Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3
THE SECOND TOME, AND THIRD BOOKE.
The Prologue.
I Am now (through Divine aſſiſtance) arrived at the Second TOME, and Principally intended part of An Exact Chronological and Hiſtorical Demonſtration of our Britiſh, Roman, Saxon, Daniſh, Norman, Engliſh Kings Supream Eccleſiaſtical Iuriſdiction over all Prelates, Perſons, Cauſes, within their Kingdomes, and the Popes and Popiſh Prelates intollerable Uſurpations on, Oppoſitions againſt the ſame: beginning with the Tempeſtuous Reign of our Unfortunate King John, when the Antienteſt Charter, Clauſe, Fine, Liberate, Patent, and other Rolls, yet extant in the Treaſury of the Tower of London, begin: the Jawes of All-devouring Time having totally conſumed all precedent Rolls of this nature, during his Predeceſſors Regins, except ſome Antient Charters, and other Fragments of Records never reduced into Rolls.
In this Kings Reign we meet with the Higheſt Attempts▪ the moſt Audacious Dangerous Conſpiracies, and Treaſonable Ʋſurpations, ever formerly made, not only upon the juſt antient Rights, Priviledges, Prerogatives of the Crown, but alſo upon this King and his Kingdoms of England and Ireland themſelves, occaſioned by the Treacheries, Rebellions of ſome of his diſloyal Popiſh Prelates at home, (inſtigating the Barons to take up Arms againſt Him;) and by the Unchriſtian Practiſes, Tyranny of Pope Innocent the III. combining with thoſe perfidious Biſhops, who perſwaded him to Interdict the whole Kingdom, Excommunicate King John himſelf for ſundry years, and at laſt to deprive him of his Crown, Kingdomes, and give them to the King of France; yea injoyning, exciting him, and other foreign Enemies, to raiſe puiſſant forces by Land and Sea, to deprive him and his Poſterity of the Crown and Realms of England and Ireland by open force. The Claſhes betwixt the Papal Croſier and Royal Scepter during his reign (ariſing from ſmall beginnings) and the conteſts between Him, Stephen Langeton Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and the Biſhops, Barons confederating with him, farre exceeding thoſe of King Henry the I. and II. with Archbiſhop A…ſelm, and Becket, his trayterous predeceſſors, (canonized for their Treaſons,) and producing the ſadd…ſt Tragedies ever acted in any Age on the Theatre of our other Little World; Which though reſolutely, and gallantly reſiſted, encountred by King John, with great Regal Magnanimity, Courage, P…udence, and good ſucceſs for ſundry years at firſt; yet at laſt through the Terrours of the Popes long-continued Interdicts, Excommunications, Abjudication of him from his Crown, Kingdoms, the formidable Forces of his Foreign Enemies ready to invade, ſeiſe upon Him, and them; the Treachery of many of his own Biſhops, Clergy, Nobility, Subjects, (all abſolved from their Allegiance to him by this nocent Pope Innocent) on whoſe cordial aſſiſtance he could not ſafely rely; but principally through the panni…k Fears, Terrours, wrought in his mind by the prophecies of Peter the Hermit, forged Letters, and the unceſſant intoxicating Sollicitations of Pandulpbus the Popes Legate, repreſenting all theſe Dangers to his ſad melancholly Thoughts in their blackeſt colours; perſwading him there was no other poſsible means left to preſerve his Life, Crown, Kingdoms, ward off the impendent Dangers diſperſe the Tempestuous Clouds then hanging over him, or to ſave his Immortal Soul, but by making his peace with God, and taking Sanctuary in Pope Innocents boſom, by caſting Himſelf down at his Papal feet, and reſigning his Crown, Kingdoms of England and Ireland into his hands, to protect, diſpoſe of as his Own; was thereupon in concluſion (though with much reluctancy) induced to reſigne them by a deteſtable Charter into this Popes Legates hands, to his uſe, to become the Popes feudatory under an Annual Rent; yea to do Homage, ſwear Fealty to him and his ſucceſſors, as their Vaſſal, to his perpetual Infamy; as likewiſe to part with other Chief Flowers of his Royal Eccleſiastical Prerogative, and Juriſdiction over his perfidious Uſurping Popiſh Biſhops, to his own and his Succeſſors grand prejudice. Which encouraged ſucceeding Popes, Prelates upon every oportunity to make many new ſucceſsive dangerous bold Incroachments upon the Prerogatives, Rights, Priviledges of our Kings, their Subjects Liberties, Properties, to their Intollerable Grievance; till at laſt they were neceſſitated by degrees to ſhake off their unſupportable Papal yoaks, and Uſurpations.
I ſhall begin with ſome Hiſtories and Records in the firſt Year of King Johns Reign, evidencing the Supream Eccleſiastical Juriſdiction both claimed and exerciſed by him in and over all Perſons, Cauſes within his Realms; with his vigilant care, induſtry to preſerve the ſame againſt Foreign Papal, Domeſtick Epiſcopal and Monaſtical Uſurpations, upon ſeveral emergent occaſions: proceeding in a Chronological Method, except only where the Series of the Hiſtory, (to make it compleat and more intelligible) or ſome other juſt occaſion, ſhall neceſſitate me to reſort to Subſequent Years and Records, before their juſt order of Time.