Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Document 14 – Document 19
Epiſtola Eugenii de Dignitate Metropolitanae Eccleſiae Sancti David.
EƲGENIƲS Epiſcopus ſervus ſervorum Dei, Venerabili Fratri Theobaldo Cantuarienſi Archiepiſcopo, ſalutem & Apoſtolicam benedictionem. Venerabilis Frater noſter Bernardus, Epiſcopus S. David, ad noſtram praeſentiam veniens, Eccleſiam S. David, olim Metropolin fuiſſe aſſeruit, viva voce, & eandem dignitatem ſibi a nobis reſtitui poſtulavit. Cum autem circa petitionem iſtam invigilans diu in Curia noſtra commoratus eſſet, tu Frater Archiepiſcope, tandem eo praeſente ex adverſo conſurgens, in praeſentia noſtra adverſus eum querelam depoſuiſti, quod debitam tanquam primo Metropolitano obedientiam ſubtraxiſſet, tibique inobedient, & rebellis exiſteret, cum a Predeceſſore tuo tanquam a Metropolitano primo conſecratus eſſet & viva voce, & ſcripto Cantuarienſi Eccleſiae profeſſionem feciſſet & in multis postea, tanquam alii ſuffraganei, tibi obediſſet, & aſtitiſſet. Ille vero conſecrationem negare non potuit, ſed profeſſionem ſe feciſle, & obedientiam exhibuiſſe omnino negavit: Quod tu audiens, duos teſtes in medium produxiſti teſtimonium perhibe…tes; quod ipſe illis videntibus, & audientibus poſt conſecrationem ſuam, & viva voce, & ſcriſto Cantuarienſi Eccleſiae (fO the little truth and faith of this ambitious Prelates Allegation.) profeſſionem feciſſet. Nos igitur auditis utriuſque partis rationibus, & diligentius inquiſitis, & teſtibus tuis ſtudioſe examinatis communicato fratrum noſtrorum Conſilio, juramenta eorum recipimus, et ut ipſe Epiſcopus tibi tanquam primo Metropolitano obedientiam & reverentiam exhibeat, iuſtitia dictante praecipimus. (Here the Pope and his Cardinals approve what the King had done without their privity, concerning this Welch Archbiſhoprick.) Unde quoniam ſingulis Eccleſiis & Eccleſiaſticis perſonis ſuam dignitatem & juſtitiam volumus conſervare, Beati Lucae Feſtivitate proximi ſequentis Anni tibi & ipſi diem praefiximus, ut tunc praeſentibus partibus de dignitate Eccleſiae S. David, & libertate ſua, rei veritatem cognoſcamus, & quod juſtum fuerit authore Domino exinde ſtatuamus. Datum Meldis, 3. Kal. Julii.
Epiſtolam autem iſtam praedictus Magiſter Gilardus, invenit in Regiſtro Eugenii Papae. Cujus rei occaſione, & ad praedicti Gilarili inſtantiam, jus Eccleſiae ſuaepublice in Curia Romana proteſtant is. (being the first preſident of this kind.) Innocentius Papa, Hubertum Cantuarienſem Archiepiſcopum ſuper ſtatu Menevenſis Eccleſiae, & dignitate Metropolitica literis ſuis Citavit: (The firſt citation of this nature, who refuſed or neglected to appear thereon:) quas etiam literas praedictus Gilandus, ad perpetuam rei geſtae memoriam, m eiuſdem Papae Regiſtro ſcribi procuravit. Praecepit etiam idem Papa praedicto Archiepiſcopo, quatinus ſupradicto Gilardo Menevenſi electo ita conſecrationem impenderet, quod ſacramentum illicitum, quale extorquere ſolebant praedeceſſores ſui ab Epiſcopis S. David, ſcilicet de non proſequendo jure Metropolitico contra Cantuarienſem Eccleſiam, non exigeret, ſed tantum Canonicam obedientiam juxta communem formam facere. Praecepit etiam idem Papa, Lincolnienſi, Dunelmenſi, & Elienſi Epiſcopis, quod ſi Archiepiſcopus Cantuariae ſaepe dictum Gilardum, conſecrare differret, ipſi Apoſtolica authoritate freti illum conſecrare non differrent.
But neither the Archbiſhop nor other Biſhops obeyed theſe his Papal Injunctions to them, but oppugned them in the higheſt degree, for inſtead of conſecrating him Biſhop, the Archbiſhop cancelled his election, upon this account, becauſe it was made at Rome: Thus related at large by (gActa Pontificum Cantuar. col. 1682.) Gervaſius Dorobernenſis, in his life.
COntroverſiam quam in odium & contemptum Archiepiſcopi ſuſcitaverat Gilardus Menevenſis Archidiaconus, ipſe Archiepiſcopus prudentiſſime redegit ad nichilum, ut ipſe G. qui paulo ante Menevenſis Eccleſiae Archiepiſcopus eſſe volebat, & Eccleſiae Cantuarienſi ſubjectionem debitam ſeptem Epiſcoporum ſubtrahere moliebatur, ad pedes Archiepiſcopi pronus accederet, ſatiſfaciens humiliter de tam iniqua praeſumptione, et eidem Archiepiſcopo ſuum reſignavit Archidiaconatum. Archiepiſcopus autem poſt temporis intervallum eidem G. dedit Eccleſiam, 25. Marcarum, & Clericus Archiepiſcopt iuratus factus eſt qui ante fuerat hoſtis iniquus. Et quia idem G. Menevenſis Eccleſiae in Curia Romana ſe dicebat electum, hoc ipſum caſſavit Archiepiſcopus, & alium …acravit Canonice electum. Dicantaln quod voluerint de operibus Huberti, ego iſtud maximum cenſeo quod Epiſcopos 7. in ſubjectione retinuit Cantuarienſis Eccleſiae, et Rebellem Gilardi contrivit aſtutiam.
How highly King John himſelf (though then in Normandy with his Queen) was incenſed againſt Gilardus, for procuring Pope Innocents Procuration and Proviſion to elect him Biſhop of St. Davids, taking poſſeſſion of the Temporalties thereof by colour of it, without his privity, election, or Royal aſſent, and endeavouring to new make it an Archbiſhoprick, to the grand prejudice and derogation of the antient Rights and Prerogative of his Crown, deſcended to him from his Anceſtors, both to aſſent or diſaſſent to all Biſhops elections within his Dominions, and enjoy their Temporalties during their vacancy, till reſtored to the Succeſſor by his ſpecial order, will appear by theſe four ſucceſſive Writs & Proclamations of his, directed to all the Clergy and Laity both of England and Wales in general, and the Chapter of St. Davids in ſpecial, ſtrictly enjoyning them all upon their duty and allegiance to him, in defence of the Rights and Prerogatives of his Crown, againſt this Archdeacons and Popes Uſurpations, as they tendred his honour, and the publick peace and ſafety of the Church and Realm, to oppoſe and reſiſt Gilardus his raſh, turbulent, diſloyal attempts and Innovations againſt him, to their power, according to their Allegiance, and no wayes to ayd or countenance him therein, by advice or otherwiſe, it being unjuſt to do it. Three of them are thus recorded one after another in the Patent Roll of 3. Johannis, and the other in the 5th. year following.
REx, &c. Omnibus, &c. Audivimus quod G. Archidiaconus de Brechunon in Pat. 3. Johan. Regis m. 7. n. 18.grave, et manifeſtum diſpendium dignitatis noſirae, & Eccleſiae Cantuarienſis, in Epiſcopatu Menevenſi Archiepiſcopum conſtituere, & ſuper hoc faciendo dicit, ſe noſtrum impetraſſe aſſenſum; unde ſcire vos volumus quod nunquam in hoc aſſenſum prebuimus, nec unquam ei conſentiemus, ſet ei in hoc penitus deficimus. Mandantes vobis et in fide qua nobis tenemini precipientes quatenus nullatenus ei in hoc temerario propoſito ſuo aſſiſtatis, bel ei in hoc conſilium vel auxilium preſtetis, ſet viis omnibus quibus poteritis proceſſum ſuum impediatis ſicut dignitatem noſtram diligitis. Teſte meipſo apud Vernol. Octavo die Marcii.
REx, &c. Omnibus; &c, ſciatis quod G. Archidiaconus de Brech. manifeſte Pat. 3. Johan. Regis m. 2.operatur contra Coronam et dignitatem noſtram, qui ſe gerit Electum Menevenſem; cum Nos in eum eligendum nunquam prebuimus aſſenſum. Et inde trahit in cauſam. W. Abbatem Sancti Dogmaelis in cujus electionem conſenſimus Temporalia etiam Epiſcopatus Menevenſis quae vacante ſede debent in noſtra manu eſſe, ex diuturna et Approbata Regni noſtri conſuetudine, contra Coronam et Dignitatem noſtram ſibi committi *To wit, by Pope Innocents procuration.procuravit; haec et alia contra nos impudenter perquirendo qualia nullus alius poſt coronationem noſtram contra nos attemptavit. Et quoniam haec nulla ratione ſuſtinebimus, mandamus vobis, quod ſicut honorem noſtrum et dignitatem diligitis, quam ſicut fideles noſtri fovere et manutenere tenemini, predicto G. Archidiacano in nullo ad hoc conſilium, vel auxilium, vel aſſenſum preſtetis, ſet predictum Abbatem ſancti Dogmaelis quantum poteritis adiuvando, predicto G. Archidiacono in quantum poteritis reſiſtatis, Quicunque autem aliter fecerit manifeſtum erit ipſum nobis et dignitati noſtrae adverſari. Teſte meiplo apud Rupem Aurmall, Decimo die Aprilis.
JOhannes Dei Gratiâ, &c. Omni Clero, et Populo Angliae, &c. UniverſitatemPat. 3. Johannis Regis m 7. intus n. 28. veſtram ſcimus non latere, quod Cuſtodiae Epiſcopatuum, et Abbatiarum vacantium in Regno noſtro in temporalibus, omnibus Anteceſſoribus noſtris et nobis hactenus ex diuturna et approbata conſuetudine Regni noſtri conſueverunt competere. Verum quia Galfridus Archidiaconus de Brichunon, qui ſe gerit Electum Menevenſem, et …u…us Electioni non conſentimus, nec unquam conſenſimus, Cuſtodiam temporalium Epiſcopatus Menevenſis in damnum et diſpendium dignitatis noſtrae Coronae preſumit uſurpare, quod nos nulla ratione ſalva dignitate noſtra ſuſtinere poſſumus, vel debemus; Vobis mandamus, et firmiter precipimus, ne quis veſtrum predicto G. in temporalibus, quae ad jam dictam Eccleſiam ſpectant reſpondere, vel ipſum ad ea optinenda promovere, aut manutenere preſumat, ſicut noſtram diligit fidelitatem, et Coronae dignitatem. Sciatis enim quod ſi quiſquam veſtrum in contrarium pro eodem G. aliquid attemptaret, pro manifeſto habebimus ipſum dignitati noſtrae et Coronae inimicari, Teſte meipſo apud Rothomag. Decimo Septimo die Decembris.
Sub eadem forma ſcribitur Capitulo Menevenſi.
This turbulent Arch-deacon notwithſtanding all his pretended ſubmiſſion to the Arch-Biſhop proceeding afreſh in the Court of Rome (moſt likely by the Popes encouragement) to obtain his ends; thereupon the King iſſued out this ſevere Proclamation againſt him as a publick enemy and diſturber of the peace of his Kingdom.
REx, &c. Omnibus Baronibus, & fidelibus per Epiſcopatum Menevenſem conſtitutis, &c. Quot et quantis Machinationibus nos et opprimere, et dignitatem Pat. 5. Johannis, m. 7. intus▪Coronae noſtrae expugnares et regni noſtri conſuetudines ab antiquis temporibus in Electionibus Epiſcoporum optentas; G. Archidiaconus de Brecnuno pro poſſe laboraverit extinguere, tam in Curia Romana quam alibi, ſatis norunt univerſi; per eum enim non ſtetit quod pravis ſuggeſtionibus ejus et dilationibus malicioſis et venenoſis, non ſolum pax parcium veſtrarum, immo totius Regni noſtri tranquilitas turbaretur, maxime cum inimicis noſtris nequiter communicando talia confixerit quae nobis et regno noſtro manifeſtum importarent diſpendium, ſi iniquitas ejus prevaleret, et pro voto praeceſſiſſet in actum, unde non immerito ipſum inter inimicos noſtros duximus numerandum, vobis & omnibus nos diligentibus mandantes, et diſtricte prohibentes, ne ejus promotioni aliquo modo conſentiatis, immo ejus promotionem pro poſſe impediatis. Non enim juſtum eſt quod ille fidelibus noſtr…s diligatur vel promoveatur qui in damnum, et diſpendium dignitatis Regis et juris regni perturbationem aneſat. Teſte meipſo apud Taſtnu. Undecimo die Septembris.
This was the memorable, vigilant, prudent, gallant oppoſition made by King John againſt the firſt proviſion of Pope Innocent, who *Additamenta Mat. Paris M…. f. 135. Sir Roger Twiſdens hiſtorical vindication of the Church of England. p. 58. 59.to eclipſe the Kings prerogative, firſt endeavoured to introduce them aſwell in France as in Wales, Ireland and England.
Pope Innocent the 3d. a man of a haughty Antichriſtian Spirit (like Hildebrand his predeceſſor) the better to invade the Rights of Chriſtian Kings and their Subjects, eſpecially of England and France, under a ſpecious pious pretext (ſet on foot by ſome of his preceding Pontifs) of ſending them and their Nobles out of their Realms, to reſcue the Holy Land out of the Saracens and Infidels hands, and raiſing monies as well from the Laity as Clergy to maintain this holy Warr, that *See Mr. William Tynda…s practice of Popiſh Prelatesſo he and his Legates in their abſence might uſurp their Regal Authority and Supream Government both in Church, State, and impoveriſh them and their Subjects to enrich themſelves with a great part of the moneys raiſed for this end; in the 3d. year of King John ſent forth this general Letter De Subventione facienda terrae Jeruſolomitanae, recorded at large by *Annal. pars poſterior, p. 799, 800.Hoveden.