darke clowdes of his speech Thus did saint Thomas write to the Pope Whereupon saith Alan my lord the Pope modestly answering the kinge affirmed how it was neuer in any age heard that the Church of Rome at the command of any Prince whatsoeuer forbad any person her presence especially beeing banished for the cause of iustice But that it was a priuiledg authority granted from aboue to the Apostolike Sea to succour the exiled oppressed yea from the fury of their soueraignes the violent rage of their malitious enemys The Embassadors therfore repining departed to deliuer this message to their king and my lord the Pope determining to returne to Rome vndertooke his iourney Thus Alan whom saint Thomas followed as far as Bituricum where taking leaue receauing his blessing hee departed backe to Pontiniake neuer after seeing Pope Alexander in this world AN. DOM. 1166. The yeere 1166. ensueth and the 14. indiction When Frederick the Emperour seeing the prosperitie of the Catholicke Pope Alexander daily more and more to encrease and that his holines was now peaceable setled in Rome beeing enraged with anger and enuie commanded a Conuentickle in Witemberge otherwise called Herbolis at the feast of Penticost where hee meant with his Bishops and Princes to assemble for cōfirming the power of this Antipope Guido Wherefore the king of England beeing by the Emperour inuited to this scysme beecause experience taught him that Pope Alexander inclined to the parte of saint Thomas taking aduantage of this fit oportunitie for his excuse sent an ambassage vnto the Citty to Pope Alexander determining if hee refused to yeeld to his demands then to fall off from him to Guido for the better accomplishment whereof hee wrote these letters to the Archbishop of Colen the cheife ring-leader of the scysmatickes for procurring a safe conduct for his Embassadours I haue long since desired to find out some iust occasion for leauing the parte of Pope Alexander and his vnfaithfull Cardinalls whoe presume to maintaine that Traytor Thomas sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury against mee whereupon by the aduice of all my Barons and consent of the Clergie intending now to send to Rome men of great accompt in my kingdome namely the Archbishop of Yorke the Bishop of London the Archdeacon of Poyters Iohn of Oxenford and Richard de Lucy who openly and manifestly on the beehalfe of my selfe and my whole kingdome with all other landes vnder my dominion shall propound and denounce to Pope Alexander and his Cardinalls that they shall no longer defend my Traytor but soe absolutely discharge and free mee of him as I with the counsail of my Clergie may establish an other in the Church of Canterburie and shall moreouer require that they reuoke and make voyd whatsoeuer Thomas hath done and likewise demand that the Pope in their presence cause it to bee sworne publickly that hee and his successors shall conserue for euer as far as to them appertaineth to mee and all my successors the royall customes of Henry my grandfather inuiolable and vntouched and if by chance they will gainsay any one of my demandes that then neither I nor my Barons nor yet my Clergie will euer heereafter yeeld him any obedience yea wee will openly withstand him and his and whosoeuer vnder my gouermēt shall bee found heereafter to follow his parte shall bee banished out of my kingdome I entreate you as my dearest frend all excuses set aparte to send mee speedily brother Ernold or brother Randulph of the hospitall of saint Iohn whon may on the beehalfe of the Emperour and your selfe giue safe conduct to the afore said Embassadors as well in their goeing as returne through the Emperour's dominion This was the kinges letter An Embassage was also sent to Pope Alexander which London and Oxford only executed But soe far was Pope Alexander from beeing any way moued either by the terrors of the kinges thundering letters or other threates vttered by the Embassadors in the kinges name as hauinge rebuked their rashnes hee returned to the king himselfe againe an answer fraughte with sharpe reprehension wherewith beeing terrifyd hee desisted from his wicked intention and gaue therfore great thankes to his Holines promising heereafter to obey euer readily in all thinges whereof the Bishops of England in their epistle sent the next yeere to Pope Alexander are apparant witnesses which afterwards in place conuenient wee determine to declare Meane while sayth our Author Colen requireth the Emperors aduise in what sorte hee should āswer the king of England whereunto the Emperor replyeth that hee ought to satisfy the kinges desire in reguard with how much the more solemnity this matter is accomplished soe much the greater shall bee the Popes confussion if hee condescendeth to the kinges request and it may bee that secretly by some one of the Temple or Hospital or any other whom they could not preuent the king by corruption of money may otherwise obtayne the same Wherefore brother Randolph of the Hospitall was addressed to the king of England who safely conducted the Embassadors whom the king intended to send to the courte of his Holines through the Emperors dominion Thus much there But soe it beefell that the same Embassadors came first into Germany where they were present at the Conuentickle of Witemberge but what matters were there handled the letters patents of Fredericke the Emperor dated at that place declare where among other thinges is thus written of this Embassage Moreouer the honorable Embassadors of our renowned freind the king of England directed from him to vs Cod. Vat. Epist 70. did on the beehalfe of the same king in the presence of the whole court vpon the reliques of Saintes make their publicke oath to vs that the king himselfe together with all his kingdome should continew faithfull to our side and ioyning with vs should euer defend the Lord Pascall whose parte wee take and neuer heereafter intermedle in mayntaining Rowland the Schysmaticke Beccause also wee who haue euer hitherto bin ready to abyde the examinatiō of the vprighteousnes of our cause which the aduersaries of the Church of God and vs bee it either out of their pride or the distrust of their cause haue auoyded are now by reason of their manifest obstinacy compelled to vnacustomed oathes Let therefore heereafter euery man and estate carefully eschew the Communion of Scyfmatickes for their fury allthough it hath seemed hitherto in some sorte pardonable it will heereafter bee alltogether intollerable c. Moreouer in an other letter written by one affected to Pope Alexander is sayd That Fredericke the Emperor gloryeth in the assistance of the king of England whose Embassadors were sworne to the parte of the Antipope c. In an other place likwise Fredericke Couloreth his busines with false prophesies that Pope Alexander should bee taken captiue whereunto not only the vulgar sorte but the king of England expecting the euent hath allmost giuen credit c. And out of Salisbury The
donne by him and absolutely abolish those wicked and destable customes But if hee will not within thirty days after your commonition ratify the peace according to his appointment and promise doe yee then forbid all diuine offices beesides Baptisme of infantes and pennance at the point of death to bee ministred in all his Dominions on this syde on the seas and that without any obstacle of Appeale and cause this sentence to bee most strictly obserued vntill hee shall giue condigne satisfaction And if either of yee by reason of extreme necessity cannot bee present at the execution heereof beeing a thing if it should soe happen much against our willes let then the other neuertheles doe this our command Dated at Anagnia 7. Id. Octobris Moreouer there and then hee sent other letters to Roane and Nyuers against such as detayning possessions of the Church and would not restore them whom hee commanded to bee excommunicated vnles they made within xv days full satisfaction The Pope remouing from Anagnia to Signia a citty seauen myles thence where 3. Ibidem 32. Id. Octob. hee directed his letters to all the Prelates of the Prouinces beelonging to the king of England on this syde the seas for putting the interdiction in execution vnles the king made againe to saint Thomas together with a perfect peace restitution of his possâ—ssions hee the same day at the sayd place wrote also a letter to saint Thomas in these words Wee are oppressed with greife and bitter sorrowe so often as wee recall to mynde and carrefully consider the troubles Ibid. ep 29 burdens and afflictions which for the zeale of iustice and maintenance of the Churches liberty you doe with patience and an vndaunted courage indure But in regarde you haue atcheiued the perfection of vertue you cannot bee ouercome with aduersity nor remoued from the resolution of your constancy wherin wee commend your admirable magnanimity and congratulate with you in our Lord for this your singuler patience And beecause wee haue long expected with patience and fauor our beeloued sonne in Christ Henry the famous king of England and haue often admonished him seeking sometimes by sweete and pleasing wordes otherwhiles by rough and bitter threateninges to reclayme him now if hee performeth not really as well to you as yours the peace concluded with you nor yet restore you your Churches possessions together with your depriued honors wee giue you heere ample authority to exercise your Ecclesiasticall iustice beelonging to your office notwithstanding any obstacle of Appeale vpon the persons and places subiect to your iurisdiction excepting only the king the Queene and their children wishing you euer therin to vse the wisedome and consideration beeseeming all preistly modesty Dated at Signia 3. Id. Octob. Alexander leauing Signia came to Tusculan where with longer stay hee remayned awhile which is apparant by his letters Dated there 8. Ibid. ep 68. Kalend. Decemb. wherein hee cyteth the Bishoppes of London and Salisbury to Rome for making satisfaction and this vnles the peace were absolutely in all respects concluded Hee wrote also theÌ„ by the same messinger vnto whom hee deliuered his former letters to the king of England in these words Ibid. ep 55. Vnderstanding by the letters of our reuerent brother Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury that laying asyde all disturbance and malice The Popes letters to the king of England you haue restored him to your grace and fauor wee haue conceaued therin so much the more ioy and gladnes by how much wee consider the same to bee more gratefull and acceptable to God honorable to your selfe and profitable to your soule For wee knowe the Archbishoppe soe farre to excell in Religion wisedome honesty and the vertue of fayth as wee doubte not but hee will bee faythfull and deuoted to you and your kingdome able in power and ready in mynde for your honor and augmentation and euer truly and carefully vigilant to encrease your glory and exalte your magnificence Yet beecause the offence is not remitted vnles restitution bee made of thinges wrongfully taken away allthough the Archbishop himselfe in respect of his patience and for the tender loue hee beareth you forbeareth to require the same wee neuerthelesse who couet especially your saluation ought not to bee silent therin nor yet doth it beecome your Maiestie whom God hath made soe mighty and poteÌ„t to withhould the rightes and goods beelonging to the Church of Canterbury Wherfore with all intreaty wee admonish and earnestly exhorte the clemency of your royall excellency that following the example of Zacheus who sayth in the Gospell Beehould Lord halfe of my goodes I giue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any one I restore foure-foulde you would endeauor to render to the Archbishoppe and his Church what is wrongfully taken away and speedyly to recompense the dammages and detriments they sustayned by your meanes that you may soe appease the wrath of Allmighty God wherin you haue offended him and wee forgiue you absolutely soe greate a sinne and the Archbishoppe bee for euer bound to rest most ready at your seruice and deuotion and encrease the renowne of you and your heires Moreouer that you fauorably listen to such as haue furthered and performed this peace beetweene yee not heereafter harken to them whom you knowe to haue kindled the coales of this dissention beesides that you warne and perswade your sonne to giue due satisfaction to the Archbishoppe and his Church concerning the article of his oathe omitted by him for conseruation of the priuiledge and liberty of the Church of Canterbury in such sorte as kinges and Princes of England haue heertofore sworne making him to performe what is hetherto let passe and that as well your selfe as your sonne doe freely and quietly resigne the ordinations of Churches with other matters appertayning to Ecclesiasticall persons vnto the same Archbishop and other Ecclesiasticall men That in soe doing you may offer to our Lord a worthie sacrifice of prayse aÌ„d purchasse to your selfe an eternall kingdome Thus wrote Pope Alexander to the king who added alsoe theerunto other letters to the Clergie and people of England Cod Vat. li. 5. ep 56 The meeting of S Thomas with the king at Towers admonishing them all in any case not to disturb this setled peace But how matters proceeded in the meane time beetweene the king and saint Thomas let vs heere declare out of Quadrilogus the history of saint Thomas wryting thus The king inclining to alteration yea rather denying to make restitution of the possessions taken away from the Church of Canterbury and this comming to the eare of saint Thomas by the relation of Iohn of Salisbury Quadrilogus lib. 3. cap. 3. whom together with Herbert hee sent to treate with the king The Archbishop vnderstanding that a parlee was shortly to bee held beetweene the king and a noble man called Theobald Earle of Bloys the day beefore the conference went to the king at Towers The
brightnes soe in the resurrectioÌ„ the Saintes shall shine like starrs euery one in his proper order and they that haue instructed many to liue well shall bee as the bringhtnes of the Firmament for euer and euer among which ranck saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury may worthely bee placed Saint Thomas of Canterbury who as hee hath bin for Christ a Companion of their tribulation and patience soe is hee now in Christ a fellowe heire of their ioy and consolation whose meritts that they may the better appeare to the world I haue heere set downe the somme of his life and conuersation breifely and succinctly referring those that desire to reade his actes more largely discoursed to larger volumes of him and by him where hee shall bee satisfyed to the glory of Gods grace which breatheth where it will with how great expedition hee dispatched many great affaires it appeareth by his Epistles and by the writinges of other credible Authors also which being read with due attention may stirre vp vs and succeeding ages to vertue and piety Hee was borne in LoÌ„don of noe meane parentage Blessed Thomas was by birth à Londoner a noble issue descended from no meane parents from his tender yeeres hee was endowed with manifold graces of stature hee was tall of personage comely of witt quicke in discourse subtill and pleasant and in beauty of mynd hee was no lesse amiable In his yong yeeres such was the sharpnes of his witt that hee could vnfould strange and intricate questions and therewithall hee had soe happy a memory that what soeuer hee read or heard hee could easily make vse of it when occasioÌ„ was offered which many greater Clerkes could not attaine vnto all men did admire the alacritie of his spirit especially in a man employed in soe many businesses but thus did grace attend and nourish him that was reserued for soe emineÌ„t a place in the Church of God In his Sermons and ordinary discourses as hee vsed often times to say necessary matter was ministred vnto him his mother also as hee vsed to say taught him from his cradle to serue God His mothers Lesson and devoutly to call vpon the Blessed Virgin mother of God as the directer of hiâ—â—yes and patronesse of his life and next vnto Christ to put his cheife confidence in her His charitie and compassion Hee had compassion on those that begged from dore to dore and releiued them effectually so as hee might say with Iob mercy hath growne vp with mee from the beginning and pitty came with mee out of my mother's wombe Leauing the schooles of liberal sciences hee beecame a Courtier He became a Courtier in which profession hee gaue soe great hope of his forwardnes that both in the serious affaires of the Courte and in their disportes and recreation hee excelled far all his companions of his rancke and albeit hee did apply himselfe to the vaine delightes of youth as the frailty of that age did leade him yet was there euer in him a religious zeale and a magnificent mynd Hee was very religious albeeit hee was beyond measure desirous of popularity and as wee read of saint Brice of Tours although hee was proud and vaine and many times amourous in his wordes yet was hee nevertheles an admirable paterne to bee followed in the chastity of his body He was chast of body When hee perceaued that many thinges were attempted in the Courte to the dishonor of the Cleâ—gie and that his liuing there was repugnant to his intended purpose by the instinct and conduction of grace rather then by the motion and aduice of his freindes He was preferred to the seruice of Theobald Arch-Bishop of Can. hee preferred himselfe to the seruice of Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury of happie memory where through his industrie in shorte time hee was receaued into the number of his most familiar freindes which were very fewe how many great trauailes hee sustained there for the Church of God how often hee did visite the sepulchers of the Blessed Apostles He was employed in meighty affaires for the dispatch of necessary affaires with what prosperous successe hee spedd in his negotiations it is not easy to bee related especially by a pen that affecteth breuity purposing only compendiouslie to set downe the cause and manner of his Martyrdome He studyed the Ciuil and Canon lawe for the better preparing of him that was preordained of God to bee soe great a prelate for the decyding of weighty causes and instructing of the people hee gaue himselfe to the study of the Ciuil and Cannon lawe and for the encreasing of his experience in the Ecclesiasticall function the saide Archbishop made him Arch-Deacon of the Church of Canterbury wherin hee was trained vp He was made Arch-Deacon of Cant. Afterward when Henry Duke of Normandie and Aquitaine the sonne of Galfride Earle of Angiou and Mawlde the Empresse succeded king Stephen in the crowne of England the said Arch-Bishop obtained of the king the Chancellorship of England for his Arch-Deacon He was made Lord Chauncellor of Eng. for hee suspected the kinges youth and feared the malice of certaine yong heades by whom hee seemed to bee directed least that by their counsaile hee should bee incited to take vpon him the gouerment of the realme by the lawe of conquest for it seemed vnto him that hee had coÌ„quered the Realme wheras in truth it was nott soe and therfore the Arch-Bishop procured such à Lord Chancellor by whose meanes and industry the new king might bee stayed from attempting any thing against the Church his malice tempered and the insolency of his officers repressed who vnder colour of authority and instice had conspired to make a prey of the Church and common-weal e. At his first entrance into that office hee sustained so great and manifold difficultyes of weighty affaires was enuironed with so many labours oppressed with so many afflictions set vpon with so many wiles and exposed to so many snares of the courte or to speake more properly of the courtiers that hee vsed often times with teares to protest vnto the Arch-Bisbop and others his freindes hee was euery day weary of his life and moreouer that next vnto his eternal saluation he desired nothing more theÌ„ without note of infamy to deliuer himselfe from the alurements of the Courte for albeeit the world seemed to applaude and flatter him with all her enticements yet was hee neuer vnmindfull of his place and the Church committed vnto him wherby hee was constrained continually to contend and striue His allegiance to the king and loue to the common weale for the honor and safetie of the king and secondly for the good of the Church and common wealth both against the king himselfe and his enemyes also and by diuers sleightes to defeate diuers wiles by them intended against him but his greatest greife was that hee was without intermissioÌ„ to fight against the beastes of
the Church into bondage pronouncing they rather ought to haue vndergone all dangers then euer to giue the least way to such an vtter ouerthrowe of God Almightyes lawe and moreouer sayd assuredly in this rabell so abhominable which hath bin heere both read and heard there is nothing at all to bee allowed as good somethinges only may bee indured for the Church in a sorte to tollerate but the greater parte as reprobate by the ancient and authenticall counsells haue bin euer condemned being directly contrary to the holy constitutions And thus did the Lord and Pope in the open presence of them all reproue and sentence these to bee heereafter euer by the Church condemned These they are and thus sett forth as wee find them recorded in the aforesayd booke of the Vatican together with the addition of condemnation or tolleration according to the censure of Pope Alexander But I feare least the intermingling of wordes and termes only proper to the English should by reason of their obscurity seeme to the reader darke and difficult to vnderstand which are thus recyted The customes of England propounded at Claringtonne 1. Concerning the aduowson and presentation of Churches if any controuersie thereupon ariseth beetweene laymen or beetweene Clearkes and lay-men or beetweene Clearkes and Clearkes let the cause bee pleaded and determined in the Courte of our lord the kinge This did the Church of Rome vnder Pope Alexand. the III. condemne With. this note are they deliuered in the end of euery artickle beeing taken out of the sayd booke of the Vaticane and inserted in the conclusion of the Quadripartite history alià s Quadrilogus the Cronickles of S. Thomas Cronickles of S. Thomas 2. Churches of our lord the Kinges fee cannot bee giuen for euer without assent and consent of his Maiesty This hee tolerated 3. Clearkes cited and accused vppon any cause beeing summoned to the kinges Courte shall appeare before the sayd Courte there to answere in such sorte as to the royall Court shal seeme conuenient for them to answer soe as the kinges Bench shall send into the Court of the holy Church to see vpon what ground the cause shall bee there handled and if the Clearke bee conuicted or doe confesse the Church ought not any longer to defend him This hee condemned 4. It is not lawfull for Archbishoppes Bishopes and Persons of the kingdome to departe the realme without our lord the kinges licence and if they will departe they shall at the kinges pleasure giue security neyther in their goinge staying or comming to compasse any euill or dammage towards our lord the kinge or his kingdome This hee condemned Ad Remanens which is think to the I law 5. The excommunicate ought not to giue assurance for remayning or answering the lawe neither bee sworne but only giue pledge and security to stand to the Churches iudgement and soe obtayne absolution This hee condemned 6. Laymen ought not to bee accused in the presence of the Bishop but by testimony of certaine and lawfull witnesses so as the Archdeacon may not lose his right nor any thing which should thereby acerewe vnto him and if the accused bee such as no man will or dare accuse them the Shyreefe beeing required by the Bishop shall sweare 12. lawufll men of the neighborhood or village before the Bishop to lay open the whole truth according to their conscience This hee tolerated 7. No man who houldeth of the king in cheyfe nor any of his Maiesties househould seruantes shall bee excommunicated nor their landes made subiect to interdiction vnlesse our lord the kinge if hee bee within the land or his Lord-cheife iustice if his Maiestie bee out of the Realme bee first made priuy thereof that hee may therein determine of the delinquent according to right whereby such matters as appertaine to the kinges Court may bee there iudged and what beelongeth to the Ecclesiastical courte returned thither there to bee ended This bee condemned 8. As touching appeales if they arise men ought to proceede from the Acrhdeacon to the Bishoppe from the Bishop to the Archbishop and if the Archbishop faile to execute iustice they ought for theire last refuge to flie to our lord the king that by his commandement the controuersie may bee determined in the Archbishops Courte so as they shall not attempt any farther without the kinges assent This hee condemned 9. If there arise any controuersie beetweene Clearke and a lay-man or contrariwise about any tenement which the Clearke claymeth to bee held in free Almes the lay man in laye fee it shall bee determined beefore the lord cheife iustice according to his discretion in the kinges Bench by the verdict of 12. lawfull men whether the tenement appertayneth to free Almes or to the lay fee and if it bee found to bee free Almes then shall it bee pleaded in the Ecclesiastical court and if of a lay fee then vnless both parties auow the same to bee helde of one selfe same Bishop or Baron the plea shall bee ended in the kinges Bench but if both of them make their auowry of land helde of one selfe same Bishop or Baron then shall the plea remayne in the court of the said Bishop or Baron Allwayes prouided that hee who was first seyzed loose not his seyson by reason of this recognition This hee condemned 10. Any man of citty castle Borough or the kinges Demeasne mannor beeing cited by the Archdeacon or Bishop for any offence wherein hee is bound to answer him and will not giue satisfaction vpon his citation it shall bee lawfull for him to subiect the offendor to interdiction but not to excommunication beefore the kinges cheife officer of the place bee first acquainted therewith that hee may adiudge the offendor to make satisfaction wherein if the kinges officer bee defaulty hee shall fall into his Maiesties mercy and then the Bishop may after punish the accused with Ecclesiasticall censures This hee condemned 11. Archbishoppes Bishoppes and all Persons of the kingdome who hould of the kinge in cheife and haue possessions in his dominion as a Barony shall in reguard therof answer to the kinges iustices and officers and followe and performe all royall customes and rightes and ought to sit with the other Barons in the kinges courte vntill the iudgment come to losse of member or life This hee tolerated 12. When an Archbishoppricke Bishoppricke Abbacy or Priory of the kinges DominioÌ„ shall fall voyd or ought to be in his Maiesties haÌ„des hee shall receaue all their rentes and reuenues as those of his owne royall dedemeanes and when time commeth to prouide princiâ—all persons of the Church and the election ought to bee made in his owne chappel by his royall assent and the counsell of such Persons appertayning to his Maiestie as hee shall call to perfect the same and the Prelate elected shall there doe his homage and fealty to our Lord the King as his Leige Lord of life member and earthly honor sauing his order before such time
as he bee consecrated This hee condemned 13. If any noble-maÌ„ of the kingdome shall powerfully ouerbeare any Archbishop Bishop or Archdeacon in matter of iustice so as hee cannot obtaine the right beelonging to him or his the king ought to make him haue his owne according to iustice And if any one will ouerbeare our Lord the king in clayming his right the Archbishops Bishops and Archdeacons ought to procure his Maiesties iustice that his aduersary may satisfy our Lord the king This hee tollerated 14. When any shall forfeit their chattells vnto the king no Church nor Church-yeard ought to detaine them contrary to his Maiesties iustice beecause bee they found in Churches or otherwise all is one they are his Maiesties This hee tollerated 15. Pleadinges in matter of debt which are grounded vpon oath as well as others which are without oathe shall bee handled in the king's court This hee condemned I thinke beecause periury was punished in the spirituall courte 16. The sonnes of Villanes ought not to take holy orders without assent of their Lordes of whose landes they are knowne to bee natiues This hee tollerated How the Pope proceeded with S. Thomas Which beeing read and considered Pope Alexander as beefore beeing very much troubled turning himselfe to the Archbishop vsed these wordes Allthough brother the offence of you and your associate Bishoppes bee great and enormious yet ought wee to proceede more mildly with you who albeeit as you confesse haue fallen yet presently after with rising agayne endeauored to repaire your ruine and by reason thereof endured many greeuous and terrible wronges and presently vpon your fall remayning as yet in England did seeke and deserue from vs as proceeding from our clemency the benefit of Absolution whereupon as it is conuenient wee pardon your offence to the end you in this your aduersity may soe much the more fully and effectually feele the consolation and grace of our clemency aboue other Ecclesiasticall Persons by how much the more you haue lost worldly commoditys and sustayned greater afflictions for the liberty of the Church your faith and deuotion towardes vs. And thus the Apostolicke Prelate first rebukeing with a fatherly seuerity and then recomforting with the sweetenes of a motherly consolation dismissed for that time the Archbishop Soe is the matter there discribed But an other speech far differing from this heere recyted and supposed to bee made by sainct Thomas to Pope Alexander is rehearsed in the fore mentioned volume of Epistles Lib. 1. Epist 30. Then our Author preceedeth The morrow after the Archbishop beeing present with my Lord the Pope and the Cardinalls sittting in a withdrawing chamber vsed these wordes My fathers and lordes S. Thomas resigneth his Archbishopprick before the Pope it is vnlawfull for a man to speake vntruly any where much more before God and in your presence wherefore with teares I confesse that my miserable offence was the originall of these agreeuances to the Church of England I ascended into the fould of Christ but not by the true dore as a person not called by Cannonicall election but intruded by the terror of publick authority and although I vndertooke this burden against my minde neuerthelesse the will of man and not of God induced mee thereunto What wonder then if thinges succeeded contrary to my expectation But if I had vpon the kinges threateninges as my associate Bishoppes instantly persuaded mee renounced at the Princes pleasure and desire the prerogatiue of the Episcopal power soe granted mee I had left to the Catholike Church a pernicious example I differred it therefore vntill I came before your presence but now acknowledging myne entraÌ„ce not to bee Cannonicall and fearing therefore my departure will fall out to bee farre worser perceauing also my ability too weake for vndergoeing soe great a charge least I proue to bee preferred ouer my flocke for their ruine ouer whom I am placed howsoeuer for a Pastor into your handes ô holy father into your handes I say I resigne the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury And pulling withall his ring from his finger hee humbly beesought a fit Bishop might bee prouided worthie of that Church in reguard that hee hauing the name of a Pastor proformed not the office of a Pastor And finishing his speech he inforced my Lord the Pope and all present to like sorrowe yea what man hearing this can abstayne from lamentation The Archbishop afterwardes departing asyde together with his followers who were scandalized at his wordes beecause in reguard heereof they began to dispaire My lord the Pope did heereupon enter into conference with the Cardinalls the matter beeing on both sides through sundry opinions diuersly discussed Some thought occasion beeing thus offered the Kinges indignation might bee more easily appeased while the Church of Canterbury by the election of an other Bishop might bee reconcyled to his fauour and sainct Thomas otherwise prouided with more competent meanes These were the Pharisees soe the Author termeth the aduersaryes of S. Thomas Others whose eyes were opened iudged otherwise saying That if hee who for defence of the Churches liberty exposed to imminent hazard and danger not only his riches and glory with dignity and authority but also his very life should at the kinges pleasure bee depriued of his right as hee should bee made a patterne to others in like case for resisting of Princes if the tytle of his iuste cause were mayntayned intire soe on the other side were hee suffered to fall all other Bishopes would fall after him and none in time to come dare to resist the power of willfull Princes whereby the state of the Church would stagger and the Popes authority perish and therefore say they it is expedient that this man although vnwilling should bee restored to his sea and hee who fighteth for vs by all meanes succoured This sentence was approued by all the Pharisies only excepted The Pope restoreth to S. Thomas his resigned Archbishoppricke Saint Thomas with his followers beeing called in my Lord the Pope thus deliuered his sentence Now at length Brother appeareth to vs the zeale you haue had and doe as yet still continew for the house of our Lord with how sincere a conscience you haue opposed your selfe as a bullwarke against her aduersaries how pure a confession you haue made of your entry into your function making a voluntarie resignation whereby the fault of the offence may and ought to bee purged Now may you securely receaue an w from our handes the charge of your Pontifiâ—all authority wee adiudging you to bee intirely restored and out of all doubt worthily whom wee knowe to bee a man approoued with manifold kindes of temptations a person prouident and discreete beeloued of God and man faithfull in all thinges to vs and the sacred Church of Rome And as you haue bin made a partaker and vndeuided associate in our persecution soe by Gods grace can wee neuer in any thing bee wanting to you as long as the
breath of life shall last in this our body But hauing hitherto flowed in delights that you may heereafter learne to bee as you ought the comforter of the poore neither yet can you bee taught that lesson but by the instruction of pouerty it selfe the mother of Religion wee haue heere thought good to commend and commit you ouer to the poore of Christ I meane this Abbot of Pontiniack for hee was there of purpose present not I say to receaue sumptuous but simple education as best beefitting a banished man and Christes Champion Among whom it behoueth you with a few and those necessary attendantes the rest of your followers beeing distributed among your freindes to conuerse for a tyme vntill the day of consolation shall beegin to dawne and the season of peace shall from aboue descend vpon vs. In the meane while bee of a constant courrage and manfully resiste such as disturbe tranquillity Thus far Alexander and soe the assembly was dismissed Saint Thomas departing went away with the Abbot of Pontiniack where willing to liue among the Monkes in a Monastical habit hee desired the same might bee sanctify'd with Pope Alexander's blessing and cloathed therein hee perseuered a Mōke among the Monkes absolutely obseruing all the rules of Monasticall perfection But what the kinge did when hee heard heereof you shall not only see reader but maruaile thereat To the open iniury of Pope Alexander then resydent at Senon in Frāce hee published new artickles worser then the first which hee commanded to bee obserued in his Prouinces beeyond the seas beeing Aquitayne and other places vnder his subiection and among other letters hee directed one concerning the same to the Bishop of Poyteeres who as he wittnesseth in his Epistle to sainct Thomas receaued it after the feast of the Apostles Lib 1. Epist 1. Idem postea Epist 16. And what these Edictes were is heere to bee layd downe out of the sayd booke of the Vatican where wee read in this wise These are the Constitutions which King Henry ordayned in Normandy and gaue in command to his Iustices 1. If any man bee found carrying our Lord the Popes letters or the Archbishop of Canterburies mandate contayning Interdiction of Christianity into England let him bee apprehended and iustice without delay executed on him as a traitor to the king 2 Moreouer let no clearke nor Monke nor conuertite nor any of any conuersion bee suffered to passe ouer the seas or returne into England vnlesse hee haue letters of iustice for his passage and the letters of our Lord the kinge for his returne if any man bee found to doe otherwise let him bee apprehended and imprisoned 3. Let no man appeale to the Pope or Archbishop 4. That no plea bee held by the commandement of the Pope or Arch-bishop or any Mandate of theires receaued in England of any man if any one bee found doeing otherwise let him bee apprehended and imprisoned 5. It was also generally forbidden that no man should cary any Mandate of Clearke or Lay-man to our Lord the Pope or Archbishop if such should bee found let him bee apprehended and imprisoned 6. If Bishoppes Clearkes Abbottes or Lay-men will defend any sentence of interdiction let them and all theyr whole kindred without delay bee banished the land in such wise as they carry none of theyr chattells with them 7. That the chattells of all such as fauour the Pope or Archbishop and all the possessions of them and all such as appertayne to them of what degree order sex or condition soeuer they are bee seized and confiscate into the soueraigne hand of our Lord the king 8. That all Clearkes who haue rentes in England bee admonished through-out all countryes that within three monthes they returne into England to theyr rentes if they loue theyr rentes and if they retourne not at the appointed time let theyr rentes bee seized into the kings handes 9. That saint Peeter's pennys bee not payd any more to the Apostolike Sea but carefully gathered and reserued in the king's treasury and disbursed at his commandement 10. That the Bishoppes of London and Norwich bee at the mercy of our Lord the king and summoned by the Shyriffes and Bayliffes to appeare before the kinges Iustices to satisfy the kinge and his Iustices for that contrary to the statutes of Claringtonne they interdicted by the Popes commendement the landes of Earle Hugh and diuulged the excommunication which our Lord the Pope pronounced against him in theyr parishes without the kinges Iustices Hetherto are the kinges constitutions which were sent into Normandie Nor yet king Henry contented heere withall for the hatred hee bore to saint Thomas caused the whole estate of the Saint and his followers to bee confiscate and all his kindred and familiar freindes to bee transported out of England and sparing neither sex nor age made an exceeding showe of extreme cruelty All this is declared at large in Quadrilogus a booke compiled of saint Thomas And all this was written to him by one affected to the kinge yet detesting this tyranny vnworthie soe great a Prince And beecause sainct Thomas himselfe was not able to relieue the miserable necessityes of soe many distressed persons hee deuised to send thē into Cecill to bee there mayntained where they were receaued by Margarete Queene of that Iland a right pious woeman Moreouer the Archbishop of Siracusa beecame their good benefactor both which by letters saint Thomas gratefully thanked But this soe great a cruelty beeing not able to satisfy the kinges inraged mynd Lib. 1. Epist 27. 28. hee wrought beesides by decree to depriue sainct Thomas of Spirituall benefittes commanding that noe man vnder his Episcopall iurisdiction should presume to pray for him This William witnesseth in Quadrilogus Now concerning sainct Peeters pennyes Concerning the forbidding of paying S. Peeters pennys which were appointed by Pope Alexander to bee gathered by two Priors of the Cistercians who gaue it ouer and durst not gaynesay the kinges commandement to the contrary Peeter of Bloys one tf his Maiesties courte plucking vp a couragious spiritt contested with his Soueraigne and enforced him to leaue the payement thereof free to his Holines and this himselfe witnesseth in his inuectiue against the deprauer of his actions with these wordes I speake not this for vaine glory but for refutation of thyne impudency for thou art transformed vnto the browe of an harlot by the testimony and affirmation of very many peeres of England King Henry of worthy memory did once cōcerning the collection of the pennys of saint Peeter not induring then to bee won by intreaty or recalled by reason inueygh exceedingly against two Priors of thyne order no man durst oppose himselfe on the contrary parte I only attempted to make a breach and way for them and in time of wrath beecame their reconciliation At myne instances God assisting his royall hand full often poured out bountifull and magnificent almes and to this day the Church of
vnlike that infamous Scysmaticke the oppressor of your selues Fredericke wee meane who laboreth vtterly to rent out the very bowels of the Church if this bee suffered to passe vnpunished in our king what will not his heires presume what shall your successors endure Consider how mischeifes daylye encrease and the occasions inuentions of mischeifes encrease withall Good God and shall hee doe all this without controulement This was not the way of Christ nor yet of his Apostles whose imitators yee ought to bee c. By reason therfore of these letters sent as well to Pope Alexander as the Cardinalls of the sacred Roman Church beeing then at Rome and likewise by the authority of a man of that worth and aboue all by the truth it selfe his Holines with the Colledge of Cardinalls was moued to call home with all speede these Legates who were accused by so many complayntes of this saintly man and his messinger and agent who resyded at Rome especially also procuring the same whom S. Thomas as it appeareth admonished to followe the matter effectually with his Holines wryting among other thinges vnto him thâ— Wherefore in all respectes it is expedient Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 104. yea most necessary that you employ all yours endeauors and with your vttermost power worke our Lord the Pope to call backe the often recyted Cardinalls and cause them to bee compelled vpon a payne to ensue if they should refuse presently to departe out of all the kinges dominions Soe wrote saint Thomas for recalling the Legates who as wee haue sayde was euer fauorably heard of his Holines for the Pope by his letters recalled them presently backe to the Citty abrogating all their authority who beefore they departed thought good to see the king of England wherof and concerning the passage beetweene them Ibidem epist 6. a relation then written discourseth in this sorte The next Thursday after the Octaues of Saint Martin the Cardinalls came to the Monastery called Bec The repâ—rte of the last conference beetweene the Legates and the Kingâ— on the morrowe to Ligieux the next day to Saint Peters vpon Dyue and thence the wednesday before the first Sunday in Aduent to Argenton on which day the king gaue them meeting two leagues before they entred the towne entertayning them with a pleasant countenance and accompanyd both the Cardinalls to their lodging the second day ensuing after Masse beeing called early enough in the morning they came and entred the kinges chamber to consult with the Archbishoppes Bishoppes and Abbots there assembled and continuing in counsell the space of two hours they passed on farther the king accompaning them to the outward dore of the Chappel and as they went the king in the hearing of them and all others sayde that hee wished his eyes might neuer more beehould any Cardinal and dimissed theÌ„ soe hastily as their lodging beeing neere at hand yet could they not expecte the comming of their horses but were enforced to ryde on such as they could by chance finde without the Chappell Thus departed the Cardinalls with noe more at the vttermost then foure attendantes The Archbishoppes Bishoppes and Abbotts remayned with the king and entred the Chamber to sitt in counsell where hauing continued vntill euening they went thence to the Cardinalls with discontented countenances and staying awhile with them returned to their lodginges On the morrow after they had remayned with the king six houers they went to the Cardinalls and thence backe to the king with returning againe to the Cardinalls and soe continued carying secret messages to and fro At their meeting being on Saint Andrewes Eue the king rising early went on hunting and as it was certainly supposed did it of purpose to absent himselfe the Bishoppes came beetymes to the kinges Chappell and thence to the counsell chamber where after deliberation of matters they departed to the Church neere the Cardinalls lodginge where the Cardinalls beeing sate they were called in to heare what they would propose the Archbishoppes of Roane and Yorke taking their places after them the Bishops of Worcester Salisbury Bayon London Chichester and Angolisme with many Abbottes and a company of the Layety London rose vp whose idle and ill digested oration was a manifest argument of his distempered mynde and beeginning yee haue seene c. And rehearsing the Appeale made by the Bishoppes of England and declared formerly by the relation of the Legates hauing concluded hee sayde since now they had appealed they desired of the Cardinalle a Letters of appellation sent from one iudge to another Apostles which as it is supposed was giuen them as proper to their appeale So the Cardinalls departed from the king on the Tewesday after the Sunday wherin is sung Ad te leuaui but in taking leaue the king with great humility beesought the Cardinalls to be intercessors to his Holines that hee would absolutely deliuer him from vs and with those wordes before the Cardinalls and all the company hee wept and my Lord William was seene with his teares to accompany him But my lord Oddo could hardly forbeare laughing Now for the substance of the busines thus it is My Lord William of Papia sendeth a certayne Chaplayne of his kinsman as it thought to Master Lumbard in Pâ—ste to my Lord the Pope and with him the king sendeth likewise two messingers the one appertayning to the Bishop of London called Master Henry Pixim the other Reynold sonne to the Bishop of Salisbury Moreouer on Satturday before the second Sunday of Aduent there went from the Cardinalls beeing then at Sureux Master Iocelin of Chichester and the Chantor of Salisbury towards you to denounce that there was an appeale made against you by the persons of England And somewhat after my Lord Oddo the Cardinall certifyeth my Lord the Pope in secret that hee would neuer bee author or any way guilty of your deposition although the king seemed to desire nothing else but your head in the dish This was the relation sent by a frind of Saint Thomas vnto him And yet there is an other reporte made by Iohn of Salisbury in his letter to Iohn Bishop of Poytiers where it is set downe thus of the kings imaged mynde in their last departure The Cardinalles found the king in such an excessiue fury as hee complayned openly that hee was beetrayed by my Lord the Pope Cod Vat. lib. 2. epist 20. and threatened to forsake him vnles hee would cause iustice to bee executed on the Archbishop of Canterbury And afterwardes concerning what followed when they had appealed hee declareth it in these wordes The Bishoppes sent also two messingers beeing of the messingers beelonging to the Legates one called Walter the Chauntor of Salisbury the other Iocelyn the Chancellor of Chichester to declare the Appeale made in this sorte and to renew the same before the Archbishop But the Archbishop admitted not the Messingers from the Bishops to speake in his presence because among others they came
Church except the Deane and send them ouer who should sweare how â—heir Bishop had authorized them to make an oath wherby they shall protest in the name and place of their Bishop that he shall satisfy for his iniury and contumacy against the Archbishop Wherby it may bee probably gathered that my Lord the Pope did either neuer knowe of the Legates sentence for absolution of the sayd Bishoppe Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 7. or otherwise hee neuer estemeed it of any validity The same Bishop had obtayned before letters allmost purporting as much wherin neither hee nor his were obliged to any oathe but as yet hee hath made no vse of them either beecause they displeased the king or in regarde they were not soe effectuall What will be the successe on either side was vncertaine at the returne of the bearer heereof but my Lord the Pope hath answered the most Christian king that hee will not fayle to succor the Church of God and his frind of Canterbury as long as with iustice hee can releiue them Now let vs passe to the parlee which was beetweene our kinges c. in such sorte as was described this selfe same yeere wherby you may perceaue that both agree in tyme yeere and month being the same wherin this author wrote these letters Lastly towards the end of this yeere besides other Embassadors formerly sent the king of England addressed two more ouer to Pope Alexander which were Reynold and Iohn the Deane of Salisbury and the same tyme also Saint Thomas directed his agents to his holines their names were Alexander and Iohn whom afterwardes by letter he admonished of the trecherous falshood of Reynold saying Haue a continuall eye and watch vpon our aduersaryes and especially that Bastard of fornication the enemy of the Churches peace the sonne of a Preist Reynold of Salisbury Lib. 3. epist 66. who euery where as much as in him lyeth defameth and slaundereth our person exclayming wee are traytors and that wee gaue him our promise not any wa◠〈◊〉 lest his father And a litle after Hee affirmeth 〈◊〉 ouer if our Lord the Pope should departe this world hee would cause vs to bee blotted out of the booke 〈◊〉 life vaunting that in the court of Rome all thinges 〈◊〉 soe sett to sale as with the bounty of rewardes he could purchase any thinge Hee likewise moued the king of England to beecome sutor to our lord the Pope that his Holines would graunte authority to any Bishop in England to crowne his sonne and consecrate Bishoppes to the end hee might were it but in this deceaue the Pope and when the king answered that as hee thought hee could neuer obtayne these demandes of his holines Reynold replyed the Pope should deale like a foole if hee would condescend to your requestes Thus much of the kinges Embassador wherby you may see reader what manner of fellowes they were who accustomed to back-byte and detracte the high Bishoppes of Rome Concerning the other his associate Iohn deane of Salisbury that which hath before bin spoaken plainly declareth him to be a maÌ„ of greater villany What these the kinges demandes were and how instantly hee sued for them and how many and greate men were his mediators shall bee declared heereafter in place conuenient It is besides apparant that the king in the end of this yeere did by his Agentes solicite all the Cittys which were ioyned in league to Pope Alexander beestowing a hugâ— masse of money among theÌ„ and carefully endeauored to winne the king of Cicillie and the nobility of Roâ—â— to bee his that all might bee intercessors to the Pope to procure the accomplishment of his requestes agaiâ—â—â— Saint Thomas but how Pope Alexander beehaueâ— himselfe you shall heare in the beeginning of the 〈◊〉 yeere Meane while the king of France The king of France laboboring a peace beetweene the king of England and Saint Thomas bringeth them to a parlee after the Legates were departed dispatching this busines taking vp the matter soe fallen to the grownde endeauored to bring the king of England and Saint Thomas to a mutuall parlee in his presence hoping by these meanes to reunite them in a league of peace What the passage of that meeting was is exactly sett forth in Quadrilogus in the end of the second booke and in regarde this seemeth to bee omitted in the epistles the Register of them beecause his epistolary history may not bee defectiue heerin hath soe placed in this volume this discourse before the epistles as they ensuing and following in order one after an other doe manifest the whole proceedinges euen to the very end by reason wherof there wanteth no assistaÌ„ce of any history in the epistles but only this of the parlee written on this wise in Quadrilogus or the Quadriparte history out of Hubertus My Lord the king of France seeing his Holines carefull to conclude a peace himselfe as the sonne of peace and obedient to the Apostolike prelate interposed his endeauors with all labor and attention whervpon at diuers parlees which passed betweene him and the king of England hee brought thither with him the Archbishoppe placing himselfe as an arbiter of peace beetweene them Among all which there was one meeting where it was reported to the king of England that the Archbishop of Canterbury would referre thâ— whole cause to his owne will and therfore the king entertayned this his comming more gratiously Many of both sydes assembling to see the end my Lord of Canterbury fell downe at the king of Englandes feete saying I committ to your discretion the whole controuersy which hath bin the grounde of dissention betweene vs with reseruation only of the honor of God The king hearing the addition of these last wordes was offended beeyond measure abusing him 〈◊〉 â—ny reproches vpbrayding him much casti◠〈◊〉 thinges in his teeth condemning him for a 〈◊〉 insolent and vngratefull man who forgot 〈◊〉 royall bountifull liberality soe often extended to him Alanus added Hee sayde beesides to the king of France marke my Lord if it pleaseth you this man let any thing not fit his owne humor hee presently condemneth it as contrary to the honor of God wherby he will challenge not only his owne but also whatsoeuer beelongeth to mee and that it may appeare I withstand not the honor of God nor yet of him in any thing this is myne offer There haue binne kinges of England my Predecessors who haue raygned beefore mee of greater or lesser authority then my selfe and in Canterbury haue bin many Archbishops beefore him of great worth and holines what therfore the more eminent and vertuous of his Predecessors haue done to the least of my predecessors let him but giue the like to mee and the controuersy shall be concluded Wherupon followed an acclamation on all sydes that the king had sufficiently humbled himselfe The defence of Saint Thomas and his cause Here must I needes say I meruayle greately how the king
ioy departed The Pope trauelling from thence to towers celebrated there the feast of Christmas This yeere also lewis king of France and Henry king of England meeting Pope Alexāder at Tociacke which is situated on the riuer of Loyre both kinges attending on foote did leade the Popes horse hee ryding thereon That kinges of Frāce and Englād together lead ioyntly the Popes horse The Pope vniteth the kinges of France and and Englād in perfect amity the king of France houlding the right and the king of England the left cheeke of his brydle and soe conducting him to a Pauylion prepared for him where hee by godes assistance vnited them in a perfect leage of amity Soe these two kinges diuided long in bloudy warres agreed both in one to honor in this sorte ioyntly together Christes vicar A thing though often vsed by Emperours and kinges to Popes yet neuer beefore excecuted by two kinges at once Soe God did honor him whom the Emperour sought to depresse rewarded the kinges for theyr humble seruice with a Benediction of Peace Now heere is to bee showed how Waldemar king of Denmark sonne of king Canutus the Martyr beeing deluded by the Emperour and Octauian Waldemar king of Dēmarke deluded by the Emperour beecame his homager yet deliuered by God from his scysme was drawne within the Lyons pawes and soe inforced to bee his homager yet mercifully deliuered by Christ from the contamination of this scysme The king beeing sollicited by the Scysmatickes and not vnderstanding the matter sent Rafe his secretary a man of more wordes then wisedome to the Emperour where ouercome with the curtesies and rewards of Fredericke and Octauian and allured also with large promises made to the king his Master of a Prouince in Italy and the gouerment of Sclauia and beeing moreouer informed how pyous an acte it was and how well beeseeming the zeale and great discretion of soe worthy a kinge to come and yeeld his assistance for vniting the Catholikes thus disioynted neyther yet Octauians humility submitting himselfe to the counsell nor Alexanders refusal to obey their iudgments beeing forgotten was thus perswaded and sent backe to relate all this to his king who more bold heerin then discreete and not soe much vpon a Religious yeale as a curiosity to see the fashons of other countreys entertayned these suggestions At that tyme Octauians Legate was in Denmarke Absolon Bishop of Rochildens a wise and vertuous Prelate but rather scorned then accepted After whose dimission the king went to Absalon Bishop of Roschildens his foster brother and faythful freind a man of rare vertues grauity and wisedome to whom laying all open hee declared his intended iourney desiring the Bishop to accompany him The Bishop discouering Frederickes deceytes condemned them assuring hee could not without violating his religion entertayne the Emperours freindship beeing more passionately then iustly transported with this scysme and for his owne parte that hee was altogether vnprouided for such a iourney The king offering to furnish him with all thinges necessary the Bishop answered hee would not hazard his soule among the professed enemyes of Gods Church The king replying hee therfore desired to haue him along beecause if his conscience should bee any wayes endangered the Bishop might rescue and deliuer him the Bishop ouercome with his importunity happily yeelded whereupon the king with a royal trayne sett forward neyther with any dangers or dissuasiōs of his faythfull counsellors could hee be-recalled but neuerthelesse preceeded on with great iustice and religion which purchassed him in all Countreyes where hee passed both loue and reuerence for though his company encreasing amounted in showe to an army yet would hee not suffer them to offer the least wrong to any The singular iustice of the king of Denmarke yea his seuere equity was such both at home and abroade as when afterwardes vpon want of prouision for his horses complayning to the Emperour hee desired hee might haue the same for money and the Emperour willed that his seruantes as others who followed those warres should gett it by spoyle of the Countrey hee cryed out hee was no theife nor would purchase by robbery and although in eases of necessity this was tolerated yet would hee not allow that in other nations which hee condemned in his owne or suffer his subiectes with forraine offences to corrupt their domesticall lawes Wherupon the Germane Princes admyring protested that happy was the Realme where such a king gouerned But to returne to the purpose After a tedious iourney approaching the Emperiall Campe hee found contrary to his expectation a cold entertaynment For Absolon the good Bishop accompanyd with Rafe that ill Embassador deliuered beefore the Emperour the cause of his lords coming But Frederike condemning first the kinges neglecte and delay sayd that hee who held his kingdome by seruice to the Emperiall Maiestie forgot himselfe much in omitting thus long his attendance Absolon answering The Emperour should haue signifyd soe much to the king before hee vndertooke his iourney and not to inuite him with such faire and large promises The Emperour wondering answered who fed the king with such hopes and promises Absolon produced Rafe saying this is hee who with your high promises abused the goodnes of our credulous king But Rafe abashed at the Emperours denyall gaue the Bishop leaue to vnfould the whole matter The Emperour still gaynsaying all Absolon desired his kinge might haue then a safe conduct backe into his Countrey But Fredericke yeelding to nothing affirmed that as hee medled not with his comming soe hee would not assist him in his goeing Heerupon the king repenting his rashnes sayd allthough the swoard hung ouer his head neuertheles hee would rather dye then inthrall his countrey to bondage And for a remedy to this mischeife lying with the Emperour on the confines of France determined by Absolons counsell to flye thither by stealth for refuge But the Emperour altering his mynde sought to win him by giftes whom hee could not bend by terror and giuing the gouerment of Sclauia allured the king to doe him Homage yet soe as it should neyther preiudice his posterity nor kingdome alleadgeing for example the glorious king of Englād who in like case for his principallityes in France did Homage to the king of France And now to descend to Octauians absurd conuenticle where the Archbishop of Clen declaymed of the iniury offered the Romane Emperour by other kinges who would intermedle with choosing the Pope of Rome where the Emperour on the contrary side neuer interposed himselfe about the elections of any Bishoppes in Cittyes subiect to their dominions And the Emperour saying also that hee doubted not but the kinges there present assembled by him for that purpose would concurre with the Bishoppes in ratifying Octauians authority When Octauian heereupon proceeded in his counterfeit solemnity to accurse Pope Alexander The king of Denmarke by the aduise of Bishop Absolon flyinge Octauian followeth Alexander the king
Archbishoppe was that sainct Thomas would not suffer him to punish a notarious offending Clearke which as shall bee manifested was not the only but one among other most iust occasions that moued saint Thomas to reproue the king whereupon grew this bitter dissention Yet Newborough would haue thus excused the king But let vs now follow the Archbishop returning home to his owne Church from the counsell of Towers that wee may search out the originall of this great controuersy which for seauen yeeres troubling the Romane Church found none effect for vniting this rented discord beetweene the king and him The Translation of S. Edward King of Englād and Cōfessour After the Archbishops returne vntill the translation of sainct Edward the king which was solemnized on the third of the Ides of October there remayned quiet peace and contentment beetweene the king and him but what afterwardes ensued these Authors beeing eye-witnesses of the proceedinges doe testify CONSIDERATIONS VPON the Preface LEt vs now heere behould the Christian world as at this tyme it presented it selfe Where first wee see the Pope Cardinals banished out of Rome Italy and all the mighty Emperour of Rome posessing all theyr dominiōs Ecclesiasticall temporall and mayntaineing Octauian that vsurping Scysmatick in the Papal throne The Emperour of Constantinople not intermedling with the Westerne Church and also lately ouerthrowne by the Ceciliās The king of Ierusalem though acknowledging Alexander his lawfull Pastor yet raigning a far of hardly able to defend the frontyers of Christendome against the Saracens The good king of Denmarke though lately showing himselfe an approued Catholike yet Frederickes Homager and diuorced by all Germany from assisting Pope Alexander Bohemia drowned in Germany and Hungary à remote kingdome and though subiect to the Romane Sea yet not able to succour her The king of Cecill though Alexanders faythfull freind yet soe incumbred with domesticall rebellions as hee could not rayse an army to restore him The kingdomes of Spaine though they wished him well yet soe ouercome with the Mahomet a Moores as they re states were miserable So hee was only left by God to the pious worthie king of France the powerfull king of England and in myne opinion the greatest king of the Norman race that euer swayd ouer this land for as Gilbert B. of London writing in the names of all the English Bishops to saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury sayth his dominions reached from the Perinean Mountaines to the Northerne seas and if Edward the III. Henry the V. and Edward the IV. hauing England Ireland Callis rather a tumultuous tytle then any peaceable countreyes or profitable reuenues in France were able to tryumph ouer France then how much was Henry the II. who beesides England Ireland had the Dutchyes of Normandy Aquitaine with the Earledome of Anioue his natiue soyle other honores in quiet possession to omitt Britaine that had a great dependance on him able to ouermatch the puissance of France To passe from this to his great reuerence affection to Pope Alexander I know no king that euer showed more and last to ascend to his actions the effectes of these Henry the II. drewe England France Spaine Ireland Norwaye to obey Pope Alexander and when the Emperour would haue surprysed at Mount Saon the king of France and thereby entralled the Pope Cardinalles spoyled them of all this renowned K. with his couragious army rescued them Now what a terrible attempt was it of the enemy of Mankind to withdrawe if hee could from the Pope such a king from the Church such a child But though the billowes of these seas were wonderfull yet God was more maruaylous in guiding sainct Peeters ship through them Considering all these euery indifferent man may in reading this Epistolary history iudge how great reason the Pope had as far as in conscience hee possibly could to forbeare this king soe well deseruing of the Apostolike Sea And also when inforced through iustice thereunto hee would haue executed against him the censures of the Church what a true heroicall vertuous acte it was to prefer the loue duty hee bore to Almighty God before the fauor of soe great such a deseruing freind And what aboue all others is most to bee marked in the proces of this matter although all the Bishops of this realme fearefully fowly wandred astray yea although saint Thomas of Canterbury himselfe like an other saint Peeter falling recouered againe rose to a glorious Martyrdome yet Pope Alexander whom it cheifely concerned neuer erred eyther infayth or infacte God so directed with his holy Ghost the gouernor of his Church Lastly to conclude with this famous kinge whose faire arysing sunne was soe ouerclowded with his turbulent passions as they molested the whole Church and gaue occasion though vnwitting to him of the Martyrdome of the glorious Saint hee returned neuertheles in the end soe clearly againe to himselfe as hee gaue that great satisfaction indured yea imposed vpon himselfe soe sharpe a pennance as was able to make his very enemys relent and a stony hearte with teares to pitty him Neither doe I thinke but the prayers merites of S. Thomas that conuerting his bloudy executioners to cōtrite penitētes through Christes passion saued their soules did in like sorte yea more effectually helpe to raise to the same eternall blessednes this king after hee departed this world in the Octaues of S. Peeter S. Paul An. 1189. beeing first penitēt cōfessing his sinnes receauing the most B. Sacrament This being deliuered by Card. Bar. out of Roger I haue precisely set downe because it is Cronicled that the king dyed out of charity beeing I thinke as false as that Pope Adrian according to the Scysmatickes fable was choaked with a flye or K. Iohn poysoned by a Monke THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF SAINCT THOMAS ARCHBISSOPPE OF CANTERBVRY THE olde enemie maketh continuall warre against the Church but the sonne of God who hath redeemed it with his owne blood will also by the blood of his owne membres bring the same to true and perfect liberty among which the glorious company of the Apostles and purple coulored army of holy martyrs hath the preheminence by whose doctrine the liuely stones in the building of the body of Christ are confirmed by whose blood as it were with morter and symonde they are ioyned together and vnited that the Church of God goeing forward and multiplying in piety the number of the faithfull might bee made fit for the building of an holy Temple in our Lord. And allbeit all Martirs in generall haue a supereminent prerogatiue of eternall glory The glory of martyrdome yet their title is more glorious and their Crowne more bright that haue deserued double honor by instructing of others making themselues an example to their flocke and laying downe their liues for their sheepe in the time of tryall for like as one starre exceedeth an other in
the poore He was a father to poore people and a conforter of those that mourne Hee reproued liberally the sinne of the nobility knowing that where the spirit of God is there is alsoe liberty yet that hee might not seeme to cast holy things to dogges or pearles before swine hee would first prudently considere the nature of those hee did admonish or reprehend and being conducted by the spirituall vnction his communications and sermons did seeme wonderfully lerned to all sortes of hearers Hee was both learned and eloquent both in the weight of matter and eloquent deliuery After meales and his necessarie sleepe vntill his busines called him away hee passed the time in reading of the scripture or else in honest communication lest the enemy should take occasion there at to deride his Sabaoth All the time which hee could without the great detriment of his body hee did bestowe in prayer teares and holy meditation keeping chastity in his body cleanesse in his harte modesty in his wordes and iustice in his workes that hee might moue those by his example which hee was to teach by his doctrine Hee did without ceasing impugne scysme and heresie Hee greatly impugned scysme and heresies and would neuer bee induced to keepe companie with excommunicated persons for whosoeuer was an ennemy to sound doctrine hee did esteeme him as his enemy in Christ and beeing feruent in the zeale of iustice hee endeauoured that euery man should enioy his owne without respect of persons or receauing of bribes S. Thomas retourneth into Englād from the Counsel at Towers And though at his returne from the counsell of Towers into England being the second yeere after his consecration hee was receiued of the king as a father of his sonne with fauourable countenance a good respect and esteeme yet soone after discontentments beegan to arise whilst Saint Thomas without any offence offered to the king exercised the office of an Euangelicall pastor in vndergoing which charge whilst hee endeauoured to recouer the Graunges of the Church vsurped by the layety and wrongfully alienated from his predecessors hee incurred the displeasures of many and mightie mē Yea whē he touched the kinges exchecker to the quicke by litle and litle the king himselfe was moued to indignation against him For in England had the same vnconscionable custome preuailed that the exchecker couetously challenged to it selfe the reuenues arysing from the vacancyes of Churches Wherefore S. Thomas required that for two seas of Bishopprickes beeing now long vacant there might bee speedily Bishops ordeyned The ground of the discord beetweene the king and S. Thomas It did also somewhat trouble the kinges mind when S. Thomas beeing created Archbishop gaue absolutely ouer the office of Chauncellorship according to that of the Apostle no man fighting vnder the banner of God intangleth himselfe in temporal businesses 2. Timoth. 2 For the king desired to retaine him still in his seruice And for a greater addition of dislike Thomas moreouer forbad the vnlawfull exaction of a Tribute Heerewithall at the same time concurred that hee deliuered not ouer to the secular Courte a Preist condemned of murder but beeing degraded committed him to a Monasterie The like hapned concerning one Phillip a Cannon and yet a greeuous offendor whom the Archbishop enforced not to suffer punishment in such sorte as the king would haue it but only chasticed him with Ecclesiasticall censures The king by reason heerof beecommeth wrathfull The causes of the kinges indignation because there was according to the direction of the holy Cannons à milder proceeding with those of the Clergy whoe offended where vpon they might growe more insolent in wickednes Hee beegan to demanund instantly of Thomas the Archbishop that Clearkes committing such crimes might after the Canonicall punishment inflicted on them bee deliuered ouer to the secular Tribunal But this motion of the king was gainsayed by S. Thomas and many other Bishopps associate with him all of them humblie beeseeching his Maiestie to abstayne from these attemptes but hee was rather more enflamed with anger Whereupon Robert writeth in these wordes but the king somewhat moued heerewith yet much more incensed because hee sawe the Archbishop and Bishoppes with mutuall assent as hee supposed bent against him asked of them presently beeing thus constantly vnited whether they would obserue the customes beelonging to his crowne adding that these beeing in the raigne of his grandfather formerly obserued by Archbishops and Bishoppes by priuate and priuiledged persons ought not by tracte of time with a seuere sentence to bee condemned Whereupon the Archbishop hauing first consulted with his brethren answered Hee and his brethren would obserue them sauing the prerogatiue of theire order and the same euery Bishop being asked one by one did turne by turne seuerally answer only Hilarie Bishop of Chichester hearing the king more enraged for these wordes soe vttered alike by them all without aduise of the Archbishopps altered some saying hee would absolutely obserue in good faith the customes of the kingdome and for a seeming good intent truly as I thinke hee said it that hee might yet soe appease the kinges mind But the king was nothing at all calmed yea he waxed more wroth and turning himselfe to the Archbishop and Bishops vpon the hearing of this vniforme and one answer of them all said A battell was ranged against him and that poyson lurked in this captious word Sauing the prerogatiue of their order Wherefor hee required that absolutely without addition they would promise to obserue the customes of the kingdome The Archbishop answered they had sworn to him fidelitie that is to say life limme and earthly honour sauing the prerogatine of their order and that in this earthly honour the customes of the kingdome were comprehended and hee would not binde himselfe to the obseruation of them in any other sorte then they had formerly sworne Now when a great parte of the day was in this fashion passed The Kinges intemperate anger the king beeing all the while vexed without any farwell to the Bishops suddenly departed the Courte in great wrath and indignation The King was accustomed in the disturbance of his minde through the passion of anger to bee vnreasonably and outragiously altered and transported as by an example or two I shall heere laye open beefore you whereby in the very entrance of this controuersie now raised you may vnderstand how difficulte and dangerous it was to contend with him in any case were it neuer soe iust For in the 44. epistle written to S. Thomas concerning the King thus wee reade The King on a certaine day when hee was at Cane and a busines which hee had with the King of Scottes dealte seriously against Richard de Humet whoe seemed to defend the cause of the King of Scottes brake out into disgracefull wordes and openly called him Traitor and heereupon enflamed with his wonted furie threwe his cap from his heade vngirte his belte
to him and direct his letters to you for that purpose hee seemed with greife and great affliction of mynd to answer saying God forbid let vs rather dye then beehould him soe departing his countrye and leauing his Church in that sorte soe desolate And a litle after By the mediation of my lord the Pope there is continual prayer made for you and the Church committed by God to your charge at Clareualle and Pontiniacke Monasteries of the Cistercians Pope AlexaÌ„der in the meane time cherished Thomas comforted him with his letters and reuiued his minde when it was depressed with extreme greife Many of his letters remayne worthie of soe noble a Bishop among which receaue you these beeing in contents the shortest Lib. 1. epist 43. How hee ought to proceede with the King Because the dayes are euill and many thinges are to bee suffered in regard of the quality of the time wee entreate aduise counsell and perswad your discretion that in all actions as well of your owne as those appertaining to the Church you beehaue your selfe warely prouidently and circumspectly and that you doe nothing hastely or rashly but all thinges deliberately and grauely whereby you may recouer the fauour and goodwill of the renowned King of England as much as possibly you may without derogation to the liberty of the Church and the honor of your office and authoritye And that by all meanes you endeauour and labour to endure the violence of the same King vntill the next Easter in such sorte as you deuise not to put any thing in execution against him or his land vntill that perfixed tyme for then our lord will graunt à better and milder season whereby as well you as wee may more safely and securely proceede in our affaires Thus Alexander to Thomas of whom as wee haue sayd it is extant that hee did write other letters to the same effect vnto him But in that the Pope did so certainly promise that times would bee calmer at the next ensueing Easter it is apparant hee did with a Propheticall spirit foreknowe the death of the Antipope which at that time hapned as wee shall heereafter declare But Alexander who soe counselled S. Thomas to forbeare the outragious king did not himselfe forbeare to admonish by his letters the same king in season and out of season instantly reprouing rebukeing and beeseeching him as Reader you may vnderstand by this letter written about the same tyme. ALEXANDER THE SERVANT OF THE seruantes of God Lib 1. Epist 42. to Henry illustrous King of England health and Apostolicall benediction ALlthough the deuotion of a dutyfull childe as well towards vs as your holy mother the Church The Popâ— admonishâ—tâ— the King by writing seemeth of late to weare somewhat cold in you neuerthelesse wee haue not at any time omitted our fatherly affection towards you and the kingdome commended to your gouerment wherefore your excellency diligently weighing that the stripes of a freind are better then the kisses of an enemy may more carefully consider and attentiuely vnderstand that as Clearkes are in life and habit distinguished from secular persons soe the iuditial proceedinges with Clearkes are approoued to bee absolutely different from the iudgmentes of the Layetie and therefore if you desorder these otherwise then it beecommeth and vsurping vnder your power those thinges which beelong to Iesus Christ doe at your owne pleasure ordaine new lawes for the opprâ—ssion of Churches and Christes poore flocke and bring in also those customes which as you tearmed them beelonged to your Progenitors your selfe without all question Prouerb 13 will beefore the last terrible Tribunal which you can no way auoyd bee in like sorte adiudged and the same measure whereby you haue measured others bee returned vpon you But least our admonitions may seeme tedious and rigorous to the eares of your excellency remember how it is written that the father chastiseth the sonne whom hee loueth knoweing assuredly that with how much more ferrent charity wee loue you in our lord and by how much more often and carefully wee call to mind the monuments of your most sincere deuotion many ways and most royally heeretofore shewed to vs and the Church of God soe much the more earnestly wishing with the deuoted affections of our harte your spiritual and eternal saluation wee signifie these vnto your vnderstanding For if the last iudgment bee any ways terrible to you or the crowne of rewards in the eternal rest delightfull it is not only beeseeming but also necessarie for your Maiestie to reuerence truth which is God himselfe and also Iustice to giue euery man his right to leaue to the managing of Ecclesiastical persons all matters Ecclesiastical especially criminal which spring from the breach of faith or periury to yeeld to men of the Church the decisioÌ„ of causes concerning goods and posessions of Churches and not to confound the kingdome with the preisthood for if you would bestowe on the reliefe of the poore or other workes of Charity all the substance which by such compulsions you wrest wring from the treasures of the Church vnto your owne vse you should doe no more acceptable an acte in the sight of God then if you should rob one Altar to garnish an other or crucify Peeter to saue Paule from death for you ought to recount and for an exemple of such proceeding to set before your eyes how king Saul because after the ouerthrowe of Amelech Lib 1. Reg. cap 14. hee would contrary to the precept of God reserue the prey when as for his owne excuse hee pretended to retaine the same for sacrifice was as a reprobate reiected by our Lord and hee yet liuing another chosen vnto his honor and kingly dignity Soe whom the sinnes of the people made a gouernor his owne offâ—nces depriued of the kingdomes gouerment And it is conuenient for your soules health to call to minde how alsoe King Ozias 2. Par. cap. 26. whilst hee would offer incense and vsurpe to himselfe the office of a priest was by the iust iudgment of God strooke with a leprosie If truly you attribute your happie successes to your owne forces and power and not to Almighty God and doe not withdrawe your minde and attemptes from oppressing Ecclesiastical persones and Churches hee doubtles whâ— placed you in gouerment ouer others and ordeyned you a great prince in this world for ruling and not for the wrongfull depression of his faithfull people will with a greiuous vsury demand of you againe the talentes committed to your charge and as it is written of Roboam the sonne of Salomon who for his fathers offence 3. Reg 14. was cast out from his kingdome will transferrre and poure out vpon the heires the vengeance of the fathers sinne Harken not therefore to euery ones wicked suggestions nor open your eares to those who murmur euer mischeifes into your head but diligently attend those thinges which are expedient for saluation and endeauour to
which the world witnesseth wee neuer deserued at his handes malitiously to depraue and derogate from vs and our renowne But if the sayd Archbishoppe as of his owne accord hee departed the land soe of his owne free will would returne againe and beare him selfe to vs in such sort as he ought to behaue himselfe to his Lord and king wee then would likewise so deale with him as according to the counsell of our Clergie and Layetie as well of our kingdome as our Prouinces beeyond the seas should bee thought conuenient but wee thinke it vnfitting to call him backe whom wee neuer enforced to flye our dominions Wherefore if it â—â—all appeare to vs that wee haue any way offended or exceeded our boundes wee will with the aduice of our Clergie and Barons according to the customes dignityes and excellency of our kingdome willingly satisfy as wee are bound But if any one will attempt to trouble or diminish the lawes customes and dignityes of our crowne wee will esteeme him the publicke aduersary and open enemy of our name honor and kingdome and wee so long as wee liue will neuer endure the least detriment to the dignityes and customes of our regality which the renowned men our Predecessors haue held and inioyed in the raignes of the holy Popes of Rome Lastly in that hee commanded yee to insinuate vnto vs that wee should not afflict the Churches or Ecclesiasticall persons of our kindome or Prouinces nor yet suffer them to bee afflicted God and our Conscience doe witnes that to this very day wee neuer did nor Permitted it to bee donne Hetherto the kinges Apologie to the Cardinalls But as the image of a foule deformed and horrible Monster beeing ouercast with coulors may bee transformed into the showe of a most faire and chaste Virgin and not with standing there lurketh vnderneath what to the eyes would bee dreadfull to beehould yet outwardly it appeareth delectable Soe shall yee playnly see his detestable crymes with a deceytfull style transformed into vertues But what estimation is to bee had of him that which hath allready bin sayd and what heereafter shall bee written will apparently declare There are also other letters extant which passed this yeere in the cause of controuersy beetwene the king of England and sainct Thomas beeing writings truly of great moment and principaly that which Pope Alexander sent to the Bishop of London and is recyted by Roger in these words Alexander Bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to his reuerent brother Gilbert Bishop of London sendeth greeting with an Apostolicall Benediction In that you haue beestowed singular care and diligence about the busines wee enioyned your brotherhood and for that your haue faithfully sollicited and effectually admonished our most deare sonne in Christ Henry the renowned king of England concerning the encrease and exaltation of the Church and vs wee receaue the same as a thing most gratefull and acceptable and thereupon rendring you abundance of thankes wee doe for that cause highly commend and prayse in our Lord your watchfull and endeauouring wisedome And beecause wee loue with a more intire charity this your king as a famous Prince and our dearest sonne therefore wee haue thought good often yea very often to sollicyte and excite him by all meanes to deuotion towards the Church as well by your reuerent brethren the Archbishop of Roane and Bishop of Hereforde and also by our most deare daughter in Christ his mother sometymes the illustrous Empres of Rome And now reioyce and are greatly comforted in our Lord for the godly zeale of the same king signifyed to vs by your letters But beecause wee would haue him as intirely affected to the Church of God and to vs as in the beeginning her was accustomed to bee wee intreate admonish yea command your brotherhood that you will againe and againe both by your selfe and others carefully and diligently stirre vp exhorte and by all meanes perswade him to procure after his wonted manner with his best endeauors the honor and exaltation of the same Church and foster mayntaine and defend with all courage the cause therof that hee would loue and reuerence Churches and Ecclesiasticall persons and conserue their rightes and franchises Likewise that hee would restore to his grace and fauour our reuerent brother the Archbishop of Canterbury and for our parte if hee yeeld to sainct Peeter and vs the respect and honor which heeretofore hee hath done wee will loue him with a most tender affection and labour by all meanes as beeseemeth vs to magnify and aduance him and preserue the kingdome committed to his charge for wee had rather vanquish him with patience and mildnes then any way agreeue him soe long vs wee can possibly forbeare him Dated at Gradus Mercurii XI Kalend. Septemb. Thus wrote Alexander to the Bishop of London who in this manner answered him To his father and Lord the most high Bishop Alexander Brother Gilbert seruant of the Church of London sendeth his dutifull seruice of sincere charity and humble obedience Hauing receaued most deere father in Christ your commandement with dew reuerence wee instantly heard that your sonne our most beeloued soueraigne Lord was leading his army in the confines of France and taking with vs our venerable Brother Robert Bishop of Hereford according to your direction with all attentiue dilligence wee treated with him and laying beefore his eyes whatsoeuer you signifyed to vs by letter partly entreating and as far as beecame subiects to the Maiestie of their king also reprouing wee constantly and instantly perswaded him that hee would bee certifyed in all these pointes and if hee had swarued from the path of reason hee would returne to the way of truth and iustice beeing called backe by your admonition deliuered him by our mouth and beeing piously aduertised by his father 〈◊〉 absolutly desist from wicked actions loue God witâ— a pure harte respect his Mother the holy Church of Râ—â—e with his wonted reuerence and neuer forbid those whâ— were willing to visit her nor hinder appeales made vnto her and reducing charitably from exile our father the Lord of Canterbury hee would remayne constant and vnmoueable in the obedience of sainct Peeter and your Holines and wholy bent to the workes of deuotion would not any way afflict Churches or Ecclesiasticall persons of his kingdome or dominions nor suffer them to bee in any sorte iniured by himselfe or others but with loue defend them vnder his royall protection that hee by whom kinges doe raigne may in this world prosper his temporal Dominion and beestowe on him in heauen an eternall kingdome Otherwise if hee obeyed not your godly and wholsome admonitions your Holines who had hetherto with patience indured could no longer contayne your selfe within the compasse thereof Heereunto wee added that hee was iustly to feare least if hee corrected not his offences hee shoulde shortly incurre the wrath of Allmighty God through which his kingdome would not long continewe nor his bee
preferred to his seruice the Archdeanonry of Canterbury the Prouosty of Beuerly the many Churches together with some Prebandaryes and other possessions beeing of no smale value which wee inioyed from our Ancestors disproue that wee were as then soe meane as you say in the worldes reputation But if you ayme at the stemme of our stocke and our parentage They were assuredly of the Citty of London liuing without taynte of credit in the middest of their fellow Cittyzens neither rancked in the lowest degree But that the miste of these wordly conceyptes beeing once vanished wee may with the light of truth bee more rightly discerned which is more glorious eyther to be borne of meane yea the poorest parents or of great and glorious persons since the Apostle saith Weâ— cloathe the basest partes of our body with more abundant honor 1. Cor. 12. What auayle our high desentes quoth the Gentil Poet. What hath a Christian a Bishop a Scholler a Religious man to say heerein If you labour by ripping vp the memory of our pouerty to brand vs with confusion how great an offence it is then to confound your father consider in the commandement of our Lord which you haue receaued for honoring your parents Exod. 20. Concerning the fauor of the king soe highly commended to vs through the remembrance of his bestowed benefitts you needed not to haue labored so much therin for wee call the Allmighty to wittnes that wee hould nothing vnder the sunne soe deare as his fauor and prosperity sauing euer to God and his holy Church their freedomes and immunityes for otherwise he can neuer raigne either happely or securely But let it passe since soe it is benefittes towardes vs farre more and more ample then all these your wordes haue yet expressed ought wee for all these yea were they twise soe many to beetray the liberty of Gods Church How far lesse should wee then doe it for the preseruation of a blast of fame which often varyeth from the truth If towards others wee haue proceeded with more leuity yet in this wee will neither spare you nor others nor yet an Angell if he descendeth from heauen but strayght as wee heare him mouing or mentioning this hee shall haue this answer from vs Auant backe Sathan thou doest not relish what appertayneth to God Far bee from vs this franticke folly deliuer vs Lord from this extreme madnes to be perswaded euer through any trecherous falshoode to make a marte of the body of Christ wherin wee may bee compared to Iudas the Traytor and our Soueraigne to the Iewes who chafered for Christ As touching this our high preferment wherunto as you wryte wee were raysed although the mother of our Lord the king disswaded it the realme cryed out against it the Church of God as far as she durst sighed thereat As for the realme wee heard not her exclamations against vs but rather her acclamations of ioy Touching the disswasions of our kinges mother if any such were they neuer passed to the publicke notice of the world it may bee some Ecclesiasticall persons aspiring as is accustomed to this promotion of ours sighed when they perceaued themselues to bee frustrated of this conceaued hope who perhaps at this day in reuenge of this their defeatement are procurers and counsellors of this present dissention But woe bee to him through whom scandal aryseth Yet against these impedimentes with which you formerly taxe vs or against others if any there were the diuine dispensation as now you may plainly see hath preuailed Wee are tryed beefore him who is iustice it selfe and found to preferre none before him who out of his singular mercy hath setled vs in this degree That also which you seeme to propose for the iustification of the kinges Maiestie wee haue not thought meete to bee lightly ouerslipped or without mature examination and wee would to God hee had neuer frayed from iustice and that our complaint against him might haue appeared lesse iustifyable You say hee is and was euer ready to giue satisfaction this you confidently affirme this you proclayme Forbeare heere a litle and answer our demandes In what sence vnderstand you as you call it this preparation to satisfaction See you these of whom God termeth himselfe the father and Iudge wee meane Orphanes widâ—wes children Innocents yea such as are absolutely ignorant of this our controuersy now in question cast into banishment and are you silent Clearkes rooted out of their countrey and cry you not against it Others spoyled of their goodes and contumeliously abused and doe you not reproue it Our seruantes throwne into prisons and bouâ—d in fetters and doe you not open your mouth against it Your Mother the Church of Canterburyes possessions with hauocke wasted and doe you not resist it Your father hardly escaping the swoardes euen now threatening to murder him and are you not sensible of sorrowe And what is farre worser are you not asham'd to ioyne with our persecutors against vs God and his Church and that not in secret Is this satisfaction not to correct offences committed and daily to heape more greeuous mischeifes on mischeifes But perhaps you vnderstaÌ„d this on the will of the wicked Deutro 32. according to the sentence I will imbrewe myne arrowes with blood But you will replye what lay you father to my charge I will answer all in a worde I am a afraide of my coate True sonne too truely you answer and therefore you want a swoard Whereas you wryte hee is ready to stand to the iudgement of his owne kingdome as if this were a worthy satisfaction who is there in earth or in heauen it selfe that can presume to iudge of the diuine dispensation Let human matters bee adiudged but for such as are diuine let them remayne and bee left absolutely vntouched How much better were it brother how much more profitable to him how much more secure for you if you would by all meanes endeauor to incyte to perswade him to fullfill the will of God towardes the conseruation of the peace of his Church not to couet after these thinges which are not committed to this gouerment to honor the preistes of God nor yet to consider what they are but whose seruantes they are You lay to our charge that wee haue abused our selues in a preiudicate proceeding against the Bishop of Salisbury and Iohn of Oxeforde not a Deane as you tearme him but an vsurper of a Deanry wherin you ought to remember that some manifest certaintyes did forerun this iudgment and withall you say you are moued what else A man is afrayd when his neighbors house is on fire and would to God you were well moued from that wnherin you haue vnlawfully stood Let therefore our Lord the king knowe and vnderstand by your relation that hee who raigneth in the Empyre of men and also of Angells hath ordayned two powers vnder him Princes and Preistes one earthly an other spirituall one ministring an other more excellent one to
which hee hath granted authority the other to which hee would haue reuerence yeelded hee then who derogateth from the right of the one or the other resisteth Gods ordination Let not then our Soueraigne Lord disdaine to attribute to them vnto whom the highest of all vouchsafeth to attribute calling them often goddes in the holy Scriptures For hee speaketh thus I haue said yee are godes c. And againe I haue appointed thee the God of Pharao Psal 81. Exod. 9. Ibid. 22. And Thou shalt not detract from the Goddes that is to say the Preistes And speaking by Moyses of him who was to sweare hee sayth Bring him to the Goddes Ibidem that is to the Preistes Neither let our king presume to attempt to iudge his iudges For the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed not to powers of this earthe but to Preistes And therefore it is written The lippes of the Preist shall haue the custody of knowledge and from his mouth they shall require the lawe 1. Cor. ◠beecause hee is the Angel of our Lord. And also Paule sayth Shall wee not iudge Angells how much more men Wee would haue you also suggest into the mynde of our Soueraigne Lord that thing worthie of memory and imitation which wee reade in the Ecclesiasticall history of Constantine the Emperor to whom when there were offered vp in wryting accusations against Bishoppes hee receaued the Schedule of the accusations and calling the accused together hee burned it in their sight saying Yee are Goddes ordayned by the true God goe and determine your causes among your selues in regarde it is vnworthy that wee men should iudge the Goddes O mighty Emperor O discreete Gouernor on the earth not fraudulently vsurping on the authority of others and deseruing in heauen an eternall kingdome Let therefore our Lord the king indeauor to imitate soe greate soe discrete soe happy an Emperor whose memory is with prayses renowned on the earth and likewise accounted eternall and glorious in heauen Otherwise let him feare what our Lord hath threatened in Deutronomy Deut 17. saying What man soeuer shall soe deale in his pride that hee will not heare the preist hee shall dye before the iudge For to this purpose is hee called and to this end the tranquility of his temporall kingdome and that magnificency whereof you put vs in mynde are giuē him from heauen Otherwise the king is not saued by his great power although kingdomes are subiect vnto him and nations doe reuerently obey him And thus far concerning these Now whosoeuer haue ioyned with you in the wryting of these afore recyted letters let them knowe that the same answer wee make you the same wee make to them What remayneth brethren wee admonish intreate and beeseech yee that no scysmes may euer seperate vs but that wee bee in our Lord one harte and one soule and that wee harken to him who sayth In the beehalfe of Iustice contend for thy life and fight for Iustice euen to the very death and God will conquer for thee thyne enemyes Eccles 4. Let vs not forget that seuere iudge beefore whose Tirbunal Throne when wee shall appeare Truth only shall adiudge vs all feare and trust of any earthly power beeing then cleane vanished Soe in our Lord wee bid your brotherhood farewell These were this yeere written the rest shall in the yeeres following appeare in their places But the Bishoppes of England directed letters to Pope Alexander inueighing against this afore recyted Epistle written to them by saint Thomas not that they might any way succor the distressed estate of the Church as neede required but only appeale to his Holines against their Archbishoppe For these are their wordes To their father and Lord the high Bishop Alexander The Epistle of the Bishops of England to the Pope the Bishops of the Prouince of their seuerall Dioceses dispersed in sundry parishes as to their Lord and father remember their bounden seruice of charity and obedience Wee suppose father your excellency is not vnmyndfull how you conuented in your letters lōg since directed by the mediation of our reuerent brethren the Bishoppes of London and Hereforde your deuoute sonne and our most deere and renowned Lord the king of England and how with your fatherly compassion you admonished him for the amendment of some matters which appeared to the eyes of your holines as deseruing reformation in his kingdome who receauing your commandement with due reuerence as it is manifest swelled not in anger The Bishoppes commend their king nor with pryde of mynde contemned to obey you but yeelding thankes for your fatherly chastisement humbled himselfe presently to the Churches examination saying that in euery thing which according to the forme of your Mandat was dilligently expressed to him hee would submit himselfe to the iudgment of the Church of his kingdome and what soeuer they should determine to bee amended hee would reforme by their aduise with à commendable denotion and in a Prince worthie great prayse from this purpose hee flyeth not neither recalleth his mynde from his promise but hee who may sit in thrones who may consider and iudge now moued with the reuerence of diuine feare not as a king but as an obedient sonne is ready to yeelde to iudgment obey the lawfull pronounced sentence and as a Prince bounded with lawes shewe himselfe in all thinges a dutifull childe wherefore it is vnnecessary to enforce with interdictions or threates or the spurres of accursinges the man to satisfaction who subiecteth himselfe allready to the censures of the diuine lawes For his actions withdrawe not themselues from the light nor by any meanes desire to bee shrowded in darknes for this king in faith most Christian in the bandes of wedlocke most honest the conseruer of peace and iustice and one who enlargeth the boundes of the same far and neere incomparably indeauoureth with all his power and thirsteth with a feruent desire that scandalls and sinnes together with their fowle followers may bee taken away and rooted out of his kingdome and that peace and iustice may euer take place and all thinges prosper and flourish vnder him in sweete security and quiet tranquillity The Bishops excuse their king Who finding sometimes the peace of his kingdome not a litle molested with the outragious excesses of some insolent Clearkes with due reuerence to the Clergie referred their offences to the Bishoppes iudges of the Church that one sworde might assist an other and the power spirituall ground and establish in the Clergie the peace which hee ruled and fostred in his people Wherin the zeale of thee party came more to light the Bishops persisting in this setled iudgment that murder or any other like cryme should only bee punished in the Clergie by degradation the king on the other syde beeing of opinion that this punishement did not condignly answer the offence neither was it a sufficient prouision for mayntenance of peace if a Reader or
it was no lesse greiuous to him that your Holines sent Legates for managing this cause then if you had designed them for depriuing him of his Crowne Neither were they wantinge who ministred fewel to his enflamed mynde Weertupon was occasion giuen of malice and mischeiuous attemptes against vs and the Church of God to them who from the beeginning had myndes and meanes to hurte vs whose wicked purpose your clemency hath nothing changed although your authority repressed their assaultes All this I receaued from a Clearke who is faithfull and deuoted to your Holines who beeing then present did afterwards pruily deliuer the same to mee This one thing most holy father I assuredly know which I wryte not without teares that the glory of your name is somewhat eclipsed because the detraction of your fame is as it were meate and drinke to backbyters and slanderers who like men intoxicated and drunke with wyne teare in peeces your renowne and deuoure it with the iawes of misreportes and these are not the fauorers of my Lord of Canterbury but also his professed foes and that especially since the tyme of his victory and yours as many beeleiued was now at hand for the day of the Appeale beeing past the king was in that feare to see himselfe excommunicated and his whole dominion interdicted as hee sayd openly Hee neither perswaded nor compelled his Bishoppes to appeale and therefore would not intermedle in the matter the Bishoppes themselues were soe mightily troubled and feared soe much to bee interdicted as some of them sent messingers to my lord of Canterbury others were ready to appeare at his summons When Iohn of Oxeforde as your Legate assembling the Bishoppes commanded them by authority from you as it is reported in France that they should not come to the Lord of Canterbury vpon his citation Whereupon Master Robert Bishop of Hereforde beeing at the seas syde ready to passe ouer was recalled againe as in way of excuse was deliuered from him to the Lord of Canterbury by his Messingers beeing religious men and well knowne I beeing then present and therefore soe great a trouble hath inuaded the myndes of many vpon the feare they conceaue of the kinges subtell deuises to the ruine of the Church of EnglaÌ„d and all Churches within his Dominion together with the ouerthrowe of the Ecclesiasticall liberty and the longer and stronger persecution of the Archbishop For whereas it is sayde by many and that very often that the king hath set vp the rest of his hope on your misfortune and deathe which Allmighty God out of his most mercifull clemency long deferre affirming constantly as it is reported by many that hee will neuer admitt your successor vntill hee hath confirmed all the dignityes and customes of his kingdome It is therefore supposed that craftily and fraudulently hee requesteth the Legates for accomplishing his owne endes and desires as well against the lord of Canterbury as all other Bishoppes of his land or if that fayle yet at the least that hee may put of the excommunication against his person and the interdiction of his dominions and thus winning tyme hee may soe auoyde the authority of the Bishop of Canterbury as if in your Popedome hee bee not bounde hee neede not feare the power of your successor since as many say hee hath resolued not easely to receaue him Wherefore most wise father such as thirst after the spirit of God and peace of the Church desire with all the affection of their myndes that our Lord will styrre vp in you the spirit of Daniel to search out the sleyghts of Bell Daniel 14. and to kill the Dragon For which they beseech God with their deuoute and continual prayers God prosper your Holines with many yeeres Thus far Lumbard whom one reporteth to haue bin the renowned diuine who flourished in Paris and beeing properly called Peter Lumbard liued in these dayes You haue heard the complayntes of the king of France and others expressed in Lumbardes letter Heare now the exulting and insulting of the king of England deriued from this vnfortunate fountaine beeing no litle cause of lamentation to all well disposed myndes For there is extant to this purpose an epistle of Iohn of Salisbury written to Iohn Bishop of Poytiers wherin after other thinges hee sayth thus of the king of England Moreouer the king himselfe toulde the Bishop of Worcester that hee and all other Bishoppes were now exempt from the Lord of Canterburys power and commanded him not to feare any threates for hee had now my Lord the Pope and all the Cardinalls in his purse and soe far hee vaunteth as hee sayth openly hee hath now at last obtayned the priuiledge of his Grand father beecause in his owne land hee was a king a Legate a Patriarcke and Emperor and what hee list Cod vâ—t lib. 1. epist 1â—8 and soe would he bee wherin as it is probable hee aymed at the Church of Rome For what could Octauianus or the Archhereticke of Crema haue don more for him How could their Cardinalls haue pleasured him more then the forenamed Cardinalls sent from Pope Alexander who whetted the tongues of England and made them spitt fire and poyson to terrify the Pope and subiect him to their will This will bee regestred in the Chronickles of the Roman Church and doubtlesse God permitting it there will not want Historiographers to recorde that at the petition and threates of the king of England whose intollerable excesses hee had soe long endured the Champion of liberty the preacher of iustice now liuing with an infinite number of Innocents for the cause of Allmighty God as yet foure yeeres in banishment without any respect of reason or lawe as a man guilty was depriued by the Pope of his office not vpon any offence of his but only to please a Tyrant And yet neuerthelesse vnder his letters patents remayning with vs was granted him to exercise in his ample right the power of his office wherein is expressed that hee neither gaue nor restrayned the mandate for the kings excommunication O good God what a nouelty haue wee heere Isaia 58. The holy Ghost biddeth in his lawe Crye out cease not and loe an other spirit of what fashion I knowe not issuing out from the Citty into the world sayeth to the Preachers cease crye not 2. Tim. 4. The Apostle instructing a Bishop commanding biddeth Accomplish thy ministery And lo the Apostolicall man willeth saying desist from the ministery of thyne office Yet perchaÌ„ce hee supposeth hee can with patience mollify his mynde but hath hee not a sufficient tryall to the contrary in the Bishoppe of Canterbury who hauing bin allmost foure yeeres depriued of his Sea hath felt the remisnes of the Sea Apostolicke and the Tyranny of the king beeing all this while exposed to windes Let therefore I pray you my Lord the Pope bee ashamed of such a conscience and haue a care of his fame honor and preseruation of the Church
on our beehalfe with our beeloued sonne that noble Earle of Flanders and instantly perswade him that considering the necessity of vs and the Church hee would endeauor with his liberality somewhat to succor vs for wee doe not thinke hee can doe a more acceptable seruice to Allmighty God then to labor at this present to comforte vs with the worthy supply of his bounty for the defence of the Churches liberty Thus wrote Pope Alexander vnto Saint Thomas and to king Henry of England by the same Legates in this sorte Yeelding gladly to the requestes of your Maiestie and desiring as far as with God and his iustice wee can to satisfy your will in all thinges and showe due respecte to you and your honor wee haue thought good to sende vnto your excellency as Legates into your dominions on this syde the seas our beeloued sonnes William of the tytell of Saint Peter ad vincula Preist with Oddo of Saint Nicholas in carcere Tulliano Deacon Cardinalles men of learning discretion vertue beeing of great authority in the Church of God and well affected to you and your kingdome and whom among the rest of our brethren wee esteeme as very deere and acceptable to vs giuing them absolute power to vnderstand those causes which in former letters wee haue declared to you with all other matters likewise which shall seeme conuenient for them to knowe whom wee haue in all things authorized as vice gerents so far in our steede as euer the Church of Rome was accustomed heeretofore to constitute them or any other Legates of the Apostolike Sea Wherefore wee doe by our Apostolical letters request admonish and in our lord exhorte your Highnes that you will honorably and benignly receaue and as it beeseemeth your royall dignity courteously entertayne them in such sorte as is meete for men of that eminency and Legates of the Apostolicall Sea Soe as the holy Church of Rome may in your beehauiour to her sonnes acknowledge your ancient deuotion to her and your Maiestie together with the landes committed to your gouerment through the goodnes of God reape therby encrease of all thinges and for those matters which they shall propose to your excellency on our behalfe wee doe wish you soe diligently to admitt and promptly to obey them as our lord and his Church may bee therin worthily honored and you with the realmes subiect to your regiment may also thereby gayne abundance of benefits with rewardes from God and prayse and glory beefore men Shewe not the coppy of this letter to any but only Master Gunter because I haue passed therupon as stricte a promise to Master Walter as hee desired Thus wrote the Pope to the king sending likewise an other letter of the same effecte to the Bishops of England which beeginneth it is reported to our eares c. Dated the last yeere in the Kalends of December By all which is euidently apparant that Pope Alexander perswaded a peace in such sorte as no detriment might therupon accrewe to the Church Pope Alexander did wryte withall by the same Legates to the king of France to whom among other thinges hee openeth the desire of his mynde for honoring Saint Thomas with all worthy respectes and decreeing to this holy man the Legantyne authority ouer the whole Church of France if the Bishoppes of that kingdome were soe pleased The letters of his Holines were thus indighted Amonge other renowned tokens of your magnificence and deuotion wee esteeme as cheifest that you haue with so many and soe great honors entertayned our reuerent brother Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury a man most religious discreete and vertuous and to vs and the vniuersall Church in euery respect most deere and acceptable and that out of your boūty you haue vouchsafed plētifully to beestowe soe large and royall benefittes out of your humanity on him for which wee render your Maiestie the greatest and worthyest thanks wee may and for your clemency therin commend you with most exceeding prayses in our lord And this as it is most gratefull to God to whom in his person you haue consecrated the same soe wee accept it as deerely as if you had donne it to our selues and because with all our affections wee desire the peace of the same Archbishop wee haue thought conuenient to send our beeloued sonnes William of the tytell of saint Peter ad vincula and Oddo of Saint Nicholas in carcere Tulliano Cardinalls to our most deere sonne in Christ Henry famous king of England to reforme by the helpe of God all matters beetweene the sayd king and Archbishop indifferently for the honor of them both and for the conclusion of perfect concord and peace and that they may in the same kinges landes on this syde of the seas heare and vnderstand all araysing controuersyes and there inioy the Legantine authority of the Apostolike Sea Wherefore by our Apostolicall letters wee beeseech admonish and in our lord exhorte your Maiestie that for the reuerence of the Church of God and the honor of Saint Peeter and vs you would effectually doe your parte as well with the sayd king as Archbishop and carefully labor in such sorte as to the honor of God and his Church and likewise to the benefit and commodity of them both they may frindly and peaceably agree together and bend their myndes and willes wholly therunto soe it bee donne without impeachmēnt of the Archbishops and the Churches reputation And if by endeauour and labor of the same Cardinalles with your trauell they may returne to peace and agreement the Church which next vnder God is supported with your speciall assistance shall receaue thereby no small encrease and you in the blessed retribution of the iust obtayne of Allmighty God for this a speciall reward But if otherwise which God forbid they cannot accorde soe it may stand with your royall likeing and good pleasure it would bee to vs in euery respect a singular pleasure and very gratefull and acceptable if it may bee without great scandall of the persons of your kingdome that wee might endowe the sayd Arbishop with a particular honor aboue others and make him our Legate vice-gerent in those your partes and therefore doe most earnestly entreate your Highnes if hee cannot a cheyue a peace with reseruation of the honor of himselfe and the Church beeing the thing wee most desire then that you will with all speede signify vnto vs your mynd heerein and in the meane while conceaue this as an exceeding secret Thus wrote the Pope to the king of France The Legates therefore as soone as they touched Frāce presently saluted saint Thomas with their letters and William did in this sorte wryte vnto him Allthough thorough the variable alteration of tymes for doubt least the Church of Rome Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 9. beeing distempered with a Scysme should sustayne the greater damages wee seeme in the conceipts of some to decline from you to the aduerse parte hee knoweth notwithstanding who is the
which motion retyring himselfe asyde with his freindes after consultation with them hee answered that he had sufficiently humbled himselfe to the king without impeachement of the honor of God the liberty of the Church the reputation of his owne person the possessions of the Churches and lastly the iustice due to him and his these thinges so numbred vp wee seriously perswading him as it was necessary to descend to particulars when hee would alleage nothing either certayne or particular wee consequently demaunded of him if in the matters specifyed in your letters hee would submitt himselfe to our iudgement in sorte as the king and the Bishoppes had allready vndertaken to doe to which our demaund bee presently replyed hee had receaued no Mandat from your holines to that purpose but if hee with all his might first bee fully restored hee would then proceede heerein according as by the Apostolike Sea hee should bee commanded Soe returning from the parlee since his wordes neither â—ended to iudgment nor agreement nor yet hee would by â—ny meane enter into the matter wee manifested vnto the â—ing some thinges knowne to vs concealing neuertheles 〈◊〉 as it was conuenient other passages and tempering what wee heared with discretion Hauing therfore ended â—ur speech the king and peeres there present beegan to maintayne that his Maiestie was now sett at liberty since â—he Archbishop disclaymed from iudgment wherupon after the king had shewed signes of great disturbance the Bishoppes and Abbotts of the kingdome of England togeâ—her with many others of the Clergie demaunded earnestly whether wee could enforce by vertue of any speciall mandate or by our Legantyne power the Archbishop to stand to iudgment and when they vnderstood our facultyes were heerin insufficient least the Archbishop beeing 〈◊〉 not subiect to iudgment should as before hee had done worke molestation to some of the kingdome in regarde that therin our presence could profit them nothing and was not able to defend them against the Archbishop with a generall consultation and consent they appealed to the audience of your Holines assigning the terme of theyr appeale the feast of Saint Martin which shall fall the next winter following flying in the meane tyme for defence of them and theires to the Apostolicall protection and including all the subiectes of the realme with the whole kingdome within the Edict of this appellation Lastly wee knowing this matter euidently to tend to the Churches exceeding detriment did by your and our authority absolutely forbid the Archbishoppe first in regarde hee was restrayned by your letters then because they appealed solemly against him that hee should not heereafter attempt any thing to the aggreeuance of the kingdome people or Churches of the realme It is therfore the parte of your Apostolicall prouidence carefully to foresee that this busines turne not to the greeuous damage of the Church as they who respect the Churches especiall commodity feare and doubt This was the relation of the Apostolicall Legates to Pope Alexander But heere wee are to seâ— downe likewise the epistle of Saint Thomas concerning these matters to his Holines which was thus Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 50. The greatnes of our miseryes and bitternes of our greifes confounded the myndes of vs and our fellowes in exile and afflicted with a heauy scandall the most Christian king the peeres of France compassionating the Church which as it seemed in the comming of Iohn of Oxeforde was giuen ouer into the handes of them who sought the depriuatioÌ„ of her life in soe much as with exasperated hartes they complayned that faith and truth were taken of from the earth But for the which the father of mercys reward your pitty most holy iudge most liuing Parent and of the Church of God faithfull Guardian according to the multitude of dolors in our hartes your consolations haue reioyced our soules For now are wee reuiued in hope and the most Christian king with his kingdome yeelding infinite thankes to your Apostleshippe which God most highly blesse and conserue for many yeeres retorte all this their indignation vpon them who gloryed they had with their oathes tryumphed ouer your Maiestie For the king hauing receaued your lâ—â—ters of excuse wrytten by your excellency instantly praysed and magnifyed the grace of your wisedome iustice sanctity and blessednes and with great ioy layd open to the detractors the malice and deceyptes of them who had with false rumors so fowly scandalized the Church of France beating this someytmes into the eares of them if perchance they were present who were vnwilling to harken therunto in regarde they sided with the contrary parte But his ioy was more encreased after his conference with your Legates by whom beeing receaued of him with reuerence as hee confessed hee vnderstood they came not to preiudice the liberty of the Church or vs but to compose a peace beetweene the king of England and vs and if it were possible beetweene him and the Church of God And I pray God they may prosper in this way with his grace v herin they shall finde vs most ready Assystantes for retayning the honor of God and the Churches liberty And beeing inuited by them to a parlee in the confines of the kingdomes the tenth day following wee hauing then wee speake on our conscience but three horses in our stable obtayned a forbearance fer seauen dayes more to assemble together our exiled company beeing poore wretches miserably dispersed heere and there yet necessary as well for comforte in this intended iourney as to helpe vs with they re counsell in the caryage of this busines who albeeit they were hardly able to be called together in a tyme so shorte and penury soe pressing on all sides neuertheles wee gaue our Lord the Legates meeting on the Octaues of Saint Martin The most Christian king by his seruantes appoynted for that purpose for which God in the mercy of his word reward him liberally and bountefully entertayning vs with our fellowes the whole company of Christes exiled whoe flocked together from euery place And as it was signifyed to vs by some our persecutors did all they might to breede vexation in our iourneys and chargeable disbursements to the end they might make vs burdensome and odious by the great weyght and tedious prolonging of our expenses to the king of France who among others the poore of Christ releiueth vs with his almes for they thinke to reape a great benefitt of their malice if they coulde disturbe vs of this habitation which God hath prouyded for vs and depriue vs of the Princes charity 〈◊〉 as they beereaued vs of our assistance among the Cistercians There came only with my Lordes the Legates the Archbishop of Roan the other Bishoppes and Abbots of our prouince whom it pleased the king to call beeing left at Roan They layd therfore open first before our eyes the cruelty of the king the malice of the tymes the necessityes and calamityes of the Churches which in all partes of the
following as appeareth by what hath byn sayde for before that tyme was not the Pope certifyed theereof Which letters from his holines when the Legates had receaued by the messanger of sainct Thomas wryting backe to the Sainct they excused themselues with saying that while they remayned with the king they could not put these matters in execution against them on whom the king had beestowed the goods and how this was also the Popes intention that during the tyme they remayned Legates there with him they should endure thereupon at his handes any thing vnworthy of the Apostolike Sea But let vs followe the Legates in their returne homeward wherof Iohn of Salisbuâ—y sayth this in his Epistell to the Archdeacon of Excester The Cardinalles returne Cod. Vat lib 2. Epist 105. called backe not without confusion repeÌ„tance and complayntes that to pleasure the king they depressed to much the cause of the Church for one of them which was Papia obeyed his will in all thinges the other also dealing more remissely then beeseemed a man of so great expectation and hope Thus Salisbury who againe after many other things declareth how farre Oddo the Legate peruailed with the king in these wordes I was like to haue let passe what is not to bee passed ouer which is how my Lord Oddo a fewe dayes before hee departed from the king dealt more seriously with him to conclude a peace with the Archbishop wherunto hee answered that for the loue hee bore to the Pope and Cardinalls hee would permitt the Archbishop to returne in peace to his Sea and to dispose of his Church and all thinges thereunto beelonging And because there hath bin long contention about the customes hee sayde hee and his children would bee contented only with those which his Ancestors had and 〈◊〉 should bee made apparant they soe enioyed by the oathes of a hundred men of the realme of England a hundred of Normandy a hundred of Anione and his other principalityes and if this condition of peace displeased the Archbishop hee affirmed hee was prepared to stand to the arbitrement as well of the Bishoppes of England as those beyond the seas of Roane Bayon and Cenoman and if this were not enough hee would submit himselfe to the iudgment of my Lord the Pope with this reseruation that hee would not impeach his childrens right for during his owne life hee was contented my Lord the Pope should abrogate what hee listed Then demanded the Cardinall how hee would deale with the Archbishoppe and his associates concerning restitution which was due and required of him wherunto hee answered swearing with many exquisite oathes that hee had beestowed all the commodity whatsomeuer hee reaped therof vpon Churches and the poore But let the Iewe Appella beeleiue this for I will neuer The Cardinall replyed vnles hee changed his course and dealt more mildly with the Church of God as well Almighty God as his Church would sooner then hee expected require all these more seuerely at his handes and soe taking his leaue hee departed Afterwardes came William of Papia to him almost in the same manner but the seede of his wordes fell on the sandes Then making their returne by the most Christian kinge of France they recouered his fauour vpon condicions which this bearer shall reporte vnto you Hetherto Salisbury who concerning matters which afterwardes ensued signified moreouer in other letters thus Now doe I endure the first yeere of my exile and wheras I wanted heeretofore nothing now behould I finde abundance of comforte beecause the liberty of the Church seemeth euen now at hand and now hath partly set her foote in the Iland for the king hath renounced as Messingers from the Cardinalls protest certayne most wicked customes which neuertheles hee was beefore accustomed to challenge detesting with an oathe both them and their first authors agreeing withall that heereafter it shall bee lawfull to appeale to the Apostolike Sea that Clearks shall not bee drawne before the secular Tribunalles with the like which I wish hee would soe approue by deede as hee affirmed in worde Thus wryteth hee concerning these affaires And this was lastly the conclusion of this Legantine Embassage other matters ensue in the end of this present yeere Salisbury in an other Epistell hauing discoursed of the state of the Church beeing then imbroyled by Fredericke the Emperour and Paschall the Antipope Cod. Vad. lib. 2. Epist 62. descendeth to the troubles of sainct Thomas Pope Alexander beeing then at Beneuent where sayth hee the Embassadors of the king of England and the Arbishoppes agents mett together in the presence of his Holines and both partyes were gratiously and honorably entertayned and for those appertayning to the king as the iustice of their cause was lesse soe was their pompe with ostentation of their riches much greater But when they were not able with their flatterys and faire promises to winne my Lord the Pope then turned they to threates fayning that their king would rather embrace the errors of Norandinus the chiefe ringleader of the Mahometanes and bee a fellowe of that profane Secte then endure Thomas any longer to enioy the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury But the man of God could neither bee shaken with feare nor seduced with flattery and laying be◠〈◊〉 two ways the one of life the other of death 〈…〉 they might easilie as they had beegune contâ—â—â—â—â— the grace and patience of God make choyse of the way of perdition but hee by our Lordes assistance would not forsake the way of righteousnes Their hope therfore in shorte tyme beegan to quayle and seeing they could not in this course preuayle against iustice they sent into Cicilie the kinges Embassadours and letters for they came armed with these to the end that by the assistance of the king and queene of Cicilie they might obtayne somewhat of my Lord the Pope against the Church But the most Christian king of France seeing this flattery of the malitious commended to the elect of Panorma the cause of the Church and of my Lord of Canterbury as his owne Meane while came the messingers of the Legates whom the king of EnglaÌ„d had procured disagreeing each from other for whatsomeuer one sayde in the Courte the other denyed and of these likewise is it yet vncertayne what they shall relate backe to their Lordes Supplication was therfore made on the beehalfe of the king and the Legates with the assistance of many other intercessors to my Lord the Pope for the Bishop of Salisbury and in the end they obteyned that his Holines forgaue him the iniury and offence donne to himselfe and did alsoe wryte to the Archbishop of Canterbury entreating and conselling him to remitt the wrong the Bishop had offered him and releasing him of the sentence of suspension receaue him into his fauour and freindship allwayes prouided that either in his owne person hee should giue him security for sufficient satisfaction or else disigne two beeing the cheifest of the Clergie of his
against mee are all these forces bent and I once taken away there will bee none left to pursue yee further c. Bee therfore comfortable and feare nothing Nay rather quoth they wee take pitty on you not knowing which way you caÌ„ turne your selfe beeing a man of soe greate authority and thus left by your cheifest and last frindes To Allmighty God answered Canterbury I committ the care of my selfe and since the dores of both kingdomes are now shutt against me ah other way is now to bee taken I haue heard that about Araris a riuer of Burgundie and from thence to the countrey of Prouince men are of a more liberall and free disposition to these will wee all trauell on foote who perhaps vpon sight of our afflictions will take compassion of vs and furnish vs with victualls for a tyme vntill our lord shall better helpe vs for God is able euen in the deepest pitt of distresse to releiue vs hee is worse then an infidell who despayreth of Gods mercy And Gods mercy was instantly at hand for a certaine seruante beelonging to the king of France comming to them hastely sayde my lord the king calleth yee to his Courte That hee may quoth one of them banish vs the kingdome you are noe prophet answered Canterbury nor the sonne of prophet doe not then foretell euill tydinges Comming therfore they found my lord the king sitting with a sad countenance and not according to his custome rysing to my lord of Canterbury which was vpon the first sight an vnluckly presage where they sate still after this cold inuitation and remayned long in silence the king hanging downe his head as if with greife and against his will hee deuysed which way hee might dispatch them out of his kingdome and they no lesse fearing the king who breaking out into teares and with sobbing rysing vp on the subdaine did prostrate himselfe at my lord of Canterburys feete all there present being amazed and my lord of Canterbury bowing low to lifte him vp The king of France repenting greatly humbleth himselfe to Saint Thomas the king in the end hardly comming to himselfe soe greate was his greife sayde Truly my lord and father you only did see and redoubling his sighes with sorrowe truly father quoth hee you only did see for all wee were blind who gaue you counsell against Allmighty God that in your cause yea in his diuine cause you should at the pleasure of man neglect the honor of God I repent mee father I repent mee withall my harte pardon mee I beeseech you and absolue mee wretch from this offence and heere I cast at the feete of God and you my kingdome and from this tyme forward doe promise neuer to bee wanting to yoâ— and yours in any thing so long as God willing this life shall last My lord of Centerbury therfore absoluing the king and giuing him his benediction returned ioyfully with his followers to Senon where the king of France maintayned them royally vntill their teturne into England Vpon reporte wherof the king of England sendeth worde to the king of France that hee maruelled very much how or with what reason hee could in iustice maintayne Canterbury against him seing in his owne presence hee soe humbled himselfe with readynes to endure all course of iustice neyther yet that hee was any impediment to hinder Canterbury from recouering his peace which hee proudly and contumeliously reiected wherfore quoth hee the king of France ought not heereafter to yeeld any releife to the disgrace and reproche of his liege man Whereunto the king of France replying sayde Goe messingers and reporte this to your king The renowned answer of the king of France to the king of England that if the king of England will not endure the customes which hee calleth ancient though as some affirme not agreable to the law of God yet as appertayning to his royall dignity to bee any way abrogated much lesse can I of right ouerthrowe that lawe of liberality which together with the inuesture of my Crowne falleth to mee by inheritance for France hath bin of ancient tyme accustomed to receaue all distressed and afflicted persons especially them who were banished for iustice and vntill they recouered peace to fauor protect and defend them the grace of which honor and excellency shall neuer by Gods helpe during my life vpon the request of any man bee diminished or denyed to Canterbury beeing thus exiled And soe far concerning the speech that passed beetweene the king of France and the Agents of the king of England which euery wise man will accompt worthie to bee written in letters of Golde ANNO DOMINI 1169. Now ensueth the yeere of Christ 1169. with the second Indiction when Pope Alexander refusing absolutely to yeeld to the king of Englands requestes propounded in his last Embassage and constantly perseuering in the restitution of Saint Thomas vnto his Church determined yet againe to send other Nuntios for regayning Saint Thomas his Archbishoppricke Whereof meeting to treate it is first necessary to lay open what the king demanded of the Pope which consisted of two principall pointes one that Saint Thomas beeing remoued out of France might bee called by his holines to Rome the other that hee might bee translated to an other Sea But with what trauaile and exceeding cost the king endeauored to bring his purpose to passe and winne the Popes good will certaine letters secretly written to Saint Thomas doe in this sorte declare Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 79. In regard that through the Allmighty worke of God the cause of Christe and of his Church is now restored to that security as it cannot heereafter bee endangered because the Ring-leaders of this Scysme are quayled and the hammer of the Church of England beeing taken captiue in the workes of his inuention cannot as now find any on whom hee may relye beeing driuen to the last cast The new and terribâ— attempts the king of England â—gainst Saiâ— Thomas hee made these dangerous attemptes when by solliciting as well the courte as the Scysmaticke Friedricke with his complices hee sawe hee could not that way any whit preuayle against our Lord and his anoynted hee fledd by his Embassadors to the Cittys of Italy promising to those of Millane three thousand mearkes towardes the strong reparation of their walls if they together with the other Cittys which they attempted to corrupt could obtayne at the Popes hands the deposition or traslation of the Archbishopp of Canterbury for the same purpose did hee likewise promise to Cremona 2000. mearkes to Parma a thousand and as much to Bononia But to my lord the Pope hee made offer to deliuer him with a larges of money from the exactions of all the Romans and giue him more ouer ten thousand Mearkes granting beesides that hee should ordayne at his owne pleasure Bishoppes as well in the Church of Canterbury as in all other vacant Seas through out England But beecause his greate
promises extenuated his credit in accomplishments and that hee was in his demandes conuinced of manifest iniquity hee receaued repulse yet what of himselfe hee was not able to procure hee assayed to extorte by the power of the king of Cycillie But neither hee allthough the Bishop of Syracusa and Robert Earle of Bassauile laboured heerin with their vttermost ability and the mediation of many intercessors was heard notwithstanding his royalty power or fauor which hee enioyed amply in the Church of Rome The kinges Embassadors were therfore dismissed and their demandes reiected this only beeing graunted that my Lord the Pope should send Nūtios anew for procuring of peace which were Gratian the Subdeacon and Master Viuian Archdeacon of the ancient Citty who was accustomed in the Courte to execute the office of an Aduocate Thus much was signifyed by secrett intelligence for without expressing any name the Inscription is thus A frind to his frind Saint Thomas vnderstanding thus much and also at what tyme hee should bee called to Rome by Pope Alexander was wonderfully troubled and wryting to Cardinall Humbald Bishop of Ostia after many complayntes speaketh thus of this matter In regarde wee will not transgresse the law of God with giuing place to the iniquity of Tyrantes hee endeauoreth without any necessity beesides all vtility and against authority to translate vs to an other Church and beecause wee refused to followe him when hee allured vs to accompany his sinne hee requireth wee should bee called vp vnto you that in our passage hee might make some bargaine whatsomeuer with the consortes of his iniquity for the effusion of blood for what other meaning can hee haue in soliciting those of Millane Cremona and Parma by corruption of bribes to our destruction Wherin haue wee offended those of Papia or other Cittys of Italy Wee neuer gaue them cause to procure our exile Wherin haue wee aggreeued the sages of Bononie who moued by prayers and promises would yeeld their consent to the cause of our ruine which only by relation they vnderstood Assuredly wee neuer banished Robert de bassauylle and yet hee was by sinister suggestions induced to bee a meane to you for our banishment neuertheles afterwardes peaceauing trechery and repenting this offence he entreated that his vniust petition might not bee admitted Richard the elect Bishop of Syracusa entised with a hopefull bayte of the Bishoppricke of Lincolne assisted our persecutors with money strengthened them with counsell and armed them with power Concerning the king of Cicillie himselfe in whose countrey you lately remayned they promised him in mariage the king of Englands daughter to make him their owne for the ouerthrowe of the Church and vs. Did not they by distributing their bread entertayne as their hirelinges the family of Lyons the nation of theeues and other the most powerfull Romanes not soe much to bowe as to breake the Church of Rome Nay they promise to purchase peace with the Emperor and Saxons and beesides with their bountifull guiftes of many to drawe all the Romanes to doe their fealty to my Lord the Pope if they will but satisfy the king of Englands desire in our ouerthrowe You see how secure a passage what abundant prouision the dilligence of man had heere prepared for vs. Vndoubtedly hee cared not greatly how our Creditors might bee satisfyed how sufficient necessaryes might bee ministred to our companions if any happily might bee found to trauaile along with vs how the charges of the iourney might bee supplyed with sufficient meanes for the banished multitude who now after fiue yeeres exile was to bee lefte poore afflicted and forsaken in the middest of soe great calamityes Truly with the same dilligence of these purueyers and harbingers because wee cannot bee perswaded to call the kinges name into question may the house hould stuffe and prouysion of our hostes bee poysoned and hardly can that man bee secure of his life whom the Commander of the family where hee lodgeth lyeth in wayte to kill And that wee may not heerin bee tedious in circumstances of wordes As long as this life lasteth we will neuer vpon any summons hazard our selues to so many and so great imminent dangers for if a man will vpon euery occasion runne desperately to death hee may with a knife or a halter more speedily finish his dayes Afterwards hee proceedeth to rehearse what in the end of the last yeere is declared concerning the endeauors of the king or England to depriue Saint Thomas of the king of Frances protection which wee may receaue from the reporte of his owne mouth for hee sayth The king of England sent lately his Embassadors the Bishop of Sagia and Archdeacon of Canterbury to the most Christian king soliciting him with entreaty to bannish vs out of his Dominion but the man replenished with God answered that hee receaued by inheritance this law from his ancestors and that it had bin euer the custome of the kingdome of France kindly to entertayne all such as were banished for iustice and afforded them due and cōuenient courtesyes and comfortes and affirmed hee would neuer vpon any occasions whatsomeuer leaue so laudable an inheritance being so acceptable to Allmighty God Adding moreouer that hee receaued vs from the handes of my Lord the Pope whom only in earth hee acknowledged his Superior and therfore hee would neuer for any Emperor king or wordly Potentate desist to fauor vs and our cause so long as necessity required in regard God was on our syde and wee sustayned iniuryes and losses in defence of his lawe With this answer hee dismissed these confounded Embassadors and beecame to vs for which God reward him more louing and liberall then before although hee hath bin euer both kind and bountifull Hee saith beesides hee will in this cause of ours make tryall of the sincerity and vigor of the Church of Rome together with the vertue of our Lord the Pope whose faith and constancy hee exceedingly commendeth beecause hee reioyceth that the king of England hath receaued at his handes a repulse in his vniust demaundes Thus saith Saint Thomas of the king of France wordes worthy to bee engrauen in greate letters of Gould But as the faith together with the constancy of Pope Alexander was hitherto well knowne to continue vnmoueable in the defence of iustice and truth soe did it heereafter perseuer euen to the very end vncorrupted which notwithstanding hee gouerned with sweetenes and temperance leauing nothing vnattempted before hee would denounce the king to bee excommunicate and subiect his realme to Interdiction which caused him to make especiall choyse of men who were most famous for eminence integrity and singular learning I meane the fore recyted Gratian nephew to Pope Eugenius that most renowned Bishop Two Nuntioes send by the Pope to the king of England Cod. Vaet lib. 3. epist 12. for soe much doth Iohn of Salisburyes epistle to the Bishop of Poytiers signify and Viuian a person of excellency as beeing a
and successe heereof answered it was forbidden in his order that any brother should write to you or others about any affayres but promised to declare beefore your Nuntio Master Lumbard who deliuered him your letters the whole state and processe of the cause that hee may signify the same vnto you as faythfully and amply as if himselfe had bin there present And thus did Symon wryte to the Pope But what ensued afterwardes the sayde Nuntio in another relation sent also to Pope Alexander layd open in these wordes According to the commandement of your Holines wee deliuered to the renowned king of England your Comonitory letters doing our vttermost labor and dilligence to perswade him Cod. Vat. lib 4. Epist 10. according to your admonition to receaue my Lord of Canterbury into his fauor agayne to restore him his Archbishopricke with peace and suffer him freely to dispose of his Church wee long expected hoping and praying that Allmighty God would molify his harte But when by our forbearāce wee profited nothing we presēted vnto him in the next parle of the kinges your cominatory letters which hauing at the last with great difficulty receaued vpon the instant entreaty of vs and many noble personages after many wordes too lōg heere to rehearse hee answered thus I neuer banished my Lord of Canterbury out of the kingdome neuerthelesse for the reuerence I owe to my Lord the Pope if hee will performe to mee what hee ought to doe ād obserue to mee what his Predecessors haue obserued to my Progenitors yea what himselfe hath promised hee may returne into England and enioy his peace And after sundry diuersitys of answers hee lastly sayde Hee would assemble together the Bishoppes of England and take their counsell but appoynted no day nor more could wee gett at his handes wherby wee might bee assured of my Lord of Canterburys peace or the execution of your Mandate And beecause wee found him often altering in his answers wee demanded of him if my Lord of Canterbury might returne to his Archbishoppricke and vse it in peace Wherupon hee replyed That the Archbishop should neuer come within his land before hee did to him accordingly as hee ought to doe and had vndertaken to obserue what others had obserued and what himselfe had allready promised Lastly wee beesought him hee would wryte and signify by his letters patents his answer beecause wee ought to declare vnto you a certaynty which hetherto wee had not in regarde hee varyed soe often in his answers wherunto hee would not agree But the Archbishoppe when wee deliuered thus much vnto him sayd hee would bee euer ready to obey the king wherin hee ought and obserue whatsoeuer was observed by his Predecessors soe far forth as hee could with reseruation of his order but to intangle himselfe in new obligations that were neuer offered to his Predecessors and vndertake to performe any such without preseruation of his order was alltogether vnlawfull for him without my Lord the Popes authority first beecause it is pernicious to bring a new forme into Gods Church and then in regarde hee was forbidden by your Holines euer to make any such promise but with the reseruation of Gods honor and of his order And sayde moroeuer your Holines with rebuking tould him that hee ought not for safegard of his life to binde himselfe to the obseruation of such customes but with preseruation of his order Yet if the king would according to your Mandate restore to him his fauor with peace and the free inioying of his Church together with such thinges as were wrongfully taken away from him and his hee would most willingly performe at his pleasure whatsomeuer hee could possibly doe without offence of God and breach of his order and will endeauor most dilligently and deuoutly to serue him with all his power Please it therfore your Holines to succour the afflicted Church and to perseuer in that which to your great commendation you haue allready beegunne beecause as wee haue heard of many and doe certainly beelieue if you perseuer the peace and redresse of the Church is euen now at hand Thus wrote Simon of Gods-Mount after hee had worthily performed his charge and to the same purpose did the Archbishop of Senon who was there present and saint Thomas also Cod. Vat. lib. 4. Ep. 7. Ibidem Ep. 6. signify to his Holines Meane while the king of England dealt by his two agents with Pope Alexander that the authority of faint Thomas might bee suspended vntill this matter were handled by the Popes Nuntios as it appeareth by the Popes letters to the king which Roger in his Chronicles of England recyteth in this yeere beeginning thus Your Maiesties Agētes our beeloued sonne Iohn Cumin c. and written in secret as the Pope witnesseth in his owne wordes which neuerthelesse the king with great vaunting diuulged For as wee see in the first conference of the kinges the king of England protracted the peace least hee should otherwise loose the priuiledge which as hee sayd hee receaueth from the Pope to wit that the Archbishops authority should bee suspended vntill hee had obtayned the kinges peace vpon occasion of which graunt you may conceaue the Pope was hardly spoaken of by many the king of England who was the only procurrer thereof in kindling hatred and wrath against him by showing publickly with great ostentation and kingly pryde the Popes letters and causing them especially to bee read in the last royall conference whereof saint Thomas wrote thus to Conrade Archbishop of Mountes Ibidem Epist 15. The king of England publickly boasteth of our suspension by proclayming the same in the open streetes of either kingdome and for a testimony of my confusion and to make mee more burdensome and odious to the world hee layeth open the Apostolike letters Hee gloryeth also of the terme of the prerogatiue assigned him beeing vntill hee receaueth mee into fauour which if it remayneth in his power shall bee at the Grecian Kalendes I meane neuer c. Wherof hee vaunted vpō this only reason beecause Pope Alexander beeing importuned and deceaued by the king did wryte that saint Thomas should suspend his authority so long ouer the king and kingdome vntill hee purchassed the kings peace which benignity of the Pope the king abusing did of set purpose deferre the peace beecause vntill that was concluded the Archbishoppes authority was suspended by reason whereof the Pope was inueyghed against Cod. Vat. lib. 4. Epist 14. Ibidem Ep. 18.22 Ibidem Ep. 19. Ibidem Ep. 20.23 25.2 Ibidem 16 8 not only by the Archbishoppe himselfe but likewise by the king of France as also his Queene and many others beeing incensed with the zeale of iustice Pope Alexander therfore assaulted with so many and soe greate complayntes by his letters to S. Thomas excused himselfe thus Wee suppose your wisedome is not ignorant how Henry the famous king of England sent his Agents vnto vs and with what vnreasonable and
Archbishop you might lawfully perhappes haue done this in your owne prouince yet how you could with any face attempt the same in a strange Prouince especially beelonging to him who was himselfe allmost alone content to suffer banishment for iustice and giue Allmighty God his glory wee can neither by reason nor yet by the Decrees of the holy fathers satisfy our selues But if any obiecteth for excuse of soe foule an offence that in other kingdomes also many greiuous sinnes haue bin committed wee may in truth answer wee haue not hetherto seene any kingdome runne soe headlong into soe great a contempt of the diuine lawe as to enforce such manifest enormityes to bee established by the hand-wrytings and oathes of Bishoppes vnles any man will impudently alleage that which the Scismatickes beeing afwardes cutt of from the communion of the faythfull haue practised with such damnable pryde as was neuer beefore heard of In regarde whereof because according to the Prophet's saying Habacuc 1. Peruerse iudgment hath issued out from yee and peruersity is acted among yee Why doe not yee who haue exceeded all other Prouinces in their vsurpations and strengthened such vnlawfull customes with an oath resume now to your selues the sheylde of fayth to defend the house of our Lord in the day of battell but rather prostrate your bodyes on the ground to make a way for passengers ouer yee And least beeing any longer silent the sentence of damnation should bee pronounced in the day of iudgment as well against vs as yee heere by the authority of the sacred Roman Churche where by our Lordes appointment wee serue wee suspend yee from all manner of office beelonging to Episcopall dignity hoping at the least that now beeing reformed by discipline and this fatherly correction yee will at the last returne to your selues and endeauor to defend the Churches liberty But if with all this yee will not recall your selues to that zeale which beecommeth the place of Bishoppes wee will by the grace of God heereafter doe that which as yet with terror threateneth yee Looke to your selues least that hee sayde to yee which was spoaken to one by the Prophett thus Beecause thou hast repulsed knowledge I will repell thee that thou shalt not exercise the office of Preisthoode vnder mee Ose◠4. And for vs in regarde God at his pleasure soe disposing wee are heere apparantly placed in his seate who neither by blowes nor bandes could euer bee constrayned to surcease from preaching the word of God wee ought not vnder a doubtfull expectatiō of peace to lay vp in a handkercheife the money of the diuine worde committed to our charge and keepe it tyed vp soe long vntill the hower of encrease by little and little slydeth away and the Creditor comming calleth vs to render a seuere accompt Thus far Alexander wherby is refelled that manifest vntruth which not a little darkeneth the fame of this Pope And as then also did Peeter of Bloys to the same effect wryte to Iohn of Salisbury and hauing himselfe likewise a burning zeale for the liberty of goddes Church which saint Thomas defended to strengthen him the more least otherwise hee should faynte in these seas of tribulations hee admonished Iohn in a large Epistle to comforte the Saint beeing lynes doubtles worthy of this Author and indighthed Tho his most deere freind Master Iohn of Salisbury Peeter of Bloys Archdeacon of Bathe wisteth health in the Author of all health Peeter of Bloys Ep. 22. As often as I seriously consider with my selfe the ordinary oppressions of the English Church and the banished of your Lord Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury it doth very much comforte mee that hee hath erected himselfe as a bullwarke for defence of Gods iustice and the Churches liberty and therby will deserue a glorious conclusion of this his persecution For I see yee are now sett beetwene the hammer and the Anuyle and sinners dayly buyld vpon your backes neuertheles if yee fight in Christ and for Christ hee will neuer suffer yee to bee tempted aboue your power but will make yee profitt by your temptation and our Lord will take away the rodd of sinners from the portion of the iust that the iust may not stretch out their handes to iniquity If truth misse-telleth vs not the end of your persecution will bee eternall blessednes Math. 5. Blessed are they sayth hee who endure persecution for iustice Peeter the Apostle sayth 1. Pet. 4. Let none of yee suffer as a murderer or theife or slaunderer or a desirer of other mens goodes For not the paine but the cause maketh the Martyrdome But as the Apostle speaketh Ibidem 3. If yee suffer any thing for iustice yee are blessed For it is the guifte of God to beelieue in him but it is the highest guifte to endure reproches for Christ Phipp. 1. To yee quoth the Apostle it is granted for Christ that yee not only beeleiue in him but suffer also for him I doe therfore congratulate yee in regard yee haue conuerted iustice into iudgment beecause yee represse the rebellion and disobedience of some with the castisement of suspension if soe yee doe the same vpon the motion of reason and iustice and not with à thirst of reuenge or an appetyte of iniuring Doe nothing I beeseech yee for malice or hatred but let your actions bee managed with charity nor yet shall yee reape out of this your punishing the haruest of saluation vnles your whole intention proceedeth out of the bowells of charity For wheras by the fornace in the holy Scripture wrath or punishment is signifyed wee are taught in Leuiticus to sprinckle with the oyle of charity the sacrifice which is to bee baked in the fornace Leuit. 2. least otherwise it should bee burned for the mynde of him who prepareth himselfe to encounter with persecution is first to bee sweetned with the oyle of charity that neither in aduersity hee fayleth of charity neither yet bee enflamed against his brother with the fire of reuenge and hatred It is therfore your meritt and before God and man a commendation if by the way of iustice yee appease the disobedience of your subiects Psalm 105. For blessed are they who conserue iudgment and execute iustice continually In the execution of iustice there ought not to bee any exception or respect of persons bee hee brother or childe Prince or subiecte let euer the fruite of iustice beesought and let them euer iudge righteously who iudge the whole world for when the Leuites killing their brethren and children reuenged the sinne of Idolatry Moyses sayde to them Yee haue consecrated your handes this day euery one of yee in his sonne or in his brother Exod. 32. that a benediction may bee giuen yee Salomon sayth alsoe Who reproue shall bee praysed and a blessing will come vppon them Your Lord is highly to bee renowned that only hee ascendeth on the contrary parte that hee opposeth himselfe as