The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 7 · Controversy 8 · Chapter 11

The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity · Book 7 · Controversy 8 · Chapter 11

p. 629CHAP. 11. What tyranny the Popes have exerciſed over England for ſome Ages under colour of abſolution and ſatisfaction. And from what horrible bondage England was delivered by the light of the Goſpel.

SInce the end of Cardinal du Perrons book was to ſhake the conſtancy of his Majeſty of great Britain, and to induce him to ſubmit his Crown to the Papal See, I think it expedient, yea and neceſſary to ſhew what was the condition of the Engliſh, and what the ignominy and bondage of the Royal Crown under the Empire of the Roman Prelat. This matter of ſatisfactions leads us to that diſcourſe. For it was a principal engine of the Pope to bring Kings under his feet, for him to tread upon their neeks, and to prey upon England with the higheſt inſolency.

The Diſpute about Inveſtitures and Collation of Benefices, is that for which moſt blood hath been ſpilt in Europe, ſince Chriſtian Religion was planted in it. Upon that quarrel above an hundred battles were fought ſince Gregory the VII. beſides ſieges of towns, and waſting and ranſacking of Provinces. As in the fourth and fifth Ages, the word conſubſtantial was the mark of the Orthodox, and in our days going to maſs is the mark of Roman Catholicks; ſo in the eleventh and twelfth Ages, to maintain that the right of Inveſtitures and collation of Biſhopricks and Abbeys belonged not unto Kings and Princes, but to the Pope, went for the mark of a true Chriſtian, and they that ſuffered for the defenſe of the Popes claim, were called Martyrs, and put in the liſt of Saints, and were ſure to do miracles after their death.

In old time Popes were created by the authority of the Emperors, who alſo puniſhed and depoſed Popes. They employed them ſometimes about Embaſſies and other ſervices, as a Soveraign Prince will ſend his ſubjects and ſervants on his errand.

The Kings of Italy took of the Biſhops of Rome three thouſand crowns for their inveſtiture; as of the Arch-biſhop of Milan, and that of Ravenna, two thouſand for theirs, according to the expreſs law of King Athalaricus in(a)(a)Caſſiod. var. l. 9. ep. 13. Caſſiodorus. That law was made about the year of Chriſt, 533.

The Emperor Juſtinian having ſhortly after recovered Rome and Italy, continued the ſame Law, commanding that the Patriarches ſhould pay (and the Roman as well as the others) to the Emperors coffers, twenty pounds weight of gold which come to about three thouſand French crowns. This is to be ſeen in the(b)(b)Novel. 123. c. 3. Jubemus beatiſſimos Archiepiſcopos & Patriarchas, hoc eſt, ſeniores Romae & Conſtantinopoleos & Alexandriae & Theopolcos & Jeroſolymorum, ſiquidem conſuetudo habet Epiſcopis aut Clericis non minus quàm 20. libras auri dari, &c. one hundred twenty third Novel of Juſtinian, in the third ch.

But the Roman Empire being pulled down in the Weſt, and Italy being fallen into the hands of the French, the Pope was inriched by the immenſe liberalities of Pepin, and Charlemagne, and Lewis the Meek, and from a Biſhop was ſuddenly made a temporal Prince. Being thus raiſed he took advantage, after the death of Lewis, of the dulneſs of his ſucceſſors, diſtracted with great wars, to make his keyes to clink with a great noiſe, and to terrifie the Princes and nations on this ſide of the Alpes, with the thunder of his excommunications (For as for the Grecians his neighbours, who at that time held ſtill part of Italy, they never cared for the roaring of his Bulls) By little and little the Papal empire did ſo increaſe, that in the end the Popes made bold to ſtrike at the Crowns of Emperors and Kings, and ſhoot anathema's againſt them, giving and taking away Kingdoms, putting interdicts upon their Provinces, and expoſing them for a prey to the next Conqueror. Yea they came to(c)(c)Extra Unam Sanctam de Majoritate & obedientia. bear themſelves for Lords of the whole temporal of the world no leſs then of the ſpiritual, becauſe it is written Behold two ſwords &c, that is, the ſpiritual and the temporal ſword.

The height of the Popes power and glory, and together the depth, and as it were the midnight of the darkeſt ignorance, was from the year 1073. upon which p. 630Gregory the VII. entred into the Papal See, and the year 1517. when Leo the X. having publiſht great Pardons over all the Papal Empire began to ſell heaven for ready money and put to ſale remiſſion of ſins and deliverance of ſouls from Purgatory. This moved the people to ſearch the Scriptures to know what ground ſuch an infamous traffick might pretend in the word of God. In all that interval which was of 444. years, Holy Scripture was a book ſhut up unto the Princes and nations of the Weſt, and their whole Religion conſiſted in adoration of relicks and new Saints doing miracles in pilgrimages, in ſervice of images, in viſions of ſouls returning from Purgatory, in running to get pardons, in founding Abbeys for ſatisfaction and redemption of the ſins of the founders, in making Croiſada's for expedition into the Holy Land, and in trembling under the Popes thunderbolts. Hardly was Chriſt acknowledged among the Saints. Till in the end they bethought themſelves to give him his Feaſt which they call Gods Feaſt, that Chriſt might not be alone without a holy day.

That Gregory the VII. was the firſt Pope that made bold(d)(d)It was in the year. 1075. to ponounce a ſentence of depoſition from the Empire againſt Henry the IV. a wiſe and valorous Emperor, tranſporting the Empire to Rodolphus Duke of Suaben. But that bold attempt turned to the confuſion both of Gregory and of bis creature Rodolphus: For Rodolphus was defeated and wounded to death by Henry, who alſo degraded Gregory as guilty of high treaſon, making him flie to Salerno, where ſoon after he died for grief. Alſo Henry beſieged Rome and took it.(e)(e)Sigebert. An. 1085. Confeſſus eſt Deo & Sancto Petro & toti Eccleſiae, ſe valde peccaſſe in paſtoralicura, quae ei ad regendum commiſſa erat, & ſuadente Diabolo contra humanum genus odium & iram concitaſſe. Sigebert who lived then, and Matthew Paris, almoſt his contemporary, and Cardinal Benno a domeſtick of that Pope, write that when he ſaw himſelf near his death he called a Cardinal, the moſt confiding of all his friends, to whom he confeſt that he had greatly offended in the paſtoral charge committed unto him, and had drawne the wrath of God upon mankind by the Devils inſtigation.

This quarrel began, becauſe the Emperors after the Canonical election of the Biſhops and Abbots of their Empire, uſed to inveſt them with the lands and lordſhips belonging unto the Biſhoprick or Abbey, putting a ring and a ſtaffe in their hand, and to receive the oath of allegiance from them. For the ſaid Prelates holding many noble lands in the Empire by the conceſſion of the Emperors, and having a vote in their election and in the greateſt buſineſs of the Empire, the Emperors thought it juſt and neceſſary that the ſaid Prelats ſhould make ſome acknowledgment of it, and ſhould not be received into a degree ſo important to the State, without the ſtates conſent, and without acknowledging the Emperor to be their Lord and Maſter. Beſides, the Emperors according to the cuſtom of the antient Emperors which I repreſented before, would take ſome preſent in money from the ſaid Prelats (which yet was a ſmall thing in compariſon of that which the Popes took ſince, and take ſtill for the Annat, now that they have deprived the Emperor of his right) And herein the Emperors thought themſelves grounded in right. For beſides that the Churches, Abbeyes, and Priories were founded by the liberality of Emperors and Princes of the Empire, the Emperor maintained armies for the defence and ſecurity of the ſaid Prelates, wherefore it was reaſonable that they ſhould contribute towards the charges.

The Kings of England had the ſame right in their Kingdome. So at the ſame time that Popes diſputed thoſe inveſtitures againſt Emperors, they laboured alſo in England to pluck that flower from the Kings Crown, and to draw the profit to themſelves. The firſt that ſtirred that quarrel in England was Anſelm Archbiſhop of Canterbury; for when the Kings of England needy and greedy of money borrowed of the Clergy great loans never to pay again, he to exempt himſelf from the ſubjection of Kings, laboured to make his Arch-biſhoprick to depend meerly on the Pope, not on the King, although he had got it by the free gift and conceſſion of the King.

That Anſelme then being promoted in the year 1092. to the Arch-biſhoprick by King William Rufus, the King having given him freely that great and rich place, ſoon after would extort from him a great ſum of money for the exigence of his buſineſſes, as claiming a recompence for his gift. Anſelm refuſed to give p. 631it, and ſtealing privately out of England, went to Pope Ʋrban the II. who at that time was violently proſecuting, againſt the Emperor Henry the IV. the quarrel of inveſtiture, begun by his predeceſſor Gregory the VII. This Ʋrban liking the prudence and dexterity of Anſelm made uſe of his counſel, and gave him the Arch-biſhops pall, thereby voiding the inveſtiture which he had received from King William, and obliging him thereafter to depend on him; As alſo he did, ſo behaving himſelf ever ſince, as holding his Arch-biſhoprick by the Popes ordination, not by the Kings conceſſion. Whereby the King incenſed, interdicted to Anſelm the entry into his Kingdom, confiſcated the lands and eſtate of the Arch-biſhoprick, and declared by an expreſs Edict that his Biſhops held their places and eſtates meerly from him, and were not ſubject unto the Pope for the ſame; And that he had the ſame rights in his Kingdom, as the Emperor had in the Empire. To which all the Biſhops of England ſubſcribed. Neither did any of them contradict it, but the only Biſhop of Rocheſter as a Suffragant to the Archbiſhop of Canterbury.

By the intervention of friends Anſelm made his peace; But being returned from Rome, and keeping a ſtrict league with the Pope, he began again ſoon after to diſſwade the Clergy from receiving inveſtitures from the King, wherefore he was conſtrained to flye the ſecond time out of the Kingdom, and his eſtate was again ſeized upon and confiſcated, of which he had obtained reſtitution at his return.

He came then to Pope Ʋrban, who received him with honour as a confeſſor ſuffering for the cauſe of Chriſt. The year after, Ʋrban kept a Council at Clermont in Auvergne, where he granted full pardon of all ſins to all that ſhould contribute for the expedition into the Holy land,(f)(f)Matth. Paris in Gulielmo Rufo. Baronius. and to them that ſhould go in perſon, he promiſed a particular degree of glory and a preheminence in Paradiſe above the vulgar ſort of Saints. In the ſame Council he decreed that thenceforth it ſhould not be lawfull, for any Prelat or Eccleſiaſtical perſon to receive the inveſtiture or collation of a benefice or Church-dignity from the hand of any Lay-perſon. But the Princes laught at theſe Decrees and retained the poſſeſſion of theſe inveſtitures.

In the year 1099. King William and Pope Ʋrban dyed. Henry the I. ſucceeded William, and Paſchal the II. ſucceeded Ʋrban. This King Henry finding his conſcience charged with many crimes, among other things, with taking the Kingdome from his elder brother Robert, vowed unto God for ſatisfaction for his ſins to found an Abbey, and together ſought to be reconciled with Anſelm, and called him again. But Anſelm being obliged with an oath to the Pope prevailed with the King that a Council ſhould be gathered at London, Where he declared the order he had from the Pope that no Lay-man ſhould have the power to confer any inveſtiture, and began to degrade the Biſhops promoted by the Kings nomination, and refuſed to conſecrate ſome Biſhops named by the King. The King angry baniſht him out of his Kingdome preſently, and confiſcated his eſtate.

While theſe things paſt in England, Pope Paſchal proſecuted the quarrel of his predeceſſors againſt the Emperor(g)(g)The letters of that Emperor Henry the IV. to Philip King of France are found in Sigebert in the year 1106. This hiſtory is related at large by Helmodus Prieſt of Lubec in the book intituled Chonica Sclavorum. See alſo Baronius in the life of Paſchal. Henry the IV. and ſeeing that all the enemies whom the Pope had raiſed againſt him had been overcome ad defeated, he did ſo work upon the Emperors own ſon, that he made him rebell againſt his father, and that ſon coming upon his Father at unawares, with an army ſurpriſed him at Confluence, took the Crown, the Scepter, and Imperial robe from him, and degraded him from the Empire. This broke the heart of the venerable old man charged with ſo many victories, who dyed ſoon after with grief, ſo forſaken, that Pope Paſchal would not ſuffer him ſo much as to be buried.

That new Emperor Henry the V. having ſlain his father paſt preſently into Italy, where the Pope hoping to be recompenſed for helping him in his conſpiracy againſt his Father, found himſelf deceived; For when he preſt him to renounce the rights of inveſtiture which his anceſtors (as Sigebert ſaith) had p. 632enjoyed above three hundred years, the Emperour grew very angry, and laying hold of this Pope Paſchal, committed him to a cloſe priſon: Neither would he releaſe him, till he had renounced his claim to the Inveſtitures and Collations of Benefices, ſaying to him in ſcorn, that which Jacob ſaid to the Angel wreſtling with him, I will not let thee go, before thou haſt given me thy bleſſing. Paſchal then to redeem himſelf out of captivity, granted to Henry, that both he and the Popes after him, ſhould leave unto the Emperours the peaceable enjoying of the Inveſtitures of Eccleſiaſtical dignities, by the ring and the ſtaff. Alſo that none could be conſecrated Biſhop, without an inveſtiture by the Emperour. And to make this agreement more authentical, the Emperour and the Pope mutually obliged themſelves by Oath upon the hoſt of the Maſs, which they received together. But becauſe that Oath was extorted, the Pope did not think himſelf obliged to keep it. So he broke that agreement, and excommunicated Henry, and all Princes uſurping Inveſtitures.

That accident confirmed Henry the I. King of England in a reſolution, to retain the Inveſtitures of his Kingdom. And that order was kept in England for a long time. Only the Popes, that they might not wrong their pretences by a long preſcription, would ſend the Pall to ſome Prelates inveſted by the King, confirming that which they could not alter, and giving an approbation which was not deſired of them.

In the year 1142. Pope Eugenius came to Paris, where that he might uſurp the right of inveſtiture, and deprive the King of it, he gave the Archbiſhoprick of Bourges to one of his domeſticks, Chancellor of the Apoſtolical Chancery, named Peter Aimery, without the conſent of King Lewis, a Prince very much given to obedience unto the Papal See.(h)(h)Matth. Paris in Henrico I. Yet the King was ſo angry at it, that he ſwore upon the holy relicks, that never ſo long as he lived, Aimery ſhould ſet his foot in Bourges. But the Pope knowing the Kings timerous nature, excommunicated him, put his perſon in interdict, and gave order that in France, in all places where the King came, divine ſervice ſhould ceaſe, and all his Court was deprived of the Communion. This laſted three whole years, till the famous Bernard Abbot of Cleruaux come to the King, and perſwaded him to receive the ſaid Archbiſhop. But becauſe by ſo doing, the King brake his Oath made upon the holy relicks, he was enjoyned for ſatisfaction to take a journey to the holy Sepulchre in Syria, to fight againſt the Saracens. In which journey, the King miſerably loſt the flower of his Nobility, and returned afflicted and full of confuſion.

(i)(i)Matth. Paris, an. 1154. p. 88. Cum Archiepiſcopus divina celebraret myſteria, hauſto in ipſo Calice, ut aiunt, veneno obiit.About that time dyed Henry Archbiſhop of York, being poiſoned in the Chalice of the Sacrament. And it was no ſmall queſtion, Whether the blood of Chriſt might he poiſoned.

After Henry the I. of England, came Stephen, and after Stephen, Henry the II. a potent Prince, who beſides England, held Normandy, Anjou, Poitou, Saintonge, and Guienne: (l)(l)Matth. Paris, in Henrico II. p. 91.That King ſo potent, was weakened with an inward combate of contrary deſires; for being very ſuperſtitious and ſcrupulous, yet he was very ambitious, and extraordinarily eager to maintain his rights, that of inveſtitures eſpecially.

(k)(k)Helmoldi Chronicon.In the year 1155. (the year in which Frederick Barbaroſſa held the Popes ſtirrup, the left inſtead of the right, to abuſe him, but the next day was forced to hold the right) King Henry the II. deſirous to invade Ireland, and having no juſt title to it, writ to Pope Adrian to deſire his leave to ſubdue Ireland, to reduce it into the way of ſalvation. Not but that the Iriſh were Chriſtians, but they yielded little obedience to the Pope, who got no money from that Iſland. The Popes letters in anſwer to Henry, are related by Matthew Paris, whereby that Pope giveth him leave to make that conqueſt, upon condition that he ſhould impoſe a Tax of a penny a year upon every houſe of Ireland, to the profit of the Papal See; and that he ſhould hold that Kingdom by the Popes grant, as a fee of the Roman Church.(m)(m)Sanè omnes inſulas, quibus Sol juſtitiae▪ Chriſtus illuxit & quae documenta fidei Chriſtianae ſuſceperunt, ad jus ſancti Petri & ſacroſanctae Romanae Eccleſiae non eſt dubium pertinere. Baron. For (ſaith he) there is no doubt but that the Iſlands upon which Chriſt the Son of righteouſneſs is riſen, and that have received the inſtructions of the Chriſtian faith, belong to Saint Peters right, and to the holy Roman p. 633Church. And upon that he exhorteth Henry to inſtruct that Nation in good manners, and in obedience to the Church.

In the ſame year at Argentueil near Paris, was found our Saviours coat without ſeams, made for him by his mother in his infancy, and grown with him. There was found ſome writing upon it, which made that to be known which had not been perceived in 1154. years.

Then alſo was burnt at Rome, one Arnould, who preached with great applauſe that the Pope had nothing to do to meddle with temporal things. And he was burnt by the command of Pope Adrian, who ſoon after was ſuffocated by a flie which he ſwallowed with his drink. A wonder, that he that was God on earth, and whom Kings worſhipped, could be(n)(n)Uſpergenſis. ſuffocated by a flie. Alexander the III. ſucceeded him, who Sainted King Edward the Confeſſor, dead above a hundred years before.

(o)(o)Matth. Paris, Baronius.In the year 1162. King Henry the II. of England preferred his Chancellor Thomas Becket to the Archbiſhoprick of Canterbury; a prudent and induſtrious man, and learned, as the time was, but ſufficiently ſtored with ambition. He received that preferment from the King, without any inveſtiture or conſent from the Pope. Yet the Pope not long after ſent him the Archbiſhops Pall. This diſpleaſed the King, who ſoon after aſſembled a Council at Clarence, where all appeals to Rome were forbidden, and all the Prelates declared that they held their Offices and Benefices from the King, and from none elſe; to which orders the ſaid Archbiſhop Thomas was alſo conſenting.

But a while after this Prelate changed his opinion, and proteſted that he was ſorry to have conſented to the Kings Ordinances, and to the Concluſions of the Council, and to ſhew his repentance, he cut off himſelf from the Communion. Then he ſtole away into Flanders, and from thence to Rome to Pope Alexander the III. Whereupon the King renewed the ſame Laws, and decreed that every perſon, whether of the Clergy or Laity, that ſhould appeal to the Pope, ſhould be committed to priſon, and proceeded againſt: The goods of Thomas he cauſed to be ſeized, and baniſhed both him and his kindred. Clergy-men were forbidden to go beyond the Seas without leave, and ſurety for their return. A ſtrict order was made that no Mandate from the Pope, ſhould be received into the Kingdom of England: And that Peters pence, which the Pope raiſed by the Poll in England every year, ſhould be ſeized into the hands of his Majeſties Officers.

But Thomas being come into France, excommunicated with burning Candles and ring of Bells, all that under pretence of maintaining the Kings right, did hinder the profits of his Holineſs; then he retired to Saint Colomb of Sens, where King Lewis did liberally entertain him. But King Henry angry that Pope Alexander maintained Thomas, whom he called his rebellious ſubject,(p)(p)Matth. Paris, pag. 103. forbad all his ſubjects to yield any ſubjection to the Pope.

In the year 1170. King Henry cauſed his eldeſt Son Henry to be crowned King of England by the hands of the Archbiſhop of York. Which Thomas, though baniſhed, took very heavily, and excommunicated the ſaid Archbiſhop and all his adherents in that action, for he pretended that the right of crowning Kings belonged to him.

King Henry after the Crowning of his Son, paſſed into Normandy, where King Lewis by his intervention ſo prevailed, that King Henry and Thomas met and ſpake together. And when it was required that Thomas ſhould kiſs King Henry in ſign of reconciliation, Thomas coming near the King, ſaid to him, I kiſs you for the honour of God, or for Gods ſake. At which the King offended, would not receive the kiſs, as if Thomas had given him to underſtand, that he kiſſed him not for his own ſake. So nothing was done for that time. But ſoon after, King Henry (q)(q)Matth. Paris in Henr. II. pag. 117. Cum autem Rex & Archiepiſcopus in partem ſeceſſiſſent, biſque deſcendiſſent & bis aſcendiſſent, his habenam Archiepiſcopi Rex tenuit, cum equum aſcendiſſet.perſwaded by ſome Prelates, met again with Thomas at Fronceuaux, and did that which no man would have believed. For twice he held the bridle of Thomas his horſe. For that Prelate was not contented to have received that honour once, but he alighted again, that the King ſhould do him p. 632duplicate page p. 633duplicate page p. 634that ſubmiſſion once more, as alſo he did. Thus that Prieſt practiſed Apoſtolick humility.

After this triumph, Thomas returned into England full of glory. Where inſtead of bringing and keeping peace, he was the bearer and proclaimer of an excommunication and ſentence of depoſition againſt the Archbiſhop of York and his Adherents, who had taken upon them to Crown the young King in his abſence. But the King hindred the execution of that ſentence. Such was then the power of the Keyes, ſuch was the abominable pride of the Popes ſlaves.

The next year after, the ſame Thomas excommunicated ſolemnly the Lord Sackvill, appointed by the King Vicar of the Church at Canterbury; becauſe he did derogate from the rights of the Church to pleaſe the King.(r)(r)Matth. Paris, p. 19. Robertum quoque Brook, qui equum quendam ipſius Archieiſcopi victualia deferentem ad dedecus ejus & ignominiam decurtaverat, ſolenniter excommunicavit. He excommunicated alſo one Robert Brook for curtailing a horſe that carryed victuals to the Archbiſhops houſe. For which reaſon the King being then in Normandy, ſent over four of his ſervants to the Archbiſhop, to command him to abſolve thoſe whom he had unjuſtly excommunicated, and take off his ſuſpenſions from others. Which command when the Archbiſhop deſpiſed to obey, the King began to grieve very ſore before his ſervants, and to lament his condition. This moved the ſame four men whom the King had ſent before, to return into England to the ſame Archbiſhop, whom they found in the Church of Canterbury at three a clock in the after-noon, and calling him Traytor to the King, they ſlew him, and daſhed his brains upon the floore. His laſt words when he dyed were, I commend my ſelf and Gods cauſe unto God, and to the bleſſed Mary, and to the Saints, Patrons of this Church, and to Saint Denis.

Here the lightneſs of the peoples minds appeared. For the ſame men that deteſted the pride of that Thomas, began to worſhip him after his death, compaſſion moving them to devotion. King Henry himſelf ſhewed a deep ſorrow for it, and though he proteſted himſelf innocent of that fact, yet he ſent Embaſſadors to the Pope to make ſatisfaction about it, and to undergo ſuch a penance as the Pope would impoſe. But the Pope would not ſo much as receive his Embaſſadors to kiſs his feet, and would not ſee them: And in great wrath ſpake of excommunicating the whole Kingdom of England, and putting an Interdict upon it, which (in his account) was ſending all the Engliſh into hell. As long as that King made Edicts, whereby he forbad his ſubjects to yield any obedience to the Pope, or to receive any Bulls or Mandates from Rome, the Pope did not trouble him, and uſed no threatning. But as ſoon as he began to humble himſelf, the Pope trod under his feet, the Majeſty of ſuch a great King. And he made the King to buy his abſolution at a dear rate. He enjoyned him to ſuffer appeals from England to Rome. To quit his rights and claim againſt the liberties of the Church, that is, to the Inveſtitures. To keep two hundred men of arms in pay for the Holy War: Of which pay, the Popes Aſſigns were to be the Receivers. And that in England they ſhould celebrate the Feaſt of the glorious Martyr Saint Thomas of Canterbury. The words of the Bull are theſe.(ſ)(ſ)Diſtricte praecipimus, ut natalem Thomae Martyris glorioſi Cantuarienſium olim Archiepiſcopi, diem videlicet paſſionis ejus, ſolenniter ſub annis ſingulis celebretis, & apud eum votivis orationibus ſatagatis peccatorum veniam promereri. We ſtrictly charge you, that you ſolemnly celebrate every year the birth-day of the glorious Martyr Thomas ſometimes Archbiſhop of Canterbury, that is, the day of his Paſsion; and that by devout Prayers to him, you endeavour to merit the remiſsion of your ſins.

To make the ſatisfaction compleat, King Henry paſſeth from Normandy into England, ſtayeth at Canterbury, ſtrips himſelf naked, and is whipt by a great company of Monks, of whom ſome gave him five laſhes, ſome three. Of which ſatisfactions impoſed on Henry by the Pope, Machiavel ſpeaks thus in the firſt Book of the Hiſtory of Florence. (t)(t)Le quali coſe furono da Enrico accettare, & ſottomeſſe ſi à quēl giudicio un tanto Re, che hoggi un homo privato ſi vergognarebbe ſottometterſi, &c. Tanto le coſe che paiono ſono piu da diſcoſto che d'appreſſo temute.Theſe things were accepted by Henry, and ſo great a King ſubmitted himſelf to that judgement, to which a private man in our dayes, would be aſhamed to ſubmit himſelf. Then he exclaimeth, So much things that have ſome ſhew are more feared afar off, then near hand! Which he ſaith, becauſe at the ſame time the Citizens of Rome expelled the Pope out of the City with diſgrace, ſcorning his excommunication.

Then began the relicks of Saint Thomas to do miracles: Inſomuch that King p. 635Lewis, who had entertained Thomas at Sens, paſſed over into England to worſhip him, and made his devotions to his relicks. That with the Canonization of that Saint, and the commandment made unto the world to pray to him, put this Thomas in very great credit. Yet it is hard to ſay for what Article of the Chriſtian faith this Martyr ſuffered, ſeeing that his baniſhments were only for inveſtitures, and collations of Benifices, and pecuniary matters. Thus by Gods permiſſion the myſterie of iniquity was growing. King(x)(x)Weſtm. Anno 1179. Ludovicus conſummato voto peregrinationis ſuae ad votum ad propria inter Doverum & Witſand navigando ſine aliquo impedimento remeavit; & quia in mari nimis timidus erat & timens pericula, dicens, eſſe pluſquàm humanum tranſfretare, petiit beatum Thomam ut in illo Tranſitu nullus pateretur ex illo tempore naufragium. Lewis at his return fearing the ſtorm, though his paſſage was from Dover to Callice, and ſaying that to croſs the Seas was but a thing more then humane, prayed to St. Thomas the Martyr, that from that time none ſhould ſuffer ſhipwrack in that paſſage.

(y)(y)Matth. Paris, in Henrico II. Weſtmon.At that time Pope Alexander the III. held a Council at St. John of Lateran of Rome where they conſulted about the extirpation of the Albigeois. And he gave order that the Arch-biſhops viſiting Churches, ſhould content themſelves to ride with an attendance of fifty horſes.

In the year 1189. King Henry the ſecond of England dyed. Hs ſon Richard ſirnamed Coeur de Lyon ſucceeded him. In the ſixth year of his reign(z)(z)Weſt. an. 1196. Matth. Paris, p. 175. Walter Arch-biſhop of Rouen, diſpleaſed becauſe the King was fortifying the Caſtle of Andeli, put whole Normandy in interdict, made divine ſervice to ceaſe over all the country, ſhut up Church-yards, and forbad all ringing of bells; and for a quarrel between the King and himſelf, excommunicated the whole people, ſo that no Norman entred into Paradiſe unleſs he would take part againſt the King. Then he ran away to Rome, where he was kindly received.(a)(a)Matth. Paris p. 175. At the ſame time William Biſhop of Ely the Popes Legat was making a progreſs through England with a train of fifteen hundred horſe.(b)(b)Matth. Paris, an. 1197. p. 184. Archiepiſcopus Rothomagenſis in Normanniam ſententiam tulerat interdicti. Jacebant corpora defunctorum inſepulta per plateas civitatum & vicos, quae viventibus foetorem non minimum incuſſerunt. That interdict having laſted two years, the afflicted people were in great confuſion, becauſe they ſaw themſelves deprived of the divine ſervice, and caſt out of the communion of the Church for a quarrel in which they had no hand, the burying places ſhut up, the dead bodies caſt out in the ſtreets, ſending forth ſuch a ſtink that the whole countrey was infected with it.

In the end King Richard was neceſſitated to ſend Embaſſadors to Rome to plead his cauſe againſt the Arch-biſhop. The agreement was made with theſe conditions. That the King might fortifie the caſtle of Andeli, becauſe it was a frontier near the French. But that to appeaſe the Arch-biſhop, and make him take off the interdict from the countrey, the King ſhould give to the Arch-biſhop all the mills of Rouen, to enjoy them as his own, both he and his ſucceſſors; Alſo all the Kings demaines at Diepe, and at Louviers, and the forreſt of Haliermont, with all the appurtenances of the ſame. That being done, they began again to ſing Maſs in Normandy, and by the Popes order Paradiſe was opened again unto the Normans. Then alſo the order of the Dominicans firſt appeared, which was approved and confirmed by Innocent the III. With that order, and that of the Franciſcans, England was preſently filled.

The fear of the interdict in thoſe dayes kept Princes and Nations in ſuch fear, that there was nothing that the Pope could not obtain of the Soveraigns, as ſoon as he threatned their land with an interdict.

In the year 1199. King Philip August of France (c)(c)Matth. Paris, in Johanne Rege, p. 191.impriſoned Peter de Douay elected Biſhop of Cambray. And at the ſame time King John of England kept the Biſhop of Beauuais priſoner, whom he had taken in battle armed cap à pe. But both theſe Kings were conſtrained to releaſe their priſoners by the threatening of Innocent the III. to put France and England in interdict. Which if he had done, from the Mediterranean ſea to the border of Scotland divine ſervice had ceaſed, Churches & Church yards, had been ſhut up all, the people had been excommunicated. It was that ſame year that breaſts of fleſh grew upon an image of the Virgin Mary in Damaſcus, as (d) Matthew Paris relateth. In the ſame time one Thurical an Engliſhman was in a rapture carried in the night to Purgatory, of which St. Nicolas is Govenor; Where alſo he ſaw the mouth of Hell, whence a ſtinking ſmoak iſſued out, which, as it was revealed to him,(b)(b)203. & 207. came out of tythes detained or ill paid, becauſe there thoſe men were horribly p. 636puniſht who had ill paid the tythes due to the Church. There alſo he ſaw the ſouls for which no Maſſes were ſung, put to a longer and ſorer torment, and thoſe poor ſouls were barefoot, and had their bellies flayed and raw. He ſaw alſo the ſouls that came out of that fire beſprinkled by St. Michael with holy water. This is very exactly related by Matthew Paris a Monk of St. Albons, ſuperſtitious according to the age that he lived in. Then alſo came the Minorite Fryers into England, their Order being but lately inſtituted.

This King John was unfortunate in war, and ill beloved of his own ſubjects. King Philip Auguſt of France, took from him Normandy, Anjou, Tourain, Poitou, and part of Guienne. After theſe loſſes, being retired into England, he began to oppreſs the Engliſh, and tyrannically to rob the ſubſtance of the Nobles and the Clergy. Whereby he gave fair play to Pope Innocent III. a man as crafty and ſtirring as ever was any, for he brought that King upon his knees, and got his ends of him, at the firſt occaſion of quarrel, which was this.

The Pope having choſen Cardinal Stephen Langton Arch-biſhop of Canterbury without the Kings conſent, the King angry at it, ſent ſome ſouldiers to Canterbury who uſed the Monks of Canterbury as traytors and expelled them out of England. (e)(e)Matth. Paris, & Weſtmonaſt. in Johanne.He ſent alſo reproachfull letters to the Pope, upbraiding him that the Popes got more money out of England then out of any Kingdom, & yet delighted to bring it into trouble, and to incroach upon the liberties of the Crown; threatning, that if the Pope continued in theſe courſes, he would ſhut up all the paſſages out of his Kingdom, that no money ſhould paſs out of England to Rome; ſaying, that he had Prelates of ſufficient capacity, and needed not to ask juſtice of thoſe that were far from him.

Had a victorious King, well beloved of his ſubjects, ſpoken thus, the Pope would have given him fair words, and ſpoken like a father, that beareth with a fatherly meekneſs the infirmities of his deareſt ſon. So had his predeceſſors born with all threatnings and ill words of William Rufus, Henry the I. and Henry the II. before Thomas Beckets death. But with this John, a weak and ill adviſed Prince, he behaved himſelf otherwiſe. For after Letters of admonition, he gave order to ſome of his moſt confiding Prelates in England, that if the King ſhould continue that language, they ſhould put an interdict upon all England. Which was ſpeedily executed. And(f)(f)Weſtmon. An. 1214. Interdictum duravit ſex annis quatuordecim ſeptimanis & duobus diebus. England remained under the interdict ſix years, and three moneths and a halfe. Whereby not only the King and his Court but alſo all the people of England, who had nothing to do with that quarrel, were excommunicated. In that long time how many thouſands of men died in the great Kingdom of England? who by the rules of the Roman Church, and by the Popes judgement, are eternally damned; and that not for hereſie, nor for any crime of the People, but for a quarrel between the King and the Pope, about ſome inveſtitures of Churches and collations of Benefices, and money-matters.(g)(g)Matth. Paris, in Johanne, p. 217. Ceſſaverunt in Anglia omnia Eccleſiaſtica Sacramenta praeter ſolummodo confeſſionem, & viaticum in ultima neceſſitate, & baptiſma parvulorum. Corpora quoque defu…ctorum de civitatibus & villis efferebantur, & more canum in biviis & foſſatis ſine orationibus & ſacerdotum miniſterio ſepeliebantur. Then (ſaith Matthew Paris, who was an eye witneſs of all that diſorder) all the Sacraments of the Church ceaſed in England, ſaving only the Confeſſion and the Communion of the Hoſt in the laſt neceſſity, and the Baptiſm of little children. And the dead bodies were carried out of the towns, and as if they had been the bodies of dogs, they were buried by the high wayes, and in ditches; without prayers and without ſervice of Prieſts. By the ſame interdict (according to the cuſtom of the interdict) Maſſes, Mattens, Veſpers, all publick ſervice and ringing of bells was forbidden, and the Kingdom was expoſed to rapin and prey, and given to any that could conquer it. Only the King was not yet excommunicated by name, but that was done the next year after. Next, the ſame Innocent depoſed John from the Kingdom of England, and abſolved the Engliſh from the Oath of their allegiance,(h)(h)Weſtmonaſt. an. 1211. & 1213. Matth. Par. in Johanne. Ad hujus ſententiae executionem ſcripſit Dominus Papa potentiſſimo Regi Erancorum Philippo, quatenus in remiſſionem omnium ſuorum peccatorum hunc laborem aſſumeret, & Rege Anglorum à ſolio expulſo, ipſe & ſucceſſores ſui regnum Angliae perpetuo jure poſsiderent, &c. Statuit praeterea, ut quicunque ad expugnandum Regem illum contumacem opes impenderint vel auxilium, ſicut illi qui ſepulcrum Domini viſitant, tam in rebus quam in perſonis & animarum ſuffragiis in pace Eccleſiae ſecure permaneant. Weſtmonaſt. an. 1213. Matth. Paris in Johanne. Johannes Dei Gratia Rex Angliae, &c. volentes nos ipſos humiliare pro illo qui ſe pro nobis humiliavit uſque ad mortem, gratin Spiritus inſpirante, non vi interdicti nec timore coacti, ſed noſtra bona ſpontaneaque voluntate, ac communi conſilio Baronum noſtrorum, conferimus & libere concodimus Deo & ſanctis ejus Apoſtolis Petro & Paulo & ſanctae Romanae Eccleſiae matri noſtrae ac Domino Papae Innocentio ejuſque Catholicis ſucceſſoribus totum regnum Angliae & totum regnum Hiberniae, cum omni jure ac pertinentiis ſuis pro remiſſione omnium peccatorum noſtrorum & totius generis-noſtri tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis, & à modo illa ab eo & ab Eccleſia Romana tanquam ſecundarius recipientes & tenentes, in praeſentia prudentis viri Pandulfi Domini Papae Subdiaconi & familiaris: Exinde praedicto Domino Papae Innocentio ejusque Catholicis ſucceſſoribus, & Eccleſiae Romanae ſecundum formam ſubſcriptam fecimus & juravimus homagium ligium in praeſentia Pandulfi. Si coram Domino Papa eſſe poterimus, idem faciemus, &c. Ad indicium autem hujus noſtrae perpetuae obligationis & conceſſionis volumus & ſtabilimus, ut de propriis & ſpecialibus reditibus noſtris praedictorum regnorum pro omni ſervitio & conſuetudine quae pro ipſis facere debemus, ſalvis per omnia denariis beati Petri, Eccleſia Romanam ille marcas eſtrelingorum percipiat annuatim, &c. and commanded Phillip Auguſt, King of France, p. 637that for the remiſſion of his ſins, he ſhould invade the Kingdom of England with force of arms, giving to thoſe that ſhould follow the King in that conqueſt, the remiſſion of all their ſins, and the ſame graces and pardons, as to them that viſit the Holy Sepulchre. Whereupon the ſaid King Philip, partly to obtain the remiſſion of his ſins, partly to make himſelf maſter of England, raiſed a mighty Army whileſt Innocent was labouring to make the Engliſh to riſe againſt their King.

This moved King John to humble himſelf under the Pope, and to receive ſuch conditions as were beſt pleaſing to his holineſs. The conditions were, that the King ſhould yield unto the Pope the whole right of Patronage of all the Benefices of his Kingdom. That to obtain abſolution of his ſins, he ſhould pay to the Clergy of Canterbury, and to other Prelates, the ſum of eight thouſand pounds ſterling. That he ſhould ſatisfie for the damages done to the Church, according to the judgement of the Popes Legat or Vicelegat. That the ſaid John ſhould reſign his Crown into the Popes hands, with his Kingdoms of England and Ireland: for which letters were formed, and given to Pandulfus the Popes Legat. The words were theſe. I John by the grace of God King, &c. freely grant unto God and to the holy Apoſtles Peter and Paul, and to the holy Roman Church our mother, and to the Lord Pope Innocent, and to his Catholick ſucceſſors, the whole Kingdome of England and the whole Kingdom of Ireland, with all the rights and all the appurtenances of the ſame, for the remiſſion of our ſins, and of all our generation, both for the living and the dead; that from this time forward we may receive and hold them of him, and of the Roman Church, as ſecond after him, &c. We have ſworn, and ſwear unto the ſaid Lord Pope Innocent, and to his Catholick ſucceſſors, and to the Roman Church, a liege homage in the preſence of Pandulfus. If we can be in the preſence of the Lord Pope we will do the ſame, and to this we oblige our ſucceſſors and heirs for ever, &c. And for the ſign of this our perpetual obligation and conceſſion, we will and ordain, that out of our proper and eſpecial revenues from the ſaid Kingdoms, for all our ſervice and cuſtom which we ought to render, the Roman Church receive a thouſand marks Sterling yearly, without diminution of St. Peters pence; That is, five hundred marks at the feaſt of St. Michael, and five hundred at Eaſter, &c. And if we or any of our ſucceſſors preſume to attempt againſt theſe things, let him forfeit his right to the Kingdom, &c.

Although the King did this moſt unwillingly, and with a heart full of rage and anguiſh, yet he ſware (and it is inſerted in the Letters) that he did this with a good will, of his own motion, and by the inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt. And at the ſame inſtant he did homage to the Pope, as a vaſſel to his Liege Lord in the perſon of Pandulfus the Legat, and put at the feet of that Legat a ſum of money which(i)(i)Matth. Paris in Johanne p. 228. Pandulfus pecuniam, quam in arcam ſubjectionis Rex contulerat, ſub pede ſuo conculcavit, Archiepiſcopo dolente & reclamante. the ſaid Legat trod upon with his foot in ſign of ſubjection. All this was done juxta quod Romae fuerat ſententiatum, as it had been ordained at Rome,(k)(k)Id. p. 227. as Matthew Paris ſaith, that one may not think that King John did this with his own motion, and unconſtrained, although they made him ſwear that he had done it of his good will, and by the inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt.

All that being done, yet the Legat went away without taking off the Interdict, and without abſolving the King from his excommunication, which he might have removed with ſpeaking one word. But he returned beyond the Sea, carrying with him a maſs of treaſure ſqueezed out of the purſes of the poor Engliſh. And being come to the coaſt of Normandy, he found King Philip Auguſt with a p. 638great Army, and a fleet of a thouſand ſhips, ſtaying only for the wind to paſs into England to conquer it. To whom the Legate declared from the Pope, that he ſhould not bring his Army over, nor undertake any thing againſt England, becauſe it belonged to the Pope, the King of England being now become the Popes Vaſſal, and England the patrimony of Saint Peter. At which Philip expreſt a great indignation, ſeeing himſelf thus affronted by the Pope, who had made him ſpend a vaſt ſumm of money, to raiſe a great Army to conquer England, promiſing him the remiſſion of all his ſins, and now diſappointed him, and after he had given him England, forbad him to enter into it. Wherefore notwithſtanding the Legates prohibitions, the King would have continued his deſign, had not the Earl of Flanders forſaken him, returning with his Troops into his Countrey, becauſe he would not offend the Pope. Whence followed a bloody war between France and Flanders.

(l)(l)Matth. Paris, in Johanne, p. 229.But King John full of confuſion and anguiſh, caſt himſelf down on his knees before the Archbiſhop and other Engliſh Prelates, begging with tears to be abſolved from the excommunication; which in the end, out of their fatherly compaſſion, they granted. Yet was not the Interdict taken off.

At the ſame time Innocent the III. publiſhed the Croiſada againſt thoſe that were reproachfully called Albigeois and Vaudois, becauſe they did not acknowledge the Pope, called upon none but God alone, had no images, did not go to Maſs, denyed Purgatory, and read the Scripture. The Pope gave the ſame graces to them that ſhould ſpill the blood of theſe poor Chriſtians, as to them that croſſed themſelves to go to the holy Sepulchre and fight againſt the Saracens. The chief promoter of that war was Dominick, the Author of the Order of Dominicans, who put above two hundred thouſand of them to death.

In the mean while, King John was ſtorming and eating his own heart with ſorrow, ſeeing his Crown thus miſerably enſlaved. And his Barons forſook him, being angry that he had ſubjected his Crown to a forrain power.(m)(m)Matth. Paris, an. 1213. p. 233. He then finding no help from any Chriſtian, was brought to ſuch a deſpair, that he ſent Embaſſadors to a Mahumetan Prince, Amiral Murmelin or Miramolin King of Barbary and Granata, offering him the Kingdom of England, and promiſing to be his Vaſſall, if he would deliver him from his ſubjection to the Pope. But that barbarous King would not accept of the gift, and deſpiſed King John, who now for his laſt refuge had recourſe to the Pope.(n)(n)Noverat & multiplici didicerat experientia, quod Papa ſuper omnes mortales ambitioſus erat & ſuperbus pecuniaeque ſititor inſatiabilis, & ad omnia ſcelera pro praemiis datis aut promiſsis cereus & proclivus. King John (ſaith Matthew Paris) had learned by many experiences that the Pope was above all men of the world ambitious, and proud, and inſatiably thirſty of money, flexible and prone to any wickedneſs for recompences either given or promiſed. He ſent to him then a great ſumm of money, beſeeching him to excommunicate the Archbiſhop and the Barons of his Kingdom. At his requeſt, Innocent ſent into England a Legate called Nicolas Biſhop of Thuſculo; into whoſe hands John reſigned his Crown, and did homage to him, as repreſenting the Popes perſon, whom he acknowledged his temporal Lord, and Soveraign of the Kingdom. This was done before the great Altar of Pauls Church at London. (o)(o)Matth. Paris, pag. 236, 237. Exacta eſt & innovata illa non formoſa ſed famoſa ſubjectio, quae in manum Domini Papae diademate cum regno reſignato tam dominium Hiberniae quàm regnum ſubjicit Anglicanum.And the Deed whereby that reſignation of the Kingdom was made unto the Pope, was renewed and ſealed with Gold, whereas the former was ſealed with lead only. And the ſaid Legate aſſumed then a full power to diſpoſe of the Eccleſiaſtical Offices of England, without the conſent either of the Archbiſhop, or the Biſhops of the places. Whereby (ſaith Matthew Paris) he got the indignation and curſe of many, inſtead of the bleſſing. And Pandulfus ſent to Rome, to exalt King Johns goodneſs and humility to the Pope, and to aggravate the pride and inſolency of the Archbiſhop, Biſhops, and Barons of England that oppoſed him.

Finally, in the year 1214. the Interdict was taken off by the Legate, the Maſs reſtored, the Churches and Church-yards opened, and the people reconciled by the Popes conceſſion, upon condition that the King ſhould give to the Archbiſhop and Biſhops, that had the charge of taking off the Interdict, forty thouſand marks.

But the Barons of England, ſore grieved to ſee the Crown of England ſo debaſed, p. 639asked of the King the enjoying of ſome liberties and priviledges which he had ſworn unto them. Theſe demands having cauſed a great diſſention between the King and the Barons, the King referred the whole unto the Pope, as unto his Liege, of whom he held the Crown.(p)(p)Idem p. 236. The Pope having heard the Kings complaints by his Embaſſadors, ſaid with an angry countenance, Will the Barons of England put down from the Royal ſeat a croſſed King, who hath put himſelf under the protection of the Apoſtolick See? Will they transfer the demain of the Roman Church to another? By Saint Peter I cannot leave that injury unpuniſhed. Wherefore by expreſs Bulls, he took away all the priviledges of the Engliſh Nobility, and diſpenſed King John from keeping his promiſe unto them, and threatened the ſaid Barons with an Anathema in caſe of diſobedience: That dealing he grounded upon this reaſon,(q)(q)Quia nobis à Domino dictum eſt in Propheta, Conſtitui te ſuper gentes & regna, ut evellas & deſtruas, & aedifices, & plantes. That to the Pope in the perſon of the Prophet God ſaid, I have ſet thee over Nations and over Kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to deſtroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. And by other Letters he commanded the Barons like a King, not to exact of King John the fulfilling of that he had ſworn unto them.

But the Barons did not care for the Popes Mandate, wherefore they were all excommunicated by the Pope, and their Lands and Lordſhips put in Interdict. The Prelates of England were commanded to publiſh that ſentence over all England with burning Candles, and ringing of Bells. At the ſame time, the Pope ſuſpended Simon Langton Archbiſhop of York from his place, at the requeſt of King John: And his brother Stephen Langton likewiſe. A worthy recompence for their helping of the Pope to make the King the Popes ſubject. The cauſe of their ſuſpenſion was, that they had refuſed to publiſh the excommunication of the Barons of the Kingdom, but it was publiſhed by others appointed for that by Pandulfus, who was joyned in Commiſſion with the Legate.

The next year, which was the year 1215. Pope Innocent the III. did gather a Council of the whole Papal Empire at Rome in the Church of Laterane in which there was neither deliberating, nor conſulting with the Aſſembly,(r)(r)Matth. Paris, p. 262. Recitata ſunt in pleno Concilio capitula 69. quae aliis placabilia, aliis videbantur oneroſa. but only reading of threeſcore and nine Chapters of Ordinances made by this Pope Innocent. By the third Chapter, power is given to the Pope to take away the lands of Princes and Lords, and to give them to others.(ſ)(ſ)Bulla ad liberandam ſub finem Conc. Lateran. An. 1215. There alſo it was ſpoken of the voyage and conqueſt of the Holy Land, and a degree of glory in Paradiſe above others, was promiſed unto them that ſhould perform that journey in their own perſon. To them that would not go, but only contribute to the journey, no more was given, but the remiſſion of all their ſins, and by conſequent eternal life. Theſe laſt having a ſmaller ſhare, were to content themſelves with the Kingdom of heaven. But as for thoſe that would neither go, nor contribute, Innocent declared unto them, That they muſt anſwer him for it before God in the day of judgement.

Then alſo was the perſecution doubled againſt the Vaudois and Albigeois. And the Clergy of York, named Walter de Gray Archbiſhop of York, who obtained his Inveſtiture at Rome: Whence he parted, having firſt obliged himſelf(t)(t)Matth. Paris, in Johanne, pag. 263. Epiſcopus memoratus rediit in Angliam, obligatus in furia Romana de decem millibus librarum legalium eſtrelingorum, &c. Extorſit Papa infinitam pecuniam de unoquoque praelato. to pay unto the Pope ten thouſand pounds ſterling, which in thoſe dayes was enough for a Kings ranſom. That was the end for which the Pope had been ſo long debating about the right of Inveſtitures. That was the fruit of the Martyrdom of Thomas Becket. By the ſame way the Pope extorted from the Prelates of England an incredible ſumm of money. The King obtained from the Pope, that the Barons of his Kingdom, who had been excommunicated only by the great, and in generall, ſhould be excommunicated by name, by a ſecond excommunication. But the Barons and the Citizens of London laughed at that excommunication, ſaying,(u)(u)Ibid. pag. 267. Quod non pertinet ad Papam ordinatio rerum Laicarum, &c. Proh pudor marcidi ribaldi qui de armis vel liberalitate minime norunt, toti mundo propter excommunicationes ſuas volunt dominari. That it belonged not to the Pope to rule ſecular affairs, ſeeing that the Lord had left no more to Peter and his ſucceſſors, but the diſpoſition of Eccleſiaſtical things. Why doth the mad covetouſneſs of the Romans extend to us? What have Apoſtolick Biſhops to do with our Knighthood? Theſe are the ſucceſſors of Conſtantine, not of Peter, &c. O ſhame! effeminate ribalds, that know not what belongs to arms or honour, will domineer over all the world by their excommunications.

p. 640But the Barons ſeeing the King too ſtrong for them, ſent to Lewis ſon to Philip Auguſt King of France, to beſeech him to paſs with an army into England, promiſing to put the Crown of England upon his head. And for aſſurance, they ſent to King Philip four and twenty of the nobleſt of the land for hoſtages.

While that Lewis made himſelf ready to paſs into England, a Legate called Walo, came from the Pope to King Philip, to beſeech him from the Pope not to ſuffer his ſon to come into England, becauſe John was a Vaſſal of the Roman Church, and England was the Popes demain. That crafty Pope ſpake to King Philip with reſpect, becauſe he ſaw him beloved of his ſubjects, and becauſe he knew his power and his courage. And although Philip, notwithſtanding the Popes deſire, ſent his ſon over with an Army to take England from the Pope, and expell the Popes Vaſſal from his poſſeſſion, yet the Pope ſhot no excommunication againſt him. Yea, when the Legate called England the patrimony of Saint Peter, Philip anſwered to the Legate in high ſcorn,(x)(x)Weſtmonaſt. An. 1216. Regnum Angliae Patrimonium Petri vel Eccleſiae Romanae nunquam fuit, nec eſt, nec erit, &c. Et ſi Papa hunc errorem tueri allectus novae dominationis libidine contumaciter decreverit, exemplum omnibus regnis dabit pernicioſum. That the Kingdom of England had never been, nor was, nor ever ſhould be the patrimony of Saint Peter. And that if the Pope would arrogantly defend that errour, being drawn to it by the greedy deſire of a new domination, he ſhould give a moſt pernicious example unto all Kingdoms. To which all the French Lords there preſent added, That they would ſtand till death for the defence of that Article.

Yet when Lewis was come into England, and had taken from John the moſt part of his Kingdom, the Legate coming into England, excommunicated Lewis with Candles burning, and Bells ringing, and all his adherents. The death of King John having appeaſed the wrath of the Barons, and cooled their affections to Lewis, made Lewis to return into France.

John being dead, his ſon Henry the III. ſucceeded, and almoſt at the ſame time Frederick attained to the Empire, who(y)(y)Uſpergenſis. Cuſpinianus. Blondus. Matth. Paris. Collenutius. obliged himſelf by Oath unto the Pope to paſs into Syria to conquer the Holy Land. Two years after his promiſe, he embarqued himſelf at Brindiſſi in Calabria to go into Syria, but being conſtrained to return to Land, by reaſon of the indiſpoſition of his body, Gregory the IX. excommunicated him, accuſing him of perjury. Yet ſoon after he imbarqued himſelf again, and happily arrived into Syria, where he atchieved many great exploits againſt the Saracens, and conquered Jeruſalem. But the Pope did not for all that take off the excommunication. And in the very day of the triumph, when thanks were given to God for that glorious conqueſt, and the amplification of Chriſtian Religion, the Clergy by the Popes order, would not admit him to the Communion, but turned their backs to him as to an execrable man. But the Pope made it ſoon known for what reaſon he had been ſo urgent to ſend him away. For, as ſoon as the Pope ſaw him engaged in a difficult war, far from home, he invaded the Lands of Frederick in Puglia, and went about to take Lombardy from him: Neither did he care to free him from the excommunication, although he had accompliſhed his vow.(z)(z)Matth. Paris, in Henrico III. pap. 346. Yea the Knights Templers, the Popes creatures that were ſent by him into the Levant, knowing that the Emperour would go to Jordan to waſh himſelf, advertiſed the Soldan of the Saracens of it, that he might take Frederick. But the Soldan abhorring that perfidiouſneſs, ſent the Letters of the Templers to Frederick, to warn him to look to himſelf. The Pope himſelf hindred the auxiliary forces of the Croiſada that were going to help Frederick, and would not ſuffer them to advance. This forced Frederick to abandon the holy Land, and to return into Italy to reconquer his own Countrey, which the Pope had taken from him. The Pope frighted, took off the excommunication preſently, yet upon condition that the Emperour ſhould pay him two hundred thouſand ounces of Gold.

Yet he continued to ſet on the Princes and Commons of Germany to rebell againſt Frederick: And ſo great was his hatred againſt Frederick, that Cuſpinian and(a)(a)Crontzius in An. Chr. 1249. Crontzius write, that he ſent Letters to the Sultan of the Saracens, to perſwade that Mahumetan to make war againſt him. But God gave victory to Frederick every where, for he defeated in many combates, all the enemies which the Pope raiſed againſt him. So great was his animoſity againſt that Emperour, p. 641that when forces of the Croiſada came out of France, or England, or other parts, to ſail into Syria, to defend Jeruſalem and the Holy Sepulchre againſt the Saracens,(b)(b)Matth. Paris, in Henrico III. he ſtopt them, and gave them the ſame Graces and Indulgences, as if they had performed the journey into the Holy Land, upon condition that they ſhould turn their arms againſt Frederick, whoſe power lay heavy upon him, becauſe he ſtiffly maintained the rights of the Empire. The Pope came ſo far, as to give the Empire to Robert Brother of Lewis the IX. King of France, upon condition that he ſhould conquer it.(c)(c)Idem, pag. 500. But Robert ſent back to the Pope his preſent, both becauſe he ſent him no money to furniſh him for that conqueſt, and becauſe he found it very ſtrange, that the Pope would give that which was none of his: Alſo becauſe he ſhewed himſelf an enemy to a great and vertuous Prince, who had done and ſuffered ſo much, bravely fighting for the cauſe of the Chriſtians againſt the Infidels. Then he added, that the Popes are laviſh of the blood of others, and that their end is to tread all the Princes of the world under their feet, and to put on the horns of pride.

In the mean while, perſecution grew ſore againſt thoſe whom they called Vaudois and Albigeois, againſt whom the Pope cauſed the Croiſada to be preached, and an infinite number of them to be maſſacred. Then alſo Saint Francis and Saint Dominick were making miracles, and preaching obedience to the Papal See.(d)(d)Id. Henric. III. pag. 279. And as Pope Innocent the III. at Rome, was carrying in proceſſion the face of Chriſt Printed in a linnen cloth, that face turned it ſelf with the beard upwards, as Matthew Paris relateth. Which moved Innocent to compoſe a Prayer to the ſame image, and to give ten dayes of Indulgence to all that would adore the image, ſaying that Prayer. Theſe are the words of it,(e)(e)Solve ſancta facies noſtri Redemptoris, in qua nitet ſpecies divini ſplendoris; Impreſſa panniculo nivei ſplendoris; Dataque Veronicae ſignum ob amoris, &c. Nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum; Atque nos conſortio junge beatorum. Salve vultus Domini imago beata, &c. Nos deduc ad propria, O felix figura! Ad videndum faciem quae eſt Chriſti pura. Haile thou holy face of the Redeemer; In which ſhineth the appearance of divine beauty; Printed upon a cloth of ſnowy whiteneſs, and given to Veronica as a token of love; Purge us from all ſpot of vices, and joyn us to the company of Saints. Haile thou face of the Lord, bleſſed image; Lead us to that which is thine, O happy figure! to ſee the pure face of Chriſt. The whole prayer ſpeaks to the image, as if it heard the prayer.

But in England the Popes tyrannie grew ſorer every day. For Henry the III. being come to the Crown, gave the homage of his Kingdom to the Pope, and renewed the Oath of fidelity and ſubjection, and the promiſe of paying a thouſand marks yearly to the Pope.

Innocent the III. being dead, in the year 1219. Honorius the III. ſucceeded him, and(f)(f)Matth. Paris, An. 1220. pag. 299. Sanctorum Catalogo aſcripſimus, univerſitatem veſtram monemus & exhortamur in Domino, quatenus ejus apud Deum patrocinia devote imploretis. at his entry to the Papacy made an Engliſh Saint called Hugh, with a command to pray to him, and to celebrate his Feaſt.

In the year 1223. King Henry being yet very young, the Pope, as his Soveraign in temporal things, declared him Major, and capable to conduct his own buſineſſes.

In the year 1225. the Pope ſent Otto his Nuntio into England, who exacted of every Conventual Church two marks of ſilver. The next year after, a Council was held at Weſtminſter, where the ſaid Nuntio read in full Aſſembly the Popes Letters, in which the Pope ſaid,(g)(g)Matth. Paris, pag. 314, 316. That a ſcandal was caſt upon the Roman Church: And that the antient reproach and diſgrace of the Court of Rome, was the covetouſneſs of riches, which is the root of all evils. Eſpecially becauſe none could get any buſineſs done in the Roman Court, but with many preſents, and with greaſing the Officers with money. But becauſe the poverty of the Romans was the cauſe of that evil, it was the duty of the Engliſh, as natural ſons, to relieve the poverty of their mother, becauſe without their liberality, the Roman Court could not preſerve her dignity. That the way to remedy that reproach, was, that the Pope ſhould have in every Cathedral Church, and in every Abbey and Monaſtery of England, two Prebends, of which he ſhould enjoy the fruits. And in the ſame year, the ſame Pope called a Council at Bourges, where he made the ſame motion by his Legat. But he found contradiction from the Clergy of France, and could not compaſs it.

After Honorius, Gregory the IX. was Pope. It was he that compiled the Decretals, p. 642and the ſame whom the Romans expelled out of Rome, for the Citizens of Rome never cared much for the Popes excommunications.

This Pope needing money for his War againſt the Emperour Frederick, ſent a Legate into England named Stephen, who exacted of the people of England the tenth part of all their moveable goods, that is, of all their flocks, rents, fruits, wares, offerings and gifts to the Church:(h)(h)Id. pag 349. Habuit ex iiſdem literis authoritatem contradictores excommunicandi & Eccleſias interdicendi. And the ſaid Legate had power to excommunicate all that ſhould refuſe to pay, and to put the Churches in Interdict. The Prelates he enjoyned upon pain of excommunication, to make that collection ſpeedily and without delay. All that ſhould croſs ſuch an holy work, he declared excommunicated, ipſo facto. He would be paid in new coyn, and of good weight. He took the tythe, even of the corn in the firſt blade, that is, of the crop of the year after. In theſe exactions he was ſo urgent and ſo griping, that the Pariſhes were forced to engage the Chalices and Church plate, to ſatisfie his covetouſneſs. And he had certain uſurers with him, who lent money upon double uſe, to thoſe that had no ready money. This cauſed a great clamor and lamentation over all the Countrey, but without effect. That money was employed by the Pope, to invade many Towns belonging to the Emperour in Italy. And the Emperour could not defend them, becauſe he was engaged againſt the Saracens in the Levant, where he took Jeruſalem, and put the affairs of the Chriſtians in a flouriſhing ſtate. And he had utterly deſtroyed the Saracens, if the injuries which he received from the Pope had not recalled him.

(i)(i)Matth. Paris, pag. 358, 359.Then the Benefices of England were poſſeſſed by Italians and other creatures of the Pope, to the great grief of the Engliſh. To the Biſhop of Rocheſter it was revealed in viſion, that King Richard, and Stephen Archbiſhop of Canterbury, with a Chaplain of his, were come out of Purgatory all in one day.

(k)(k)p. 386.Scarce was the collection ended, made by Stephen the Legate, when the Pope made peace with the Emperour, but the money was not reſtored. And another Nuntio came from Pope Gregory, who (as Matth. Paris ſaith) argumentoſas extorſiones excogitans, inventing extorſions grounded upon fair reaſons, ſent Nuntio's with power of Legates, who by Sermons, Exhortations, and Excommunications,(l)(l)Ibid. Per regnum Angliae infinitos reddiderunt extorres & mendicos. brought an infinite number of Engliſh men to mendicity, and turned them out of their houſes. This was done under a pretence of contributing to the expenſe of the Holy War, of which himſelf hindred the ſucceſs, and yet he promiſed to them that ſhould contribute money for it, the remiſſion of all their ſins, and to them that ſhould go in perſon, an augmentation of glory.

(m)(m)Ibid. Si qui proficiſcentium illuc ad praeſtandas uſuras juramento tenentur aſtricti, creditores eorum per Eccleſiarum Praelatos ut remittant iis praeſtitum juramentum, & ab uſurarum exactione diſiſtant eadem praecipimus diſtrictione compelli.By the ſame Bulls, every man that was indebted, was exempted, and could not be arreſted or ſued by his Creditors, as long as he had a Croſs upon his ſhoulders, which was the mark of thoſe that were aſſociated into the Croiſada: And the reaſon given for that exemption, was, that ſuch a man was become the Popes man, and had put himſelf in the protection of the Church. By the ſame Bulls alſo, power was given to the Nuntio's or Legates, to diſpenſe with the vow for money. So that he that had croſſed himſelf for the voyage to the Holy Land, might redeem himſelf from the vow, paying to the Legate, that which he ſhould have ſpent in the journey, and ſo ſtay at home, and enjoy the ſame ſpiritual graces, as if he had performed the whole voyage. The Bull ended with this exhortation,(n)(n)Accingantur ergo omnes filii adoptionis divinae ad obſequium Jeſu Chriſti, &c. Felici commercio laboribus ſuis, qui cito tranſeunt, eternam requiem mercabuutur. Come then, and let the children of divine Adoption prepare themſelves to yield obedience unto Chriſt, changing their quarrels into bonds of love, believing that being truly confeſſed and contrite, by an happy traffick, and by their labours, which do but paſs, they ſhall purchaſe eternal reſt. Given at Spoleto the third of September, the eight year of our Pontificat.

The Exactors and Collectors of that money, were the Franciſcans and Dominicans, who would to day put the Croſs upon a mans ſhoulder, and oblige him with an Oath to the voyage,(o)(o)Ibid. Quibus data fuit poteſtas cruce ſignandi & votum data pecunia relaxandi, &c. Signatos hodie cras data pecunia à crucis voto abſolvebant. Weſtmonaſt. an. 1240. Abſolvebantur per praedicatores & minores pecunia interveniente multi cruce ſignati in ſcandalum Eccleſiae. and to morrow releaſe him from his Oath for money.

p. 643Reaſon and right did require, that theſe great ſumms of money ſhould have been employed to defray the Princes that raiſed Armies for the deliverance of the Holy Land. Among whom, he that moſt freely expoſed his life, and that of his ſubjects, with an incredible expenſe, was Lewis the IX. of France, who reigned then; A Prince worthy to have been born in a better age, being a rare example of meekneſs and juſtice, and one that partly diſcerned the errors, and ſighed under the Popes tyrannie. That great Prince ſoon after undertook that voyage, but to his great ruine, confuſion of the Chriſtians, and deſtruction of his Kingdom. Yet the Pope never gave him any part of the money raiſed for that expedition, nor to the Emperour, nor to any Prince, that paid Armies, and fought for that quarrel. All was poured into the Popes coffers, as into a gulf, and by him imployed to make war againſt Frederick, for he broke preſently the Covenant ſworn to him. So in effect, all the money contributed by devout ſouls, for the conqueſt of the Holy Land, was imployed to hinder it, and to find other work for Frederick, who alone was more able to promote that conqueſt, then all the reſt together.

While the Pope exerciſed that horrible tyrannie over England, (p)(p)Matth. Paris, pag. 394.the Senate and Citizens of Rome were maſtering the Pope, and were ſo far from giving him money, that they would have money from the Pope, pretending an old right for it. The difference was about ſome lands which the Roman Senate claimed, as belonging to the Roman County, but the Pope ſaid that they belonged to his Biſhoprick; alleadging for himſelf Chriſts words, who had promiſed, that the gates of hell ſhould not prevail againſt the Church; Whence he inferred, that in that quarrel, the Senate and the Roman people, might not hope to prevail againſt him. For all his inferences, they turned him out, and burnt his houſes, and called the Emperour Frederick. Who being one of the wiſeſt and meekeſt Princes that ever were in the world, inſtead of helping them, corrected their inſolence, and would reſent none of the injuries which Gregory had done him. At the ſame time that good Emperour demanded the ſiſter of Henry the III. of England for his wife, and had her.

(q)(q)Id. p. 403, 404, 405.At that time alſo certain uſurers ſet up in England, called Caurſins, who by uſuries and ſtrange arts deviſed in Italy, ate up the poor people and the Clergy. The King himſelf was moſt deeply in their debt. The Biſhop of London would have repreſt them, but becauſe they were maintained by the Pope, he could not effect it. The Franciſcans and Dominicans were preaching up the Popes power, and drawing all the confeſſions to themſelves, and every day obtained priviledges to the prejudice of the Parochial Prieſts, who became almoſt uſeleſs. The State of England was deplorable, for hungry Italians of the baſer ſort, with Bulls and Warrants from the Pope, came daily to fleece the people, and to raiſe ſuch ſumms of money as they would demand upon the Clergy. If any denyed what they demanded, he was preſently excommunicated. And they that held the great Benefices, were ſtrangers that were but the Popes Farmers. This made Matthew Paris, that lived then and beheld theſe things, to lament(r)(r)Matth. Paris, p. 424. Facta eſt filia Sion quaſi meretrix effrons non habens ruborem. Quotide viliſsimae perſonae & illiteratae bullis Romanis armatae in minas ſtatim erumpentes, &c. that the daughter of Sion was become like a ſhameleſs harlot that could not bluſh, by the juſt judgement (ſaith he) of him that made an Hypocrite to reign, and a Tyrant to domineer.

The above-mentioned Legate Otho came again into England, (ſ)(ſ)Idem, pag. 425. Rex ei uſque ad confinium maris occurrit, & inclinato ad genua ejus capite uſque ad interiora regni deduxit officioſe.King Henry went to meet him, even to the Sea-ſide, and as the Popes Vaſſal, caſt himſelf down before the Legate, touching the Legates knees with his head.

In the year 1238. the Archbiſhop of Antioch would not acknowledge the Pope his ſuperiour, and preferring himſelf before him,(t)(t)Idem, pag. 465. excommunicated the Pope, and the Papal Court, and the Roman Church, being ſet on to do that by German Archbiſhop of Conſtantinople, who called himſelf Univerſal Biſhop. The ſame year the perſecution was very ſore againſt the true Chriſtians, which were opprobriouſly called Albigeois, Vandois, Paterius, Buggerars, in the ſame manner as they call us now Hugonots and Calviniſts. Great number of them were burnt in Flanders, at the inſtigation of a Dominican called Robert Buggerar.

p. 644The oppreſſion and extorſions of Rome growing every day in England, the Biſhops met at London, and the Legate with him, who propounded new devices to get money, and a new way of exaction. The Biſhops anſwered him, that the Roman Court had quite exhauſted England, and that it was impoſſible for them to furniſh any more. So the Aſſembly was broken without concluding any thing.

The Legate putting off his plot till another time, took his way towards Scotland, to rake all the money out of it, as he had done in England. (u)(u)Idem. in Henr. III. pag. 481. Antequam Legatus regnum Scotiae intrâſſet, occurrit ei Rex Scotiae non acceptans ingreſſum ſuum. Dixit enim, quod nunquam aliquis Legatus excepto illo ſolo in Scotiam intravit. Non enim, ut aſſeruit, opus erat. Chriſtianitas ibi floruit, Eccleſia proſpere ſe habebat.The King of Scotland hearing of it, came to meet him upon the borders, and forbad him to come further into his Kingdom, ſaying that he was the firſt Legate that ever entred into Scotland, and that Scotland had no need of any, ſince without that Chriſtian Religion flouriſhed, and the Church proſpered in the Kingdom. The Legate then went back, and returning through(*)(*)Ibid. Rebus Eccleſiaſticis pro libito ordinatis pecuniam non minimam cogendo. England, did ſo order the buſineſſes of the Church, that he got no ſmall ſumm of money.

Then was brought into England a Mandate of the Pope, to publiſh in all the Churches, with Bells ringing and Candles burning, the excommunication of the Emperour Frederick. Which was executed, though with the Kings great grief, becauſe the Emperour had married his ſiſter. And the people of Milan rebelled againſt the Emperour, and ſacked the neighbouring Cities belonging to him with cruelty almoſt unparallel'd, having for their head a Legate whom the Pope had ſent to them. Upon which Matthew Paris expreſſeth, what the ſenſe of the world was at that time. Fear and horrour filled the hearts of men, becauſe the Papal party cared neither for Prayers, nor for Maſſes, nor for Proceſſions, &c. But put all their hope in treaſures of money, and in rapine, and with ſhameleſs impudence ran to the ſword and revenge.

The beſt Benefices of England being poſſeſſed by Italians, and Romans eſpecially, baſe in birth and conditions, and promoted to thoſe places by the Popes Agents, that were ſent thither with a full power to do all things at their pleaſure, and to take from the Engliſh Prelates the power of conferring livings, the ſaid Prelates(x)(x)Id. ib. pag. 495. writ to Pope Gregory, Letters full of lamentations; being juſtly puniſhed. For having helped the Popes to bring down the power of their Kings, under a pretence of maintaining the liberties of the Church, they had put the Popes fetters about their own legs, and drawn a hard bondage upon themſelves. While Kings were in power, the Pope called them Simoniacks that gave ſome little preſent to the King, when they received the Inveſtiture. But after that the Pope had taken that power from the King, he took an hundred times more from them then ever the King did.

This Pope by his Bulls full of fervent exhortations, had publiſhed the Croiſada over all France, Germany, and England, exhorting by the compaſſions of God, and by the zeal of Chriſtian Religion, and by the hope of ſalvation, all good Chriſtians, to go to the help of Chriſtians oppreſt in Syria, and to deliver Jeruſalem, and the place of the Croſs, and the holy Sepulchre, out of the hand of the Infidel Saracens, promiſing the remiſſion of all ſins, and an augmentation of glory in Paradiſe, to all that ſhould die in that voyage. Upon theſe exhortations a great number of Pilgrims croſſed themſelves,(y)(y)Matth. Paris, pag. 497. and having appointed their randevouze at Lyons, met there well armed, and furniſhed, and full of courage. As they were ready to march, a Legate came from the Pope, who forbad them to go further, and commanded them to return every one to their own home. At which they grew ſo angry, that much ado there was to keep them from killing the Legate and his men. For (ſaid they) to obey the Pope, and for the cauſe of the Crucifix, we have undertaken this voyage: We have ſold or pawned our lands, we have borrowed money upon great uſe, and now we are ſent back to our houſes. This happened in the year 1242.

In the mean while, England was ſore troubled with new exactions; and the Pope ſent Letters to all the ſubjects of the Empire, to abſolve them from the Oath of Fidelity and Obedience, ſworn to Frederick their Lord, commanding them to be faithful in unfaithfulneſs, and obedient by diſobedience, p. 645as(z)(z)p. 499. Perſuadens ut eſſent in infidelitate fideles, in inobedientia obedientes. Sed tantum promeruit Romanae Eccleſiae improbitas omnibus execranda, quod à nullis vel à paucis meruit Papalis authoritas exaudiri. Matthew Paris ſaith. But (ſaith the ſame Author) the wickedneſs of the Roman Church execrable unto all was the cauſe that none or few cared to obey the Papal authority. The Emperor writ to the King of England, his brother in law to expoſtulate with him becauſe he ſuffered him to be excommunicated, and with ſuch diſgrace in his Kingdom, and that moneys ſhould be raiſed in England continually by the Pope, to make war againſt him. The Kings anſwer was, that being the Popes vaſſal and homager, neceſſity did lye upon him to yield all obedience to his Holineſs.

Yet upon theſe letters from the Emperor, King Henry deſired the Legat Otho to go out of England, but the Legat would not do it, and found new wayes to get money for his Maſter. The Engliſh Lords and Gentlemen were ſelling their Lands and Mannors to the Clergy to perform that voyage to the Holy Land, to which they had bound themſelves by vow, upon the Popes command.(a)(a)Id. p. 507. Incoeperunt ipſi Praedicatores Fratres & Minores Cruce ſignatos abſolvere à voto ſuo, accepta tamen pecunia, quanta ſufficere videbatur unicuique ad viaticum ultramarinum. Et factum eſt in populo ſcandalum cum ſchiſmate. But the Dominicans and Franciſcans received power from the Pope to diſpence thoſe that had croſſed themſelves from their vow, taking ſo much money from them as they ſhould have ſpent in their journey. And at the ſame time the Pope who had crammed many Italians and Romans with the beſt benefices of England, began to ſqueeze theſe ſpunges, and got from them the fifth part of their revenue, towards the charges of his war againſt the Emperor. Then ſome Engliſh ſeeing ſo much money go out of England, continually, came to the King, and told him,(b)(b)Domine Princeps nominatiſſime quare permittis Angliam fieri in praedam & deſolationem tranſeuntium, quaſi vineam ſine macerie, omni communem viatori, ab apris exterminandam? &c. Quibus talia perſuadentibus ait, Nec volo, nec and Domi… aliquipae contra…ere. Et …ova quaedam facta eſt in populo deſperatio nimis deploranda. Most Illuſtrious Prince, why do you ſuffer England to be brought to deſolation, and to become the prey of them that go by, like a vine without wall, expoſed to travellers, and left to be deſtroyed by the wild boars? &c. To whom the King anſwered. I will not, I dare not contradict My Lord the Pope in any thing. Whence the people was brought to a moſt deplorable deſpair. But the Legat having got the fifth part of all the revenues of ſtrangers, did the ſame to the Engliſh, and the Arch-biſhop led the dance, paying eight hundred marks to the Legat for the firſt payment; the reſt was exacted from him, and from all others with all violence.

Scarce was that exaction done, when one Peter de la Ronſe came from Rome. (c)(c)Id. p. 515. Per eoſdem dies venit in Angli exactorem in pecuniae exactio omnibus ſaeculis inaudita & execrabilis. Miſit enim Papa, Pater noſter Sanctus, q… erat emungere. Angliam, Petrum Rubeum qui excogitata muſcipulatione infinitam pecuniam à miſeris AnglisOf him Matthew Paris an eye witneſs ſpeaks thus. In thoſe dayes came into England a new exaction of money unheard of in all ages and execrable. For our holy Father the Pope ſent a certain exactor into England called Petrus Rubeus [or Peter of the Bryar] who having invented a certain kind of mouſe-trap did learnedly catch an infinite ſumm of money from the miſerable Engliſhmen. He would come into the Chapters of Monks and Prebends, and made them believe that ſuch and ſuch a Prelat had ſecretly promiſed ſuch a ſumm of money, and by promiſes and threatnings extorted money from them, making them ſwear that in ſix moneths they would not tell it to any body: Without ſaying to them the cauſe why the Pope had ſuch a ſuddain need of money, but leaving them to preſume that there was ſome great buſineſs concealed from them. Upon that the Prelats and Abbots came to the King and told him,(d)(d)Ibid. Domine Rex ſuggillamur, nec licet nobis clamitare, jugulamur, nec poſſumus ejula… Sir, We are beaten, and we are not ſuffered to cry; They cut our throats, and we cannot lament. A thing impoſſible is enjoyned us by the Pope, and an exaction deteſtable unto all the world, &c. But the King turning himſelf to the Legat there preſent, told him, My Lord, theſe miſerable ſeducers reveal the Popes ſecrets; They detract and will not obey your will. Do with them what you think good. I give you one of my beſt caſtles to put them in a ſure hold. So they were forced to pay all, that the Legat was pleaſed to demand of them.

The ſame year Earle Richard the King of Englands brother, as valiant and generous as his brother was baſe and low ſpirited, went out of England, carrying with him the flower of the Engliſh Nobility, and made the more haſt becauſe news was come of the miſerable caſe of the Chriſtians in the Levant where p. 646the Chriſtian party was ſinking apace. Being come to St. Giles in low Languedock to go to Marſeille, a Legat met him, who forbad him from the Pope to go further, diſpenſing the ſaid Earle from his vow. The Earl highly diſcontented anſwered, I have taken leave of my friends, I ſent my money and my arms before; Now that I am ready to take ſhip, I am forbidden to go. He reſolved then, notwithſtanding the Popes prohibition, to perform his voyage, and imbarked himſelf(e)(e)Id. p. 518. Deteſtans Romanae Eccleſiae duplicitatem cum magna mentis amaritudine. deteſting the double and treacherous dealing of the Roman Church, with a great bitterneſs of ſpirit.

That Peter de la Ronſe having not the title of Legat got into Scotland, and did that which none ever did before him, for he carryed away three thouſand pounds out of Scotland to put into the coffers of his Holineſs.

While the Pope was plundering England, he was raiſing an immenſe ſumm of money in France by a Legat ſent purpoſely. Which ſumm exceeding the Popes expectation, he repented to have made truce with the Emperor Frederick, ſeeing that he had got ſo much of the ſinew of War, and commanded Cardinal John Colonna to bring word to the Emperor that he would not keep the truce. Which when that Cardinal, whoſe family was potent in Italy, refuſed to do, and exchanged ſome injurious words with the Pope upon that ſubject,(f)(f)Idem. p. 522. Quod cum Regi Francorum innotuiſſet, praecepit pecuniam totam quam in terra ſua mellitis ſermocinationibus & fellitis comminationibus meſſuerat, ab eodem Legato extortam reſervari. King Lewis the IX. hearing of that paſſage, prohibited that the money (which was yet in France) ſhould be delivered to the Popes Aſſigns or tranſported out of the Kingdom.

The ſame pope perceiving that whenſoever he demanded money of the body of the Engliſh Clergy oppoſitions were formed againſt it,(g)(g)Matth. Paris. p. 522. Papa de pecunia congreganda vigil contemplator ſignificavit Legato, ut non ſicut prius omnem Clerum convenire attemptet, &c. Imo potiùs ſingulatim quemlibet eorum, &c. writ to his Legat that he ſhould deal with the Clergy-men one by one, and fleece them one after another. And he ſped that way.

It was about this time, namely in the year 1240. that Baldwin, keeping by force the Empire of Conſtantinople which the French and other pilgrims of Syria had ſurprized, and held it by right of conveniency,(h)(h)Ibid. p. 527. Neceſſitate ingruente & theſauri ca…ntia, &c. ſig…ificavit Reg… Francorum …e Imperato… …lduinus, quòd ſi ipſum pecunia deſtitutum vellet de theſauro efficaciter juvare ipſi Regi pro antiquo dilectionis & conſ…uinitatis foedere conferret coronam Domini. being in great want of money, writ to the King of France Lewis the IX. that the holy Crown of thorns of our Saviour was found, and that if he would help him with a ſumm of money, he would ſend it to him. This meek King, and of eaſie belief treated with the ſaid Emperor for a great ſumm of money, and bought that Crown which was put in the Holy Chappel of Paris with great ſolemnity. Shortly after the Venetian… having bought a piece of the true Croſs for two thouſand and five hundred pounds, ſold it again to the ſame King Lewis for double the price. The King himſelf carryed it bare-head and barefoot to our Lady of Paris. And the Pope gave to it forty days of true pardon.

(i)(i)Ibid. p. 532. & 530. Rex in ampliori Regia Weſtmonaſterii pranſuru… …egatum, quem ad prandium invitaverat, in eminentiori loco menſae, ſcilicet in ſede Regali, quae in medio menſae eſt, non ſin…ultorum obliquantibus oculis collocavit.In the year 1241. King Henry the III. of England made a great feaſt in Weſtminſter hall upon Chriſtmas day. In the midſt of the table was the Kings chair under the Canopy of State, according to the cuſtome. It was a thing without example that any but the King durſt ſit in that Royal Chaire, eſpecially upon a day of extraordinary ſolemnity. Yet the King acknowledging himſelf the Popes vaſſal, and no Soveraigne, yielded that place to the Legat Otho, to the great heart-breaking of all that were preſent, and to the disgrace of the Engliſh Nation.

Shortly after, the Legat returned to Rome, Matthew Paris beareth him this teſtimony, that excepting the Church plates, and ornaments of the Churches, there remained not ſo much money in England as Otho had extorted. And that he had conferred partly by his own, partly by the Popes will, above three hundred of the beſt Prebends and Rectories of the Kingdom. Whereby the Kingdom was left languiſhing and deſolate as a Vine expoſed to thoſe that paſs by, and deſtroyed by the wild boar of the woods.

The ſame year, the Convent of Burg in England received an Apoſtolick mandate from Pope Gregory the IX. that they ſhould give to a certain man whom p. 647the Pope would recompenſe a Benefice of a hundred marks a year, a great revenue in thoſe dayes. And certain ſharkes coming from Rome, went from Church to Church, and from Convent to Convent, and taking the ſeveral Monks apart told them,(k)(k)Matth. Paris. p. 536. Vocatiſque Monachis dixerunt, Ecce fratres & amici, imminet vobis ad manum magnum Papale beneficium; Poſtulat enim à vobis quod vos deberetis flexis genibus & junctis manibus ab eo humillime poſtulare. Brethren and friends, you have power in your hand to receive a great benefit from the Pope, For now he asketh of you that which you ſhould ask of him with bended knees and joined hands in all humility. The ſummary of the motion was that he asked them ſome money as an offering of ſweet ſavour. Upon which Matthew Paris, an eye witneſs of theſe doings, ſpeaks thus;(l)(l)Ibid. p. 535. Adeo invaluit Romanae Eccleſiae inſatiabilis cupiditas confundens ſas nefaſque, quod depoſito rubore velut meretrix vulgaris & eſfrons omnibus venalis & expoſita uſuram pro parvo ſimoniam pro nullo inconvenient… reputavit. In this time by the permiſſion and procurement of Pope Gregory, the inſatiable greedineſs of the Roman Church, got ſuch ſtrength, confounding right and wrong, that putting off all ſhame, ſhe became a common and impudent ſtrumpet, ſelling and proſtituting her ſelf unto all, holding uſury to be a ſmall thing, and ſimony to be no inconvenience. (m)(m)Ibid.At the ſame time the bones of Edmund Arch-biſhop of Canterbury were working abundance of miracles. The Emperor had ſix mighty armies to reſiſt the enemies which the Pope by his practices raiſed againſt him in ſeveral places

New Dominicans and Franciſcans came from Rome into England in great numbers, to preach the Croiſada, which they did ſo effectually that many croſſed themſelves for the voyage of the Holy Land; And the ſame preachers granted to them the remiſſion of all their ſins. But three dayes after they releaſed them from their vow and gave them leave not to ſtir out of England. So they changed the corporal ſatisfaction into a pecuniary puniſhment. By which means even women and children, that they might have remiſſion of all their ſins, took the croſs and the vow of the Croiſada, and then redeemed their vow with money. Thus the Fryers collected vaſt ſumms of money. And what became of it, Matthew Paris ſaith that it was not known.

This Legat Otho (n)(n)Matth. Paris in Henr. III. p. 547. & 554.had left two Vice Legats with power of exacting, interdicting, and excommunicating, who daily committed a thouſand extorſions. One of them named Petrus de Supino took a turn into Ireland. Out of which (though money was thin ſown there) he raked in few dayes fifteen hundred marks. Then returning with a mandate from the Pope, he exacted the twentieth part of the goods of the whole Iſland, and his fellow Petrus Rubeus did the ſame in Scotland. Then hearing that Pope Gregory was very ſick, they croſt the ſea in haſt, and went towards Rome loaden with wealth. But in their journey they were taken by the Emperor,(o)(o)Id. p. 555. who made uſe of their money, and committed them to cloſe priſon, and beſieged a place in Campania where the Pope had put his Money and his Nephews. The Emperor having made himſelf maſter of the place, hanged the Popes Nephews as rebels to his Majeſty. The Pope hearing of it, was oppreſt with ſuch grief that he dyed. The Emperor kept many Cardinals priſoners, among others Otho the plague of England, becauſe they would have aſſembled themſelves in Council by the Popes authority without his leave.

After many quarrels among the Cardinals, Galfrid Arch-biſhop of Milan was choſen Pope, who did not laſt long, and dyed having been Pope but ſixteen dayes. The Cardinals were 21. moneths before they could agree about the election of a ſucceſſor. The Emperor angry at it, beſieged them at Rome, and the King of France ſent them Embaſſadors to declare to them, that(p)(p)Ibid. p. 582. Hoc audacter ſignificabant confiſi de antiquo privilegio ſuo per ſanctum Clementem bealo Dionyſio conceſſo & obtento, qui conceſſit Apoſtolatum eidem Dionyſio ſuper gentem Occidentalem. if they did not chooſe a Pope, the French would elect one for them, grounded upon their antient priviledge granted by St. Clement unto St. Denis, whom he eſtabliſhed Apoſtle over the Weſtern people. The Cardinals frighted, in the end choſe one Cardinal Sinebald, who leaving his name of Baptiſme called himſelf Innocent the IV.

The orders of Dominicans ond mendicant Fryars had been but 24. years in England, and already had built magnificent Convents over all the Kingdom, and governed all the houſes of great perſons, got great legacies, drew to themſelves all the confeſſions, and many believed that ſalvation could not be had without them. They were factors, ſollicitors, and executors of Apoſtolick Mandates, p. 648and bearers of pardons; they had the Kings eare, and debaſed the orders of St. Benedict and St. Auſtin; Doing to other orders, and to Parochial Prieſts that which the Jeſuits do now unto them. Yet between theſe two new Orders there was a great deal of envy, the Franciſcans calling themſelves Minors, and by conſequent more holy; and the Dominicans calling themſelves Majors and therefore preferrable.

In the year 1244. one Martin came into England with full power from his Holineſs to exact money, to ſuſpend, to interdict, and to excommunicate all that ſhould any way oppoſe him. He would command this Abbot or that Prior(q)(q)Paecipiens per literas diſtricte illi Abbati vel illi Priori, ut ei equos, quales decebat ſpecialem Domini Clericum inſidere, tranſmitterent. that they would ſend him horſes ſuch as were fit for an eſpecial Clark of the Lord Pope to ride on. If they alleadged any excuſe, he ſuſpended them from their benefices. The Churches and Prebends that fell void, he kept in his own hands, till he was pleaſed to beſtow them upon his Nephews and Coſins.

And whereas David Prince of Northwales was vaſſal to the King of England (r)(r)Id. p. 604. & 605. David volens collum ſuum de ſub jugo fidelitatis Domini Regis excutere, ad alas Papalis protectionis confugit ſpondens ſe tenere partem Walliae eum contingentem ab ipſo Papa. Cui favit Papa, & contra Regem rebellanti ſinum aperuit.Pope Innocent the IV. deboiſht him from the alleagiance ſworn to Henry the III. his Lord, and made him his vaſſal, obliging him to pay five hundred marks a year to the Apoſtolick See in ſign of ſubjection. So David by the Popes inſtigation ſhooke of the Kings yoke, and put his countrey under the Popes ſubjection, promiſing to hold his whole countrey from the Pope. Whence long wars followed.

The miracles of Edmund of Canterbury being daily multiplyed, Commiſſioners were deputed by the Pope to enquire of thoſe miracles, and to inform his Holineſs about them, to know whether he ought to be canonized and liſted among the Saints: but the Commiſſioners made a relation to the diſadvantage of the ſaid Edmund as unworthy to be Sainted. Wherefore it was concluded that he ſhould not be canonized, and the requeſt of the Monks of Pontigny, where the the ſaid Edmund lay buryed, was rejected as unjuſt.

The forementioned Martin (whom the Engliſh called Maſty, (s)(s)It is like that the Engliſh in thoſe dayes called a maſty dog à Maſtin, as the French do now; and that they made an alluſion of Maſtin with Martin.becauſe of his inſatiable greedineſs)(t)(t)Matth. Paris libro ſupradicto p. 622. received an unheard of power from the Pope, and more ample then any before, of which he had ſeveral letters, and produced ſometimes one, ſometimes another, according to the exigence of the caſe, and many ſcroles of parchment ſealed with lead, in which nothing was written, and thoſe blanks he filled according to his own pleaſure. He made his addreſs unto the King, beſeeching him in the Popes name to help him to get ten thouſand marks before hand of the Engliſh Clergy. And he brought forth letters of Pope Innocent to the Clergy of England, where theſe words are found. Being conſtrained by neceſſity, we have recourſe to you confidently, and by the counſel of our brethren, we deſire and expreſly admoniſh your generality, and by Apoſtolick writings we exhorting command and commanding exhort you, that you relieve the Roman Church with ſuch quantity and ſumm of money as our dear ſon Martin, Clark of our Chamber, ſhall declare unto you, &c. And that you ſo accompliſh that which we deſire of you, that we may commend your devotion, and that we be not conſtrained to proceed otherwiſe againſt you about that matter. Thus in caſe of denyal he threatned to force them to it by excommunication. And that Martin was grown ſo inſolent, and ſuch a ſevere exactor that he would ſend, now to an Abbot, now to a Prior, commanding him to ſend him ſo many great horſes, ſo much proviſion for his houſe, ſuch a quantity of curious ſtuffes for his train.(u)(u)Martinus remiſit eis quae ei miſſa fuerunt, aſſerens inſufficientia, & praecepit eis ut meliora ſibi ſub poena ſuſpenſionis, & anathematis tranſmitterent. Suſpendit autem omnes à collatione beneficiorum, 30. marcas valentium & ſupra, donec ſuae ſatisfactum foret cupiditati. Unde miſeri Anglici acerbiorem, quam o…im ſubieerunt filii Iſrael, ſe doluerunt in Aegypto Britannica tolerare ſervitutem. And when he had received what they ſent, he would ſend it back with contempt, ſaying that it was not good enough, and commanded them to ſend better upon pain of ſuſpenſion and excommunication. And he ſuſpended all the Prelats from the collation of livings of thirty marks a year and above, till they had ſatisfied his greedineſs. Wherefore the miſerable Engliſh complained that they were under a harder bondage then ever the Iſraelites in Egypt.

p. 649War being happened between the Engliſh and the Scots, they made peace upon certain conditions. But becauſe a Vaſſal ought not to conclude peace or war without the conſent of his liege Lord, peace could not be made without the approbation and ratification of Pope Innocent the IV.

The ſame year the Prince of North-Wales continuing in his rebellion againſt Henry the III. King of England, obtained of the Pope with money, and with the renewing of his promiſe, of paying five hundred marks a year unto the Pope, to be abſolved and diſpenſed from the Oath of Allegiance which he had made unto Henry, ſaying, that it was an extorted Oath.

In the year 1245. the Pope cauſed the excommunication of the Emperor Frederick to be publiſhed again in all the Churches of France. That excommunication being given to a Parochial Prieſt of Paris to publiſh it, he pronounced it in theſe terms. Hearken all of you, I am commanded to pronounce an excommunication with Candles burning and Bells ringing againſt the Emperor Frederick. Not knowing the cauſe why, I know only that there is an irreconcileable quarrel and hatred between him and the Pope. I know alſo, that the one doth wrong to the other, yet which of the two is in the wrong, I cannot tell. But him that doth wrong to the other, I excommunicate as far as my power extends. The poor Prieſt was puniſhed by the Pope, but the Emperor ſent him preſents.

The Pope had a deſire to come into England, and paſs through France, but the paſſage through France was denyed him. And the King of England was adviſed not to let him come into his Kingdom. In the mean while, Martin was continuing to waſt poor England, ſucking the ſubſtance of the people and the Clergy, and moſt part of the Benefices of England were held by Italians. In the end, the the Nobles of the Land were forced by the heavy oppreſſion to aſſemble themſelves, and to give order that all the Papal letters which daily came into England with new tricks to catch money ſhould be ſtopt. A bearer of thoſe trumperies was taken, and all his Bulls and leaden Seals were taken from him, and he laid up in cloſe priſon. About the ſame time, in Rogation week, the Popes Wardrobe at Lions was burnt with an accidental fire, & there the letters of homage and ſubmiſſion made to the Pope by King John, were conſumed, as Matth. Paris (x)(x)pag. 638.relateth.

In the end, the King ſeeing his Kingdom exhauſted by the extortions of the Roman Court, although he trembled under the Papal power, yet he commanded Martin to depart out of the Kingdom, and for a farewell told him,(y)(y)Diabolus te ad infernos inducat & perducat. The Devil lead thee, and bring thee into hell. But Martin going away, left one Mr. Philip, to whom he reſigned the power he had from the Pope. Being come to the Popes preſence, who was then at the Council of Lions, he complained of the King of England. The Pope then remembring, that both the King of France and the King of England had denyed him the entry into their Kingdoms, ſaid in great wrath, and with an angry countenance,(z)(z)pag. 640. Expedit ut componamus cum Principe veſtro, ut hos Regulos conteramus recalcitrantes. Contrito enim vel pacificato dracone, cito ſerpentuli conculcabuntur. It is expedient that we compound with your Prince Frederick, that we may cruſh theſe petty Kings that kick againſt us; for when the Dragon is once bruiſed or appeaſed, we ſhall ſoon tread upon theſe ſmall Serpents.

In that Council, the canonization of Edmund Archbiſhop of Canterbury was moved again with great inſtance, but was rejected the ſecond time by the Pope, and that Saint wanting the Popes favour, loſt his cauſe for this time alſo, and was judged unworthy to be a Saint.

The fourth day, an unuſual thing happened: The Pope himſelf preached in a Church of Lions. His text was Lam. 1.12. All ye that paſs by, behold and ſee, if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow, which is done unto me; then he compared his ſorrows to the five wounds of Chriſt; The firſt was the inundation of the Tartars; the ſecond the Schiſm of the Grecians; the third the hereſie of thoſe that were called Patterins, Buggerars, Jovinians, and Vaudois. The fourth, the deſolation of the holy Land. The fifth and the moſt ſmarting, the Emperor Frederick, the Churches enemy and perſecutor, whoſe hereſies and ſacriledges he ſet out at large.

p. 650In that Council the people and Clergy of England, complained by Deputies of the extortions and robberies of the Roman Court; but their complaints were not regarded.

There a ſentence of depoſition againſt the Emperor Frederick was pronounced by the Pope, whereby he was declared faln from the Imperial power, and all the ſubjects of the Empire, as well in Germany, as in Italy, Sicily, and Province, were abſolved from the Oath of Allegiance ſworn unto the ſaid Emperor, with a prohibition by Apoſtolical authority, to yield any obedience unto him, or to lend him any aſſiſtance, upon pain of excommunication. The Electors alſo were commanded to elect another Emperor; the Pope keeping the power to himſelf to provide for the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, pretending that the diſpoſition of that Kingdom did particularly belong to him.

There alſo an order was taken for the voyage of the Holy Land, the Pope taxing himſelf to pay the tenth part of his revenue, and condemning the whole Clergy to pay the twentieth part of theirs, for three years. He appointed the Apoſtolick Officers to be receivers of that contribution. He made an order, that all that ſhould enter into the Croiſada, ſhould be exempted from all tributes, taxes, and ſubjection due to ſecular Lords, becauſe by croſſing themſelves, they put themſelves under the protection of the Apoſtolick See. By this means the Kings loſt as many ſubjects, as there were men that would put a Croſs upon their ſhoulder, for then they claimed themſelves to be the Popes ſubjects. Creditors were prohibited to exact any thing of thoſe that were croſſed, becauſe they were under the protection of the Church.(a)(a)Pag. 653. Nos ergo &c. omnibus qui laborem iſtum in propriis perſonis ſubierint, & expenſis, plenam ſuorum peccaminum, de quibus fuerunt veraciter corde contriti & ore confeſſi, veniam indulgemus, & in retributione juſtorum ſalutis aeternae pollicemur augmentum. Eis autem qui non in perſonis propriis illuc acceſſerint, ſed in ſuis duntaxat expenſis juxta facultatem & qualitatem ſuam viros idoneos deſtinaverint, & illis ſimiliter, qui licet in alienis expenſis in propriis tamen perſonis acceſſerint, plenam ſuorum peccatorum concedimus veniam. And to thoſe croſſed men was promiſed, beſides the remiſſion of all their ſins, an augmentation of glory in Paradiſe. To thoſe that ſhould not go in perſon, but contribute with their means, defraying others that would go for them, no more was promiſed but the remiſſion of all their ſins. Thoſe that ſhould go in perſon defrayed by others, if they dyed in that voyage, that Order aſſured them that they ſhould not go into Purgatory, but they were to content themſelves with eternal life, and might not pretend to a degree of glory in Paradiſe above the common ſort.

Many other Laws were made and publiſhed by the Pope ſitting in that Council. For ſince Gregory the VII. it was no more the Popes cuſtom to aſſemble Councils to deliberate with the Biſhops, but only that the Biſhops ſhould receive laws from the Pope, and approve them by their ſilence. Wherefore alſo Matthew Paris ſaith, that of the things decreed,(b)(b)p. 658. Quaedam eorum ante Concilium, quaedam durante Concilio, quaedam vero poſt Concilium, ſunt ſtatuta. Some were decreed before the Council, ſome during the Council, ſome after the Council. Upon the diſſolution of the Council, a Prelate made a Sermon for a farewell to the City of Lions, wherein he told the people that the Council had made a great reformation in the City, for whereas there were many Brothel-houſes in the Town before the ſitting of the Council, now (ſaid he) we leave but one, reaching from one end of the Town to the other.(c)(c)Ibid. That the Popes Officers were appointed Collectors of the money to be raiſed for the voyage of the Holy Land, was diſpleaſing unto many, who knew that it was uſual with the Popes Officers, to put all ſuch contributions into the Popes Coffers, who converted them to another uſe, and indeed to his own. The Pope ſent into England a Copy of the Letters Patent of King John, whereby he ſubjected the Crown of England to the Papal See, and preſented it to all the Prelates of England to ſign; which they did all but the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who refuſed it.

The ſame year King Lewis the IX. gave the Pope leave to come into France, as far as Clugni, but no farther. The King greatly deſired a reconciliation between the Pope and the Emperor, becauſe himſelf was preparing for the expedition into the Levant, and had need of the help of Frederick, a warlike, prudent and meek Prince, as ever any was in the world, formidable to the Saracens, and one that might ſtop the paſſage of the French, becauſe he held Corſica, Sardinia, and the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily; But(d)(d)p. 662. the good King could obtain nothing of Pope Innocent. Matth. Paris ſaith, that Innocent laboured to induce Lewis to make war with Henry King of England, whom he called in contempt a petty King: p. 651And though there was a ſworn truce between the two Kings, yet the Pope would have King Lewis to break it. But Lewis would never condeſcend to it, being a Prince that religiouſly kept his word.

There was a ſecond interview between the King and the Pope, being then at Lions, where the King uſed his utmoſt endeavour to appeaſe the Pope, and reconcile him with the Emperor. The Emperor deſirous of peace (although the depoſition fulminated by the Pope was without effect, and had wrought no diminution of his power) offered unto the Pope to paſs into Syria, and reconquer the Kingdom of Jeruſalem with his own ſtrength and coſt, and never to return, but die there; asking no more but his abſolution from the Pope. And the King repreſented unto the Pope the commandment of Chriſt, who will have us to forgive ſeventy times ſeven times, and ſaith that the ſinner that converteth and humbleth himſelf, muſt not be rejected. He proteſted againſt the Pope, ſaying, that by this obſtinacy he ſhould be the cauſe of the ruines which Chriſtian Religion ſhould ſuffer. But the good King loſt his labour, and(e)(e)Matth. Paris, in Henric. III. pag. 676. Rex Francorum receſsit iratus & indignans, eo quod humilitatem quam ſperaverat in ſervo ſervorum, minimè reperiſſet. returned with great indignation, becauſe he had not found in the ſervant of ſervants, the humility which he lookt for.

The ſame year, which was 1245. a Parliament was aſſembled at London, where in the Kings preſence ſome Articles were made, called Gravamina regni Angliae, The grievances of the Kingdom of England; where the oppreſſions of the Popes, and the grinding of the Kingdom by the Court of Rome were repreſented, and how Italians ſucceeded other Italians in Church-livings: And that by the new clauſe, non obſtante, Scriptures were enervated, the obligation of Oaths broken, all Laws and Cuſtoms abrogated, and that the Engliſh were conſtrained to go plead in the Court of Rome, whence they returned ill handled, after they had a long time conſumed themſelves in expenſes.(f)(f)Pag. 680. That Letters came from Rome, which not only taxed ſuch and ſuch men in ſo much money, but enjoyned them alſo, to find and entertain conſtantly a certain number of men at arms to ſerve the Roman Church in the wars, with men and arms, according to the will of his Holineſs. It was alſo repreſented, that once the Pope conſidering ſome rich ſtuffs of Church-Ornaments of ſome Engliſh Clergy-men, had a deſire to have them: And that when he enquired where they were made, he was anſwered that they were made in England, and how upon that the Pope ſaid, England is the garden of our delights, a garden truly inexhauſtible.

The Pope writ to the Ciſtercian Monks, that they ſhould buy for him ſome(g)(g)Aurifriſia. cloth of curled gold; which was done at the charges of thoſe Monks: Whence, ſaith Matthew Paris, (h)(h)Pag. 683.many had the covetouſneſs of the Church of Rome in execration. The ſame Author relates, that three of the wealthyeſt Clergy-men of England being dead, without making a Will, and having left a great ſumm of money, and much pretious ſtuff, Pope Innocent ſent Dominican and Franciſcan-Fryars into England, to preach and make it paſs for a Law, That the goods of every Clark dying inteſtate, belonged unto the Pope.

When the King was going to oppoſe both this, and the levies and impoſitions which the Pope had lately laid upon the Land, Letters came from the Pope, containing an abſolute(i)(i)Pag. 686. command to raiſe a great ſumm of money out of England, and that within twenty dayes, without further delay; appointing certain Engliſh Prelates to be Collectors of the ſame, and giving them power to proceed againſt thoſe that ſhould refuſe to pay, with Eccleſiaſtical cenſures. Such was then the uſe of Saint Peters keyes.

The King, though uſed to bondage, was nettled at this, and prohibited that extortion of his people. The Pope angry at it, miſuſed the Engliſh that were in his Court, ſaying to them,(k)(k)Pag. 687, 688, 689. The King of England kicks againſt us, and his Council hath a reliſh of Frederick, I alſo have my Council, which I will follow. And he writ to the Engliſh Prelates, that upon pain of excommunication and ſuſpenſion, they ſhould before the Feaſt of the Aſſumption, bring the ſumm which he had preſcribed unto his Nuntio reſident at London. The King was frighted with this, and the Popes command was executed without delay. The Popes p. 652Factors and Promoters were the Franciſcans and Dominicans, who gave the remiſſion of ſins for money, releaſed the excommunications for a certain rate, and made uſurers and extortioners to bring to them all their ill gotten goods, inſtead of reſtoring them to the right owners. By their means alſo the Pope, beſides the matrimonial cauſes,(l)(l)Pag. 694. drew to himſelf all Teſtamentary cauſes, and the caſes of perjury, as nearly concerning the conſcience. And ſtill theſe Factors of Rome alleadged ſome ſpecious cauſe; ſaying, that the money which they exacted was to defend the Emperor of Conſtantinople, or to reſiſt the Soldan of Damas. But whatſoever it was for, ſtill the Pope was the Receiver.

At the ſame time the Pope gave leave to King Lewis the IX. to take the tenth part of the Eccleſiaſtical revenue of France, the King in exchange gave him leave to take the twentyeth part of the ſame revenue, and that for three years.

The Pope ſeeing that he could not pull down the Emperor, and that the vertue and power of Frederick turned the edge of his ſpiritual ſword, ſought to make him away by treachery, and ſuborned four of Frederick's ſervants, James de Morra, Theobald Franciſco, Pandulph de Phaſanelles, and William of Saint Severin, to ſtab their Maſter.(m)(m)Matth. Paris, pag. 690, 691. Negotium aperte ſe gerere Romanae Matris Eccleſiae praedicant, ac praedictae mortis ac exhaereditationis noſtrae ſummum Pontificem ſicacceſſerunt incentorem. Hoc ipſum captivi praefati in ſpontanea & extrema confeſſione ſua, quādo mentiri neſarium exiſtimant, morientes coram omnibus ſunt confeſſi. Two of them, Theobald and William, being taken, confeſſed publickly when they were brought to the execution, that they were ſet on by Pope Innocent to do that deed. The whole ſtory is related at large, in letters written by the Emperor himſelf to Henry the III. of England his Brother in law, and by other letters of Walter d' Ocre the Emperors Clark, written to the ſame King.

Scarce was the laſt extortion ended, when a new one began:(n)(n)p. 693. And the King gave way that ſix thouſand marks ſhould be raiſed upon England, becauſe the Pope had need of it. That money was ſent to the Lantgrave, whom the Pope had named Emperor inſtead of Frederick: That Emperor admired the baſeneſs of the Engliſh, who ſuffered the Popes to ſtrip them; whereas the Popes (ſaid he) fugunt fugientes & fugiunt fugantes; the Popes oppreſs thoſe that fear them, and tremble before them that reſiſt them.

The King having made ſome demonſtration, that he bore that yoak impatiently, and let fall ſome words of diſcontent which were related unto the Pope, the Pope was ſo incenſed, that he would preſently have put an Interdict upon the whole Nation of England. Upon which a grave remonſtrance was made to him by Cardinal John, an Engliſh-man by birth, and a Ciſtercian Monk, who repreſented to him, That the Holy Land was in danger; That the Greek Church had made a Schiſm from the Roman Church; That the Tartars were pillaging Hungary; That the Emperor was an enemy to his holineſs; That France had a grudge againſt him, as being impoveriſhed by ſo many exactions, upon pretence of the Holy War; That the very people of Rome had expelled him out of Rome; Therefore that his holineſs having enemies enough, he needed not to create more, leſt he ſhould ſee in a ſhort time a general revolt; And that it was no wonder if England, like Balaams Aſs, being ſore laid on with blows, had ſpoken ſome words. But all this good counſel did not mitigate him. And to confirm him in his violent courſes, preſently Embaſſadors came to him out of England with deep ſubmiſſions from the King, and a promiſe of greater obedience for the time to come. The Pope grown more arrogant with that humility, commanded all Prelates and beneficed men of England reſiding in their livings, to ſend him the third part of their yearly revenue, and the non-reſident the half: With the addition of the clauſe, Non obſtante, which derogated from all cuſtoms, abrogated all promiſes and oaths, and revoked all ſorts of priviledges.

In the end, after many denyals about the Canonization of Edmund Archbiſhop of Canterbury, the Pope to ſtroak the Engliſh, Canonized him, and made him a Saint, ſeven years after his death. The Bull of the Canonization is expreſt in arrogant terms, and are worthy to be repreſented for their extravagant pride.(o)(o)Weſtmonaſt. an. 1246. Novum matris Eccleſiae gaudium, novi Sancti celebritate jucundae laetitiae referimus gaudio à coeleſti collegio, de collegae novi conſortio agi feſtum exultanti animo nuntiamus, &c. Laetatur nimirum ſe tam clara ſobole illuſtratam, quae digno ab omnibus attollenda praeconio, & devota veneratione colenda, manifeſte declarat ad haereditatis aeternae participium admittendos, qui ipſam matrem Eccleſiam fide ac opere profitentur, & nullum in ſupernam poſſe gloriam, niſi per eam tanquam regni coelorum clavigeram, introire. We announce unto you the joy of our Mother the Church by the Celebrity of a p. 653new Saint; and the Heavenly Colledge keeps Holy day for the ſociety of a new companion. The Church rejoyceth to be illuſtrated with ſuch a clear race, which ought to be exalted by all with condigne praiſes, and muſt be ſerved with a devout veneration. And openly declareth, that thoſe muſt be received to the participation of the eternal inheritance, that profeſs the Mother-Church by word and work, and that none can enter into the glory that is above, but by her, as the bearer of the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven. By that Mother-Church, he underſtands the Church of Rome, to diſtinguiſh her from the other Churches that are ſubject unto her. And he ſaith, that ſince the ſame Mother-Church beareth the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven, none can enter into Paradiſe, nor be made a Saint, but by her means. Of that new Saint, he ſpeaks as if he had begun to be a Saint in his Canonization, although he was dead many years before. And to abuſe the Chriſtian world, he tells them that piece of good news, that the Saints of Paradſie keep Holy-day, becauſe a new companion is come to them. That monſter believed that the Saints of Paradiſe took it kindly at his hands, that he had given them a new companion. Wherefore he exhorteth the Chriſtian Nations in theſe words, Rejoyce with great joy that a new Patron before God is accrewed unto you, one that ſtands before him to be a gracious interceſſor for your ſalvation. This was received as Goſpel-truth; And it would have been abominable hereſie, to make a queſtion whether ſuch a man was a Saint, and ought to be ſerved and called upon, ſince the Pope who hath all power on earth had commanded that he ſhould be. The Engliſh had this for their money, after ſo many extortions of the Court of Rome; That Court ſent them a new Engliſh Saint for their comfort.

Soon after Blanch Queen Regent of France, came over to worſhip that Saint, repreſenting to him that he had found refuge for his exile in France, and beſeeching him not to be ungrateful. She ſaid then,(p)(p)Weſtmonaſt. anno, 1247. Hoc recolat ſanctitas tuae non ingrata tibi haec & tuo Thomae feciſſe profugo & egenti. Matth. Paris, pag. 693. My Lord, moſt holy Father, Edmund Confeſſor, &c. I beſeech thee to confirm that which thou haſt mercifully done towards us: Confirm the Kingdom of France in a peaceable and triumphant ſolidity, and let not thy Holineſs be ungrateful, but remember what we have done to thee, and to Thomas exiled and poor.

In the year 1247. the French Nobility made a League againſt the oppreſſion of the Pope and the Clergy to maintain their antient rights and priviledges, which were daily uſurped by them. The Pope brought to great fear, inſtead of puniſhing the Leaguers, greaſed the heads of them with fat Benefices, and gave them all kind of Indulgences.

He ſped better in England, for at the ſame time two Franciſcans John and Alexander being come into England with power of Legats, the King gave them leave to make a collection over all the Kingdom: They had power of excommunicating all that would refuſe to pay. They were riding upon great horſes, with guilded ſaddles and magnificent clothes, exacting money with extream rigor. The only Biſhoprick of Lincoln they taxed in ſix thouſand marks; the Abby of Saint Albons in the like ſumm.

To the ſame end, in the ſame year the Pope diſpatched divers Nuntio's over all the Provinces of France, to gather money by way of loan. But (q)(q)Pag. 700. Quod cum Regi innotuiſſet ſuſpectam habens Romanae Curiae avaritiam prohibuit, nequis Praelatus regni ſub poena amiſſionis omnium honorum ſuorum taliter terram ſuam depauperaret. Et ſic cum ſibilo & deriſione omnium Papales Legati ſophiſtici inanes & vacui à regno receſſerunt.(ſaith Matthew Paris) the good King Lewis ſuſpecting the avarice of the Roman Court, forbad that any Prelate of his Kingdom ſhould thus impoveriſh his Land upon pain of confiſcation of all his goods. Thus theſe Sophiſtical Legats returned empty, being hiſſed and mocked by all.

But England, though twice more fleeced then other Lands, durſt not kick againſt the Pope, becauſe the Pope pretended that England belonged to him, and that the King was his Vaſſal. The Pope ſent into England another Martin, his Capellan, with authority of a Legat, though he was not dignified with that name, to glean the remnant of the money of the Kingdom, and one John le Roux into Ireland, who returned from it with ſix thouſand marks. To the ſame end, one called Godfrey a Roman, was ſent into Scotland.

p. 654In the mean while Lantgrave whom the Pope had elected Emperor inſtead of Frederick, as he went with a mighty army to his Coronation, was met with Conrad ſon to Frederick, who defeated the ſaid Lantgrave who dyed few dayes after out of ſorrow of that overthrow. Henry another ſon of Frederick having taken a nephew of the Pope in Italy hanged him, and was for it excommunicated by the Pope with the moſt horrible and direful execrations that his Holineſs could deviſe. Theſe rubs made the Pope ſend into England for new levyes of money,(r)(r)p. 706. with power to the Collectors to excommunicate all refuſers without appeal and delay, and without excepting any. The Abbot of St. Albons (of which Monaſtery Matthew Paris was Monk) refuſed to pay and appealed to the Pope, and ſent to Rome to plead his cauſe. But his Deputies ſtaid very long in the Court of Rome before they could get a judgement, till in the end having bribed ſome Officers they obtained a hearing and were condemned to pay two hundred marks unto the Pope, beſides other coſts amounting to an hundred marks more. That ſumm (ſaith(s)(s)p. 707. Tandem praecipientibus amicis in Curia venalibus & conductitiis finem fecerunt Domino Papae pro ducentis Marcis. & ſic donis & expenſis omnibus computatis abſorbuit illius Curiae Charybdis inſatiabilis trecentas Marcas. Matth. Paris) was ſwallowed up by the inſatiable gulf of the Roman Court.

In the ſame dayes at the inſtance of the Popes Miniſters a ſumm of eleven thouſand marks was granted to the Pope by the Parliament aſſembled at Oxford; and beſides the forementioned ſumm of three hundred marks, the Abbot of St. Albons was taxed in eight hundred. Alſo Earle Richard the Kings brother and William Longeſpee, becauſe they belonged to the Croiſada, obtained the Popes licence to raiſe a collection from the people.

To comfort the people of England in that oppreſſion, in the year 1250. a cryſtal bottle full of the blood of Chriſt was ſent from the Holy land into England. The King received that preſent with great joy, and carried that bottle between hi… two eyes, barefoot, in a beggars habit from Pauls Church to Weſtminſter, with great pompe and ſad apparel. It is not known in England now what became of that blood. Thus were the Chriſtian nations amuſed and abuſed and accuſtomed to bondage. To all that ſhould viſit the ſaid bottle was given an indulgence of ſix years and an hundred and forty dayes.

The ſame year(t)(t)pag. 708, 709, & 716. the Pope ſent a Legat into Norway, the Cardinal of St. Sabin to celebrate the ceremony of the Coronation of King Haco, who in thankfulneſs for the honour which the Pope did him, ſent him fifteen thouſand marks of ſilver. This Legat returning made England his way; And as if it had been to ſhew that rapine is the indelible character of the Roman Court, in three months that he ſojourned in England he got four thouſand marks with many gifts, then went on his journey loaden with booty.

(u)(u)An. 1248. Matth. Par. pag. 724.It was in this time that King Lewis the IX. imbarked himſelf at Marſeilla with the flower of his Nobility, Gentry, and ſtrength of his Kingdom to recover the Holy Land. The crowd was ſo great that many could get no room in the fleet, and came to the Pope to offer him their ſervice. But the Pope contented himſelf to unload them of their money, and to empty their purſes, and to ſend them home with diſpenſation and abſolution. In the mean while Dominicans and Franciſcans ſent by the Pope were preaching the Croiſada in England with great vehemency, and with ſuch effect that(*)(*)Id. p. 740. Praedicantes pro negotio Crucis homines cujuscunque aetatis, ſexus, conditionis, vel valoris, immo etiam valetudinarios vel valetudinarias, & agrotantes & ſenio deficientes cruce ſignaverant, & in craftino, & etiam in continienti pro quocunque pretio crucem à cruce ſignatis deponentes. great number of Engliſh, yea th… ſick and the women croſſed themſelves for the voyage, and few dayes after, yea at the ſame time, the ſame Fryers diſpenſed them with their vow for a certain ſumm of money. So they got a great booty.(x)(x)Weſt. An. 1250. Permiſſum eſt in Anglia jam quaſi licite, ut habitarent Chriſtiani uſurarii inter Chriſtianos, Papa protegente, cum ſit uſura in utroque Teſtamento condemnata. Then alſo by the Popes authority uſurers were eſtabliſht in England.

The buſineſs of the French in the Levant going to wrack, King Lewis wanting relief was writing with great urgency for help of men and money. Which moved many Engliſh Lords and Gentlemen to ſell or pawn their land, and having prepared themſelves with great coſt, they would begin their journey. p. 655(y)(y)Matth. Paris, p. 759. Papa per literas ſuas, ſicut & ipſe Rex per verba imperioſa diſtricté ſub poena excommunicationis inhibuit, nequis eorum contra Regis voluntatem qualecunque periculum Rex Francorum ſubiret, aut diſcrimen, tranſfretaret.But upon King Henries ſolicitation, Papal letters came to forbid them to go, upon pain of excommunication. Thus poor King Lewis having more generoſity then ſucceſs was forſaken and finally taken by the Saracens, and his army conſumed by famine and the ſword. The Emperor Frederick deſired the Popes abſolution, offering to go in perſon into Syria to relieve the French, but the Pope never would hearken to it.

France was then mourning for this ſad news, yet did not the Pope abate any thing of the money covenanted before, between the King and him to be raiſed out of France, when France was in proſperity; but he took over all the Kingdom the tythe of all things, even of the leaſt. Of which Matthew Paris (z)(z)Idem. p. 772.relates an example. One of theſe Collectors ſent by the Pope met with a petty Clark carrying holy Water with an Aſperges to a Village, and ſome pieces of bread; He asked him what he got yearly by that labour. The poor Clark anſwered that the whole profit was not above twenty ſous a year. Then (ſaid the Collector) two ſous of it belong to me, and extorted the ſame of him, although his principal trade was begging. The people of France irritated with ſuch exactions, and eſpecially becauſe the Pope hindred the Kings relief ſpake thus.(a)(a)Matth. Paris Ibid. Heu! Heu! quanta mala nobis Papalis ſuperbia parturit, quae tam procaciter Frederico reſtitit humiliato, &c. Alas, alas! how many evils doth the Popes pride bring upon us, ſo inſolently reſiſting Frederick humbled before him, refuſing to receive any ſatisfaction from him, but rather provoking him to bitterneſs of heart! &c. O miſery! How much Chriſtian blood is ſhed in the Holy Land! How much in Germany! How much in Italy! &c. Oh that this Pope was born in an ill hour! &c.

King Lewis having yielded Damietta, and given the ſecurities required for his ranſom, returned to(b)(b)ou Acre. Acon, whence he ſent his brothers into France, Adolph Count of Poitiers, and Charles Count of Provence; and the Duke of Burgundy with them, with a command to expell the Pope out of Lions, as a man that took no care of Chriſtian faith, if he continued to hinder the Emperor Frederick to come to his help, becauſe Frederick was he only that could remedy ſo many evils.(c)(c)pag. 773. Fredericum, qui ſolus inter Chriſtianos tantis poſſet mederi periculis, ad pacem Eccleſiae revocans humiliatum ipſum ad hoc induceret, ut ipſi Regi jam pene deſperato ſu…ur… co…pet… co…rat & …ſtinum. Alioquin ipſi Dux & Comites Dominum Papam tanquam in odio obſtinatum & de honore Chiſtianae fidei minimè curantem à ſede removeant Lugdunenſi.

In this general adverſity of Chriſtendome yet the Pope continued to tread England under his feet. Which made the King (though patient even to ſtupidity) ſo bold as to write letters full of liberty to the Pope: Wherein he repreſented to him how the Engliſh being driven out by the Popes authority, baſe and wicked men that underſtood not the language, and by conſequent incapable of preaching and feeding the flock were inſtalled in the beſt Churches and benefices. That the Pope diſpoſed of all the vacant Churches, and the Patrons were deprived of their right. Then having ſet forth all the extortions and violences which the Pope made the Engliſh to ſuffer, he added.(d)(d)p. 776. Thou Pope, Father of Fathers, why ſuffereſt thou the climats of Chriſtians to be ſo contaminated? Juſtly then art thou turned out of thy Town and See, and art thruſt into exile like another Cain. Thine enemies Fredericks followers proſper, but thou flyeſt before them that purſue thee, and they that purſue thee are ſwift and mighty. Thy bulls caſt forth lighnings againſt thoſe that ſubmit themſelves to thee, but loſe their ſtrength againſt rebells. Every where the Prelats being ſuſpended from the collation of benefices, the proviſions are made unto perſons unworthy, barbarous, and unknown, who under pretence of ſeeking the milk of the ewes of the Lords fold, take the fleſh, ſhear the fleece, … take off the skin, and pull out the guts, &c.

The Pope who had fulminated, and put Kingdoms under interd… …or leſs offenſes, anſwered not one word, and ſupt up this affront, becauſe … expelled out of Rome, and ſtood in fear of Frederick; And the French Ki… …rothers that were returned from the Holy Land had declared to him th… …y liked not his being at Lions, (e)(e)Id. pag. 71… …ant illi dicti Regis fratres quod per avaritiam Papae totum evenit infortunium memoratum. Ipſe enim … …ignatos, ne in ſuccurſum Regis advenirent, pecunia corruptus impedivit.Becauſe (ſaid they) the Pope by hi… …ouſneſs was the cauſe of all the misfortune happened to the King; That h… corrupted with money had hindred the croſſed men to come to the King… …bſolving them from their vow, &c. For theſe cauſes Innocent prepari… …ange his abode, deſired the p. 656King of England to receive him into his City of Bordeaux. But the King would neither refuſe nor grant, but put off his anſwer.

Then dyed that great and magnanimous Emperor Frederick the II. whoſe ſons and his bones alſo remained excommunicate. Conrad ſon to the ſaid Frederick maintained himſelf by arms in Italy againſt the Pope. The Pope to reſiſt him cauſed the Croiſada to be preacht againſt him,(f)(f)Id. pag. 800. Statuens re…b…tion…m mirabilem, …mnium peccatorum remiſſionem ampliorem vid…licet quam pro peregrinatione in terram ſanctam facienda. Nam ſiquis contra Conradum ſignaretur, ſignatus & ſignati, pater & mater, omnium peccatorum ſuorum veniam conſequeretur. giving to thoſe that ſhould take armes againſt Conrad the remiſſion of all their ſins, and more graces then to thoſe that made the voyage of the Holy land. For not only he that croſſed himſelf, but his Father and Mother obtained the remiſſion of all their ſins. Many Frenchmen bewitched with ſuperſtition croſſed themſelves for the Popes war againſt Conrad. But(g)(g)Ibid. Queen Blanch the Kings Mother and Regent in his abſence, by the counſel of the Nobles ſeized upon the eſtates of thoſe croſſed men. For they ſaid, This Pope to increaſe his dominion raiſeth war againſt the Chriſtians, and forſaketh the King our Lord who undergoeth ſo many adverſities for the Chriſtian faith. And the Queen ſaid, Let them be paid by the Pope that fight for the Pope. Alſo the mendicant Fryers that preacht that Croiſada, and were the Popes receivers and Collectors were roughly dealt with. The Pope not ſpeeding that way, and Conrad ſtrenghtening himſelf daily, that young Prince beloved and honoured of all was ſoon after poyſoned, yet by the ſpeedy help of Phyſitians he recovered.

Then(h)(h)An. Chriſt. 1252. lived in England a good Prelat Biſhop of Lincoln, who among the darkneſs of that age had a glimmering ſight of the errors of Popery; and maintained that for promoting unworthy perſons to Eccleſiaſtical charges, and for the horrible abuſe of excommunications and the ill uſe of the keyes, the Pope was an heretick. He ſaid that the Pope made no conſcience to deſtroy ſouls, and therefore that he was the Antichriſt. That Biſhop (ſaith(i)(i)Matth. Paris in Henr. III. p. 847. & 848. Epiſcopus dolens de jactura animarum per Papalis Curiae avaritiam ſuſpirans ait, Chriſtus venit in mundum ut animas lucraretur. Ergo ſi quis animas perdere non formidat, no…e Antichriſtus merito dice…dus? Matthew Paris) grieving for the loſs of ſouls by the covetouſneſs of the Papal Court, would ſigh and ſay, Chriſt came into the world to gain ſouls, Then he that feareth not to deſtroy ſouls, ought he not juſtly to be called the Antichriſt? And he deteſted the Popes bulls in which this clauſe was contained, quod in ſubſidium Terrae ſanctae impendentes, tantundem recipient indulgentiae, quantum pecuniae largientur. That they that contribute for the relief of the Holy land, ſhall receive as much indulgence, as they ſhall give money. He deteſted alſo that ſhamefull traffick, whereby the Pope beſtowed a Biſhoprick upon an ignorant man, and never made him Biſhop, calling him elect only;(k)(k)Ibid. Omne genus avaritiae, uſuram, ſimoniam & rapinam, omne genus luxuriae, libidinem, gulam & ornatum, quae in Curia illa regnant, deteſtaretur. And in general the covetouſneſs, the uſury, the ſimony, the rapine, the luxury of all ſorts, the impudicity, the gluttony, the magnificence in clothes that reigned in the Papal Court. Such were the diſcourſes of that Prelat on his death-bed, and he foretold that the Church ſhould not be delivered from the Aegyptian bondage, but with the point of the ſword. So dyed that Prelat.

But before he dyed, he writ letters full of admonitions unto the Pope; Which when the Pope had read, he ſaid with a gaſtly ſquint look, and in terrible anger,(l)(l)Id. pag. 844. Quis eſt iſte ſenex delirus, ſurdus, & abſurdus, qui facta audax imo temerarius judicat? Per Petrum & Paulum, niſi moveret nos innata ingenuitas, ipſum in tantam confuſionem praecipitarem, ut toti mundo fabula foret, ſtupor, exemplum, & prodigium. Nonne Rex Anglorum noſter eſt Vaſſalus, & ut plus dicam, mancipium? Who is that old doting deaf and abſurd fellow, who thus boldly and raſhly gives his judgement of our actions? By Peter and Paul, did not our natural ingenuity move us, I w…uld caſt down the man into ſuch a confuſion, that he ſhould be a fable, an aſtoniſhment, an example, and a prodigy unto all the world. Is not the King of England our vaſſal, or rather our ſlave? He may impriſon him by our commandment, and bring him to the loweſt ignominy. Some Cardinals there preſent laboured to appeaſe his Holineſs. But the death of that Prelat put him out of the Popes power. It was not put to the queſtion at Rome, whether he ſhould be canonized after his death.

But when the Pope had a mind to command the Deane and Chapter of Lincoln to caſt the bones of this Prelat out of the Church with ſhame,(m)(m)pag. 855, & 868. Matthew Paris p. 657ſaith that he appeared by night unto the Pope, and rebuked him with fearfull words; At which the Pope became in a manner halfe dead: And they that waited on him in his chamber had much ado to bring him to himſelf again. But he lived but a little while after this accident, and dyed of a pleureſie, ſore preſſed with a pain of his ſide in the ſame place where he ſaid that the Biſhop of Lincoln had hit him with the end of his ſtaff.

King Conrad being dead in the flower of his age, his brother Mamfred ſucceeded him in the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily. And Pope Alexander, a hater by inheritance of the poſterity of Frederick ſent an army of threeſcore thouſand men againſt him. But his army was beaten, and the Popes forces received many defeats. His remedy was to ſend Franciſcan and Dominican Fryars about, to preach the Croiſada againſt Mamfred, and promiſe to all that ſhould help the Pope in that war the like graces and pardons as to thoſe that ſhould croſs themſelves againſt the Saracens. That Croiſada being preacht in England, many(n)(n)Id. pag. 877. & 885. Mirabantur, quod Papa tantum eis promitteret pro ſanguine Chriſtianorum effundendo, quantum pro cruore Infidelium aliquando. were offended that the like grace was given to thoſe that ſhould ſhed Chriſtian blood as to thoſe that ſhould fight againſt the Infidels.

King Henry the III, had croſſed himſelf a little before for the Holy Land, and had vowed with an oath to go in perſon. But Pope Alexander (o)(o)Dedit eis poteſtatem abſolvendi Dominum Regem Cruce-ſignatum à v…to ſuo, ne iret in terram Jeroſolymitanam, ita tamen ut iret in Apuliam.gave power to his Legats to diſpenſe him from keeping his oath, ſo that he would come into Italie to make war in perſon againſt Mamfred enemy of the Roman Church. Not that Mamfred was accuſed of any hereſie, but becauſe being victorious in war, he ran to the very gates of Rome. (p)(p)Matth. Paris p. 886.In the mean while the Pope taxed every Biſhoprick, Abbey, and Priory of England in ſumms that exceeded their whole revenue; And the remiſſion of ſins was ſold to the people for ready money.

This King Henry the III. heard three Maſſes every day. Going through France (q)(q)Matth. Paris Suppl. pag. 997. Contigit aliquando Ludovicum Francorum Regem cum Henrico ſuper hoc conferentem dicere, quod non ſemper miſſis ſed frequentius ſermonibus audiendis eſt vacandum; Cui faceta urbanitate reſpondens ait, Se malle amicum ſuum videre, quam de eo loquentem audire.and diſcourſing with the good King Lewis, he told him of his devotion and aſſiduity to hear Maſſes: The good King rebuked him for it, and told him that he needed not to hear ſo many Maſſes, and that it had been far better to hear Sermons; ſhewing thereby that he had no great devotion to the Maſs. But King Henry anſwered him that he had rather ſee his friend then to hear of him.(r)(r)Matth. Paris, pag. 958. Rex juraverat proviſiones Oxonienſes ſe inviolabiliter ſervaturum, & paenituerat eum juraſſe talia, metuens notam perjurii miſit ad Papam ſecreto r…gans, ut ab hoc ſe juramento abſolveret, quod facillime impetravit. It was that Kings cuſtome to make vowes and oaths according to the exigence of his buſineſſes; then to obtain a diſpenſation from the Pope and permiſſion to breake them. Wherein the Pope did willingly gratifie him, and never denied him a diſpenſation.

(s)(s)Matth. Paris pag. 950.After ſo much conſtant obedience to the Pope he was very near to have been excommunicated, but he prevented that thunderbolt by ſending five thouſand marks of ſilver to the Pope.

This poor-ſpirited King being gone, a generous and valiant King, prudent and beloved of his ſubjects came in his roome. This was Edward the firſt, who ſeeing his crown impoveriſhed, and his people exhauſted by the Popes extortions, made to himſelf amends with the goods of the Clergy; and deſpiſing the Popes Legats, and all his mandates made uſe of the revenue of Abbeys and Priories and other benefices, and retained for himſelf all the money that uſed to be ſent to Rome. The Popes ſuffered it patitiently, and durſt not offend that warlike King, well beloved of his people. And ſo, under the following Kings, England was more or leſs ſubject unto the Popes, according as the Kings had more or leſs vigor. And the horrible ſchiſmes and confuſions, whereby the Roman See was torn ſoon after, gave other buſineſſes to the Popes.

This Narrative containing a ſummary of the Eccleſiaſtical hiſtory of England, from the beginning of the quarrels about the inveſtitures (which began to grow hot in the year 1094. until Alexander the IV. who was made Pope in the p. 658year 1254.) will ſerve as a ſcantling to ſhew the heavineſs of the yoak of the Papal domination, how hard the bondage of England was, and how ſhameful the debaſement of that illuſtrious Crown, in the time when the holy Scriptures being hidden unto the people, the Pope reigned in England with abſolute power. The Sun-ſhine of the Goſpel, which aroſe in England about ſeven-ſcore years ago, hath ſcattered this darkneſs, and by deſtroying the error, hath alſo deſtroyed the ſervitude. So that in the Kingdom of England, which God was pleaſed to favour with ineſtimable graces, our Saviours ſaying was fulfilled. You ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free, Joh. 8.

In this relation, I have followed the hiſtory of Matthew Paris, both becauſe he was a ſuperſtitious Monk, not to be ſuſpected in this cauſe, and becauſe he writ exactly, the things which he ſaw himſelf. Matthew of Weſtminſter, another Engliſh Monk, which was almoſt his contemporary, relates much the ſame things. And moſt part of that which we have here related, is found in the Annals of Baronius, in the Chronicle of Genebrard, and in many Authors of the Roman Church.