The Antipathy of the English Lordly Prelacy, Part 1 · Chapter 1 (2 of 3)

The Antipathy of the English Lordly Prelacy · Part 1 · Chapter 1 (2 of 3)

p. 41**Mat. Paris, An. 1231. p. 355… Mat. Parker, Antiq. Eccles. Brit. p. 158. G…dwin p. 110, 111. Holinsh. p. 213.Richard Wethershed, 1414RICHARD.the very next Arch-Bishop, withstood King Henry the 3. who in Parliament demanded Escuage of those who held any Baronies of him; maintaining that the Clergie ought not to be subject unto the judgement of Laymen, though all the Laitie and other of the Spiritualty consented to the King. After this, hee had a great controversie with Hubert de Burgo, Earle of Kent, concerning some Lands of the Earle of Gloucester, the profits whereof the Arch-Bishop challenged as due unto him in the minority of the sayd Earle. The Arch-Bishop complained of the pretended wrong to the King (with whom Hubert was very gracious, for the good service he had done him in defending Dover Castle against the French,) and finding no remedy answerable to his minde at the Kings hands, who answered him truely, That the Lands were held of him in capite, and so the wardship of them belonged to himselfe, not to the Arch-Bishop; hee thereupon excommunicated all the Authors of this his supposed injury, the King onelyonly excepted, and then gat him to Rome (the common Sanctuary and receptacle for all Rebellious, Traytorly Prelates,) this being the first Excommunication that was pronounced against any man for invading the Temporalties of the Church. The King hereupon sends divers to Rome, to stop the Arch-bishops proceedings, and defend his Royall Prerogative. The Pope notwithstanding delighted p. 42much with the eloquence, gravity, and excellent behaviour of the Arch-Bishop, granted presently all his demands, even in prejudice of the Kings Crowne and Right. Little joy had he of his Victory, for being but three dayes in his way homeward, he fell sicke at Saint Gemma, and dyed. ††See Holinsh. p. 114. Mat. Paris, Ann. 1232.In this Bishops time, the Italians had gotten many Benefices in England, who being much spited at, certaine mad fellowes tooke upon them to thresh out their Corne every where, and give it unto the poore, as also to rob and spoyle them of their money and other goods, after which the Italians were not so eager upon English Benefices.

1515EDMUND.Saint Edmund Arch-Bishop of Cante…bury had many bickerings with King Henry the third,††Antiq. Eccles. Brit. p. 159. to 171. Godwyn, 112.113. Fox Acts and Monuments, p. 321… 409, 533. H…lins. p. 222… 223, 225. hee was baptized in the same Font that Thomas Becket his Predecessour was, and somewhat participated of his disposition: Being consecrated Arch-Bishop, he presently fell into the Kings displeasure, by opposing himselfe against the marriage of Elianor, the Kings Sister, with Simon Moun…fort, Earle of Leicester, because upon the death of the Earle Marshall her first Husband she had vowed Chastitie; to have which vow dispensed withall, the King procured the Pope to send Otto his Legate into England, betweene whom and the Arch-Bishop there were many quarrels: This Arch-Prelate refused to appeare upon summons before the King, went to Rome where he made many complaints, not onelyonly against Otto, but against the King himselfe, …or certaine injuries received at his hands; yet with ill successe, and was foiled in two severall suites, both with the Monkes of Rochester and the Earle of Arundel, to whom he was condemned in a thousand Markes, to his great disgrace and impoverishing. Hee Excommunicated the Monkes of Canterbury, for chusing a Prior without his consent. The Popes Legate absolving them for money, h… excommunicated them afresh, and interdicted their Church, till Otto decided the Controversie; which Otto excommunicated Fredericke the Emperour, first in the Monastery of Saint Albanes, and then publickly in Pauls Church, and collected infinite summes of money here in England to maintaine the Popes warres against him, which the Emperour tooke very ill at the Kings hands. This Arch-Bishop, for a great summe of money, obtained a p. 43Grant f…om the Pope in derogation of the Kings Supremacie, that if any Bishopricke continued voyd by the space of sixe moneths, it should bee lawfull for the Arch-Bishop to conferre it on whom he list, which the King procured the Pope immediately to revoke. **Lib. 7. c. 35. f. 305. F…x Acts and Monuments, p. 254.255, 321,Polichronicon writes, that hee called a Councell of the Prelates together, how hee might relieve the holy Church that was made subject and thrall. It was consulted, that the King and all other men that were Rebels should be warned, and if they would not amend, then the wrecke of censures of holy Church should not sleepe. The holy man (Edmund) assented, and went to the King with the other Bishops, who threatned to Excommunicate him, if he would not reforme the things they demanded, and put away his evill Councellors. The King asked avisement, and he abode, but all for nought: Therefore the King was spared alone, and all other that were Rebells were denounced accursed: But thereby would they not be amended. This Arch-Prelate, at last, being continually vexed, thwarted and disgraced both by the King, the Pope his Legates, and others with whom he contested, taking his leave of the King, departed into voluntary exile, and there bewailing the misery of his Country, spoyled and miserably wasted by the tyranny and strange exactions of the Pope, spent the rest of his time in continuall teares, and through extreame griefe, sorrow, and fasting, fell into a Consumption and dyed, being afterwards canonized for a Saint by Pope Innocent the fourth.

**Antiq. Eccles. Brit. Bonifaciu…, p. 171. &c. Godwin. p. 114. to 119.Arch-Bishop Boniface, 1616BONIFACE.his immediate successor, raised many commotions and stirs both in Church and State, hee was the Kings instrument for polling of England, and brought him much money; he was also a great warrier, better skilled in Military than Church affaires. Not to mention this Arch-Prelates **Antiq. Eccle. Brit. p. 185. Stow, p. 188.combat with the Prior and Monkes of Saint Bartholmewes, which put the whole City of London into an uproate, and made much worke both at the Kings Court, and at Rome: Or how he **Holinshed, p. 238.procured a Grant from the Pope to receive one whole yeares profit of all Livings and Cures that should fall voyd within his Province for 7. yeares space, to the value of 10000. Markes… At which the King at first was sore offended I shall only reci…e some traytorly and Anti-monarchicall constitutions made by him & his fellow Prelates in p. 44a Synod held at Westminster, 1270. to the great impeachment of the Kings Prerogative, and affront of his Nobles, Judges, and Temporall Courts of Justice. First, they decreed, **Ioh. d… Aton. C…nstit. L…gitima Eccl…siae, t…tuisque Regionis Angliae, (stiled in the Title, Divinum opus) f. 138.139, 140, 141. Gu…l. Lindwode Provinc. l. 5. Tit. de P…nis, f. 226.227.228. l. 2. De Fore Competenti … f. 67. &c.That no Arch-Bishop, Bishop, or inferior Prelate and Clergi-man, should ei…her by the Kings Writ, or any other Noblemans, or secu…ar Officers warrant be called to answer before any secular Court or Judge, for any cause which they there determin to be meerely Ecclesiasticall: Or for any extravagances and undue proceedings in their Ecclesiasticall Courts: And that no Clergie-man should presume to appeare upon such Writ or summons before any temporall Judge or Court, under paine of Excommunication; because no Lay power hath any authority to judge the Lords Anointed, whom they ought of necessity to obey. And to take away so great abuses, & preserve the liberties of the Church, we decree and ordaine (say they) that the sayd Arch…bishops & Bishops, and other Prelates shall not appeare though they be called & summoned to do it as aforesaid. Yet to preserve the Kings …onour, the greatest Prelates shall goe or write to the King, and shew that they cannot obey such his Royall Mandates without the perill of their Order, and the subversion of their Ecclesiasticall Liberty. And if the King desist not, the Bp. whom it concernes, shal admonish the King the second time, that he looke to the salvation of his soule, and altogether desist from such Mandates. And if he desist not at the denuntiation of the Bishop, the Arch-Bishop, or else the Bishop of London as t…e Deane of the Bishops, calling to him two or three Bishops, or more, whom he shall thinke meete, shall goe to the King und admonish him more seriously, requiring …im to supersediate his Mandates. And if the King after such exhortations and monitions shal proceed to attachments and destresses by himselfe or others, then the Sheriffes and all other Baylifes who prosecute the Bishops to attach them, shall by the Diocesans of the places be driven away in forme of Law by the sentence of Excommunication and interdiction. The like shall be done if the Sheriffes or Bayliffes proceed to Attachments or Distresses, pretending the foresayd monitions to be made to our Lord the King as afore-sayd: And if the Sheriffes or Ba…liffes shall persevere in their obstinacie, the places wherein they live, and the Lands they have within the Province of Canterbury shall be interdicted by the Di…cesans of the places, at the denuntiation of the Bishop in whose Diocesse such Distresses shall be taken. And if such Attachers be Clerks Beneficed, they shall be suspended from their Office; and if they persevere in p. 45their malice, they shall be compelled to desist and give satisfaction by substracting the profits of the…r benefices. And if they be not Beneficed, in case they be presented to any Bene…ice, they shall not be th…reto admitted …or five yeares space. And the Clerkes who shall dictate, write, or signe such Attachments or distresses, or give any counsell or advice therein, shall be Canonically punished, and if any Clerke be suspected of the premises, …e shall not be admitted to any Ecclesiasticall Benefice, untill he shall Canonically purge himselfe thereof. And if our Lord the King, or any other secular power competently admonished concerning this, shall not revoke such distresses or Attachments, the Bishop distrained shal put under Ecclesiasticall interdict the Lands, Villages, Townes and Castles, which the King himselfe, or other secular person so distraini…g shall have within his Bishopricke. And if the King, or any other secular power contemning such penalties, shall persevere in their obstinacy; then the Arch-Bishop, or the Bishop of London, at the denunciation of the Bishop complaining, calling to him two Bishops, or more, whom he shall thinke meete, shall repaire to the King, and diligently admonish and require him to supersede from the foresaid Mandates. And if our Lord the **See the Prelates insolency here against their Kings.King having heard these admonitions and exhortations, shall proceed to Attachments or distresses by himself or others, then the other two Bishops, reputing this distresse as a common injury to the Church, by the authority of this present Counsell, shall put under Ecclesiasticall interdict all the Demisne Lands, Burroughes, Castles, and Townes of the King himselfe, or any other great man, being within the Precincts of their Diocesse. And if the King, or other great Man, shall not within 20. dayes after revoke the said Distresses or Attac…ments, but shall for this bandy against the Church, being with Pharaoh made more obdurate amidst the strokes of punishments, then the Arch…bishop shall put his whole Diocesse under in…erdict. The same shall be done to the Castles, Lands and Burroughes of great men, who have Royalties within the said Province. And if any Bishop shall be found negligent or remisse in the exe…utions of the said penalties in such cases, he shall be sharpely reprehended by the Metropolitan. Af…er which they in the same Councell, decree the like Interdicts, Excommunications, and Proceedings against all such who shall intrude upon the possessions of the Church; against Clerkes who receive Churches by Lay-mens power; against such Judges and others, who shall release excommunicate persons ou… of prison without the Bishops consent; against Lay-men, who p. 46shall appreh…nd Clergy-men for civill crimes; against such who obtaine or grant Prohibitions to their Courts; against the King or his Officers, who grieve or waste Churches possessions during their vacancy; against Judges and other Officers, who by a Quo Warranto question the Liberties which any Church or Prela…e hath long time enjoyed, though without any Charter; against secular Judges, who shall judge any Charters made to the Church voyd for uncertaine…y; against Lords, who shall endeavor to enforce Clergy men to make suit to their secular Courts, contrary to the Liberties of the Church; and the like. In all or most of which, if the King upon notice and monition conforme not to Prelates desires, and stop not all proceedings and judgements in his Courts against them, his Judges and Officers shall be excommunicated, and their Lands, together with the Kings, and the whole Province of Canterbury interdicted as aforesaid… This Arch-Prelate and h…s con…ederates, thus trampling upon the Kings Crowne, Royalties, Judges, Courts, Nobility, Subjects, and the Lawes of the Kingdome; the King to stop their encroachments, was enforced to send forth Writs of Ad jura Regia, and Prohibitions to inhibit their proceedings; Wherein he thus complained, **Regist. of Writs, par. 2. f. 27. to 65. Turba…ur, nec immerito & mov…mu…, &c See the Breviate, p. …6, 97… 15, 16.We a…e troubled, not without cause, and moved, while we behold those who live under our Dominion, and are there honored with Benefices and Rents, by reason whereof they ought to assist us in the defence and tuition of the Rights of our Royall Crowne, with neckes li…ed up against us, endeavouring to the uttermost of their power to impugne the said Rights, to the GRIEVOVS PREIVDICE AND HVRT OF OVR ROYALL DIGNITIE AND CROWNE, and in contempt of us: Wherefore we, who by the bond of an Oath, are obliged to the unwounded Observance of the Rights of our Crowne and Dignity, prohibit you, that you presume not to attemp… any thing in the promises, which may any way derogate from the Right of our Crowne and Dignity, and if any thing in this kind ha…h beene unduely attempted by you, that you cause it to be revoked without any delay, left we proceed …o apprehe…d you in a grievous manner, as the violaters of the Rights of our Crowne and Dignity. Th…s Boniface, at last knowing himselfe very ill beloved, bo…h of the King and of all the Commons and Clergy in generall, and being commanded by p. 47the King to give over his Bishopricke, he thereupon …elled his Woods, let Leases, forced from his Tenants and others, what moneys he could possibly, and having gathered great sums, one way or other, carryed it all with him over Sea into Savoy, where he dyed.

Iohn Peckam, 1717JOHN PECKAM.the next Arch-Bishop of Canterbury but one, was created Bishop of that See by the Popes meere ††Antiqu. Eccl. Brit. p. 201, 202 205, 206, 207. Fox Acts and Monuments, p. 320, 321. Goodwin his Catalogue of Bishops, p. 123.Authority, against the Monkes and Kings consents; whence in his Letters to the Pope, he usually stiled himselfe his creature, though he made him pay foure thousand Markes for his Creation: And to …hew himselfe his creature in good earnest, he upon the Popes most insolen… Letter to him (recorded at large by Matth…w Parker, in his life) to prohibit King Edward the first from collecting the Tenths granted to him in England by the Clergy, for the recovery of the Holy Land …rom the Sarazens, which the King collected by his owne Officers, and laid up in such places as he thought meet without the Popes speciall license, not without great sinne ag…inst the divine Majesty, and high contempt of the Apostolicke Sea… went to the King immediately, being then in the confines of Wales, and there publikely before all his Nobles by vertue of the Popes command, admonished the King: First, within one moneths space to restore all the Monies collected, and to send it to the places formerly appointed for its custody, with so great promptitude of devotion, as might expiate the former blot of removing it thence. Secondly, that he should …or time to come, wholly desist from such attempts, adding, that altho…gh the Apostolicall clemency did yet embrace him as one of her deare Sonnes: yet if he should hereafter chance to be found guilty of such offences, that she neither would, nor yet could substract the Rod of Correction from him, left by sparing man, she should consent to those Divine injuries which she corrected not. Thirdly, that he should neither molest nor grieve any of the Keepers or Depositaries of the said Monies upon this occasion. To which insolent Demands the King gave a very mild Answer.

This Lordly Prelate, was very stately in his gesture, gate, words, and outward …hew; he very often opposed himselfe against King Edward the first in Parliament, in right of his Church, denying to grant him Tenths; con…esting with him often about certaine Liber…ies pertaining to the Crowne, touching Church p. 48matters. Anno 1279. he held a **Ioha… de At…n Constitut. 130.Councell at Reading; wherein he enjoyned all Priests every Lords day, to excommunicate (among others) those who impetrated Letters or Writs from any Lay Court, to hinder the proceedings of the Ecclesiastickes in Causes pertaining to them by the holy Canons. He held his Prebendary of Lions in France, in Commendam, and would not part with it by any meanes; because he looked every day to be driven out of England by the King (whom he stiffely opposed and resisted to his face in many things) and then he should have no oth…r home to take to: Hee promptly obeyed the Popes commands against the King, not to pay him any Subsidies, or give him any aide without the Popes consent, and oft admonishing the King before his Nobles, to obey …he Popes Mandates in derogation of his Crowne, and tending to the great oppression of his Subjects. Hee called another Councell a… Lambeth, ††Holi…s…. p. 280. b.Anno 1280. in which he went about to annihilate certaine Liberties belonging to the Crowne, as the taking knowledge of the Right of Patronages, and the Kings Prohibitions, In placitis de catallis, and such like, which seemed meerely to touch the Spiritualty. But the King by some in that Councell, withstood the Arch-Bishop openly, and with menaces, stayed him from concluding any thing that might prejudice his Royall Liberties, and Prerogatives. After which he held another Councell at Reading, Anno 1290. where he and the Bishops purposed to draw the Conusans of Advowsons and Patronages of Churches, belonging time out of minde to the Kings Temporall Cou…ts, to the Ecclesiasticall Consistories, utterly to cut off all the Kings Prohibitions to these Courts, in suites concerning Goods, Chattels and Debts, so that the Ecclesiasticall Judges should not from thenceforth be prohibited to proceed on in them: But the King hearing of this their designe, and encroachment on his Royall Crowne, prohibited them to proceed therein under paine of his indignation; whereupon the Councell was dissolved, and the Arch…Bishop and other Prelates frustrated of their hopes. Who yet proceeding to encroach upon the Kings Royalties in their Ecclesiasticall Courts, Hee thereupon sent forth Writs to restraine them, to this effect: **Regist. of W…its par. 2. f. 61, b. 62.646.Rex Archiepiscopis, &c. The King to the Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Deanes, Arch-Deacons, Chancellours, Praecentors, Provosts, Sacrists, Prebends p. 49in Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches, and to all other Ecclesiasticall Persons, constituted in what-ever Dignity or Office; as also to publike Notaries, and all others, greeting. It behoveth us so much the more carefully to doe our endeavour, and more solici…ously to extend our hand to our Royall Prerogatives, lest they …hould utterly perish, or by the undue Usurpations of any, be in some …ort substracted, by maintaining them as farre as we lawfully may; by reducing them to their due state… if any of them have beene substracted and seized on; as likewise by bridling the impugners o… our said Royall Jurisdictions, and by punishing them as it is meet, according to their demerits: And so much the rather, by how much we are knowne to be obliged to doe it by the Bond of an Oath, and behold more men from day to day to impugne the same Rights, to their utmost power; whereas we have recovered in our Court before us, by consideration of the said Cour…, our Collation to the Prebend of S. in the Church of Saint Peters in Yorke, &c. And now we have understood, that certaine men endeavouring with all th…r might to impugne our Royall Right, and for…sai… Judgement, as likewise our Collation made to our said Clerke, have made and procured to be made certaine Provocations, Appeale…, Indictions, Inhibitions, &c. by the which if they should proceed, our Royall Right, and foresaid Judgement, and the effect of our Collation should be annulled, which might many wayes generate prejudice and exheredation to us and our Crowne. We desiring by all meanes we may, to preven… such prejudice and exheredation, and to restraine the unlawfull endeavours of all the impugners of the Rights of our Crowne, strictly prohibite you and every of you, that you doe not, by pretext of any Commission made, or hereafter to be made to you, or any of you, presume by any Authority, without our advice, to attempt, or by others in any so… cause to be attempted, any thing which may tend to the derogation of our Royall Right, or annulling of the …oresaid Judgement rightly given, or the weakening of our said Collation; knowing, that if you shall doe otherwise, we will proceed to apprehend you in a grievous manner, Tanquam violatores Iuris nostri Regii, as violaters of our Royall Right. By these Writs the Usurpations of this Arch Prelate and the Bishops, on the Kings Royall Prerogative, and Courts of Justice, were somewhat restrained; p. 50otherwise, they had in time made themselves absolute Kings, and the Kings of England meere Cyphers, and onelyonly executioners of their Papall pleasures.

1818ROBERT WINCHELSY.**Antiq Eccles. Brit. Robertus Winchelse, p. 209, to 223. Godwin P. 125, 126, 127. Walsingh. Hist. Angl. p. 34, 35.46.63 Math. West. An. 1294.1295, 1296, 1300.1301, 1305. Fox Acts and Monuments, p. 320, 321, 337. Holinsh. p. 301, 302. See 393. a.Robert Winchelsie, his Successour, exceedingly opposed his Soveraigne King Edward the first: Who having spent an infinite summe of Money in the Warres of Scotland, summon…d a Parliament at Barwicke; wherein, when the Temporalty contributed liberally toward the charge of that Warre, the Clergy alledging the Canon of the late Councell of Lyons, wherein it was decreed, That no Clergie-man should pay any Ayde or Subsidie to any Temporall Magistrate, without the Popes licence, (which Canon the Arch-Bishop alledged against the Subsidie, granted by the Clergy two yeares before in his absence, causing them then to set it downe for a Canon, afterwards to be kept inviolably) refused to grant the King a Subsidy, without the Popes consent; and would then give no Subsidy nor supply at all to the King, though at the same time they readily granted three Subsidies to the Pope, towards his Warres against the French. The King would not take this for payment; and therefore presently tooke order, That all Barnes of these undutifull rebellious Clergy-men should be locked up, and by Proclamation put all the Clergy from out of his protection, so that hereafter it should be lawfull for any man to sue them for any Cause, but they might not commence Suite against any man; holding a ††See Bishop Iewels defence of his Apologe, pa. 6. c. 2. p, 521, 522 Cromptons jurisdiction of Cou…ts, f. 19.Parliament with his Temporall Lords and Commons onelyonly, and shutting the Bishops and Clergy out of the Parliament house. This constrained some of the Clergy, after much contest, (though animated and sollicited by the Arch-Bishop still to resist) to submit to the King at last, and to be content to grant him such a proportion of their goods (though it were the fifth part of their Revenues) as he should like of; onelyonly the Arch-Bishop, the Head of this …action, continued obstinate, making no other answer to the King but this: **A dutifull Answer of an Arch Prelate to his Prince.Under God, our universall Lord, we have two other Lords, a Spirituall Lord the Pope, and a Temporall Lord the King; and though wee be to obey both, yet rather the Spirituall Lord then the Temporall: When therefore he saw all the rest inclining to yeeld, using no other words then this; Salvet unusquisque animam suam, Let every man save his owne Soule, (as if Rebellion against his Prince were the only meanes p. 51to save his soule) and pronouncing all those excommunicated that contributed any thing to the King, he rose up, and suddenly departed out of the Convocation House. The King for this his contumacy, seized all his Lands, and commanded all such Debts of his as were found in the Rolls of the Exchequer, to be le…ed with all speed on his Goods and Cattell, which he seized into his hands, and made shew of great displeasure. Notwithstanding, shortly after being to make Warre with the French King in France, hee thought good before his departure to receive this Arch-Rebell to favour againe, who had caused the King to be cited up to the Court of Rome, and there suspended. But this grace endured not long: for presently upon his returne, the King laid divers high Treasons to his charge; as, That he had dehorted his Subjects, in his absence, from paying their Sub…idies; **See Holinsh p. 313, Ann… 1305That he went about to trouble the quiet state of the Realme, and to defend and succour Rebellious persons; That he had conspired with divers of his Nobility, to deprive him of his Kingdome, (though the best Prince that ever England had before) to commit him to perpetuall Prison, and to Crowne his Sonne Edwa…d King in his stead; and that he was the Ring-leader and Authour of this Conspiracy. The Arch-Bishop no… able to deny these Treasons, and being suspended from his Office by the Pope, till he should purge himselfe of these things, he **See Mat. West. An. … 305. p. 452 453. An. 1306. p. 457.fell downe on the ground at the Kings feete, craving pardon of his heynous offences with teares and howling, calling the King then his Lord, which he never did before, neither with his month, nor in his Letters. Thus this proud Prelate, ex…crable both to God and man, who had twice a little before prohibited the King, in the Popes name, to make Warre with the rebellious and treacherous Scots, his Enemies, who had invaded his Kingdome in his absence, because the Pope had taken them into his protection; who had defiled and infected the whole Priest-hood and Clergy of England with his pride, exercised an unheard of Tyranny over the people; being now deprehended by the King in his wickednesse, terrified and dejected with the guilt of his sinne, and feare of punishment, lay now prostrate on the ground before the King, offered him his Pall, and sub…i…ted his person and goods to his mercy. To whom the King gave this answer: I will not punish thee my selfe, p. 52le…t I should seeme rather to have respect to my owne Revenge, though most just, then to thy Order. And although thou art altogether unworthy of thy Order and my Grace, yet I will referre the matter to thy fellow Bishops, and the Pope of Rome, that thou mayest be tryed by thy Peeres, lest thou shouldest thinke me an unjust Judge; though the Conusans of Treason, the highest Crime in a S…bject, belongs without doubt to my Tribunall, not to theirs. Moreover (added the King) I have knowne thy hatred and malice towards me, not onelyonly in the greatest things, but even in the smallest and in matters of least moment, in which by thy authority thou hast over-much abused my patience; depriving my Clerkes in thy visitation, notwithstanding my Letters to the contrary, and their just appeales; both which thou hast contemned, together with my Royall Authority. The Arch-Bishop troubled and confounded in minde at these things, craved a Blessing from the King; who replyed, That his Blessing would rather become him, then his the Arch Bishop. The King hereupon complaines of him to the Pope, That he had troubled the peaceable and safe estate of the Kingdome in his absence, and stirred up the Nobles to a Rebellion and Conspiracy against him, &c. And notwithstanding his submission, cited him to appeare at Rome, banished him the Realme, seized upon all his goods moveable and unmoveable, forbidding all his Subjects, under a great paine, to foster him: Yet the Monkes of Canterbury secretly harboured him for a time, furnished him with necessaries, and conveyed him beyond the Seas. Which the King afterwards understanding, seized on all their Goods and Lands, banished them the Monastery, turning fourescore Monkes a begging, forbidding any to harbour them; and kept them in that miserable estate, till afterwards he was pleased, upon their submission, to restore them. After which, the Bishop of Winchester interceded to the King for this Arch Traytor, calling him his Lord: with which the King being greatly offended, put this Bishop out of his protection, and confiscated his goods, because he acknowledged another then the King to be his lord; even such a one, who being guilty of Treason & manifest contempt against the King, had lost the very right of a Subject in his Kingdome. While the Arch-Bishop was thus in exile, before any hearing of this p. 53Cause at Rome, the King deceaseth; who, as **Pag. 316, 293.Holinshed writes was an earnest enemie of the high and presumptuous insolencie of Priests, which he judged to proceede chiefely of too much Wealth and Riches; and therefore hee devised to establish the Statute of Mortmain, to be a bridle to their inordinate lusts and riotous excesse: which Statute they laboured to repeale, and purchase out, by giving large Subsidies to that end. His Sonne Edward the second succeeding him, out of an over-indulgent pitty, calls home this Arch-Traytor by his Letter, writes to the Pope to discontinue his Fathers Suite against him, and to send him over with all speed to Crowne him: Who glad with the newes, and unable to make haste home, as was requisite, by reason of his crazie body, sent a Commission to the King, with the names of three Bishops in it, giving him liberty to elect which of the three he desired, to Crowne him in his behalfe; who made choyse of the Bishop of Winchester, who set the Crowne on his head. The King upon the Arch-Bishops returne, restored him all his goods, and every penny received of his Temporalties during his two yeares exile, (a good reward for a Traytor) whereby he became the richest Arch-Bishop of many before and after him. He was no sooner come home, but a new danger encountred him, by his owne wonted boldnesse. The King, by the counsell of Piers Gaveston, had committed the Bishop of Coventry to Ward, at York: A Convocation shortly after being assembled, the Arch-Bishop would not suffer any matter to be debated in the House, till the Bishop were set at liberty; which the King was contented to beare withall at that time. This Bishop (saith **Antiq. Eccl…s. Bri…. p. 219, 220… 229.Matthew his Successour) though he were reported to be a stout Governour of the English Church, and a Defender of its Rites, yet he was too excessive in this, and ever opposite to the King, attributing that to the Pope, with whom he was most strictly linked, which he derogated from the King; seeking not so much the Liberties of the Realme, as the encrease of the Popes power, and deminishing the Kings Authority, that he might transferre it to the Pope. He was a great enemie to Prohibitions, labouring the advancement of the Ecclesiasticall Courts Jurisdiction, and the eclipsing of the Authority and Jurisdiction of the Kings p. 54Courts. He was the Author of Articuli Cleri, and Walter Raynolds his Successour, procurer of the Kings answere to them in Parliament. Which Articles, though they bee commonly taken for a Statute, yet in truth they are **M. 19. E. 3. Fitz. Iurisdicti…n, 28.none, but a meere Answere of the King in Parliament, to Articles exhibited to him by the Clergie, made by the advice of his Councell, but not of the Commons and whole Parliament; and a particular Grant of the King onelyonly, not of the Parliament: as appeares by the severall Answeres to each of those Articles, but especially to the last. Finally, he ever sided with the Pope for the Liberties of the Church, and with the Barons also, against the King. He opposed himselfe against Piers Gaveston, the Spensers, and other Favouri…es and Corruptors of the young King, very boldly; and enforced Iohn Warren, Earle of Surrey, to forsweare the Company of a certaine beautifull Harlot, with the love of whom hee was greatly bewitched. And afterwards, when notwithstanding his Oath, he returned to her company, and got Children upon her, hee accused him to the Convocation both of Adultery and Perjury, and a… last made him to leave her. Hee excommunicated Walter, Bishop of Coventry, for revol…ing from him and the Clergie, and adhering to Piers Gaveston; who appealed unto the Pope, and was by him absolved. Which last Acts of his are commendable, though they proceeded rather from the stournesse and haughtinesse of his Spirit, then the Pietie of his Heart: How ever, his former are most execrable.

1919WALTER RAYNOLDS.Fox Acts …nd Monuments, p. 342. A…t. Ec…l…s. p. 226.227. Godwins Gatal. p. 129.130, Walsingham. Hist. Angl. p. 98.99, 101, 103, 104, 105. Speed, hist. l. 9. c. 11. p. 667, 677, 679, 680, 681, 685. H…lin. p. 335.Walter Raynolds, his next Successor, advanced and preferred onelyonly by King Edward the Second to that Sea; when the King, after the Barons Warres ended, had done execution upon divers of the Nobl…s that had reb…lled, Adam Tarlt…n Bishop of Hereford, by the Kings direction, in a Parliament holden at London, Anno Dom. 1324. was apprehended and brought to the Ba…, to be arraigned for the like faults of Rebellion and High Treason against his Soveraigne; to wit, for ayding, succouring, and maintaining the Mor…imers and other Rebels: who having nothing to say in defence of himselfe, against the Crimes objected unto him, at first disdained p. 55to make any answere at all; and when he was in a manner forced thereto, standing mute a long space, at length hee brake out into these words, and flatly told the King: **A dutifull speech of a Prelate.My Lord and King, saving your Reverence, I am an humble Minister and Member of the Holy Church of God, and a consecrated Bishop, though unworthy; I neither can nor ought to answere to such high matters, without the connivence and consent of my Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, my direct Iudge next after the Pope, and of the other Fathers, the Bishops, my Peeres. At which saying, the Arch-Bishops and Bishops there present, rose up and interceded to the King, for their Colleague: and when as the King, would not be entreated, the whole Clergie challenged the Bishop as a Member of the Church, and so exempt from the Kings Judicature (as if Lay men were not Members of the Church too, as well as Bishops and Priests, and so, by this reason, exempt from Secular Jurisdiction.) The King forced thereunto with their Clamours (though for a very Traytors rescue) committed him to the Arch-Bishops custody, to answere elsewhere for these Crimes. But within few dayes after, when the King called him againe before his presence, to make answere to the matters layd against him, and there arraigned him before his Royall Tribunall for his Treasons, all the Bishops of England almost being then at London, the **The presumptuous d…meanour of Pre…ate….Arch-Bishops of Canterbury, Yorke, and Dublin, accompanyed with ten other Bishops, and a great troupe of men, hearing of Tarl…ons Arraignment, in great haste hyed them thither; and having their Crosses borne before them, entred the Court by violence, tooke the Prisoner from the Barre before hee had made any answere, chased away the Kings Officers by force, and carryed him away with them from the Barre, (the highest affront that ever was offered to publicke Justice in the Kingdome; and that in open Parliament, in case of High Treason against the King,) and withall they proclaimed, That no man should lay violent hands on this Traytor whom they had rescued, upon paine of Excommunication. The King being exceedingly moved with this unparalleled insolence of the Clergie, as he had reason, commanded an Inquest to bee impanelled, and a lawfull inquiry to bee made of the Treasons committed by him, in his absence. p. 56The Jury, without feare of the King, or any hatred of the Bishop, according to the truth of the matter, finding the Bishop guilty of all the Treasons and Rebellions whereof he was indicted: the King hereupon **Hanging was too good for him and his complices.banished the Bishop… seized upon his Temporalties, Lands, and Goods; but the Bishop himselfe, by the consent of all the Arch-Bishops and Bishops, was by strong hand kept safe in the Arch-Bishop of Canterburies custodie, notwithstanding his proscrip…ion, who at last reconciled this Traytor to the King. So industrious have the Bishops beene, not onelyonly to plot and execute Treasons, but likewise to defend and int…rcede for Traytors of their owne Coat, to keepe them from execution, and to get them againe into favour, that so they might more boldly proceede on in their intended Trecheries and Rebellions, being sure to escape unpunished, by meanes of their fellow Bishops, how ever other Traytors speede. After this, the King demanded Subsidies of the Clergie, towards his Warres; which they at first stiffely denyed to grant, without the Popes Licence first obtained; which the King was enforced to procure: and notwithstanding it, they stood off a while, alledging, That the Pope had of late yeares received so many Subsidies and Procurations from them, that they were not able to give the King so much as one Subsidie; who could readily grant the Pope so many: At last, upon this condition, That the King should augment and confirme those Ecclesiasticall Priviledges they claymed, they granted him a Subsidie; and he thereupon gave the Answeres, to Articuli Cleri, and granted the Clergie to be free from Purveyances. After this, the Queene, with Edward the third, her Sonne, went into France, to make Peace betweene France and England; where, by the French Kings perswasions, being her Brother, she continued, refusing to returne againe into England: The King hereupon banisheth her and her Sonne; great Warres and stirres arise hereupon: divers of the Nobles, together with the Bishops of Lincolne, Hereford, Dublin, and Ely, side with the Queene, and levie a great summe of Money for her: The Arch-Bishop, though advanced meerely by the King, who highly favoured him, secretly joynes with the Queene against his Soveraigne, in his p. 57greatest necessi…ies, and sent the Queene both **See Holins…ed, p. 338, 339, 340, 341.monies and supplies secretly, yet keeping in with the King in outward shew, the better to betray him and his secrets. And Bishop Tarlton whom he had formerly rescued from his Arraignement, and reconciled to the King, became the chiefest stickler and Incendiary against his Soveraigne, and the Authour of his subsequent murther. The King what with warres and Papall exactions, was brought to such penurie, that he was forced to borrow 260. pounds even of the Popes Collectors of Peter-pence. The Queenes side and For…es at last prevailing against the King, who was glad to lurke in Wales like a fugitive, the Arch-Bishop openly revolts from him, and the King by his and other the Bishops meanes, being deposed in Parliament, Edward the third his Sonne was unanimously elected King by all the people. The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with all the Prelates (here all Arch-traytors) consented to the Election, and the Arch-Bishop taking this Theame, The voyce of the People is the voyce of God, made a speech to the people, exhorting them to pray to the King of Kings for the new Elected King; who out of his filiall duty refused upon any termes to accept the Crowne, without his Fathers consent: whereupon three Bishops, with others, were sent to the King to Kenelworth where he was imprisoned, to get his consent; which being implyedly obtained, the Arch-Bishop Crownes his Sonne King in his stead, at Westminster (the very height of Treason.) This Arch-Bishop much hindered the course of Prohibitions from the Kings Court to the Ecclesiasticall. At last hee was commanded by the Queene to consecrate one Iames Barkely Bishop of Exeter, which hee did, but for his labour was so threatned, taunted, and revi…ed by the Pope, who had reserved the Donation of this Bishopricke to himselfe, that for very griefe hee dyed.

Antiq Eccl…s. Brit. p. 236. to 258. God…in, p. 132. to 137. Walsing. p. 136. …s. 147. Fox Acts & Monuments, p. 349, 350, 409.Iohn Stra…ford, 2020JOHN STRATFORD.his very next successour, being made Bishop of Winchester by the Popes provision, against King Edward the seconds liking, who would have preferred Robert Baldocke his Chancellour to that See, had no sooner set sooting into this Bishopricke, but the King caused all his Goods to be seized, and his Livings to be sequestred to his p. 58use, besides, he caused him to be summoned to answer… to severall Actions, so as for feare hee was faine to hide himselfe: Whereupon Proclamation was made, that no man should dare to harbour or give him entertainement, by meate, drinke or lodging: At last, after much adoe, the Arch-Bishop made his peace, and brought him into favour with the King, who dying King Edward the third advanced him to the See of Canterbury. The King going into France with a great Armie, and laying claime to that Crowne, committed the Government of the Realme here at home to the Arch-Bishop. He, besides other promises of faithfull diligence in the trust committed to him, assured the King hee should want no money to expend in this exploit, whereunto all kindes of people shewed themselves so willing to yeeld what helpe they possibly might, as hee tooke …pon him to discerne, the King might command of them what hee li…t. No sooner was the King over Seas, but infinite summes of Money were collected with the very good liking of all the people: This Money which men thought would have maintained the Warres for two or three yeares, was spent in lesse than one. The King wanting Money, puts the Arch-Bishop in minde of his promise, calling continually on him for more Monies. The Arch-Bishop blames his Officers beyond the Seas for ill managing of his Treasure, advising him to make peace with the French upon reasonable conditions, sending him no more Money. The King grew exceeding angry with the Arch-Bishop for this Motion and usage, and his Souldiers calling for Mony, he told them that the Arch-Bishop had be…rayed him to the French King, who no doubt had hired him to detaine their pay in his hands; and to satisfie his Souldiers needes, was enforced to take up what Monies he could at hard rates from Usurers. And though some excuse the Arch-Bishop in this, yet Spe…d…, hist. l. 9. c. 12. Sect. 64, 65… p. 69…. Fox … Acts and Monum…nts p. 350.others thinke him guilty of practising against the Kings further good …ortunes in France; because Pope Benedict the Twelfth was displeased much therewith, as pretending it was pernicious to Christendome, and thereupon put Flanders under Interdict, for leaving the French King, and adhering to King Edward; and therefore the Arch-Bishop to please the Pope (whom hee obeyed p. 59more than the King) who had written a Le…er to the King and him, to desist from that Warre, thus thwa…ed the Kings de…ignes, by not sending him such supplies of Money as hee promised and in moving him to peace. **Antiq. Eccels. Brit. p. 239. H… linsh. p. 361.The King taking it very hainously to be thus dealt with, and that his brave beginnings and proceedings in France should bee thus crossed; hereupon steps suddenly over into England, and ca…s the Bishop of Chichester, then Lord Chancellour, and the Bishop of Li…h…eld, then Lord Treasurer, prisoners into the Tower, whither he intended to send the Arch-Bishop. But hee having some inkling of the Kings intention, got him to Canterbury, and there stood upon his guard, being accused by He…y Bishop of Lincolne, and Gregory Scrope then Lord chie…e Justice of England, of Trechery and Conspiracy with the French, and of High-treason, the whole blame, by the generall voyce of all men, lying on him: Sir Nicholas Cantilupus hereupon …ollowed him to Canterbury, with Iohn Fa…ingdon a publike Notary, who required him to make present payment of a great summe of Money which the King had taken up of out-landish Merchants upon the Arch-Bishops credit, or else to get him over Seas immediately, and yeeld his body prisoner to them till …he debt was discharged, for that the King upon his promise had undertaken hee should so doe. The Arch-bishop sayd, he could give no present answere, but would take time to advise thereof, writing divers Letters to the King, not to hearken to Flatterers, and those who defamed other mens action…, and to make choyse of better Counsellour…, and not to disturbe the peace at home, whiles he made wa…es abroad. After which hee called the Clergie and people into the Cathedrall Church of Canterbury, and made an Oration to them, taking Ecclesiasti…us 48.10. for his Theame, He feared not any Prince, neither …o…ld any bring him into subjection… no word could overcome …im, &c. In which Sermon, hee highly commended and approved Th…mas Becket Arch-Bishop of Canterb…ry, who ††I wish our present s…cular Prelates would observe this.with-drew himselfe wholly from all Secular Affaires, and betooke himselfe onelyonly to the Government of the Church, and blamed himselfe much, for that hee had left the care of the Church, and wholly, yea, dayly i…ployed himselfe in the managing the p. 60Kings affaires; for which he now received no other reward for his merits towards the King and Kingdome, but envie, and the danger of his head, promising with teares, that hereafter hee would be more diligent in the Government of the Church; Which Sermon ended, to keepe off all Royall violence from him, he published certaine Articles of Excommunication after the horrid Popish manner, with Tapers burning, and Bells ringing; In which ††An insolent act of a Trayterly Prelate.Articles hee Excommunicated all those who disturbed the peace of the King and Kingdome, all Lay-men who should lay violent hands on the Clergie, or invade their Lands, Houses, Goods, or violate the Liberties of the Church, or Magna Charta, or forge any crimes o… any one, but especially every one that should draw himselfe or any Bishop of his Province into the Kings hatred or displeasure, or should falsely say they were guilty of Treason, or worthy of any notable or capitall punishment. Having published these Articles in the Church of Canterbury, hee commanded the Bishop of London, and all the Suffragans of his Province, to proclaime them in their Churches and Diocesse: The King hearing of this strange insolencie, writes to the Bishop of London, acquaints him how trechero…sly the Arch-Bishop had dealt with him, and how by these Excommunications hee thought to shift off his calling to an account; and therefore commanded him not to publish them… Af…er which, the King sent Ralph Ea…le of Stafford with two Notaries to the Arch-bishop, to summon, him in the Kings Name without delay to appeare… before him, to consult with his other Nobles and Prelates concerning the affaires of England and France: The Bishop gave no other answere but this, That he would deliberate upon it… Soone after there came certaine Messengers from the Duke of Brabant, desiring to speake with the Arch-Bishop, who refusing to speake with them, they cited him by Writings, which they hanged on the High Crosse at Canterbury, to make payment of a great summe of Money which the King of England had borrowed of him. The King after this sends some Letters to the Prior and Covent of Canterbury, who shewing the Letters to the Arch-Bishop, he on Ash-Wednesday goes up into the Pulpit in the Cathedrall p. 61Church, and there calling the Clergie and people to him, spake much to them concerning his fidelity and integrity in the Kings businesse: after which hee commanded the Kings Letters to be read, and then answered all the Crimes and Calumnies (as he …earmed them) layd against him in those Letters, and putting his Answere, which he there uttered, into Writing, he published it throughout his whole Provinc…. The King hereupon makes a Reply to his Answere; shewing therein, how treacherously and unfaithfully the Bishop had dealt with him: how hee refused to come to his Answere, but in full Parliament; and would not appeare before him, upon generall Summons, though he offered him Safe-conduct, under his Great Seale: how hee undutifully rayled upon him and his Councell, in his Excommunication, Letters, and Answers, calling the King himselfe an Oppressour of his people, against Justice; and how he endeavoured by his strange practises, to stirre up the People to Sedition and Rebellion. Which Letters (at large recorded by **Ant. Eccles. …rit. p. 241. to 255. Walsing. p. 138. …s. 144. Fox Acts and Monuments, p. 339, 350, 351.Matthew Parker and others, with the Bishops Answeres to them) the King commanded to bee published every where. The Arch-Bishop thereupon publisheth a large Answere to them; in the beginning whereof he affirmes, the **Not… this proud in…olent Answere.Bishops Authority to be above the Kings: and therefore, that the Kings Highnesse ought to know, that hee ought to be judged by the Bishops, not they by him, nor yet to be directed at his pleasure. For who doubts, that the Priests of Christ ought to be accounted the Fa…hers and Masters of Kings, Princes, and all faithfull people? And therefore it would bee a strange madnesse, if the Sonne should endeavour to subje…t the Father, or the Scholar the Master, to their Censures. After which hee sheweth, That Popes and Bishops have excommunicated and judged divers Emperours and Kings, and therefore they ought not to judge Bishops; (by which kind of Logicke, Bishops and Clergie-men must be Judges of all other men, yea, of Kings and Emperours, but no men else Judges of them or their Actions…) concluding, That he had **So his present Successour and our other Prelates argued in Dr. Bast…ckes c…se.received no honour or advancement from the King, but onelyonly from God; and that he would give an account in no Court, and to no person, but i… Parliament. The King hereupon writes page missing p. 64his predecessours, who were wont to honour and love their Princes, and to make prayers and supplications for them, and to instruct them with the spirit of meekenesse, begins against us and our Counsellors in the spirit of pride, a thread of rash faction, and perverse invention, by prolonging his iniquity, and seeking the consolation of miserable men, namely, to have many Consorts in punishment; And which is worse, hee endeavours all hee may to precipi…ate into our …ontempt and irreverence with lying speeches his Suffragans in sinne, with other devout people, and our loyall Subjects. And albeit with God not the highest degree, but the best life is most approved, yet hee glorying in the altitude of his State, requires reverence to be given to him, which yet he renders not to us, though it be due from him to us. For whereas hee and other Prelates of this Kingdome, who receive the Temporalties of their Churches from us, out of the debt of sworne fidelity, ought to render us fealty, honour and reverence; …e alone, is not ashamed, Profide PERFIDIAM… to render us perfidiousnesse in stead of Loyalty, Contumely in stead of Honour, and Contempt in lieu of Reverence. Whereupon albeit wee are and alwayes have beene ready to reverence Spirituall Fathers us is mee…e; yet we ought not with conniving eyes to passe by their offences, which we behold to redound to the perill of VsUs and Our Kingdome. But the same Arch-Bishop complaines, that certaine crimes in our fore-sayd Letters of excuse were objected against him being absent, unheard, and undefended, and that he was judged guilty of capitall crimes; as if we, as he foolishly pretendeth, …ad proceeded against him criminally to the uttermost, which is not true, whereas we onelyonly acted the part of an excuse…, compelled by necessitie, lest we should seeme to neglect our Reputation. But let this calumnious Reprehender see if this complaint may not justly be retorted on his owne head, who falsely and maliciously with assertive words hath described VsUs his King, and our Counsellours, (being absent, unheard, undesended, not convicted) to be Oppressors and Transgressors of the Lawes; when as he is deservedly blame-worthy, who incurs the crime reprehended by himself, and condemnes himself in that, wherein he judgeth another, whiles himselfe is found guilty of the same, &c. But because it becomes us not to contest with a contentious man, nor to consent to his perversenesse, we firmely enjoyne and command you in the Faith and Love wherein you are obliged to us, that notwithstanding any Mandate of the Arch-Bishop himselfe, to which you ought not to p. 65yeeld obedience in derogation of our Royall honour against the Oath of Allegeance made unto us, that you proceede to the publishing of those things contained in our fore-sayd excusatory Letters according to their order: And because we are, and ought to bee principally carefull of the conservation of our Royall Rights and Prerogatives, which the worthily to be recognized Priority of our Progenitors, Kings of England, hath magnifically defended, and the sayd Arch-Bishop to stirre up the Clergie and people against us, and to hinder the Expedition of our Warre, which we have principally undertaken …y his Counsell, hath made, and by others caused to be made and published certaine Denunciations and Publications of sentences of Excommunications, and injurious Monitions, prejudiciall to the Right and Royall dignity of our Crowne, and by them endeavours in many Anticles to take from us the Iurisdiction notoriously knowne to be competent unto us, of which since we are an unconquered King, we are known to be capable, and which we and our Progenitors have peaceably used from old time, both with the knowledge and sufferance of the chiefe Pontifs, and of the Prelates and Clergie of our Kingdome, to the wounding of our Majestie, and the manifest derogation of our Rights and Prerogatives Royall: Wee strictly command you under the perill that shall ensue, that you doe not at the sayd Arch-Bishops command, or any others, in any sort by you or others, make, or as much as in you is, suffer to be made by others, these undue Denunciations, Publications, or Monitions, derogatory and prejudiciall to our Royall Rights, and Prerogatives, or any things else, whereby our Liege people may be stirred up against us, or the Expedition of our Warre by any way hindered, to the subver…ion of us and our Liege people, which God forbid: And if any thing hath beene attempted by you in this kinde, that you speedily revoke it. By which we see what a loyall Subject this Arch-Prelate was: Who to adde to his former contempts, **Fox Acts and Monuments, p. 409. Edit. 1610…being required by King Edward the third to come to him at Yorke, out of his obstinate disloyall humour would not appeare, by reason whereof, Scotland, the same time was lost;2121SIMON ISLIP. Yet was he suffered, though for this he deserved to lose his head.

The two next Arch-Bishops, Iohn Vfford, and Thomas Bradwardyn (swept away with the **Antiq. Eccles. Brit. p. 26….…6… Fox Acts and Monu…. p. Antiq. Eccles. Brit. p. …68. … 274.Plague within one yeares space before their instalments) had neither time nor opportunity to contest with their Soveraigne; But their next Successour Simon Islip, as he had gre…t con…ests with p. 66the Bishop of Lincolne about the University of Oxford, and with the Arch-Bishop of Yorke about Crosse bearing, which troubled the King and Kingdome much (of which more hereafter in a peculiar Treatise of our Prelates Schisms:) So he got a grant from the Pope to receive a Subsidie of all the Clergie of his Diocesse (to wit, foure pence out of every Mark) to defray his Archie piscopall charges… under pretext of which by misinterpreting the Popes Bulls, hee exacted from them a whole Tenth. He endeavoured to exempt Clerkes from Temporall Jurisdiction and Courts in cases of Felony; which being obtained, divers Clerkes abused their Priviledges, committed many hainous crimes, so as the Bishops at the Kings and Nobles earnest request, were enforced to make a strict Decree for their future punishment and restraint. Besides, he accompanyed Thomas Lile Bishop of Ely to the Barre, where he was arraigned and found guilty of Murther, yet admitted his appeale to purge himselfe before him as his Metropolitane after the Jury had found him guilty, in affront of Law and Justice: After which, Ely breaking prison, fled to Rome, caused the Kings Judges to be Excommunicated, together with their servants, and their Lands to be Interdicted; and such of them as dyed Excommunicated, he caused to be unburied, and to be digged out of their Graves in Church-yards, and cast into Mires; which caused great stirres in England. At last this Arch-Bishop riding to Magfield, fell into a Mire himselfe with his horse; in which fall, the horse striving to recover himselfe, he was plunged over head and eares and drenched in the Myre; and comming all wet into Magfield, fell into a sleepe before his clothes were put off, and so into a Palsey, and there dyed. A just punishment for his cruelty to the dead Corps o… those Excommunicate persons. In his time there was a great mortalitie, especially among Clergie-men, 7… Bishops dying in one yeare, Anno 1345. and 2. the next.