Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Document 48 – Document 52
HIc in interdicto multas preſſuras, & tribulationes perpeſſus eſt, quarum unam huic libello duximus inſerendam; ſignificavit ei Rex Johannes, ut ſpre to Papali mandato in Interdicto divina celebraret. Et ſuper hoc, habito conſilio in Capitulo, ait, Fratres oportet obedire magis Deo, (the celebrating of Divine Service as he commanded, had been to obey God, not to intermit it on the Popes Inhibition, when both God and the King commanded it) quam hominibus; ſuſtineamus iram principis, dabit Deus his quo que finem. Et ſic Domino Papae obediens, quamvis Magiſter Alexander filius Cementarii (tunc Miniſter Regis) conſuluiſſet in contrarium, noluit Regi in hoc caſu obedire, Iratus igitur Rex vehementer de contemptu ſui mandati (accipiens ſic ſponte malignandi occaſionem) occupavit in manu ſua totam Abbatiam.
Et ejectis noſtris ſuos per omnia appoſuit cuſtodes ſeculares videlicet, Magiſtrum Robertum Londonienſem, Clericum ſuum ſuperiorem, virum verſutum & per omnia Regi Johanni Domino ſuo conformem, qui etiam inter ipſum Regem & admirabilem Murmelinum, Crebra internuncia & ſecreta (de Apoſtaſia ut dicitur) intermeans detulerat Ipſe igitur Robertus, ejecto & depoſito noſtro Cellerario inſtituit ſuum, quendam ſcilicet ſecularem, virum verſutum, & avarum nimis, ſuae quae dum potuit avaritiae conſulentem. Similiter ignominioſe noſtro janitore ejecto, ſubrogavit alium, Robertum nomine, qui ſuſtigatis ingredientibus & egredientibus, & perſcrutatis, erat conventui quaſi ſpina in oculo. Aegre igitur nimis haec ferens Abbas Johannes, ut videlicet tam libera, tam nobilis domus in ſuo tempore, tali Laicorum jugo praemeretur, Regem (imo Tyrannum) juſtus injuſtum, agnus adiit Leopardnm (thus doth the venemous Monck…beſpatter King John) deditque ſexcentas Marcas, ut Cuſtodes nos opprimentes amoveret, & liberam in pace cum ſuis pertinentibus totam ſineret Abbatiam.
The ſame year the white Monks complyed with God and the King, in ſayingAn. Dom. 1201. Mat. Paris, p. 218. Mat. Weſt. p. 86. 87. Speeds Hiſtory. Book. 9. ch. 8. Sect. 40. p. 571 divine ſervice, for which preſumption this Antichriſtian Pope ſuſpended them the ſecond time. Albi Monachi in principio Interdicti ceſſantes, postea ad mandatum ſui principalis Divina celebrare preſumpſerunt, ſed haec praeſumptio cum ad ſummi Pontificis noticiam perveniſſet, ad ſui maiorem confuſionem denuo ſunt ſuſpenſi. And when as the next year (1209.) procurante Stephano Cautuarienſi Arciepiſcopo, indultum eſt Eccleſiis conventualibus in Anglia (but not to pariſh Churches, on purpoſe to pleaſe the Monks, and engage them on the Popes and Archbiſhops ſide, againſt the King who ſequeſtred their lands, for not celebrating Divine Service, according to the Charters of their foundation and rules of their reſpective orders) …emel in hebdomada celebrare Divina, *Mat. Paris, p. 218.Albi autem Monachi hoc privabantur indulgentia, eo quod in principio interdicti ceſſantes poſtea ad iuſsionem ſui Abbatis principalis, Papa inconſulto, celebrare praeſumpſerint: Moſt partial Papal Juſtice.
The King perceiving that the Pope, and Biſhops, intended not only to ſeduce but to abſolve his Subjects from their alleagiance to him, like a wiſe Prince, required pledges from all the great men he ſuſpected, to be delivered to him for their future fidelity, which moſt of them ſubmitted to, others refuſed, thus related and aggravated by our Moncks to render him odious.
INter haec & conſimilia opera Impietatis, Rex Johannes in ſe reverſus metuebat, neMat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 218. Mat. Weſtm. p. 86, 87. Dominus Papa post Interdictum, manus in eum extenderet graviores, illum nominatim excommunicando, vel Magnates Angliae ab ejus fidelitate abſolvendo. Vnde ne Regni iura amittere videretur, miſit manum militarem ad omnes Regni potentes, & quos praecipue ſuſpectos habebat, exigens obſides ab eis, quibus poſſet eos, ſi forte proceſſu temporis ab ejus fidelitate abſolverentur, ad debitum revocare obſequium; Adquieverunt multi Regis juſſionibus, & alii filios, alii vero nepotes & carnaliter propinquos nunciis tradebant. Venientes tandem ad Willielmum de Brauſe virum nobilem, & obſides ab eo, ſicut ab aliis fecerat exigentes, repagulum conditionis invenerunt. Matildis enim uxor ejuſdem Willielmi procacitate muliebri verbum rapiens ex ore viri, nunciis reſpondit. Pueros meos Domino vestro Regi Johanni non tradam, quia Arthurum Nepotem ſuum quem honorifice cuſtodiſſe debuerat, turpiter interfecit. Quod verbum, cum vir ejus audiſſet, increpavit eam & dixit: Quaſi una ex ſtultis mulieribus contra Dominum noſtrum Regem, locuta es. Nam ſi ipſum in aliquo offendi; paratus ſum & ero Domino meo, & ſine obſidibus ſatisfacere, ſecundum judicium Curiae ſuae & Baronum parium meorum, certo mihi aſſignato die & loco. Nuncii autem ad Regem reverſi, cum ei quae audierant, retuliſſent, Rex graviter perturbatus, miſit Milites ſuos & ſervientes latenter, qui ipſum Willielmum cum tota ſua familia comprehenderent, & ſibi ſub omni feſtinatione praeſentarent. Sed idem Willielmus ab amicis ſuis praemonitus, cum uxore ſua, & filiis & propinquis ad Hyberniam aufugito. *Anno 1208.Matthew Weſtminster (exceeding all bounds of truth and modeſty) ſuperadds, Rex vero interim nunc hunc, nunc illum, de magnatibus Regni, vel pecunia injuſte mulctavit, vel libertatibus, aut poſſeſſionibus ſpoliavit, nonnullos uxoribus ſuis Zelotipavit, filias defloravit, ita quod manifeſte tam Deo, quam hominibus exoſus videretur & deteſtabilis. Inſuper ut appareret ejus inſatiabilis avaritia, gulae inextinguibilis ſicut & corporis libido, capturam avium prohibuit, & nobilium arctavit venationes, unde non tantum amorem omnium amiſit, imo odium incurrit inexorabile, etiam exoſum eum habuit uxor propria, quam de adulterio adulter defamavit, & ſuſpectos eidem familiares, ignominioſe necavit, & in arcta cuſtodia ipſam juſſit cuſtodiri: & inter caetera ipſius flagitia, apud Nottingham, quamplures obſides pueros innocentes, alter Herodes patibulo fecit ſuspendi. Ʋnde tam Anglici, quam alieni deſubjugo intollerabili talis tyranni cupientes jam excurrere, caeperunt diſtricte cogitare ad cujus principis ſinum aliquod refugium poſſent invenire. But this doubtleſſe is a meer Monkiſh forgery, contrary to all rules of Policy, as well as Juſtice, and his Subjects adhering to him in ſuch a time of danger.
In the midſt of theſe conteſts and Interdicts, the Subprior and Monks of Monteacute acknowledged his Soveraign Juriſdiction over them, which he exerciſed at their requeſt, in removing their Prior for his miſgovernment and dilapidations, and commanding another to be placed in his room, by this memorable Record.
REX, &c. Omnibus, &c. Monſtraverunt nobis Supprior & Monachi de Monte Pat. 9. Johan. Regis m. 4. intus, n. 23.Acuto, quod Durandus qui Prior fuit ejuſdem loci, male & inutiliter geſſit ſe in regimine Prioratus illius, & illum adeo intus & extra deſtruxit, quod inde meruit amoveri. Nos vero tam iſtas quam alias multas, & graves quaerelas audientes de eo, & injurias, cum domus illa de ſpeciali elemoſina noſtra ſit et honori et dignitati noſtrae congruat ut utiliter tractetur; Mandavimus venerabili Patri noſtro J. Bathonienſi Epiſcopo, ut accitis ſecum quos viderit expedire diligentem, ſuper hiis faciat inquiſitionem: Volentes quod ſi idem Epiſcopus, ita eſſe invenerit & per literas ſuas patentes id teſtificatus fuerit, praedictus de Prioratu illo in nullo de caetero ſe intromittat, quia volumus quod domui illi de alia perſona honeſta, et utili provideat. Ita quod dignitas noſtra quam in illo Prioratu, et aliis habemus in nulla minuatur. Teſte meipſo apud Odiham, Viceſimo primo die Decembris, Anno Regni noſtri Nono.
Yea ſeveral Biſhopricks and Abbies becoming void during the Interdict, thereupon the King granted Licences to elect new Biſhops, Abbots, Priors, ſuch as he recommended and approved, who were accordingly admitted to them, and diſcharged their ſpiritual functions in them, notwithſtanding the Popes Inhibition, when *Fox Acts and Monuments, vol. 1. p. 328.ſome of the Biſhops, and others of the Rebellions Clergy who fled beyond Seas, dyed of ſeverall diſeaſes, by the juſt Judgement of God, during the Interdict they pronounced.
The King being exaſperated againſt the Rebellious Clergy, took all juſt and legal occaſions to exerciſe his ſeverity againſt ſome of them, to reduce others to obedience; which Matthew Paris thus relates, in odium Regis, (if we may credit him) inAnno Domini 1209. one ſignal example at Oxford.
PEr id tempus, Clericus quidam apud Oxoniam, liberalibus vacans diſciplinis, mulieremMat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 218, 219. Mat. Weſtm. p. 88. quandam caſu interfecit, quam cum mortuam deprehendiſſet; per fugam ſibi conſuluit. Praefectus autem urbis & multi alii accurrentes cum mulierem exanimem invenerunt, ceperunt quaerere homicidam illam in hoſpitio ſuo, quod cum tribus ſociis ſuis Clericis locaverat, & facti reum non invenientes, ceperunt tres ſocios ejus Clericos memoratos, & de homicidio penitus neſcios, & eos in carcerem retruſerunt. Deinde poſt dies paucos, Rege Anglorum jubente, in contemptum Eccleſiaſticae libertatis, extra villam educti ſuſpendio perierunt. Quod cum factum fuiſſet, receſſerunt ab Oxonia ad tria Millia Clericorum tam Magiſtri quam Diſcipuli, ita quod nec unus ex omni Univerſitate remanſit; quorum quidam apud Cantebrigiam, quidam vero apud Radingum, liberalibus ſtudiis vacantes, Villam Oxoniae vacuam reliquerunt. Yet, Eodem anno Hugo Archidiaconus Wellenſis, & Regis Cancellarius, ad Epiſcopatum Lincolnienſem, eodem Rege procurante, electus eſt, qui continuo poſt factam Electionem, totius Epiſcopatus a Rege liberam diſpoſitionem accepit: And was conſecrated by the Archbiſhop of Rohan, ſo as the King during the Interdict diſpoſed of his Biſhopricks as before, to ſuch who were loyall and obedient to him.
Whereupon the Pope conſidering how much his Interdicts were generally ſlighted throughout England, proceeded one degree further, to excommunicate the King by name in all Conventual Churches, every Lords day and Holy day, though no Divine Service muſt be uſed in Pariſh Churches; ſuch was his daring Impiety, thus related by his Creatures.
*Mat. Paris, p 218, 219, 220. Mat. Weſtm. p. 88.SUb his denique diebus, cum Rex Anglorum Johannes, jam fere per biennium, ut dictum eſt, generaliter per totam Angliam perſecutionem graviſſimam ratione. Interdictitam contra viros Eccleſiaſticos, quam La…cos nonnullos infatigabiliter continuaſſet, & de correctione ſimul & ſatisfactione omnibus ſpem omnimodam ademiſſet: Papa Innocentius ipſius Rebellionem diutius inultam diſſimulare non potuit: (though he could not only diſpence with, but countenance his Biſhops and Monks Rebellions againſt the King.) Vnde de conſilio fratrum …uorum Cardinalium ad extirpandum radicitus Eccleſiae ſcandalum, Londonienſi, Helyenſi, & Wygornienſi Epiſcopis, dedit in mandatis, Vt Regem memoratum nominatim excommunicatum pronunciarent, et ſententiam ſingulis diebus dominicis et feſtivis in omnibus Eccleſiis Conventualibus per totam Angliam ſolemniter publicantes, ipſum facerent ab omnibus arctius evitari. Sed cum Epiſcopi jam dicti confratribus ſuis, qui in Anglia remanſerant Epiſcopis, alii que Eccleſiarum Praelatis publicationem ſententiae Authoritate Apoſtolica commiſiſſent: (they being willing to ſleep in a whole skin, and tranſlate this dangerous buſineſſe to others. But they like prudent and loyal ſubjects ſlighting the Popes commands:) effecti ſunt univerſi metu Regio vel favore, canes muti; non audentes latrare. Vnde injunctum ſibi officium exequi diſſimulantes, in mandatis Apoſtolicis ſecundum juris ordinem minime proceſſerunt. Veruntamen ſententia in brevi facta omnibus notiſſima in viis, plateis, necnon in aliis hominum conventiculis, confabulatione licet ſecretiſſima, omnium ora replevit. Inter quos cum die quadam ſederet apud Weſtmonaſterium ad Scaccarium Gaufridus Archidiaconus Norwicenſis, Regiis intendens negotiis, caepit ſecretius ſermocinari cum ſociis ſuis aſſidentibus de ſententia in Regem lata, dicens, non eſſe tutum viris beneficiatis in obſequio Regis excommunicati ulterius immorari. Et his dictis, ad propria, non licentiatus receſſit. Sed cum poſt paululum, ea quae facta fuerunt, ad Regis notitiam perveniſſent, non mediocriter perturbatus, miſit Willielmum Talbot Militem cum Armata manu, qui ipſum Archidiaconum comprehenſum, et vinculis aſperimis conſtrictum ſub Carcerali Cuſtodia recluſerunt, ubi poſt dies paucos Rege praefato jubente, *A Cooie, or Cap of Lead, Speeds Chronicle, p. 571.Capa indutus plumbea, tam victualium penuria, quam ipſius Capae ponderoſitate compreſſus, migravit ad Dominum. A juſt reward for ſuch a ſignal and ſingular Traytor.
During this Interdict and Excommunication, Alexander Abbot of the Benedictines, vir corpore elegantiſſimus, facie venerabilis, literarum plenitudine imbutus, ita ut Pariſiis celebris haberetur, Magiſter, et Rector, et Lector in Theologia, (as (aAnno 1209. p. 88.) Matthew Westminster, (bMs.) Thomas Sprot, (cCenturia 3. Scriptorum Brit. c. 57.) Baelaeus, and (dSpeeds Hiſtory p. 571.) others inform us) openly pleaded and fomented the Kings cauſe againſt the Pope, out of Ambition, write the Monks, but in truth out of true grounds of Conſcience and Religion, as Matthew Paris his relation (though partial) diſcovers.