Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	england_n	king_n	parliament_n	3,428	5	6.3449	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91297	The third part of a seasonable, legal, and historical vindication of the good old fundamental liberties, franchises, rights, laws, government of all English freemen; with a chronological collection of their strenuous defenses, by wars, and otherwise: of all great Parliamentary Councills, synods, and chief laws, charters, proceedings in them; of the publike revolutions of state, with the sins and vices occasioning them; and the exemplary judgements of God upon tyrants, oppressors, perjured perfidious traitors, rebels, regicides, usurpers, during the reigns o [sic] four Saxon and Danish Kings, from the year of our Lord 600. till the coronation of William the Norman, anno 1066. Collected out of our antientest, and best historians, with brief usefull observations on and from them. / By William Prynne esq; a bencher of Lincolns Inne.; Seasonable, legall, and historicall vindication and chronologicall collection of the good, old, fundamentall, liberties, franchises, rights, laws of all English freemen. Part 3	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1657 (1657)	Wing P4102; Thomason E905_1; ESTC R207432	279,958	400

with the Second part as a branch thereof above two years since but that the Stationer then kept it back for fear it should swell that Part overbigg for his present Sal● whereby th● bulk of this Third Part is now augm●nted beyond its first intended proportion which all Readers may do well to binde up with the two former parts to which it hath special relation more particularly to the ten Propositions in the First Part to which the Proposition figures in the margin refer The most of that large tract of 450. years space I have here Chronologically run through was spent either in bloody intestine wars between our Saxon Kings themselves or the Welsh Buitons warring upon and against each other or else in defensive Wars both by Land and Sea against the invading bloody p●●●dening Danes Norwegians Scots Normans and other Foreign Nations During which Military seasons Religion Devotion Piety Law Iustice Parliamentary Councills Synods and just Government are usually cast a side and quite trampled under foot yet it is very observabl● for the perpetual honour of our Kingdom and Kings that as during the reign of our antient British Kings before the Saxon race here seated our Kingdome of Brittain produced Lucius the first Christian King Helena the first Christian Queen and Constantine the great her son the first Christian Emperour in the world who publickly imbraced professed countenanced propagated the faith and Gospel of Iesus Christ and abolished Pagan Idolatry in their Dominions And of later times as our English Realm brought forth King Henry the 8th the first Christian King in the world who by Acts of Parliament abolished the Popes usurped power and jurisdiction out of his Dominions King Edward the sixth his son the first Christian King and Queen Elizabeth the first Christian Queen we read of in the world who totally abolished suppressed Popery banished it their kingdoms and established the publike Profession of the Protestant Religion by publike Statutes made in their Parliaments So during the reigns of our Saxon Kings after they turned Christians this Realm of England procreated more devout holy pious just and righteous Kings eminent for their piety justice excellent Ecclesiastical and Civil Laws transcendent bounty to the Church Clergy and Martyrdom for the defence of Religion and their Country against Pagan Invaders than any one Kingdom throughout the World There being no less then 15 or 16 of our Saxon Kings and 13 Queens within 200 years space who out of piety devotion and contempt of the world according to the piety of that age ●ut of date in this voluntarily renounced their earthly Crowns and Kingdoms and became professed Monks Nuns to obtain an incorruptible Crown and Kingdom in Heaven 12 Kings crowned with Martyrdom being slain by Pagan invaders 10 of them being canonized for transcendent Saints and enrolled for such in all Martyrologies Liturgies of the Church which I doubt few of our new Republican Saints will he Yea the piety of our Kings in that age was generally so surpassing Ut mirum tunc fuerat Regem non Sanctum videre as John Capgrave informs us Whence Wernerus a forein Chronologer in his Fasciculus temporum records Plures se invenisse sanctos Reges in Anglia quam in alia mundi Provincia quantumcunque populosa And Abbot Ailred long before him gives this memorable testimony of the Sanctity Martyrdom Justice and study of the peoples publike we al before the private shining forth in our Saxon Kings more than in any other kings throughout the world Verum prae cunctis civitatibus Regnisve terrarum de sanctitate Regum suorum Anglia gloriatur quorum alii coronati martyrio de terreno ad caeleste Regnum migraverunt alii exilium patriae praeferentes mori pro Christo peregre deligerunt nonnulli posito diademate disciplicinis se monasticis subdederunt quidam in justitia et sanctitate regnantes prodesse subditis quam praeesse maluerunt whose footsteps I wish the pretending self-denying antimonarchical domineering Saints over us would now imitate inter quos istud Sydus eximium gloriosus Rex Edwardus emicuit quem cernimus in divitiis egenum in deliciis sobrium in purpura humilem sub corona aurea se●uli contemptorem So as the Prophesies of Psal 72 2 6. Isay 42 4 10 12. c. 49. 1 23. c. 51 5. c. 60 9 10 11. c. 66. 19. seem to be principally intended and verified of our Kings Isle above all others in the world No wonder then that these ages of theirs afford us not withstanding all the wars tumults combustions therein sundry memorable Presidents of great Parliamentary Councils Synods Civil and Ecclesiastical excellent Laws and Canons made in royal Charters confirmed by them with divers memorable Mouuments both of our Parliamentary Councils Kings Princes Nobles Peoples constant care diligence prudence fortitude in defending preserving vindicating and perpetuating to posterity the good old Laws Liberties Franchises Rights Customs Government publike justice and Propriety of the Nation to suppress abolish all ill Law tyrannical unjust Proceedings Oppressions Exactions Imposts Grievances Taxes repugnant thereunto to advance Religion Pi●ty Learning the free course of Iustice and the peoples welfare Which I have here in a Chronological method for the most part faithfully collected out of our antientest best Historians and Antiquaries of all sorts where they ly confused scattered and many of them being almost quite buried in oblivion and so far forgotten that they were never so much as once remembred or insisted on either in our late Parliaments and Great Courts of Iustice in any late publike Arguments or Debates touching the violation or preservation of the fundamental Laws Liberties Properties Rights Franchises of the Nation now almost quite forgotten and trampled under foot after all our late contests for their defence I have throughout these Collections strictly confined my self to the very words and expressions of those Historians I cite coupling their relations together where they accord in one citing them severally where they vary and could not aptly be conjoyned transcribing their most pertinent passages in the language they penned them omitted by our vulgar English Chronologers and annexing some brief observations to them for Explanation or Information where there is occasion The whole undertaking I here humbly submit to the favourable acceptation and censure of every judicious Reader who if upon his perusal thereof shall esteem it worthy of such an Encomium as William Thorne a Monk of Canterbury hath by way of Prologue praefixed to his own Chronicle Valens labor laude dignus per quem ignota noscuntur occulta ad noticiam patescunt praeterita in lucem praesentia in experientiam futura temporibus non omittantur quia labilis est humana memoria necesse constat scriptis inseri memoranda ne humanae fragilitatis contingens oblivio fieret posteris inopinata confusio It will somewhat incourage me to proceed

down flat to the Earth very much affrighted Some write that both sides by Dunstans policy appealed to the resolution of the Crucifix in this case in which Dunstan had placed a man with a Trunk in the wall behind the Image who uttered this voice in and by the mouth of the Rood which is most probable Soon after he King and Dunstan heard this second voice from the Crucifix Arise be not afraid because this day Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed each other in the Monks In memory of this chearing Oracle and Monkish fable of which Huntindon Hoveden Wigorniensis Ranul●us Cistrensis Fabian and other old Monastical ●istorians make no mention and Malmsbury slightly relates it as An hear-say the Monks of Winchester ingraved these Verses over the head of this Crucifix in their Refectory Humano more Crux praesens edidit ore Coelitus effata quae prospicis hic subarata writing the words forcited under this Distick as then uttered by the Crucifix which asserted before all That Dunstans way was true Where with the Clerks and their Abettors were quite confounded and put to silence Sed adhuc non sedatis animis c. But the Nobles and Clerks minds being not as yet quieted by this Oracle a clear evidence they suspected it as counterfeit our Historians inform us there were three more great Councils soon after held to settle this Controversie between the married Priests and Monks The first at Kerling Kerding or Cerding or Kirking as it is variously stiled Anno 977. which Wigorn. and Hoveden stile Magna Synodus without recording what was done therein Sir Henry Spelman out of an old Saxon Note calls it A great Council affirmes it was held after Easter and that Sideman Bishop of Devonshire died in it That King Edward and the Archbishop therein ordained That every man should goe in pilgrimage to the Church of St. Mary at Abendune out of Devotion And Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury in the life of Dunstan superaddes Dunstanus ibi cum Monachorum labenti conditioni succurrere voluit nihil profecit Itaque hoc dissoluto Concilio aliud in Regia Villa Wilteria quae Calne vulgo appellatur coegir This Great Council held at Calne some stile it Cleve was purposely called the same year 977. to end the long continued Controversie between the Monks and married Priests which the feigned Oracle of the Crucifix at Winchester and the Council of Kerding could not determine All the Senators and Nobles of England sitting together at this Council in an Upper room the King being absent by reason of his tender age or sickness the business being debated with great conflict and controvetsie and the strongest wall of the Monkish Church Archbishop Dunstan being assaulted with the Darts of many revilings remained unshaken The Disputants of both parties and orders defending their sides with greatest industry in the midst of the dispute the whole Floor with the Rafters and Beams of the Room wherein they disputed suddenly brake in peeces and fell to the ground with all the people in it except Dunstan who escaped without any harm standing firm on a beam that remained of which he took hold-fast the rest being either slain outright or very much hurt and bruised with the fall so as they languished ever after hardly escaping present death This miracle as our Monkish Authors stile it gave peace to Archbishop Dunstan from the assaults of the English Clerks and others who thereupon from thenceforth submitted to his sentence and judgement if William of Malmesbury and Mat. Westminster may be credited Whereas Florentius Wigorniensis John Bromton and others out of them assure us that there was not long after another Parliamentary Synod or Assembly held at Ambresbery upon the same occasion without recording the Proceedings or Event thereof Some conjecture that this fall was only a fiction of the Monkish VVriters to adde reputation to their languishing cause as well as that of the Crucifix Speech forecited Others conceive it was wrought by Duustans sorcery or Policy Others that it was casual by reason of the weight of the People But Henry Huntindon Hist l. 2. p. 357. Bromton col 876. and Sir Henry Spelman out of them p. 496. record That this fall of the Nobles at Calne was not a Divine Judgement on them for their Opposition against and injury to the Monks as some interpreted it but signum videlicet Dei excelsi fuit quod Proditione et Interfeatone Regis sui ab amore Dei Casuri essent et diverus gentibus digna contritione conterendi as they were soon after broke in pieces by the invading conquering Danes and Normans And whether the late violent falls and ruptures of our Parliaments and Nobles portend not the like fate to England by some other forein Invasions for the like Treachery Apostacy Regicide or far worse let those who are guiltiest of it and others determine at their leisures King Edward imitating the footsteps of his Fathers Religion and Piety was so circumvented by the flattering speeches of his Mother-in-law Queen Elfrida that although she opposed his Title Election Coronation all she could to advance her own Son to the Crown yet retaining only the name of a king to himself he soon after permitted her and his Brother Ethelred his Competitor to order all affairs of the Realm as they pleased VVhereupon as the Chronicle of Bromton relates she began to plot how to dethrone this Man of God King Edward and advance her own Son Ethelred to the Throne Which when she had a long time meditated upon she opened the Secrets of her heart to some of her chief Counsellours advising with them concerning it and earnestly intreating yea conjuring them to assent to her therein and to find out some means to effect it Cui protenus in necem illius omnes conseuserunt who all forthwith consented to his Murder and contrived how they might most speedily accomplish it by some fraudulent device which they soon after executed in this manner King Edward hunting for his disport in the Forest near VVarham hearing that his Brother Ethelred whom he intirely loved was near that place residing then with his Morher at Corph-Castle some stile it Cornesgare rode thither to visit him with very few attendants who either casually or of set purpose lingring behind him sporting in the way he came alone to the Castle gate Queen Elfrida who had a long time waited for such an opportunity being informed thereof went presently to weet him with her bloody Assassinate s and welcoming him with flattering Speeches and a pleasant countenance importuned him to lodge there that night which offer he with thanks refused saying he desired only to see and speak with his btother but would not alight from his horse Whereupon she commanded a Cup of Wine to be speedily brought him to drink appointing one of her boldest Souldiers to kill him whiles he was drinking VVho kissing the king like another Judas

The first moity was for Pious uses which he subdivided into three parts The first parcel he bestowed in Almes to relieve the poor both at home and in forein parts The second he bestowed on Religious Houses and Persons The third he gave towards the maintenance of Schools Scholars Doctors and learned Men of all sorts resorting to and liberally rewarded by him according to their merits The other moity was for civil uses which he likewise divided into 3 equal portions The first he gave unto his Souldiers whom he divided into 3 Squadrons The first Squadron which were Horse waited one month on him at his Court as his Life-guard whiles the other two were imployed in military expeditions in the Field And when their month expired they all returned from the wars and then another new Company succeeded them And when their Month was ended they returning to their Houses the other Company succeeded them And so they successively kept their monthly courses during all his Reign being one month in actual service and two months at home about their own affairs The second part he gave to his Workmen and Artificers of all sorts skilfull in all Worldly affairs The third part he gave to Strangers in Royal Gifts and Presents and that as well to the Rich as Poor Besides he had a very great Care Ne à Vicecomitibus et Ministris pauperes opprimere●tur et indebitis exactionibos gravarentur That the poor people should not be oppressed by Sheriffs and other Officers nor burthened with unjust Exactions or Contributions Yea by his large Almes and Gifrs he sent to Rome he procured the English School to be fréed from all Taxes and Tributes by the Popes special Bull. And we never read he imposed the least publick Tax upon his Subjects during all his wars and Exigences by his own Regal Power upon any pretext of publick Necessity Danger Defence or Safety of the Realm against the Numerous Invading plundering Danish forces both by Sea and Land Which our late and present Aegyptian Tax-masters may do well to consider In the year of our Lord 894. this King Alfred and Guthurn the Dane gave to the Church of St. Cutbert in Durham all the Lands between Weor and Tyne for a perpetual Succession free from all Custome and secular Services with all Customes Saca and Socua and infaugtheof thereunto belonging with sundry other Privileges which they ordained to be perpetually observed Non solum Anglorum sed et Danorum consentiente et collaudante exercitu by the consent and approbation of the ARMY not only of the English but Danes also Has Leges haec Statuta which proves that it was done by a Parliamentary Counsell then held in both their Armies Quicunqu● quolibet nisu Infringere praesumpserint eos in perpetuum nisi emendaverint Gehennae Ignibus puniendos anathematizando Sententia omnium contradidit I pretermit the Welsh Synods held under the Bishops of Landaff during King Alfreds Reign as Sir Henry Spelman conjecture● in whom the Reader may peruse them where in the Bishop of Landaff and his Clergy excommunicated some of their petty Welsh Kings for Murder Perjury violating the Churches Patrimony and Injuring the Bishops family who upon their Repentance and Reconciliation gave all of them some parcels of Land to the Church of Landaff The rather because I conceive them fabulous there being no such form of Excommunication used in those daies as Sir Henry Spelman proves nor any such Episcopal Synods held in England under King Alfred himself The barbarous Danes having throughout all England with fire and sword utterly wasted and destroyed all Cities Towns Castles Monasteries Churches put most of the Bishops Abbots Clergy to the Sword and almost quite deleted the knowledge of Learning and Religion out of the whole Nation insomuch that there were very few spiritual persons on this side Humber who could either understand the Common prayers in the English tongue or translate anywriting out of latine into English yea so few that there was not so much as one man on the South-side of the Thames that could do it till King Alfred after his Conquest of the Danes in the latter part of his Reign restored Learning and Religion again by Degrees as this King himself records in expresse terms in his Epistle to Bishop Wulsug by way of Preface to his own Translation of Gregories Pastorals into the English Saxons Language King Alfred deceasing his Son Edward surnamed the Elder succeeding his Father in the year of Christ 901 thereupon Prince Aethelwald his Uncles Son aspiring to the Crown without the consent of the King and Nobles of the Realm seised upon Oxlie and Winburne whereupon King Edward marching with his Armie against him to Bath he fled from Winburne to the Danes in Northumberland for assistance who being glad thereof they all make him King and Prince over all their Kings and Captains Whereupon they invading Essex and Mercia King Ed. raised a great Army chased them into Northumberland and harrowed the whole Country to the Lakes of Northumberland where the Kentishmen remaining contrary to the Kings Command and Messengers sent to them after the retreat of the rest of the Army The Danish Army upon this advantage setting upon them they gallantly defending themselves slew their new King Aethelwald with King Eorit and sundry of their chief Commanders and many of their Souldiers though they lost the field This King and Edelfled his Sister Queen of Mercians to prevent the frequent eruptions plunders the Danes repaired many old ruinated Towns and built many new ones in convenient places which they replenished with Souldiers to protect the Inhabitants and repell the Enemies whereby the Common people we●e so incouraged and became such good Souldiers that if they heard of the Enemies approach they would fight and rout them Rege etiam Ducibus inconsultis in certamen ruerent eisque semper numero scientia praeliandi praestarent ita hostes contemptui milit●bus Regi risui erant as Malmesbury writes The Country people themselves fighting with the Danes at Ligetune put them to flight recovered all the prey they had taken and likewise the Danes Horses as they likewise did in some other parts Amongst other places this King repaired the walls of Colchester put warlike men in it certum eis stipendium assignavit and assigned them a certain stipend as Mat Westm records neither he nor other our Historians making mention of assigned wages to any other Garrisons or Souldiers in that age At last the Danes in most places throughout England perceiving King Edwards power and wisdom submitted themselves unto him elected him for their King and Patron and swore homage and fealty to him as likewise did the Kings of Scotland Northumberland and Wales In the year of Grace 905. This King Edward assembled a Synod of the Senators of the English Nation as Malmesbury or a great Council of Bishops Abbots and faithfull people

examination to be better and stronger than our Religion let us hasten to embrace them without any delay To whose wise perswasions and words Another of the Kings Nobles giving his Assent spake something concerning the brevity and incertainty of this life and of their ignorance and incertainty of that life which is to come concluding That if this new Doctrine brought any thing to them more certain than that they formerly imbraced it ought to be deservedly followed The rest of the Elders and Kings Counsellors prosecuting the like things by Divine admoni●ion Coyfi added that he desired to hear Paulinus preaching concerning God more diligently than before which when he had done by the Kings command he cryed out having heard his preaching I heretofore understood that what we worshipped was nothing because by how much the more diligently I sought the truth in that worship the less I found it But now I openly professe that in this preaching the truth shines forth which is able to give unto us the gifts of eternal life salvation and happiness Whereupon O King I advise thee that the Temples and Altars we have consecrated without any fruit or benefit we should now presently execrate and burn Upon this without more debate the King openly gave his assent to the preaching of Paulinus renouncing Idolatry confessed that he did imbrace the faith of Christ. And when the King demanded of Coyfi his Priest who ought first to prophane and destroy the Altars Temples of the Idols with the rails and bounds wherewith they were inclosed He answered I who have worshipped them through foolishness And presently renouncing his Superstition he demanded Arms and an Horse of the King which by their old Law Priests might no● use which being granted him he mounted the Horse with a Sword and Lance in his Hand and riding to the Idols thus armed the people deeming him to be mad prophaned the Temple and commanded his Companions to destroy and burn it with the Idols and all the Hedges about it which they did Whereupon the King with his Nobles and very many of the people embraced the Christian Religion and were baptized by Paulinus in the Church of St. Peter at York which the King there speedily commanded to be built of Wood and afterwards enlarged ordaining Paulinus Bishop of that place who converted baptized him and his people as Beda and others more largely record the History From which memorable president we may observe these particulars 1. That the King himself could not then alter the established Laws or received Religion of this Realm though falfe nor introduce new Laws or set up the true Religion without the concurrent Assent of his Nobles and Wisemen in a general Parliamentary Council 2. That the Princes Chief Priests Nobles an● Aeldermen of the Realm were the Parliament Members in that Age. 3. That every one of them in these Councils had freedom of Vote and Debate and gave their voices severally for the bringing in of Christianity and destruction of Idolatry William of Malmesbury gives this Character of this Kings Government after he became a Christian and of the vicissitude of humane affairs worthy our present observation he being suddenly slain in battle together with his Son after all his former conquests and felicity Nullus tunc Praedo Publicus nullus latro domesticus insidiator conjugalis pudoris procul Expilator alienae Haereditatis exul Magnum id in ejus laudibus nostra aetate splendidum Itaque Imperii sui ad eos limites incrementa perducta sunt ut Justitia Pax libentèr in mutuos amplexus concurrerent osculorum gratiam grata vicissitudine libantes faeliciter tunc Anglorum Respublica procedere potuisset nisi mors immatura temporalis be atitudinis Noverca turpi fortunae ludo virum abstulislet Patriae Aetatis enim 48. Regni 17. Rebellantibus Regulis quos sub jugum miferat Ceadwalla Britonum Penda Merciorum cum Filio interemptus miserabile varietatis humanae fuit exemplum nulli prudentiâ inferior qui nè Christianam fidem nisi diligentissimè inspectatâ ra●ione voluit suscipere susceptaeque nihil existimare comparabile Anno 673 Theodor Archbishop of Canterbury held a great Council at Hertford presentibus Episcopis Angliae ac Regibus Magnatibus universis the Bishops of England and Kings to wit King Lotharius and Easwine and all the Nobles being present at it In this Council they made ten Canons or Laws which they all subscribed and ra●ified with their hands the 7th whereof was That a Synod or Parliamentary Assembly should be assembled twice or because divers causes hindred Placuit omnibus in commune they all agreed in common that in the Calends of August in a place called Cloveshoon a Synod should be congregated at least once every year The rest of them you may peruse in the marginal Authors at leisure being meerly Ecclesiastical and not so pertinent to my Discourse Ceadwalla King of the West-Saxons In the year of our Lord 680. granted to Bishop Wilfrid certain Lands with their appurtenances called Pagaliam cum consensu devotâ confirmatione omnium Optimatum meorum with the consent and devout confirmation of all his Nobles assembled in a Parliamentary Council the grant of his Crown Lands to him being not valid to bind his Successours without his Nobles concurrent confirmation William of Malmesbury writes of him That though before his conversion unto Christianity he addicted himself to wars and to plunder and spoil his neighbouring Kings yet he conscientiously dedicated the tenth of all his spoils to God Inter haec arduum memoratu est quantum etiam ante Baptismum inservierit pietati ut omnes manubias quas jure praedatorio in suos usus transcripserat Deo Decimaret In quo et si approbamus affectum improbamus exemplum juxta illud Qui offert sacrificium de substantia Pauperis quasi qui immolat filium in conspectu patris If all the Plundering warring Saints of this Age would imitate his example in giving the Tenths of all their spoils and plunders to God his Ministers instead of spoiling them of their Tithes and antient Church-Revenues men would deem them as good Saints as this plundering conquering Saxon King of whom it is likewise storied that before he turned Christian intending to invade the Isle of Wight and unite it to his Kingdom he vowed to give the 4th part of the Iland and Prey to Christ if he should vanquish it Whereupon he conquering the Isle slew the Natives in it being Pagans with a Tragical slaughter and in performance of his vow gave to Bishop Wilfrid and his Clerks for their maintenance and encouragement the possession of 300 I Hides of Land being the fourth part thereof When our new Conquerours shall be so bountifull in bestowing the fourth or but the tenth part of all the pretended conquered Lands they have gotten on Christs Church and Ministers instead of