Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Document 22 – Document 27
GAlfridus filius Petri Comes Eſſex, Univerſis Vicecomitibus Balliae ſuae, ſalutem▪ Sciatis quod dominus Rex Angliae ad inſtantiam, & praedicationem cujuſdam Cardinalis a ſummo Pontifice miſſi in Franciam, de conſilio Magnatum ſuorum de partibus tranſmarinis conceſſit, ad ſanctae Ieruſalem ſubſidium, quadrageſſimam partem valoris omnium redituum, et terrarum ſuarum unius Anni, tam de Wardis, quam de Excaetis in manu ſua exiſtentibus. Quod etiam ipſi Magnates ſui ultra mare voluntarie conceſſerunt; Ad eorum etiam inſtantiam ſcripſit Dominus Rex omnibus Angliae Magnatibus per literas patentes, rogans et inducens eos, quatenus puro Corde et Charitatis intuitu, idem illud de valore omnium reddituum et terrarum ſuarum unius Anni concederent, *Note this memorable clauſe▪quod quidem nec de debito, nec de conſuetudine, nec de coactione, nec de aliqua alia Authoritate Apoſtolica conceditur vel poſtulatur. Unde precepit quod omnes Comites et Barones de qualibet Ballia in primis admoneantur, inducantur diligenter, quatenus pro ſe hanc collectam faciant in terris ſuis hoc modo, ſcilicet ut quilibet quadrageſimam partem valoris cujuſlibet Villae ſuae, ſicut poſſet poni ad firmam per annum. Et ſi in eadem Villa fuerint per ſervitium militare tenentes, dent quadrageſimam portionem modo praedicto; ſi autem fuerint libere tenentes, ſimilirer dent eandem portionem modo praedicto, computato reditu quem Dominis ſuis ſolverint per annum. Hanc autem collectam, colligi faciant per tam diſcretos, & legales qui ad hoc poſſint & ſciant ſufficere, qui eam recipiant tam de Comitibus, quam de Baronibus praedictis. Et poſtquam per manus eorum, fuerit collecta, receptores predictae collectae faciant in ſcriptum redigi diſtincte & aperte, quantum de quolibet receperint tam de Comitibus quam de Baronibus & Militibus, & libere tenentibus, & nomina ſingulorum, & Villarum, quantumcun que de ſingulis Villis & quorum quaelibet ſit, imbreviari faciant. Summam autem de Dominicis, & de Wardis, & excaeris, & redditibus Domini Regis faciant ſeparatim imbreviari. Si quis vero Clericus Laicum Feodum habuerit in Ballia aliqua, vel homines tenentes Laicum Feodum in eorum terris, fiat haec collecta per praedictos collectores modo praedicto. De terris autem Cruce ſignatorum praedicta Collecta fiat modo praedicto; Ita tamen quod eorum pecunia ſeperatim reponetur ab alia, & ſumma pecuniae, & nomina ſingulorum, quorum ipſa pecunia fuerit ſubſcribantur, ut illi, qui iter arripuerint pecuniam ſuam prompte recipiant. Provideatur autem quod pecunia illa ſit collecta; ita quod unuſquiſque Vicecomes ſimul cum Collectoribus habeat eam apud Novum Templum Londoniae a die S. Hillarii in quindecim Dies, & imbreviamentum modo predicto ordinatum. Viz de ſumma pecuniae & nominibus eorum qui eam deberint, & nominibus Villarum, de quibus data fuerit pecunia praedicta, & quantum de qualibet datum fuerit. Si qui autem contradixerint huic collectae aſſenſum praebere, nomina eorum imbrevientur, et coram nobis repreſententur, apud Lundonium, ad terminum praedictum, & hoc breve, & nomina collectorum ibidem habeantur. Valete.
This therefore was but a voluntary precarious Almes and Collection, left arbitrary by the Pope to the King, who by adviſe of his Nobles and Barons beyond Seas, reduced it to a certainty, and recommended it to the Nobles and Barons of England by way of intreaty, with directions how to levy it in the proportion he had fixed on, as a thing not granted, nor required by the King out of debt, duty or cuſtome, or by any Apoſtolical authority, but meerly as a voluntary Almes and Benevolence, which other Nobles beyond Sea had voluntarily granted, and the King at their requeſt did by his Letters Patents intreat the Engliſh Nobles and Barons out of meer charity to imitate. So as this is a moſt pregnant evidence againſt the Popes pretended Juriſdiction to impoſe any ſuch Tax upon King, Clergy, or Subjects, (as ſome Popes and Pontificians would thence inferr) from this Uſurping Popes Letters, whoſe Agent embezelled much of this coyn for the Popes own private Coffers, as our Hiſtorians obſerve. Indeed this Pope by his ſpecial *Hoveden Annal. pars poſterior, p. 819, 820.Letter to all the Archbiſhops and Biſhops of England, commanded them to admoniſh all thoſe who had formerly taken the Croſſe upon them, and afterwards laid it down, to reſume it, and repair forthwith to the Earl of Flanders, notwithſtanding any Papal Diſpenſation fraudulently obtained to the contrary from his Predeceſſors, or elſe after admonition given them, publikely to excommunicate them by name (if known) on every Lords day and Holy day, with Bell, Book, and Candle, and likewiſe to interdict them, without admitting any appeal, and to ſeclude them from all Divine Offices whereſoever they came. But that any Archbiſhop or Biſhop put this Antichriſtian ſevere command of his in execution, I find not in our Hiſtorians, who barely recite it, and the premiſes prove it was never put in execution.
In the fourth year of King John, ſome Iriſh Biſhops and Archdeacons, SuffragansAn. Dom. 1202 to the Archbiſhop of Dublin, endeavoured without this Kings precedent licenſe and aſſent, to elect an Archbiſhop, and get him confirmed at Rome by the Pope, againſt the Kings right and dignity: Whereupon he entred this Appeal againſt them before himſelf, to preſerve his right and dignity therein.
VEnerabili Patri in Chriſto J. Dei gratia titulo Sancti Stephani, in Caelio monte, Pat. 4. Johan. Regis, m. 10.Presbytero Cardinali, & Apoſtolicae ſedis legato J. eadem gratia, &c. Et debitam reverentiam. Cum accepiſſemus Clocharen. & Cloanen. & Cenanen. Ardacen. Epiſcopos & Archidiaconum Ardmac. & quoſdam Alios velle manifeſte operari contra ius et dignitatem noſtram ſuper Eccleſia Ardmacana, Appellavimus. Et ne ab illis vel ab aliis ſuper praefata Eccleſia contra jus, et dignitatem noſtrum aliquid ſtatuatur, Appellationem illam coram nobis per has literas noſtras Patentes, & per nuncios noſtros innovamus. Teſte meipſo apud Cenom. decimo quinto die Auguſti.
Theſe Suffragans proceeding to elect an Archbiſhop without the King, contrary to his Inhibition and Appeal, he going to Rome to get approbation, conſecration, and poſſeſſion of it by the Popes authority, the King thereupon the next year iſſued out Writs to all his Suffragans and Subjects within the Archbiſhoprick, commanding them to make the like Appeal againſt him as he had done, as one that acted againſt the rights and dignity of his Crown, and was his Enemy, and by no means to receive him for their Archbiſhop upon his return into Ireland.
REX, &c. Suffraganeis ſedis Armacanae, &c. Propoſitum eſt nobis quod Eug. Pat. 5. Johan. Regis, m. 10. n. 21.dictus electus Armacanae Eccleſiae contra aſſenſum noſtrum et poſt appellationem noſtram ad Dominum Papam, a nobis interpoſitam Romam profectus eſt, ut in Archiepiſcopum Armacanum contra dignitatem noſtram promoveatur. Et quia manifeſtum eſt, ipſum E. ſicut inimicum noſtrum contra dignitatem noſtram operari. Vobis mandamus quatinus cum appellaverimus & appellationem noſtram per has literas noſtras Patentes & per latorem praeſentium adhuc innovemus una Nobiſcum pro ſtatu Eccleſiae veſtrae, et dignitate noſtra appelletis, ſicut nos et honorem noſtrum diligitis. Et ſi dictus electus in terram noſtram Hyberniae redierit, nullatenus eum in Archiepiſcopum recipiatis. Teſte meipſo apud Rothomagum, Viceſimo ſecundo die Maii.
Sub eadem forma ſcribitur omnibus fidelibus in Archiepiſcopatu Armacan. conſtitutis.
Pope Innocent being ſo vigilantly and ſtrenuouſly oppoſed by King Johns Patents and Prohibitions, in this buſineſs of conferring the Archbiſhopricks of St. Davids and Ardmagh, on perſons elected without his conſent, by his own Papal Conſecrations of them, and Proviſions to them, contrived how to uſher in Proviſions by degrees, without any obſervation; to which purpoſe he imployed the Archbiſhop of Raguſium, whom he diſcharged from that Church for fear of death, to move King John to beſtow a Biſhoprick and other Benefices on him in England▪ to relieve his neceſſities and ſupport his dignity; whereupon the King out of his Royal bounty beſtowed the Biſhoprick of Karliol, and the Archbiſhop of York the Church of Meleburn upon him. The Pope being informed thereof, ſent a Letter to King John, wherein he took upon him by his Apoſtolical Sees benignity, to grant this Biſhoprick and Benefice to him, to ſupply his wants; admoniſhing and exhorting the King at his Pontifical requeſt, to confirm this Biſhoprick on him, which the King accordingly did at his Petition by this Patent, reciting the Popes Letter.
REX, &c. Venerabili Patri in Chriſto, & Fratri Chariſſimo J. Dei gratia Eborum Pat. 5. Johan. Regis, m. 4. n. 11.Archiepiſcopo, J. eadem gratia Rex Angliae, Dominus Hyberniae, Dux Norm. Aquitan. Comes Andeg. ſalutem. Literas Domini Papae ſuſcepimus in haec verba▪
INNOCENTIƲS Epiſcopus Servus Servorum Dei, Dilecto filio Johanni, Illuſtri Regi Angliae, ſalutem & Apoſtolicam Benedictionem. Ad ſupplicationem inſtantem Venerabilis Fratris noſtri Raguſini Archiepiſcopi, eum a Cura, & ſollicitudine qua tenebatur Eccleſiae Raguſinae duximus abſolvendum, eo videlicet quod ibi non poterat ſecure morari, & ſi acceſſum haberet ad illam mortis ſibi periculum imminebat. Ne vero idem Archiepiſcopus in vituperium Miniſterii noſtri defectum in temporalibus paciatur, Epiſcopatum Karliolenſem, et Eccleſiam de Meleburne, cum omnibus pertinentiis eorum de munificentia ac liberalitate tua, ac conceſſione Venerabilis fratris noſtri Eborum Archiepiſcopi ei benigne collatis, de ſedis Apoſtolicae benignitate concedimus ad ipſius indigentiam ſublevandam: Serenitatem Regiam monentes attentius et hortantes, quatenus eundem Archiepiſcopum noſtrarum praecum optentu, ſic officialii pontificalis intuitu recommendatum velis habere, ejus neceſſitati compatiens & ipſius ſubveniens paupertati, & dona praeſentia per illuſtrem munificentiam ſic reddens ampliora, ut per hoc Regi Regum, qui Sacerdos in aeternum videaris obſequium exhibere, cum illud quod Miniſtris ejus impenditur ſibi proteſtatur impendi. Datum Ferentin. Idus Maii. Pontificatus noſtri Anno ſexto. Nos autem juxta petitionem Domini Papae praeſcriptam ipſi Archiepiſcopo Raguſin. praedictum Epiſcopatum Karleolenſem de munificentia et libertate Regia (not by the Popes Authority or Proviſion) ei conceſſimus, mandantes vobis quatenus ei tanquam Paſtori et Epiſcopo noſtro in omnibus intendatis. Teſte Domino Cantuarienſi Archiepiſcopo, apud Merleb. Decimo die Januarii.
Sub eadem forma ſcribitur Abbatibus, Prioribus, Archidiaconis, & omnibus Clericis Epiſcopatus Karliolenſis.
The ſame year there being many conteſts between the Dean and Canons, and Geoffry Archbiſhop of York, who by his Archiepiſcopal Authority and violence, did much oppreſſe them; the King upon their complaint, by his Royal Authority, and Letters Patents granted them this protection againſt him and his Inſtruments, for the Churches peace.
REX, &c. Omnibus, &c. Sciatis nos ſuſcepiſſe in pacem, cuſtodiam, & protectionemPat. 5. Johan. Regis, m. 2. intus. noſtram Decanum & Canonicos Sancti Petri Ebor. & omnes homines, res, redditus & poſſeſſiones eorum. Et ideo vobis mandamus & firmiter praecipimus quod praedictos Decanum & Canonicos, & omnes homines, terras, res, redditus & poſſeſſiones eorum manu-teneatis, cuſtodiatis, & protegatis, & defendatis ſicut noſtra dominica: & Prohibemus ne praedicti Decanus & Canonici ponantur in placitum de aliquo quod in pace tenuerint tempore Regis H. Patris noſtri, vel Regis Richardi fratris noſtri, vel tempore noſtro, quamdiu controverſia duraverit inter Archiepiſcopum Eborac. et ipſos: Etſi Archiepiſcopus Eborac. vel aliquis Clericus, vel Laicus, praedictis Decano et Canonicis, vel Clericis, vel hominibus ſuis, in aliquo fortiam aliquam intulerit, vel eos in aliquo moleſtaverit: Praecipimus quod fortiam illam ſtatim facias amoveri, et id quod eis forisfactum fuerit, ſine dilatione emendari: Et corpora armatorum qui inventi fuerint, in rebus vel redditibus eorum qui fortiam aliquam eis fecerunt ſine dilatione capiatis, nec dimmitatis ſine mandato noſtro, vel Capitalis Iuſticiarii noſtri. Teſte G. filio Petri, &c. Willielmo Briggner, Hugone de Nevill, apud Eboracum, Anno Regni noſtri quinto.
This year *Mat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. 1204. p. 204. Mat. Weſtm. p. 81. Godwin in his Life, p. 173.Godfrid Biſhop of Wincheſter deceaſing, Petrus de Rupibus, a Knight and great Souldier, vir equeſtris ordinis & in rebus bellicis eruditus, Procurante Rege Johanne, ad Epiſcopatum electus, ſucceeded him, who going to Rome, Ʋbi magnis Zeniis liberaliter collatis, ad Eccleſiam Wintonienſem, maturavit Epiſcopus conſecrari, write Matthew Paris, and Matthew Weſtminſter.
In the 6. year of King John, the Biſhop, Dean and Chapter of Durham, the DeanAnno Domini 1205. and Chapter of York, with ſundry other Deans and Chapters, Abbots and Priors, within the Province of York, to prevent the unjuſt arbitrary Excommunications, Suſpenſions, and Interdicts of Geoffry Archbiſhop of York, againſt their own Perſons, Tenants, Lands, and Poſſeſſions, by reaſon of ſome differences between them concerning their Juriſdictions and Eccleſiaſtical Priviledges, which they complained the Archbiſhop invaded, appearing before the King at York, did there in the Kings own preſence appeal him before the Apoſtolick See, prefixing a certain day, to which the King by theſe Letters Patents gave his Royal teſtimony and aſſent, they not daring to appeal without his licenſe.