Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Document 57 – Document 59
EOdem Anno, Rex Anglorum Iohannes, apud Pembroc. in Wallia copioſo ExercituAn. Dom. 1210. Mat. Paris, Hiſt. Angliae p. 220, 221. Mat. Weſt. Holinſhed, Speed, Grafton, Stow, Anno. 1210. congregato, profectus eſt in Hiberniam, & ibi applicuit Octavo Idus Junii. Cum que veniſſet ad Dublinenſem Civitatem, occurrerunt ei ibidem plus quam viginti Reguli illius regionis, qui omnes timore maximo perterriti, homagium ei & fidelitatem fecerunt. Pauci tamen ex regulis ſuperſederunt, qui ad Regem venire contempſerunt, eo quod in locis inexpugnabilibus habitabant. Fecit quo que Rex ibidem conſtruere leges & conſuetudines Anglicanas, ponens Vicecomites alioſ que Miniſtros, qui populum regni illius juxta leges Anglicanas judicarent.
Hoc ita geſtis Rex in manu forti progrediens, cepit plurimum hoſtium ſuorum munitiones, fugientibus a facie ejus Waltero de Laſci viro nobili, cum aliis multis, qui in manus ejus incidere metuebant. Tandem veniens in Provinciam Regionis illius, quae Mide nuncupatur, Matildam Uxorem Willielmi de Brauſe, & Willielmum filium ejus cum uxore ſua, in quadam munitione obſedit & caepit, a quo clam evadentes, & poſtea rurſus capti in Inſula de Maij, Regi ſunt preſentati, vinculis conſtrictos aſperrimis, miſit in Angliam, & in Caſtello de Windleſhores, ſub arcta cuſtodia deputavit: qui omnes Rege jubente fame perierunt. Rex deni que Johannes cum in parte maxima de tota Hybernia pro libitu ſuo diſpoſuiſſet, Naves cum triumpho ingreſſus, in Angliam applicuit tertio Kalendas Septembris. Deinde Londonias cum feſtinatione properans, fecit omnes Angliae Prelatos in ſua preſentia conuenire. Venerunt autem ad hanc generalem vocationem Abbates, Priores, Abbatiſſae, Templarii, Hoſpitilarii, Cuſtodes Villarum ordinis Cluniacenſis, et aliarum Regionum Tranſmarinarum, cujuſcunque dignitatis et ordinis, (notwithſtanding the Popes Interdict, and his own perſonal Excommunication) qui omnes ad tam gravem compulſi ſunt redemptionem, ac rerum Eccleſiaſticarum dilapidationem, quod ſumma extortae pecuniae excreviſſe fertur ad Centum Millia Librarum ſterlingorum. Albi quoque Monachi de Regno Angliae aliis exceptis, Quadraginta Millia Argenti in hoc tallagio (vellent nollent) caſſatis privilegiis, Regi perſolverunt. Cujus rei ſeriem ſiquis plenius proſequeretur, lachrymas excuteret tyrannorum, & animos audientium perturbaret: Writes this diſloyal partial Monk; when as the Popes Taxes and proceedings againſt the King ſhould rather do it.
He likewiſe *Mat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 227, 228, 229, 230, 231. Mat. Weſtm. p. 87.entred into a league with Otho the Emperor, and forced John King of Scots, who received his Fugitives and run-away Subjects, and harboured them in his Kingdom, out of meer fear of his Army, valour and ſucceſſes, to intercede and ſend to him for peace, to pay him 11000. marks to purchaſe his peace with him, and to put in Hoſtages for his fidelity, without any fight between them; Yea the Welſhmen themſelves, formerly Rebellious, ſoon after his return from Scotland, voluntarily repaired to him at Woodſtock, (Quod temporibus anteactis fuerat inauditum, as our Monks affirm) and there did Homage to him. After which, Anno 1211. he entring into Wales with a puiſſant Army as far as Snowdune, Reges omnes et Nobiles ſine contradictione ſubjugavit. De ſubjectione in poſterum obſides viginti octo ſuſcepit, et inde cum proſperitate ad Albuni Monaſterium remeavit, Lewellin Prince of Northwales being enforced to render himſelf to his mercy, without any battel or fight at all.
Theſe admirable ſucceſſes, with his Lords, Nobles, Subjects conſtant attendance on, and adherence to him, notwithſtanding the Popes Interdict, Curſe, Thunderbolts; thereupon the Pope attempts to decoy him out of his Royalties and Reſolutions by a Treaty, to which end he diſpatched two Nuncioes to the King, who in his victorious return from Wales, *Mat. Paris, Ibidem.veniens apud Northamptonam, Nuncios Domini Papae ibidem cum mandatis Apoſtolicis obvios habuit. Pandulphum videlicet Subdiaconum & Domini Papae familiar ſſimum, ac de militia Templi fratrem Durandum: Qui ad hoc venerunt, ut pacem inter Regnum, & Sacerdotium reformarent. Rex autem ad exhortationem Nunciorum gratanter conceſſit, ut Archiepiſcopus Cantuarienſis, & Monachi atque omnes Epiſcopi ab Anglia proſcripti, cum pace ſua redirent ad propria. Sed quia de damnis datis, & de bonis eorum confiſcatis, Rex, Archiepiſcopo & Epiſcopis ſatisfacere noluit, (having no reaſon to do it, theſe Biſhops putting him to ſo vaſt expences both at Rome, and in his Wars againſt thoſe they ſtirred up againſt him) Nuncii infecto negotio ad Gallias remearunt.
The Chronicle compiled by the School-maſter of St. Albans, in the laſt year of K. Henry the 4th. and then printed by him, reprinted by Winkynde Worde 1502. by William Caxtons appointment, whoſe Title it bears, adds much to this relation, of a conferrence firſt between the King and exiled Biſhops, and ſoon after between theſe Nuncioes and the King, relating their inſolent ſpeeches and behaviour towards him, omitted by other Hiſtorians, (tranſcribed in part by Mr. Fox) which I ſhall here inſert.
*Caxtons Chronicles, pars 7. King John, and Fox Acts and Monuments, vol. 1. p. 326, 327, 328.Theſe foure Byſhops (who Interdicted the Kingdom, and curſed all them that put or ſhould meddle with holy Chirche goods, agenſt the will of them that ought theym) went over the Sea, and came to the Byſhop of Canterbury, and told him all the thing. And the Archbyſhop to them ſaid, that they ſhould goe againe to Canterbury, and hee ſhould come thither to them, or elſe hee would ſend unto them certaine perſons in his ſtead that ſhould doe as much as if hee himſelfe were there. And when the Byſhops heard this, they turned againe into England, and came unto Canterbury: The tydings came to the King that the Byſhops were come againe to Canterbury, and himſelfe might not come thither that tyme, hee ſent thither Byſhops, Earles, and Abbots, for to treat with them, that the King ſhould receive the Archbyſhop Stephen, and the Priour, and all the Monkes of Canterbury, that hee ſhould never after that tyme nothing take of holy Chirche agenſt the will of them that oweth the goodes. And that the King ſhould make full amends to them of whom hee had any goodes taken. And the holy Chirche ſhould have all Fraunchiſe as far forth as they had in Saint Edwards tyme the holy Confeſſour.
So when the fourme of accordment thus was ordeined; it was in a paire of Indentures, and they put their Seales to that one part, and they that came in the Kings name put their Seales to that other part of the Indentures. And foure Biſhops aboyeſaid took the one part of the Indentures to them, and that other part of the Indentures they bare with them to ſhew to the King. When the King ſaw the fourme and underſtood, he held him full well appaid of all manner of things as they had ordeined, ſaving as touching reſtitution of the goods for to make agen. To that thing hee would not accord, and ſo hee ſent word agen to the foure Byſhops, that they ſhould do out and put away that one poynt of reſtitution. *An undutifull obſtinate Anſwer.But they anſwered, That they would not doe one word out. Tho ſent the King to the Archbyſhop by the foure Byſhops, that hee ſhould come to Canterbury for to ſpeake with him there, and ſent unto him ſafe conduct under Pledges. That is to ſay, his Juſtices, Gilbert Peyteum, William de la Brener, and John Fitz Hugh, that in their conduct ſafely hee ſhould come and goe agen at his owne will: And thus in this manner the Archbyſhop Stephen came to Canterbury. When the Archbyſhop was come, the King came to Chilhaz, for hee would no nighe Canterbury at that tyme. But hee ſent by his Treſorer Byſhop of Wincheſter, that hee ſhould doe out of the Indentures the clauſe of reſtitution for to make of the goodes. And the Archbyſhop made his *A ſtrangediſloyal Oath, & inſolent AnſwerDathe, that hee would not never doe out oo word thereof, ne yet it change, of that the Byſhops had ſpoken and ordeined. And tho the Archbyſhop yede agen to Rome, without any more doing. King Iohn was then *Had he not juſt cauſe?wrother then ever hee was before, and let make a common cry throughout all England, that all thoſe that had holy Chirche Rents, and went over the Sea, that they ſhould come againe into England at a certain day, or elſe they ſhould looſe their Rents for evermore. And that he commanded to every Sheriffe throughout all England, that they ſhould enquire if any Byſhop, Abbot or Priour, or any other Prelate of holy Chirche, fro that day afterward receive any Commandement that cometh fro the Pope, that they ſhould take the body and bring it before him, and that they ſhould take into the Kings hands all their Lands of holy Chirche, that were gave to any man by the Archbyſhop or by the Priour of Canterbury, from the tyme of the Election of the Archbyſhop. And commanded that all the Woodes that were the Archbyſhops ſhould be caſt down unto the ground, and all ſould. Andin the ſame yeare the *By the Popes and Biſhops inſtigation, See Speeds Chronicle, p. 571, 572.Iriſhmen began to Warre upon King John, and the King ordeined him for to goe into Ireland, and lete arear an huge Tax throughout all England, that is for to ſay, Thirty Thouſand Marks; And thus hee ſent throughout all England unto the Monks of the Order of C ſteaux, that they ſhould help him of Six Thouſand Marke of Silver. And they anſwered and ſaid, That they durſt nothing doe without their chiefe Abbot of Ciſteaux. Wherefore King John when hee came agen from Ireland, did them ſoe much ſorrow and care, that they wiſt not whyder to abide, for hee took ſoe much raunſome of every houſe, and the ſumine amounted to Nine Thouſand and Three Hundred Marke, ſoe that they were cleane loſt and deſtroyed, and voyded their houſes and their londs throughout all England. And the Abbot of Waverſay drade ſoe much his menace, that hee forſooke all the Abby and went thence, and privily ordeined him over the See to the houſe of Ciſteaux. When the tydings came to the Pope, that the King had done ſoe much malice, then hee was towards the King full wroth, and ſent two Legates unto the King, that one was called Pandulfe, and that other Dur…unt, that they ſhould warne the King in the Popes name, that hee ſhould ceaſe of his Perſecution that hee did unto holy Chirche, and amend the wrong and the treſpaſſe that hee had done to the Archbyſhop of Canterbury, and to the Priour, and to the Monkes of Canterbury, and to all the Clergy of England. And that hee ſhould reſtore all the goodes agen that hee had taken of them agenſt their will, and elſe they ſhould curſe him by name. And to do this thing and to confirm the Pope toke them his Letters in Bulles Patents. Theſe two Legates came into Englond, and came to the King to Northampton, there that hee held his Parliament, and full courteouſly they him ſalewed, and ſaid, Syr we come from the Pope of Rome, the peace of the holy Chirche, and the Lond to amend. And wee admoniſh you firſt in the Popes half, that yee make full reſtitution of the goodes that yee have raviſhed and taken of holy Chirche, and of the Lond, and that yee receive Stephen Archbyſhop of Canterbury into his Dignitee, and the Priour of Canterbury and his Monkes, and that yee yeld agen unto the Archbyſhop all his Londs and Rents without any withhoulding. And Syr yet moreover, That yee ſhall make reſtitution unto all holy Chirche, whereof they ſhall hould them well apaid. Tho †A Royal and Gracious Anſwer.anſwered the King, as touching the Priour and his Monkes of Canterbury, all that yee have ſaid I will doe gladly, and all things that yee will ordeine; But as touching the Archbyſhop, I ſhall tell you in my hert as it lyes, That the Archbyſhop leave his Archbyſhoprick, and that the Pope then for him would pray, and then upon a venture mee ſhould lyke ſome other Byſhoprick to give him in Englond: And upon this condition I will him accept and receive And nevertheleſſe, as Archbyſhop in England if hee abyde, hee ſhall never have ſoe good ſafe conduyte, but that hee ſhall be take. Tho ſaid Pandulph unto the King, Sir, holy Chirche was wont never to diſcharge an Archbyſhop without cauſe reaſonable: But it *A moſt iſe… lent Reply.ever hath heene wont to chaſtize Princes, that to God and holy Chirche were diſobedyent. What how now ſaid the King, menace yee mee? Nay ſaid Pandulph, But yee now have openly tould, as it ſtandeth in your heart. And to you wee will tell what is the *A ſtrange unparallel'd An… chriſtian Antimonarchical Meſſage and Sentence, delivered to theface of a King in his Kingdom, & in the preſences of his own Parliament.Popes will; And thus it ſtandeth, that hee hath you hooly enterdyted and accurſed for the wrongs that yee have done to holy Chirche, and to the Clergy. And foraſmuch as yee dwell, and heth in will to abyde in malice and in wretchedneſſe, and will not come out thereof ne to amend, yee ſhall underſtond, that this time afterward the ſentence is upon you geven, and houldeth ſtede and ſtrength, and upon all tho that with you hath communed before this time, whether they bene Earles, Barons or Knights, or any other whatſoever that they bee, wee them aſſoylle ſafely unto this day. And from this tyme afterward, of what condition ſoever they bene, wee them accurſe, that with you comyne ony word, and doe wee ſentence upon them openly and ſpecially. And wee aſſoylle clene Earles, Barons, Knights, and all other men of their homages, ſervices and feautees, that they ſhould unto you doe. And this tydynge to conferme, wee geve plaine power to the Byſhop of Wincheſter, and to the Byſhop of Norwich; And the ſame power wee geve into Scotland, to the Byſhops of Rocheſter and of Salisbury: And in Wales wee geve the ſame power to the Byſhop of Saint Davids, and of Landaff, and of Saint Aſſe; And moreover wee ſente thrughout all Chryſtendome, that all the Byſhops beyond the Sea, that they doe accurſe all thoſe that helpe you, or any Counſell giveth you in any manner nede that yee have to doe in any part of the World. And wee aſſoylle them alſoe all by authoryte of the Pope, and commaund them alſoe with you for to fight, as with him that is Enemy to all holy Chirche. Tho anſwered the King, What may yee doe more to mee? Tho anſwered Pandulph, Wee ſay to you in the *He tells us not where it is written.word of God, that yee, ne no Heyre that yee have never after this day may be Crowned. Tho ſaid the King, By him that is Almighty God, and I had wift this ere that yee came into my Londe, that yee had brought mee ſuch tydings, I ſhould have made you ride all one year. Tho anſwered Pandulph, Full well wende wee at our first cominge, that yee would have beene obedyent to God, and holy Chirche, and have fullfilled the Popes Commandement; And now wee have ſhewed unto you, and pronounced the Popes will, as wee were charged therewith. And as now yee have ſaid, that if yee had wist the cauſe of our coming, that yee would have do us to ryde all au hoole yeare. And as well yee might have ſaid, that yee would have taken an hoole yeare of respyte by the Popes leave. But for to ſuffer what dethe yee could ordeyne, wee ſhall not ſpare for to tell you hooly all the Popes Meſſage, and his will that wee were charged with.
And anone tho commaunded the King, the Shyriffs, and Baylyffs of Northampton, that were in the Kings preſence, that they ſhould bring forth all the Pryſoners, that they might bee done to death before Pandulph, for bycauſe the King wened that they would have gaynſaid their deeds for cauſe of the Dethe, all thing that they had ſpoken afore. When the Pryſoners were come before the King, the King commanded ſome to bee hanged, and ſome to bee drawne, and ſome to drawe out their Eyne out of their head. And among all other there was a Clerke that had falſyde the Kings moneye, and the King commanded that hee ſhould be hanged and drawed. And when Pandulph heard this Commandement of the King, hee ſterte him upright quickly, and anone *A ſtrange unparallel'd inſolency & contumacy.axed a Booke and a Candle, and would have curſyd the King, and all them that would ſet upon the Clerke any hand; And Pandulph himſelfe went for to ſeeke a Croſſe. And the King followed him and delivered him the Clerke by the hond, that hee ſhould doe with him what hee would; and thus was the Clerke delivered, and went thens. And Pandulph and Duraunt his fellow, wente from the King, and came agen to the Pope of Rome, and tould him, that King Iohan would not amended bee, but ever abode ſoe accurſyd. And nevertheleſſe the Pope graunted that yeare throughout all England, that Prieſts might ſing Maſſe in covenable Churches, and conſecrate our Lords body, and give it to ſyck men which were likely to paſſe out of this World; and alſoe that men might Chryſten Children over all the Londe. And when the Pope wift and ſaw that the King would not bee under the rule of holy Chirche for no manner thing, the Pope then ſente to the King of Fraunce in remiſſion of his ſinnes, that hee ſhould take with him all the power that he might, and goe into Englond for to deſtroy the King Iohn. Thus far this Chronicle.
Can any Chriſtian or Loyal Subject, though the moſt paſſionate Votary to the Church of Rome, read theſe proceedings without the higheſt deteſtation and abomination of them, as diametrically repugnant to the practiſe and precepts of Chriſt, of St. Peter, all the Apoſtles, and to the principles of Chriſtian Religion? or at leaſt not acknowledge with *Anſwer to Cook, part 2. c. 9. Speed p. 571.Parſons the Jeſuit, (no friend to our Kings or Monarchy) That many godly wiſe men at that time did wiſh, that Pope Innocent had not ſtood ſo hard with King John in ſuch a point as this was, for contenting him with a perſon gratefull to him in that See: The diſmal effects whereof both to the King and Kingdom, Lords and Commons, Biſhops and Clergy themſelves, being moſt gaſtly, rufull, execrable to all godly ſober minded Chriſtians, and moral Heathens.
But to return to Matthew Paris his relation of ſome of theſe proceedings.
EOdem Anno (1211.) Innocentius Papa cum Rex Anglorum Johannes, Nunciis ejusAn. Dom. 1211 Mat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 221, 222. Mat. Weſtm. p. 89, 90. ſibi monita praedicantibus ſalubria, acquieſcere contempſiſſet, multimodam ipſius contumaciam ſupra modum admirans, (inſtead of ordering and reforming his own) Reges et alios omnes tam pauperes, quam potentes ad Coronam Angliae ſpectantes, a Regis fidelitate et ſubjectione abſolvit, diſtricte et ſub poena excommunicationis prohibens univerſis et ſingulis quatinus ipſum, in menſa, conſilio, et colloquio arctius evitarent, (which few or none ſubmitted to.) Habuit autem Rex hac Interdicti tempeſtate conſiliarios *Equiſſimos had been better, truer.iniquiſſimos, (or fautores & conſiliarios praecipuos in hoc errore & pertinatia, ſo Matthew Weſtminſter) quorum nomina pro parte hic ponere non omittam. Willielmus quoque frater Regis, & Comes Sarisburienſis, Albericus de Veer, Comes Oxonienſis, Gaufridus filius Petri, Angliae Juſtitiarius; Tres Epiſcopi Curiales, Philippus Dunelmenſis, Petrus Wintonienſis, et Iohannes Norwicenſis, Richardus de Mariſco, Regis Cancellarius, Hugo de Nevilla, Proto-forreſtarius, Willielmus de Wortham, Cuſtos Portuum Maris, Robertus de Veteri Ponte, & Yvo Frater ejus, Brienus de Inſula, & Gaufridus de Luci, Hugo de Bailul, & Bernardus Frater ejus, Willielmus de Cantelu, & Willielmus Filius ejus, Fulco de Cantelu, & Riginaldus de Cornhelle, Vicecomes Kanciae, Robertus de Braibroc, & Henricus Filius ejus, Philippus de Ʋletotes, & Johannes de Baſſingburne, Philippus Marci, Caſtellanus de Nottingham, Petrus de Maulei, & Robertus de Gaugi, Gerardus de Ati…, & Ingelardus Nepos ejus, Falco & Willielmus Brivere, Petrus Filius Hereberti, & Thomas Baſſet, & alii multi quos longum eſſet enumerare, qui Regi in omnibus placere cupientes, conſilium non pro ratione, ſed pro voluntate (or impetu voluntatis pernicioſum, as Matthew Weſtminſter) dederunt. Thus the defaming pencils of every Monk did brand thoſe faithfull Counſellors and Subjects then adhering to the King, againſt the Uſurping Pope, Trayterous Biſhops, and their Brother Monks of Canterbury.
When this Antichriſtian abſolution of the Nobles and all other Subjects from the Kings allegiance would not ſhake his moſt magnanimous reſolution, nor his peoples Loyalty, the Popes Legates, and Popiſh Prelates forged new deviſes to effect their deſigns by fraud and terrour; to which purpoſe they procured ſundry Letters from ſeverall quarters to be brought to him, whiles he ſate at dinner at Nottingham, intending to invade and extirpate the Welſhmen with a formidable Army, (whom they had ſtirred up to Rebell againſt him, and invade England) to divert him from his deſign, all to this effect, That there was a ſecret Plot laid to betray and deſtroy him: which he cauſing to be read to him after dinner, he adhuc spretis hiis comminationibus, marched to Cheſter, where he met with new Letters to the like effect, which cauſed him to diſmiſſe his Army and deſign againſt the Welſhmen.
ITerum venerunt ad eum nuncii & literae, quod videlicet Rex, ſi bellum aggredereturMat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 222. incaeptum, aut a ſuis magnatibus perimeretur, aut hoſtibus ad perdendum traderetur. Rex autem cum talia audiſſet, perturbatus eſt valde, & animo conſternatus, atque cum intellexiſſet Magnates Angliae, a ſuo eſſe fidelitate abſolutos, majorem literis ſibi deſtinatis fidem adhibuit. Unde propoſitum utiliter commutans, juſſit omnem exercitum ad propria remeare, venienſque ad Urbem Londoniarum, miſit nuncios ad magnates univerſos, ſibi de fidelitate ſuspectos, exigens obſides ab eis, ut probaret qui vellent & qui nollent, ejus obtemperare praeceptis. Illi vero Regiis Juſſoribus reſiſtere non audentes, remiſerunt Filios, Nepotes, & Cognatos ſuos, ad libitum Regis Et ſic indignatio ejus aliquantulum conquievit. Veruntamen Euſtachius de Veſci, & Robertus filius Walteri, de proditione memorata accuſati & Regi nimis ſuſpecti, receſſerunt ab Anglia, Euſtachius videlicet in Scotiam, & Robertus ad Gallias divertentes.
Beſides, the Prelates and Prieſts ſuborned and ſet up one Peter an Hermit, aAnno 1212. counterfeit Prophet, to terrifie the King, and alienate the peoples hearts from him by his falſe Prophecies, thus reported by Mathew Paris and others.