deadly syne bi the coÌ„maundement of god to receyue all theyr ordinaunces Then the bysshope of Rome or any other Bisshope hath not auctorite to institute suche Canons vnder that or suche payne Agayne if we be bounde to receyue them all of the Clarge ar bound at thes daye as manye as ar called vnto the lotte of our Lorde to obserue the faste of .lx. The clargi ke â—ith not the faste oâ—â—l dayes before ester dayes and because they kepe it not it is offence whiche by contynuaunce of tyme is not minisshed but augmeÌ„ted Notwithstanding they consent of all chrystente for the moste perte hath by longe vse and custome Iudged the contrarye De consecratione distin iii cap sabate In frauÌ„ce thy eate flesshe all saterdayes betwene châ—â—â—te ma◠〈◊〉 â—as deâ—â—â— Gratian doeth defende them that kepe yt not from the payne of transgression which thinge also the church of Fraunce not keping the fast of the Saterdaye betwene the natiuite of christ and the purificacion of the pure mayde and mother mary Althoughe it were comaundid by pope Innocent that it shulde be kepte euerye weke doth euydently proue the same for as it is writton in a nother place as we haue rehersid before euery prouynce or couÌ„tray is abundant or stidfast in his owne meaninge nor at this tyme al Canons which we cal the Popes lawe haue not therr hole streinght and vertu in euery place with al men In the which thinge if god be offeÌ„did if the power geuen of god be violate theyr is very great slackenes or sufference in them whyche moche regard that thinge that is it not lawfull for the bysshope of rome by the Popes lawe to prouide for promocions or benefices in all places and with euery man whiche lawe of theyrs the bysshoppes of rome in tymes past haue labored ernestlye that it myght be receyuid as a lawe whiche shulde binde euery man that shulde intende nothing to the contrary nor make any resistence or repugnance agaynst it The Bysshoppes of Rome haue laâ—ored to binde men to kepe there decrees notwithstandynge in England after it had obtayned and taken effecte longe all men with stode it England dyd resist the popes prouisions for pâ—omocions made a lawe to the coÌ„trarii so that there was a lawe made agaynst the transgressors estabished with seuer commaundment amongest whome there is no doute but there was manye good men / there be some yet that coulde not awaye with these popes lawes in that behalfe vnles the bisshop of rome dyd certyfy or shewe that they were wirtton bi the hande of god Bysshops made a lawe that clarkes shuld not be suyed before secular Iudges but the contrary was alwaies obserued also bisshopes of Rome haue decreed that clarkes shulde not be brought before seculer Iudges for any maner cause But this statute is kept no where And althoughe many lawes and canons concerning that matter be publisshed with grette and daungerous paynes yet the contrarie is euery where obserued without any daunger or feare wherbi it manifestly appereth that these canon lawes as they cal them Be nothinge else but rules and informacions whiche are wonte alwayes to take place or effecte as the people doth admytte theÌ„ or dissanul them for by the same reason that some maye be reiecte al may be contempnyd and forsaken for it is not in the choise or eleccion of the people or subectes that thei maye determyne to whiche they wyll obey to whiche they will not but if theyr aucthorite be of god and yf we maye apply to this entent this sainge of the gospell They syt in the seate of Moyses which teache and do not but do you as they say but do not you as thei do Mathew xxiii al we ar wrapped in gret peryll and daunger of helle which haue contenned the preceptes and lawes of the bysshoppes of rome some one wayes But euery one in some maner poynte and that not by Ignorance But we haue obserued the contrarye knowinge willinglye and seinge Bysshopes haue suffered the coÌ„trary to there lawes to be kept and knewe hiâ— and yet the bysshopes of rome heringe perceyuynge senge and felynge these thynges by dissimulacion haue suffred the pastoures or Sheperdes of the churche whiche without anye doubte yf they had thought so for the cure and charg of soules that thei haue other wolde haue broken adnihilate their owne lawes which make so many christen men offenders or else they wolde haue takeÌ„ payne to se them obseruid with more dilygeÌ„ce But where as nother of these thynges hath ben done with suche diligens and cure as the grauytie of cause requyreth Doth it not wel appere that the Bysshops theyr selues do doubte of the aucthoryte of theyr lawes that they haue thought that theyr lawes might not be admytted of euery man without any daunger of soule or wheÌ„ they myslyke them they myght be forsaken or reprobate of theÌ„ which they cal theyr subiectes The Bysshop is of Rome Subtell but grette was the police and subteltye of the bysshoppes of rome / for whome they dyd fyrste go oboute to abtayne the chefe Empyre and supremyte thei dyd deuyde the power and iurisdiction with kinges with verye louinge and gentle termes or titles The power was deuyded with kinges and prynces and so that they might be made lordes in spirituall thinges they dyd permyt to kinges all temporall thinges For other wyse the hie bysshoppes do caleng both the swerdes The bysshoppes of Rome affirme that thei haue al power and that the temporall power descendyth from theÌ„ to kynges they do affyrme that they haue all power and Iurisdiction in theyr authoryte and that the power whiche we cal temporall is deriued froÌ„ them to kinges that is to say Cesar hath th empyre deuided with Iupiter and where as they haue taken away many thynges from priÌ„ces bilonge vsurpacion and haue translated it to theÌ„ selues yet they handell it soo that they make it as theyr liberalyte and gyfte what so euer power or aucthoryte kynges haue nowe a dayes And when it shal please them they put downe They put downe kinges when it pleaseth them and set vp other some kinges and set vp some and they do gret thynges for they be myghtye And the swerde whiche they haue sharpened by the gentilnes and permission of prynces endewed with worldly riches and possessions by the gentle and lyberall gifte of princes they excersice drawe it out agaynst them wheÌ„ they thinke best ¶ Sekynge that is theyr owne pleasure not that is chrystes folowynge in theyr doing not that the father of heuen hath shewed eueri man in his holye scripture as in example or a maâ—ke that we shuld folowe But that that the flesshe blode hath reuelate vnto them preferringe an humayne and worldli counterfette felycyte in berynge rule before the trewe and perfecte beatitude in christ and by this meanes the
Al men ought to pray for kiÌ„ges and princes and be the good be the yl to obey them the comen glose doth adde that we shulde be obedience to them be the good be the yl and if the regal power of this maner be so ofte aproued in the olde testament Let it be so receuid confirmed in the lawe of grace Let it bealowed the kinges haue in ther person dominion authorite preheminence dignite ponishmentes correcctions And in the clargy let it be disalowed Doth it not apere bi the veri same lawe that was taken from the apostles and Bysshoppes was geuen to the kinges it was spoken to the aposteles go you preache the gospel to al maner creatures Marc vltiâ—â— IohuÌ„ vitimo fede my shepe And whose siÌ„nes you remit shal be remetted theÌ„ IohnÌ„ ii and so let theÌ„ preache minister the word of god but in the meane time let theÌ„ not forsake the subieccioÌ„ of prices Mathw xiâ— But lett theÌ„ geue the that is cesars to cesar that that is godes to god Some perchaunce wyll saye here that althoughe the places rehersid do witnes that power was geuen to kynges yet do the not shewe al maner power geuen to kinges Som say ther was noo power geuen to kinges in spiritual thinges And therfore there is nothing prouid bi these Scriptures whye we shulde graunte anye power in spirituall thinges to be geuen to kinges or princes But fyrst let vs se what the sincere sence of scripture wyl geue theÌ„ And after that howe the vse excercise in the anpiaÌ„t laudabel sipliciti of man hath confirmed it and surelye in the scriptures we do confyrme and stablishe the aucthorite of kinges as we shewed before for they feat them that do yl bicause they beare a swerde in these scriptures spoken Indeterminatlie theyr can be no other sence But that whosoeuer whan soeuer and howsoeuer he do yll he shuld feare the kinges swerde or it is not conuenient for vs to saye that yf one offende in a smal thinge he shulde be punished and if he offende in a gretter thin he he shulde haue no punyshment and that the kinges shulde be diligent in the obseruacion and keping of worldly thinges and shuld not in things longinge to god Nor it is not mete to aplye that by distinccion to a fewe whiche was spoken indifferently al scipture speakethe to al men it vnderstandeth meaneth it of al men and in these wordes of yl doynge he putteth no certen cryme nor cause but howe soeuer yll be commytted it wyll that the Regall power shulde be redye which shuld Iudge correct which shulde punishe which shulde euer be Ruler for the edificacion for the belt that that thing might be ameÌ„ded that was done amisse that that whiche by there busines offende the good Howe soeuer yll be commyttid the correctioÌ„ longeth to the Regall power Gala vi After the saing of saynt Paule might be cut of because the trouble other men Gregorius ad mauritiuÌ„ Augustum And so Gregory in his .iii. boke named Registrum in his Epistle to Maurici the Emperour sayth thou wast my lorde before thou were lorde of all Lo by me his hindmost seruaunt youers chryst wyl answere sayinge I made the of A notarye Erle of the watchmen of an Erle I made the cesar of cesar an Emperour not that onlie but also I made the father of Eperours I haue committed my prystes to thy handes and takest thou awaye thy warryers frome my seruyce Gregory was obedienâ—â—o the Emperour fullfylled his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t which did not agre with the lawe of god I was obedient to youre byddyng and caused youre lawe to be sente to dyuers partes of the worlde And bycause that lawe doth agree with the almyghtye God I haue certifyed my honorable Lordes by my Suggestion writinge in my letters therfore in eythere place I haue done my duety which dydde obey themperour and dydde not holde my peace But showed that I thoughte in goddes cause Gregorius ad theodoruÌ„ epistol xxiiii And in anothere pistle folowing writtoÌ„ to Theodorus a phisicioÌ„ hath this sentence Me thinkes the very hard that the Emperour shuld wtdrawe his warryers or saruauntes from the seruyce of him whiche gaue hiÌ„ all and gaue him aucthorite not only ouer the Sowldiers but ouer all preestes it appertaynethe also to this that saynt Auguste wrote whose epistle treateth of this maner Augustinê° ad bonifaciuÌ„ whosoeuer wyll not obey the lawes of theÌ„perours whiche were made for trueth of god getteth hiÌ„ grette punishment for in the tyme of the Prophetes Al kynges which amongest the people of god did not forbed nor breake that was Instituted against the commaundemeÌ„t of god were blamed and that they did forbide Daniell iii or preased aboue the merytes of other And the kyng Nabugodonosor wheÌ„ he was the saruauÌ„t of Idolles made an vngracious lawe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of the kiÌ„g Nabugodonosor compelliÌ„ge meÌ„ to honour Images and Idolles That an Image or an Idol shulde be honored But they that wold not obey his wicked and vngodly constitucion dyed godly faythfully But the same kyng correcte by the miracle of god made agayne a godly and laudable law for the trewthe that whosoeuer Nabugodonosor correcte bi myracle made agayne and laudable lawe that no mane shuld blaspheÌ„ god dyd speake anye Blasphemy agaynst the trewe god of sidrac Misac and Obdenago shulde vtterlie be distroed with al his house And after theÌ„ howe can kings serue our lord in feare onles the prohibeth and punishe with a godli seueryte that that is done contrarye to the commaundemeÌ„t of god For he serueth otherwyse because he is a man And otherwyse in somoch as he is a King He serueth god otherwyse because he is a man and bycause he is a Kyng For bicause he is a man he serueth hym liuinge faythfullye But bicause he is a kinge he serueth god making and eratifieng lawes with coÌ„uenieÌ„t strenght which commaunde the thynge that is lawfull and that forbide those things that be contrary to Iustice As Ezechias dyd serue god distroyinge the Groues and the Temples of Idolles the Illaters whiche were made contrarye to the preceptes of god As Iosias dyd serue doinge very iiii reguÌ„ xviii How kynges serue god as kynges iiii ReguÌ„ xxii lyke thynges as the kyng of Neniue did serue compelling the whole Citye to pacifie and please our lord as Darius did serue geuing the Idoil in the power of Daniell Daniell to be broken Ione iii and putting his Enimies to Lyons to be deuoured ⧠As Nabugonosor did serue of whome we spacke beforr Daniell Forbydding with a fearefull ordreadfull lawe all that were in his Realme from the blaspheming of god In such thynges kinges serue god in somoche they be kinges When that do that thyng to serue god which none can do but kings Acte
of god And therfore the name of God is peaceablelye honered in euery place Constantine Eperour caused hethen meÌ„ to hâ—â—our god knowe god and wholy Blessed by my seruice and diligeÌ„ce to god asmoche as amongest Hethen men whiche tyl this tyme did not knowe the treuth For this is manifest that he whiche knoweth not the trueth can not knowe god But further as I showed before The Hethen by me the faythfull minister of god haue knowen god and lerned to feare god And it is playne bi mi workes that god is mi defendour and helper And therby the chefely knowe god and they for the feare that we haue to god do feare and honour god And you whiche seme to minister to his mercifull goodnes wholye misteries I wyll not saye kepe them you I saye do nothinge else but that is manifest pertayninge to contencion And to speake playnly that that is lyke to be the distruction of mankynde But as I sayd haston you quickelye to come to vs and knowe you that I wyl labour with al my power that those thinges that be in the lawe of god maye be chefely obserued without ani stumbelinge or error And also al such thinges that may be without any offence or suspicion of yl And that al Enemyes of the lawe of god maye vtterli be dyspised distroyed and banished which vnder pretence of that holy name do norishe and mayntayne diuerse blasphemies and Heresies and of a treweth Iustinianus emperour of Rome dyd let nothinge vnconfyrmed and enacted by hys lawe that longeth to the obseruance preferment of god so he dyd make lawes ordinauces of faith Iustinian emperour made lawes to confyrme the law of god of Heritikes of holye churches of bysshoppes and clarkes of religiouse men of Mariages and of al suche causes speciallye whiche at this daye be exempte frome the power of kinges make a grete authorite of ecclesiastical power which thynge surely Iustinian wolde not haue done onles he had had example of his predecessors and onles he had verelye thought that they had partained to his office and authoryte Quomodo regibus anglie comeeuit authoritas in rebus diuinis In Englond there be many thinges that testifi that kinges went aboute to kepe there owne right and authoryte and there vnto made mani prouisions and lawes First of a statute of apelles we finde in this maner An acte made by kiÌ„ges that no man shulde apele oute of the realme with out licence of the kinge If appelacions chauce to be had they shal appeale from the Archdeacons to the bysshoppes and from the bisshoppes to the archbisshops if the Archbisshoppe be slowe or necligent in mynistring Iustyce then ye shal Apele to the kynge That by his commaundement in the courte of the Archbyshop the matter made be ended so that it shall not proced nor be Apealed forth withoute lycens of the Kyng And in an other place it shal not be lawful for Archebyshops Byshops nor othere persons of the realme to goo oute of the Realme without lycence of the Kynge And yf he wyll goo furth haue lycence of the King He shall fynde surtie that neyther in goyng nor in tarying they shall procure any yll or harme nother to the Realm nor to the King Besydes that Turstane electe Archebysshoppe of Yorke gotte lycence of the Kynge to goo to the councelle called by Calyxt TurstaÌ„ archebysshoppe of yorke goynge to the councel made an oeth he shulde take no benedictioÌ„ of the pope But making an oth before that he shuld not receiue of the pope no epistopall benediction wherfore if he made promes that he wolde receyue no benediction of the pope Is it not manifest that he supposed the preheminence of the regall powre in coÌ„cerniÌ„g the Libertys of the realm to be superiour than the pope which could bynd the bysshope by vertu of the othe that he shuld not admytte the Iurisdiction of the Pop ein takyng his Benediction which thiÌ„g the inferior can not execute agaiÌ„st the superiour And if it be your pleasure to be doing with examples it shall manifestly aper the kinges of England ordered the Realme by the Imperiall power dydde take vpon them the cure and busines that they dyd make ordinaunce to the people of the ordering reseruing of Sacramentes spirituall thinges Camituâ— reâ— angliâ— Among whom one king Camytus most diligently valyantli dyd execute his office and duetye in the behalfe and made such lawes ordinaÌ„ces as hereafter do folow Lawes made by kinge Canutus concerning spiritual thinges ¶ It is iust and lawfull that the money of buryalles be payd wheras the grounde openede If my course be brought from his owne paryshe churche into another of Buryalis the money of his buryall by the lawe shuld pertayne or long to the same church al goodly institucions and al holy cerymonyes of god shal be obserued as it shal be thought necessarye nede of them requereth Whe forbydde that vpon the sondayes ye shal vse no marchandise no plees Vpon the Sonâ—ay shal be vsed no Marcâ—eÌ„dis plees in Cowrtes no Huntynge nor other such excercise of Cowrtes no Huntyng nor any other suche seculare acte or excercise Euery chrysteÌ„ maÌ„ so shal prepare himselfe to receue the SacrameÌ„t of theaulter at the lest thryse in the yere Men shall receyue the Sacrament thrise in the yere so that he may receyue it to his soule helth not to his damnacion yf a minister of the aulter kyll a man or else verye moche do misuse hym selfe in yl vicious liuinge lette hym be depreued of his order and of his promocions A Preyst for Murder and vicious lyueÌ„g shal be depreued of his order and promocion If a wyfe her husband being alyue comytte adultry and of it be puplished let her byde shame of the worlde and lose here Eares and her Nose Of a wyfe coÌ„mitting Adultery ¶ Wydowes shall not mary within .xii. monethes Eueri widowe shal be without husband .xii. monethes and she mary in that time she shal lose her doure Also we haue redde certen lawes made bi kinge Etheldrede whiche hereafter folowe ¶ That is to show you Etheldredeâ—â—eâ— made certen lawes concerning spirituall thinges which here foloweth you shal honour and loue on god aboue al thynges And al meÌ„ shal obey ther kinge as the forfathers dyd aforetyme with hym the shal defende the realme Also he ordeyned that men shuld cal for the mercy helpe of god with fastinge almes doinge with lauds praise to god abstiÌ„ence and that euery preist shulde go with his people iii dayes a precession barefored and that he shulde saye .xxx. Edgarus rex made spiritual lawes of kepinge the sonday of teythes and festes masses Further king Edgar dyd institute these lawes That the tenthes shulde be payde to the mother churche And that the sonday shulde be kepe holyday from .ix. a clocke of
the saterdaye tyll it were daye lyght vpon the Monday And that all other festes shulde be kepte as the were commaunded bi the preistes Also kinge Edmunde did call a gret conuocacion of men of the churche secular and regular at London at the feast of Easter EdmoÌ„dis rex made spiritual lawes also in a conuocacion called aâ—â—oÌ„don At whiche congregacion were Edo vlstam archbishop and many bisshoppes mo which king diligentli enquering for the soule helth of theÌ„ that were subiecte to him dyd make actes and constitucions on this maner Fyrst of al that the whiche be in holy orders and shulde teach the people of god shuld kepe them chast Of them that were within orders And geue good ensample of lyuyng accordyng to ther degre order or elles they be worthy of that thing that is spoken of in the canoÌ„ We commaunde that he that will not pay his thenthes shal be excomminicate Of teÌ„thes painge of hym that committeth fornicacion with a Nunne He that commytteth fornication with a Nunne or any Religious woman shal be punished as a Murderer who so euer shall coÌ„myete Pariurye shal be for euer desseuered from the compayne of god of Periury AdelstaÌ„us rex Also kyng Adelstan did proclame and make certayne constitucions consernynge Ecclesiasticall thinges the euery man shulde geue his tenthes to god as Iacob saide I wyll offer to the tenthes of all thinges that thou sendest me Of thenthes Gen xxviii And our fayth in the gospell to euery man that hath shal be geuen and he shal haue abuÌ„dance of Sertilege witches and such as tel mens Of Sorcerye witchcraft fortunes yf they kyl a man that shal be Iudged to deth also therby lawes made by Iro the king of west Saxons whiche apere to concerne spiritual thynges Iro rex And they be constitute in this wise I Iro by the grace of god kiÌ„g of west Saxons hauing coÌ„sideracion vpoÌ„ the helth of the soule and of the state of my Realme do constitute lawfuly matrimony right Iudgement to be kepte and that the ministers of god obserue and kepe the rule and teaching of holi scripture If a seruaÌ„t worke vpon the Sondaye by the commaundemeÌ„t of his master let hym be blameles Of a seruante working vpoÌ„ the sonday Of baptisme of childri let the chylde be baptised within iii. days after his byrthe in payne of .xxx. s. If any man feght in the church he shal be marsed in vi Of suspendiÌ„g of churches Of false witnes pound If any man before the bysshope do beare false witnes or recorde he shal be mercid in .iii. s. And the same king hath graunted to the Abbot and coueÌ„t of glastenburi the al causes of murder of sacrilege of wichecrafte The graunte of the king to the monastery of GlastoÌ„burâ— of thefte of rape or extorcion In the dysposicion of the churches In the ordinacion of clarkes in al examinacioÌ„s longing to the court shuldbe endid after the seÌ„teÌ„ces or ordinaÌ„ces of them he forbade bi thaucthorite of peter paul al sayntes that no bysshope shulde set his cathedral seate wtin the Iurisdiccion of the monasterye Also the constitucions of King alureddo manifestly declare That in olde time kinges of EnglaÌ„d had grete authorite iÌ„ spiritual thinges Almebus rex Of fornicacioÌ„ with a maÌ„nes wyfe And this kiÌ„g made these lawes that if ani man comyt fornicacion with another mans wyf he shal paye to the husband .xxx. s. for amendes If any maÌ„ in leÌ„t season do lye the holy oyle in any open or comenplace or in his house he shal be merced in .xxx s. that cristeÌ„ meÌ„ may loue god forsake there infidelite If anye man do forsake his chrystyndome and folow infidelite he shal louse his lyfe Of hym that forsaketh he iâ— christendome If any man being in holy orders do steale or comytte periury let hym be punished Of him that coÌ„mytteth theft being iÌ„ orders yf a prest at conuenyent tyme do not sende for creame or yf he denie baptyme when nede requyreth let hym dye for yt If .ii. A prest that denieth baptym shall dye brether or kynsmen do comite fornicacion with one woman let them be mersed a certen epistle of eleutheriê° writon to luciê° king of britton on this wise doth testify that diuers bysshops of Rome in tymes paste dyd not onelye not denye to kinges of England this ecclesiasticall power Some Bysshoppes of rome dyd not denye but gaue kinges power ecclesiasticall but also that that did geue it to them and that that did confesse that it was the proper office of kinges in theyr Realmes so to do Eleutherius Lucius kinge of Brittons benediction in chryste ye desired vs to sende to you the lawes Eleuthery pape epâ—a lucio â—egi britannia of Rom and of themperour which ye might vse in the lande of BritoÌ„ The lawes of Rome the Emperours lawes whe maye oftetymes reproue the lawe of god we can not You haue receyuid by the promission of god in the realme of Bryton the lawe and fayth of chryste Ye haue with you both the TestameÌ„tes in your Realme take of theÌ„ by the grace of god and councell of your realme a lawe and therby by the sufferance of god Rule and gouerne your Realme of Bryton for ye are the vicar of god in that realme as Psalmist sayth The laÌ„de or the erth is the our lordes c. The pope called the kinge the vicar of god Vicarius dei regeÌ„ appellat Further it playnlye appereth by a boke of the actes of the bysshopes of Durham that kinges of Engeland had great authorite in the ordinacion of bysshoppes For it is hade in the boke that Chadde was made Bysshoppe of yorke by the Kingeg made and ordeyned bysshoppes commaundement of king Oswen and Kynge Egfryde caused the reuerent Cutberte to be consecreate bysshoppe of Durham And that Edmonde preest nominate by the meruelous voyce of Cutbert was brought with grete honour to kinge Knute of whose ellection he was very glade and commaundid him to be consecrated solemlye besides that it is manifest by Mathew parison what authoryte kinges had in consecracion of bisshoppes For he doth showe that kinge Henrye dyd geue the Archebysshop of Canturbury to Raffe bysshop of London and dyd consecrate hym by aryng and a crowche And the same king as the same Mathe saith gaue the bysshop ryche of Wynchester to Wyllyam Gyfforde and bi and by put him in possession of al thinges pertayning to the bysshopriche and dyd consecrate hym as wer What authoryte kiÌ„gs had in consecracioÌ„ of bysshoppes in tymes past folowing the brothers as folowing the fathers steppes Notwithstanding that VrbaÌ„ bisshop of Rome had made a statute and forbiddon with ecclesiasticall censure that no clarke shulde take any dignite of the gifte of princes or othere laye men
for our sinnes which from the bosome of Sibilla stinkes in the skyn of astraÌ„ge mouse that trymmes her eares that becomes her fingers that bindeth her delicate body in sylke and purple O father is the profette of my almes is this the fecte of my desire and of your promise what answer wyl ye make to the complaynte of my father I knowe this well yf thou sawest a thef run thou didest not run with hym nor thou dydest not take thy parte with adulters / thou hast rebuked thou hast desired for goddes sake thou hast blamed thy wordes be not regarded We must come to punishement ye haue here with you the reuerent father Edward bysshop of winchester The correctioÌ„ of the clargye commytted to the bishops to put out the viceÌ„ous to put in them that be good Ye haue the honerable bishop of Worceter Oswalde I commytte this busines to you that by the authoryte of the bisshops and power of the kinge the that liue viciousli be put oute of the church and they that lyue wel be put in ther sted Besides that also the temporall lordes and the perliament of England when the bysshoppe of Rome was aboute to take vpon hym that he wolde knowe of the tytle for the kiÌ„gdome of ScotlaÌ„d which the king of EnglaÌ„d did chaleÌ„ge The leâ—â—erâ— wrytton from the perliameÌ„â— of England to the bysshop of rome wrote letters to the bysshop of rome on this wise that foloweth The holimother church of Rome by whose mynistery the Christon world is gouerned in his actes As we fyrmelye beleue and holde doth alwaye procede with mature deliberacyon soo that it wylles too be preiudycyall to no man But lyke a louynge mother wolde that all ryght and Iustyce of euery man aswell in other men as in herself shulde be conseruyd incorrupte and withoute breeche In a parlyament lately sygned at Lyncolne by oure mooste gracyous and noble lorde Edward by the grace of god Kynge of Englond Oure gracyous lorde dyd cause certeyn letters Apostolycall whych he receuid from you concerning certayn busynes aboute the condicion and stare of the Realme of Scotland to be deliueryd to vs and ernestly to be expounded and pondred Which letters hard diligeÌ„tli vnderstaÌ„d we hard such thinges coÌ„teiÌ„ed in theÌ„ as we merueled at suche thynges as was neuer fo harde of before Scotland hath alwais partayned to the kings of England We knowe holye father it is manifest in the parties of England / and openlye knowen to many other that from the fyrst institucion of the kingdom of England that as well in the tyme of the brittons as you the time of the Englishmen the very certen trewe dominion of Scotland by succession of tyme hath ê‘tained to the kiÌ„gs of England to the same realme in temporalites bi no tytle or right ê‘tayneth to the church afore named But also the same Realme of ScotlaÌ„d of olde time hath bine tributer to the ancestors progenitoures of our forsayde lordes that were kinges of England to him also Also the kynges of Scotland the realme were neuer vnder aniother then the kings of England or were wonte to be subiecte to ani other Nor the kinges of EnglaÌ„d vpoÌ„ ther ryght in the forsayd realme or any other Reges anglie de statu reguâ— coraÌ„ nullo liâ—â—gare coguÌ„tur themperaltyes of theres haue answered or weare bouÌ„de to answere before any ecclesiastical Iudge or seculer Iudge bi the reason of his fre peminence of his state regal dignite custome obserued wtout any contradiccion wherfore with diligent councell mature deliberacion vpon the contentes in your letters spokeÌ„ of before this is the holie comeÌ„ one conseÌ„t of al singuler of vs shal be for euer with the grace of god wtout variacion That our forsaid lord kiÌ„g shal not with in any Iudiciall corte answere before you Negani respoÌ„dere cord episcopo romano vpoÌ„ the right tytle of his Realme of Scotland or ani other temporalties of his nor be obedieÌ„t to Iudgment in any wise or bring his forsaid ryght in any doute nor shal sende any proctors or messengers to your presens specially because that the premisses shulde manifestli be to the disheriting of the right of the Crowne of EnglaÌ„d the kinges The whole ê‘liament denyeth to answer in anye suche cause before the bysshop of rome for it shuld be preiudicial to the realme dignitie the manifest subuersion of the state of the same realme and also preiudicial to the libertis customes and to the lawes of our fathers vnto the obseruacion defeÌ„ce of the which we ar bound by our othes geuen which also we wil hold with al our power defende with al our strenght by the helpe of god nor also we wyl not suffer nor we cane not nor we ought not to suffer our forsayd lorde king althoughe he were wyllinge to do or any wayes to atemte such premisses not vsed and we ought not to do preiudicial neuer harde of before wherfore humbli desyre your holines that where as our forsayde lorde king of England hath euer more behaued him self faithfull catholike amoÌ„gest all other chrysten princes of the world euer obedient to the church of rome that ye wyll louingly suffer him quietli peaceably to possesse to remaiÌ„e iÌ„corrupt al his riches liberties custoÌ„es lawes wtout ani dimunicioÌ„ dysquietnes inwitnes wherof our seales as wel for vs as for the holecoÌ„munalte of the forsayd realme we haue set to this present writing geueÌ„ at Lincolne the yere of our lord M. CCCCCx Epistola Cassiodori there is also a Epistle of one Cassidore to the church of England of the abusis of the bysshops of rome after these wordes To the noble church of England doyng seruice in lime and stonne Peter the sonne of cassiodore a christen knight a deuout chaunpion of chryst wysseth helth and the abaccion of seruituÌ„de and bondage and the receyuinge of the reward of libertye to whome shall I compare the or els to whom shall I lyken that my doughter HierusaleÌ„ to whome shal I matche the virgin doughter of Syon for thy contricion is grette as the se IheroÌ„ i Thou arte lefte alone with out solace IheroÌ„ ii all day wasted with sorowe thou arte put in his handes whence thou canste not ryse without helpe of a lyfter vp The bisshops of rome be called scribes phariseys For the scribes and pharyseis fytting vpon the seate of Moyses the lordes of rome be enemyes to the set abrode ther philacteris go aboute to enriche them selfe with the mari of the bones the laye burthens ouer heuye and importable on the neckes of they ministers further then is comly or conuenieÌ„t thei set the vnder tribute which in olde tyme wast fre The bysshope of rome hath maryd the churche of the gentyls and so is mad father
moche meditacion to teche the people and teche them those thingis which be larned of god not of his awne mynde not by the vnderstondyng of man But by the wiche the holye gooste teachith also in the councell of Carthage the iiii Consâ—â—ist carthage iiii A bisshopp shulde onlye geue him self to studyeng prayer and preachynge of the worde of god And in Secular and wordli busines let them be obedient to princes potestates i Tim iii o beinge the Commaundementes of them And redye to all good workes So Paule dyd warne or councel Titus The thinges rehersed before do confirme the ecclesiastical power But it deniethe dominioÌ„ they geue aucthorite but noe Iurisdiccion To admonishe What pertayneth to Byspe to exhorte to comforte to desire to teche to preche to mynyster sacramentes charytablye to rebuke to blame or finde faute with To entreate for goddes sake to encrease and augment the hope and truste in god to feare sume by the terryble threteninges of Scriptures is the proper offyce of them that are in the stede or place of the apostles and also of them vnto whome it was sayde whose synnes Someuer ye Remytte shal be remytted c. And lawes ponysshementes Iudgementes restrayntes Sentences What longe to princes kinges and emperours and suche othere longe to Emperous kinges and other powers which enterpretacion of holi scrypture dothe most agre vnto the preachinge and techinge of chryst of the libertye of the gospel Or else if christe had mente thus that euen as in the olde testament Moyses Gal iii and the lawe were geuen vnto the people of the Iwes in stede of scole masters If decrees of bysshopes do bynde our conscience we be iÌ„ worse case thaÌ„ the Iueâ— in the olde lawe so the Bysshop of Rome a mongest chrysten people shulde haue that office that he shulde make and put vnto the people lawes and Instruccions as they cal theÌ„ which shulde holde bynde mens consciences Then Christ had not permitted or chaunged seruytude or bondage with libertye but bondage with bondage in verye yll heuye condicion That is to wyte where as the Iwes did folowe the lawe commaundid by the mouthe of god and that a certen lawe we that be christen men shuld be commaundyd to be guyded by the lawes of menne beynge of dyuersytye of myndes And ofte tymes mutable whose lawes also be mo in numbre The lawes of Popes be innumerable aÌ„d intollerable than the capacite of man â—an other vnderstande or elles remember But that power to make and ordeyne lawes is added and adicte vnto that other power graunted by god of that which we speke before and the yoke of chryst whiche chryst hym selfe in the gospell doth cal so gentle and lyght Mathew xi the bysshoppes of rome haue moche more harde better intollerable thaÌ„ was the bondage of the Iwes and therfore the fathers of the primytiue church when they had In / In the primitiue church that decres of couÌ„seles were called canons or rules and not lawes uented honesti and holsome tradicions by the which the rude Ignorante and confyrme people might be ordred Thei did make differeÌ„ce betwene theyr tradicions lawes with moderacion of theyr name lest that they shuld appere to take vpon him more then they thought they had by the graunte of god they dyd not name theÌ„ lawes or statutes but canons that is to saye rules or Instruccions as contayninge ordinaunces profitable vnto a chrysten lyfe as they supposed yet not vtterly necessarye for al haue not obserued thordinaunces made by thapostles The ordinances of the apostles were not all receued the lawes of bisshoppes be as the rules of Benet FraÌ„cis and suche But after the opinion of some men they be counted a mongest those which be not authorised and euen as the rules of Benete / Fraunces Dominicke and Augustine be receiued admitted of some and haue not the stryngthe of lawes But as we binde our selfes vnto them nor we receyue theÌ„ as lawes with necessite of obedyeÌ„ce but as rules and informacions honestye and vertuose pleasant acceptable to god and we that like them do professe them ¶ That we goynge the same steppes and folowynge these good fathers as they folowed christ shuld leade our lyfe in the spiryte of humilitie with sobernes mekenes So our fathers did admitte the rules of the bisshops rome and theyr Informacions as longe as they semed vertuose and to set forward onely the glorye of christe and not al but some Ouâ—e fathers dyd not admit al the canons of the bisshoppes but some as they thought good and vertuose that is to saye as euery prouince as the rules or Canons contayne dyd folowe theyr owne myndes Nor they receiuyd theÌ„ as lawes and statutes but as thei pretende by theyr name that is to say as rules and Informacions For they were called euermore Rules or informacions Till bysshoppes that came after dyd adde and put vnto them the name or terme of lawes that they might therby vsurpe necessite of obedience and gett it by vse and custome by whyche wayes it was brought to passe that it is called the canon lawe If bysshopes haue aucthorite of god to make lawes bynde menes consienses all men are bouÌ„d to kepe them but the coÌ„trary is obserued For yf it be geuen to them by god to hym aucthoryte to make lawes whiche shulde bynde and onerate the conscience of men it shuld folowe with al that if they haue aucthorite by god to make lawes that other men are bound to obeye them whiche thinge if it were trewth no maner custome contrarye or repugnant to the canon lawe myght by reasons be diffended and yet the same canon lawes do consent and confesse that notwithstandynge suche customes contrary may consyste and stande Distin iiii cap statunnus for vereli Thelelphorus Archebysshope of the cytie of rome hath ordeyned that al clarkes shalde abstayne from flesshe Thelesohorus ordeâ—ned the clargy to fast xl dayes before Ester vii wykes wholye before Ester But this decre as gratianus saythe because it is not approbate bi the custome and maners of people doth not condemne theÌ„ that do other wyse as gylty of offeÌ„ce or traÌ„gression wherbi it is manifest that the canon lawe byndethe no man of necessite that nowe the canoÌ„ lawes as we cal theÌ„ haue not theyr streighneth and vertu by the auctoryte of Bysshoppes that be the makers thereof The Canons haue not ther authorite bi the makers but by the consent of the receuers Lawes reqâ—â—e obedience But by the people receyuinge them williÌ„gly where as otherwise vertu and strength of the lawes is suche that it requyreth of other men necessite of obedience lest the Aucthorite to make Lawes shulde by contempte be had in derysyon or lytle regarde And so it is the beste and moost surest conclusion if we be not bounde in payne of
and see what tyme fyrst they set theyr myndes to honour dignite and possessions He that clymeth to the hiest must nedes come downwarde agayn and to haue labored alwayes in that thinge that they might come to the hiest and that they toke more hede and diligence vpon Temporal thinges than vp on spirituall thynges If possessioÌ„s of the churche be of god it shal slande yf not it shal noâ— continewe And this is as other humayn thinges whiche albeit they go forwarde pleasantli in sight yet haue not they any contuance scripture bearinge wytnes If it be of god it shall stande if it be of maÌ„ it shal faule And that these thinges which bysshopes haue taken vpon them in this behalfe are not of god The authorite rehersed before do manyfestiye confyrme the ende that it is lyke to come to at these daies is like to proue the same ful vnaduisedlye they take vpoÌ„ them dominion of al thinges which by ryght can take dominion of nothiÌ„ge But it was worthe a mans labour in pondering this papistical power to consider also that thinge which we promised to speke of in the iii. The power of the citie of rome is not so large by god place whether bysshoppes of rome somtime haue so behaued them selfes that thei also haue shewed by wordes and dedes that the authorite of the see of Rome was not so ample and large by the lawe of god nor that it was competent for them to haue so vniuersal a power as we se it vsurped nowe a dayes whose sentences yf they myght take effecte and myght take awaye from the bysshop of rome and eueri one suppose in this case or that whe shuld manyfestly se that Esope tellethe of the crowe in his fables apoore naked and wtout fethers Dist i lxxxxix cap nullus Gregorie wolde not be called the hedde bysshoppe Fyrst of all gregorye toke awaye the name and titles of honour and as it semeth the prerogatiue of preeminence for he wolde not suffer him selfe to be called vniuersall or hed bysshop whiche thinge surelye he wolde not haue done onles in his consience he had thought when he was bysshop of rome that he was not the vniuersal bysshop We shuld noâ— abhore the trewe names of honour Where as if that were not whe are taught by holy scrypture that whe shulde not abhorre from the trewe names of honour specially when chryst did answere vnto his disciples Ihoan xiii you cal me maister and lord and ye say wel for I am in dide Therby it is manifest that Gregorye the bysshoppe was moued by no other cause that he wolde not be called nor writon vniuersal or hed bysshop theÌ„ lest he shuld offende scripture in that parte where it is sayd let no man take vpon hym honour but he that is called of god like as aron because he knewe hym selfe not vniuersall hyest bisshop he wolde not be called vniuersal or hed bisshop nor be called that he was not when he myght not answere I am so in dede Heb v â—xix q ii cap due Pope vrban wryteth thus there be two lawes he sayth one canon / There be ii lawes the canon lawe and a priuate lawe the other priuate that is a comen lawe whiche was confyrmed of the holye fathers by writinge as the canon lawe which was made and institute for transgression as in example it is decreed in the canons that a clarke shuld not go out of one bisshop priche into another without lette testimoniall of his bysshop which was institute for vnthristes viciouse persons lest ani bysshop shulde receyue Infamus persons for they were wonte when they coulde not be suffered in ther one bisshop priche to execute theyr seruyce in a nother whiche was forbidden and dissanullyd by lawes preceptes writinges a priuate lawe is which by the inspiracion or mencion of the holi gost is writton in mennes hartes as the apostle speaketh of some which haue the lawe of god writton in theyr hartes and in a nother place where as the gentles haue no lawe yf they by nature fulfyl that that is the lawe they be the lawe to them selfes A priuate law is writton in the hartes of men If any suche retayne the people in his church vnder the bisshop and lyue secularlye If he be Inspired with the holy goost wyl saue him selfe in any abbay or reguler conuent bicause he is Induced or moued by a priuate lawe reason wyl not constrayne hym to be bounde to the comen lawe for the spirite of god is a lawe they that be ledde by the spirite of god be ordred after the lawe of god and who is he that caÌ„ resiste the spirite of god worthely He that is ledde with the sprite of god is at liberti although his bisshop saye that couâ—â—â—rye and râ—sâ—â—â— hym therfore whosoeuer is led bi this spryte let hym go at lyberte by our authorite althoughe his bysshop saye the contrarye for the lawe was not made for Iustmen but there as is the spirite of god ther is liberte and if ye be ladde bi the spirite of god ye be not vndre the lawe of which texte it apertlye appereth that by the sentence and opynion of Vrban that these thinges partayne not vnto the consyence of men which ar decreed bi the bisshoppes commaundementes or lawes but that they are frustrate by the lawe of the conscyence for the comen lawe geueth place vnto the priuate lawe The comen lawe geueth place to the priuate lawe Innocentius papa No man can dyspense with the lawe of god they mai with the lawe of man ¶ Pope Innocente doth so lymitte the popes power that he can do nothing against the lawe of god for this he dyd write there is so grette difference betwene goddes lawe mannes lawe that agaynst the lawe of god no man can dispende and in the lawes of man dispensacion maye be had as necessite and proffitte shal require zozimius Bysshop of rome xxv q i cap coÌ„cro zozimus pope doth yeat more straytlye lymytte the power of the bisshopes of rome which thus writeth to make ordeine or to chaunge any thinge agaynste the statutes of the olde fathers partaineth not to the authorite of this se But let antiquite be in strenght vertue with vs without contradiccioÌ„ by whose sentence al thing shulde be brought vnto the olde prisciue state of the churche and those thinges which bysshoppes of rome haue ordeyned or constituted sithe the tyme shulde bereprobate and reiecte The see of rome can not dispence nor chaunge the statutes of the olde fathers At whiche tyme yf the authorite and cure were distributed into diuerse and sondrye pertes so it shulde procede and go forwarde at this tyme and gregorye wrote to Philip the bisshope agreing to the same sentence Gregorius ad felicem in registir libro xii episti xxxi If I shulde vndo or
distroye these thynges that my predecessors haue constituted I might be well proued to be not a builder with them but a puller downe the voyce of the treweth beringe witnes Euery realme deuyded amongest them selfes shal not stāde and al sience and lawe deuyded agaynst it self shal be distroyed It is to be feared that the canon lawe lose his authorite in which thing it is to be feared that the same Gregorye be proued a trewe proffecte And that the canon lawe at this day by doubtefulnes and proplexite of contrarityes be dissolued which by labour of mani yeres was made and builde the stones not well Ioyned together this papisticall power trulye of the see of rome hath oftetymes so far gonne from her owne coste that it hath ofte times Iniuriously hādled vexed perturbed this realme of The papysticall power hath ofte times trobled Englād But good bysshopes did resist and defēde ther own Iurisdiccion excludid al foren power Englād verry farre distante from them whiche power not onelye sage and wyse kinges But also the prudent and the holye bysshoppes of the realme repelled and put backe nor wolde not suffer it to take his pleasure but they kepe defended there owne Iurisdiccion authorite and excludid all suche forē power as it may euidently appere to euery mā which haue rede ouer the Cronycle of England Laurence arch Bysshop of Cauntorberie and dunstone archbisshoppe of the same Grosted aperfitte man bysshop of Lincolne dyd refuse al suche foren power in which it is had manifestli Howe Laurens Archebisshop of Cantorburi saynt Dunstan archebisshop of the same see Grostede a very perfecte man bisshop of Lyncolne did refuse and forsake all suche foren power Gregorye writynge to augustine in a nother place doth manifestli shewe the same that the lawes or canons of the se of rome take noe effecte with al men and that men shuld not take more regarde to obserue xii distin cap nouit them then of they edifininge of the fayth of people in chryst These be the contentes of his wordes Marke the wordes of gregori to the churche of Englāde You knowe brother the custome of the churche of Rome in which ye remēber that you were norisshed and brought vp in / but it is mynded that wher soeuer ye haue founde other in the church of rome or in the church of Fraunce or any other churche that may better please god that ye shal instructe and enforme the churche of England whiche is newly and latelye come to the fayth and now in the setteling with the chefe and most godliest ordinaunces that ye can gether of all other churches for the thinges be not to be beleued for the place But the place for the thinges therin Therfore of euery churche whatsoeuer it be that that is godlye that is vertuose that is iust and good chuse out and binde them together in a bundel graf or prynte them in the myndes or hartes of Englishe mē by custome of which texte also this appereth that these canon lawes haue not obtayned strenght by exacte obedyence but by inticementes of there good for so wryteth gregory that they gathered to gether in a bundel shuld be inculked in the mindes of the people of England by custome not to be required or extorte by censures or compulcions nor it is not to be let passe that Pope Adryane in his synode celebrate at rome gaue vnto charles authorite and power to chuse and electe the bysshope of Rome and to ordre the apostolical se but here I sesse rehersing the actes and sainges of good bysshops for it is long of scarsy of good bisshoppes that we vse no more exāples Distin lxiii cap adrianus Pope Adrianus gaue clarkes aucthorit◠to chuse the bysshop of rome to order the Apostolicalse in this maters for after that the apostles whiche that they myght better entende preachinge the worde of god and prayer did leaue seruinge the tables although it were a verie good worke and Acth vi dyd clene alienate them selfe from that sainge it is not mete for vs to leaue the worde of god and serue tables Veri sureli singnifieng that it pertayned chefely to other office that they shulde geue all other labour the dylygens in preachynge the worde of god after these I saye a fewe other in the primatiue churche the foloweres of them all the bisshoppes of rome almost so fare went backewarde from christ that was there chefe example In there liuing and institucions as they were behinde him in tyme. Bysshopes of rome went so far backewarde from christ in vertue as they did in time But if these thinges whiche we haue rehersed before shude be layde agaynst the bysshoppe of rome at this day if that power shulde be estemed after the sentencis of the good bisshopes shulde not they be compelled to vndo many thinges that he made done lest it shulde chaunce that Gregorye wryteth vpon the wordes of our lorde That euery Realme deuyded amongest them selfes shal fal be distroyed ¶ But nowe we wyl in hande with that thynge whiche we promysed to speake of in the fourthe place That is to saye what auctorite is geuen to kynges other by the law of god or else by the permissiō of mā in spiritual or holy things What aucthoryte is geuen to kinges by god or else by the permissiō of man In whiche matter fyrst we wyl entrete of al kinges generally after that peculiarli of the kings of Englād fyrst it shal be shewed the god not onli with most euident signes in the whole order of nature dyd expresse his wyll of the authorite and power of kynges but that he dyd declare it also with manyfest wordes in the holye scriptures both of the olde testamente and the newe and that god did gyue with his owne mouthe Kinges to be rulers of his people and the power of them largely expounded he dyd confirme God by his owne mouthe made kynges rulers of hys people In the example of nature amongest the chif philosophers plato aristotle and appolonius did perseaue and considre that as in the whole worlde one is the hie creature and ruler of al thinges as amonge the stertes the some precelles al other The gouernāce of kynges apperethe be naturall thinges by scripture also amongest the beese one kinge ther is on belwether the flocke dothe folowe And one leader the herde the cranes folowe all one lykewyse in a cōmunalte shulde be one king as hed to whome the members shulde agre and this consideracion of the communalte shewed by the inclinacion of nature And by the worke of nature drawen out and prynted with more obscure tokens god hath aparteli manifest to vs in holye scriptures oftentimes making mencion of kynges and playnelye approuinge the power of them by his owne mouth appointing them which shulde raygne and fede his
people Genesis xvii But let vs beginne at the boke of Genesis or of the creacion of the world in which boke it is thus writton The laude is the kinges and princes The laude of the preistes which the kinge gaue them by whiche wordes it manifestly appereth that the laud was the kinges and was geuen by them to the preistes and that the dominion of erth perteyneth to kinges in that that thei were kinges of whose handes the prestes receyuid al that laude they had and in the .xvii. Deutoronomi xvii chapiter of the boke of deuteronomi When thou shal entre into the lande whiche the lorde shal geue to the when thou shalte saye I wyl constitute a kiÌ„g ouer me as al nacions nere about haue that shalt constitute hym whych the lorde god shalt chose amongest the brethern and after that he shal sit vpon the seate of his kingdome he shall wryte hym oute in a boke this seconde lawe taking example of the prestes of the tribe of the leuites of which texte it manifystly apereth that all nacions at that tyme had kinges Kinges shuld be chosen of the same nacion haue a booke of the lawe se the lawe kepte And that they were constytude at the fyâ—st amongest the people of god by the eleccion of god to whome hit was commaunded that they shulde write the boke of the lawe of god that is to wrytte not onelye for that entent they shulde haue it and kepe it with them without any other vse of it But that they shuld commaunde that lawe to be kepte obserued insomoche that it longeth to them to correcte and to punyshe and it longethe to the preistes only to preache and to geue other example of the lawe yf it were required further to shew the preemynence of a Kynge it is wrytton in the thryde boke of Esdras in the .iiii. What loÌ„geth to a kinge or prince what to a preist and of the preemynence of a kinge chapiter the kinge is superiour of al and beareth rull of them and all that he commaunded them they do iii Esdre iiii ¶ And he sende them to warfare they go and breake downe hilles walles and towres they are kylde and kyll other men and ouer passe not the kinges worde and yf they get the victorye they bringe to the kinge al the spoyle lykewyse al other that medle not with warres nor fyghtinge but tyll the ground when they reape they bring tribute to the kinge And if the kinge alone do but commaund to kyl they kyl If he commaunde to forgeue they forgeue If he bid strike they stryk if he saye dryue awaye they dryue away if he say builde they builde if he commaunde to breke downe they breake downe yf he saye plante they plante and all the comens and rulers are obedieÌ„t to him and the king in the meane time sitteth downe eateth drynketh and taketh his rest and they kepe watche rownd aboute him none of them dare gette him out of the waye to do his owne busines but must be obedient vnto the kinges at a worde and in the fyrst boke of the kings our lorde sayd to Samuell shewe to them the dutie of a kiÌ„ge that shall raygne ouer them he shal take away your synnes your fildes your vyneyardes your olyuetres and he wyll take the tenthe of your corne and of your flockes and you shal be his seruauntes i ReguÌ„ ix What is the dutye and authorite of a kiÌ„ge and in the seconde boke of ParalapomenoÌ„ or Cronicles iii Paralopemeno xix rauadias a ruler in the house of Iuda shal be ouer al causes that appertayne to the kinge also they psalmist saieth nowe ye kinges be ye wyse be warned ye that are Iudges of the erth betokeneth that it belongeth to kinges to Iudge the erthe Psalmus iii It belongeth to kynges tâ— minister Iustice and Iudgement ¶ Also in the .xxxviii. chapter of duteronomium it is writton thou shalt constitute a kinge ouer the. Deutoronomium xxxviii And in the first boke of the kinges ix i ReguÌ„ q chapi when Samuel had loked vpoÌ„ saul our lord said to Samuel this is he hath I told the of ii ReguÌ„ ii ii reguÌ„ v he shal be ruler of my people and in the .iii chapiter of the seconde boke of kinges our lord sayth the man of Iuda haue noynted me to be theyr kiÌ„ge and it folowith in the seconde boke of the kinges .v. chapiter the seniors of Israel came ennoynted Dauid to be theyr kinge and our lorde sayed thou shalt fede my people and thou shalt be capitaine vpon Israell Salomen wryteth in his prouerbes by me kinges do raygne throwe me prynces make Iust lawes thorowe me lordes be are rule and all Iudges of the erth execute Iudgement and in the ProperbioroÌ„ viii vi chapiter of the boke of Sapience or wisdom Sapientia vi O ye kinges here and vnderstande geue eare ye that rule multitudes for power is geuen to you of our lorde and strength of the hiest whiche shall trye your workes and searche out your Imaginacions and a wyse Kinge is the vpholdinge of his people in the boke of Exodi the .xxxii. Exodi xxxii chapiter it is redde Aaron the high preist sayd to Moyses where he was in the roume of the prince and kinge The hye prestes called the kinges theyr lordes and theÌ„ selfes their seruauntes whiche proueth kiÌ„ges to be superiours as to the hye prestes let not my lorde be angry with me c. And Achimelich the hye prest called himself the seruaunte of kiÌ„g Saull in the fyrst boke of the kinges in .xxiii. chapiter the kinge seÌ„t to cal Achimelech the prest the sonne of Achetobe all his fathers house that is to saye the prestes that were in Nobe and they came al to the kinge and Saul sayd to achimelech here the sonne of Achitobe and he sayde here I am my lorde Saull sayd to him whye haue ye conspyred against me thou and the sonne of Isaye c. and achimelech answered god forbedde this from me let not the kinge suspecte anye such thinge agaynst his seruaunt in al the house of my father for they seruaunte knewe nothing in thyâ— matter nother lesse nor more ¶ Then there as the hie bisshoppes did cal the kinges there lordes theÌ„ selfes the kinges seruannts it maye wel be gathered that kinges be superiours to the bisshoppes that the bysshops ought to be subiecte to kinges Saynt Peter vsith the same maner of argumeÌ„tacioÌ„ in his fyrst epistle .iii. i Petri iii chapiter prouynge that Sara was subiecte to Abraham bicause she called hym lorde after the example of whome other women shulde be subiecte to their husbandes Christ by no other maner of argument dothe shewe in the .xxii. Math xxii capiter of Mathew that Dauid was inferiour than our sauiour but bicause he called him his lorde
Swerd or power Psalmus xliii our strenght hath not showed vs but his right hand his holi arme it pleased him so to do for vs. Therfore it is righ that we shulde make our selfes our soules obedient and subiecte to hym that dyd put subiecte althing vnder his fete and we shall dyligently labour that the that he hath made subiecte to vs shal be subiecte to hym and so his lawes And it pertayneth to me to ordere the laye People with equite Iustice and to geue right IudgemeÌ„t betwixt neighbour and neighbour to punishe traÌ„gressors to kepe downe rebelles to saue the weake from the oppression of theÌ„ that be bygger to defend the pooer and nedye from the spoylets of them What partayneth to a king of a realme But also it longeth to my charge to prouyde necessatyes for the ministers of the church for the couenth of religiouse men for the congregacion of Nunnes The examinacions of the maners and lâ—uing of the clargye partayneth to the kiÌ„ge And to prouide that they may haue peace qietnes the examinacion of whose maners and leuyng partayneth to vs. ¶ If he liue chastly If the behaue them honestlye to them that be without Furth If the be diligent in the seruice of god If the be busye in teaching of the people If that be sober in liuing If the be moderate in there behauour If the be dyscrete in there Iudgementes I speake by your licens reuerent fathers yf ye had loked vpon and inquered those thinges diligentli we shuld not haue harde so moch vice and abominacions by Clarkes I lete that passe that the haue nother open crowne nor conueniente consure and that wantones in lyuinge pryde in behauour lightnes in communicacion do manifeste the infame of your soules and hartes Besides that howe gret negligeÌ„ce is there in the seruice of god Negligence in the seruice of god misbehauour in the clargye when ye scante vouchsaue to come to church onhalowe euens When at the Masse tyme ye seme rather to come to gether to laughe playe then to singe yet wyll I tell you that good men be sory for yll men do laughe at hit Yet wyll I tell it being sory for yt yf it may be told howe the abounde and runne at large in Banketing Dronkenes in slouth and vnclenlynes that nowe the houses of clarkes be counted the hospitalites of Harlottes the couentes of gesters players ther be dyce and cardes ther is singing / and daunsing there is watthing with showting and cryinge tyl mydnight so the patrimonies of Kinges the Alines of princes ye and that that is more The pryce of his Preciuos blode is spente and wasted dyd our fathers wast and spende theyr treasours for that entent did the kinges treasure house decrease by withdrawing of moch Rentes for that end dyd the liberalite of kinges geue landes and possessions to the curches of chryste for that that harlottes shulde be trimode bi the abundance and waÌ„tones of the clargy for to make sumptuos feastes to kepe houndes haukes and other pleasures this the men of warre crye out vpon the people murmuris at it Minstreles siÌ„ge and Ieste of it you care not for it you fauer them you take vp on you ye know it not Where is the swerde of leuye genesis xxxiiii Where is the zele of Simeon whiche dyd dystroy the sychymytes althoughe they were circumsised bycause the dyd misuse the doughter of Iacob as a harlot which sichimites bare the figure of them that pollute the church of christ with vicious liuing Exodus xâ—xii Where is the spirite of Moises which did not fouour his owne kynsmeÌ„ that honered the hed of the clase where is the Sword of phemees the preest that dyd stycke him that commytted fornicacion with the modianite NuÌ„eroruÌ„ xxv bi that holi zele pacified god wheÌ„ he was angri Act v Where is the spirite of Peter whyche by hys vertue dystroyed Auaryce and dyd condemne symoniacall herysye Act viii folow you priestes folowe youe the wayes of our Lorde and the right wysenes of our god ⧠It is tyme to do agaynst them that dystroye and dyssipate the lawe of god our Lorde Clerus anglie gladium petri habet vt non sit necesse a roma petere I haue the swerd of Constantyne and you the Sword of Peter in your handes let vs Ioyne handes togethere Swerdes that the lepers maye b dryuen out of the Tentes that th house of God maye be purged and that the CHILD of leuy of Leuy may minister in the Temple whiche sayed to his father and Mother I knowe you not and to his brother I wott who you be I praye you take hede dyligentli lest we repent vs of that we haue don and that we haue geuen yf we se it spente not in the seruice of god but spente in ryot and misliuinge of onthriftes by suferance wtout punishment Let the reliques of Sayntes moue you whome the leape before let the holy authors moue youe before whome they playe the madde men ¶ Let the meruelus deuotion of our predecessors mone you whose almes the vnthristines of the clargye doth misuse my grette grauntfather as ye knowe dyd geue the tenthe of all his landes to the churche and monisteris Alfredus of holye remembraunce my gret graunfathers father dyd not entende to spare nothere his The king gaâ—e the tenthe of his land to the churche treasure nor patrimony no maner charges or rentes for to enryche the church it is not vnknowen to you fathers howe moch olde king Edwarde my granfather gaue to the church and ye ought to remember howe gret giftes my father his brother gaue to the churches O father of fathers dunston beholde I praye you the eyes of my father shinynge vpon you from heuen here his complayntes with moche pety sowning in your eares O fathere dunston dydist thou geue me councel of building of monasteris of redifieng of churches thou wast a helper a laborer with me in euery thiÌ„g I chose the as a bisshop sheperd of my soule and enformer of my maners Saynt dunstoÌ„ gaue councell to the king to bilde mani monasteris to whome the kiÌ„ge was obedyent in al thiÌ„ge when dyd not I do after the what treasure dyd I set more by then thy councell what possessions dyd not I neclat at thy coÌ„aundement yf thou willest any thinge to be geuen to the poore I was redye If ye thought any thing to be geuen to the churche I dyd not de far it If ye dyd say that religius men or clarkes lacked anye thinge I did socour theyr necessite Thou diddest saye it was a perpetuall almes and that there was no more profytable than that geuen to monasteris churches for with that the clargye is sustayned and the residew geueÌ„ to the power O good lye almes O worthye prece of our soul O holsome remedi