly not for the desire of filthy lucre but of a good minde not as though they were Lordâ— over the Parishes but that they be an ensample to the flocke that when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare they may receive an uncorruptible crowne of glory But these things O Lord have they all forgotten These ambitious Antichrists are so drowned in vaine glory and in the desire of filthy lucre and worldly promotions that they neither regard God nor the higher powers that they neither esteeme their office nor any one point of godlinesse honesty that they neither think upon the dreadfull day of judgement nor yet remember themselves to be mortall Their whole study in the time of this their Luciferâ— like pride is nothing else but to suppresse thy holy truth and to advance and set up their Antichristan Kingdome that they as Gods may sit alone in the Consciences of men But O Lord God though thou sufferest these Priests of Baal for our unthankefulnesse a while to prosper to raigne to ruleâ— to ruffle to flourish to triumph and to tread downe thy holy Word under their â—eete yet are we certaine that thou wilt at the last arise defend thine owne cause against these Antichrists bring thine enemies unto confusion and set thy people after they have unfainedly repented in a quiet and blessed State So he and blessed be God that he after and we now live to see this verified in part Miles Coverdale once Bishop of Exeter in King Edward the sixth his reigne being deprived of it in Queene Maries would not returne thereto againe in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne but led a private life in London where he writ a booke intituled an Apologie in defence of the Church of England Printed at London 1564. wherein he writes thus of Bishops intermedling with secular affaires and of their Treasons against our Kings by the Popes instigation The Old Canons of the Apostles command that Bishop to be removed from his Office which will both supply the place of a civill Magistrate and also of an Ecclesiasticall person These men for all that both doe and will needes serve both places Nay rather the one office which they ought chiefely to execute they once touch not and yet no body commandeth them to be displaced c. And as â—oâ—uâ— we of all others most justly have left him For our Kings yea even they which with greatest reverence did follow and obey the authority and faith of the Bishops of Rome have long since found and felt well enough the yoake and tyranny of the Popes Kingdome For the Bishops of Rome took the Crowne off from the head of our King Henry the second and compelled him to put aside all Majesty and like a meere private man to come unto their Legate with great submission and humility so as all his Subjects
Majesties royall prerogative more oppressive to his Loyall Subjects and more destructive to the fundamentall Lawes of the Realme and liberties of the Subject than all other professions of men whatsoever For first they have presumed to keepe Consistories Visitations Synods and exercise all manner of Episcopall Jurisdiction in their Diocesse without his Majesties speciall Letters Patents or Commissions under the great Seale of England authorizing them to doe it contrary to the Statutes of 26. Hen. 8. c. 1.37 Hen. 8. c. 17. 1 Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1.5 Eliz. c. 1. and 8. Eliz. c. 1. Secondly they have dared to make out all their Processes Citations Excommunications Suspensions Sentences Probates of Wills Letters of Administation Writs of Iure Patronatus accounts of Executors and the like in their owne names and Stiles and under their owne Seales alone not the Kings as if they were the onely Kings the Supreame Ecclesiasticall heads and Governours of the Church of England not his Majesty contrary to the Statutes of 37. H. 8. c. 17. 1 Ed. 6. c. 2. 1 Eliz. c. 1. 1 Jac. c. 25. Thirdly they have presumed in Printed Bookes to justifie these proceedings to be Lawfull and not content herewith they have most audaciously caused all the Judges of England to resolve and moved his Majestie to dâ—clare and proclaime these their disloyall unjust usurpations on his Crowne to be just and legall when as I dare make good the contrary against all the Prelaâ—es and Lawyers of England and have done it in part in my Breviate of the Prelates intolerable incroachments upon the Kings Prerogative royall and the Subjects Liberties This resolution of â—he Judges against the Kings Prerogative the Prelates have caused to be â—nrolled both in the High Commission at Lambeth and Yorke and in all their Ecclesiasticall Courts throughout England in perpetuam rei memoriam the Arch-bishop of Canterbury keeping the Originall certificate of the Judges among the records of his Court as a good evidence against his Majesty and his successors Fourthly they have pillored stigmatized banished close imprisoned and cut off the eares of those who have opposed these their encroachments upon his Majesties Prerogative Royall according to their Oath and duty to deterre all others from defending his Majesties Title Fifthly they have taken upon them to make Print and publish in their owne names by their owne authorities without his Majesties or the Parliaments speciall License new Visitation Oathes Articles Injunctions Canons Ordinances Rites and Ceremonies enforced them on Ministers Church Wardens Sidemen and others and excommunicated suspended silenced fâ—ned imprisoned and persecuted his Majesties faithfull and loyalest Subjects for not submitting to them contrary to the Statutes of 25. H. 8. c. 19.21.27 H. 8. c. 15.3 Ed. 6. c. 10.11 1 Eliz. c. 2.13 Eliz. c. 12. Magna Charta c. 29. and the Petition of Right Sixthly they have presumed to grant Licenses to marry without banes and to eate flesh on fasting dayes in their owne names a Prerogative peculiar to the King alone who onely can dispense with penall Lawes and the booke of Common Prayer which enjoyne no marriages to be solemnized unlesse the Banes be first thrice asked in the Church Seventhly they have adventured to hold plea of divers cases in their Consistories of which the Conusance belongs onely to the Kings temporall Courts which the formes of Proâ—ibitions and Ad Iura Regia in the Register determine to be a dis-inheriting of the Kings Crowne and Royall dignity a contempt derogation and grievous prejudice to his Royall authority and intolerable rebellion affront disloyalty and contuâ—acy to his Soveraigne Iurisdiction Eighthly they have stopped the current of the Kings owne Prohibitions to their Ecclesiasticall spitefull Courts in cases where they have beene usually granted in former ages even in times of Popery and of the most domineering Prelates and oft questioned threatned convented the Kings Judgeâ— before the King and Lords of the Councell for granting them An insolency and affront to Soveraigne Justice which no former ages can Parallell Ninthly they have disobeyed his Majesties Prohibitions proceeded in contempt and despite of them yea they have committed divers to prison who have sued for and delivered Prohibitions in a faire dutifull manner in the High Commission Court and Articled against one Mr. Iohn Clobery in the High Commission onely for suing out of a Prohibition to that Court as if it were a Capitall oâ—fence For which contumâ—cy and Rebellion their temporalities might bee justly seised into the Kings hands and themselves attainted in a Preâ—unire Adde to this that the now Archbishop of Canterbury hath many times openly protested in Court that he would breake both the necke and backe of Prohibitions And Matthew Wren whilst Bishop of Norwich in the 14. yeare of his Mâ—jesties reigne procured his Majestie to declare under his Highnesse great Seale of England his royall pleasure That if any person within the sayd City of Norwhich should refuse to pay according to the rate of two shillings the pound in lieu of the Tithes of Houses unto the Minister of any Parish within the sayd City that the same should be heard in the Court of Chancery or in the Consistory of the Bishop of Norwich And that in such Case no Prohibition should be granted against the said Bishop of Norwich their Chancellors or Commissaries in the sayd Courts of Consistory Tenthly they hâ—ve disobeyed and contemned his Majesties just and lawfull-commands in a most pâ—remptory and insolent manner of which I shall give onely one memorable instance His Majesty about the yeare of our Lord 1629. taking notice of the Bishops Non-residence from their Bishoprickes and how they lived for the most part idlely in London hunting after new prefeâ—ments to the ill example of the inâ—erior Clâ—rgiâ— the delapidation and ruine of their mansion houses the decay of Hospitality the impairing of their woods and temporalties the increase of Popery and decrease of Religion was pleased to send a letter to Doctor Abbot then Arch-Bishop of Canterbury for the redresse of the sayd inconveniences commanding him in his Royall name to enjoyne every Bishop then residing about London upon his Canonicall Obedience under paine of his Majesties displeasure forthwith to repaire to his Bishopricke and no longer to abide about London The Arch-Bishop hereupon sends his Secretary with this his Majesties Letter to the Bishops then in London and Westminster charging them upon their Canonical Obedience according to this Letter presently to depart to their several Bishoprickes His Secretary repaired with this Letter and the Arch-bishops instructions to Dr Howson the Bp of Durham lodging on Snowhill neare Sepulchers Church and required him in the Arch-bishops name by vertue of his Canonicall obedience to repaire to his Bishoprick according to his Majesties command He hereupon in a great rage giving the Secretary some harsh words told him plainly that he neither would nor could obey this mandate for he had many great
defiled and infected the whole Priest-hood and Clergy of England with his pride exercised an unheard of Tyranny over the people being now deprehended by the King in his wickednesse terrified and dejected with the guilt of his sinne and feare of punishment lay now prostrate on the ground before the King offered him his Pall and subâ—iâ—ted his person and goods to his mercy To whom the King gave this answer I will not punish thee my selfe leâ—t I should seeme rather to have respect to my owne Revenge though most just then to thy Order And although thou art altogether unworthy of thy Order and my Grace yet I will referre the matter to thy fellow Bishops and the Pope of Rome that thou mayest be tryed by thy Peeres lest thou shouldest thinke me an unjust Judge though the Conusans of Treason the highest Crime in a Sâ—bject belongs without doubt to my Tribunall not to theirs Moreover added the King I have knowne thy hatred and malice towards me not onely in the greatest things but even in the smallest and in matters of least moment in which by thy authority thou hast over-much abused my patience depriving my Clerkes in thy visitation notwithstanding my Letters to the contrary and their just appeales both which thou hast contemned together with my Royall Authority The Arch-Bishop troubled and confounded in minde at these things craved a Blessing from the King who replyed That his Blessing would rather become him then his the Arch Bishop The King hereupon complaines of him to the Pope That he had troubled the peaceable and safe estate of the Kingdome in his absence and stirred up the Nobles to a Rebellion and Conspiracy against him c. And notwithstanding his submission cited him to appeare at Rome banished him the Realme seized upon all his goods moveable and unmoveable forbidding all his Subjects under a great paine to foster him Yet the Monkes of Canterbury secretly harboured him for a time furnished him with necessaries and conveyed him beyond the Seas Which the King afterwards understanding seized on all their Goods and Lands banished them the Monastery turning fourescore Monkes a begging forbidding any to harbour them and kept them in that miserable estate till afterwards he was pleased upon their submission to restore them After which the Bishop of Winchester interceded to the King for this Arch Traytor calling him his Lord with which the King being greatly offended put this Bishop out of his protection and confiscated his goods because he acknowledged another then the King to be his lord even such a one who being guilty of Treason manifest contempt against the King had lost the very right of a Subject in his Kingdome While the Arch-Bishop was thus in exile before any hearing of this Cause at Rome the King deceaseth who as Holinshed writes was an earnest enemie of the high and presumptuous insolencie of Priests which he judged to proceede chiefely of too much Wealth and Riches and therefore hee devised to establish the Statute of Mortmain to be a bridle to their inordinate lusts and riotous excesse which Statute they laboured to repeale and purchase out by giving large Subsidies to that end His Sonne Edward the second succeeding him out of an over-indulgent pitty calls home this Arch-Traytor by his Letter writes to the Pope to discontinue his Fathers Suite against him and to send him over with all speed to Crowne him Who glad with the newes and unable to make haste home as was requisite by reason of his crazie body sent a Commission to the King with the names of three Bishops in it giving him liberty to elect which of the three he desired to Crowne him in his behalfe who made choyse of the Bishop of Winchester who set the Crowne on his head The King upon the Arch-Bishops returne restored him all his goods and every penny received of his Temporalties during his two yeares exile a good reward for a Traytor whereby he became the richest Arch-Bishop of many before and after him He was no sooner come home but a new danger encountred him by his owne wonted boldnesse The King by the counsell of Piers Gaveston had committed the Bishop of Coventry to Ward at York A Convocation shortly after being assembled the Arch-Bishop would not suffer any matter to be debated in the House till the Bishop were set at liberty which the King was contented to beare withall at that time This Bishop saith Matthew his Successour though he were reported to be a stout Governour of the English Church and a Defender of its Rites yet he was too excessive in this and ever opposite to the King attributing that to the Pope with whom he was most strictly linked which he derogated from the King seeking not so much the Liberties of the Realme as the encrease of the Popes power and deminishing the Kings Authority that he might transferre it to the Pope He was a great enemie to Prohibitions labouring the advancement of the Ecclesiasticall Courts Jurisdiction and the eclipsing of the Authority and Jurisdiction of the Kings Courts He was the Author of Articuli Cleri and Walter Raynolds his Successour procurer of the Kings answere to them in Parliament Which Articles though they bee commonly taken for a Statute yet in truth they are none but a meere Answere of the King in Parliament to Articles exhibited to him by the Clergie made by the advice of his Councell but not of the Commons and whole Parliament and a particular Grant of the King onely not of the Parliament as appeares by the severall Answeres to each of those Articles but especially to the last Finally he ever sided with the Pope for the Liberties of the Church and with the Barons also against the King He opposed himselfe against Piers Gaveston the Spensers and other Favouriâ—es and Corruptors of the young King very boldly and enforced Iohn Warren Earle of Surrey to forsweare the Company of a certaine beautifull Harlot with the love of whom hee was greatly bewitched And afterwards when notwithstanding his Oath he returned to her company and got Children upon her hee accused him to the Convocation both of Adultery and Perjury and aâ— last made him to leave her Hee excommunicated Walter Bishop of Coventry for revolâ—ing from him and the Clergie and adhering to Piers Gaveston who appealed unto the Pope and was by him absolved Which last Acts of his are commendable though they proceeded rather from the stournesse and haughtinesse of his Spirit then the Pietie of his Heart How ever his former are most execrable Walter Raynolds his next Successor advanced and preferred onely by King Edward the Second to that Sea when the King after the Barons Warres ended had done execution upon divers of the Noblâ—s that had rebâ—lled Adam Tarltâ—n Bishop of Hereford by the Kings direction in a Parliament holden at London Anno Dom. 1324. was apprehended and brought to the Baâ—â—â— to be arraigned for the like faults