Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury about the yeare of our Lord 1036. against his Alleagiance and Oath crowned Harold a bastard having no right to the Crowne King of England Hardi-Canute the right heire being put by his right At first this Prelate seemed unwilling to performe that service for it is reported that hee having the Regall Scepter and Crowne in his custodie with an oath refused to consecrate any other for King so long as the Queenes Children were living for said he Canutus committed them to my trust and assurance and to them will I give my faith and allegiance This Scepter and Crowne therefore I here lay downe upon this Altar neither do I deny or deliver them to you but I require by the Apostolique authority all Bishops that none of them presume to take the same away neither therewith that they consecrate you for King as for your selfe if you dare you may usurpe that which I have committed to God on this his Table Notwithstanding that great thunderclap was allayd with the showers of golden promises of his just and religious Government intendâ—d though present experience manifested the contrarie and hee perswaded without much intreaty to crowne this usurper King And now having thus long sayled in this troublesome See of Canterbury I shall onely trouble you with a passage out of William Harrison touching the Archbishops of Canterbury in generall and Robert the Norman in particular and then hoise up my sailes and steare my course into the Northernâ— See of Yorke The Archbishop of Canterbury writes hee is commonly called Primate of all England and in the Coronations of the Kings of this Land and all other times wherein it shall please the Prince to weare and put on his Crowne his office is to set it upon their heads They beare also the name of their high Chaplins continually although not a few of them have presumed in time past to be their equals and void of subjection unto them That this is true it may easily appeare by their owne acts yet kept in record besides their Epistles and Answers written or in Print wherein they have sought not onely to match but also to maâ—e them with great rigour and more than open tyranny Our adversaries will peradventure deny this absolutely as they do many other things apparent though not without shamelesse impudencie or at leastwise deâ—end it as just and not swerving from common equity because they imagine every Archbishop to be the Kings equall in his owne Province But how well their doing herein agreeth with the saying of Peter and examples of the Primitive Church it may easily appeare some examples also of their demeanour I will not let to remember lest they should say I speake of malice and without all ground of likelihood of their practices with meane persons I speake nor neither will I beginne at Dunâ—tane the author of all their pride and presumption here in England but for so much as the dealing of Robert the Norman against Earle Goodwine is a rare History and deserveâ—h to be remembred I will touch it in this place protesting to deale with all in more faithfull manner than it hath heretofore beene delivered unto us by the Norman Writers or French English who offer purpose have so defaced Earle Goodwine that were it noâ— for the testimony of one or two meere English men living in those dayes it should be impossible for mee or any other at this present to declare the truâ—h of that matter according to the circumstances marke therefore what I say for the truth is that such Normanâ— as came in with Emma in the time of Ethelred and Canutus and the Confessor did fall by sundry meanes into such favour with those Princes that the Gentlemen did grow to beare great rule in the Court and their Clerkes to be possessors of the best benefices in the Land Hereupon therefore one Robert a jolly ambitious Priest got first to be Bishop of London and after the death of Eadsius to be Archbishop of Canterbury by the gift of King Edward leaving his former See to VVilliam his Countriman Vlfo also a Norman was preferred to Lincolne and other to other places as the King did thinke convenient These Norman Clerkes and their friends being thus exalted it was not long ere they began to mocke abuse and despise the English and so much the more as they daily saw themselves to encrease in â—avour with King Edward who also called divers of them to be of his secret Councell which did not a little incense the hearts of the English against them A â—â—ay also was made at Dover betweene the servants of Earle Goodwine and the French whose Masters came over to see and salute the King which so inflamed the minds of the French Clergie and Courtiers against the English Nobility that each part sought for opportunity of revenge which ere long tooke hold betweene them for the said Robert being called to be Arcâ—bishop of Canterbury was no sooner in possession of his See than hee began to quarrell with Earle Goodwine the Kings Father in Law by the marriage of his daughter who also was ready to acquit his demeanour with like malice and so the mischiefe began Hereupon therefore the Archbishop charged the Earle with the murther of Alfred the Kings brother whom not he but Harald the sonne of Canutus and the Danes had cruelly made away for Alfred and his brother comming into the Land with five and twenty â—aile upon the death of Canutus being landed the Normans that arrived with them giving out how they came to recover their right to wit the Crowne of England and thereunto the unskilfull young Gentlemen shewing themselves to like of the â—umor that was spread in this behalfeâ— the report of their demeanour was quickly brought to Harald who caused a company â—orthwith of Danes privily to lay in wait for them as they rodâ— toward Gilford where Alfred was slaine and whence Edward with much difficulty escaped to his ships and so returned into Normandy But this affirmation of the Archbishop being greatly soothed out with his crafty utterance for he was learned confirmed by his French friends for they had all conspired against the Earle and thereunto the King being desirous to revenge the death of his Brother bred such a grudge in his mind against Goodwine that he banished him and his Sonnes cleane out of the Landâ— hee sent also his wife the Earles daughter prisoner to Wilton with one onely maiden attending upon her where shee lay almost a yeare before shee was released in the meane season the rest of the Peeres as Siward Earle of Northumberland surnamed Digara or â—ortis Leofrick Earle of Chester and other went to the King before the departure of Goodwine endeavouring to perswade him unto the revocation of his sentence and desiring that his cause might be heard and discussed by Order of Law But the King incensed by the Archbishop and his Normans would not heare on that side
as well in your Realme of France as in your Dutchie of Normandy and much other thing gone greatly as through the said colourable treatie and otherwise since the death of my brother of Bedford 14. Ite Now of late was sent another Embassador to Caleâ— by the labour and councell of the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke the cause why of the beginning is to me your sole Vncle and other Lords of your kin and Councell unknowne to your great charge and against the publike good of your Realme as it openly appeareth the which good if it be imployed for the defence of your Lands the marchandizes of the same might have had other courseâ— and your said lands not to have stood in so great mischiefe as they doe 15. Item after that to your great charge and hurt of both your Realmes the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke went to your said towne of Calis and divers Lords of your kin and of your Councell in their fellowship and there as there was naturall warre betweene the Duke of Orliance and the Duke of Burgonie for murther of their Fathers a capitall enmitie like to have endured for ever the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke licenâ—ed and suffered the said Duke of Orleance to intreate and commune apart with Councell of your said adversaries as well as with the Douchies of Burgondâ—e by which meanes the peace and alliance was made betweene the two Dukes to the greatest forâ—eâ—â—ing of your said capitall adversaries that could be thought and consequently my deare redoubted Lord to your greatest charge and hurt to both your Realmes under colour of which treatie your said adversaries in meane time wonne your city of Meaux and the country thereabout and many divers roades made into your Duchie of Normandy to the great noysance and destruction of your people as it sheweth openly 16. Item The said Archbishop of Yorke sent with others into this your Realme from the said Cardinall had with your advers partie at your said Towne of Calis made at his comming into your notable presence at Winsor all the swasions and colour all motions in the most appâ—rent wise that he could to induee your Highnesse to your agreement to the desires of your capitall Adversaries as I saw there in your noble presence of his writing at which time as I understood it was his singular opinion that is to say that you should leave your right your title and your honour of your crowne and your nomination of King of France during certaine yeares and that you should utterly abstaine and be content onely in writing with Rex â—ngliae c. to the greatest note of infamie that ever fell to you or any of your noble Progenitors since the taking of them first the said title and right of your Realme and Crowne of France to which matter in your presence there after that it had like your said Hignesse to aske mine advise thereupon with other of your bloud and Counsell I answered and said that I would never agree thereto to die therefore and of the same disposition I am yet and will be while I live in conservation of your honour and of your oath made unto your said Crowne in time of your coronation there 17. Item The said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke have so laboured unto your Highnesse that you should intend to a new day of convention in March or Aprill next comming where it is noised to be more against your worship then with it and where it was evident to all the world that the rupture and breaking of the said peace should have fallen heretofore of your adverse partie because of the great untruths now by that meanes it is like peradventure to be â—aid unto very great slander of you my doubted Lord like to come to none other purpose nor effect than other conventions have done aforetime and so by subtilties and counsell of your said enemies your land they in hope and trust of the said treatie not mightily nor puissantly purveyed for shall be like under the cullor of the same treatie to be burnt up and destroyed lost and utterly turned from your obeysance 18. Itera It is said that the deliverance of the Duke of Orleance is utterly appointed by the mediation counsell and stirring of the said Cardinallâ— and Archbishor of Yorke and for that cause divers persons been come from your adversaries into this your Realme and the said Duke also brought to your city of London whereas my Lord your Father poysing so greatly the inconveniences and harme that might fall onely by his deliverance concluded ordained and determined in his last Will utterly in his wisdome his conquest in his Realme of France And yet then it is to be done by as great deliberation solemnity and suretie as may be devised or thought and seeing now the disposition of your Realme of France the puissance and might of your enemies and what ayde they have gotten against you there as well under the colour of the said treatie as otherwise what might or ought to be thought or said for that labouring the said Duke all things considered by such particular parsons the Lords of your blood not called thereunto I report mee unro your noble grace and excellency and unto the said wiâ—e true men of this your Realme 19. Item Where that every true counsellor specially unto any King or Prince ought of truth and of dutie to counsell promote inâ—rease perferre and advance the weale and prosperity of his Lord The said Cardinall being of your counsell my right doubted Lord hath late purchased of your Highnesse certaine great Lands and livelihood as the Castle and Lordship of Chirke in Wales and other lands in this your Realme unto which I was called suddenly and so in eschewing the breaking and losse of your armies then againe seeing none other remedy gave thereunto mine assent thinking that who that ever laboured moved or stirred the matter first unto your Lordship counselled youâ— neiâ—her for your worship nor profit 20. More the said Cardinall hath you bound apart to make him a sure estate of all the said Lands by Easter next comming as could be devised by any learned counsell or else that suretie not made the said Cardinall to have and enjoy to him and his heires forever the lands of the Dutchie of Lancaster in Norfolke to the value of seven or eight hundred markes by the yeare which thing seemeth right strange and unseene and unheard wayes of any leige man to seeke upon his soveraigne Lord both in his inheritance and in his Jewels and goods for it is thought but that right and extreme necessity caused it there should nor ought no such things to be done from which necessity God for his mercy ever preserve your noble person Wherefore my redoubted Lord seeing that you should be so counselled or stirred to leave your Crowne and inheritance in England and also by fraud and subtill meanes as is before rehearsed so to
morgage or make any feoffement or by any other meanes alienate the same without the Counsell of the Pope But I pray you tell me one thing why doe you not sweare that you shall neither buy nor yet receive any possessions to your Church nor you shall 〈◊〉 pill nor poll nor shave to encrease the possessions of yâ—â—r Church But the truth is all is fish that commeth to the net with you And if it come once within your clouches it never commeth out againe though the king and his Realme should stand in never so great need but to receive all his Land you are alwayes ready and it is not against your Oath I doe not say thus because I would ye should sell or alienate the Possessions of the Church but because I see that there is nothing maintained by them but all onely your mischievous pompe and your pride Your owne law commandeth that the fourth part of the spirituall goods should be distributed among poore men And for that cause they be called Bona pauperum but how little their part is all the world can testifie Wherefore doe you sweare not to alienate your goods without the Popes licence The Pope gave them not to you but the King and his subjects How commeth he now to be so neare of your Counsell in alienating them and the King is thrust out the which hath deserved best to be of your Counsell But doe you not remember your owne Law the which doth forbid that the Pope in any wise or for any necessity â—hould alienate the goods of the Church except it be old houses which cannot be kept without great charges This is your owne Law and against this will you sweare then must you needes be perjured for if you alienate your goods with the Popes licence then is this decree against you and curseth you Wherefore then put you this in your Oath seeing you cannot alienate your goods with his consent nor yet without it It followeth in your new Oath Decrees Ordinances Sentences Dispositions Reservations Provisions and Commandments Apostolicke with all my power I will observe and shall cause other men to observe them These things were added when this Idoll was brought so high that no man durst winch against him and when he might say doe what he would And as your Law Commandeth no man so hardy to aske him why he doth so Then began Decrees Ordinances Depositions Dispositions Reservations Provisions with like shamefulnesse for to spring and there is no remedie but they must continue And why Because you are sworne to keepe them your selfe and to compell other men also to keepe them And out of the keeping of this part of your Oath springeth forth another sentence thâ—â—â—â—â—loweth which is this All Heretickes Schismatickes and 〈◊〉 towards our sayd Lord the Pope to my power I shall prosecute and withstand This is the cause that made us poore men so great Heretickes For it can never be proved that ever wee spake against God or our King and yet we be Heretickes And why forsooth because the Bishops are sworne to the Popes Decrees the which condemneth all them for Heretickes that speaketh against his holinesse though he be as holy as my horse for he saith himselfe in his law that he needeth not to be holy himselfe but it is sufficient that he sitteth in an holy seate theâ—e be his words who doubteth but he is holy the which is exalted to so great a dignity In whom though good workes of his owne merits be wanting yet are those good workes sufficient the which were done by his predecessours upon the which text their glosse saith that if it bee openly knowne that the Pope be an Adulterer or a Murderer yet ought he not to be accused c. Now we poore men cannot suffer such mischievous voyces wherefore we must be Heretickes But why because my Lords the Bishops are sworne to persecute us but neverthelesse I trust to Gods grace and the Kings that my Lords the Bishops will not be so hard in this point of their Oath as they have beene And why because men may now come to their answere Surely there be many clauses in his last Oath added that be cleare injurie unto Pâ—inces and against Gods Law and mans Law and yet our Bishops will sweare them yea and that which is worst of all they will accuse other men of Treason and Rebellion and there is no man sworne to treason nor Rebellion but they onely Wherefore most gracious Prince with all meekenesse and lowlinesse that is due to so noble a Prince and also that doth become a true subject to doe I lowly and meekely require and desire your grace to judge betweene the Bishops and me which of us is truest and faithfullest to God and to your Grace I speake all onely of those that hath and also would now if they durst defend the Pope and his Lawes Against them I make this supplication and against them have I declared the learning and Doctrine that I have both taught and written And as for my facts and deeds what I have done against God and your grace I require them to say 〈◊〉 uttermost that they can prove or else by your graciouâ—â—â—vour I am here present and offer my selfe to prove them lyars and that under any manner of paine that your grace shall assigne and against them I have declared the learning and Doctrine of their Church and also brought examples of their facts and deedes with the which they have put their Doctrine in exercise Now if they be grieved or thinke themselves wrongfully handled of me then I require no more of your grace but indifferently and graciously to heare both them and me the which thing no doubt as your grace doth know our heavenly Father doth require of you who preserve your highnesse in all honour and dignity Amen Thus far Dr Barnes But to returne againe from these Trayterly disloyall Oathes to our Arch-Bishops William Warham the next Arch-Bishop as he received his confirmation consecration Pall together with a power Legatine from Pope Iulius by sundry Bulls against the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme and tooke the forenamed Oath to the Pope which made him no good Subject to his Prince so the Royall Pompe at his instalment and inthronization was meerely Anti-Christian The day before his comming to Canterbury went thither the Duke of Buckingham who was his Steward a goodly Office â—or the greaâ—est Peere of the Realme attended with 140. horse to see all things in a readinesse This Duke had also the Office of Chiefe Butler and being unable to execute both duties he deputed Sir George Bourchier unto the Butlership The Duke himselfe tooke great paines to see that nothing requisite for the performance of this Solemnity in the most magnificent manner might be wanting The next day being Sunday he meâ— the Arch-bishop over against S. Andrewes Church and doing low obeysance
saying plainly and swearing by Saint Iohn the Evangelist for that was his common Oath that Earle Goodwine should not have his Peace till hee restored his brother Alfred alive againe unto his presence with which answer the Peeres departed in choler from Court and Goodwine towards the Coast. Comming also unto the shore and ready to take shipping hee kneeled downe in presence of his conduct to wit at Bosenham in the moneth of September from whence hee intended to saile into Flanders unto Baldwine the Earle and there wished openly before them all that if ever hee attempted any thing against the Kings person of England or his Royall estate that he might never come safe unto his Cousin nor see his Country any more but perish in this voyage and herewith he went aboard the ship that was provided for him and so from the Coast into the open Sea But see what followed hee was not yet gone a mile away from the Land before he saw the shore full of armed Souldiers sent after by the Archbishop and his friends to kill him ere he should depart and goe out of the Country which yet more incensed the hearts of the English against them Being come also to Flanders hee caused the Earle the French King and others of his friends among whom also the Emperour was one to write unto the King in his hehalfe but all in vaine for nothing could be obtained from him of which the Normanâ— had no liking whereupon the Earle and his Sonnes changed their minds obtained aid and invaded the Land in sundry places Finally joyning their powers they came by the Thames into Southwarke neere London where they lodged and looked for the King to encounter with thâ—m in the field the King seeing what was done commanded the Londonerâ— not to aide nor victuall them but the Citizens made answer how the quarrell of Goodwine was the cause of the whoâ—e Realme which hee had in a manner given over unto the spoyle of the French and thereupon they not onely victualled them abundantly but also received the Earle and his chiefe friends into the City where they lodged them at their ease till the Kings power was ready to joyne with them in battle great resort also was made unto them from all places of the Realme so that the Earles Army was wonderfully increased and the day and place chosen wherein the Battle should be fought But when the Armies met the Kings side began some to flee to the Earle other to lay downe their weapons and not a few to â—unne away outright the rest telling him plainly that they would never fight against theiâ— owne Countâ—y men to mainaine Frenchmens quarrelâ— the Normans also seeing the sequell fled away so fast as they might gallop leaving the King in the field to shift for himselfe as hâ— best might whilst they did save themselves elsewhere In the meane season the Earles Power would have set upon the King either to his slaughter or apprehension but hee stayed them saying after this manner The King is my Sonne as you all know and it is not for a father to deale so hardly with his child neither a subject with his Soveraigne It is not he thaâ— hath hurt or done mee this injury but the proud Normans that are about him wherefore to gaine a Kingdome I will doe him no violence and therewithall casting aside his battell axe hee ran to the King that stood altogether amazed and falling at his feete he craved his peace accused the Archbishop required that his cause might be heard in open assemblie of his Peeres and finally determined as truth and equity should deserve The King after hee had paused a pretty while seeing his old Father-in-Law to lie groveling at his feete and conceiving with himselfe that his suite was not unreasonable seeing also his children and the rest of the greatest Barons of the Land to kneele before him and make the like request hee listed up the Earle by the hand bad him be of good comfort pardoned all that was past and friendly having kissed hâ—m his sonnes upon the cheekes he lead them to his pallace called home the Queene and Summonned all his Lords unto a Councell wherein it is much to read how many â—ils were presented against the Bishop and his Normans some containing matter of rapes other of robbery extortion murder manslaughter high tâ—eason adultery and not a few of battery wherewith the King as a man now awaked out of sleepe was so offended that upon consultation had of these things he banished all the Normans out of the Land onely three or foure excepted whom he retained for sundry necessary causes albeit they never came more so neere him afterward as to be of his Privie Councell after this also the Earle lived almost two yeares and then falling into an apoplexie as he sate with the King at the table hee was taken up and carried into the Kings bedchamber where after a few dayes hee made an end of his life and thus much of our first broyle raised by the Clergie practice of the Archbishop I would intreat of all the like examples of Tyranny practised by the Prelates of this See against their Lords and Soveraignes but then I should rather write an History than a Description of this Iland Wherefore I referre you to those reports of Anselme and Becket sufficiently penned by other the which Anselme also making a shew as if hee had beene very unwilling to be placed in the See of Canterbury gave this answer to the Letters of such his friends as did make request unto him to take the charge upon him Secularia negotia nescio quia scire nolo c. Of secular affaires I have no skill becuase I will not know them for I even abhorre the troubles that rise about them as one that desireth to have his mind at Liberty I apply my whole endeavour to the rule of the Scriptures you lead mee to the contrary and it is to be feared lest the plough of holy Church which two strong men of equall force and both like earnest to contend unto that which is good that is the King and the Archbishop ought to draw should thereby now swarve from the right furrow by matching of an old sheepe with a wild untamed Bull. I am that old sheepe who if I might be quieâ— could peradventure shew my selfe not altogether ungratefull to some by feeding them with the milke of the word of God and covering them with wooll but if you match mee with this Bull yoâ— shall see that through want of equality in draught the plough will not goe too right c. as followeth in the processe of his Letters The said Thomas Becket was so proud that hee wrote to King Henry the second as to his Lord to his King and to his Sonne offering him his Counsell his reverence and due correction c. Others in like sort have protested that they oug't nothing to the Kings of this Land
of him and of his Realme he should have Proctors of his Nation as other Christian Kings had in the Court of Rome and not to abide in this Land nor to be in any part of his Counsells as beene all the spirituall and temporall at Parliament and other great Councells when you list to call them And therefore though it please you to doe him that worship to set him in your privy Councell after your pleasure yet in every Parliament where every Lord both spirituall and temporall hath his place he ought to occupie but his place as a Bishop 3. Item The said Bishop now being Cardinall was assoyled of his Bishoppricke of Winchester whereupon he sued unto our holy Father to have a Bull declarative notwithstanding he was assumpt to the state of Cardinall that the See was not voyd where indeed it stood voyd for a certaine time yet the said Bull were granted and so he was exempt from his ordinary by the taking on him the state of Cardinall and the Church Bishopricke of Winchester so standing voyd hee tooke againe of the Pope you not learned thereof nor knowing whereby hee was fallen into the case of provision so that all his goods was lawfully and cleerely forfeited to you my right doubted Lord with more as the Statute declareth plainely for your advantage Iâ—em It is not unknowne to you doubted Lord how through your lands it is noysed that the said Cardinall and the Archbishop of Yorke had and have the governance of you and all youâ— land the which none of your true leige men ought to usurpe to take upon them and have also estranged me your sole uncle my cosin of Yorke my consin of Huntington and many other Lords of your Kin to have any knowledge of any great matâ—er that might touch your high estate or either of your Realmes and of Lords spirituall of right the Archbishop of Canterbury should be your cheefe Counsellour the which is also estranged and set aside and so be many other right sadd Lords and well advised as well spirituall as temporall to the great hurt of you my right doubted Lord and of your Realmes like as the experience and workes shewne cleerely and evidently more harme it is 5. Item In the tender age ofâ— you my right doubted Lord for the necessity of a Army the said Cardinall lent you 4000 pound upon certaine Jewels prised at two twenty 1000-markes with a letter of sale that if they were not quited at a certaine day you should leese them The said Cardinall seeing your money ready to have quitted your Jewells caused your Treasurer of England at that day being to pay the same money in part of another army in defrauding you my right doubted Lord of your said Jewells keeping them yet alway to his owne use to your right great losse and his singular profit and availe 6. Item the said Cardinall then being Bishop of Winchester Chancellor of England deluâ—â—ed the King of Scots upon certaine appointments as may be shewed presumptuously and of his owne authority contrary to the Act of Parliament I have heard notable men of Law say that they never heard the like thing done among them which was too great a defamation to your highnesse and also toâ—wed his Neece to the said King whom that my Lord of notable memory your Father would never have so deluâ—â—ed and there as he should have paid for his cosâ—sâ— forty thousand pounds the said Cardinall Châ—â—cellor of England caused you to pardon him thereof ten thousand marks whereof the greater somme hee paid you right a little what I report me to your highnesse 7. Itâ— where the said Cardinall lent you my redoubted Lord great and notable Sommes he hath had and his assignes the rule profit of the port of Hampton where the Customers bin his servants where by likelihood and as it is to be supposed he standing the chiefe Merchant of the wools of your landâ— that you be greatly defrauded and under that rule what woolls and other Merchantdizes have been shipped and may be from time to time hard is to esteeme to the great hurt and prejudice of you my right doubted Lord and of all your people 8. Item Howbeit that the said Cardinall hath divers times lent you great sommes of money sith the time of your raigne yet this loane hath beene so deferred and delayed that for the most part the convenable season of the imploying of the good lent was passed so that little fruit or none came thereofâ— as by experience both your Realmes have sufficiently in knowledge 9. Item Where there was Jewells and Plate prised at eleven thousand pound in weight of the said Cardinall forfeited to you my right redoubted Lord hee gate him a restorement thereof for a loane of a little percell of the sameâ— and so defrauded you wholly of them to your great hurt and his avayle the which good might greatly have eased your highnesse in sparing as much of the poore Commons 10. Item The Cardinall being feoft of my said Lord your Father against his intent gave Elizabeth Beauchampe three hundred markes of livelihood where that his will was that and she were wedded within a yeare then to have â—â— or else not where indeede it was two or three yeares after to your great hurt and diminishing of your inheritance 11. Item Notwithstanding that the said Cardinall hath no manner of authority nor interest into the Crowne nor none may have by any possibility yet he presumeth and taketh upon him in party your estate royall in calling before him into great abusion of all your land and derogation of your highnes which hath not been seen nor vsed in no dayes heretofore in greater estate then he is without your expresse ordenance and commandment 12. Item the said Cardinall nothing considering the necesity of you my right redoubted Lord hath sued a pardon of dismes that he should pay for the Church of Winchester for terme of his life giving thereby occasion to all other Lords spirituall to draw their good will for any necessity to grant any disme and so to lay all the charge upon the temporalty and the poore people 13. Item by the governance and labour of the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke there hath beene lost and dispended much notable and great good by divers embassadors sent out of this Realme Firstâ— to Arras for a feigned colourable peace whereas by likelinesse it was thought supposed that it should never turne to the effectuall availe of you my right doubted Lord nor to your said Realmes but under colour thereof was made the peace of your adversary and the Duke of Burgoyn for else your partie adverse and the said Duke might not well have found meanes nor wayes to have communed together nor to have concluded with other their confederations and conspirations made and wrought there then at that time against your highnesse whereby you might have right doubted Lord the greater partie of your obisance
was true enough for hee died soone after Holinshed saith hee died â—or sorrow because he could not cleere himselâ—e of his offence in the said rebellion albeit that he laboured most earnestly so to do that hee might thereby have obtained the Kingâ— favour againe Ranulph Flambard his very next successor a very wicked man nothing scrupulous but ready to do any thing for preferment was by King William Rufus who â—ound him a fit man for his purpose to bring great summes of money into his coffers by any unlawâ—ull meanes made chiefe Governour of all his Realme under him so as hee had all thaâ— authority which now the Lord Treasurer Chancellour and divers other offices have divided amongâ—t them this auâ—hority he abused very impudently not caring whom he offended so as he might enrich either the King or himselfe Many times when the King gave commandement for the levying of a certaine summe of moneyes amongst his Subjects hee would require of the Commons twice as much whereat the King being very well content would laugh and say that Ranulph was the onely man for his turne who cared not whom hee displeased so hee might please his Master It was impossible but hee should be very odious both unto the Common people and Nobility also and no marvell if many complaints were made unto the King of him against all which hee shut his eares obstinaâ—ely When therefore that way succeeded not some of his discontented adversaries determined to wrecke their malice on him by killing him They faine a message from the Bishop of London his old Master that hee was very sicke and ready to depart the world that hee was wonderfull desirous to speake with him and to the end hee might make the better speed had sent him a Barge to convey him to his house being then by the water-side Hee suspecting no fraud went with them in great haste attended onely by his Secretary and some one or two other They having him thus in their clutches carried him not to the appoiâ—ted Staires but unto â— Ship provided for him ready to set saile As soone as hee perceived how hee was entrapped hee cast away his Ring or manuell Seale and after his great Sâ—ale into the river lest they might give opportunity of forging false grants and conveyances Then hee falls to intreating and perswading but all to no purpose for they were determined he should die They had appointed two Marinâ—rs to dispatch him either by knocking out his braines or heaving him alive over-board for doing whereof they were promised to have his cloathes These executioners could not agree upon the division of the reward â—or his gowne was better worth than all the rest of his apparell while they were reasoning upon that point it pleased God to raise a terrible tempest so as they looked every minute to die thâ—mselves and therefore had no very good leasure of thinking to put another man to death Ranulph then omitting no opportunity of his deliverance like another Orion by the musicke of his eloquence seekes to disswade them from the bloody execution of their determinationâ— laying before them the danger that was like to ensue them upon the execuâ—ion of so cruell a murther which could not be hid and lastly wishing them to consider how God by raising this tempest had threatned to revenge his death and had as it were set the Image of vengeance before their eyes promising them mountaines of gold if they saved his life By which hee so farre prevailed that one of them offered to defend him and Girald the author of this conspiracie was content to set him aland and to conduct him to his owne house But so soone as hee had done not trusting a reconciled foe hee got him out of the Land Aâ—ter this notable voyage hee was consecrated Bishop of Durham Hee was scarce warme in his See but King William Rufus was slaine and his brother Henry succeeded him This Prince not able to withstand the importunity of his Nobles and the innumerable complaints made against this Bishop by the vote of the whole Parliament clapt him up in the Towre But hee so enchaunted his keepers as they were content to let him goe and runne away with themselves William of Malmesbury saith that he procured a waterbeaâ—er in his Tankâ—rd to bring him a rope by whiâ—h hee slid downe from the wall to the ground and so although hee hurt his arme and galled his legge to the bone away he escaped getting himselfe into Normandy where hee arriâ—ed in the beginning of February Ann. 1101. There hee never left buzzing into the eares of Robert Duke of Normandy that the Kingdome of England was his by right till hee procured him to aâ—tempt the invasion of the Realme to his owne great losse the effusion of much Christian blood and the great disturbance and dammage of the whole Realme How long hee continued in his exile is not recorded by our Historians who brand him for a notable extortioner oppressor rebell and desperate wicked wretch ad omne scelus paratum as too many of his coate since him have beene who set the whole Realme into an uproare and combustion About the yeare 1100. King Edgar gave to the Monkes of Durham the lands of Coldingham And to this Bishop of Durham he gave the towne of Barwicke but for that the said Bishop afterward wrought treason against him hee lost that gift and the King resumed that Towne into his hands againe Hugh Pusar his successor the 33. Bishop of that See nephew to King Stephen a man very wise in ordering temporall matters not spirâ—tuall exceeding covetous and as cunning in getting money as covetous in desiring it was refused to be consecrated Bishop by Murdack Archbishop of Yorke for want of yeaâ—es and lightnesse in behaviour whereupon he obtained his consecration at Rome King Richard the first â—or a great masse of money hee had prepared for his voyage into the holy Land dispensed with his vowe of pilgrimage thither and likewise made him Earle of Northumberland The King having created him an Earle turned him about unto the company and laughing said I have performed a wonderfull exploit for quoth hee of an old Bishop I have made a young Earle Hee likewise gave the King one thousand Markes to make him chiefe Justice of England qui nimirum consultius proprio contentus officio divini juris multo decentius quam humani minister extitisset cum nemo possit utrique prout dignum est deservire atque illud dominiâ—um ad Apostolos maxime Successores Apostolorum respiciat Non potestis Deo servire mammonae Si enim velit Episcopus ut coelesti pariter terreno Regi placeat ad utrumque se officium dividere certe Rex coelestis qui sibi vult ex toto corde tota anima tota virtute serviri ministerium dimidium non approbat non diligit non acceptat Quid si Episcopus nec saltem dimidius quae
learning and therefore were forbidden as being bâ—th in regard of their owne authority against the supreme majestie and independency of the Crown of England And before this in King 〈◊〉 reigne in that great controversie in the Synod of Winchester touching the Castles of Newarke Salesâ—ury and the Vies the King denied utterly Censuram Canonum pati that is to have it determined by themâ— whether or noâ— the two Bishops Roger of Salisbury and Alexander of Lincolne might lawfully kepe their Castles that they had fortified But while the rest of the Bishops stood so much upon their Canons and even in the face of majestie profest a rebellion the King and the Lay subjects it seemes grew so exasperated against them that by publike command for the preservation of the Liberty of the Crowne and Laity they were forbidden to be of any more use in the Kingdome for so perhaps is that to be understood in Iohn of Chartres where he sayes that Tempore Regis Stephani a regno jussae sunt Leges Romanae quas in Brittanniam domus venerabilis Patris Tâ—eobaldi Briâ—tanniarum Primatis asciverat Ne quis etiam libros retineret edicto Regio prohibitum est The Canon Law made by Popes and Prelates being inconsistent with the Kings Supremacy and Subjects Liberty Stephen Berksteed the 14th Bishop of Chichester Anno. 1265. was excommunicated by Oâ—tobon the Popes Legate for rebelling and taking part with the Barons against King Henry the third who thereupon repaired to Rome for absolution Iohn de Langhton the 16th Bishop of Chichister Anno. 1315. excommunicated Warren Earle of Kent for adultery whereupon the Earle came unto him with armed men making some shew to lay violent hands upon him unlesse he would absolve him The Bishops men perceiving it by their Masters command set upon them and put both the Earle and his men in prison whereupon ensued great combustions Thomas Rushocke the 20th Bishop of Chichester a lewde pernicious Prelate Anno. 1388. was driven away from the Court by the Barons as a Traytor for his ill Councells to Richard the second his Lands and goods confiscated he banished and deprived of his Bishoppricke by Act of Parliament himself had suffered as a Traytor but that his guiltinesse made him flie before he could be apprehended Adam Molins the 31. Bishop of that See falling at variance with Richard Duke of Yorke was slaine at Portsmouth by certaine Marriners Iune 9. 1449. Richard Sampson the 37th of Chichester Anno 21. Hen. 8. was committed to the Tâ—â—â—â—â—r for relieving certaine Trayterous persons who denied the Kings Supremacy George Day the 21. Bishop of this See October 10. 1551. was deprived from his Bishoppricke for denying the Kings Supremacy and maintaining the Popes and other misdemeanours but was afterwards restored by Queene Mary at whose Coronation hee preached Iohn Christopherson the 40. Bishop of this Diocesse was deprived by Act of Parliament in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths happy reigne for denying her supremacy and refusing to take the oath of alegiance To passe by the subsequent Bishops of this See Richard Mountague the last Bishop thereof but one was the principall abetter and reviver of those late Arminian and Popish Doctrines Ceremonies Innovations which for sundry yeares have disquietedâ— both our Church and State and that not onely in his Booke intituled Appello Caesarem published in the yeare 1625. complained against in three severall Parliaments and called in by his Majesties speciall Proclamation as a Booke that opened the way to those Schismes and Divisions which have since ensued in our Church though for this very Bookeâ— he was advanced to this See by the practise and confederacy of some swaying Prelates and in his Gagge but likewise in his Visitation Articles his Antidiatribae his Aparatus ad Historiam Ecclesâ—asticam and other Workes as you may reaâ— more largely in Mr. Bayly his Canterburians seâ—fe-Conviction the last Edition which Bookes of his have given great scandall to our Church much advantage to our Popish Adversaries and much distractedâ— not onely our Church but State for which no doubt hee should have received his just demerits in the high Court of Parliament had not hee died suddenly out of feare being sent for to answer his old and new offences upon some fresh complaints to ease the Parliament and prevent a censure Of his successor in this See I neede say nothing hee is so well knowne wherefore I shall next visit Carlile Diocesse and give you but a touch of some speciall Acts of the Bishops of that See The Bishops of Carlile Walter Malclerke in the yeare 1223. was consecrated unto the Bishoppricke of Carlile which hee acknowledged to have obtained by evill and corrupt meanes and therefore resigned the same moved in conscience so to doe as hee alledged Iune 29. 1246. and tooke on him the habit of a Fryer Preacher at Oxford in which he continued till his death Being Treasurer of England under King Henry the third the King upon a sudden at the instigation of Peter Bishop of Wâ—nchester not onely displaced him from that office but revoked certaine Grants made unto him heretofore charged him with the debt of 100. pound which hee acknowledged not For redresse of these wrongs as he tooke them he determined to travell to Rome but was stayed at the waters-side by the Kings Officers whom Roger Bishop of London excommunicated for the same and riding presently to Worceter where the Court lay renewed that Excommunication in the Kings presenceâ— How he thrived with these businesses afterward I find not But likely enough it is that these troubles rather made him weary of the world than any such scruple induce him to leave his Bishoppricke Sylvester de Everdon the 5th Bishop of this See was elected in the yeare â—â—46 but not consecrated till February 5th 1247. because he refused to accept of the election alledging his owne unworthinesse but at last upon better deliberation yeelded he was one of them that joyned with Boniface the Archbishop and Ethelmaâ—re the Elect of Winchester in their request to the King that remembring his promise often made hereafter he would not impeach the Libertie of Elections by interposing his armed requests c. The King acknowledged hee had indeede offended that way and that especially quoth he in making meanes for you your selves that thererefore of all other should least find fault with it To this man particularly hee used these words I remember how I exalted thee Sylvester of Carlile unto a Bishoppricke having hankered a long time about the Chancery and being a petty Chaplaine to my Chaplaines preferring thee before many grave and reverend Divines c. His conclusion was that if they would give over their places which they had obtained by so undue meanes he would hereafter forbeare to commend any so unworthy This was the yeare 1253. The yeare following
a great part of his Clergy and three Abbots and in full Synod excommunicated his Soveraigne Mouâ—ice King of Glamorgan for â—laying Cynetu and breaking the Covâ—nant which he had made in his presence upon the Altar of Peter the Apostâ—e and of Saint Dubricius and Telianus and then layed their Crosses to the earth and likewise intermitted Baptisme throughout his Country 〈◊〉 Communio Christiaâ—a and the Christian Communalty accursed the King and his progeny the Synod confirming it and saying Let his dayes be few and leâ— his childâ—en be Orphâ—nâ—s and his wife a wâ—ddow Whereupon the King with all his Country remained for two yeares space more under the said excommunication after which this King unable any longer to sustaine such a long lasting great excommunication seeing the perdition of his owne soule and damnation of his kingdome went to Landaffe and craved pardon of Saint Oudotius and powring out teares with his head bowed downe in the presence of three Abbots this Bishop imposed the yoake of pennance upon him according to the quality and quantity of his offence commending to him that hee should three manner of wayes amend his fault with God and the Church of Landaffe to wit with fasting Prayer and Almes whereupon this King for the redemption of his owne Soule and for the Soule of Synetu gave foure Villages to the Church of Landâ—ffe the names whereof are mentioned in that Synod Not long after another Synod was assembled by the same Bishop for the pennance and absolution of King Morâ—ant who slew Frioc his Vncle contrary to his oath they two having solemnely vowed that if one them should either kill or deceive the other that he would not redeeme himselfe either with Lands or money but would relinquish his Kingdome spenâ— his whole life in pilgrimage This K. confessing his fault before the Bishop and his Synod and craving pardon both for his perjury and Homicideâ— the whole Synod decreed least the Kingdome should be destitute of a King and of the pâ—otecting buckler of their naturall Lord that he should redeeme his Pilgrimage and â—xpiâ—te his homicide and perjury with fastings prayers and Almes which he swearing to doe they injoyned pennance to him according to his offence and his quality greatnesse and power whereupon he was restored to Christian Communion of which hee was formerly deprived by the Bishâ—p and gave three Churches with other particulars to the Church of Lâ—ndâ—ffe After this a third Synod was held under the same Bishop at Landâ—ffâ— wherein Guidneth who slew his brother Mercâ—ion in a contestation for the kingdome was excommunicated by this Bishop Synod with crosses laid downe to the ground and Cymbals overturnedâ— under which excommunication he remained three whole yeares without any Communion of Christians Afâ—er three yeares expired he asked pardon of the Bishâ—â— who granting him remission sent him in Pilgrimage to the Archbishop of Dole in Britany where he promised to continue a yeares space in exile but returning thence within the yeare this Bishop refused to absolve him and put him under the first excommunication because he performed not his first penance But this Bishop dying within a yeare after and Berthguin succeeding him king Morcant and Guadnorâ—h with many elders went to Landaffe and requested this new Bishop with one mouâ—h seeing â—he crosses yet laid downe upon the ground together with the reliques and Cymbals that he would absolve Guâ—dnorth from his excommunication by lifting up the Crosâ—es and Saints reliques from the earth After which Guednorth promising yet more to amend his life with fasting prayer and Almes and shedding teares with great devotion was thereupon absolved by the Bishop who enjoyned him plenary penance according to the manner of his fault he afterwards mindfull of the divine saying as water extinguisheth fire so alms doth sinne gave three Manors with all their liberties appurtenances to the Church of Landaffe By this kind of indirect meanes this Church got so much lands that had it now but the tenth part thereof Godwin assures us it would be one of the wealthiest Churches in Christendome Tâ—udâ—ur King of Brechiniauâ— or Brecknâ—ck sonne of Rese slew Elgistill another King of that Country treacherously after â— league solemnly sworne betweene themâ— not to lye in waite one for another and to maintaine a firme peace without deceit hereupon Gurcan the tenth Bishop of Landaffe with his Cleargy excommunicated him for his perjury and murther by uncovering the Altars of God casting the crosses and reliques to the ground and depriving him of all Christian communion whereupon Teâ—dur unable to undergoe this malediction and rigour of justice with a contrite heart and teares powred out craved pardon and submitted himselfe to the penance imposed on him according to his quality and greatnesse recompencing his wickednesse with Almes prayer and fasting and for his absolution he gave this Bishop Lan. Michâ—â—l with all its lands libâ—rties and Commons King Cloâ—ri and Lâ—ndguallaun made a solemne league before Berthgwin the 14. Bishop of Landaffe and sware to mainâ—aine fiâ—me peace betweene them in all things wâ—thout fraud or dammâ—ge And if either of them violated it he was to leave his kingdome and to goe on Pâ—lgrimage all his lifeâ— neither should he redeeme himselfe nor his kingdome with gold nor silver Aâ—ter which King Clotri breaking the league slew the other treacherously committing both homicide and pâ—rjury Which â—his Bâ—shop hearing of assembled a Synode of his Clergy at Landaffâ— and in a full Synod excommunicated the King with alâ— his progeny and kingdome by uncovering Gods Altars and casting downe the crosses to the earth and left the Country without Bâ—ptisme and the communion Whereupon the K. unable to endure so great an excommunication with great devotion submitted himselfe to the Bishop left his Kingdome went on Pilgrimage into forraigne parts from whence returning into his Countâ—y after a long â—pace by â—he intercession of King Morcant he obtained absolution from the Bishop to whose enjoyned penance he submitted thereupon he gave Helic with other lands to the Bâ—shop and his successors in the Church of Landaffe In this Bâ—shops time Gurcan the sonne of Guinâ—n kept his owne Stepmother for which the Bishop excommunicated him in such manner aâ— he did Cloâ—ri and upon his penance and absolution the Bishop wrâ—sted from him a peâ—â—e of land called Marchinis In the dayes of Cercenhir the 18. Bishâ—p of Landâ—ffâ— Houel King of Glevissig contrary to his solemne oath circumvented and slew Gallun the sonne of Cidrich whereupon the Bâ—shop summoning a Synode excommunicated him in such sort as the former Kings were almost a yeares space at which time hee coming bare foot to the Bishop implored absolution with many teares which he obtaining after publike pennance enjoyned gave three Mannors to the Bishop and his Church After which this Bishop excommunicated Coubius for murthering Câ—mauc contrary to his solemne oath and that in a publike
Synode who upon his pennance and absolution gave Guliple to his Church Aquod the sonne of â—ouâ—f falling out with this Bishop drave him and his men into the Church of Landaffe For which hee was excommunicated by him and to bee absolved was glad to give Pennoun with the Church of Lantilâ—l and certaine other Lands Loumarch the sonne of Carguocaun was excommunicated by Gulfridus the 20 Bishop of this See in a full Synod for violating certaine priviledges and invading the goods of his Church but upon his humble submission on his knees to the Bishop with many teares and his offer to acknowledge his offence and to suffer any punishment the Bishop would impose upon him The Bishop upon restitution of all the goods he had taken and the gift of Treficarn pont absolved him Assac the sonne of Mâ—rchiud having treacherously slaine one Gulayguni being excommunicated for it by this Bishop gave Segan to his Church to expiate the murther and for the soule of the slaine Sâ—â—lferth Hegoi and Arguistil the sonnes of Belli fell at variance in words with Nudd the 21 Bishop of this See and proceeding at last from words to blowes committed divers outrages upon his Land and Family but quickly remembring themselves fearing excommunication they asked pardon and submitted themselves to pennance After which performed they gave unto the Church for further confirmation of their unfeigned repentance the territory of Iulius and Aaron King Brochvaile the sonne of Mouric and his Family fell at variance with Civeilliauc the 22 Bishop of Landaffe and his Family to whom they offered some injury wherewith the Bishop being moved assembled all his Clergy together even to the inferiour degrees intending to excommunicate Brochvaile and all his family as forfeited to him and execrable to God before all the people in a full Synod for this injury which Brochvaile hearing of sought for pardon and remission which he could not obtaine from the Bishop upon any termes unlesse he would suffer a Canonicall judgement The cause being discussed the Bishop was adjudged to receive from him an Image of his face both in length and breadth in pure gold and that amends should be made by him to the condigne honour of his Family and Nobility of his parentageâ— which sentence Borchvaile was forced to redeeme by giving the Towne of Tref-Peren with six other pieces of Land to the Bishop and his Church One Pater being the 25 Bishop of this See Anno 955. A certaine Country fellow meeting a Deacon with a sword by his side asked him what a Coward should doe with Weapons and striving to take away the sword cut the Deacons finger whereupon the Deacon killed him and when he had done tooke Sanctuary in the Church of Saint Iarman and Saint Febrie Thereby sixe of King Gurialls houshould although there wanted not many that sought to defend the man in regard of the place he was slaine even at the very Altar of the Church These sixe men were delivered at the City of Gwentonia now Caerwent into the hands of Pater the Bishop who kept them in straight prison sixe moneths and then forced them to give all their Lands and Livings to Landaffe besides seven pound of silver to the Church which they had polluted Mouric King of Glamorgan was excommunicated by Ioseph the 28 Bishop of this Diocesse for putting out the eyes of Etgum in a time of truce to have his absolution he gave to the Bishop Paniprise Another time he was faine to give Gulich Fabrus and foure pound of silver unto the Bishop beside other great gifts to the Canons upon this occasion Hee had broken the Sanctuary of the Church of Landaffe by taking away thence violently the wife of his enemy and hurting some of the Bishops servants For so doing he was publiquely excommunicated by the Bishop in a Synod and by these gifts made way to obtaine his absolution Caratuc one of his company in the last recited action was forced to give Henriu in Wencia Riugallan the sonne of Rum being excommunicate for an assault made upon the Bishop and his men gave Riu Drein and the third part of the Wood of Yuisperthan to be absolved Cutguallam the sonne of Guriat strooke one in the Consistory in the presence of Ioseph the Bishop who kept him the said Catguallam in prison till he had made amends for that fault by giving the Church of Saint Brides Calgucam the King of Morganuc and his family was solemnly excommunicated by Herewald the 29 Bishop of Landaffe in a Synod of all his Clergy who thereupon cast downe all the Crosses and Reliques to the ground overturned their Bells and stopped up all the doores of the Churches with thornes so as they continued for a long time without divine service and pastors day and night the King and his Family in the meane time being sequestred from the society of all the faithfull and all because one of the Kings followers being drunke had laid violent hands upon Bathutis the Bishops Physitian and Kinsman on Christmas day Anno 1056. Whereupon the King though innocent upon his submission to the Bishop to obtaine his absolution was enfâ—rced to give Henringumna in the presence of all the Clergy people to this Bishop and his successors free from all secular regal services After which one Gistni excommunicated for a rape committed by a Nephew and follower of his upon a Virgin whom he tooke violently out of the Church of Landaffe was forced to give Milne to the Bishop and his Successors to obtaine absolution By these instances wee may partly discerne by what undue meanes Bishops at first obtained their large Temporalties and Revenues even by enforcing Kings and great persons to buy out and expiate their offences by endowing their Sees with Lands and Manors without which they could not purchase their absolution and we likewise learn hence that Bishops in those dayes excommunicated none but in a Synod with the suffrage of all their Clergy Edmund de Bromfeild the 48. Bishop of Landaffe for procuring and bringing in the Popes Bulls of Provision to make him Abbot of Bury contrary to his owne expresse Oath and the Statutes of the Realme was for this his contempt and disobedience committed to the Tower by King Richard the second where he lay prisoner a long time neither durst the Pope yeeld him any assistance to justifie his owne Bull. The late Bishops of this See as Feild and others have beene so notoriously peccant that I need not mention them wherefore I shall passe on to the Bishops of Bangor Bishops of Bangor MAuritius the third Bishop of Bangor most undutifully refused a long time to doe homage to the King of England for his Bishopricke held of him but at last was perswaded to doe it Robert of Shrewsbury joyning with Leolin Prince of Wales against King Iohn his Soveraigne was taken prisoner by the
the King of France and after slew Thomas Becket and last of all thou forsakest the Protection of Christs Faith The King was mooved with these wordâ— and sayd unto the Patriarch Though all the men of the Land were one body and spake with one mouth they durst not speake â—o me such words No wonder said the Patriarch for they love thine and not thee That is to meane they love thy goods temporall and feare the losse of promotion but they love not thy soule And when he had so said he offered his head to the King saying Doe by me right as thou didst by Thomas Becket for I had rather be slaine of thee then of the Sarasens for thou art worse then any Sarasen and they follow a prey and not a man But the King kept his patience and said I may not wend out of my Land for my owne Sonnes will arise against me when I am absent No wonder said the Patriarch for of the devill they came and to the devill they shall and so departed from the King in great ire So rudely have Prelates dealt with the greatest Princes as thus both in words and deeds to revile and contemne them as if they were their slaves to be at their command though with the hazard of their lives Crownes and Kingdomes upon every humour I now passe on to the Scottish Prelates The Bishops of Scotlands acts in this kinde TO passe from Normandy to Scotland before I enter into a Relation of any of the Scotish Prelates actions I shall inform you what Holinshed writes of King Davids erection of Bishoprickes in Scotland and his endowing of them with large temporall possessions This Church in the originall plantation of the Gospell having beene governed onely by Presbyters and wanting Bishops for some hundred of yeares following herein the custome of the Primitive Church as Iohn Fordon Iohn Major Bishop Vsher and Spelman testifie David King of Scots erected foure Bishoprickes within this Realme Rosse Brochin Dunkeld and Dublaine indowing them with rich Rents faire Lands and sundry right commodious possessions Moreover he translated the Bishops See of Murthlake unto Aberden for sundry advised considerations augmenting it with certaine revenues as he thought expedient He was admonished as the report goeth in his sleepe that he should build an Abbey for a religious Order to live in together Whereupon he sent for workemen into France and Flanders and set them in hand to build this Abbey of Canons regular as he was admonished dedicating it in the honour of a Crosse whereunto he bare speciall devotion for that very strangely it slipped into his hands on a time as he was pursuing and following of a Hart in the Chase But enough of these Monkish devises Many prudent men blame greatly the unmeasurable liberality of King David which he used towards the Church in diminishing so hugely the revenues of the Crowne being the cause that many Noble Princes his Successors have come to their finall ends for that they have beene constrained through want of treasure to maintaine their royall estates to procure the fall of sundry great Houses to possesse their Lands and livings also to raise payments and exactions of the Common people to the utter impoverishment of the Realme And sometime they have beene constrained to invade England by warres as desperate men not caring what came of their lives Other whiles they have beene enforced to stampe naughty money to the great prejudice of the Common wealth All which mischiefes have followed since the time that the Church hath beene thus enriched and the Crowne impoverished Therefore King Iames the first when he came to King Davids Sepulcher at Dunfirmling he said that he was a sore Saint for the Crowne Meaning that he left the Church over-rich and the Crowne too poore For he tooke from the Crowne as Iohn Major writeth in his Chronicles 60000. pound Scotish of yearely revenues Wherewith he endowed those Abbyes But if King David had considered how to nourish true Religion he had neither endowed Churches with such riches nor built them with such royalty for the superfluous possessions of the Church as they are now used are not onely occasion to evill Prelates to live in most insolent pompe and corrupt life but an assured Net to draw gold and silver out of Realmes Thus Holinshed of the Bishops and Bishoprickes of Scotland in generall In a Convocation at Fairefax under King Gregory Anno 875. It was decreed by the Bishops of Scotland that Ordinaries and Bishops should have authority to order all men both publike and private yea Kings themselves as well for the keeping of Faith given as to constraine them to confirme the same and to punish such as should be found in the contrary This was a high straine of insolency and treachery against the Prerogative of the King and Nobles priviledges whom these Prelates endeavoured to enthrall to their Lordly pleasures and perchance it was in affront of King Davids Law who ordained Anno 860. but 15. yeares before that Priests should attend their Cures and not intermeddle with secular businesses or keepe Horses Haukes or Hounds A very good Law had it beene as well executed Anno 1294. the Scots conspiring together against their Soveraigne Lord and King Iohn Bailiol rose up in armes against him and inclosing him in a Castle they elected to themselves twelve Peeres after the manner of France whereof the foure first were Bishops by whose will and direction all the affaires of the Kingdome should be managed And this was done in despite to disgrace the King of England who set the said Iohn over them against their wils Whereupon the King of England brought an Army towards Scotland in Lent following to represse the rash arrogancy and presumption of the Scotsâ— against their owne Father and King and miserably wasted the Country over-running it quite and making both them and their King whom he tooke Prisoner to doe homage and sweare fealâ—y and give pledges to him as Walsingham reciâ—es more at large Among these Bishops it seemes that the Bishop of â—lascow was one of the chiefe opposites against the King of Scotland and England for Anno 1298. I finde this Bishop one of the chiefe Captaines of the Rebellious Scots and leading an Army in the field which being disbanded for feare of the English forces upon promise of pardon this Bishop Ne proditionis notam incurreret lest he should incurre the brand of treason rendred himselfe to Earle Warren sent into Scotland with an Army who committed him prisoner to the Castle of Rokâ—burrow for a Rebell where he was detained William of Neubery records Thaâ— David King of Scots was divinely chastised by one Wimundus an English man of obscure parents made Bishop of the Scottish Islands who waxing proud of his Bishopricke began to attempt great matters Not content with the dignity of his Episcopall Office he did now in
Peeâ—es of the Realme since hee proved another manner of man then hee looked to have found him the King having prepared a Royall Hoast and mighty Navie to revenge his forraine losses and wrongs on the Freâ—â—h King Hubert the Arch-Bishop who conâ—ederated with the Pope and French King against his Soveâ—aigne came with sundry others to Portesmouth to the King and â—â—â—ly forbids the King to proceed in the Voyage in trâ—th for feare hee should hinder King Philip from ayding the Pope against Otho the Emperour Whereupon the King dismâ—â—â—â—d his Forces Hubert being the instrument that so resolute Projects so inestimable Charges so necessary an Action of the Kings fell suddenly to the ground whereby besides the selfe-mischiefe which therewith fell on the King many fresh grudgings accrued unto him for suffering himselfe to bee thus violently repulsed from so behoofefull a purpose The King the next day checking himselfe for over-prizing the command of any man above the value of his Kingly Honour and Estate resolved to collect his disparkled Troupes and to put forth to Sea To which end taking order with his Nobles to follow him they gave him leave with a small company to waâ—t up and downe two dayes in expectance of their attendance till seeing them more obsequious â—o Huberâ—s command than his the Arch-Bishop also sending his inhibition after them on the Sea to stop their passage with the King hee was forced to come againe to Land The King hereupon put many of his Earles Barons Knights and Clergie-men to a grievous pecuniary Redemption for thus refusing to follow him for recovering his Inheritance The Arch Bishop though their Ring-leader might well have beene exempted from this Judgement by his passage to an higher dying the same weeke either of Griefe or of a Feaver which killed him in foure dayes But the King forthwith in person going to Canterbury seized upon all his Wealth and Possessions shewing himselfe right joyâ—ull that now hee was rid of him whom men suspected of too familiar practising with the French King saying Hee was never a King till now by reason of Huberts too presumptuous daring to crosse his Royall Resolutions as of late hee did This Hubert being Chiefe Justice and Archâ—Bishop in Richard the first his timâ— Anno 1198 the Monkes of Christsâ— Church in Canterbury exhibited this Complaint against him to Pope Innocent That their Arch-Bishop Hubert contrary to his Order and Dignity exercised the Office of High Iustice and saâ—e in Iudgement of Blood being so encumbred in Temporall matters that he could not â—ave time to discharge his Office touching Spirituall Causeâ— Whereupon the Pope sent to King Richard admonishing him not to suffer the sayd Arch Bishop to be any longer troubled with Temporall Affaires but to discharge him thereof and not to admit any Spirituall person from thenceforth unto any Temporall administration He further prohibited by vertue of their obedience all manner of Prelaâ—es and men of the Church that they should not presume rashly to take upon them any manner of Secular Function or Office Whereupon the Arch-Bishop was discharged of his Office of Chiefe Justice and Geffrey Fitz-Peter succeeded in government of the Realme in his stead Afterwards this Arch-Prelate being made Lord Chancellor of England by King Iohn Anno. 1199. and uttering some words unadvisedly that shewed how hee inwardly rejoyced at the Kings favour towards him in the gift of this Office and so gloried in the Honour whereto hee was preferred which he would never have done if he had weighed of worldly pompe as by his Profession hee ought and as one asketh the question in the same case Dic mihi nunquid Corporibus prosunt Certe nil dic Animabus Tantundem c. The Lord Bardolfe sayd unto him yet not so soâ—tly in his eare but that some over-heard it My Lord to speake and not offend you surely if you well consider the Honour and Dignity of your Calling you would not willingly yeeld to suffer this yoake of Bondage to be layd upon your shoulders For we have oftentimes heard of a Câ—ancellour made an Arch-Bishop as was Thomas Becket who upon his instalment in the Sea of Canterbury immediately resigned his Lord Chancelours Office sending his great Seale to the King then in Normandy with a Letter wherein he certified him That hee could not serve the Church and the Court both at once and that this moved him to resigne his Chancelourship as incompatible wiâ—h his Arch-Bishopricke but wee never heard of an Arch-Bishop made a Chancelour till now Such an unseemely and unlawfull thing was it then reputed for Bishops to intermeddle with Temporall Offices and Affaires which are incompatible with their Spirituall Function and are seldome managed by them but to the great oppression the ruin of the People and State Hubert being dead the Monkes of Canterbury secretly at midnight elected Reginald their Sub-prior for his Successour taking an Oath of him not to make his Election knowne to any till he came to the Popes presence whither he was advised to post with all speed The Oath hee violates as soone as ever he had crossed the Sea bearing himselfe every where as Lord Elect shewing withall the testimoniall of his Election to divers which so incensed his Brethren the Electors against him as they presently resolved to become suiters to the King â—or pardon of their fault in chusing him without his license and also that hee would permit them to make a new Election supposing the old frustrate by the Elects perjury They did so and obtained their request the rather because they made shew of readinesse in satisfying the Kings desire who wished them to elect Iohn Gray Bishop of Norwich him they sent for in all haste to Canterbuâ—y where they solâ—mnly elected him for their Arch-Bishop publishing his Election in the Church before the King and an infinite number of people placing him in the Bishops Chaire The King putting him in possession of his temporalties â—orth-with These two Elections being presented to the Pope hee adjudged them both voyd and making use of the Monkes debate â—he greater part being then at Rome some of them avouching their first Election as good others importunately seeking to have the latter confirmed he secretly practised with them and at last perswaded them to elect Stephen Langhton an English man and Cardinall of Rome of singular gifts and Learning which done the Pope with his owne hands gave him Consecration at Viturbium and well knowing how haynoâ—sly the King would take the matter he writ Letters unto him sweetned with many intreaties large praises of the new Arch-Bishop and seasoned now and then with some touches of doubtfull threatning if hee should oppose himselfe against that was then done This notwithstanding the King in great indignation as hee had just cause banished and drove out all the Monkes of Canterbury by force who were entertained in forraigne Monasteries seized upon all their goods lands and
forbad Stephen Langhton entrance into the Realme The Pope hearing this sends his Mandates unto William Bishop of London Eustace Bishop of Ely and Mauger Bishop of Worcester wherein hee willed them first to admonish and perswade the King to restore the Monkes their goods and place and to give the Arch-Bishop possession of his Temporalties by a day then if he refused so to doe to interdict the whole Realme They durst not but obey and finding the King resolute in his determination at the time appointed they published the Popes Interdiction interdicting the whole Realme And as well foreseeing the ensuing trouble to come as their present danger got them out of the Land together with Ioceline Bishop of Bath and Giles of Hereford The King immediately seized all their Goods and Temporalties into his hands and moreover banished all the friends and Kinsfolks of these Bishops that were likely to yeeld them any comfort or reliefe During the time of this Interdict all Divine Service ceased throughout the Realme Gods Service giving place to the Popes pride and malice except onely Baptisme of Children Auâ—icular Confession and the Administration of the Sacrament unto such as lay upon the point of death The Pope seeing this Curse prevailed not at the instigation of the Arch Bishop and other Prelates proceeded to a particular Excommunication of the King and not long after deprived him by a Judiciall sentence of his Crowne Kingdome and all Regall authority a thing till that time in no age ever heard of For the better executing which sentence he writes to Philip the French King to expell King Iohn out of his Kingdome promising him remission of all his sinnes and giving the Kingdome of England to him and his successors for this his good service and withall sends â—orth his Bulls to the Nobles Knights and Souldiers in divers Countries that they should signe themselves with the signe of the Crosse to cast the King of England out of his Throne and revenge the injury of the Universall Church by ayding King Philip in this Catholike Warre promising them all as large and ample indulgences in all things as those enjoyed who visited the Lords Sepulcher at Hierusalem whereupon the French King prepared a great Armie both by Sea and Land to expulse King Iohn who made himselfe so strong by Sea and Land in a short time that he had farre more Ships and Land-Souldiers than Philip which Pandolfe the Popes Legate perceiving and doubting of the successe willingly repaires into England tells King Iohn in what danger he and his whole kingdome were how much Christian blood he was like to cause to bee spiltâ— to prevent all which inconveniences hee counsels him to resigne his Crowne and Kingdome to the Pope and then to receive it from him againe which he yeelded to at last See now to what extremities this poore King was brought by these rebellious and traytorly Prelates meanes who refused to appeare before him when he sent for them his whole Land was under Interdiction and so remained for 5. whole yeares like an Heathenish Nation without the celebration of Divine Service and Sacraments Iohn himselfe was by Name Excommunicated and had so remained for divers yeares All his Subjects were released freed a Regis fidelitate subjectione from owing either fidelity or subjection to him yea they were forbidden and that under paine of Excommuniâ—ation so much as to company or converse with him either at Table or aâ— Councell or in speech and conference Further yet Iohn was deposed from his Kingdome and that judicially being in the Romane Court deprived of all right to his Kingdome and judicially condemned and that sentence of his deposition and deprivation was solemnly denounced and promulgated before the French King Clergie and people of France Neither onely was Iohn thus deposed but his Kingdome also given away by the Pope and that even to his most mortall enemie for the Pope to bring his sentence to execution writ unto Philip the French King perswading yea enjoyning him to undertake that labouâ— of dethrâ—ning Iohn actually as judicially hee was before and expelling him from the Kingdome promising him not onely remission of all his sinnes but that hee and his Heires â—hould for ever have the Kingdome of England withall the Pope writ Letters to all Nobles Souldiers and Warriors in divers Countries to signe themselves with the â—rosse and to assist Philip for the dejection of Iohn Philip was not a little glad of such an offer bâ—â— hereupon gathered Forces and all things fit for such an expedition expending in that preparation no lesse than 60. thousand pounds all these things being notified to King Iohn did not a little daunt him and though he was too insensible of the impendent calamities yet to strike a greater terrour into his amazed heart and make a more dreadfull impression in his minde of the dangers which now were ready to faâ—l on his head Pandolph was sent from the Pope unto him to negociate about the resigning of his Kingdome to which if hee would consent he should finde favour protection and deliverance at the Popes hands Pandulf by a crafty kinde of Romish Oratory at his comming to the King expressed yea painted out in most lively colours all the difficulties and dangers to which the King was subject the losse of his Crowne the losse of his honour the losse of his life that there was no other way in the world to escape them but by protection under the Popes wings Iohn seeing dangers to hang over him on every side by the French abroad by the Barons at home and being dejected and utterly dismayed and confounded with the ponderation of them resolved for saving his life to lose his liberty and honour and to save his Kingdome from his open Adversary to â—ose it and give it quite away to his secret but worst enemie that hee had and to take an Oath of sealty to the Pope recorded in Holinshed p. 178. doing herein as if one for feare of being slaine in the open field should kill himselfe in his owne chamber It was not piety but extreame misery nor devotion but feare onely and despaire that caused and even â—orced Iohn against his will being then drowned in despaire to resigne his Crowne and to make two severall grants thereof to the Pope The first Charter was made to Pandulph the Popes Legaâ—e on the 15. day of May in the 14. yeare of King Iohns raigne the Copie whereof is set downe in Matthew Paris Matthew Westminster The second Charter was made to Nicholâ—s Bishop of Tusculum the Popes Legaâ—e for the Popes use in Saint Pauls Church in London the 3. of October in the 15. yeare of King Iohn An. Dom. 1213. agreeing verbatim with the former differing onely from it in this that the first was sealed with Wax the second with Gold which severall Grants were so detestable to the whole
further revenge whereas Simon Langthon his brother by his procurement had beene elected to the Sea of Yorke a strange example to have an whole Kingdome ruled by two Brethren of so turbulent humors the Pope not onely did cassate his Election but likewise made him uncapable of any Episcopall Dignity placing in that Sea Walter Gray a trustie â—riend to the King and a professed enemie to the Langhtons whose Pall cost him no lesse than a thousand pound King Iohn having thus procured all his Barons to be excommunicated and the City of London siding with them to be interdicted and the Arch-Bishops suspension to be confirmed the Barons and Arch-Bishop held these Censures in such high contempt that they decreed neither themselves nor the Citizens should observe them nor the Prelates denounce them alledging that they were procured upon false suggestions and that the Pope had no power in Secular matters from Christ but onely in Spirituall and that Prelates had nothing at all to doe with Warres and thereupon sent for Lewis the Dolphin of France to receive the Crowne of England Who not so voyd of Ambition as to lose a Crown for want of fetching was not long behind landing here in England in despight of the Popes inhibition and threats of Excommunication to hinder him with a great Army and Fleete of sixe hundred Boates. After which he repaires to Lâ—ndon electing Simon Langhton for his Chancelor the Arch-Bishops Brother the Arch-bishop being the chiefe man in this Rebellion and Treaâ—on against King Iohn by whose Counsell and Preaching the Citizens of London and Barons though all excommunicated by the Pope did celebrate Divine Service and drew on Lewis to doe the like King Iohn levying a great Armie and hasting to give Battaile to those Rebels and Enemies comming to Swinshed Abbey was poysoned in a Chalice by a Monke of that House who went to the Abbor and shrived himselfe telling him how he intended to give the King such a Drinke that all England should be glad and joyfull thereof at which the Abbot wept for joy and praysed God for the Monkes constancie who being absolved before-hand by the Abbot tooke the Cup of Poyson and therewith poysoned both the King and himselfe to doe the Arch-Bishops and Prelates a favour since this King could not abide the pride and pretended authority of the Clergie when they went about to wrest out of his hands the Prerogative of his Princely Government He dying Henry his young Son was received to the Kingdome Lewis forsaken the Barons absolved by the Pope and Clergie-men too after a composion payd by them After this Stephen Langhton enshrines his Predecessor Becket as great a Traytor as himselfe in a very sumptuous Shrine the King and greatest part of the Nobility of the Realme being present at the solemnity which done this Arch-Traytor after he had endeavoured to raise a new Warre betweene the King and the Nobles dyed himselfe Iuly 9. 1228. To obscure whose Treasons and Rebellions our Monkes who writ the Histories of those times have raised up many slanders and lyes of this poysoned King Iohn to his great defamation Richard Wethershed the very next Arch-Bishop withstood King Henry the 3. who in Parliament demanded Escuage of those who held any Baronies of him maintaining that the Clergie ought not to be subject unto the judgement of Laymen though all the Laitie and other of the Spiritualty consented to the King After this hee had a great controversie with Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent concerning some Lands of the Earle of Gloucester the profits whereof the Arch-Bishop challenged as due unto him in the minority of the sayd Earle The Arch-Bishop complained of the pretended wrong to the King with whom Hubert was very gracious for the good service he had done him in defending Dover Castle against the French and finding no remedy answerable to his minde at the Kings hands who answered him truely That the Lands were held of him in capite and so the wardship of them belonged to himselfe not to the Arch-Bishop hee thereupon excommunicated all the Authors of this his supposed injury the King onely excepted and then gat him to Rome the common Sanctuary and receptacle for all Rebellious Traytorly Prelates this being the first Excommunication that was pronounced against any man for invading the Temporalties of the Church The King hereupon sends divers to Rome to stop the Arch-bishops proceedings and defend his Royall Prerogative The Pope notwithstanding delighted much with the eloquence gravity and excellent behaviour of the Arch-Bishop granted presently all his demands even in prejudice of the Kings Crowne and Right Little joy had he of his Victory for being but three dayes in his way homeward he fell sicke at Saint Gemma and dyed In this Bishops time the Italians had gotten many Benefices in England who being much spited at certaine mad fellowes tooke upon them to thresh out their Corne every where and give it unto the poore as also to rob and spoyle them of their money and other goods after which the Italians were not so eager upon English Benefices Saint Edmund Arch-Bishop of Canteâ—bury had many bickerings with King Henry the third hee was baptized in the same Font that Thomas Becket his Predecessour was and somewhat participated of his disposition Being consecrated Arch-Bishop he presently fell into the Kings displeasure by opposing himselfe against the marriage of Elianor the Kings Sister with Simon Mounâ—fort Earle of Leicester because upon the death of the Earle Marshall her first Husband she had vowed Chastitie to have which vow dispensed withall the King procured the Pope to send Otto his Legate into England betweene whom and the Arch-Bishop there were many quarrels This Arch-Prelate refused to appeare upon summons before the King went to Rome where he made many complaints not onely against Otto but against the King himselfe â—or certaine injuries received at his hands yet with ill successe and was foiled in two severall suites both with the Monkes of Rochester and the Earle of Arundel to whom he was condemned in a thousand Markes to his great disgrace and impoverishing Hee Excommunicated the Monkes of Canterbury for chusing a Prior without his consent The Popes Legate absolving them for money hâ— excommunicated them afresh and interdicted their Church till Otto decided the Controversie which Otto excommunicated Fredericke the Emperour first in the Monastery of Saint Albanes and then publickly in Pauls Church and collected infinite summes of money here in England to maintaine the Popes warres against him which the Emperour tooke very ill at the Kings hands This Arch-Bishop for a great summe of money obtained a Grant fâ—om the Pope in derogation of the Kings Supremacie that if any Bishopricke continued voyd by the space of sixe moneths it should bee lawfull for the Arch-Bishop to conferre it on whom he list which the King procured the Pope immediately to revoke Polichronicon writes that hee called
defiled and infected the whole Priest-hood and Clergy of England with his pride exercised an unheard of Tyranny over the people being now deprehended by the King in his wickednesse terrified and dejected with the guilt of his sinne and feare of punishment lay now prostrate on the ground before the King offered him his Pall and subâ—iâ—ted his person and goods to his mercy To whom the King gave this answer I will not punish thee my selfe leâ—t I should seeme rather to have respect to my owne Revenge though most just then to thy Order And although thou art altogether unworthy of thy Order and my Grace yet I will referre the matter to thy fellow Bishops and the Pope of Rome that thou mayest be tryed by thy Peeres lest thou shouldest thinke me an unjust Judge though the Conusans of Treason the highest Crime in a Sâ—bject belongs without doubt to my Tribunall not to theirs Moreover added the King I have knowne thy hatred and malice towards me not onely in the greatest things but even in the smallest and in matters of least moment in which by thy authority thou hast over-much abused my patience depriving my Clerkes in thy visitation notwithstanding my Letters to the contrary and their just appeales both which thou hast contemned together with my Royall Authority The Arch-Bishop troubled and confounded in minde at these things craved a Blessing from the King who replyed That his Blessing would rather become him then his the Arch Bishop The King hereupon complaines of him to the Pope That he had troubled the peaceable and safe estate of the Kingdome in his absence and stirred up the Nobles to a Rebellion and Conspiracy against him c. And notwithstanding his submission cited him to appeare at Rome banished him the Realme seized upon all his goods moveable and unmoveable forbidding all his Subjects under a great paine to foster him Yet the Monkes of Canterbury secretly harboured him for a time furnished him with necessaries and conveyed him beyond the Seas Which the King afterwards understanding seized on all their Goods and Lands banished them the Monastery turning fourescore Monkes a begging forbidding any to harbour them and kept them in that miserable estate till afterwards he was pleased upon their submission to restore them After which the Bishop of Winchester interceded to the King for this Arch Traytor calling him his Lord with which the King being greatly offended put this Bishop out of his protection and confiscated his goods because he acknowledged another then the King to be his lord even such a one who being guilty of Treason manifest contempt against the King had lost the very right of a Subject in his Kingdome While the Arch-Bishop was thus in exile before any hearing of this Cause at Rome the King deceaseth who as Holinshed writes was an earnest enemie of the high and presumptuous insolencie of Priests which he judged to proceede chiefely of too much Wealth and Riches and therefore hee devised to establish the Statute of Mortmain to be a bridle to their inordinate lusts and riotous excesse which Statute they laboured to repeale and purchase out by giving large Subsidies to that end His Sonne Edward the second succeeding him out of an over-indulgent pitty calls home this Arch-Traytor by his Letter writes to the Pope to discontinue his Fathers Suite against him and to send him over with all speed to Crowne him Who glad with the newes and unable to make haste home as was requisite by reason of his crazie body sent a Commission to the King with the names of three Bishops in it giving him liberty to elect which of the three he desired to Crowne him in his behalfe who made choyse of the Bishop of Winchester who set the Crowne on his head The King upon the Arch-Bishops returne restored him all his goods and every penny received of his Temporalties during his two yeares exile a good reward for a Traytor whereby he became the richest Arch-Bishop of many before and after him He was no sooner come home but a new danger encountred him by his owne wonted boldnesse The King by the counsell of Piers Gaveston had committed the Bishop of Coventry to Ward at York A Convocation shortly after being assembled the Arch-Bishop would not suffer any matter to be debated in the House till the Bishop were set at liberty which the King was contented to beare withall at that time This Bishop saith Matthew his Successour though he were reported to be a stout Governour of the English Church and a Defender of its Rites yet he was too excessive in this and ever opposite to the King attributing that to the Pope with whom he was most strictly linked which he derogated from the King seeking not so much the Liberties of the Realme as the encrease of the Popes power and deminishing the Kings Authority that he might transferre it to the Pope He was a great enemie to Prohibitions labouring the advancement of the Ecclesiasticall Courts Jurisdiction and the eclipsing of the Authority and Jurisdiction of the Kings Courts He was the Author of Articuli Cleri and Walter Raynolds his Successour procurer of the Kings answere to them in Parliament Which Articles though they bee commonly taken for a Statute yet in truth they are none but a meere Answere of the King in Parliament to Articles exhibited to him by the Clergie made by the advice of his Councell but not of the Commons and whole Parliament and a particular Grant of the King onely not of the Parliament as appeares by the severall Answeres to each of those Articles but especially to the last Finally he ever sided with the Pope for the Liberties of the Church and with the Barons also against the King He opposed himselfe against Piers Gaveston the Spensers and other Favouriâ—es and Corruptors of the young King very boldly and enforced Iohn Warren Earle of Surrey to forsweare the Company of a certaine beautifull Harlot with the love of whom hee was greatly bewitched And afterwards when notwithstanding his Oath he returned to her company and got Children upon her hee accused him to the Convocation both of Adultery and Perjury and aâ— last made him to leave her Hee excommunicated Walter Bishop of Coventry for revolâ—ing from him and the Clergie and adhering to Piers Gaveston who appealed unto the Pope and was by him absolved Which last Acts of his are commendable though they proceeded rather from the stournesse and haughtinesse of his Spirit then the Pietie of his Heart How ever his former are most execrable Walter Raynolds his next Successor advanced and preferred onely by King Edward the Second to that Sea when the King after the Barons Warres ended had done execution upon divers of the Noblâ—s that had rebâ—lled Adam Tarltâ—n Bishop of Hereford by the Kings direction in a Parliament holden at London Anno Dom. 1324. was apprehended and brought to the Baâ—â—â— to be arraigned for the like faults
in a Synod at London under him Anno Dom. 1487. certaine Preachers were sharpely reproved and threatâ—ed who in their Sermons cum plausu populari eloquentia canina latranâ— immodestius in Episcopos absentes did with popular applause aâ—d doggish eloquence barke immodestly againâ—â— Bâ—shops that were absent In the latter end of this Arch-Bishop Mortons rule one Patricke an Auguâ—â—ine Fryer had a Scholar called Ralph Wilford whom â—e in open Pulpit declaâ—ed to be the Earle of Warwicke and desired all men of helpe but the head of this sedition was Sommer topped that it could have no time to spring any higher the Master and Scholler being both apprehended imprisoned and attainâ—ed the Scholler was afterwards hanged but the Master the Grand Traytor onely condemned to perpetuall Prison For at that time writes Hall here in England so much Reverence was attributed to the Holy Orders that to a Pâ—iest although hee had committed High Treason against his Soveraigne Lord and to all other offenders in murder rape or theft which had received any of the three higher Holy Orders the life was given and the punishment of death released The chiefe cause of this favour saith he was this because Bishops of a long time did not take knowledge nor intermit themselves with the search and punishment of such heynous and detesâ—able offences by reason whereof they did not disgrade and deprive from holy Orders suâ—h Malefactors and wicked persons which without that ceremony by the Canonicall Law could not bee put to death Furthermore what should a man say it was also used that hee that could but onely reade though he understood not what he read how heynous or detestable crime soever hee had committed Treason onely excepted should likewise as affâ—nes and allies to the holy Orders be saved and committed to the Bishops prison And to the intent that if they should escape and be againe taken committing the like offence that their lives should be no more to them pardoned it was ordained that Murtheâ—ers should bee burnt on the brawne of the left hand with an hot Iron signed with this letter M and theeves in the same place with this letter T so that ifâ— they once signed with any of these markes did reiterate like crime againe they should suffer the punishments they had deserved which devise was enacted and established in Parliament in the fourth yeare of H. the 7. and taken as I conjecture from the French Nation which are wonâ— if they take any such offender to cut off one of his eares as a sure marke hereafter of hâ—s evill doing And the charge of keeping such offenders because it soundeth to spirituall Religion is committed to the Bishops and Rulers of the spiritualty with a penalty set upon them if any such Prisoner doe afterwards escape The which Act and priviledge did nourish and increase abundantly the Sect and swarme of Theeves and Murtherers for after that time there were an hundred wayes practised and invented how at one time or other to deliver or convey them out of prison by making their purgation by what sleight meanes they care not of such offences as before they were convicted and found guilty if no man be present to lay exceptions to the same For if the party offended and hurt be absent at the day of the purgation making the theefe or murtherer truely found guilty from the beginning shall be both excused and set at liberty And oftentimes the sooner because the Bishop would not lose the sum of an hundred pound for the escape of a poore Knave scant worth a dandy prat so Hall whose words I have recited to manifest what favorers and Protectors our Bishops have beene of Traytors and Malefactors in all ages especially of those of their owne Tribe who by meanes of their Orders Sanctuaries Purgations and other pretended exemptions and devises were seldome brought to execution for their most horrid Treasons which made them the more bold and insolent to commit them And for my part I deeme it true both in Law and conscience that the Patrons Receivers and Resâ—ners of Traytors and other Malefactors as our Prelates have ever beene are as bad nay worse than the Traytors and Malefactors themselves and worthy more severe punishment than they But it is time to conclude with this Arch-Bishop Henry Deane who next injoyed this See was â—ormerly made Chancellour of Ireland by King Henry the seventh where hee played the Warriour and drave Perkin Warberke thence forcing him to fly into Scotland after this being made Bishop of Bangor he had many great suites and â—ontests with divers about the Lands won or taken from his See And among other particulars pretending the Island of Seales betweene Holy-head and Anglesy to be unjustly detained from his Church by the possessers thereof they refusing to give him possession the Bishop thereupon brings a great power of armed men and a Navie thither and drives out the Inhabitants thence by force annexing it to his See This Prelate being afterward Translated to Salisbury and from thence to Canterbury the Pope sent him a Pall by Adrian of Castello Secretary to his holinesse upon the receite whereof he tooke this Solemne Oath to the Pope as his Predecessors and other Bishops formerly used yet practised in foâ—â—aine parts which made him a Traytor or halfe subject onely to his King I Henry Archbishop of Canterbury from this houre forward shall be faithfull and obedient to S. Peter and to the holy Church of Rome and to my Lord the Pope and his Successors Canonically entring I shall not be of Councell nor consent that they shall lose either life or member or shall be taken or suffer any violence or any wrong by any meanes Their Councell to me crediâ—ed by them their Messengers or Letters I shall not willingly discover to any person The Pope-dome of Rome the Rules of the Holy Fathers and the Regalities of S. Pâ—teâ— I shall helpe and retaine and defend against all men The Legate of the See Apostolicke going and comming I shall honourably entreate The Rights Honours Priviledges Authorities of the Church of Rome and of the Pope and his Successours I shall cause to be conserved defended augmented and promoted I shall not be in Councell Treaty or any Act in the which any thing shall be imagined against him or the Church of Rome their Rights States Honours or powers and if I know any such to be moved or compassed I shall resist it to my power and as soone as I can I shall advertise him or such as may give him knowledge The Rules of the Holy Fathers the Deâ—rees Ordinances Sentences Dispositions Reseâ—vations Provisions and Commandements Apostolike to my power I shall keepe and cause to be kept of others Heretickes Schismatickes and Rebels to our holy Father and his Successours I shall resist and perseâ—ute to my power I shall come to the Synod when I am called except I be letted by a Canonicall
odious the King suspicious the enemies eager the friends saint which were sufficient grounds to overthrow an innocent person the Earle was reprived to the Tower whither on a night suddenly came a Mandate to the Lieutenant from the Cardinall to execute Kildare on the morrow before any judgement given and without the kings privitie who being acquainted by the Lieutenant therewith at midnight the king controlling the sawcinesse of the Priest delivered the Lieutenant his Signet in token of countermand which when the Cardinall had seene he began to breath out unseasonable Language which the Lieutenant was loth to heare and so left him pattering and chanting the Devils Pater noster Hee oppressed and and disquietted the whole Realme and Christian world all his time endeavoured to set up the Popes power all hee might with prejudice to the kings aspiring to the Papacie himselfe and sending much mony to Rome to bribe the Cardinals to elect him though hee failed in that project Hee was so proud that hee had divers Lords Earles and Knights attending on himâ— and was served on the knee when hee went Embassadour into Germany Hee was exceeding treacherous false and perfidious to the King who trusted him with the government of the Realme seeking onely his owne ends and advancements Hee caused him to breake off his firme League with the Emperour and to make wâ—rre upon him and side with France stirring up likewise the French King against the Emperour onely to wrecke his private spleene upon him denouncing warres against him by an Herauld without the Kings knowledge Hee set England France Germany Flanders and Italy together by the eares Hee bare such a hand upon the controversies which ran betweene the King the Emperour the King of France and other Princes as all the world might acknowledge the resolution and expectation of all affaires to depend on him and his authoritie Hee exceedingly abused and deluded the King about the matter of his Divorce which himselfe first put him upon to spite the Emperour delaying him from time to time to his no small cost and vexation and writing likewise secret Letters to Pope Clement to hinder the Divorce all hee might which Letters an English Gentleman then at Rome got into his hands by meanes of one of the Popes Concubines The Queene most grievously accused Cardinall Wolsie in the presence of the whole Court of untruth deceit wickednesse and malice which had sowne dissention betwixt her and her husband the King and therefore openly protested that shee did utterly abhorre refuse and forsake such a Judge as was not onely a most malicious enemie to her but also a manifest adversary to all Right and Justice Hee did many things when he was Embassadour without the Kings privitie and held correspondencie with his enemies Mr. Tyndall who notably descries and layes open his treacheries writes That he calculated the Kings Nativitie which is a common Practise of Prelates in all Lands whereby hee saw whereunto the Kings Grace should be enclined all his Life and what should bee like to chance him at all times and as he then heard â—t spoken of divers hee made by craft of Necromancie graven imagery to beare upon him wherewith hee bewitched the Kings minde and the King to doat upon himâ— more then ever he did on any Lady or Gentlewoman a tricke of the Devils suggestion usuall among Court Prelates and Priests so that now the Kings Grace followed him as he followed the King And then what he said that was wisdome what he praised that was honourable onely Moreover in the meane time hee spied out the natures and dispositions of the Kings play-fellowes and of all that were great and whom hee spied meet for his purpose him hee flattered and him hee made faithfull with great promises and to him hee sware and of him hee tooke an oath againe that the one should helpe the other for without a secret Oath hee admitted no man unto any part of his privities And ever as he grew in promotions and dignitie so gathered he unto him of the most subtile witted and of them that were drunke in the deâ—ire of honour most like unto himselfe And after they were sworne hee promoted themâ— and with great promises made them in falsehood faithfull and of them ever presented unto the kings Grace and put them into his service sayingâ— this is a man meet for your Grace And by these spies if any thing were spoken or done in Court against the Cardinall of that hee had word within an houre or two And then came the Cardinall to Court with all his Magicke to pleade to the conâ—rary If any in the Court had spoken against the Cardinall and the same not great in the kings favour the Cardinall bade him walke a Villaine and thrust him out of the Court head-long If hee were in conceit with the kings Grace then hee flattered and perswaded and corrupted some with gifts and sent some Embassadours and some hee made Captaine at Calice Hammes Gynes Iarnsie and Gernsie or sent them to Ireland or into the North and so occupied them till the king had forgot them or other were in their roomes or hee sped what hee intended And in like manner plaid hâ—e with the Ladies and Gentlewoman whosoever of them was great with her was hee familiar and to her gave hee gifts Yea and where Saint Thomas of Canterbury was wont to come after Thomas Cardinall went oft before preventing his Prince and perverted the order of that holy man If any were subtile witted and meet for his purpose her made he sworn O trechery to betray the Queene likewise and to tell what shee said or did I knew one that departed the Court for no other cause then that shee would no longer betray her Mistresse And after the same example hee furnished the Court with Chaplaines of his owne sworne Disciples and Children of his owne bringing up to bee alwayes present and to dispute of vanities and to water whatsoever the Cardinall had planted If among those Cormorants any yet began to bee much in favour with the King and to bee somewhat busie in the Court and to draw any other way then as my Lord Cardinall had appointed that the Plough should goe anone hee was sent to Italy or to Spaine or some quarrell was picked against him and so was thrust out of the Court as Stokesley was Hee promoted the Bishop of Lincolne that now is his most faithfulâ— Friend and Old Companion and made him Confessour to whom of whatsoever the Kings Grace shrove himselfe thinke ye not that hee spake so loud that the Cardinall heard it and not unright for as Gods Creatures ought to obey God and serve his honour so ought the Popes creatures to obey the Pope and serve his Majestie Finally Thomas Wolsie became what hee would even partner of Heaven so that no man could enter into promotion but through him Being thus advanced hee begins to act his part like a
of Woborne in Bedfordshire Adam Sudbury Abbot of Germany with Astbeed a Monke of that House the Abbot of Sawly in Lanâ—ashâ—re and the Prior of the same William Wâ—ld Prior of Birlingtoâ— the Parson of Padington 5. priests of Lincolnshire Doctor Markerell who stiled himselfe Captaine Cobler and Iohn Allen Priests the chiefe fire-brands in this Rebellion were hanged for Rebellion as they well deserved though they named their enterprise an holy blessed Pilgrimage and had certaine Banners in the field wherein was planted Christ hanging on the Crosse on the one side and a Chalice with a painted Cake in it on the other side For other Arch-Bishops since I finde not much concerning them onely I reade that Robert Holgate his next Successour was committed prisoner to the Tower in the first yeare of Queene Mary where he lay an yeare and halfe and that Edwin Sands another of his Successours was long impriâ—oned by Queene Mary he being Vice-chancellour of Cambridge when the Lady Iane was proclaimed Queeneâ— preached a Sermon upon that ocâ—â—sion which was like to cost him his life Samuel Harsnet the last Archbish. but one being made a Privie Councellour by our present Soverâ—igne King Charles was such a furious Hildebrand that like Davus in the Comedie he perturbed all things where ever he came insomuch that the Lords and Court growing wearie of him and his domineering outrage caused him to be sent from Court to his Arch-Bishopricke and there to keepe residence till he should be sent for Where having no other imployment hee falls by the eares with Doctor Howson Bishop of Durham whom he excommunicated for refusing to admit him to visit in his Diocesse as his Metropolitane he being a Count Palatine in his Bishopricke and withall falling to persecute the godly Ministers of his Diocesse he was smitten mortally with a dangerous disease whereof he died the very night before he resolved to suspend and silence some good men summoned to appeare before him the next morning This furious Arch-Prelate was such an enemie to the Lawes and Liberties of the subject that in the case of Mr. Walter Long censured in Star-chamber about 4. Caroli for comming up to the Parliament House whereof he was a member whilâ—s he was Sheriffe of Wiltshire contrary to his Oath as was pretended when as his Counsell produced divers ancient Records and Presidents touching the Priviledges of Parliaments and the members of it to exempt him from the Jurisdiction and sentence of that Court this Arch-Bishop checked his counsell for troubling them with Moth-Eaten Records saying That they sate there not to be guided by Presidents but to make Presidents and so proceeded to censure in the cause In a word I may conclud of himâ— as Saint Bernard long before did of one of his predecessors Nonne Eboracensis ipse est cui te praesâ—nte fratres tui restiterunt in faciem eo quod reprehensibilis erat sed speravit in multitudine divitiarum suarum praevaluâ—t in vanitate sua Certâ—m est tamen quod non intravit per ostium in ouile ovium sed ascendit aliunde Si Paston fuiâ—set diligendus erat si mercenarius tolerandus Nunc autem cavendus et repellendus utpote fur latro Richard Neale the last Arch-bishop of York before his comming to that See about the 13 yeare of King Iames not long after hee was created a Bishop was highly questioned in Parliment for seditious speeches against the Commons House for which he had suffered condigne punishment had he not beene an active instrument to dissolve that Parliament to avoid the censure of it Since that he had a hand in dissolving other Parliaments to the prejudice of the King and Kingdome In the Remonstrance of the Commons House of Parliament presented to King Charles our Soveraigne in the 3. yeare of his Raigne hee was by name complained against as one of the chiefe heads of the popish and Arminian Factions which disquietted both our Church and State and as a persecuter of good Ministers and suppressour of Lectures How many godly Ministers he prosecuted silenced suspended deprived both in the High Commission and all the Diocesse under his Jurisdiction whiles hee continued in favour at the Court is so well knowne to all that I need not relate it And his disfavour at Court as most conjecture was the cause of his unexpected Clemencie to the Ministers of the province of York some few years before his death He was the first advancer of William Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury of Doctor Cousins with sundry other Incendiaries and Innovators both in Church and State who were entertained by him for his Chaplainesâ— and then promoted by his meanesâ— to the ruine almost of our Religion and Kingdome He was a great enemy to Parliaments Prohibitions the Liberties of the Subject and Lawes of the Land Hee seldome or never preached himselfe and therefore could not endure frequent preaching in others Hee was a great furtherer of the Booke for sports on the Lords day and an enemy to puritie Puritans and the sincere practise of pietie Hee had a hand in ratifying the late Canons and Oath in affront of his Majesties Prerogative the Parliament Lawes and Liberties of the Subject And no doubt he had a finger in the late Scottish Warres and Combustions whereupon hee burnt all his Letters concerning Church and State-affaires as soone as he heard the Scots had entred into England for feare they should have beene surprized and his fellow-Prelates machinations against the Scots by their surprisall discovered He had a chiefe hand and influence in the unjust and bloudy sentences against Dr. Layton and Mr. Pryn in the Star-chamber against Mr. Smartâ— Dr. Bastwicke Mr. Huntly and sundry others in the High Comission in the vexatious and most exorbitant proceedings against Calvin Bruen Peter Lee Mr. Inch and sundry others of Chester for visiting M. Pryn in his passage through that Citie towards Castleâ— and by 2. Orders under the high Commission Seale of Yorke signed with his owne and other Commissioners hands bearing date the 10. Novem. and 4. Decem. 1637. commanded 5. Pictures of the Portraiture of M. Pryn to be defaced and then burnt at the high Crosse in Chester before the Maior Alderman and Citizensâ— out of an hatred to Mr. Prynnes person which no doubt hee would have burned to as well as his picture had it bin in his power This Arch-Prelate by the aide of his quondam Chaplain Canterbury incroached much on the liberties of the Lord Maior and Citizens of Yorke with whom he had many contests and procured a Mandate to the Lord Maior not to carry his sword before him within the Close and Cathedrall at Yorke though his Predecessours had ever used to do it from K. Richard the 2. his daies who gave them this priviledge by a Charter and yet the Deane and Prebends of Yorke in the meane have intruded themselves contrary to divers Charters into the civill Government
unduly and against reason by the commandement of the said Lord of VVinchester and afterward in approving of the said refusall he received the said VVoodvile and cherished him against the State and worship of the King and of the said Lord of Glocester Secondly The said Lord of Winchester without the advise and assent of the said Lord of Glocester or of the Kings Councell purposed and disposed him to set hand on the Kings person and to have removed him from Eltham the place that he was in to Windsor to the intent to put him in governance as he list Thirdly that where the said Lord of Glocester to whom of all persons thaâ— should be in the Land by the way of Nature and birth it belongeth to see the governance of the Kings person informed of the said undue purpose of the said Lord of Winchester declared in the Article next above said and in setting thereof determining to have gone to Eltham unto the King to have provided as the cause required and the said Lord of Winchester untruely and against the Kings peace to the intent to trouble the said Lord of Glocester going to the Kingâ— purposing his death in case that he had gone that way set men of armes and Archers at the end of London bridge next Southwâ—rke and in forbearing of the Kings high way let draw the chaine of the stoopes there and set up pipes and hurdles in manner and former of Bulworkes and set mâ—n in cellers and windowes with Bowes and Arrowesâ— and other weapons to the intent to bring finall destruction to the said Lord of Glocesters person as well as of those that then should come with him Fourthly The said Lord of Glocester saithâ— and affirmeth that our soveraigne Lord his Brother that was King Henry the fift told him on a time when our Soveraigne Lord being Prince was lodged in the Pallace of Westminster in the great Chamber by the noyse of a Spaniell there was on a night a man spied and taken behind a carpet of the said Chamber the which man was delivered to the Earle of Arundell to be examined upon the cause of his being there at that time the which so examined at that time confessed that he was there by the stirring and procuring of the said Lord of Winchester ordained to have slaine the said Prince there in his bed wherefore the said Earle of Arundell let sacke him forthwith and drownes him in the Thames Fiftly Our Soveraigne Lord that was King Henry the fifth said unto the said Lord of Glocester that his Father King Henry the fourth livingâ— and visited then greatly with sicknesse by the hand of God the said Lord of Winchester said unto the King Henry the fifth being then Prince that the King his Father so visited with sicknesse was not personable and therefore not disposed to come in conversation and governance of the people and for so much councelled him to take the governance and Crowne of this Land upon him Such a loyall Prelate was he To these Articles the Archbishop gave in his answer in writing too tedious to recite whereupon the Lords in Parliament tooke an Oath to be indifferent umpiers betweene the Bishop and Duke and at lastâ— with much adoe made a finall accord and decree betweene them recorded at large by Hall and Holinshed wherâ—by they both were reconciled for a season But in the yeare 1427. the Bishop passing the sea into France received the habit hat and dignity of a Cardinall with all ceremonies to it appertaining which promotion the late King right deepely piercing into the unrestrainable ambitions mind of the man which even from his youth was ever wont to checke for the highest and also right well ascertained with what intollerable pride his head should soone be swollâ—n under such a hat did therefore all his life long kepe this Prelate backe from that presumptuous estate But now the King being young and the Regent his friend hee obtained his purpose to the impoverishiâ—g of the spiritualitie of this Realme For by a Bull Legantine which he purchased from Rome he gathered so much treasure that no man in manner had money but he so that hee was called the rich Cardinall of Wincester Afterwards An. 1429. the Pope unleagated him and set another in his place to his great discontent Anno. 1441. the flames of contention brake out afresh betweene the said Duke and the Cardinall for after his former reconciliation to the Duke he and the Archbishop of Yorke Iohn Kerap ceased not to doe many things without the consent of the King or Duke being during the minority of the King Governour and Protector of the Realme whereat the Duke as good cause he had was greatly offended and there upon declared to King Henry the â—ixth in writing wherein the Cardinall and the Archbishop had offended both his Majesty and the Lawes of the Realme This complaint of the Duke was contained in twentie foure Articles which chiefely rested in that the Cardinall had from time to time through his ambitious desire to surmount all other in high degree of honor sought to enrich himself to the great and notorious hinderance of the King as in defrauding him not onely of his treasure but also in doing practising things prejudiciall to his affaires in France and namely by setting at liberty the King of Scots upon so easie conditions as the Kings Majesty greatly lost therehy as in particulars thus followethâ— and out of the Dukes owne coppie regestred by Hall and Holinshed 1. These be in part the points and Articles which I Humphrey Duke of Gloster for my truth and acquitall said late I would give in writing my right doubted Lord unto your Highnes advertising your Excellence of such things as in part have bin done in your tender age in derogation of your noble estate and hurt of both your Realmes and yet be done and used dayly 2. First the Cardinall then being Bishop of Winchester him took upon the state of Cardinall which was naied and denaied him by the King of most noble memory my Lord your Father saying that he had as lefe set his Crowne beside him as to see him weare a Cardinalls Hat he being a Cardinall for he knew full well the pride and ambition that was in his person then being but a Bishop should have so greatly extolled him into more intollerable pride when that he were a Cardinall and also he though it against his freedome of the chiefe Church of this Realme which that he worshipped as duly as ever did Prince that blessed be his soule And howbeit that my said Lord your Father would have had certaine Clarkes of this Land Cardinalls and to have no Bishopricks in England yet his intent was never to doe so great dâ—rogation to the Church of Canterbury as to make them that were his suffragans to sit above their Ordinary and Metropolitan But the cause was that in generall and in all matters which might concerne the weale
loose your Jewels in my truth and in mine acquitall as it seemes to me I may not nor ought not counsell so great an hurt to you and to all your Land 21. Item It is not unknowne to you my right doubted Lord how oftentimes I have offered my service to and for the defence of your Realme of France and Dutchy oâ— Normandy where I have beene put there from by the labour of the Lord Cardinall in preferring others after his singular affection which hath caused a great part of the said Dutchy of Normandy as well as of the Realme of France to be lost as it is well knowne and what good my right doubted Lord was lost on that army that was last sent thither which the Earle of Mortaigne your Counsell of France hath well and clearly declared to your Highnesse here before 22. Item My right doubted Lord it is not unknowneâ— that it had not beene possible to the said Cardinall to have come to his great riches but by such meanes for of his Church it might not rise and inheritance he had none Wherefore my right doubted Lord sith there is great good behoofe at this time for the weale and safegard of your Realmes the poverty necessity and indigence of your leige people in highnesse understand like it unto your noble grace to consider the said lucre of the said Cardinall and the great deceipts that you be deceived in by the labour of him and of the Archbishop as well in this your Realme as in the Realme of France and Dutchy of Normandy where neither office livelihood nor Captaine may be had withouâ— too great good given unto him whereby a great part of all the losse that is lost they have beene the causers of for who that would give most his was the prise not considering the merrits service nor sufficiency of persons Furthermore it is greatly to be considered how when the said Cardinall had forfeited all his goods because of provision as the Statute thereupon more plainely declareth by having the rule of you my right doubted Lordâ— purchased himselfe in great defraudation of your Highnesse a Charter of pardon the which good and it had beene well governed might many yeares have sustained your warres without any tâ—lage of your poore people 23. Iâ—em my redoubted Lord whereas I wrote many things for the weale of you and of your Realmesâ— peradventure some wil say and understandâ— that I would or have written by way of accusement of all your Counsell which God knoweth I doe not for your Highnesse may well see that I name them that be causâ—rs of the sâ—id inordinate rule Wherefore considering that the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke are they that pretend the governance of you and of your Realmes and Lordshipsâ— please iâ— unto your Highnâ—sse of your right wisenesse to estrâ—nge them of your Counsell to that intent that men may be at their freedome to say what they thinke of truth 24. For truth I dare speake of my truth the poore dare not doe so And if the Cardinall and the Archbishop of Yorke may afterward declare themselves of that is and shall be said of them you my most doubted Lord may then restore them againe to your Counsell at your noble pleasure When the King had heard the accusations thus laid by the Duke of Glocester against the Cardinall he committed the examination thereof to his Counsell whereof the more part were spirituall persons so that what for feare and what for favour the matter was winked at and nothing said to it onely faire countenance was made to the Duke as though no malice had beene conceived against him but venome will breake out and inward grudge will soone appeare which was this yeare to all men apparant for divers secret attempts were advanced forward this season against this Noble man Humfry Duke of Glocester a farre off which in conclusion came so neare that they bereft him both of life and land For this proud covetous Prelate setting the Queene against this good Duke at a Parliament at Berry caused him there to be arrested and murthered by meanes of whose death all France was shortly after lost the Kingdome involved in a bloody civill warre I shall close up the History of this proud Prelate with old Father Latimers words concerning him in a Sermon before King Edward the sixth There was a Bishop of Winchester in King Henry the sixth dayes which King was but a child but yet were there many good Acts made in his childhood and I doe not reade that they were broken This Bishop was a great man borne and did beare such a stroake that he was able to shoulder the Lord Protector Well it chanced that the Lord Protector and he fell out and the Bishop would beare nothing at all with him but played the Sacrapha so the Regent of France was faine to be sent for from beyond the seas to set them at one and goe betweene them for the Bishop was as able and ready to buckle with the Lord Protector as hee was with him Was not this a good Prelate he should have beene at home Preaching at his Diocesse with a wannion This Protector was so noble and godly a man that he was called of every man the good Duke Humfry he kept such a house as was never since kept in England without any inhaunsing of rents I warrant you or any such matter And the Bishop for standing so stiffely by the matter and bearing up the order of our Mother the holy Church was made a Cardinall at Calis and thither the Bishop of Rome sent him a Cardinals Hat he should have had a Tiburne Tippit a halfe penny halter and all such proud Prelates These Romish Hats never brought good into England Vpon this the Bishop goeth to the Queene Katherine the Kings wife a proud woman and a stout and perswaded her that if the Duke were in such authority still and lived the people would honour him more than the King and the King should not be set by and so betweene them I cannot tell how it came to passe but at S. Edmundsberry in a Parliament the good Duke Humfry was smothered To leave this Cardinall Ste. Gardiner both Chancellor of England B. of Winchester was the chiefe author of making reviving the bloody Act intitled the 6. Articles by which many of our godly Martyrs suffered the chiefe plotter and contriver of the noble Lord Cromwells death Who could not abide the pride of the Prelates and was attainted by Parliament and never came to his answer He was a great opposer of the reformation of Religion and abuses of the Clergy both in King Henry the eights and King Edwards dayes and stirred up under hand divers Priests Abbots and Monkes to oppose the Kings Supremacie and to rayse up open rebellion in Lincolneshire in the North Cornewall and other places in maintenance of Popery for which Treasons and Rebellions Exmew Middlemore
him more than a King and the Clergy men more than a Pope but both of them an intollerable tyrant For by occasion of his double power hee put on a double tyrants person being onely innoxious to his complices and co-operators but equally grievous to all others not onely in his greedy desire of monies but likewise in his pleasure of domineering his pride being more than Kinglyâ— almost in all things Hee carrying himselfe above himselfe consumed much Treasure in walling about the Tower of London which he thought to have compassed with the Thames Et regem de magna parte pecuniae multipliciter damnificauit and many wayes damnified the King in mispending a great part of his money Therefore in the end he was precipitated from the top to the bottome of confusion He set over every Province rather to be destroyed than governed most wicked executioners of his covetousnes who would neither spare Clergy man nor Lay man nor Monke whereby they might the more advance the profit of the Chancellour for so was he called when as he was a Bishop the name verily of a Bishop being nothing at all or Lukewarme in him but the name of a Chancellor was famous and terrible throughout all England Hee appointed the Governours of every county under pretence of suppressing theeves to have great troopes of cruell and barbarous armed persons to ride with them every where to terrifie the people who going abroad in every place without punishment comitted both many enormities and cruelties Hoveden 〈◊〉 and Holinshed note that the King confirming this Bishop Chancellor and Lord chiefe Iustice of all England and the Bishop of Durham to be Lord chiefe Iustice from Trent Northwards when they were thus advanced to these dignities howsoever they came by them directly or indirectly that immediatly thereupon strife and discord did arise betwixt them for waxing proud and insolent they disdained each other contending which of them should beare most rule and authority insomuch that whatsoever seemed good to the one the other misliked The like hereof is noted before betweene the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke For the nature of ambition is to delight in singularity to admit no Peere to give placâ— to no superiour to acknowledge no equall as appeares by this proud Prelate Who afterward depriving Hugh of Durham of all his honour and dignity and putting the Bishop of Winchester to great trouble and doubting least the Nobles of the Realme should put him out of his place who detested him for his pride and insolencie he thereupon matched divers of his Kinswomen to them to make them true unto him promising them great preferments the rest of the Nobility hee either crushed or otherwise appeased fearing none but Iohn the Kings brother who was like to succeede him to curbe him hee sent his two brothers to the King of Scots to joyne in a firme league with him to crowne Arthur King and not Iohn in Case the King died without issue These â—everall particulars insolencies and oppressions being related to the King Wintring in Sicily he thereupon sent Walâ—er Archbishop of Rhoan a prudent and modest man with a Commission to be joyned with this Bishop in the government of the Kingdome and that nothing should be done without his consent sending Hugh Bardulfe Bishop of Durham with him to governe the Province of Yorke where the Bishops brother played Rex in a barbarous manner granting him likewise the custody of the Castle of Windsor Hugh meeting with the Bishop at the towne of Ely shewed him the Kings Letters to this purpose to which he answered that the Kings commandement should be done and so brought him with him to Euwell where he tooke him and kept him fast till hee was forced to surrender to him the Castle of Windsor and what else the King had committed to his custody and moreover was constrained to leave Henry de Putâ—nco his ownâ— sonne and Gilbert Lege for hostages of his fidelity to be true to the King and the Realme The Bishop hereupon contemned this command of the King pretending that hee knew his minde very well and that this Commission was fraudulently procured and when the Archbishop of Rhoan according to the Kings direction went to Canterbury to order that See being void this proud Chancellor aspiring to the prerogative of this See prohibited him to doe it threatning that he should dearely pay for this his presumption if he attempted to goe thither or doe any thing in that businesse so that this Archbishop continued idle in England But the Chancellor impatient of any collegue in the Kingdomes government like a â—inguler wilde beast preyed upon the Kingdome Whereupon he sends for a power from beyond the sea puts Gerardus de Cammilla from the government of Lincolne Castle his wives inheritanceâ— and commands him to resigne it into his hands he refusing to doe it repaiâ—es to Iohn the Kings brother for aide and assistance whereupon the Bishop in a rage presently goes and besiegeth the Casâ—le and seekes to force it Iohn in the meane time takes Notingham and Tikehill and sends to the Bishop to give over his siege who losing one of his hornes or hands his spirituall Legantine power by the Popes death and a little affrighted therewith by the advice of his friends he comes to a parly with Iohn and made his peace with him for the present upon the best termes and conditions hee could But hearing shortly after that the forraigne forces he had sent for to ayd him were arrived he takes courage and falls off from his Covenants protesting that he would drive Iohn or Iohn should drive him out of the Kingdome intimateing that one Kingdome was to little to containe two such great and swelling persons At last they come to new Articles of agreement soone after which Geoffery Plantagenet Archbishop of Yorke the Kings and Iohns base brother procured his consecration from the Archbishop of Towres which the Chancellour hindred and delayed all he might The Chancellour his bitter enemy and prosecutor hearing of it presently â—ends his owne Officers to Yorke invades and spoiles all the possessions of the Bishopprickâ— and what ever belonged thereto and commands all the Ports to be stopped to hinder his landing and accesse to his Church writing this Letter to the Sheriffe of Kent We command you that if the Elect of Yorke shall arrive in any Port or Haven within your Baylywicke or any Messenger of his that you cause him to be arrested and kept till you have commandement from us therein And we command you likewise to stay attach and keepe all Letters that come from the Pope or any other great man He notwithstanding arrives at Dover but found a greater storme on shore than at sea for the Captaine of Dover Castle who had married a Kinswoman of the Chancellors hindred his progresse and certified the Chancellour of his landing withall speede who no wayes dissembling the rage of his fierce minde commanded him to be stript of
a Towne called Tapsham and punishing him grieviously compelled him to eate with his teeth and swallow downe a Parchment Citation wax and allâ— written and sealed with the Archbishops sealâ— which he carried in his bosome wherewith to cite the Bishop Of which misdemeanor the Archbishop complaining to the King hee commanded William Courtney Earle of Devonshire to curbe these Rebells and to apprehend and carry them to the Archbishop who enjoyned them pennance and withall removed William Byd a Dr. of Law and Advocate of the Court of Arches from his Order and place because hee had given counsell to the Bishop of Exeter against the dignity of the See of Canterbury and thereupon prescribed a set forme of Oath to all the Advocates of that Court not to give any advice to any person against that See The Bishop of Exeter after much contention finding the Archbishop too potent for him and that his appeales were like to succeede but ill by reason the King favoured the Archbishop submitted himselfe to the Archbishops Iurisdiction and craved pardon for what was past In Edmund Lacyes time the 21. Bishop of this See there arose great contentions betweene him and the city for Liberties which by arbitrement were compounded After which Anno. 1451. King Henry the sixth came in progresse to the city of Exeter where after great entertainment there was a Sessions kept before the Duke of Sommerset and certaine men condemned to die for Treason and had judgement to be executed to death Edmond Lacy and his Clergy understanding hereof with open mouthâ— complained to the King that he caused a Sessions to be kept within his Sanctuary contrary to the priviledge of his Church and that therefore all their doings being done against Law were of no effect And notwithstanding the King and his Councell had discoursed to them the just and orderly proceeding the hainousnesse of the offences and of the offenders and the necessitie of their condigne punishment yet all could not availe for holy Church for neither holy Church nor the Sanctuary might be prophaned as they said with the deciding of temporall matters whereupon the King in the end yeelding to their exclaimes released a coupple of arrant Trayâ—ors reversed all his former lawfull proceedings and so departed and returned to London his Lawes and Justice being thus captivated to this Prelates will and trayterly encrochments upon his Prerogative so farre as even to exempe and rescuee notorious condemned Traytors from his Justice and condemnation even after judgement of death pronounced against them George Nevill the 23. Bishop of Exeter afterwards Archbishop of Yorke March the 4. 1460. after a solemne procession preached at Pauls Crosse where hee tooke upon him by manifold evidence to prove the Title of Prince Edward afterwards Edward the fourth to the Crowne to be just and lawfull answering all objeâ—tions that might be made to the contrary whereupon the â—aid Prince accompanied with the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and a great number of the common people rode the same day to Westminister Hall and there by the consent approbation of them all tooke possession of the Kingdome against King Henry the sixth who made him Bishop See more of him in Yorke part 1. p. 196.197 The Rebellion in Cornewall and Devonshire in Edward the sixe his raigne was imputed to Iohn Voysey Bishop of Exeter and other Priests who thereupon resigned his Bishoppricke into King Edwards hands having much wasted and impoverished it before Godwin writes of him That hee was Lord President of Wales and had the government of the Kings onely daughter the Lady Mary who afterwards proved a bloody persecuter by the Prelates cruell instigation tutership and evill counsell when she came to the Crowne Of all the Bishops of the Land he was accounted the best Courtier being better liked for his Courtly behaviour than his learning which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the utter ruine and spoyle of the Churâ—h For of 22. Lordships and Mannors which his Predecessors had left unto him of a goodly yearely revenew he left but three and them also leased out and where hee found thirteene houses well furnished too much for one Prelate he left onely one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundry fees and anuities So as by these meanes this Bishopprickeâ— which sometime was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest Iames Turbevill the 32. Bishop of this See was deprived in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeh for denying the Queenes Supremacy and refusing to take the Oaâ—h of Allegiance William Cotton the 37th Bishop of Exeter was a great persecuter and silencer of godly Ministers in his Diocesse and so was Bishop Cary after him for a season but at last both of them being mollified with gifts and gratuities became more milde selling that liberty of preaching for money which they formerly restrained gratis of purpose to advance this sale to an higher price so as may apply that of Bernard to them Episcopi hujus temporis Christi approbria sputa flagella claues lancem crucem mortem haec omnia in fornace avaritiae conflant profligant in acquisitionem turpis quaestus Et praecium vniversitatis suo marsupio includere festinant hoc solo sanâ— a Iuda Ischariota differentes quod ille horura omnium denariorum emolumentum denariorum numero coâ—pensavit isti voraâ—iori ingluvie lucrorum infinitas exigunt â—pâ—cunias his insatiabili desiderio inhiant pro his ne amittant timent cura amittunt dolent Animarum nec casus reputatur nec salus For the present Bishop of this See a man formerly much honored and deservedly respected both for his Writing and Preaching before he became a Bishop he hath much degenerated and lost himselfe of late not onely by his too much worldlinesse but by his over-confident defence of Episcopacy to be Iure Divino in some late Bookes he hath published and that upon such weake sandy grounds as vanish into smoake when seriously examined I read that Osbertus the second and William Warewest the third Bishop of this See became blinde in their latter dayes I wish this reverent Prelate may not doe the like who doth already Caecutire through the splendor of that Episcopall Lordly pompe and honour which some feare hath dazled his eye-sight I come now to Worceter The Bishops of Worceter Dunstan the sixteenth Bishop of Worceter afterwards of Canterbury put King Edgar to seven yeares penance for ravishing Wildfrid and kept him some twelve or fourteene yeares from the Crowne Which fact of Dunstans Mr. Fox thus expresseth you heard before how King Edgar is noted in all Stories to be an incontinent liver in deflouring Maids and Virgins three notoriously are expressed in Authors to wit Vlstride or Vlfride the second was the Dukes maide at Andever neere to Winchester the third
like the Ninivites they replied neither of these shall be because neither shall they repent neither shall God have mercy on them And I demanding when remission of so great calamities might be expected To this they answered concerning this it shall be so as in case of a greene tree if it be cut in the midest and the part 〈◊〉 off be carried farre from the Trunke when that without any helpe shall be reannexed to the Trunke and begin to flourish and bring forth fruit then a remission of such evills may be hoped for The truth of which prophesie writes Matthew Wstminster the English soone after had experience of in this that England became the habitation of strangers and the dominion of forreiners for a little after no English man was either a Duke Bishop or Abbot upon the comming in of the Conqueror neither was there any hope of ending this misery The Conqueror comming to the Crown had some contests with this Bishop whom he would have removed from his Bishoppricke for insufficiency in point of learning but being found more able than he was reputed he held his Bishoppricke and recovered some Lands from the Archbishop of Yorke taken by the Archbishops from this See which some three or foure Archbishops before had held in Commendam with Yorke The Cathedrall of Worceter being stately built a new from the ground in his time the Monkes thereupon forsaking their old habitation built by Oswald which they pulled downe betooke themselves to this new stately building Which Wulstan seeing burst out into teares and being demanded a reason thereof by some that told him he had rather cause to rejoyce our predecessors saith he whose Monuments wee deface rather I doubt to set up the banners of our vaine-glory than to glorifie God they indeede quoth he were not acquainted with such stately buildings but every place was a Church sufficient for them to offer themselves a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice unto God we contrariwise are double diligent in laying heapes of stones so to frame a materiall Temple but are too too negligent in setting forward the building of that lively Temple the Church oâ— God In King William Rufus time this Bishop arming such an number of people as the city of Worceter could afford caused to sally out and set upon Roger Earle of Mountgomery and others who attempted to take it whom they discomfited killing and taking a number of them prisoners Maugere the 36. Bishop of Worceter was one of those foure Bishops who Anno. 1208. upon the Popes command excommunicated King Iohn and put the whole Kingdome under interdict whereupon his goods and temporalities were seised and he inforced to flie the Realme dying at last in exile at Pontiniac in â—rance during the time of this interdict the King writes Matthew Parts had most wicked Councellors Qui Regi in omnibns placere cupientes cousiliura non pro ratione sed pro voluntare dederunt who dâ—sirous to please the King in all things gave counsell not according to reason but will among these he reckons up Tres Episcopi curiales three Court Bishops to wit Philip Bishop of Durham Peter Bishop of Wincester and Iohn Bishop of Norwhich Walter de Cantelupo the 40. Bishop of Worceter as he stoutly opposed the Popes exactions in England so in the yeare 1264. he tooke great paines to worke a peace betweene the King and the Barons in whose behalfe when he had offered the King conditions as he thought most reasonable which might not be accepted he addicted himselfe unto their party exhorted them to fight valiantly in the cause and promised heaven very confidently to them that should die in defence of the same For this he was after justly excommunicated by the Popes Legate and being sicke unto death repenting much this fault of disobedience unto his Prince he humbly craved and received absolution from that excommunication whereupon ensued bloody warres and rapines soâ— as Matthew Paris writes Nec Episcopi nec ahbates nec ulli religiosi de villa in villam progredâ— potuerunt quin à vespilionibus praedaâ—ontur And concludes this yeare thus Transâ—it annus iste frugifer benè temperatus sanusâ— sed in cunctis eventibus Angliae dispendiosus propter bellum commune propter rerum coramunium privatarum flebilem direptionem Most of the succeeding Bishops of Worceter as Adam de Orleton that Arch-traytor and such like were translated to other Sees where I shall meete with them and therefore pretermiting them here I passe to those of Hereford The Bishops of Hereford Iune 16. An. 1056. Griffin King of Wales having overthrowne the forces of the Engishmen about two miles from Hereford immediatly assaulting the city tooke it slew Leovegar the Bishop and seven of the Canons there who denied him entrance into the Church and held it against him spoiled it of all the reliques and ornaments that were portable and lastly fired both Church City and all This See continued voyd foure yeares after the death of Leofuegar after which Walter Chaplaine to Queene Edith was consecrate at Rome by the Pope in the yeare 1060. his end was much more unhappy than his Predecessors He chanced to fall in love with a certaine comely woman that he met in the street A long time he contended with this vile and unseemely affection and he thought hee had quenched the same when a small occasion renewed it to his destruction having certaine linnen to cut out this woman was commended to him for a very cunning Seamster He sent for her and his old flame of filthy desire easily kindling by this little sparke he found errands to send his men out of the way while he set upon her first with words and they not prevailing by force she resisted what shee might but finding him too strong for her thrust her Sheeres into his belly and gave him his deaths wound The King being desirous it should be esteemed false forbid the report of it by a Proclamation which afterwards came to be Chronicled Raynelmus the 30 Bishop of this Diocesse received that Bishoppricke at the hands of King Henry the first who bestowed it freely on him and was invested into it as the manner of those times was by the delivery of the Ring and the Crosier Anselme then Archbishop refused to consecrate him and divers others who received their investitures in this manner from the King he was so farre from importuning him in this matter as being now perswaded this his election to be insufficient he renounced the same delivering againe unto the Kings hands the Ring Crosier that he had received Herewith the King was so offended as he had cause that presently he banished him the Realme after much ado betweene the King and Anselme a reconciliation was wrought and this man consecrated Gyles de Bruse the 30. Bishop of Hereford in the Barons warres was a great stickler wjth them against
As Matth. Westminster and others report King Ethelrede beâ—ieged Godwin the 27. Bishop of Rochester in his owne City a long time and being warned by Saint Dunstane he should take heed least he provoked against him Saint Andrew Patron of that Church yet he would not depart thence till he had wrung from the Bishop 100. l. Dunstan wondring thereat sent this message to the King Because thou hast preferred silver before God mony before an Apostle and covetousnesse before me violent mischiefes shall come upon thee which the Lord hath spoken Yet for all this he continued his siege and would not depart thence without the Bishops submission and unlesse he would likewise pay him an hundred pounds Gilbert de Glanuyll was consecrated Bishop of this See Septem 29. 1185. Betweene this man â—nd his Monkes of Roâ—hester was long and continuall debate by occasion whereof he tooke away from them all their moveable goods all the ornaments of their Church their writings and evidences yea and a great part of their Lands Possessions and Priviledges wanting mony to follow their suits against him they were forced to coyne the silver of Saint Paulines shryne into mony These controversies were ended no otherwise then by his death which happened Iune 24. 1214. But their hatred against him was so farre from dying with him as they would afford him no manner of obsequies but buried him most obscurely or rather basely without either ringing singing or any other manner of solemnity Laurentius de Sancto Martino the 41. Bishop of this See got a dispensatâ—on from the Pope to hold all his forâ—er â—iâ—â—ings in â—ommendam with this Bishopricke And yet alledging that his Bishoprickeâ— was the poorest of Eâ—gland much meaner then Carlile and therefore his living yet unable to maintaine the poâ—t of a Bishop he never ceased till he had extorted from the Clergy of his Dioâ—es a grant of a fâ—ft part of all their Spirituall livings for five yeares and appropriated unto his See for ever the Parsonage of â—riendsbury â—oniface the Archbishop of Canterbury used this man hardly invading his possessions and violenâ—ly taking from him without all right divers things of old belonging â—o his Bishopricke Hee complained unto the King â—nto whose Qâ—eene Boniface was Uncle The King answered him in plaine 〈◊〉 â—e â—new â—e should offend his wife much if â—e should become a flickler betweene them wishing him to seeke some other remedy and if by importunity he inforced him to interpose his authority he should doe him more hurt then good which Matth. â—aris thus expresseth Diebus sab â—isdem Aâ—chiâ—piscopus Cantuariensis Boniâ—acius Ecclesiam Roffensem prâ—grâ—vâ—nâ— ejusque invadens possessiones tâ—ntam de facto suo â—oâ—am incurriâ— vitupeâ—i uâ— Ecclesia câ—â—â—â— esse debet defensâ—v per eum dicatur vâ—xari Episâ—opus autem Roffensis cum Domino Regi â—uâ—us â—ltori lachrymabiliâ—â—r super tanta injuria conquerereâ—ur Rex demisso vulturâ— spondit Non possum eum â—â—ectere ad juâ—titiam vel humilitatem â—e ipsum tam generosum genus suum â—à m magnificâ—m praecipue Reginam offenâ—aâ— vel contristem Hereupon he sought unto the Pope but he was so neere a neighboâ—r to the Dâ—ke of Savâ—y the Archbishops Brother as perceiving quickly little good was to be done there he was faine to take patience for an amends and so sit him downe yet at last he obtained a citation from the Pope against the Archbishop which Matthew Paris thus expresseth Interim Episcopus Roffensis qui intâ—llerabilâ—s ab Archiâ—piscopo Cantuarienâ—i injurias sustinuerat querimonias lachâ—yâ—abiles coram tota curia Romana reposuit repositas continuâ—vit Cumque causa sua cond gâ—am expostulâ—ssâ—t ultionem culpa enim gravis extitit post multâ—s admonitiones tandem ad Regem factas qui dicto Archiepiscopo cornua praestitit auâ—aciâ—â— delinquendi merâ—itidem Archiepiscopus citari ut peâ—sonaliter â—ompareret coram Papa de â—ibi â—bâ—iciendis responsurusâ— de illatis injuriis damnis sâ—tisfactâ—râ—s Iohn Fisher the 65. Bishop of Rochester was grievously questioned in Parliament in King Henry 8. his dayes by the house of Commons for saying that all their doings were for lack of faith Of which you may see more in Canterbury Part. 1. p. 12â— 126 after which he gave credit and countenance to the forgâ—d visions and Revelations of â—lizabeth Barton tending to the reproach perill and destruction of the Kings person honour fame and dignity for whicsh he with others was afterwards condemned of high treason and executedâ— Not long after this Bishop for denying to acknowledge the Kings Supremacy in Ecclesiasticall matters was arraigned and condemned for high Treason and executed on Tower Hill Iune 22. 1535. being made Cardinall about a month before His head was set on London Bridge and his body buried in Churchyardâ— He was a great perâ—ecutor of Gods faithfull ministers servants Gospell and had this deserved reward of his disloyalty both to God and his Soveraigne Not to mention all the late Bishops of this See many of whom were notorious in their generations Doctor Bols the last but one was a very active talkative man in the high Commission till he wearied most of his Colleagues there who commanded him to his Bishoprick where he was very iâ—dustrious in setting up popish ceremonies Innovations and in promoting the Booke of â—ports in the Lords day breathing out nothing but threats and suspensions against those ministers who out of conscience refused to publish â—t in proper person in their Churches whom he intending to suspend and silence in his visitation it pleased God as he was riding towards it to silence them that himselfe was suddenly surprised with a dead palsie which made him speechles for a long season by means whereof the ministers escaped for that season and he never able to recover his priâ—tine health dyed no â—ong after leaving a successor behind him who followeth his foot-steps had a vote in compiling of the New Canons and Oath which he inforced and hath beene a great fomenter of the late Scotish warres and differences being now one of those Prelates impeached in Parliament by the Commons But of those Prelates enough I must now turne about my rudder and take a short survey of our Wâ—lch Bishops beginning with those of Saint Davids once the Metropoliâ—anes of all that Country and of some of our English Bishops too Saint Davids GVido de Mona the 62 Bishop of Saint Davids appointed Treasurer by Richard the 2. in the 21. yeare of his raigne revolting to Henry the fourth from his old Master was made his Treasurer likewise in the 4. yeare of his raigne but continued fo a very short time This Bishop saith Walsingham while he lived was a cause of much mischiefe to the Realme as others of his successors have beene whom I pretermit Landaffe OVdotius the third Bishop of Landaffe Anno 560. assembled a Synod of
King in his owne Cathedrall Church and ransomed for 200. hawkes after this dying he was buried not in the Church-yard but in the market place of Shrewsbury by his owne appointment Richard the 10. Bishop of Bangor excommunicated David ap Lhewelin Prince of Wales for that contrary to his Oâ—th he took his Brother Gryffith prisoner who was content upon the Bishops word to goe to his Brother and when he saw that course would not reforme him he never lin complaining first to the King of England then to the Pope that he so incensed them as the one excommunicated him the other made warre upon him untill he delivered his said Brother into the Kings hands who caused him to be kept in the Tower of London till he endeavoring there to escape by misfortune brake his necke The Prince hereupon so wasted the Bishopricke that in the yeare 1248. this Bishop and the Bishop of Saint Asaph were forced to beg their bread Whereupon this Bishop came to the Abbot of Saint Albanes desiring that the Bosome of Mercy might be opened unto his poverty and he abiding there untill his Bishopricke wasted and spoiled with continuall warre should recover some better estate might together with his Chaplaine there breath and rest themselves from those calamities wherewith they had beene long afflicted in like sort as heretofore the Bishop of Hereford had done who was honorably entertained there almost the space of twenty yeares Richard Young the 22. Bishop of Bangor for some contempt and disobedience against the King and confederating as is likely with that Rebell Owen Glendor was imprisoned two or three yeares till the Pope Anno 1404. translated him to Rochester by his Bull. Lewis the 23. Bishop of Bangor Anno. 1408. joyned with the Earle of Northumberland the Lord Bardolfe and others in open Rebellion against King Henry the fourth The Earle was slaine in battell in the field the Lord Bardolfe mortally wounded and their heads set upon London Bridge The Bishop was likewise taken prisoner in the battell but obtained pardon from the King because he had no Armes upon him when he was taken though the incendiary of the other two and as great a Traytor as they but the Abbot of Hayles was hanged because hee had borne Armes in that Rebellion So happy are Traytorly and Rebellious Bishops as to scape scot free in their Treasons and Rebellions when all other sorts of men have execution done upon them Arthur Bulkly Bishop of Bangor and Iohn Lewis Vicar of Llain-geynwina were attainted in a Praemunire at the prosecution of William Whorewood the Kings Attorney for suing for the right of Patronage and Tithes of the said Church and for severall summes of money due on bond for Tithes in this Bishops Ecclesiasticall Court which had no cognisance of them being temporall and belonging only to the Kings Civill Courts to the derogation of the imperiall Jurisdiction of the King and his Crowne and subversion of the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme And hereupon judgement was given against them according to the Statute This Bishop sold away five faire Bells out of the Steeple of his Cathedrall Church which maâ—d the Musicke there Should I rip up the scandalous lives and Actions of some of the late Pilates of this See one of whom published The Practise of Piety which some say he never writ though neither he nor any of his successors did ever much practice it in their lives or should I recite the vile complaints of late against one of them in 2 or 3 late Parliaments I should be over tedious and pollute my paper with such beastly actions as would cause chast eyes to blush and turne their aspect from them Wherefore I shall passe them over in silence he being gone to answer them before the supreame tribunall informing you only that he imposed Armies upon his Clergy and provided an Armory for them to be kept in within his Cathedrall at Bangoâ— And so I post on to Assaph Diocesse Saint Assaph IOhn Trevaur Bishop of Saint Assaph pronounced the sentence for deposing King Richard the second in which instrument he is first named as appeares by this ensuing Copy of it In the Name of God Amen We Iohn Bishop of Saint Assaph chosen and deputed speciall Commissaries by the three states of this present Parliament representing the whole body of the Realme for all such mattersâ— by the said estates to us committed Wee understanding and considering the manifold crimes hurts and harmes done by Richard King of England and misgovernance of the same by a long time to the great decay of the said Land and utter ruine of the same shortly to have beene had not the speciall grace of our God thereto put the sooner remedy And also further more adverting that the said King Richard by acknowledging his owne insufficiency hath of his owne meere voluntaâ—y and free will renounced and given over the rule and governance of this Land with all rights and hâ—nours unto the same belonging and utterly for his merits hath judged himselfe not unworthily to be deposed of all Kingly Majesty and Estate Royall We the Premisses well considering by good and diligent deliberation by the power name and authority to us as aforesaid committed pronounce decerâ—e and declare the same King Richard before this to have beene and so to be unprofitable uâ—aâ—le unsuffiâ—ient and unworâ—hy of the Rule and Government of the foresaid Realmes and Lorâ—ships and of all rights and other the appurtenances thereto belonging And fâ—r the same causes wee deâ—rive him of all Kingly dignity and worshâ—p and of all Kingly worship in himselfe And we depose him by our sentence definitive forbidding expresly to all Archbishops and Bishops and all other Prelates Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons and Knights and all other men of the foresaid Kingdome and Lordships Subjects and Leiges whatsoever they be that none of them from this day forward to the foresaid Richard as King and Lord of the foresaid Realmes and Lordships be neither obedient nor attendant Immediatly as this sentence was in this wise passed and that by reason thereof the Realme stood voyd without head or governour for the same The Duke of Lancaster rising from the place where before hee sate and standing where all the house might behold him laid claime to the Crowne to which the Lords assented After which the Archbishop of Canterbury Arundel having notice of the minds of the Lords stood up and asked of the Commons if they would assent to the Lords which in their minds thought the claime of the Duke made to be rightfull and necessary for the wealth of the Realme and them all Whereto the Commons with one voyce cryed Yea yea yea After which answer the said Archbishop going to the Duke and kneeling downe before him on his knees addressed to him all his purpose in a few words which ended he rose and taking the Duke by the right hand
led him unto the Kings Seat the Archbishop of Yorke assisting him and with great reverence set him therein When he was thus placed in his Throne the Archâ— of Canturbury began a briefe Collation taking for his Theame these words written in the first Booke of Kings the ninth Chapter Vir dominabitur in pâ—pulo c. handling the same and the whole tenour of his tale to the praise of the King Thus was this King deprived by the Bishops meanes who were chiefe actors in deposing him and setting up King Henry yet some of them especially Yorke were the authors of that evill counsell which was the cause of his deprivation And no wonder since in his reigne as Holinshed writes such were preferred to Bishopricks and other Ecclesiasticall livings as neither did nor could teach nor preach nor know any thing of the Scripture of God but onely to call for their tythes and duties so as they were most unworthy of the name of Bishops being lewd and most vaine persons disguised in Bishops apparrell Furthermore there reigned abundantly the filthy sinne of Lecheâ—y and Fornication with abominable adultery in the King but chiefly in the Prelacy whereby the whole Realme by such their evill example was so infected that the wrath of God was daily provoked to vengeance for the sinnes of the Prince and people and tooke so sharpe an edge that it shred the King off from the Scepter of his Kingdome and gave him a full cup of affliction to drinke After which this Bishop was sent Ambassador into Spaine to shew the King the rightfulnesse of Henry the fourth his Tiâ—le to the Crown of England and soone after his returne thence Anno 1404. as Thâ—mas Walsingâ—am reports perceiving Owen Glendor that Welch Râ—bell to prosper in his waâ—res against King Heâ—ry the fourth Conversus est in virum pravum factus transfuga ad Owenum hee turned a lewd Traytour and Rebell flying away from the King to Owen What became of him upon Owens defeate I find not Thus this Bâ—shop was a Traytor and Rebell to two severall Kings and which was worst of all to him whose title he thus tooke upon him publikely to defend but a little before Such faith and loyalty is there in lordly Prelates I shall not trouble you any more with our Welch Bishops only let me acquaint you for a farewell that the present Bishops of Asaph Bangor and Landaffe are now complained against in Parliament and impeached by the Commons House for the late Canons Oath malevoleâ—t benevolence and other crimes for which I suppose they will ere long receive their doome The Bishops of Bath and Wels. GISO the fifteenth Bishop of Bath and Wels had many conflicts with Harold before and after hee came to the Crowne so that he was forced to fly the Land all his time Ioseline the one and twentieth Bishop of this See joyned with Stephen Langhton that Arch-rebell against King Iohn and had an hand in interdicting the Realme and excommunicating the King for which he was glad to fly the Land for five yeares the King seizing upon his goods and temporalties whereupon the Monkes and Prelates raised many vile reports of the King which you may reade in Matth. Westminster Robert Stillington the nine and thirtieth Bishop of Bath and Wells though highly advanced by Kâ—ng Edward the fourth sided with that Usurper Richard the third and was a man specially employed in his Coronation hee was a great enemy to King Henry the seventh being sent Embassador to the Duke of Brittaine for apprehending him whiles hee was Earle of Richmond Anno 1487. Hâ—e was accused of high Treason for yeelding assistance to Lambert the counterfeit Earle of Warwicke and some such other treacheries whereupon having a guilty conscience he fled to the Vniversity of Oxford hoping that the priviledges of the same might be some shelter and defence unto him whereof the King having advertisement sent one Edward Willoughby his Chaplaine to the Chancellor of the University to require the Bishop to bee delivered to his Officers as being one to whom the Priviledges of the University could not extend being at the time no Student there so farre at least as to protect him in a matter of Treason unto which no priviledge ought to yeeld any patrociny After two or three refusals at last by the connivence and permission of the Chancellour hee was there arrested and committed prisoner to the Castle of Windsor where hee lay prisoner foure yeares space till his decease 1491. Hadrian de Castello the two and fortieth Bishop of this See though he conspired not against the King yet being at Rome and there made a Cardinall he entred into a conspiracy with Cardinal Alfonso Petruccio and others to murther Pope Leo the tenth out of an ambitious conceit that surely he should be elected Pope iâ— Leo were once dead a Witch having foretold him that a certaine old man named Adrian borne of meane parentage as hee was should be advanced to the Papacy This conspiracy comming to the Popes eares Petruccio was thereupon apprehended and executed The Pope comming into the Consistory promised pardon to all the other Cardinalls who should then and there immediately confesse their faults Hadrian hereupon and some other falling downe on their knees before him acknowledged what they had done and humbly besought him of mercy He promised to bee as good as his word Howbeit Hadrianâ—earing â—earing the worst shortly after stole secretly away and was neither seene or heard of ever afterward and thereupon deprived of his Biâ—hopricke William Barlow the six and fortieth Bishop of Bath and Wells incurred a Praemunire for presuming to visite the Deane and Chapâ—er of Wells being a Donative for which he was glad to buy his peace as appeares by Brooke Praemunire Sect. 21. Guilbert Bourne the seven and fortieth Bishop of Bath and Wells in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth was deprived of his Bishoprick for refusing to subscribe and take the Oath of Alleageance and then committed to the custody of Master Cary Deane of the Queenes Chappell The Bishops since his time I shall pretermit for brevity and descend to William Pierce the present Bishop of this Diocesse This man having been Vicechancellor in the University of Oxford wherein hee was over-busie and turbulent in persecuting good men and in causing Pareus his Commentary on the Romans to be publikely burnt in an ignominious manner was for his good service made Bishop of Peterborough and from thence translated to Bath and Wells where his tyranny oppression impiety and practises have been so excessive that the whole County of Somerset with sundry particular persons both Ministers and people there weary of his insupportable government and vexatious oppressions have exhibited divers Petitions against him to the high Court of Parliament now assembled upon the full hearing whereof before a speciall Committee for that purpose the Committees have drawn up this following
his mind walke in great and wonderfull matters above himselfe having a mouth speaking great things with a most vaine heart In conclusion gathering together Poore and bold men noâ— fearing the judgement of verity he gave out himselfe to be the Sonne of Count Murrey spoyled of the inheritance of his Fathers by the King of Scots that he had an intention noâ— onely to prosecute his right but likewise â—o revenge his wrongs that he desired to have them the Consorts both of his danger and fortuneâ— that iâ— was a businesse verily of some labour and danger but of great reputation and much emolument All of them therefore being animated by and sworne to his words he began cruelly to play Rex through the Neighbour Islands and he was now like Nemroth A mighty hunter before the Lord disdaining according to the duty of his Episcopall Office to be a Fisher of Men like Peter his Millitary troopes encreasing dayly amongst whom he being taller than the rest almost by the head and shoulders like a great Generall inflamed the mindes of all the rest He made excursions into the Provinces of Scotland exterminating all things with rapines and murthers and when as a royall Army was sent against him retyring himselfe into remote Forrests or â—lying backe into the Ocean he eluded all their warlike preparations and the Army retyring hee brake out againe out of his lurking places to infest the Provinces When therefore he prospered in all things and became now terrible even to the King himselfe a certaine Bishop a most simple man miâ—aculously repressed his violence for a time to whom when he denouncing warre threatned utter devastation unlesse he would pay him a tribute He answered The will of the Lord be done for by my example never shall any Bishop be made the tributary to another Bishop Therefore having exhorted his people he meetes him comming with fury onely greater than he in Faith but farre unlike him in other things and for the encouragement of his Souldiers he himselfe giving the first stroke of the battle casting a small Axe at him by Gods good pleasure prostrated the enemy marching in the front With whose fall the people being encouraged rannâ— violently upon the Robbers and slaying a great part of them compelled the most fierce captaine unmanfully to fly This hee himselfe was wont afterwards to relate among his friends with mirth as glorying That onely God could over come him by the Faith of a simple Bishop After this resuming his Forces he wasted the Iâ—lands and Provinces of Scotland as at first Whereupon the King was compelled to appease this Robber to which end using better counsell than formerly he â—esolved to deale wisely with a proud and craâ—ty enemy with whom he could not deale valiantly Therefore granting to him a certaine Province with the monastery of Fornace he suspended his excursions for a time But when as he gloriously passed through the subdued Province like a King with a powerfull army and became exceeding troublesome to the Monastery it selfe of which he had beene a Monke by the consent of the Nobles who hated either his power or his insolence some Inhabitants of the said Province laid waite for him and having gotten a convenient time when as hee followed the multitude he had sent before him to his lodging with a slow pace and a small guard they apprehending him bound him and put out both his eyes because both were wicked and cutting off the cause of a virulent race they gelt him writes my Author for the peace of the Kingdome of Scotland not for the Kingdome of Heaven This Bishop thus emasculated afterwards came to Belleland and there continued quiet many yeares till his death Yet he is reported then to have said that if he had the eye but of a Sparrow his Enemyes should no way insult off their Acts against him So Neubrigensâ—s If all our Lordly Bishops were gelt like this for the peace of the Kingdome both of Scotland and England that we might be no more troubled with this their Lordly virulent generation in â—uture ages I presume it would be as great a blessing as could befall both Kingdomes and Churches About the yeare 1230. the men of Cathnes sore offended with their Bishop named Adam for that upon refusall to pay their Tithes he had accursed and excommunicated them fel upon him within his owne house And first scourging him with Rods at length set fire upon him and burnt him within his owne kitchin Which Act being reported to the Scoâ—tish King Alexander as then sojourning at Edenburgh he hasted forth with all speed to punish the offenders not ceasing till he had taken 400â— of themâ— all which number he caused to be hanged and for that he would have no succession to come of such a wicked seed he appointed all their Sons to lose their stones The place where they were so gelded is called even to this day the Stony-hill The Eaâ—le of Cathnes for that he neither succoured the Bishop in time of need nor yet sought to punish the offenders that did this cruell deed was deprived of his Earledome and the Lands belonging to the same The Pope highly commended King Alexander for this punishment taken of them that had so cruelly murthered their Bishop Thus was one small cruelty occasioned by this Bishops covetousnesse and perversenesse punished with a farre greater yea such a one as is hardly parralleld in story and that by the instigation of the Prelates and Pope who applauded this barbarous cruelty Had all Lordly Traytorly Rebellious and Seditious Prelates beene thus gelded that no succession mighâ— spring from their wicked seed to infest both Chuâ—ch and State it had beene a more profitable and commendable action than the gelding of these poore Laymen King Iames the fourth Anno 1504. when he had formerly ministred justice so amongst his Subjects that they lived in great peace and quietnesse William Elfinstone Bishop of Aberdene one of his Counsell devised wayes to win the King great profit and gaine by calling his Barons and all those that held any Lands within this Realme to shew their evidences by way of recognition and if they had not sufficient writings to shew warrantablâ— by the antecedent Lawes of the Kingdome the Lands should remaine at the Kings pleasure But when the King perceived his people to grudge herewith and not without caâ—se as with a thing devised to disquiet his people and the whole Country of his owne courteous nature he easily agreed with the possessors of such Lands For the which he purchased great love amongst his people and the Bishop the deviser of this Ordinance wanne passing great hatred and malice Anno. 1521. A Parliament was summoned to be kept at Edenburgh the 26. of Ianuary and a generall Sommons of forâ—eiture proclaimed at the Market Crosse in Edenburgh wherein divers were sommoned to make their appearance in the said Parliament to be tryed
devotionem in pluribus est experta ut ad ipsius electionis favorem tanto amplius provocetur ejus reverentiae devotiori affectione subdantur quanto benevolentiae ipsius gratiae pignus se noverint certius assecutos Eâ— propter O charissime in Christo fili reverentiam ac devotionem quam ad Romanam te habuisse a longis retro temporibus Ecclesiam novimus attendentes praesentis scripti pagina duximus statuendum ut Scoticana Ecclesia Apostolicae sedi cujus filia specialis existit nullo mediante debeat subjacere In qua hae sedes Episcopales esse noscuntur Ecclesiae videlicet S. Andreae Glascuensis Dunkeldensis Dumblinensis Brehinensis Aberdonensis Moraviensis Rosensensis Katinensis nemini liceat nisi Romano Pontifici vel legato ab ipsius latere destinato in regnum Scotiae interdicti vel excommunicationis sententiam promulgare si promulgata fuerit decernimus non valere adjicimus ut nulli de caetero qui de regno Scoâ—iae non fuerit nisi quem Apostolica sedes propter hoc de corpore suo specialiter destinaverit licitum sit in eo ligationis officium exercere Prohibemus autem ut controversiae quae fuerint in regno illo de possessionibus ejus exortae ad examen extra regnum positorum judicum non trabantur nisi ad Romanam Ecclesiam fuerit appellatum Si qua vero scripta contra hujus libertatis statuta apparuerint impetrata vel in posterum istius concessionis mentione non habita contigerit impetrari nullum tibi vel ipsi regno circa hujus praerogativae concessionem praejudicium genereturâ— praeterea libertates immunitates tibi vel eidem regno vel Ecclesiis in eo constitutis a praedecessoribus nostris Romanis pontificibus indultas hactenus observatas ratas habemus illibatas futuris temporibus statuimus permanere Nulli ergo hominum liceat paginam nostrae constitutionis prohibitionis infringere vel ei aliquatenus contraire Si quis autem hoc attentare praesumpserit indignationem omnipotentis Dei beatorum Petri Pauli Apostolorum ejus se noverit incursurum Datum Laterani tertia Idus Martii pontificatus nostri anno primo Not long after the same King procured the same Letter verbatim from Pope Coelestine in the first yeare of his Papacy But to returne to our Bishops of this See In the yeare of Grace 1306. Robert de Bruse invader of anothers kingdome and a paricide like Adonias caused himselfe to be Crowned King of Scotland in the Abbey of Schone after the manner of his Country by the Bishops of Saint Andrewes and Glascow the Abbot of Schone and other conspirators contrary to the Oath they and he had taken to King Edward the first Which was the occasion of a bloody warre as you may read more at large in our Historians Anno 1445. The Earle of Dowglas who ruled wholly about King Iames the second set the Earle of Crawford against the Bishop of Saint Andrewes called Iames Kenedy Sisters sonne to King Iames the first who tooke a great prey out of the Bishops Lands in Fiffe Whereupon the Earle of Crawford on the one part and the Earle of Huntly with the Ogilinde on the other met at Arbroth in set battle where the Earle of Crawford and 600. more on both sides were slaine King Iames the second Anno 1454. by the advise of this Bishop dispatched out of the way such as he any wayes mistrusted of which number was the Dowglasses whose puissance and authority not without cause he evermore suspected he turned the Earle of Angus and divers of the Dowglasses blood that were of their faction from them and made them to revolt from the other confederates so as in the end he had them all at his pleasureâ— Anno 1462. All things at that season were ordered by the advice and Counsell of this Bishop who governed the Realme of Scotland as well during the minority of Iames the third as also in the dayes of his Father King Iames the second And was the occasion of many tumults and warres therein The Scotsâ—eeking â—eeking meanes to rid thâ—mselves from subjection of the Bishop of Yorke who was anciently the Metropolitane of Scotland did in the yeare of Christ 1474. obtaine of the Pope that they might have a Metropolitane See within themselves by reason of the continuall warres which were betweene the two Nations during which they could neither use appellations to their Metropolitane nor have other Bishops consecraâ—ed Whereupon the Pope erected the Church of Saint Andrewes into an Arch-Bishopricke in the time of King Iames the third touching which thus writeth Lesleus li. 8. p. 317. Hoc anno which was the yeare of Christ 1474 Patricius Grahamus sedis Andreapolitanae Ecclesiae Episcopus crebris literis ac nuntiis a Papa efflagitavit ut Metropolitana potestas in divi Andreae civitate figeretur iniquum esse enim contendit ut Scoti ab Eboracensi Episcopo tanquam primate penderent cum propter crebra bella quibus se Scoti Angli mutuo lacessunt Scotis ad illum non pateretur tutus accessus nec liberum jus praesertim in appellationibus Annuit summus Pontifex ut Andreapolitano deinceps Episcopo potestas Metropolitana incumbat dies indulto Pontifici promulgandi mense Septembri dicta est atque maxima populi nobiliumque laetitia celebrata Episcopi reliqui Grahami odio flagrantes illius authoritatem repudiant Regisque animum ingenti pecunia which was as other Authours say eleven thousand Markes occupant ne Grahami partibus studeret Interea praesules Romam mittunt qui sui defensionem contra Grahamum suscipiunt But in the end they did not prevaile Graham was made Arch bishop Patricke Graham being Bishop of Saint Andrewes and the first Archbishop of that See was after his advancement to that title deprived in this sort In the yeare of Christ 1477â— Pope Xistus the fourth of that name sent a Legate called Husman into Scotland which should displace this Patricke the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes condemned by the sentence of the Pope and the Cardinals for an Heretique Schismaticke Simonicke Whereupon he was deprived of all Ecclesiasticall dignity and commanded to perpetuall Prison In whose place was William Schewes chosen to whose custody and disposition this Patricke was committed after which Graham being removed for his safe imprisonment first to Saint Colmes Isle then to Dumfermling and lastly to Lochelevine there in the end he dyed and was buryed in Saint Sarffis or Servimanus Isle in Lochelevine after that he had beene three yeares Arch Bishop William Schewes being created Archbishop of Saint Andrewes in the yeare of Christ 1478. as some have or 1479â— as others have it in the Holy-Rood House in Edenburgh in the presence of King Iames and many of the Nobility received the Pall as the ensigne of his Metropolitane power being declared Legate and
Ministers are not suffered to exercise the function which God hath called them unto nor suffeâ—ed to enjoy any living whereas the Bishop doe hold by Commendam many livings besides those proper to their Bishoâ—rickes and doe conferâ—e livings upon â—â—â—ir Childâ—en 〈…〉 studendi gratia as is preâ—ended and diver◠〈…〉 five sixe or more upon their Favorites Hence the care of soules are committed to Hirelings who â—eceive 5 6.8â—10 l. by yeare for their cures divers of which are put together to the charge of some illiterate Curate by which meanes the people perish for want of food though the Parson or Vicar through connivence of the Bishop is utterly non-resident and by each one of the many benefices he enjoyeth and hath a competent allowance for a moderate minded man to maintaine himselfe and family upon Whereas the Bishops should give all good example by painfull preaching and holy conversation â—hey preach very rarely themselves and like those in the Gospell who will neither enter â—hemselves nor suffer others to enter they have supprest divers others from preaching both on the afternoone on the Lords day and in many places where weekely Lectures were maintained either by the free will of the Mâ—nister or cost of the people they have utterly forbidden the same and showne all manner of discountenanâ—e to those who were forward therein so that a Lecturing Minister appeared before them under more prejudice rhan a Popish Priest or undermining Jesuite Lest those who could not be admitted into the Ministry undertaking to teach Schoole should there lay impressions of Piety and good learning they urge on the very Schoole-masters a Subscription beyond what is injoyned by their owne Canon and punish by Excommunication and otherwise the refusers thereof So as the Schooles formerly much frequented are now utterly desolate to the spoyle of youth and promoting of prophanenesse and ignorance Thus whiles they proceede so severely and unjustly in punishing the refusers to their unlawfull Commands though otherwise never so honest and able men they favour Popery to the continuance and great increase thereof Hence Titular Bishops are by them winked at in the exercise of jurisdiction from forraigne power Masse Priests are frequent and pretend a title to every Parish in the Kingdome Masses publiquely celebrated without controlement to the great griefe of Gods people and increase of Idolatry and Superstition They permit Fryeries and Nunneries to be within their Diocesses whereby they continue and increase of late in many places yea divers of them suffered to remaine in the very places where some of the Bishops have their speciall residence In many places of the Land where Protestants are forbidden and restrained Papists are permitted to keepe Schooles unto some whereof such multitudes of Children and young men doe resort that they may be esteemed rather Universities teaching therein not onely the tongues but likewise the liberall Arts and Sciences They set forth and suffer to be published wicked Libells and ungodly Pamphlets tending to Sedition faction and disunion of the Brittish Inhabitants such as Examen conjurationis Scoticae Lysimachus Nicanor c. And in their Sermons prayer and ordinary Table talke divers of the Bishops in matters quite besides their calling have not desisted to rayle curse and most bitterly inveigh against the Kingdome of Scotland and all their proceedings labouring to make them odious thereby proving themselves fire-brands of Sedition betweene the two Nations yea proclaiming their prophanity by drinking healths to the confusion of that Nation The most learned and seemingly moderate and pious of the Prelates publiquely in Sermons at Dublin exclaimed against and condemned the Scottish Covenant and Religion profest in that Kingdome with most invective termes And in the Starchamber in Dublin at the censure of Henry Stewaâ—d Esquire his Wife and two Daughters and Iames Gâ—ay for refusing to take an Oath for which there was no other ground than the Earle of Straffords command which was against the Covenant of Scotland uttered these words viz. These people with Coraâ— Dathan and Abiram doe withstand the Ordinance of God and therefore I leave them to the judgement of Corah Dathan and Abiram and agree to their censure though deeper They have frequently made Symonicall pactions and bargaines in the conferring of benefices and ordinarily permit Ministers to exchange their livings thereby to nullifie Leases of Tythes which the former incumbent Ministers have set at certaine rates The Prelates have usually appointed such men to be their Commissaries officialls and Registers who altogether neglecting the punishment of Vices cognizable in their Courts looke onely to their owne game Hence Though they pretend themselves the advancers of vertue and punishers of Vice yet they usually without further satisfaction absolve the most scandalous persons for a summe of money and often question not at all such from whom they privately before-hand receive such a summe which is a cause that many wickednesse doe more and more abound If any be presented by their Apparitors who are usually Papists if it be but for non-payment of the Clerkes groate or not observing some one of their frivolous injunctions yea though the party presented be not found culpable yet they require most excessive and unjust Fees And if their demands be not satisfied though never so great poverty might plead for mercy they presently proceed to the Censure of Excommunication thus vainely and blasphemously abusing the High Ordinance of God so many hundred of us remaine under that censure and multitudes constrained to runne out of the Land to the undoing of them and thers The Prelates that they might mannage Peters sword as well as his Keyes have some of them procured that most unlawfull writ of Assistance whereby his Majesties Officers and Ministers are required to yeeld assistance unto the Bishop his Officiall or any deputed by him which Writ is by their Officers most notoriously abused and many times put into the hands of their Apparitors who under colour thereof apprehend honest men and women casting them into prison untill they be forced to free themselves by an heavie composition They charge Church-Wardens with Articles farre beyond their understanding to every particular whereof if they refuse to answere or present then are they bound to answere for it at Councell Table or High Commission Court or both and though there acquitted yet no remedy left them for their great dammages They force Church-Wardens to attend all their Visitations and circular Courts and there for their Articles Oathes Admissions and Discharges they make them pay most excessive and undue Fees never before practised or required The Commutations for Penance which either should not be at all or if exacted then set apart for the poore and other pious uses commeth either to the Prelates Kitchin the Commissaries purse or both The Prelates and their faction as they inherit the Superstition of the Papacy so of late they exact with all severity the absolute customes of Saint Mary-Gallons Mortuaries Portions c. which
Ghostly Father to deliver it writtâ—â—â— The Popâ— his Caâ—dinalâ—â—nd Bishopâ— know the confession 〈…〉 Kings and 〈◊〉 all Lords aâ—d by confession â—hey know all 〈◊〉 capâ—â—â—eâ— â—f â—ny â—â—leeve in Chriâ—t by coâ—fâ—ssion â—hey know him 〈…〉 where thou wilt Whâ—ther at Sion Charter-house or at the Observants thy conâ—ession is knowne well enough And thou if thou beleeve in Christ art waited upon Wonderfull are the things that thereby are wrought The wife is fearâ—d and compelled to utter not her owne onely but also the Secrets of her husband and the Servant the Secrets of his Master Besides that through confession they quench the faith of all the promises of God and take away the effect and vertue of all the Sacraments of Christ. They have also corrupted the Saints lives with lyes and fained miracles and have put many things out of the sentence or great curse as raising of Rents and Fines and hiring men out of their houâ—es and whatsoever wickednesse they themselves doe and have put a greaâ— part of the stories and Chronicâ—es out of the way lest their falshood should be seene For there is no mischiefes or disorder whether it be in the temporall regiment or else in the Spirituall whereof they are not the chiefe causes and even the very Fountainâ—â—nd Springs and as we say the Well head so that it is impossible to Preach against any mischief except thou begin at them or to set any reformation in the world except thou reforme them first Now are they indurate and tough as Pharaoh and will not bow unto any right way or order And therefore persecute they Gods Word and the Preachers thereof and on the other side lye awaite unto all Princes and stirre up all mischiefe in the world and send them to war and occupy their mindes therewith or with other voluptuousnesse lest they should have leisure to heare the Word of God and to set an order in their Realmes By them is all things ministred and by them are all Kings ruled marke that which â—olloweth yea in every Kings Conscience â—it they ere he be King and perswade every King what they lust and make them both to beleeve what they will and to doe what they will Neither câ—â— any King or any Realme have â—est for their businesses Behold King Henâ—y thâ— 5. whom they senâ— ouâ— for such a purpose as they sent â—ur King that now iâ— See how the Realme is inhabited Aâ—ke where the goodly Townes and their walls and the people that was wont to be in them aâ—â— become and where the blood Royall of the Realme is become also Turne thine eyes whither thou wilt and thou shalt see nothing proâ—perous but their subtle polling with thâ—â— it is flowing water yea and I trust it wilâ— be shortly a full Sea In all their doings though they pretend outwardly the honour of God or the Common wealth their intâ—nt and secret Counsell is onely to bring all under their power and to take out of the way whosoever letteth them or is too mighty for them As when they send their Princes to Ierusalem to conquer the Holy Land and to fight against the Turkes whatsoever they pretend outwardly their secret intent is while the Princes there Conquer them more Bishoprickeâ— to conquer their Land in the meane season with their false Hypocrisie and to bring all under them Which thou mayst easily perceive by that they will not let us know the faith of Christ. And when they are once on high then are they tyrants above all tyrants whether they be Turkâ— or Saracens How minister they proving of Testaments How causes of Wedlocke or if any man dye intestate If a poore man dye and leave halfe a dozen young children and but one Cow to finde them that they will have for a mercilesse Mortâ—â—ry let come of wiâ—e and children what will Yea let any thing bee done against their pleasure and they will interdict the whole Realme sparing no person Read the Chronicles of England out of which yet they have put a great part of their wickednesse and thou shalt finde them alwayes both Rebellious and disobedient to the Kings and also Churlish and unthankefull so that when all the Realme gave the King somewhat to maintaine him in his right they would not give a miâ—e Consider the story of King Iohn where I doubt not but they have put the best and fairest for themselves and the worst for King Iohn For I suppose they make the Chronicles themselves Compare the doings of their holy Church as they ever call it untâ— the learning oâ— Christ and of his Apostles Did not the Legate of Rome assoyle all the Lords of the Realme of their due obedience which they ought to their king by the Ordinance of God would he not have cursed the king with his solemne pompe because he would have done that office which God commandeth every king to doe and wherefore Goâ— hath put the sword in every kings hanâ—â— that is to wit becauâ—e king Iohn would have pâ—â—ished a wicked Clarke that had coyned false money The Lay men that had not done halfe so great faults must dye but the Clarke must goe escape free Sent not the Pope also unto the king of France remission of his sinnes to goe and Conquer king Iohns Reâ—lme So â—ow â—emission of sinnes commeth not by faith in the Testament that God hath made in Christs blood but by fighting and murmering for the Popes pleasure Last of all was not king Iohn faine to deliver his Crowne unto the Legate and to yeeld up his Realme unto the Pope wherefore we pay Peter-Pence They might be called the Polling-Pence of false Prophets well enough They care not by what mischiefe they come by their purposeâ— Warre and conquering of Lands is their harvest The wickeder the people are the more they have the Hypocrites in Reverence the more they feare them and the more they beleeve in them And they that conquer other mens Lands when they dye make them their heires to be prayed for for ever Let there come one conqueâ—t more in the Realme and thou shalt see them get yet as much more as they have if they can keepe downe Gods Word that their jugling come not to light Yea thou shalt see them take the Realme whole into their hands and Crowne one of themselves King thereof And verily I see no other likelihood but that the Land shall be shortly conquered The Starres of the Scripture promise us none other fortune in as much as we deny Christ with the wicked Jewes and will not have him raigne over us but will be still children of darkenesse under Antichrist and Antichrists possession burning the Gospell of Christ and defending a faith that may not stand with his holy Testament If any man shed blood in the Church it shall be interdicted till he have payd for the hallowing If he be not able the Parish must pay or else shall it stand alwayes
in their office as Prelates be wee should not long live for lacke of sustenance And as it is necesâ—ary to have this ploughing for the sustentaâ—ion of the body so must wee have also the other for the â—atisfaction of the soule or else we cannot live long ghostly for as the body wasteth and consumeth away for lacke of bodily meate so doth the soule pine away for want of ghostly meate And as diligently as the Husband man plougheth for the sustentation of the Body so diligently must the Prelates and Ministers labour for the feeding of the soule Both the Ploughs must still be going as most necessary for man they have great labours and therefore they ought to have good livings that they may commodiously feed their flocke for the preaching of the Word of God is called meate Scripture calleth it meate not strawburies that come but once a yeare and tarry not long but are soone gone but it is meate it is no dainties the people must have meate that must be familiar and continuall and daily given unto them to feed on c. And wherefore are Magistrates ordained but that the tranquillity of the Common-wealth may be confirmed limiting both Ploughes But now for the fault of unpreaching Prelates mee thinkes I could guesse what might be said for excusing of them they are so troubled with Lordly living they be so placed in Palaces couched in Courts ruffling in their rents dauncing in their Dominions burthened with Embassages pampering of their paunches like a Monke that maketh his Iubilee mounching in their maungers and moyling in their gay Mannors and Mansions and so troubled with loytering in their Lordships that they cannot attend it they are otheâ—wise occupied some in Kings matters some are Embassadours some of the Privie Counsell some furnish the Court some are Lords of Parliament some aree Presidents and controllers of Mints Well well Is this their duty is this their calling is this a meere office for a Priest to be controllers of Mints is this a meete office for a Priest that hath cure of soules is this his charge I would here aske a question Who controlleth the Divell at home at his Parish whiles hee controlleth the Mint If the Apostles might not leave the office of preaching to be Deacons shall one leave it for minting I cannot tell you the saying is that since Priests have beene Minters money hath beene worse than it was before And they say that the evilnesse of money hath made all things deere And in this behalfe I must speake to England Heare my Country England as Saint Paul said in 1 Cor. 6. for Paul was no sitting Bishop but a walking and a preaching Bishop Is there saith hee Congregationâ— Which hee speaketh in rebuking them â—or saith hee ad eâ—ubescentiam vestram dico I speake it to your shame So England I speake it to thy shame is there never a Nobleman to be a Lord President but it must be a Prelate Is there never a wise man in the Realm to be a Controller of the Mint I speake it to your shame I speake it to your shame If there be never a wise man make a water-bearer a tinker a cobler a slave a page controller of the Mint Make a meane Gentleman a Groome a Yeoman make a poore Begger Lord President Thus I speake not that I would have it so but to your shame Is there never a Gentleman meete nor able to be Lord President For why are noâ— the Noble men and young Gentlemen of England so brought up in the knowledge of God and in learning that they be able to execute offices in the Common-wealth the King hath a great many Wards and I heare there is a Court of Wards Why is there not a Schoole of Wards as well as there is a Court for their Lands Why are they not set to the Schooles where they may learne or why are they not sent to Universities that they may be able to serve the King when they come to age The onely cause why Noble men be not made Lord Presidents is because they have not beene brought up in learning yet there be already Noblemen enough though not so many as I could wish able to be Lord Presidents and wise men enough for the Mint and as unmeet a thing it is for Bishops to be Lord Presidents or Priests to be minters as it was for the Corinthians to plead matters of variance before heaâ—hen Judges It is also a slaunder to the Noblemen as though they lacked wisedome and learning to be able for such offices A prelate hath a charge and cure otherwise and therefore he cannot discharge his dutyâ— and be a Lord President too for a Presidentship requireth a whole man and a Bishop cannot be two men A Bishoop hath his office a flocke to teach to looke unto and therefore he canâ—ot meddle with another office which requireth an whole manâ— hee should therefore give it over to whom it is meete and labour in his owne businesse as Paul writeth to the Thessalonians Let every man doe his owne businesse and follow his calling Let the Priest preach and the Noblemen handle Temporall matters Well I would all men would looke to their duty as God hath called them and then wee should have a flourishing Christian Commonweale c. You may read all the Sermon to this purpose In the close whereof he proves the devill to be the best Bishop in England because hee alwaies followes his plough night and day is never a Non-resident and manifests our Bishops even in King Edwardâ— dayes when they were best to be as bad or worse than the Devill and chargeth the King in many of his Sermons to out with them and make them all Quondamâ— In his fift Sermon before King Edward f. 61 62. he thus prosecutes the same argument Though I say that I would wish more Lord Presidents I meane not that I would have Prelates Lord Presidents noâ— that Lord Bishops should be Lord Presidents As touching that I said my mind and consâ—ience the last yeare And although it is said Praesint it is not meant that they should be Lord Presidents the office of a Presidentâ—hip is a Civill office and it cannot be that one man shall discharge both well c. In his Sermon at Stanford p. 96. Christ was not the Emperours Treasurer therefore he meddled not with that point but left it to the Treasurer to define and determine Hee went about another vocation to preach unto the people their duty and to obey their Princes Kings Emperours and Magistrates and to bid them give that the King requireth of them not to appoint a King what hee shall require of them It is meete for every man to keepe his owne vocation and diligently walke in it and with faithfulnesse to study to be occupied in that God hath called him unto and not to be busie in that God hath not called him unto c. In his Sermon on S. Iohn Evangelists
If hee had seene our Bishops that now bee hee would have said otherwise For now the Pope claimeth a power above all the powers in heaven and earth as it is written in the Councell of Lateran Againe â—rasmus in another place speaking hereof saith thus This holy man Saint Ierome saith plainly and freely and as hee thinketh that the Bishop of Rome is above other Bishops not by Bishoprickeâ— but onely by riches By riches onely M. Harding Erasmus saith the Pope is above other Bishops By riches onely hee saith not by right of Gods word not by vertue not by learning not by diligence in preaching but onely by riches Now it may please you to follow your owne rule and to lay the one saying to the other But Saint Ieromes words are plaine of themselves and have no need of other expositor Thus he writeth What doth a Bishop saving onely the ordering of Ministers but a Priest may do the same Neither may wee thinke that the Chuâ—ch of Rome is oneâ— and the Church of all the world beside is another France England Affrica Persia Levante India and all barbarous Nations worship one Christ and keepe one rule of the truth If wee seeke for Authority the whole world is greater than the City of Rome Wheresoever there be a Bishop be it at Euguâ—ium be it at Rome be it at Constantinople be it at Rhegium Be it at Alexandria be it at Tanais they are all of one worthinesse they are all of one Bishopricke The power of riches and the basenesse of poverty maketh not a Bishop either higher or lower for they are all the Apostles successors What bring you mee the custome of Rome being but one City Here M. Harding findeth great fault for that I have translated these words Of one Bishopricke and not as hee would have it Of one Priesthood God woâ— a very simple quarrell Let him take whether he liketh best if either other of these words shall serve his turne Erasmus saith Bishop Pâ—iest and Presbyter at that time were all tâ—ree all one But Mâ— Harding saith The Primates had Authority over other inâ—eriour Bishops I graunt they had so Howbeit they had it by agreement and custome but neither by Christ nor by Peter nor Paul nor by any right of Gods Word Saintâ— Ierome saith Let Bishops understand that they are above Priests rather of Custome than of any truth or right of Christs institution and that they ought to rule the Church altogether And againe Therefore a Priest and a Bishop are both one thing and before that by the inflaming of the Devill parts were taken in Religion and these words were uttered among the people I hold of Paul I hold of Apollo I hold of Peter the Churches were governed by the common advice of the Priests Saint Augustine saith The office of a Biâ—hop is above the office of a Priest not by the authority of the Scripâ—ures but after the names of honour which the custome of the Church hath now obtained So part 2. cap. 9. Divis. 1. p. 196 He brings in M. Harding the Papist writing thus Even so they which denyed the distinction of a Bishop and a Priest were condemned of heresie as we find in Saint Augustine in the Booke and Chapter aforesaid And in Epiphanius Lib. 3. cap. 75. In the Councell of Constance the same is to be found To whom he answers in the Margent Vntâ—uth for hereby both Saint Paul and Saint Ierome and other good men are condemned of Heresie And p. 202. He gives this further answer But what meant M. Harding here to come in with the difference betweene Priests and Bishops thinkes hee that Priests and Bishops hold onely by Tradition or is it so horrible an heresie as hee maketh it to say that by the Scriptures of God a Bishop and a Priest are all one or knoweth hee how farre and unto whom he reacheth the name of an Hereticke Verily Chrysostome saith Betweene a Bishop and a Priest in a manner there is no difference Saint Hierome saith somewhat in rougher sort I heare say there is one become so peevish that hee setteth Deacons before Priests that is to say before Bishops Whereas the Apostle plainly teacheth us that Priests and Bishops he all one Saint Augustine saith What is a Bishop but the first Priest that is to say the highest Priest So saith Saint Ambrose There is but one consâ—cration of a Priest and Bishop for both of them are Priests but the Bishop is the first In his Sermon upon Haggai 1 p. 176. he writes thus against the temporall possessions and secular Offices of Clergy men When Constantinus the Emperour endowed the Church with lands and possessions they say there was a voyce of Angels heard in the ayre saying This day poyson is powred into the Church If there were poyson powred into Church then I doubt there was nover Treacle powred into it since This wee see that from that time shee hath done worse and worse Augustine findeth fault with the multitude of Ceremonies and saith the Church in â—his time was in worse case by mans devises than was the Church of the Iewes Bernard said There is no part sound in the Clergie And againe They which chuse tâ—e first places in the Church are chiefest in persecuting Christ. And againe they be not Teachers but deceivers they are not feeders but beguilers they be not Prelates but Pilates Which hee thus further prosecutes in his Sermon on Matthew 9. p. 198. And what shall I speake of Bishops Their cloven Miter signifieth perfect knowledge of the new Testament and the old their Crosiers Staffe signifieth diligence in attending the flocke of Christ their purple Bootes and Sandals signifie that they should ever be booted and ready to goe abroad through thicke and thinne to teach the Gospell and thereto they applyed the words of the Prophet How beautifull are the feete of them which bring glad tydings of peace which bring glad tydings of good things But alas in what kind of things do they beare themselves for Bishops These mysticall titles and shewes are not enough to â—eâ—ch in the Lords Harvest they are garments more meete â—or Players than for good Labourers Saint Bernard writes thus to Eugenius the Bishop of Rome who sometime had beene his Scholler Thou which art the shepheard â—ettest up and downe shining in gold and gorgeously attired but what get thy sheepe If I durst speake it these things are not the fodder for Christs sheepe but for devils Whatsoever apparell they have upon them unlesse they will fall to worke Christ will not know them for labourers How then can the Bishop of Rome be taken for the chiefe Pastor of Christ which these 900. yeares hath not opened his mouth to feed the flocke These 900. yeares I say since Gregory the first of that name it can hardly be found that ever any Bishop of Rome was seene in a Pulpit One of
wholly to abandon all Reliques of Idolatry and to have no fellowship nor communion with Infidels and unbeleavers in their discipline or Church government Wherefore to avoid this dangerous rocke and necessary consequence some of our Prelates as Bishop Iuell Bishop Godwin Bishop Vsher together with Doctor Sutcliffe and that learned Knight Sir Henry Spelman reject this originall of our Archbishops Bishops and Bishoprickes as false and fabulous informing us First that Roger de Wendover Matthew Paris Matthew Westmin William of Malâ—esbury the Poet under the name of Gildas Giraldus Cambrensis and Radulphus Niger to whom I may adde William Caxton in his Chronicle part 4. in the life of King Lucie omit this figment of the Arch Flamines and Flamines which they say was first invented wiâ—hout any ground by Monuâ—etensisâ— and relate onely that Lucius erected 28 Bishops and three Arch bishops among us but record not that it was done in imitation of the Arch Flamines or Flamines or that they were substituted in their places and enjoyed their Lands and Sees as the former Historians write But this is no argument to disprove the premised Authours farre more in number since these few Historians silence of what sundry others record expressely is no conviction of their falshood seeing one may relate what another pretermits either out of brevity ignorance or negligence Wherefore in the Second place Bishop Godwin affirmes that there is nothing more absurd in this History then the imagination of â—itting the Sees of Bishops and Arch bishops according to the place and number of Flamines for sooth and arch Flamines of the Pagans A devise writes he so childish and ridiculous as I cannot but wonder that any man of learning and judgement should approve it and yet I perceive not saith he any that have gainsaid it before Master Sutcliffe but contrariwise diveâ—s both ancient and learned are to be found that have partly broached and partly applauded the same among whom he reckons up two especially Fenestella de Sacrif Rom. c. 5. and Gratian Distinct. 21. 80. To confute whose mistakes he produceth these two Reasons First That not so much as the name of proto Flamin or Arch Flamine is to be found in any authour or monument of credit before Gratians time Secondly that it is manifest that divers Cities had many Colledges of Priests and consequently many Flamines which he proves at large Therefore it is not possible that there should be any manner of proportion at all betweene our Bishops and their Flamines they having divers Flamines to almost every towne and we one Bishop not so much as for every whole shire To which Sir Henry Spelman addes in the third place That the Flamines were no other but ordinary Priests among the Romanes so called a filo quasi Filamines or a pilo quasi Pilamines that every one of them received his name from the God hee served as Flamen Dialis Flamen Martialis Flamen Quirinalis Vulcanalis Floralis Volturnalis Pomalis Furinalis Falacer Caesaris Flamen and the like That none of these had any Priestly Jurisdiction over any certaine Province or did solely administer in any one cure but that every cure or Parish had two Flamines at least set over it Neither were these subject to any superiour Flamin who from thence might be called an Arch Flamin or Proto-Flamin whose names are no where to bee found among the ancients unlesse it be in Fenestella which Author he proves to be spurious Sed toti Pontificum Collegio but to the whole Colledge of Pontifs and to the chiefe Priest that governed it not to an Arch-Flamin and though some Flamines were called greater others lesser yet this writes he was not from their power but from their Antiquity the three first being instituted by Numa and the Senators the others afterwards by the people Admit then these their reasons true that the Flamines were but ordinary Priests among the Pagans and not in nature of Arch-bishops or Bishops that they were all of equall authority and had no Jurisdiction one over another that there were many of them in every City and not one of them set over an whole City much lesse a Diocesse and that they were subject onely to the whole Colledge of Priests and not to any Arch Flamin or Proto-Flamin Iâ— our Arch-bishops and Bishops bee derived from them and successors to them in our Island as the first recited Authors affirme this quite overturnes their Archiepiscopall and Episcopall pretended Jurisdiction over other Ministers and their sole Episcopacy and Jurisdiction in or over one City and Province since the Flamines were all equall and many in each Parish and City and directly proves that there ought to be a parity betweene Arch-bishops Bishops and our Ministers now and no disparity because there was none among the Flamines that no Ministers ought to be subject to our Arch-bishops and Bishops but onely to the whole Synod or Convocation of Presbyters because the Flamines were so and that there ought to be not one sole but many Bishops of equall Authority in every City because it was so among the Flamines their Predecessorâ— yea in the first Christian Churches planted by the Apostles as appeares by Act. 14.23 c. 20.17.28 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5.7 1 Tim. 5.17 Jam. 5.14 with other Texts If they be not these Arch Flamines and Flamines Successors as these last Authors testifie then I feare our Prelates can hardly derive their pedegree as high as King Lucius nor yet certainely define at what time or by whom Arch-bishops and Bishops were first erected in our Island For Bishop Godwin who rejects the conceipt of King Lucius his erecting of Arch-bishops and Bishops in steede of Arch Flamines and Flamines gives these three very probable Reasons against his erecting of three Arch-bishoprickes and 28. Bishoprickes in this Isle or any Bishoprickes at all First because he saith and proves by Histories that Lucius was never King of all Britaine but rather some petty King or King happily of some principall part thereof therefore hee could not erect Archbishoprickes and Bishoprickes throughout the Island as the recited Authors Fable Secondly because the multitude of Bishops and Bishoprickes sayd to be ordained at that time seemeth unlikely and that they had any fixed Sees For in the Councell of Arles in the yeare 325. mention is made of one Restitutus a British Bishop not intituled to any certaine See but onely called Briâ—anniarum Episcopus and even so likewise after him Fastidius is mentioned by Gennadius by the same stile which being considered saith he together with the rare and seldome mention that we finde of Brittish Bishops whose Antiquities I have hunâ—ed aâ—ter with all diligence I cannot but rest perswaded that our Brittaines had very few Bishops untill the comming over of Germanus and Lupus to suppresse the Pelagian Heresie which after they had rooted out the History of Landaff saith
they Consecrated Bishops in many places of Brittaine and over all the Brittaines dwelling on the right side of Brittaine they consecrated for Arch-bishop Saint Dubritius who was chosen for the Supreame Doctor by the King and all the Diocesse which dignity being bestowed upon him by Germanus and Lupus they with the consent of Maurice the King the Nobility Clergie and people appointed his See to be at the manner of Lantani and founded his See thereâ— This was about the yeare of Christ 430. about which time also or somewhat later Palladius did first appoint Bishops and ordaine Bishoprickes in Scotland as Buchanan hath delivered Upon these testimonies I reason thus If before these times we had so many Bishops and Bishoprickes how commeth it to passe that in no Monument whatsoever wee finde any name or mention of any Bishop of this Land saving some few that as we say had their See at London and if so many Sees had beene furnished before what occasion had Germanus and Lupus to consecrate so many Bishops and erect new Bishoprickes too as is before mentioned in the History of Landaff Thus Bishop Godwin argues against the pretended first erection of our Bishoprickes and Arch-bishoprickes most of which now extant London onely excepted were erected long after King Lucius reigne above 600. yeares after Christ and five of them in King Henry the 8. his raigne so that William of Malmesbury one of our most juditious writers and the most diligent searcher out of the Antiquities of our Bishops Sees who writ the History of our Bishopâ— and their Sees above 500. yeares since could finde no Arch-bishops See in our Island ancienter than Canterbury erected about the the yeare of Christ 600. or 602. and determines positively Ibi Prima sedes Archiepiscopi habteur qui est totius Angliae Primas Patriarcha Caeterum ubi fuerit Archi-Episcopaâ—us if there were any such tempore Britonum cognitio lâ—hat quia vetustas consumpsit nostri seculi memoriam Whence our most diligent Antiquary Sir Henry Spelman concludes thus concerning the Originall of our Arch-bishops and Bishops the certaine time of whose Primitive institution among us he cannot determine Sufficit quidem c. Truely it is sufficient that we had many Bishops here and some Metropolitans either under Lucius himselfe or soone after his age licet de ipsorum sedibus aâ—que numero lucide satis non constiterir although their Sees and number doe not plainely enough appeare So that upon the whole matter when all things are throughly scanned we can finde no undoubted Bishops at all in our British Church till Restitutus his time who was present at the Councell of Arles about the yeare of Christ 325. and hee a Bishop without any particular See or Diocesse knowne onely by the name of Britanniarum Episcopus as Godwin writes though others stile him Civitate Londinensi Restitutus Episcopus who for ought we finde had no Presbyters at all under his Jurisdiction and was no more than an ordinary Minister as the Bishops in the Apostles time were Act. 20.17.28 Phi. 1.1 Tit. 1.5.7 And so by this computation our Church after the first preaching of the Gospell among us continued without Lord Bishops and Archbishops about 280. yeares or more And if she remained and flourished without Bishops for so many yeares then why may she not without any great Soloecisme or prejudice remove and flourish without them now yea why should she not by the Objecters owne argument from antiquity now quite abandon them and set up a Presbyteriall government without any scruple since Presbyters by some hundredâ— of yeares are the ancientest and those by which our Church and the Church of Scotland were first governed for so long a space before any Lord Bishops were instituted in them Secondly grant our Bishops as ancient as King Lucius yet these ancient Bishops no doubt were farre different from ours For first I conceive it cannot be proved that they had any Diocesse Parishes or Presbyters under them for there was no division of Parishes made in England till Archbishop Theodores time who first divided the Province of Canterbury into Parishes about the yeare of Christ 670. And for ought appeares they were no more than ordinary Presbyters Secondly they had no great but very small revenues as appeares by three of the British Bishops present at the Councell of Ariminum under Constantius Anno 379. who were so poore that they were maintained at the Emperours cost inopia proprii publico usi sunt cum collatam a caeteris collationem respuissent sanctius putantes fiscum gravare quam singulos By the Bishopricke of Rochester Putta and Quichelmus the 6. and 7. Bishops of this See being forced to leave it through want and poverty and by other of our ancientest Bishops who lived commonly upon Almes or contribution and had no temporall Lands or possessions Thirdly they had no stately Palaces and Cathedralls as is evident by the first Bishops of Yorke and Lindisfarne who lived in poore Cottages and had either no Cathedralls aâ— all or some built onely of wattle or boords and covered over with reede stately stone Churches being not in use among the Britaines Scots or Irish for many hundred yeares as Bishop Vsher proves out of Beda Eccles. Hist l. 3 cap. 4.5 and S. Bernard in the life of Malachy Therefore stone Altars no doubt were not then in use when as the very walls of their Churches were but wattle or Timber Fourthly they had no stately Coaches and Palfryes as our Lord Bishops have neither were they unpreaching or rare-preaching Prelates but they went about the Country on foote from place to place as Christ and his Apostles did at first and Preached the Gospell to the people day by day Witnesse Aidan the first Bishop of Lindisfarne now Durham and a Count Palatine who purposely avoyding the Pompe and frequency of Yorke chose the little Island of Lindisfarne for his See and for 15. yeares space together travelled up and downe the Country 〈◊〉 even on foote to preach the Gospell to the people not seeking nor having any thing in this world and giving whatsoever he could get unto the poore So Paulinus the first Arch-Bishop of Yorke for 36. dayes together never rested one moment but either instructed the people by preaching that flocked continually about him or else imparted Christ unto them in Baptisme and that in the open fieldâ— and Rivers there being then no Churches built Fifthly they intermedled not with any secular affaires and when some began to tamper with them they made this Canon in the Councell of Cloueshow under Cuthbert Anno. 747. That Bishops should follow their pastorall cure with their uttermost indeavour and instruct the people with wholesome doctrine and not addict themselves to secular affaires more than to Gods sâ—rvice as most of our Lordly Prelates doe now Sixthly Bishops in those dayes were not reputed
Private men their Episcopacy making none of them to preach or write more than otherwise they would have done but lesse as experience manifests So that their Bishoprickes made them not to doe more good but rather hindred them to doe so much good as they would have done had they still continued private Ministers onely For the second that they are one of the greatest States of the Land setled by many Acts of Parliament and necessary members of the Parliament which cannot well be held without them I answere first that our Lord Abbots and Priors might and did pleade this as well as Bishops yet this was held no Plea at all no not in times of Popery and shall we allow it now in times of clearer light Secondly the wohle body of Popery it selfe together with the Pope his Popish Clergie Orders and Ceremonies were all setled among us by sundry Acts of Parliament and the Statutes of Magna Charta c. 1. with all other Acts of Parliament since enacting that holy Church or the Church of England Bishops and Churchmen shall enjoyâ— all their â—ranchises Rights Liberties Priviledges câ— are meant onely of our Popish Prelates Abbots Priors Monks Nunnes Masse-Priests and of exemption from secular Jurisdiction Sanctuaries with other Anti-Monarchicall priviledges granted to them by Kings Popes or Parliaments in times of Popery shall then our Popish Recusants or any other argue thence therefore it is fit that Popery with all Popish orders Bishops Sanctuaries and exemptions should be now revived and perpetuated among us because established by so many Lawes If this be no argument for the continuance of Popery or Popish Prelates who were principally established by these objected Lawes then certainely it can be no good Plea for the continuance of such of our Prelates who are true Protestants whom most of these Acts never established nor intended to continue Thirdly It is a rule in Philosophy and Law Eodem modo quo quid constituitur dissolvitur Since therefore our Lordly Bishops were first erected and constituted such Bishops and States of the Land by Acts of Parliament onely not by any divine institution which prohibits them all such secular Lordly Soveraignty and dominion as I have largely manifested in the premises They may lawfully without any injury or inconvenience by an Act of Parliament be unbishopped unlorded againe and thrust out of our Church as well as the Pope Abbots Priors Monkes and Masse-Priests were upon the reformation of Religion both at home and in forraine parts As for our Prelates necessity of sitting in Parliament I answer First that though they have beene anciently admitted to â—it in Parliament yet there is no necessity of their sitting there seeing it hath beene long since resolved and Bishop Iuell with Bishop Bilson confesse and prove at large that a Parliament may be and some Parliaments have beene kept without Bishops as I have formerly demonstrated Secondly many â—imes all some or a great part of our Bishops have beene secluded the Parliament and yet this hath beene no impeachment to the proceedings there In the Parliament 〈◊〉 Saint Edmonds-bury Anno 1296. all the Bishops were brought in a Premunire and secluded the House In King Edward the sixt his time Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester and Bonner Bishop of London were sequestred and kept out of the House In the first yeare of Qâ—eene Mary all the Married Protestant Bishops and in the first of Queene Elizabeth many of the Popish Prelates were secluded and thrust out of the Parliament yea many Parliaments have beene held when one or both the Arch-Bishoprickes with many other Biâ—hoprickes have beene voyd and no Proxies admitted to supply their places All which proves that there is no necessity of their Session there and that all of them may be excluded thence at all times as well as all of them at sotimes and most of them at others Thirdly our Bishops sit not in the Parliament Bishopsâ— but as they aâ—e Barons and hold by Barony as is cleere both by our Histories Law Bookes and their owne confessions Now most of them at this day are no Barons nor hold of the King by Barony therefore they have no legall Right to sit there being no Peers of the Realme nor yet to be tryed by their Peers in case of Treason or Felony but onely by an Ordinary Jury as hath been adjudged in our Law Bookes practised in point of experience Fourthly Abbots and Priors who were spirituall Lords of Parliament as well as Bishops and more than treble in number to them have beene long since suppressed and cast out of the house without any prejudice Therefore Bishops by the same reason may be suppressed and put out of Parliament without any inconvenience being sewer in number â—han they Fifthly In cases of Felony and Treason the Bishops by their owne Lawes and practise neither are nor ought to be present in the House nor to give any vote at all but onely the Temporall Lords And in cases of Lands and possessions or in passing of Lawes for the Civill Government of the Realme they have no judiciary nor Legislative power at all as Bishop Bilson and others forecited prove at large therefore their Session in Parliament is not necessary nor expedient by way of vote Sixthly the Temporall Lords and Prelates make but one house and if all the Bishops be dead or absent or if present if all the Temporall Lords vote one way and the Bishops the lesser number another the vote is good Therefore their presence and votes in Parliament are nor simply necessary and may be spared withouâ— any mischiefe or inconvenience Seventhly if reason might determine this conâ—roversie I suppose every man will grant that it is farre more necessary reasonable and expedient that the Judges Sergeants and Kings Councell learned in the Lawes of the Realme and best able to descide all legall controversies and to make good Lawes to redresse all mischiefes should have votes in Parliament than Bishops yet we know they have no votes at all by way of descition because no Barons nor Peers of the Realm but onely by way of direction and advice when their Judgements are demanded Why then our Bishops especially those who are no Barons as few or none of them are should not now be ranked in equipage with the Judges and have no other but a directive not voting descitive or Legislative voyce in Parliament I thinke no reason can be given and indeede many thinke there is little reason why they should have any votes at all since ancient that I say not present experience manifests that they crosse or oppose all or most good Bills and motions for the advancement of religion and reformation of Ecclesiasticall abuses and for the most part vote with the Popish Lords or worser side against the better and so by Pope Gregory his owne rule approved by Bishop Iewel ought to lose their priviledge of voting Quia
but their councell onely reserving all obedience unto the See of Rome Neither did this pride stay at Archbishops and Bishops but descended lower even to the rake-hels of the Clergie and puddles of all ungodlinesse for beside the injury received of their superiours how was King Iohn dealt withall by the vile Cistertians at Lincolne in the second of his raigne Certes when hee had upon just occasion conceived some grudge against them for their ambitious demeanour and upon denyall to pay such summes of money as were allotted unto them hee had caused seisure to be made of such horses swine neate and other things of theirs as were maintained in his forrests They denounced him as fast amongst themselves with Bell Booke and Candle to be accursed and excomcommunicated Thereunto they so handled the matter with the Pope and their friends that the King was faine to yeeld to their good graces insomuch that a meeting for pacification was appointed betweene them at Lincolne by meanes of the present Archbishop of Canterbury who went oft betweene him and the Cistertian Commissioners before the matter could be finished In the end the King himselfe came also unto the said Commissioners as they sate in their Chapter house and there with teares fell down at their feete craving pardon for his trespasses against them and heartily requiring that they would from thenceforth commend him and his Realme in their prayers unto the protection of the Almighty and receive him into their fraternity promising moreover full satisfaction of their dammages sustâ—ined and to build an house of their order in whatsoever place of Englandâ— it should please them to assigne And this he confirmed by Charter bearing date the 27 of November after the Scottish King was returned into Scotland and departed from the King Whereby and by other the like as betweene Iohn Strafford and Edward the third c. a man may easily conceive how proud the Clergie men have beene in former times as wholly presuming upon the primacy of the Pope More matter could I alleage of these the like broyles not to be found among our Common Historiographerâ— howbeit reserving the same unto places more convenient I will cease to speake of them at this time So Harrison And thus have I now at last conclâ—ded my Canterbury voyage and sayled through this most dangerous See wherein so many Pontiffes have suffered shipwracke both of their loyalty charity faith and honesty And many godly Christians through their cruelty and tyranny made shipwracke not onely of their goods liberties estates cares and other members but also of their lives it being both in Augustines time and almost ever since a very Aâ—eldama and See of blood So as I may well conclude of these Primates and Metropolitans of all England in Saint Bernards words Heu heu Domine Deus ipsi sunt in persecutione tua PRIMI qui videntur in Ecclesia tua PRIMATUM DILIGERE GERERE PRINCIPATUM Misera eorum conversatio plebis tuae miserabilis subversio est Atque utinam sola hac parte nocerent But alas Iusta omnino querimonia nec ad ullam jusâ—ius quam ad nostram referenda aetatem Parum est nostris vigilibus quod non servant nos nisi perdant Alto quippe demersi oblivionis somno ad nullum Dominicae comminationis tonitruum expergiscuntur ut vel suum ipsorum periculum expavescant Inde est ut not parcant suis qui non parcant sibi PERIMENTES PARITER ET PEREUNTES What then remaines but that King Parliament and people having such just cause and faire opportunity should all joyne cordially together utterly to subvert this chaire of pestilence and with great violence to throw downe this our English Babylon and in one houre to make her so desolate as shee may be found no more at all that so the people beholding her long expected and much desired overthrow may â—ry mightily with a strong and joyfull voyce with the Angel in the Apocalypse Babylon Canterbury the great is falne is falne which hath beene the habitation of devils and the hold of every foule spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird and in her was found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slaine upon the earth From this overflowing boundlesse See which hath still outswolne the bankes of divine and humane Lawes which would confine it have all those perilous inundations of trechery rebellion forraine and inâ—estine warres seditions tyrannyes oppessions grievances innovations and mischiefes commonly issued which have miserably torne and perplexed our Kingdome vexed if not almost ruined our Kings Church State People in ancient moderne times This great Archiepiscopal prime chaire hath bin the Metropolitical nest wherin all the egges of all ouâ— mischiefs grievances have commonly been laid and hatched by our Canterburian Harpies I can therfore prescribe no better advise for our future security against those and other our mischievous Prelates and birds of prey than that which Turghesie a prudent man once gave to the King of Meth when he demanded of him how hee might destroy certaine noysome birds then lately come into Ireland where they did much mischiefe to the Country Nidos eorum ubique destruendos that their nests and Sees like the Abbies and Priories of old are every where to be destroyed and converted to better uses then we need not feare a succession of these pernitious birds and mischievous vermin the very Turbans and Acans of our English Israel which must never looke for tranquility or felicity whiles these continue or domineer amongst us Till these Ionasses be cast over-board and quite abandoned we can neither hope for nor enjoy a calme CHAP. II. OF THE SEVERALL Treasons Conspiracies Rebellions Seditions State-schismes Contempts and Disloyalties of the Arch-Bishops of YORKE against their Soveraignes and of the Warres Tumults and Civill Dissentions caused by them I Have thus as briefly as I could with convenience given you an Epitome of the Arch-Bishops of Canterburtes Arch-Treasons Rebellions Trecheries Seditions Disloyalties State-Schismes Disturbances and oppositions to our Lawes more at large related in our Historians I shall now proceed in order to those of the Arch-Bishops of Yorke which will almost equall them as well in heinousnesse as in number both of them being Primates and Metropolitanes in all these prodigious villanies and crimes as well as in Episcopall Jurisdiction VVilfrid the third Arch-Bishop of Yorke about the yeare of our Lord 678. went about to pâ—rswade King Egfrâ—dus Queene to forsake her husband and betake her selfe to a Monastery without the Kings privitie or consent the King much displeased with him for it by the advice of Theodore Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who maligned the greatnesse of his Diocesse first sought to diminish his Authoritie by dividing his Diocesse into 3. Bishoprickesâ— and then exhibited divers complaints against him to the Pope to have him deprived causing him to be condemned in