The Relics of Rome, Part 4 – Part 5

The Relics of Rome · Part 4 – Part 5

Of Byshops.

Byshops ought to be chosē without the cō sent of the Clergye & of the commō people. Byshops seates highest.POpe Clement the fyrste ordayned, that no Byshop ought to be appoynted by the clergye, but with the consente of the common people. He commaunded also, that the byshops seate shoulde be set in an hygher and more honourable place than the seates and places of other. In the yere, &c. 92. Ioan. Laziard. Chron.

Pope Boniface the thyrd commaunded that the clergye and the people of the diocesse shoulde chose theyr owne Byshop.A good lawe. In the yeare of our Lord. 605 Platina. Sabell.

p. 20Pope Gregory the seuenth ordayned, that no priest should take a bishoprike of any lay man. If he did that he shuld be excommunicate and lose his bishoprike. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1073. Lib. Concil.

Pope Boniface the fourth made a decree,Lay men maye geue no byshoprykes. that so long as the bishop liued no man should entreate of the new election of his successour, but differ the matter vntounto the thyrd day after his death. In the yere of our Lord. 106. Ranulph. Cestrensis.

Pope Sixtus the fyrst made a decree,Bishoppes admitted to their bishoprykes. of y^e pope. that if any Byshopryke wer voyde, no man shuld presume to be bishop therof, except he were fyrste admitted vntounto it by the popes letters. In the yere, &c. 129. Chron. Angl. Lib. Concil.

Pope Anacletus made a decree, that a byshop shoulde be consecrated of no lesse than of three byshops,The consecration of Byshops. yea & those of the same prouince. For sayth he an example of ordring bishops was shewed vntounto the Christianes in Iames the lesser byshop of Ierusalem, which was ordayned & appoynted Byshop of these three, Peter, Iames and Iohn. But if the Metropolitane shall be cō secrated, thē must al the bishops of the prouince be presente at his consecration.The consecration of the Metropolitane. In the yere of our Lord, 101. Dist. 66 Cap. Archiepiscopus. Ioan. Laziard. Iacob. Phil. Lib. Concil.

On what dai bishops shall be cō secrate.The aforesayd pope also ordayned, that bishops shuld not be consecrated, but on the sonday. 75. Dist. Cap. Ordinationes episcoporum.

Pope Anicetus ordayned y^t no Archbyshops should be called primates, but such as had special priuilege graunted them of the most holy father the pope:Primates. patriarchs and that al suche so priuileged, mighte also be lawfully called patriarches. In the yere, &c. 169. Dist. 98. ca. Nulli. Isuar.

The Byshops seruauntes.Pope Lucius made an order, that a Byshop should hauehave at al times and in al places attending vpō him .ii. priests and .iii. deacons to testifye both of hys lyfe and of his doctrine. In the yere, &c. 258. De consec. Dist. 1. Cap. Iubemus. Volat. Plat. Massaeus. D. Barns.

Pope Euaristus ordayned, that seuen Deacons should attende vponupon the Bishop and kepe him,Deacons attendyng on y^e bishop preachyng, while he preached, least the enemyes of Gods truth wuld p. 21accuse him wrongfully, and say, that he erred: agayne, that he should be hearde with the more reuerence & had in the greater honoure. In the yeare, &c. 110. Ioan. Stella. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.

Pope Calixte the seconde made a decree, that the church may neither chose an other Bishop,A scripture aptlye applyed. nor put hym awaye, nor yet be obedient to the ordinaunce of any other bishop, so long as her proper byshop is a liue, seyng that the Apostle sayth: The wyfe is bound to the law of her husband, so long as her husbande liueth. But whē he is once dead she is losoned from the law of her husband, so that she may marry with whō she will, so it be in the Lorde, that is to say, sayeth he, the church may chose an other Byshop, so that it be done Regulariter, that is, after y^e order & appointment of our mother holy Churche. In y^e yere, &c. 1120. Quaest. 7.5. Sicut alterius.

This decree also is ascribed to Pope Euaristus. Byshops residence.Lib. Concil.

Pope Euaristus made a law, y^t without exceding great necessitye a Bishop might no more forsake hys church, thā the husband his wife.Math. v.Matt 5 For it is writtē, saith hee: he that seeth a woman & lusteth after in his hart he hath commitadultery. In the yeare of our Lord. 110. Lib. Concil.

A decree worthye to be obserued What seruaunts bishops and priestes ought to hauehave.Pope Innocent, the sixt made a decree that bishops and all other ecclesiastical persons should repair home vntounto their owne houses and cures, maintain hospitalitie for the relief of the poore and suffer no idle nor loytering lubbers to remayne in their houses, but only norishe suche as are vertuously occupied, and apply themselues diligently to the study of the holy Scripture and to the readyng of the auncient wryters, that they mighte afterwarde serue in the church of Christe. In the yeare. &c. 1343 Chron. Ioannes Stella.Phisition heale thy selfe.

Pope Gregory the eleuenth said to a certayne bishop being absent from his bishopricke: Thou bishoppe why goest thou not home to thy bishoprick? The bishop aunswered againe with a stout courage: And thou Pope, which callest thy selfe father of fathers, and the chief of all bishoppes whiche oughtest also to geue exaumple of dooing well to other Bishoppes, prelates and priests: p. 22why art thou so farre from Rome and art not resident vponupon thy bishoprick at Rome? In the yeare, &c. 1362. Albertus. Crant. Ioan. Stella. Chron.

Pope Leo the second ordayned,Archbishops paul free. that the Archbishops shuld pay nothing for theyr paul to the bishop of Rome, but hauehave it freely geuen the. In the yere, &c 607. Albertus Crant. Chron.G…uing of orders.

Pope Anacletus made a decree, that no bishop should presume to admit any persons vntounto holy orders, that dwel in an other bishoppes diocesse. In the yere, &c. 101. Quest. 7. Cap. 1. Epis. in diocesi aliena.Al bishops bound to obey the Metropolitan…

Pope Anicetus made a law that whē an Archbishop, which is the Metropolitane, should be consecrated: all the bishoppes of that prouince ought to bee present, euen as they all are bounde to obey hym. In the yeare of our lord. 159. Distinc. 66. Cap. ab omnibus phil. Berg.

Pope Zepherinus decreed,No bishop condemned without the donsent of the pope. that a bishop called into iudgemēt either of the patriarch, or of the Primate, or of the Metropolitane, shoulde not bee condemned without the authority licence and consent of the Apostolique sea. In the yeare, &c. 208. Iac. Phil. Bergom.

Lay men may not accuse Byshoppes.Pope Eusebius ordained, that no prophane persons whom we cal lay men, should presume to accuse or to cal into iudgement their Byshop. In the yere, &c, 309. Lib. Concil. Iacob. Philip. Bergom. D. Barns.

Pope Innocent y^e fyrst made a decree, y^t those byshops which sell prebendes, benefices, deanryes, Abbotships, priorships, or any other ecclesiasticall dignityes, eyther Sacraments or sacramentals, as holy oyle, chrisme, halowing of altares,Byshops simoniakes &c, shoulde be adiudged Simoniakes, and be punished as persons giltie of Simonye. In the yere, &c. 408. Qu 1. Cap. 3. Si quis praebendas. Philip. Bergom …oan. Stella.

No secular person Bishop.Pope Hormisda decreed, that no secular person shuld be chosen to be bishop but one of the number of priestes. In the yeare of our Lord. 514. Dist. 61. Cap. 18. In sacerdotibus.

SuffragāePope Iginius made a decree, that no Archbishop shuld condemne his suffragane but in the syghte and hearing of other suffraganes,A good lawe. and bishops of the same prouince. In the yeare, &c. 14. p. 23Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Polichron.

Pope Theodorus ordained, that no bishop should meddle in the diocesse of any other Byshops, but diligently loke to his owne cure. In the yeare. &c. 673. Lib. Concil. Christian. Massaeus.

Pope Siluester instituted,Bishops only muste halow oyle and creame & confyrme children. Halowing of churches y^t byshops only should halowe oyle and creame, & confyrme children. In the yere. &c. 315. Chron. Platina.

Pope Felix the third appointed, that bishops only should halow Churches. In the yere. &c. 486. Volat. Poli. Pantal.

Pope Liberius ordayned, that no bishop or beneficed mā shuld forsake hys flocke for any persecution or trouble, though death should ensue, accordyng to thys saying of Christ:Ioan. x.John 10 A good shepeheard geueth hys life for his shepe. In the yeare, &c. 354. Anselmus Ryd.

Pope Antherus made a decree,A Godly decree. The translation of Byshops. that a bishop might be remoued frō one bishoprike to another, if the necessitye or profite of the congregation so require: but yet not without the authority and licence of the Byshop of Rome. In the yeare of our Lorde. 239. Platina. Volat. Lib. concil.

The common people may not accuse their bishop. Math. x.Matt 10Pope Pius the first decreed, that the commō people should not accuse their bishop, nor the shepe their shepeheard. For saieth he, neither is the disciple aboue his maister, nor the seruaunte aboue his lord. In the yere of our lorde. 147. lib. Con.

A decree worthy to be practisedPope Nicolas the first ordained, that bishops should not entangle themselues with worldlye businesses, nor apply their minds to feates of warre but geue their whole mind to the study of holy Scriptures, to preaching and to prayer In the yeare of our Lorde. 871. Quest. 23▪ cap Reprehensibile.

Pope Iohn the xxiii. decreed, that bishops should not geue their mindes to hunting.Bishops no hūters. In the yere, &c. 1409. Dist. 34. Cau. Quorundam.

Pope Eugenius the first ordained that bishops should hauehave persons to punish such priestes as offend.Bishops prysons. In the yeare of our Lorde. 650. Volat. Chron. Grat. Doc. Barnes.

Scholes maintained in eueryevery bishops diocesse.Pope Eugenius also, commaunded that bishops in their Diocesse, shoulde diligently prouide that there might be learned scholemaisters to trade vp the p. 24Christen youthe in good letters and liberall artes. Ex sinodo Eugenii. Lib. Concil.

Pope Anacletus made a lawe, that Bishops should perseuer and continue styll stedfaste and diligente in settyng forth the truth of Gods word,A law worthy to be folowed. thoughe neuer so great trouble folow of it. For saith he, blessed are they, that suffer persecution for righteousnesse. In the yeare of our Lorde. 101. Dist. 43. Scimus.

Ioannes Hus, I. Husse. No spirituall person maye hauehave any temporall iurisdiction.whome the bloudy papistes, notwithstandyng the Emperours safe conduct, most cruelly brente vntounto ashes at the councell of Constāce (where, as some write, were gathered together iii.M.ix.C. and xl. prelates and their Uicares) affirmed opēly and constantlye, that it is not lawfull for ecclesiastical persons to hauehave any temporall iurisdiction. In the yere of oure Lorde. 1415. Aeneas Siluius. Plat. Christ. Massaeus.Bishops & priestes apparell.

Pope Paschalis beyng Bishoppe of Rome, there was a Councell holden at Aquisgranum, in the which it was ordayned, that no Ecclesiasticall persōs shuld weare any sumptuous garmēts, nor rings or ouches vpō their fingers, but byshops only, yea and that at suche times only, as they say masse, and be in their Pontificalibus. In the yeare, &c. 827 Christ. Massae. Lib. Concil.

A good decree.The Councel Aureliane decreed that eueryevery byshop in hys diocesse shoulde to the vttermost of hys power make prouisiō for such poore of y^e same, as hauehave not wherof to fynde thēselues: Again, as are sycke and so weake,Prouision for y^e poore that they ar not able to labour for their liuing. Dist 82. Cau. Episcopus.

A godly actIn the Councell Toletane the thirde, it was enacted, that at all bishops and priestes tables, there should be no idle talke, nor telling of wanton tales, but reading, hearing and talking of the holy Scriptures. Lib. Concil.

The forme of the Othe, which the Popyshe Byshoppes vse, at the tyme of their consecration: as it is specifyed, in the Popes decretalles: De iuramento. C. Ego.

Howe can such popish bishops be faythfull… to their Prince, bethus sworne to the Idol of Rome.I. N. Byshop frō this houre foreward shall be faythfull to s. Peter, and to the holy Apostolique Church of Rome p. 25and to my Lord. N. the pope, and to his successours that enter in according to the rule of the Canons. I shall not bee neither in councel nor in dede, that he shuld lose his life, or membre, or otherwyse be euil entreated. The councell, which eyther by himself, or by letters, or by any messanger he shal open vntounto me,☜ I shall declare it to no mā vntounto his hindraunce. The papacie of the Churche of Rome, and the rules of the holy Fathers, I shall be an helper to defende and to mayntaine (my order being safe) against al mē. Councell. Popes LegateBeing called vntounto any Sinode or coū cell, I shall come, except I hauehave a lawful let. The legate of the Apostolique sea, whom I shal knowe to be certain, I shal honourablye entertayne both at his comming and at hys departure or going away. The churches of the Apostles (at Rome) I shal visite eueryevery yere, eyther by my self, or by some sure messanger, except I obtayne licence (of the holy Father) to the contrarye. So God helpe me, & these holy Gospels of God.

After thys, there was inuented and receaued a newer forme and māner of an othe, whiche the Byshops at theyr consecration sware to the pope, both larger and more to the purpose to stablyshe and defende the tirannye of the Romish Bishop. In thys newer and later othe are these wordes contayned.

The papacie of Rome and the Regal or prince like honoure and dominions of S. Peter, Is any good hope to be cōceaued of these forsworne Byshops.I shalbe an helper to retayne and to defende agaynste all men. The lawes, the honoures, the priuileges and the authoritye of the Churche of Rome, and of our Lorde the Pope and of hys successoures, I shall to the vttermoste of my power laboure to conserue, to defende, to encrease, and to aduaunce. Neyther shall I bee, in councell, in deede, or in affayres, wherein any sinister or preiudiciall thynges of persons, lawe, honoure, state and power shall be imagined and deuysed agaynst that our Lorde Pope, or against that Churche of Rome, and if so bee I know suche thynges to bee handled, deuysed, or procured of any person or persons, I shall hynder and lette it to the vttermoste of my power, and so soone as is possible with all conueniente speede I shall sygnifye it, and p. 26make it knowen to the same oure Lorde the Pope, or to some other, by whome it maye come to hys knowledge. The rules of the holy Fathers, the decrees, the ordinaunces, the sentences or iudgementes, the dispositions. the preseruations, the prouisions, and the Apostolique commaundements. I shall obserue with all my power, and cause them also to be obserued of other heretikes, Schismatikes and all suche as rebell and stryue agaynste our Lord the Pope or hys successoures, I shal to the vttermoste of my power persecute impugne and condemne, &c.