are exacted without delay yea not only those annates that were granted by Princes for three yeers in the time of Pope Calixt the third are yet in force but are enhansed dayly pressing and oppressing more grieuously than â—ver And if the Princes doe not take an order with it all the gold and silver raked and squeazed out of Germany will be carried to Rome at time and time as into an holed sacke and an insatiat gulfe the dismembring of monasteries and chopping of Churches are allowed against all right and reason the government and administration of Churches are not bestowed on those that deserve bestâ— but those that bid most the elections made by Bishops are commonly rejected and devolved to them of Rome great store of money is exacted and extorted for the purchase of Bishops pals to the detriment of the Churches At last he makes this Epilogue By reason of the foresaid grievances and such like as proceed from the Court of Rome there growes nothing but ruines destructions and miseries over all Christâ—ndome Conclude wee then that there was good reason why the Emperour the King of France and the States of Germany demanded this reformation of the Head and Court of Rome and no reason why it was denyed This is not all wee must now see in particular where in this reformation conâ—ists at least for the maine heads of it and shew in particular the abuses that are to bee corrected and the plaints that were put up against them CHAP. III. Of the Popes too great care about temporall meanes and of their greedinesse in getting them 1 THe first thing that ought to bee reformed in the Church of Rome is the over-great care which the Popes take of temporall things now-adayes and the trick they have got of raking up goods revenues and riches together of setting their hearts wholly upon them with an ardent and inordinate desire yea so far as they forget spiritual matters and set light by them AEneas Sylvius who was afterwards Pope Pius the second makes the president of the Councell of Basil speake in this manner This decree was necessary to divert the minds of the Popes a little from the care of temporall things seeing they never thought of spirituall He speaks of that decree whereby the Popes power was abated and made subject to the power of a Councell But they knew well enough how to take order with it afterwards by meanes of the Councels of Lateran and Trent who have given them the upper hand and shamefully sold the liberty of the Church 2 Cardinal Cusan speaks of this matter more at large The Pope saith he hath hooked unto himself so much money by investitures that they complaine generally in Germany not that they are over-charged but that they are quite broke and utterly undone there is a raging appetite after the temporall meanes annexed to Churches which possesseth the hearts of our ambitious Bishops now adayes so as wee see them commit that openly after their promotion which they laboured for underhand before All the care is of the temporall none of the spirituall That was not the meaning of the Emperours they never intended that the spirituals should bee swallowed up by the temporals which were bestowed on Churches for their augmentation And presently after The Court ingrosseth unto it selfe all the best and the fattest and that which the Empire hath set apart and ordained onely for the service of God and the publique good by pretended reasons and new inventions is diverted another way since lust and avarice have so seized upon it that what was Imperiall is now made Papall and the spiritual temporall 3 Theodorie of Nihem in his third booke De Schismate speaking of the large revenues which the Emperours had bestowed upon the Popes saith What comes there of all this pompe of so much temporall meanes wherein the Church of Rome prides her selfe in these times but a neglect of spirituall matters a setting up of tyrants over them a many divisions and schismes in that Church and many other malladies This is well enough knowne 4 Mr. Iohn Gerson in his book De Ecclesiastica Potestate after he hath spoken of divers abuses of the Popes he addes What shall we thinke is to bee said of an infinite number of such like things that are done casting aside all care and regard of all spirituall and divine matters which concerne the Christian faith and religion 5 It is a wonder to thinke whither the ardent desire of getting hath transported them They have not spared Gods service and all that depends upon it to attaine their ends to become rich and make themselves great Lords They have spared neither Croisada's excommunications nor any thing that is most holy and sacred which they have not made stales to their avarice luxurie and ambition not without treason against the Divine Majesty We speak too much hereof of our selves although we doe not say all let us give place to our witnesses to speake who wee desire may beleeved and not our bare word In the first place let us produce those that testifie the setting to sale of spirituall and holy things which is practised at Rome We will marshall the Popes owne domestiques in the front See what is said to this purpose in an addition to the Canon Law taken out of Iohannes Andraeas and inserted in the glosse The same Iohn the Monk said that Rome being founded by robbers doth yet retaine her first originall being called Roma quasi rodens manûs because she corrodes the hands and he added that verse Roma manus rodit Quos rodere non valet odit The hands Rome grates Or if not so she hates The elegance of the French complies with the Latine Iames Fontanus puts this other in the margent borrowed from the glossator of the Civill Law Rome is the fountaine head of avarice And therefore all things there are at a price Gregory the thirteenth hath expunged all these additions in his new purgation of the Canon Law It were fitting that covetousnesse were blotted out of their hearts not their books Avery of Rosate an ancient commentatour of the Law mentions the forecited verse and puts this other to it Dante 's custodit Non dantes spernit odit The givers it protects The rest hates and neglects 5 AEnaeas Sylvius before he was Pope writ to a brother to his There is not any thing which the Court of Rome bestowes without money even the imposition of hands and the gifts of the Holy Ghost are set to sale there no remission of sins but to such as have money Pope Honorius the third in his letters to the Clergy of England doth freely confesse the villanie of his Court but to a pretty purpose I trow mark what the English Monks say of it And though the Popes Nuncio did publiquely rehearse before them all the letters wherein the same Pope did alledge the scandall and old reproach
by the Nobility of France upon occasion of such usurpations Yea in so much that they put out a very bitter declaration which startled him a little as the English Historians doe record Loe here a piece of it All we prime men of the Kingdome perceiving out of our deepe judgement that the Kingdome was not got by Law written nor by the ambition of Clergy-men but by the sweat of warre doe enact and ordaine by this present decree and by joynt oath that no Clerke nor Layman shall sue one another before the Ordinary or Ecclesiasticall Iudge unlesse it be in case of heresie marriages and usury upon paine of confiscating all their goods and the losse of a limbe to the transgressors hereof for which certaine executioners shall be appointed that so our jurisdiction being resuscitated may revive againe and those who have enriched themselves by our poverty amongst whom God for their pride hath raised up prophane contentions may be reduced to the state of the Primitive Church and living in contemplation may shew us those miracles which are fled out of the world a long time agoe and wee in the meane time lead an active life as it is fitting The Historian addes The Pope having heard these things sighed with a troubled minde and desiring to appease their hearts and breake their courage after hee had admonished them he frighted them with threats but he did no good for all that 4 The King of England in imitation of our French made also a Statute for the preservation of his justice The same yeere 1247 saith Matthew Paris the King of England following the example of those Lords that made these Statutes in France which were approved and sealed by their King to tame in part the insatiable greedinesse of the Court of Rome ordain'd that these things following should be inviolably observed To wit that Laymen should not be convented before an Ecclesiasticall Iudge in case of perjury or for breach of promise Gregory the seventh kept a fine decorum when after hee had deposed out of hand the Emperor Henry the fourth when he was doing his pennance at Rome and created Ralph in his stead he would afterwards be the judge of their controversie to see whether had the wrong A Germane Priest makes mention of the pennance appointed to the said Henry whereof wee speake in another place he saith moreover that in the time of the vacancy The Pope sent a crowne of gold to Ralph Duke of Suevia accompanied with a verse which we have cut into two as good as the Latine Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa Coronam The Rocke gave Peter Rome in fee The Pope bestowes the crowne on thee He addes that the Pope commanded the Archbishops of Mayence and Cullen and other Princes and Bishops of Germany to take Ralphs part and to make him Emperour which was done accordingly That the Bishop of Strasburg the Emperours great friend going to Rome after hee had sought him diligently a long time through the City and found him in the places consecrated to the Martyrs and told him of the new election and how much it concerned him to goe to Germany in all haste to â—ll â—nfort â—his friends and repell the force of his enemies the Emperour making â—omewhat nice of departing without the leave of the Sea Apostolique the Bishop enformed him that all the mischiefe of the treason proceeded from the Romane treachery and that it was necessary he should flie away privily if he would avoid being taken 5 The case being thus let us now heare the narration which Gregory made hereof in his Bull of excommunication and his pretence for the judgement Certaine Bishops and Princes of Germany saith he having been a long time vexed by that wilde beast in stead of Henry who fell from the Empire by reason of his offences chose Ralph of Suevia for their head and King who using such modesty and sincerity as befits a King sent his commissioners forthwith unto me to give me to understand that he undertooke the managing of the Empire against his will That notwithstanding hee was not so desirous of reigning but that he lov'd rather to obey us than those who promised him the Empire That he would be alwayes under our power and Gods and to the intent we may be assured that he will be so he hath promised to deliver his children unto us for hostages From thenceforth Henry hath begunne to vexe himselfe and intreat us at first to repell Ralph from usurping the Empire by anathema's I replyed that I would see who had the right and that I would send my Nuncio's to examine the whole businesse and afterwards I would judge who had the better cause 6 They have gone so farre in this point that they have attempted to exercise jurisdiction over Kings and Princes in their owne cause as Boniface the eighth who having a controversie with King Edward the first of England touching the Realme of Scotland which the Pope said belonged to the Church of Rome he writ to him That if he pretended any title to the Realme of Scotland or any part thereof he should send his Proctours and speciall Ambassadours to the See Apostolique with all his rights and instruments belonging to that particular there to receive full justice upon the premises The King of England caused answer to be made unto the Pope by the chiefe Lords and Barons of his Kingdome assembled together in Parliament as they call it where they say concerning this point That the Kings of England have not nor ought not to answer for the titles which they pretend to the said Kingdome or other temporall matters before any Iudge Ecclesiasticall or Civill by reason of their royall dignity and prerogative and the custome inviolably observed in all ages Wherefore after mature deliberation and advice about the contents of your letters the common and unanimous consent of all and every one of us was and shall be without starting for the future that our King ought not any way judicially to make answer before you concerning his right to the Kingdome of Scotland or other temporals nor in any wise submit to your sentence or bring his right in question and dispute or send his Proctours and Ambassadours before you for that purpose and we doe not allow nor will in any wise allow what we neither can nor may that our King if he would doe the said things which are inusuall unlawfull prejudiciall and unheard of nor that he goe about to doe them in any wise 7 Innocent the fourth saith another Historian caused Henry the third King of England to be summoned before him to answer to one David a vassall of his and to give him satisfaction as hee said for some injuries which hee had done him this thing was derided and made a mocke of among many 8 They have not only attempted to determine of profane matters between Lay men but which is more to disanull
the frequency of Councels 1 IT is a great advantage which the Pope hath got that there must bee no more Generall Councels but when hee pleaseth For loe here the Decree of our Councell If it chance that there bee any things which it thinkes there are not that require further declaratioÌ„ or determinatioÌ„ besides other remedies appointed in this CouÌ„cel the holy Synod trusts that the most blessed Bishop of Rome either by calling forth those whom he shall think most fit to treat about such a businesse out of those Provinces especially where such difficultie shall arise or by the celebration of a Generall Councell if he thinke it needfull or by any other more commodious way as he shall think good will take care that the necessities of the Provinces be provided for for Gods glory and the Churches peace 2 This is all one as to make the Pope past breeching past tutoring and correction to take away that frequent celebration of Couâ—â—els and leave the convocation of them to their courtesie is as much to give the rod wherewith the master hath whipt him into the Schollers hand to doe what he please with it The Popes when they were monstrously debauched in a monstrous fashion and given over to all manner of vices abominations and impieties were curb'd and brought under to some discipline by the Councels of Pisa Constance Siena Basil Lausanne and the second of Pisa. Where many of their Popes were deposed where many good rules were made for the holding of Councels tending principally to the reformation of the abuses of the Pope and Court of Rome where it was religiously ordained that Generall Councels should be called and celebrated every ten yeares and that in such sort as the Popes might not prolong the terme but might abridge it if need required See here the very words of the Decree of the Councell of Constance We ordaine and decree by this perpetuall Edict that from this time forwards Generall Councels shall bee holden in this manner The first that shall be held after this shall be within five yeares next following and the next after that within seven yeares immediately reckoning from the end of the former and alwayes after from ten yeares to ten yeares for ever And afterwards Which terme the supreme Bishop may abridge upon some occasions which may come to passe with the advice of his brethren the Cardinals of the holy Church of Rome but he may not protract it in any wise 3 This same Decree is set downe word for word in the first Session of the Councell of Basil and confirmed by it And in the eleventh Session is added this exposition of it This holy Synod doth further declare that these words of the Decree That it cannot be prolonged in any wise ought to bee understood by way of forbiddance or prohibition in such sort as it cannot bee prolonged even by the Pope himselfe It is the third time repeated and confirm'd in the sixteenth Session These same Decrees of these two Councels are transcribed word for word into the second of Pisa at the beginning and confirmed by it Antiquity shewes us plainly that after the Christians were at liberty Generall Councels were very frequent 4 The fruit that springs from the frequency of these Councels is recommended unto us by the Decrees above-mentioned where it is said that it is the principall tillage of the Lords field that it extirpates heresies schismes errours corrects excesses reformes what is amisse makes the vineyard of the Lord fertile Whereas the cessation of them on the other side produceth quite contrary effects as it is there delivered with this addition That the memory of times past and the consideration of the present made them eye-witnesses of it Whereunto we will adde the testimony of Mr. Iohn Gerson There never was heretofore nor ever will bee hereafter a more pernicious plague in the Church than the omission of Generall Councels whether in the matter or in the authority And in another place If so great and such enormous dangers have befalne the Church of God since the celebration of Generall Councels hath beene intermitted it is easie to see how usefull and commodious the frequent celebration of them would be 5 He is a very novice in the history of later times which knowes not the shifts and evasions which the Popes have used about the holding of Generall Councels even after they have by solemne oaths bound themselves to hold them and the wiles they have used to disanull and dissolve them the bickerings and disputes they have had with Councels themselves about that matter whereof we make mention in divers parts of this discourse The same Gerson witnesseth as much in saying that the Popes abuse the plenitude of their power in that they will not celebrate Generall Councels 6 Everard Bishop of Salisburg in an Imperiall Diet of Germany holden about two hundred â—â—ares agoe speakes thus of this matter He that is the servant of servants desires to be the Lord of Lords as if he were a God hee sleights sacred assemblies and the advice of his brethren yea of his masters he is afraid lest he should be constrain'd to give account of those things which he commits dayly more and more against the lawes 7 Zabarel Cardinall of Florence who writ a little before the Councell of Pisa saith The ancient custome was that all difficult cases should bee determined by a Councell the convocation whereof was frequent But in after times certain Popes that have governed the Church rather like earthly Princes than like Apostles never tooke any great care to call them From which neglect hath sprung much mischiefe 8 Iacobus de Paradiso saith They tremble to heare any man speake of the calling of a Generall Councell knowing by experience that Councels doe not deale gently but correct and amend without respect of persons And indeed the Emperours and Princes who in these later times had quite let goe the reines of Ecclesiasticall discipline through ignorance of their right were forced to resume their authority and proceed to the convocation of Councels against the Popes will 9 So that it is but a cheating of Christendome above board to leave the judgement of the necessity of Generall Councels to the Popes will and pleasure abolishing by this meanes the good order established by the Councels aforesaid which was received and confirm'd by our Pragmatique Sanction where the said Decrees are transcribed word for word Which gave occasion to King Charles the ninth to require by his Ambassadours at Trent the celebration of Generall Councels every ten yeares as appeares by his demandsâ— to which no regard was had because this intrencht upon the Popes authority who by this kinde of suppression of Generall Councels hookes all the power of them unto himselfe CHAP. VII Of the Iesuites 1 THe Order of Iesuits instituted by the two Popes Paul and Iulius the third the
I know what the matter is when the fires were kindled over all France to burn them all alive Religion was then a case Royal. But when the question is about a necessary reformation of the Clergie or Monkery or sending Pastours home to their flocks this is a case Synodicall or Papall For as I remember I have heard some distinguish so and those eveâ—â—â—â—hops themselver As if Princes were no more but miâ—isters of another zeal ofttimes indiscreet and without knowledge that I say not executioners of cruelty and not rather Guardians Protectours and externall defendours of all the constitutions of the Church as her children 3 But let us here shew by good examples and sufficient testimonies in what fashion Secular Princes have medled with such things as concern the Church The first lesson which God gives the King which would bee established over his people is this It shall bee when he sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdome that hee shall write him a copy of this law in a booke out of that which is before the Priests and the Levits And it shall be with him and hee shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God to keepe all the words of this law and these Statutes to do them According hereunto the Lord speaks thus to Ioshua whom he had chosen to be the governour of his people after Moses This booke of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to doe according to all that is written therein 4 Let us now see how these Kings and Governours behaved themselves in the ancient Church and the power which they tooke upon them without rebuke or to speake more properly with approbation David gathered together all the Princes of Israel with the Priests and the Levits Of which twenty and foure thousand were chosen to set forward the worke of the house of the Lord and six thousand were Officers and Iudges Moreover foure thousand were Porters and foure thousand praised the Lord with instruments which hee made to praise therewith And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi. And a litle after And Aaron was separated that he should sanctifie the most holy things he and his sons for ever to burne incense before the Lord to minister unto him and to blesse his name for ever All this concernes the discipline of the Church and yet all was done by the conduct and command of David King Solomon built the Temple of the Lord in Ierusalem by the speciall appointment of God The son that shall bee borne to thee shall bee a man of rest Hee shall build an house for my name David would have built the temple himself but he was forbid by the Lord because he had shed bloud King Ioash repaired it afterwards And it came to passe after this that Ioash was aminded to repaire the house of the Lord. And he gathered together the Priests and the Levites and commanded them to goe out unto the Cities of Iudah and gather out of all Israel money to repaire the house of the Lord from year to year And when the Levites hastened not the King called for Iohoiadah the chief and said unto him Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring out of Iudah and out of Ierusalem the collection And at the Kings commandement they made a chest into which every man brought his share and portion that Moses had laid upon them This money was brought unto the King and distributed by him and the high Priest amongst those that wrought about the temple 5 The Emperour Charlemaigne who was as great in Ecclesiasticall policie as in feats of armes speaks on this wise to the Clergy of his Empire in the preface of his Capitulary We have sent our Deputies unto you to the intent that they by our authoritie may together with you correct what shall stand in need of correction We have also added certaine Chapters of Canonicall ordinances such as we thought to bee most necessarie for you Let no man I entreat you thinke or censure this pious admonition for presumptuous whereby wee force our selves to correct what is amisse to cut off what is superfluous and briefly to compact what is good But rather let everie man receive it with a well-willing minde of charitie For wee have read in the booke of Kings how Ioas endevoured to restore the Kingdome which God had given him 〈◊〉 â—he service of the true God by going about it by correcting and admonishing it 6 Wee have elsewhere said that he discoursed himselfe about points of divinitie at the Councel of Francfort Nor doe wee ever finde so many Synods holden as in his reigne and all by his command which is a faire prâ—siâ—ent for his successors By his command saith Regino there were Councels celebrated in all parts of France by the Bishops about the state of the Church One was held at Mentz another at Rhemes a third at Tours a fourth at Cavaillon a fift at Arles and the severall Constitutions which were made in every one of them were confirmed by the Emperour Besides these five which were held in the yeare 813 namely but one yeare before his decease hee called one at Worms the year 770. One at Valentia in 771. Another at Worms in 772. Another at Genes the yeare 773. Another at a place called Duria in 775. Another at Cullen 782. A third at Wormsâ— 787. Another at a place called Ingeluheym the yeare 788. And a Generall one consisting of all the Westerne Churches at Francfort the yeare 794. Besides others which may be observed out of histories 7 See now then how Kings have a commanding power over the Clergy how they make Ordinances about such things as concerne Ecclesiastical discipline how they ingage themselves in such matters above all others yet not so as to minister in the Church to offer incense or such like For this belongs properly to the Church and cannot bee taken from them This is the reason why King Hezekiah speaks thus to the Priests and Levites when hee exhorts them to doe their dutie My sons be not now negligent for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him to serve him and that you should minister unto him and burne incense Hee calls them sons or children that wee may observe so much by the way whereas our Canon law on the contrary saith that Bishops are the fathers and masters of Kings and Princes as wee have â—eene already It is not lawfull for Princes so much as to touch this mysterie and this is the reason why King Vzziah was smitten with a leprosie because hee had taken upon him to offer incense upon the altar and the Priests withstood him From whence our Popes make a wonderous â—â—range consequence when they concluâ—e from hence that Kings and Emperours cannot
service and that such Priests as are ordained and established in them shall not be tyed and bounâ— to doe any other service but Ecclesiasticall for and in consideâ—ation of the tithes and oblations of faithful peopleâ— houses base Coâ—rts or gardens adjoyning to the said Churches nor for the Manour aforesaid A certaine Councell held at Paris doth commend and follow this same Ordinance and our Popes have canonized it 13 The Councell of Pavy holden under the Emperour Lewes the second in the yeare 855 addresseth these words unto him As for the reparation of Churches the Chapter which was made by your Predecessour is suâ—â—icient But that it may bee observ'd it stands in need of your admonition So likewise forasmuch as concernes places for the entertaining of strangers that which is set downe in the Capitularie ought to bee observed 14 The Emperour Iustinian in one of his Edicts doth excommunicate all heresiesâ— and that of Nestorius and Eutyches in particular Wee anathematize all heresie and especially that of Eutyches and Nestorius as also that of Apollinaris Hee further ordaines that if the followers of that sect doe not returne after the warning which should bee given unto them by virtue of his Edict That they should not looke for any favour or pardon commanding that they should be punished with condigâ—e punishment as convicted and denounced heretiques This Edict was commended and approved bp Epiphanius Patriarch of Constantinople and by a good number of Bishops which were then at Constantinople as the same Iustinian affirmeth in one of his Constitutions directed to him where after he hath rehearsed the tenor of the said Edict These are the things saith he which by our divine Edict we have condemned in the persons of heretiques to which all the most holy Bishops and reverend Abbats which were then present in this Citie have together with your Holynesse subscribed Pope Iohn in the answer which he made to the same Emperour hath such another confirmation Wee have beene informed saith he by the report of Hypatius and Demetrius that you being stirred up by the love of the faith for the abolishing of the opinions of heretiques have set out an Edict following therein the Apostolicall doctrineâ— and with the consent of our brethren and fellow-Bishops which wee by our authoritie doe here confirme as conformable to the Apostolicall doctrine Pope Iohn's successour would say now adaies That it does not concerne him to intermeddle so farre in divine matters Hee goes further yet for he prayes Iustinian that hee would mitigate this his Edict towards such as would repent Forasmuch as the Church doth not shut her bosome against those that returne unto her I entreat your Clemencie saith he that if they will returne to the union of the Church by forsaking their errours and casting off their bad intention that you would turne the edge and point of your indignation from them by receiving them into your communion and admitting them into your savour upon our intercession 15 A certaine Councell held at Tribur under King Arnold which is extant in a Booke of Rhabanus hath this preface In the 895 yeare of the incarnation of our Lordâ— the glorious King Arnold so journing at Tribur there were twenty six Bishops assembled and to the number of a hundred Abbats of Monasteries whom the same King commanded to treat of Ecclesiasticall lawes and promised to shew himselfe a most devout coadjutour for the reestablishing of the Canons and Decrees as also the Constitutions of his ancestours which are contained in their Capitulary so farre forth as he should find them infeebled He assisted also the Bishops and the holy Synod by his authority Royall against some secular persons who would have infringed the Episcopall authoritie and those capitulary Lawes which are hereafter set downe were published and approv'd by him 16 As for the Popes In former times they did not onely not contradict this but rather became supplicants to Emperours for the obtaining of such rules and Ordinances saith Marsilius of Padua And indeed Leo the fourth writes to the Emperour Lotharius in this manner As for the Capitulary Ordinances and Imperiall Constitutions as well of your selfe as of your predecessors we declare unto you that we will observe and keepe them exactly both at this present and for ever hereafter so farre forth as we are or shall bee able and if perchance any man either hath or doe informe you otherwise know for certaine that he is a lyar See here a faire promise which was canonized in the Decret but it serves for nothing there but tapestrie 17 The Emperour Maurice set out a prohibition in one of his Constitutions That such as were bound to beare armes or to other publique services should not be admitted into any Ecclesiasticall habit nor into any Monasterries seeing by that meanes they thought to secure their affaires Gregory the Great sent this Edict to the Bishops of Sicily recommending the observance of it unto them Which was approved by his successours who have canonized this Epistle of his 18 Pope Gelasius recommends the observance of lawes made by secular Princes about Ecclesiasticall matters Who dare say saith he that the lawes of Princes the rules of Fathers or the new admonitions may be sleighted And he afterward speakes of two naturall borne slaves who had beene made Deacons in the Church contrary to the said lawes One of the Bonifaces writ thus to the Bishops of France If any doubt doe arise about Ecclesiasticall law or any other matter betwixt any two Bishops belonging to the same Councell let the Metropolitan in the first place judge of it at the Councell with the rest of the Bishops and if the parties will not stand to that judgement then let the Primate of the Countrey have the hearing of it and determine of it according to the Ecclesiasticall Canons and your owne lawes and neither of the parties shall have power to contradict it Which is avowed in like manner by his successours 19 We have elsewhere handled many points which concerne the authoritie of Kings and Princes as the calling of Councels the presidence and judgement in themâ— the authorizing of them the election or nomination to Bishopriques the jurisdiction over Clergie-men and other things of like nature which it is not necessary to reinculcate here Wee will adde for a close that famous passage of Demetrius Archbishop of Bulgaria which containes a great part of all that goes before and with which for that reason we will conclude Hee therefore in one of his responses to Constantine Cabasilas Archbishop of Dyrrhachium saith The Emperour being as it were the common knowing Monarque of the Churches doth preside in Synodicall determinaâ—ions and makes them be in force he prescribes Ecclesiasticall Orders he sets lawes to the lives and politie of such as serve at the Altar as also to the judgements of â—ishops and Clerkes and to the suffrages of vacant