Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Document 1 – Document 7
JOhannes Dei gratia rex Angliae, dominus Hiberniae, &c. Sciatis Moniales deCartae An. 1. Johannis Reg. nu. 103. Cartae Antiquae lit. B. nu. 8. Monaſticon Anglicanum Vol. 1. p. 191. Vol. 2. p. 868. Ambresburia, circiter xxx. propter vitae ſuae turpiditudinem, & ordinis ſui diſſolutionem, & infamiam quae divulgabatur publicè, mandato domini papae Alexandri, voluntate etiam domini regis Henerici patris noſtri, conſilio quoque & prudentia Richardi Cantuarienſis archiepiſcopi, apoſtolicae ſedis legati, & Joſelini, Sarum, & Bartholomei, Exonienſis, & Rogeri Wigornenſis, & G. Londonenſis, & aliorum plurimorum Epiſcoporum, & Magnatum, & Baronum noſtrorum, a monaſterio ſuo fuiſſe amotas, & in aliis monaſteriis collocatas, & moniales de ordine Fontis Ebrardi ibidem, ad ſerviendum Deo introductas. Quamobrem concedimus, & preſenti cartâ confirmamus, ordini & religioni Fontis Ebrardi, pro ſalute animae regis Henerici patris mei, & religionis honeſtate, pro ſalute noſtra, & omnium anteceſſorum noſtrorum, donationem quam dominus rex Henricus, pater noſter, fecit eccleſiae prefatae Fontis Ebrardi, ſcilicet, eccleſiam ſanctae Mariae, & ſancti Melori de Ambresbery, cum omnibus rebus quae ad eam pertinent, tam in eccleſiaſticis quam in mundanis poſſeſſionibus, ut ordo & inſtituta eccleſiae Fontis Ebrardi ibidem quiete conſerventur, & conventus monialium multo major quam fuerat, ſub cuſtodia Prioriſſae, ſecundum ordinem praefatae eccleſiae Deo famuletur. Hanc eccleſiam, cum▪ omnibus rebus quae ad eam pertinent, & omnes poſſeſſiones Fontis Ebrardi, ſciatis nos velle manutenere, & defendere, & liberas & quietas eſſe ab omni ſeculari ſervitio & exactione, & gravamine, & accepiſſe in manu noſtra & defenſione, & protectione contra omnes homines ſicut propriam noſtram & domini regis Henerici, patris noſtri, & anteceſſorum noſtrorum elemoſinam, &c. (with ſundry other Lands)
Quare volumus & firmiter praecipimus quod praedictae moniales, & earum miniſtri, & ſervientes, omnes poſſeſſiones ſuas, & elemoſinas habeant; & teneant, cum ſacha & ſocha, & Tol & Theam, & Infangenethef & Utfangenethef, & cum omnibus libertatibus, & liberis conſuetudinibus, & quietantiis ſuis in boſco, & plano, in paſcuis, & pratis, & paſturis, in aquis & molendinis, in viis & ſemitis, in ſtagnis & vivariis, in mariſcis & piſcariis, in grangiis & vergultis, infra burgum & extra, & in omnibus rebus, ſolutas, liberas, & quietas, de ſiris & hundredis, de placitis & querelis, & de pecunia pro murdris & latrociniis, & de Hamſcka & de Forſtall & de Wapentake, & Hidagiis, Geldis, Denegeldis, Hornegeldis, Fornageldis, & aſſartis factis ante confirmationem domini Regis patris noſtri factam, anno ſcilicet incarnationis Domini MCLXXIX. & de aſſiſis, & donis, & Scotis, & auxiliis, & operationibus caſtellorum, domorum, wallorum, parcorum, vivariorum, pontium, foſſarum, & flegwita, & hengewita, & flemanfremtha, & ſummagio, & warpeni, & averpeni, & Theingpeny, & hunderedeſpeni, & de Miſchening, & blodewite, & …ithwite. Et ſint in perpetuum quietae pertotam terram noſtram, citra mare, & ultra mare, tam per terram, quam per aquam de theoloneo, & paſſagio, & pontagio, & tallagio, leſtagio, ſtallagio, & de omni conſuetudine & omnibus occaſionibus quae ad nos, vel ad haeredes noſtros, vel ſucceſſores noſtros pertinent vel pertinere poſſunt, excepta ſola juſtitia mortis & membrorum. Prohibemus etiam regia authoritate a Deo nobis conceſſa, ne aliquis hominum, ſive miniſter noſter, ſive alius, in tota terra noſtra prae…ato monaſterio, vel ullis rebus ad ipſum pertinentibus, moleſtiam ſive in juriam, ſive contumeliam inferat, nec res, vel jura ſua, nec nativos, vel fugitivos ſuos, vel catalla earum, pro conſuetudine aliqua, vel ſervitio aut exactione pro aliqua cauſa diſturbet de rebus ſuis, quas homines earum affidare poterunt ſuas eſſe proprias; nec de aliqua poſſeſſione ſua in placitum ponatur niſi in praeſentia noſtra, vel haeredum noſtrorum, ſicut carta domini regis Henrici patris noſtri, & regis Richardi fratris noſtri teſtantur. Teſtibus Willeilmo comite Arundelliae, R. comite Leicestriae, W. de Stagno, B. camerario, W. de Clapam, W. de Cantilupo, R. de Wanci, W. de Ewla. R. de Montebegun. Dat-per manus Huberti Cantuarienſis archiepiſcopi, cancellarii noſtri, xxx. die Auguſti apud Rupem Andel. Anno regni noſtri primo.
This Patent of King John is recited and confirmed by an Inſpeximus, Pat. 22. H. 6. pars 1. m. 14. wherein I ſhall deſire all Romiſh Votaries to conſider, the notorious incontinency of theſe profeſſed Virgin-Nuns in this age, no leſſe then 30. of them in one Abby were notoriouſly defamed, condemned, thruſt out of their Abby, and ſent Priſoners to other Houſes by Pope Alexander the third his direction, King Henry the ſecond, the Archbiſhop and Biſhops, his Nobles and Barons joynt aſſents, ratified by, and related in 3. Charters, under the Great Seal of England, in three Kings Reigns, (Henry 2. King John, and Henry 6.) as well as related by Roger de Hoveden, therefore no fiction, but an undoubted truth; for which the King, Biſhops, and moſt of his Peers gave their judgement againſt them: (as King (gGualt. Mapes & Cambdens Britania in Gloſterſhire, Berkley Caſtle) Edward the Confeſſor formerly did in a like caſe, againſt the Abbeſſe and Nuns of Berkley) Neither were or are the Nunneries and Nuns in foreign parts more chaſte then theſe were, as (hDe Corrupto Eccleſiae ſtatu, c. 23. De imimpudita vita & converſatione Monialum; quae fuerant ex Monaſteriis Proſtituta, & ex puella velata, Scortum publilicum, Lugdun. 1613. p. 22.) Nicholaus de Clemangiis (Archdeacon of Baion Anno Dom. 1417.) atteſts in theſe words. Reſtant nunc ſolae Moniales: De his autem plura dicere verecundia prohibet, ne non de caetu Virginum, ſed magis de Lupanaribus, de dolis & proca…a Meretricum, de ſtupris & inceſtuoſis operibus dandum ſermonem, prolixe trahamus. Nam quid obſercro aliud ſunt hoc tempore puellarum Monaſteria, niſi quedam, non dico Dei Sanctuaria, ſed veneris execranda proſtibula? Sed laſcivorum et impudicorum juvenum ad libidines explendas receptacula, ut idem hodie ſit puellam velare, quod et publice ad ſcortandum exponere. The like is affirmed, atteſted by (iOnus Eccleſiae, cap. 21, 22, 23.) Epiſcopus Chemnenſis, (kDe Vanitate Scientiarum, c. 63.) Cornelius Agrippa, (lDe Continentia, l. 4. c. 11. l. 5. c. 7, 8. l. 6. c. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. See my Hiſtriomaſtix, p. 214, 445, 880, 881 882.) Claudius Eſpencaeus, (mDe Planctu Eccleſiae, l. 2. Artic. 3. & 28) Alvarus Pelagius, with ſundry other Romaniſts, as well as by our learned John Bale, Biſhop of Oſſery, for England, in his Acts of Engliſh Votaries. But of this enough.
The ſame firſt year of his Reign, the Abbot of Weſtminſter dying, the Monks by King Iohns licenſe elected Ralph Arundel, Prior of Harle, for their Abbot; after which electioni facto, Dominus Rex qui praeſens aderat aſſenſum praebuit: Whereupon hen Radulphus de Diceto, Ymagines Hiſtor. col. 708. was conſecrated Abbot; No Biſhops, Abbots, Priors, or other Eccleſiaſtical perſons being elected to any Dignities, but by the Kings previous licenſe, and ſubſequent aſſent to the perſon elected, who might approve or reject him at his Royal pleaſure.
In the ſecond year of his Reign, the Dean and Chapter of Lexoven, within thisAnno Dom. 1200. Kings Hereditary Dominions in France, preſuming to elect a Biſhop without his conſent, he ſent this memorable Prohibition to them, to preſerve this antient right of the Crown, deſcended to him from his Anceſtors.
JOhannes Rex, &c. W. Decano & Capitulo Lexovi, Satis novit diſcretio veſtraCartae 2 Johannis Regis, m. 19. dorſo. quid juris & dignitatis anteceſſores noſtri & Nos ſimiliter in ordinandis Eccleſiis Cathedralibus vacantibus in poteſtate noſtra conſtitutis huc uſque optinuimus, & quod praedictis Eccleſiis cum eis vacare contigerit, non niſi de voluntate et aſſenſu noſtro poteſt nec debet in Paſtoribus provideri. Verum cum jam Lexov. vacet Eccleſia & illius ordinatio de noſtro velut de ſui Principis ex antiqua conſuetudine & ratione multiplici voluntate pendeat & aſſenſu, volentes jus ſuum in omnibus conſervare illaeſum, ne quid per aliquorum malitiam in hac parte de iure noſtro depereat, aut quicquam in praeiudicium iuris noſtri et deſpendium dignitatis noſtrae ab aliquo ſtatuatur; ad Dominum Papam ſolemniter appellavimus, & per praeſentes literas, & earum latores Appellationem illam innovamus. Mandantes vobis et firmiter prohibentes, ne aliquatinus in Paſtorem Eccleſiae veſtrae aliquem, niſi de voluntate et aſſenſu noſtro eligere praeſumatis, quod Nos nullo modo poſſe fieri permitteremus. Verum cum Clerici & fideles noſtri ſitis, vobis mandamus quatinus ſic iuris et dignitatis noſtrae indempnitati proſpiciatis, ſicut volueritis, quod juri & Dignitati Eccleſiae veſtrae proſpiciamus, ad quod Deo teſte ſalvo iure noſtro promptam & pronam gerimus voluntatem. Teſte G. Filio Petri, &c. apud Nottingham, decimo octavo die Novembris.
This Kings appeal to the Pope, mentioned in this Prohibition, was not to make him Judge of his Right, but meerly to preſerve it from the Popes and others invaſions on it, by any clandeſtine machinations, or extraordinary means that might be uſed to interrupt or defraud him of it.
The ſame year this King by his Charter commanded all Clerks then impriſoned for offences throughout England, to be delivered to Hubert Archbp. of Canterbury, upon his demand of them; the original ground and warrant (as I apprehend) of all Biſhops demanding Clerks, impriſoned, arraigned for Felony, and criminal offences, to be delivered to them, to make their Purgations; before which Charter they had no power to demand, nor others to deliver them to their Ordinaries, when demanded as their Clerks. A pregnant evidence of the Kings Supremacy over all Eccleſiaſtical perſons, Clerks.
REX &c. Omnibus &c. Sciatis nos conceſſiſſe venerabili Patri noſtro, H. Cantuarienſi Cartae 2 Johannis Regis m. 33. dorſo.Archiepiſcopo, Cuſtodiam omnium Clericorum Captivorum pro quocunque forisfacto fuerint capti vel detenti, unde vobis firmiter precipimus quod eidem Archiepiſcopo reddatis omnes Clericos quos in cuſtodia veſtra habeatis ſi quos in cuſtodia habebitis, vel quos vos pro aliquo forisfacto quodcum que ſit contigerit habere. Et prohibemus ne quis aliquem Clericum pro quocunque forisfacto detinere praeſumat poſtquam praefatus Archiepiſcopus ipſum requiſiverit. Teſte Willielmo Mareſc. apud Argentem, ſexto die Junii.
This King as Supream Patron of the Biſhoprick of Norwch, granted the Biſhop this memorable Charter to recover all Lands and Tenements thereto belonging, unjuſtly alienated by his Predeceſſors.
REX Juſticiariis, Vicecomitibus & omnibus Ballivis & Miniſtris ſuis, ſalutem:Chartae Anno 2. Johannis Regis memb. 27. Dorſo. Sciatis Nos conceſſiſſe Venerabili Patri noſtro in Chriſto J. Norwicenſi Epiſcopo, quod omnes Terras, Tenementa, & Poſſeſsiones, tempore praedeceſſorum ſuorum ab Eccleſia ſua injuſte alienatas, juſte poſsit revocare. Et ſi in illis revocandis conſilio Curiae noſtrae indiguerit: Volumus & concedimus quod idem Epiſcopus, ſi voluerit Curiam ſuam in Curia noſtra ponat, ut loquelae ſuae quas ibi poſuerit, per Judicium Curiae noſtrae & conſuetudinem Regni terminenter. Teſte W. Briwer. apud Eſſeleg. decimo quarto die Octobris.
In the ſecond year of his Reign, Ieoffery Plantaginet, Archbiſhop of York, a Hoveden Annal. pars poſterior. p. 811, 817. Mat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 1…6. 157. 194. Holinſh p. 143, 147, 163, 170. Godwin in his Life, p. 517, 518.King Iohns baſe Brother, oppoſed, obſtructed the levying of Carvage, (demanded and granted to the King by common conſent, paid by all others) on the demeſne Lands of his Church or Tenants, beating the Sheriff of Yorks Servants, excommunicating the Sheriff himſelf by name, with all his Ayders, and interdicted his whole Province of York for attempting to levy it; Whereupon the King, much incenſed for theſe intollerable affronts, ſummoned him to anſwer theſe high contempts, his not going over with him into Normandy when ſummoned, and alſo to pay him 3000. marks, due to his Brother King Richard; and by his Writs commanded all the Archbiſhops Servants, wherever they were found, to be impriſoned, as they were, for beating the Sheriffs Officers, and denying to give the King any of the Archbiſhops Wine, paſſing through York, ſummoned Jeoffry into his Court to anſwer all theſe contempts, and iſſued Writs to the Sheriff of Yorkſhire, to ſeize all his Goods, Temporalties, and to return them into the Exchequer, which was executed accordingly. The King and Queen repairing to York the next Mid-lent, the Archbiſhop upon ſoberer thoughts made his peace with him, ſubmitting to pay ſuch a fine for his offences as 4. Biſhops, and 4. Barons elected by them, ſhould adjudge, and abſolved William de Stutvill, the Sheriff, and James de Poterna, whom he had excommunicated, and recalled his former Interdict.
The ſame year there fell out a great bHoveden Annal. pars poſterior, p. 817, &cdifference between this Archbiſhop, the Dean and Chapter of York, and the Archdeacon of Richmond. The Pracentors place at York falling void, the Dean and Chapter would not ſuffer him to preſent Ralph de Kyme, his Official, to it, but themſelves gave it to Hugh Murdac, Archdeacon of Cliveland, the day after he had given it to Kyme; and when the Archbiſhop would have put him into the Praecentors ſtall, the Dean told him, It belonged not to him to put any man into a ſtall, neither ſhall you there in place him, becauſe we have given it by authority of the Concil of Lateran: Whereupon when the Archbiſhop could not have his will, he excommunicated Murdac; he likewiſe injured Honorius, Archdeacon of Richmond, by challenging to himſelf the Inſtitutions of Churches and Synodals, againſt the antient Dignities and Cuſtoms of the Archdeaconry, which the Archbiſhop pretended Honorius had reſigned and confirmed to him by his Charter, which he denyed. The Dean and Chapter, and Honorius, ſeverally complained of theſe injuries to the King, who thereupon iſſued theſe Patents and Writs for their relief, againſt his violence, to the Sheriff, and Dean and Chapter of York.
REX, &c. Vicecomiti & Ballivis ſuis, &c. Mandamus vobis & praecipimus,Chartae 2. Johannis Regis m. 12. dorſo. quod dilectum Clericum noſtrum Magiſtrum R. de Sancto Eadmundo, Archidiaconum Richmond. cuſtodiatis, protegatis & defendatis. Et non ſuſtineatis quod de Archidiaconatu ſuo Richmond. per Clericum vel Laicum aliqua ei fiat violentia vel injuria. Teſte meipſo apud Eborum, ſecundo die Marcii.
REX, &c. S. Decano & Capitulo Eborum, &c. Sciatis, quod pro debitis quae Eborum Archiepiſcopus nobis debet, & pro defaltis & aliis cauſis rationabilibus cepimus in manum noſtram Baroniam et Regalia quae Archiepiſcopus Eborum, de nobis tenet, & hoc fecimus per iudicium Curiae noſtrae Nos autem contra eundem Archiepiſcopum ad Dominum Papam appellavimus pro nobis & noſtris, & pro ſtatu Regni noſtri. Teſte G. Filio Petri, Comitat. Eſſex. apud Cunesburgh. quinto die Marcii.
This Honorius Archdeacon of Richmond, complained to the Pope as well as the… Hoveden Annal pars poſterior, p. 817, 818, 823, 824, 825, 826. King, of the injurious encroachments of this Archbiſhop, who ſuſpended ſome of his Clerks, interdicted ſome Churches within his Archdeaconry, and excommunicated the Archdeacon; all which the Pope in a ſpecial Letter requires him to retract, as null and void: He alſo ſent three Epiſtles more, the firſt to the Dean and Chapter of York, the ſecond to the Biſhop of Ely, and Archdeacon of Northampton, the third to King John himſelf, to defend Honorius his rights, againſt the Archbiſhops injuries and encroachments, recorded at large by Hoveden: That to the King is ſhort but ſweet, acknowledging his Supream Eccleſiaſtical power.
INNOCENTIUS, Epiſcopus ſervus ſervorum Dei, illuſtri Regi Anglorum, &c.Hoveden p. 825 Intereſt Regiae Celſ…t…di…is Eccleſias, et viros Eccleſiaſticos in ſuo iure tueri, et malignantium impetus ab eorum moleſtationibus potenter et regulariter Effrenaere. Cum itaque dilectus filius Magiſter Honorius Archidiaconus Richmondiae, uſque a Deo vir literatus, & honeſtus exiſtat, ut ex ſcientia & honeſtate ipſius non ſolum Eboracenſi Eccleſiae honor accreſcat, ſed & tibi etiam utile poſſit obſequium pervenire. Serenitatem tuam rogamus, modemus et exhortamur in Domino, eo attencius, quod non minus diligenter quam fideliter negotiis a tua ſerenitate ſibi injunctis in curia noſtra cognoſcimus indulſiſſe, quatinus eum in ſua juſtitia manuteneas, & defendas, nec permittas ipſum vel Clericos ſuos contra libertates Archidiaconatus Richmondiae, per alicujus inquietantiam aggravari. Vale.
That to himſelf is very obſervable, manifeſting by this Popes own Teſtimony, how little this Archbiſhop eſteemed the Popes power, or Appeals to Rome, being then newly introduced and made uſe of by this Biſhop, (though capacitated to be an Archbiſhop, confirmed, conſecrated by the Popes order) againſt former cuſtoms and priviledges of this Realm, will appear by this ranting Letter of Pope Innocent to him.