The History of the Church of Great Britain, Century 12
CENT. XII.
KIng Henry was Married to Mawd, Daughter to Malcolm King of Scots, who lived ſometime as a Nun under the tuition of Chriſtian her Aunt, Abbeſs of Wilton: She was Siſter to Edgar Atheling, and Grand-child of Edmond Iron-ſide, whereby his Iſſue might merely be both of the Engliſh Blood, and of the Ancient Saxon Kings.
Anſelm ſummoneth a Council at Weſtminſter, where firſt he Excommunicated all Married Prieſts; half the Clergy at that time being Married, or the Sons of Married Prieſts: he alſo inhibited all Lay-men to hear their Maſſes. He alſo deprived many great Prelates of their promotions, becauſe they had accepted their Inveſtitures from the King, which was done by receiving of a Paſtoral Staffe and a Ring, an Ancient rite, teſtifying that their Donation was from their Sovereign: in which number were the Abbots of Ely, of Romſey, of Perſhore, of St. Edmonds, of Taveſtock, Peterborough, Burch, Bodiac, Stoke, and Middleton: for which his boldneſs, and for refuſing to Conſecrate certain Biſhops advanced by the King, great contention fell betwixt them: and Anſelm appealed to Pope Paſchal, and ſoon after fled to Rome. Hereupon the King enjoyned Gerard Archbiſhop of York to Conſecrate William of Wincheſter, Roger of Hereford, &c. But William Biſhop of Wincheſter refuſed Conſecration from the Archbiſhop of York, and reſigned his Staff and Ring back again to the King as illegally from him. This diſcompoſed all the reſt.
But not long after by the mediation of Friends the King and Anſelm are reconciled; the King diſclaiming his right of Inveſtiture. And now Anſelm who formerly refuſed, conſecrated all the Biſhops of vacant Sees. Then did Anſelm forbid the Prieſts Marriage. But Anſelm died before he could finiſh his project of Prieſts divorces. His two next Succeſſors, Rodulphus and William Corbel, went on vigorouſly with the deſign, but met with many and great obſtructions: Other Biſhops found the like oppoſition, but chiefly the Biſhop of Norwich, whoſe obſtinate Clergy would keep their Wives in defiance of his endeavours againſt them. But they were forced to forgo their Wives. Among thoſe Married Prieſts there was one Ealphegus flouriſhing for Learning and Piety; he reſided at Plymouth in Devon-ſhire
To order the refractory Married Clergy, the Biſhops were fain to call in the aid of the Pope. John Biſhop of Cremona, an Italian Cardinal, did urge the ſingle Life of the Clergy, and ſaid, It is a vile crime, that a Man riſing from the ſide of his Concubine, ſhould conſecrate the Body of Christ. The ſame Night he was taken in bed with a Whore, after he had ſpoken thoſe words in a Synod at London. The thing was ſo notorious, that it could not be denied, ſaith Matthew Paris. This much advantaged the reputation of Married Prieſts: The King taking a fine of Married Prieſts, permitted them to enjoy their Wives.
About this time the old Abbey of Ely was advanced into a new Biſhoprick, and Cambridge-ſhire aſſigned for it's Dioceſs, taken from the Biſhoprick of Lincoln. Spaldwick Manor in Huntington-ſhire was given to Lincoln, in reparation of the juriſdiction taken from it, and beſtowed on Ely. One Hervey, who had been baniſhed by the Welch from the poor Biſhoprick of Bangor, was made the firſt Biſhop of Ely. Hervey, the firſt Biſhop of Ely.King Henry beſtowed great Priviledges upon that Biſhoprick.
Then Bernard, Chaplain to the King, and Chancellor to the Queen, was the firſt Norman, made Biſhop of St. Davids; who ſoon denied ſubjection to Canterbury, and would be an abſolute Archbiſhop of himſelf: But William Archbiſhop of Canterbury, aided by the Pope, at laſt forced the Biſhop of St. Davids to a ſubmiſſion.
King Henry died at the Town of St. Denys in Normandy of a ſurfeit by eating of Lampreys. He was buried at Reading in Bark-ſhire in the Abbey that himſelf had there founded and endowed with large poſſeſſions.
Stephen, Earl of Bologn, hearing of King Henrie's Death, haſteth over into England, and ſeizeth on the Crown. He was Son to Adela, Daughter to King William the Conqueror; but Mawd firſt Married to Henry the Emperor of Germany, was the undoubted heir of the Crown. She was conſtantly called the Empreſs after the Death of the Emperor, though Married to Geoffery Plantagenet, her ſecond Husband. Unto her all the Clergy, and Nobility had ſworn fealty in her Father's life-time.
William Archbiſhop of Canterbury, notwithſtanding his Oath to Mawd, ſolemnly Crowned Stephen, ſhewing himſelf thereby perjured to his God, diſloyal to his Princeſs, and ingrateful to his Patroneſs, by whoſe ſpecial favour he had been preſerved. The reſt of the Biſhops (to their ſhame) followed his example, hoping to obtain from an Uſurper, what they could not get from a Lawful King, traiterouſly avowing, That it was baſeneſs for ſo many, and ſo great Peers to be ſubject to a Woman.
King Stephen ſealed a Charter at Oxford, Anno 1136. the Tenor whereof is, That all Liberties, Cuſtoms, Speeds Chron.and Poſſeſſions granted to the Church, ſhould be firm and in force; That all Perſons and Cauſes Eccleſiaſtical, ſhould appertain onelyonly to Eccleſiaſtical Judicature, That none but Clergy-men ſhould ever intermeddle with the Vacancies of Churches, or any Church-mens goods; That all bad uſages in the Land touching Forreſts, Exactions, &c. ſhould be utterly extirpate, the antient Laws reſtored, &c.
The Clergy perceiving that King Stephen performed little of his large promiſes to them, were not formerly ſo forward in ſetting him up, but now more ready to pluck him down, and ſided effectually with Mawd againſt him. Stephen fell violently on the Biſhops, who then were moſt powerful in the Land: He impriſoned Roger Biſhop of Sarisbury, till he had ſurrendered unto him the two Caſtles of Shirburn, and the Devizes, for the which Roger took ſuch thought, that he died ſhortly after, and left in ready Coin forty thouſand Marks, which after his Death came to the King's Coffers: he alſo uncaſtled Alexander of Lincoln, and Nigellus of Ely, taking a great Maſs of Treaſure from them. The Dean and Canons of Pauls, for croſſing him in the choice of their Biſhop, taſted of his fury, for he took their Focariaes, and caſt them into the Tower of London, where they continued many dayes, till at laſt their liberty was purchaſed by the Canons at a great price. Roger Hoveden tells us plainly, that theſe Focariae were thoſe Canons Concubines. See here the fruit of forbidding Marriage to the Clergy, againſt the Law of God and Nature.
Albericus, Biſhop of Hoſtia, was ſent by Pope Innocent into England, called a Synod at Weſtminſter, where 18 Biſhops, and thirty Abbots met together. Here was concluded, That no Priest, Deacon, Fuller. Church Hiſtory.or-ſub-deacon, ſhould hold a Wife or Woman within his Houſe, under pain of degrading from his Chriſtendom, and plain ſending to Hell. That no Prieſt's Son ſhould claim any Spiritual Living by heritage. That none ſhould take a Benefice of any Lay-man. That none ſhould be admitted to Cure, which had not the letters of his Orders. That Prieſts ſhould do no bodily labour. And that their Tranſubſtantiated God ſhould dwell but eight dayes in the Box, for fear of worm-eating, moulding, or ſtinking. In this Synod Theobald, Abbot of Becco was choſen Archbiſhop of Canterbury, in the place of William lately Deceaſed.
The moſt conſiderable Clergy-man of England in this Age, for Birth, Wealth, and Learning, was Henry of Blois, Biſhop of Wincheſter, and Brother to King Stephen. He was made by the Pope his Legat for Britain.
In this Council, where William of Malmesbury was preſent, there were three parties aſſembled with their attendance.
1. Roger of Sarisbury, with the reſt of the Biſhops, grievouſly complaining of their Caſtles taken from them.
2. Henry Biſhop of Wincheſter, the Pope's Legat, and Preſident of the Council: with Theobald Archbiſhop of Canterbury, pretending to Umpire matters moderately.
3. Hugh Archbiſhop of Roan, and Aubery de Vere (Anceſtor to the Earl of Oxford) as Advocate for King Stephen.
This Aubery de Vere was Learned in the Laws, being charactered by my Author, Homo cauſarum varietatibus exercitatus, a man well verſed in the windings of Cauſes. This Synod brake up without any extraordinary matter effected: For ſoon after Queen Mawd came with her Navy and Army out of Normandy, which turned Debates into Deeds, and Conſultations into Actions.
There were many Religious Foundations built and endowed in the troubleſom Reign of King Stephen; not to ſpeak of the Monaſtery of St. Mary de Pratis founded by Robert Earl of Leiceſter, and many others of this time; the goodly Hoſpital of St. Katherines nigh London, was founded by Mawd, Wife to King Stephen. So ſtately was the Quire of this Hoſpital, that it was not much inferior to that of St. Pauls in London, when taken down in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth, by Doctor Thomas Wilſon, the Maſter thereof, and Secretary of State: Yea King Stephen himſelf erected St. Stephen's Chappel in Weſtminſter. He built alſo the Ciſtertians Monaſtery in Feverſham, with an Hoſpital near the Weſt-gate in York.
The King earneſtly urged Theobald Archbiſhop of Canterbury to Crown his Son Euſtace. But Theobald ſtoutly refuſed, though proſcribed for the ſame, and forced to fly the Land, till after ſome time he was reconciled to the King. Euſtace the King's Son died of a Frenzy, as going to plunder the Lands of Bury-Abbey. Hereupon an agreement was made between King Stephen, and Henry Duke of Normandy, Son of Mawd the Empreſs, the former holding the Crown during his Life, and after his Death ſetling the ſame on Henry, his adopted Son and Succeſſor.
Platina in Adriano. IV.At this time Nicholas Breakspear, an Engliſh-man, born near Ʋxbridge, came to be Pope, called Adrian the fourth; he was not inferior to Hildebrand in Pride. Shortly after he had Excomunicated the Emperor, he walked with his Cardinals, to refreſh himſelf, in the Fields of Anagnia; and coming to a Spring of Water he would taſte of it; and with the Water a Fly entreth into his Throat, and choaketh him. In the latter end of his Dayes he was wont to ſay, There is not a more wretched Life than to be Pope. To come into the ſeat of St. Peter by Ambition, Matth. Par….is not to ſucceed Peter in Feeding the Flock, but unto Romulus in Paracide; ſeeing that Seat is never obtained without ſome Brother's Blood.
King Stephen died, and was buried with his Son and Wife at Feverſham in Kent, in a Monaſtery which himſelf had Erected. At the Demoliſhing whereof, ſome to gain the Lead wherein he was wrapped, caſt his Corpſe into the Sea.
King Henry the ſecond ſucceeded him; a Prince Wiſe, Valiant, and generally Fortunate. He preſently choſe a Privy-Counſel of Clergy and Temporalty, and refined the Common Laws: yea toward the latter end of his Reign began the uſe of our Itinerant Judges. He parcelled England into ſix diviſions, and appointed three Judges to every Circuit. He razed moſt of the Caſtles of England to the ground, the Biſhops being then the greateſt Traders in thoſe Fortifications.
He diſclaimed all the Authority of the Pope, refuſed to pay Peter-pence, and interdicted all Appeals to Rome. At that time Phil…p de Brok, a Canon of Bedford, was queſtioned for Murther; he uſed reproachful ſpeeches to the King's Juſtices, for which he was Cenſured; and the Judges complained unto the King, that there were many Robberies, and Rapes, and Murthers, to the number of an hundred, committed within the Realm by Church-men.
Thomas Becket, Doctor of Canon-law, was by the King made Lord Chancellor of England. Four years after upon the Death of Theobald, Becket was made by the King Archbiſhop of Canterbury.
Anno 1160. Thirty Teachers come from Germany into England, and taught the right uſe of Baptiſm, and the Lord's Supper, &c. and were put to Death. Then John of Sarum, and others, taught, that the Roman Church was the Whore of Babylon. Some were burnt with an hot Iron at Oxford, that diſſented from the Roman Church.
The King Commanded that Juſtice ſhould be executed upon all Men alike in his Courts: but Thomas Becket would have the Clergy (ſo offending) judged in the Eccleſiaſtical Court, and by Men of their own Coat. This Incenſed the King againſt him. To retrench theſe enormities of the Clergy, the King called a Parliament at Clarendon near Sarisbury, to confirm the Antient Laws and Cuſtoms, to which Becket with the reſt of the Biſhops conſented and ſubſcribed them; but afterwards recanting his own Act, renounced the ſame.
The ſame year the King required to have puniſhment of ſome miſdoings among the Clergy. The Archbiſhop would not permit; and when he ſaw (in his judgement) the Liberties of the Church trodden under Foot; he without the King's knowledge took Ship, and intended toward Rome; but by a contrary Wind he was brought back. Then he was called to account for his Receipts, that came to his hand while he was High-Chancellor. He appealeth to the See of Rome; and, under pain of Excommunication, forbad both Biſhops and Nobles to give Sentence againſt him, ſeeing he was both their Father and their Judge. Nevertheleſs they, without his conſent, gave Sentence againſt him. Then he, ſeeing himſelf forſaken of all the other Biſhops, lifted the Croſs which he held in his Hand aloft, and went away from the Court; and the next day got him over into Flanders, and ſo to the Pope.
Matthew Paris hath many Letters betwixt the Pope and this King, and the King of France, and ſundry Biſhops of France and England, for reconciliation betwixt the King and the Archbiſhop, who abode ſeven years in exile. Thomas Becket quarrelled with Roger Archbiſhop of York for preſuming to Crown Henry the King's Son (made joint-King in the Life of his Father) a priviledge which Becket claimed as proper to him alone. He ſolemnly reſigned his Archbiſhoprick to the Pope, as troubled in Conſcience, that he had formerly took it as illegally from the King; and the Pope again reſtored it to him, whereby all ſcruples in his mind were fully ſatisfied.
But afterward by the Mediation of the French King, Becket had leave given him to return into England; howſoever the King ſtill retained his Temporals in his Hand, on weighty conſiderations, namely to ſhew their diſtinct Nature from the Spirituals of the Archbiſhoprick, to which alone they Pope could reſtore him.
Thomas returning into England Excommunicateth all the Biſhops, which had been at the Coronation of the young King. The King ſent, and required him to abſolve them, ſeeing what was done to them, was done for his Cauſe: but Thomas refuſeth.
The next year after, he 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. He alſo Excommunicated one Robert Brook for cutting off an Horſes tail, that carried Victuals to the Archbiſhops Houſe.
The King being then in Normandy, grieved very ſore before his Servants at the inſolent cariage of Thomas Becket. This moved Sir Richard Breton, Sir Hugh Morvil, Sir William Tracey, Sir Reginald Fitz-Ʋrſe, to return into England; and coming to Canterbury, they found the Archbiſhop in Cathedral Church, at three a Clock in the After-noon, and calling him Traytor to the King, they ſlew him, and daſhed his Brains upon the floor. His laſt words when he died, were, I commend my ſelf and God's Cauſe unto God, and to the bleſſed Mary, and to the Saints Patrons of this Church, and to St. Denis.
Here ſee the lightneſs of the People; for the ſame Men that deteſted the pride of that Thomas, began to Worſhip him after his Death. Thus they ſang of Thomas Becket.
Tu per Thomae ſanguinem quem pro te impendit,
Fac nos Chriſte ſcandere quo Thomas aſcendit.
By the Blood of Thomas, which for Thee he did ſpend,
Make us O Chriſt to climb whither Thomas did aſcend.
Multitudes of People flocked to Canterbury yearly, eſpecially on his Jubile, or each fifty years after his enſhrining; an hundred thouſand of Engliſh and Forreigners repaired thither. The Revenues of peoples Offerings amounted to more than ſix hundred pounds a year. Before Becket's Death, the Cathedral in Canterbury was called Chriſt-Church, it was afterward called the Church of St. Thomas; though ſince by the demoliſhing of Becket's ſhrine, the Church hath recovered it's Antient name.
King Henry proteſted himſelf innocent from the Death of Thomas Becket, yet was he willing to undergo ſuch a penance as the Pope would impoſe. The Pope made him buy his Abſolution at a dear rate. He enjoyned him to ſuffer Appeals from England to Rome; to quit his Rights and Claim to the Inveſtitures; to keep two hundred Men of Armes in pay for the Holy War; of which pay the Popes Aſſignes were to be the Receivers; and that in England they ſhould celebrate the Feaſt of that glorious Martyr St. Thomas of Canterbury. The words of the Bull are theſe, We ſtrictly charge you, that you ſolemnly Celebrate every year the Birth-day of the glorious Martyr Thomas, ſometime 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, ſtrippeth himſelf naked, and is whipped by diverſe Monks, of whom ſome gave him five laſhes, ſome three.
Concerning which penance Machiavel ſpeaks thus in the firſt Book of the Hoſtory of Florence; Theſe things were accepted by Henry,Le quali coſe furono da Enrico accettare, et ſotto-Meſſe ſi à quel giudicio un tanto Reche hoggi un huomo privato ſi vergognarebbe ſottomerſi &c. Tanto le coſe che paiono ſono piu da diſcoſto che d'appreſſe temute. 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 dreaded afar off, than 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. This was done in the year of our Lord 1170. as appeareth by theſe Verſes.
Anno Milleno, Centeno, Septuageno,
Anglorum primas, corruit enſe Thomas.
In the year 1179. Lewis King of France, who had entertained Thomas at Sens, paſſed over into England to Worſhip him, and made his Devotions to his Relicks. Then Richard Prior of Dover, who divided Kent into three Archdeaconries, was made Archbiſhop of Canterbury. Fabian ſaith,Fabian. in Henry 2. He was a man of evil living, and waſted the goods of the Church inordinately.
A Synod was called at Weſtminſter, the Pope's Legat being preſent thereat, where was a great Contention between the two Archbiſhops of Canterbury and York for Precedency; words begat blowes, and the Archbiſhop of Canterbury's party pulled York from his Seat to the ground, and tore his Caſule, Chimer, and Rochet from his Back; and put the Legat in ſuch fear, that he ran away. The next day after York Appealeth to Rome. Here the Pope interpoſed, and to end old diviſions, made a new diſtinction, Entitling Canterbury, Primate of all England; and York, Primate of England.
King Henry died at Chinon in Normandy, and was buried with very great Solemnity in the Nunnery of Font-Everard in the ſame Countrey, a Religious Houſe of his own Foundation and Endowment. At that time were many Married Prieſts in Britain.
His Son, Richard the firſt, ſirnamed Coeur de Lyon, ſucceeded him, and on September 3. was crowned at Weſtminſter of Baldwin Archbiſhop of Canterbury. Then this King ordained the City of London to be ruled by two Bailiffs. The two firſt Bailiffs were Henry Chornhil, and Richard Fitz-River. In the time of the Coronation of the King, multitudes of the Jews in this Land were deſtroyed.
The King in part of ſatisfaction for his treſpaſs againſt his Father (for Queen Elianor and his Sons had ſided with the King of France againſt him) agreed with Philip the French King to take upon them the recovery of the Holy Land.Fabian Chron. King Richard gave over the Caſtles of Barwick and Roxburgh to the Scottiſh King for the ſum of ten thouſand pounds. He paſſed away the Earldom of Northumberland unto Hugh Pudſey Biſhop of Durham for a great ſum of Money for term of life; ſcoffing, that he had made a young Earl of an old Biſhop. Beſides, by the commandment of Pope Clement the third, a tenth was exacted of the whole Realm
Fox. Acts and Monuments.The King ſet over the Realm as principal in his abſence, the Biſhop of Ely his Chancellor, and the Biſhop of Durham; whom he ordained to be Chief Juſtice of England. Ely to have cuſtody of the Tower, with the overſight of all other parts of the Land on this ſide Humber: and Durham to have charge over all other his Dominions beyond Humber. The Pope alſo made William Biſhop of Ely his Legate through all England and Scotland.
As for Men and Souldiers, the Prelates, Friars, and other Preachers, had ſtirred up innumerable by their manifold exhortations (the Archbiſhop of Canterbury having travelled through Wales in Perſon for that purpoſe) in Pulpits and private Conferences. Then King Richard (with ſome of our Engliſh Nobility, who adventured their Perſons in the Holy War) croſſed the Seas into France, to Philip King thereof. After ſome neceſſary ſtayes, having paſſed the River Rhene at Lions, they parted company: Philip marching over the Alpes into Italy, and King Richard to the Sea-ſide at Marſilia, there to meet with his Navy. King Richard's Fleet of Ships being not come, he embarked himſelf in twenty hired Galleys, and ten great Buſſes (a kind of Shipping then peculiar to the Mediterranean Seas) and ſet Sayl toward Meſſana in Sicily, the Rendezvouz of both the Kings and their Armies. In which paſſage King Richard lying at Anchor (on occaſion) in the mouth of the River Tiber, not far from Rome, Octavianus the Biſhop of Hoſtia repaired unto him, deſiring him in the Pope's name, that he would viſit his Holineſs: which the King denied to do, alleadging that the Pope and his Officers had taken 700 Marks for Conſecration of the Biſhop of Mains, 1500 Marks for the Legative power of William Biſhop of Ely; but of the Archbiſhop of Burdeaux an infinite ſum of Money; whereupon he refuſed to ſee Rome.
King Richard ſtudying to fit himſelf for the great attempt he had in hand, called before him his Archbiſhops and Biſhops, that accompanied him, into a Chappel at the Houſe where he was lodged, where he made a penitent confeſſion of his ſins, humbly Praying to God for Mercy, and them (as his ſubordinate Miniſters) for Abſolution: and God (ſaith R. Hoveden) reſpected him with the eyes of Mercy, ſo that from thence-forth he feared God, eſchewing evil, and doing good.
King Richard ſent for Joachim, Abbot of Calabria, a Man of great Learning and Underſtanding in the Scriptures, who at his coming he heard expounding the Apocalypſe of St. John, touching the afflictions of the Church, and the ſtate of Antichriſt, which (ſaith he) was then born, and in the City of Rome, of whom the Apoſtle ſaid, He ſhould exalt himſelf above all that is called God.
Afterwards, at the ſiege of Acres, or Ptolemais in Paleſtine, Radulphus de alta ripa, Archdeacon of Colcheſter ended his Life; there alſo died Baldwin Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and Hubert Walter Biſhop of Sarisbury (afterward Archbiſhop of Canterbury) was a moſt active Commander there, beſides many more of the eminent Clergy engaged in that ſervice. William Biſhop of Ely playd Rex in the King's abſence, abuſing the Royal Authority committed to him. Acres was delivered to the King's of England and France, who divided the ſpoil of that City betwixt them.
King Richard after this and many other notable Atchievements in Paleſtine, at his return from thence, was taken Priſoner by Leopald Duke of Auſtria, and detained by him with hard and Unprince-like uſage: whil'ſt the Engliſh Clergy endeavoured the utmoſt for his enlargement. His fine was an hundred and fifty thouſand Marks, to be paid, part to the Duke of Auſtria, part to Henry VI. Emperor of Germany: Hubert Archbiſhop of Canterbury with much diligence perfected the work, and, on his ranſom paid, King Richard returned into England.
Hubert Walter, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, had almoſt finiſhed a fair Covent for Monks at Lambeth, began by Baldwin, his Predeceſſor, but upon the petitions of the Monks of Canterbury to the Pope (contrary to the King's and Archbiſhop's deſire) the Covent at Lambeth was utterly demoliſhed.
As this Richard, was the firſt of the Engliſh Kings, who bare Armes on his Seals; ſo was he the firſt who carried in his ſhield Three Lions Paſſant, born ever after for the Regal Armes of England. This King's daily exerciſe after his return was to riſe early, and not to depart from the Church, till Divine Service were finiſhed. Moreover, he bountifully relieved every day much Poor, both in his Court and Towns about, and reſtored Gold and Silver to ſuch Churches from which to pay his ranſom they had been taken away.
The Biſhop of Beavois being alſo an Earl of the Royal Blood, and the eleventh Peer of France, valiantly fighting againſt John the King's Brother, was taken Armed at all points, and bravely mounted; on whoſe behalf the Pope (upon the Biſhop's humble ſuit, pleading the Clergy's immunity) wrote ſomewhat earneſtly to King Richard, to ſet his very dear Son (for ſo he called the Biſhop) at liberty. The King in a pleaſant manner cauſed the Habergeon and Curaſſes of the Biſhop to be preſented to the Pope, with this queſtion (alluding to that of Jacob's Children to their Father, concerning Joſeph's Garment) Vide an haec ſit filii tui tunica, an non? See whether this be thy Son's coat or not? Whereupon the Pope replied, That he was neither his Son, nor the Son of the Church, and therefore ſhould be Ranſomed at the King's will, becauſe he was rather judged to be a ſervitor of Mars, than a Souldier of Christ: Whom the King of England handled ſharply.
Anno 1199. One Thurical, an Engliſh-man was in a rapture carried in the night to Purgatory, of which S. Nicholas is Governor, where alſo he ſaw the mouth of Hell, whence a ſtinking ſmoak iſſued out, which (as it was revealed to him) came out of Tithes detained, or ill paid, becauſe there thoſe Men were horribly puniſhed, who had ill-paid the Tithes due to the Church. This is related by Mat. Paris, a Monk of St. Albans, ſuperſtitious according to the Age that he lived in. Then alſo came the Minorite Friars into England, When the Minorite Friars came into England.their Order being but lately inſtituted.
King Richard laying Siege to a Caſtle called Chaluz belonging to the Viſcount of Limoges, was ſhot into the Arm by a poiſoned Arrow, whereupon the Iron remaining and feſtering in the wound, the King within nine dayes after died, having firſt forgiven the Souldier before his Death.
King John was Crowned in Weſtminſter-Abbey, June 9. 1199. and was Sworn by Hubert, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Quod ſanctam Eccleſiam, & ejus ordinatos diligeret; & eam ob incurſione malignantium indemnem conſervaret; & dignitates illius bona fide, & ſine malo ingenio ſervaret illaſas, as Roger Hoveden expreſſeth it. This Archbiſhop, with all the Biſhops, Abbots, Nobles, preſent at, and conſenting to this Oath, and doing Homage and Fealty to him. The 13th of June following, he was ſolemnly Divorced, in Normandy, in the preſence of three of his Norman Biſhops, from the Duke of Glouceſter's Daughter. Ʋnde magnam ſummi Pontificis Innocentii tertii, & Curiae Romanae indignationem, praſumens temere contra leges & canones diſſolvere, quod eorum fuerat authoritate colligatum, as Radulphus de Diceta informs us. But he ſoon after was Married to Iſabel, ſole Daughter and Heir of the Earl of Angoleſme, who was Crowned Queen, Octob. 8. by Archbiſhop Hubert, this Pope and Cardinals, not daring to queſtion, or null his Marriage.