Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Document 35 – Document 47

Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3 · Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Document 35 – Document 47

p. 249INNOCENTIUS Epiſcopus Servus Servorum Dei, Chariſſimo in Chriſto Filio, Johanni illuſtri Anglorum Regi ſalutem, & Apoſtolicam Benedictionem. Cum ſuper negotio Cantuarienſis Eccleſiae nos tibi ſcripſerimus, humiliter, diligenter, benigne exhortando ac rogando, tu nobis (ut ſalva pace tua loquar) reſcripſiſti quaſi comminando, et exprobando contumaciter et proterve. Et cum nos tibi ſupra jus deferre curemus, tu nobis ſecundum jus deferre non curas, minus quam deceret attendens, quod ſi tua nobis devotio plurimum eſt neceſſaria, noſtra tamen tibi non parum eſt opportuna. Cumque nos in tali Caſu tantum honorem nulli Principum detulimus quantum tibi, tu noſtro tantum derogare attendis honori, quantum in ſimili caſu nullus Princeps derogare preſumpſit, quaſdam Frivolas occaſiones pretendens, quibus aſſeris, quod Electioni de dilecto filio noſtro Magiſtro Stephano, titulo Sancti Chryſogoni Presbytero Cardinali a Monachis Cantuarienſibus celebratae, non potes portare conſenſum, quia videlicet inter tuos eſt converſatus inimicos, et perſona ejus eſt tibi prorſus ignota. Porro juxta proverbium Solomonis, fruſtra jacitur rete ante oculos pennatorum, cum intelligamus illud, ei non eſſe imputandum ad culpam, ſed ad gloriam potius adſcribendum, quod Pariſiis diu vacans liberalibus ſtudiis, in tantum profecit, ut meruerit eſſe Doctor, non ſolum in liberalibus facultatibus, verum & in Theologicis diſciplinis. Ac ſi per hoc cum vita concordet Doctrinae, dignus eſt habitus praebendam obtinere Pariſienſem. Unde mirabile gerimus, ſi vir tanti nominis de tuo regno ducens originem, tibi potuit eſſe ſaltem quoad famam ignotus, praeſertim cum ter ſcripſiſſes illi poſtquam nobis extitit in Cardinalem promotus: quod licet diſpoſueris eum ad tuae familiaritatis obſequium evocare, gaudebas tamen quod ad majus erat officium ſublimatus. Sed illud potius te attendere decuiſſet, quod in terra tua natus eſt, de parentibus tibi fidelibus ac devotis, quodque in Eboracenſi Eccleſia fuerat Prebendatus, quae longe major & dignior quam Pariacenſis exiſtit. Unde non ſolum ratione carnis & ſanguinis, verum & obtentu eccleſiaſtici beneficii & officii, te ac regnum tuum affectu ſincero diligere comprobatur. Nuncii vero tui cauſam nobis aliam expreſſerunt, quare non preſtitiſti ejus electioni conſenſum, quia videlicet p. 250nunquam fuerat requiſitus ab illis, qui eum a te debuerunt poſtulare, aſſerentes quod literae illae quibus mandavimus, ut ſuper hoc negotio procuratores ad nos idoneos deſtinares, ad te minime pervenerunt. Et Monachi Cantuarienſes, quamvis pro aliis negotiis ad tuam preſentiam acceſſiſſent, pro poſtulando tamen conſenſu nec literas, nec nuncios direxerunt; Unde iidem nuncii cum multa inſtantia nobis ſupplicarunt, quatinus ex quo nobis complacuit hanc tibi honorificentiam reſervare, ut Monachi e Cantuarienſes regium poſtularunt aſſenſum, quoniam hoc factum non erat, dilationem congruam concedere dignaremur, infra quam poſſet id fieri, ne juri tuo contingeret derogari. Contra perſonam Electi quiddam ad ultimum proponentes, quod cum manifeſte factum ſit, Oſtium oris claudere debuiſſent, preſertim cum ſi verum eſſet, promotionem ejus jam impedire non poſſet. Licet autem ſuper Nota.Electionibus apud ſedem Apoſtolicam celebratis, non conſueverit aſſenſus Principum expectari, Duo tamen Monachi fuerunt ſpecialiter deputati; ut ad te pro requirendo aſſenſu venirent, qui apud Ydivoriam fuerunt retenti, ut injunctum ſibi mandatum exequi non valerent, & praefatae literae de procuratoribus ad noſtram praeſentiam deſtinandis, tuis fuerunt Nuntiis aſſignatae, ut eas tibi fideliter praeſentarent. Nos quoque qui ſuper eandem Eccleſiam Cantuarienſem plenitudinem poteſtatis habemus, regium ſuper hoc dignati ſumus implorare favorem. Et Curſor noſter qui Apoſtolicas tibi Literas preſentavit, literas quoque Prioris ac Monachorum, qui ex mandato totius Capituli Cantuarienſis Celebraverunt electionem memoratam, ſuper aſſenſu praetendo, Regiae ſublimitati porrexit. Ideoque non vidimus oportere denuo poſt haec omnia regium poſtulare conſenſum. Sed illud Agere diſpoſuimus, non declinantes ad dextram vel ad ſiniſtram, quod Sanctorum Patrum Canonicae ſanctiones, ſtatuunt faciendum, ut videlicet nihil morae vel difficultatis rectis diſpoſitionibus auferatur ne gregi Dominico diu deſit cura Paſtoralis. Quocirca vel diſcretioni tuae vel Regali Prudentiae ſuggeratur a quoquam, quod aliquatinus valeat a conſummatione hujus officii revocari, quoniam abſque **The contrary appeared in both.vi & dolo canonica ſit Electio de perſona idmea concorditer celebrata, ſine damno famae & periculo conſcientiae differre non poſſemus. Tu ergo Fili Chariſſime, cujus honori ſupra jus deferri curavimus ſecundum jus, noſtro ſtudeatis honori deferre, ut gratiam divinam & noſtram uberius merearis, ne forte ſi ſecus egeris, in eam te difficultatem inducas, de qua non facile valeas expediri, cum tandem opporteat eum vincere, **Phil. 2. 9, 10.Phil 2:9Phil 2:10cu… …lectitur omne genu Coeleſtium, terreſtrium & infernorum, cujus nos vices in terris, licet immeriti exercemus. Ne igitur eorum conſiliis adquieſcas, qui tuam femper turbationem deſiderant, ut melius poſſint in aqua turbida piſcari, ſed noſtro beneplacato te committas, quod utique tibi cedet ad laudem, gloriam et honorem. Quia non eſſet tibi tutum in hac cauſa Deo et Eccleſiae repugnare, pro qua beatus Martyr et Pontifex Glorioſus Thomas ſanguinem ſuum recenter effudit, preſertim ex quo Pater et Frater tuus clarae memorie tunc Reges Anglorum in manibus Legatorum Apoſtolicae ſedis illam pravam conſuetudinem abjurarunt. Nos autem ſi nobis humiliter acquieveris, ſufficienter tibi & tuis providere curabimus, ne ſuper hoc valeat vobis aliquod prejudicium generari. Datum Laterani, Pontificatus noſtri Anno Decimo.

King John being no wayes courted out of, nor terrified from his Royal RightsAn. Dom. 1208 and Dignities by the courtſhip or menaces of Pope Innocent, thereupon Anno Dom. 1208. he thus moſt injuriouſly proceeded againſt him.

INNOCENTIUS Papa, cum Regis Johannis Anglorum cor adeo induratum didiceratMat. Paris, Hiſt. Angl. p. 216, 217. (when as his own heart rather was thus hardned) quod nec blandis ejus admonitionibus nec aſperis comminationibus adquieſceret, ut Stephanum Cantuarienſem Archiepiſcopum recipere vellet, tactus dolore cordis intrinſecus Willielmo Londinenſi, p. 251Euſtachio Elyenſi, & Malger… Wigornienſi Epiſcopis, de conſilio Cardinalium ſuorum dedit in mandatis, ut accedentes ad Regem memoratum, ipſum pia ſollicitudine pro negotio Cantuarienſis Eccleſiae convenirent, ſalubriter exhortantes in Domino, quatenus eo pacto ſe vinci à Deo permitteret, ut victus Domini vinceret, ipſumque cui ſervire, regnare est, in ſui favorem provocaret. Quod ſi forte ipſum contumacem, ſicut hactenus extitit, invenirent et Rebellem, Regnum Angliae totum ſub Interdicto concluderent, Authoritate ei Apoſtolica denunciantes: Quod ſi per hoc pertinaciam ſuam non duceret corrigendam, ipſe manum adhibere curaret Graviorem, cum neceſſe ſit eum vincere, qui pro ſalute Eccleſiae Sanctae Diabolum, et ejus Angelos debellams, clauſtra Tartarea ſpoliavit. Suffraganeis quoque Cantuarienſis Eccleſiae Epiſcopis, aliiſque illius Diocaeſis Praelatis in virtute obedientiae per ſedis Apoſtolicae literas expreſſit, ut Archiepiſcopum praefatum in Patrem ſuſciperent & Pastorem, eique charitate debita obedire curarent. Hereupon Londonienſis, Elyenſis, atque Wigornienſis Epiſcopi, ex injuncto ſibi delegationis Officio, (being more obſequious to the Popes illegal, then their Kings lawfull mandates) Regem Johannem adeuntes, mandatumque ſibi Apoſtolicum per ordinem exponentes, humiliter lacrymiſque profuſis ſupplicabant, quatenus Dominum habens prae oculis, Archiepiſcopum Cantuarienſem & Monachos ad Eccleſiam ſuam revocaret, honoraret, & eos charitate perfecta diligeret, ſcandalum interdicti evitare curaret; ut per hoc retributor meritorum & potentiam ſibi multiplicare dignaretur temporalem, & gloriam poſt Mortem largiretur ſine fine menſuram. Cumque idem Epiſcopi pro ejus ſalute vellent protrahere ſermonem, Rex quaſi in furiam verſus, contra Dominum Papam et ejus Cardinales in verba blaſphemiae prorupit, jurans per dentes Dei, quod ſi ipſi vel alii quicunque auſu temerario terras ſuas ſupponerent Interdicte, Nota.ipſe incontinenti univerſos Angliae Praelatos, Clericos pariter et ordinatos, ad Papam mitteret, et bona eorum omnia confiſcaret. Addit etiam, quod Romanos quoſcunque ſive in quibuſcunque terris ſuis reperiri potuiſſent, erutis oculis naribuſque praeciſis, Romam deſtinaret: Vt hiis interſignis a caeteris poſſent nationibus ibidem diſcerni. Ipſis inſuper Epiſcopis expreſſe praecepit, quatenus cum ſumma feſtnatione a ſuo conſpectu recederent, ſi ſuorum corporum vellent ſcandali diſcrimine evitare. A moſt Heroick, Royal reſolution, worthy a King of England, thus affronted by a Tyrannizing Uſurping Pope, and perfidious Biſhops.

The King before this final harſh Anſwer given to them, had condeſcended as far as poſſible to gratifie the Pope in receiving Stephen Langhton to be Archbiſhop of Canterbury, upon theſe Biſhops firſt acquainting him with the Popes mandate to them, promiſing to do any thing therein which his Council ſhould think fit and reaſonable, ſaving in all things to him and his Heirs the right and dignity of the Crown belonging to them, as appears by his Letters Patents to theſe Biſhops, atteſted by 7. Earls, and 3. Barons, (which our Monkiſh Hiſtorians conceale) near 3. months before the Interdict.

REX, &c. Londonienſi, Elyenſi, & Wygornienſi Epiſcopis ſalutem. Sciatis quod parati Pat. 9. Johan. Regis, m. 3: n. 22.ſumus obedire Domino Papae ſicut debemus, & mandatum ejus ſuper negotio Cantuarienſis Eccleſiae ad vos directum, quod nobis ostendist implere, cum concilio fidelium noſtrorum ſicut decet ſecundam rationem: Salvis nobis in omnibus et heraedibus noſtris, jure noſtro, et dignitate noſtra, et libertatibus noſtris. Teſtibus G. filio Petri, Comite Eſſex, R. Comite Ceſtriae, W. Comite Arundell, W. Comite Sarisburienſ. fratre noſtro, R. Comite de Clara, S. Comite Winton, A. Comite Oxon, R. filio Rogeri, R. Conſtab. Cestriae, W. Briewer. apud Lameli. Viceſimo primo die Januarii.

But the Biſhops would admit of no ſuch terms or conditions, but the King muſt abſolutely part with his Right, that ſo the Pope from thenceforth might diſpoſe p. 252of the Archbiſhoprick of Canterbury and all other Biſhopricks in England, Wales and Ireland (by this Preſident) if ſubmitted to, at his pleaſure. Whereupon the King commanded them to deliver theſe his Letters Patents to his chief Juſtice, ſaving his right and dignity, before the Interdict pronounced by them, as this Record informs us.

REX, &c. W. London. Epiſcopo, &c. Mandamus vobis quod literas noſtras PatentesR Pat. 9 Johan. 7 …gis, m. 2. n. quas fecimus vobis & ſoc…s veſtris executoribus mandati Apoſtolici ſuper negotio Cantuarienſis Eccleſiae adimplendo, ſalvo jure et dignitate noſtra, tradatis Juſticiario noſtro G. filio Petri. Et in hujus rei Teſtimonium vobis has literas noſtras Patentes inde mittimus. Teſte meipſo apud Suhant, Viceſimo tertio die Marcii.

During the Kings Treaty with the Biſhops, Simon Langeton the pretended Archbiſhops Brother, repaired to the King at Wincheſter, intreating him in the preſence of the Biſhops to admit his Brother to the Archbiſhoprick, which he proffering to do, ſaving only his right and dignity: So ſoon as ever the King began to mention it, he preſently replyed in an inſolent manner, That he would do nought for the King therein, unleſſe he would wholly referre himſelf into his hands, without any ſuch ſaving. Which he and the Biſhops concealing from the people, and raiſing falſe ſcandalous rumors touching the Kings proceedings herein, to alienate his Subjects affections from him, the King thereupon was enforced by his Letters Patents and Proclamations, to publiſh the truth thereof to all his Subjects in Kent, (moſt concerned therein, being under the Archbiſhops Juriſdiction, and moſt of them Tenants to the Archbiſhoprick) to undeceive them.

REX, &c. Omnibus hominibus totius Kanciae, &c. Sciatis quod Magiſter Simon Pat. 9. Johan. Regis, m. 2. n. 15.de Langeton, venit ad nos apud Wintoniam, die Mercurii proximo ante mediam quadrageſimam, & coram Epiſcopis noſtris rogavit nos, quod Magiſtrum S. de Langeton, Fratrem ſuum reciperemus in Archiepiſcopum Cantuarienſem: Et cum loqueremur eide ſalvanda nobis in hoc dignitate noſtra, dixit nobis, quod nichil nobis inde faceret niſi ex toto poneremus nos in manum ſuam. Hoc autem vobis mandamus, ut ſciatis malum et injuriam nobis in hac parte factam. Et mandamus vobis quod credatis hiis quae Regin. Cornehull, vobis dixerit ex parte noſtra, de facto praefato ibidem inter nos et praedictos Epiſcopos et ipſum Simonem facto, et de facienda ſuper hoc praeceptum noſtrum. Teſte meipſo apud Winton. Decimo quarto die Marcii.

The King during this Treaty with the Biſhops, to preſerve the Rights of his Crown, committed the cuſtody of the Temporalties of the Priory of Chriſt-Church, and Archbiſhoprick of Canterbury, to certain Commiſſioners during his Royal pleaſure, by theſe Patents.

REX, &c. Fulconi de Kantilupo, & Reginaldo de Cornubia, &c. Sciatis quod commiſſimusPat. 9. Johan. Regis, m. 3. n. 21. Magiſtro Radulpho de Sancto Martino, & Roberto de London. cuſtodiam Eccleſiae Chriſti Cantuarienſis, cum omnibus quae ad interiora ejuſdem Eccleſiae ſpectant, & commiſſimus eidem Roberto, & Henrico de Sandwico, cuſtodiam omnium Maneriorum Prioratus ejuſdem Eccleſiae cum omnibus pertinentiis ſuis. Et commiſſimus praedictis Magiſtro Radulpho, & Roberto, & Radulpho de Arden. cuſtodiam omnium Maneriorum Archiepiſcopatus Cantuarienſis, cum omnibus pertinentiis ſuis quamdiu nobis placuerit. Et ideo vobis mandamus quod ea illis tanquam cuſtodibus noſtris ſtatim viſis literis iſtis ita liberari faciatis, & bene imbreviari omnia quae eis liberaveritis. Teſte G. filio Petri, apud Weſtmonaſterium, Viceſimo tertio die Januarii, Anno Regni noſtri Nono.

REX, &c. Omnibus tenentibus de Archiepiſcopatu Cantuarienſe, & Prioratus,Ibidem. &c. tam Militibus quam aliis, &c. Sciatis quod commiſſimus R. de Cornehull, cuſtodiam praedicti Archiepiſcopatus & praedicti Prioratus cum omnibus quae ad eoſdem p. 253Archiepiſcopatum & Prioratum pertinent, & vobis mandamus quod ei tanquam cuſtodi noſtro ſitis in omnibus intendentes & reſpondentes quamdiu nobis placuerit. Teſte meipſo apud Winton. Decimo quarto die Marcii.

The Biſhops after the Kings final peremptory Anſwer to them, formerly recited, reſolved to enforce the King to quit his Royal right and dignity, by an Antichriſtian Interdict of his Kingdom, which they could not perſwade him to part with by their Treaty; thus related by **Hiſt. Angliae p. 217, 218.Matthew Paris.

REcedentes autem Epiſcopi memorati, cum fructum penitentiae in Rege non invenerunt, in Quadrageſima ſequenti, executionem ſibi a ſummo Pontifice demandatam, exequi non verentes, prima die Lunae in paſſione Domini, quae tunc contigit decimo Kalendas Aprilis, ſub generali Interdicto totam Angliam incluſerunt: quod ſicut in Autentico Domini Papae, expreſſum habetur, non obſtantibus privilegiis, ab omnibus eſt inviolabiliter obſervatum. Ceſſaverunt itaque in Anglia omnia Eccleſiaſtica Sacramenta, praeter ſolummodo confeſſionem et viaticum in ultima neceſſitate, et Baptiſma parvulorum; (Quod ex callida indulgentia Papae conceſſum eſt ut abalienatis a Rege ſibique conciliatis Regni ſubditis tam Regnum quam Regem ſibi ſubiiceret, adds **Antiqu. Eccleſ. Brit. p. 148.Matthew Parker.) corpora quoque defunctorum de Civitatibus et villis efferebantur, et more canum in biviis et foſſatis ſine orationibus et Sacerdotum miniſterio ſepeliebantur. ††In their Chronicles and Hiſtories.Treviſa, Fabian, Caxton, Fox, Speed, with others adde, That all the doors of Churches and other places where Divine Service before was uſed, firſt in London, and after in all places throughout the Land, were ſhut up with Keys, Walls, and other faſtenings, no publick Prayers, Maſſes, or Divine Service muſt be once celebrated within them for ſundry years enſuing; by which unchriſtian Interdict this flouriſhing Church of England was publikely deprived for many years together of the very Face of Chriſtianity, even by Pope Innocent, Chriſts pretended Vicar, who acted here like Julian his profeſſed Enemy, immuring up the doors of all Chriſtian Temples, in deſpite of their God, and for the Kings bare croſſing of his unjuſt Papal Uſurpations, in defence of his Prerogative Royal, cenſured even God and Chriſt himſelf, to loſe their publick Worſhip, and all the People, Biſhops, Clergy to hazard their ſouls, living like Infidels, without Gods Service and bleſſed Sacraments, yea and dying, like Dogs to be tumbled into every ditch without Chriſtian buriall: So well did he purſue our Saviours trebled precept to Peter, whereon he founded his Papal Soveraignty, John 22. 16, 17. Feed my Sheep, Feed my Lambs. Matthew Paris ſubjoyns, Quid plura? Receſſerunt latenter ab Anglia, Willielmus Londinenſis, Euſtachius Elyenſis, Malgerus Wygornienſis, Jozelinus Bathonienſis, & Eg idius Herefordenſis Epiſcopi, (chief Actors in this unchriſtian Tragedy) ſatius Arbitrantes ſevitiam commoti Regis ad tempus declinare, quam in terra Interdicta ſine fructu reſidere. ††William Caxtons Chronicle part 7.But before their departure they excommunicated all the Kings Officers, who ſeized their Temporalties and Goods for this their Treaſonable and Antichriſtian proceedings, not only againſt himſelf, but his whole Realm, though not guilty of any contempt againſt the Pope.

The King hereupon out of juſt indignation and retaliation, thus rigorouſly proceeded againſt theſe Trayterous Prelates, and all the Clergy confederating with the Pope and them, againſt his Rights and Soveraignty, baniſhing the chief Actors, and ſeizing the Poſſeſſions and Goods of the reſt. Thus regiſtred by **Hiſt. Angliae p. 217, 218.Matthew Paris.

REX igitur Anglorum ob cauſa Interdicti mente nimis confuſus. miſit Vicecomites ſuos & alios iniquitatis miniſtros in omnes …ines Angliae, praecipiens tam Praelatis ſingulis quam eorum ſubjectis cum comminatione terrifica, ut incontinenter a Regno exirent, et ſuper hac injuria peterent ſibi a Papa juſtitiam exhiberi. Epiſcopatus inſuper, Abbatias, Prioratus, ſub Laicorum cuſtodia deputans, univerſos redditus Eccleſiaſticos confiſcari praecepit. Sed in hoc ſibi caute proſpiciebant Praelati generaliter omnes totius Regni, quod de monaſteriis ſuis exire noluerunt, niſi per violentiam p. 254expellerentur, Quod cum a Regiis Miniſtris ſuiſſet compertum, Noluerunt alicui ingerere violentiam, ſicut nec a Rege praeceptum habuerunt: ſed bona eorum omnia in uſus Regis convertentes, victum eis & veſtitum parce ex rebus propriis miniſtrabant. Horrea Clericorum Rege jubente, obſerata ſunt ubi que & ad commodum fiſci diſtracta, Presbyterorum & Clericorum focariae per totam Angliam a Miniſtris Regis captae ſunt, & graviter ad ſe redimendum compulſae: viri religioſi ſive quicun que ordinati qui itinerantes reperti ſunt in via ab equis ſuis projiciebantur, ſpoliabantur, & a ſatellitibus Regis turpiter tractabantur, nec fuit qui eis iuſtitiam exhiberet. Venerunt ea tempeſtate in confinio Walliae ad regem, m…n…r… cujuſdam vicecomitis, ducentes praedonem unum, manibus a tergo vinctis qui ſacerdotem quendam in via ſpoliaverat & interfecerat, quaerentes a Rege quid ſuper tali eventu ſibi fieri placeret. Quibus incontinenter reſpondit dicens,: Inimicum meum interemit, ſolvite illum & ſinite abire, **The King might more juſtly puniſh the parents of the Archbiſhop and Biſhops who Interdicted England, then they his Subjects, and whole Realm for his pretended diſobedience to the Pope.Parentes quo que Archeepiſcopi & Epiſcoporum qui Angliam ſub interdicto poſuerunt, jubente Rege capiebantur, atque bonis omnibus ſpoliati in carcerem trudebantur. Inter hec omnia mala perendenabant Pontifices prefati in partibus Tranſmarinis, omnimodis viventes in delicius, & ſeſe murum pro domo Domini non opponentes, ſecundum Redemptoris ſententiam, cum Lupum viderunt venientem dimiſerunt oves, & fagerunt. Such was the Piety and Sobriety, as well as Loyalty ofNota. theſe Ghoſtly Fathers, who made all to faſt from Gods publicke Worſhip.

After this general ſeiſure of the Biſhops and Clergies Temporalties and goods, ſuch of them as ſubmitted to the King, and refuſed to comply with the Interdict, celebrating Divine Service, and adminiſtring the Sacramentsto the people according to their duties both to God, the King and people, the King by ſpecial writs reſtored their Temporalties, chattles, goods to them, retaining in his hands the Lands and goods of all Abbots, Priors, Religious houſes and Clerks, who ſubmitted to the Interdict, as is evident by theſe two Patents for reſtoring the Poſſeſſions, lands and goods of the Biſhops of Wincheſter, and Norwich, who complyed with the King, as did Philip Biſhop of Dureſme, heartning him to contemne the Popes cauſeleſſe curſe, though at laſt, when the King ſurrendred his Crown, they were all enforced to cry peccavi for it, as **See Speeds Chronicle. Book 9. Chap. 8. Sect. 40. p. 971. Godwins Catalogue of Biſhops, in the Life of Peter de la Roche Biſhop of Wincheſter. p. 173. in the Life of Philip of Poitiers Biſhop of Durh…un. p. 511. Clauſ. 9. Johan. Regis mem. 5.Godwin obſerves,

REx, &c. Roberto Lupe, & G. de Serland, Sciatis quod reddidimus domino Wintonienſi Epiſcopo, Epiſcopatum Winton. & omnes terras, res, redditus & poſſeſſiones ſuas, & Wardas ſuas, & omnia ſua capta in manum Domini Regis, occaſione Interdicti, Cuſtodienda per manum ſuam. Et ideo vobis mandamus, quod ei Epiſcopatum ſuum, & omnia ſua in Balliva tua habere faciatis, & in pace terrae ſaciatis, Retentis in manu noſtra, terris, redditibus & rebus omnium Abbatum, Priorum, & domorum Religioſorum, & etiam Clericorum de Epiſcopatu ſuo. Teſte W. Briwer. apud Waverle, Quinto die Aprilis. Per eundem.

Sub eadem forma ſcribitur, aliis in quorum Ballivis habet terras, res vel tenementa.

MAndatum eſt Roberto de Burgata, quod faciat habere Epiſcopo Norwicenſi, Ibidem.totum Regale, quod ad Epiſcopatum ſuum pertinet, & omnia Maneria ſua, & omnes terras & Wardas ſuas, & omnia ſua capta in manu Domini Regis occaſione interdicti, retentis in manu Domini Regis omnibus terris, redditibus, & rebus omnium Abbatum, Prioram, & virorum Religioſorum, & etiam Clericorum de Epiſcopatu ſuo. Mandatum eſt etiam eidem quod faciat habere.—Rogero omnes redditus, & res Clericorum habentium redditus de feudo ſuo, & donatione ſua, & omnes terras, redditus, & res Abbatum de feudo ſuo, ſi alicujus crociae habent de dono ſuo, & Priorum ſeu cujuſcunque domus religioſae ſi ſit de dono ſuo, quia ipſe domino Regi inde reſpondebit.

The King was ſo juſt in theſe his proceedings, as not to ſeiſe the lands or goods of any Religious Perſons or Clerks, but thoſe who refuſed to celebrate Divine Service, from and after a certain day prefixed to them, as is evident by this Record, touching the Religious Perſons and Clerks within the Biſhopricks of Lincoln and Ely.

p. 255REx omnibus de Epiſcopatu Linc. Clericis & Laicis ſalutem. Sciatis quod aPat. 9 Regis 11. die Lunae proxima ante Florid Paſch. commiſſimus W. de Cornhull Archid. Huntingdon & Gerd. de Camvill, omnes terras & res Abbatum & Priorum, & omnium Religioſorum, & etiam Clericorum de Epiſcopatu Lincolniae, qui divina extunc celebrare noluerint, & mandamus vobis quod eis extunc ſicut Ballivis noſtris ſitis intendentes. Sub eadem forma ſcribitur omnibus de Epiſcopatu Elienſi quod ſint intendentes ab illa die com. Surr.

Yea, this King was ſo indulgent, as to permit all Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Priors, Religious perſons and Clerks throughout England, to ſell their corne by ſums, till the feaſt of St. Katherine, after their barnes were ſhut up, as appears by this Writ iſſued to all Sheriffs of England.

MAnſatum eſt omnibus Uicecomitibus Angliae, quod permittant Archiepiſcopos,Clauſ. 9. Johan Regis, m. 10. dorſ. Epiſcopos, Abbates, Priores, & omnes viros religioſos, & omnes clerios Uendece blada ſua per ſummas, uſque ad feſtum Sanctae Katerinae.

Matthew Paris informs us, that John Abbot of St. Albons, being ſpeciallyAdditamenta Veta. 23. Abbattum Sancti. Albani. p. 109. 110. Speeds. Hiſt. p. p. 570. 571. commanded by the King to celebrate divine ſervice during the Interdict, called all his Moncks into the Chapter-houſe, perſwading them to obey God (meaning the Pope) rather then man (the King) and patiently to endure the Kings anger, which God in due time would bring to an end. For which high contempt, the King ſeiſed all the Temporalties of the Abby, proſecuted this Abbot, put out the Officers of the Abby, and placed his own in their ſteads, till this Abbot at laſt complyed, and payd ſix hundred markes to the King, to purchaſe his peace and take off the ſequeſtration.