Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Document 8 – Document 13
INNOCENTIUS, aHoveden Annal. pars poſterior. p. 817, 818.Epiſcopus ſervus ſervorum Dei, Epiſcopo Eboraci, Salutem & Apoſtolicum benedictionem. St Magiſterium recognoſceres Apoſtolicae ſedis, et debitam ei reverentiam et obedientiam exhiberes, non praeſumeres plenitudini poteſtatis ipſius, et privilegio dignitatis in aliquo derogare, cum ab ea in partem ſollicitudinis evocatus, ipſam in tuis neceſſitatibus, in quas temere teipſam induxeras, ſenſeris ſaepius adjutricem. Non enim excuſare te potes, ut debes, quod illud privilegium ignoraris per quod omnibus injuſte gravatis facultas patet ad ſedem Apoſtolicam appellandi, cum et tu ipſe aliquando ad noſtram audientiam appellaris, et a tuis gravaminibus non ſemel, ſed ſaepius ad nos fueris appellatum, nec ipſum privilegium te licuerit ignorare. Verum ut ceſſent caetera, ex eo ſolo ad invocationem noſtri nominis a ſubditorum tuorum moleſtatiombus debueras abſtinere, quod in multis & arduis negoti…s, & petiſti & obtinuiſti favorem tibi Apoſtolicum exhiberi. Sed ut rerum monſtrat effectus. nec authoritatem noſtram attendis, nec factam tibi gratiam recognoſcis, nec appellationibus defers, quae interponuntur ad ſedem Apoſtolicam aggravatos. Ecce enim cum d…iectus filius noſter Magiſter Honorius, Richmondi Archidiaconus, in plena poſſeſſione Libertatum Archidiaconatus Richmondi exiſtens, cum Clericis ſuis a te propter manifeſta gravamina, & varias injurias ad ſedem Apoſtolicam appellaverat, tu nihilominus in eum, et quoſdam Clericos ſuos ſuſpenſionis et aliquas Eccleſias Archidiaconatus ejuſdem interdicti ſententiam promulgaſti. Nec hoc contentus exceſſu, poſtquam ipſe iter arripuit ad ſedem Apoſtolicam veniendi, ſuſpenſis quibuſoam Clerici, ejus, et Eccleſtis interdictis, et excommunicatis quibuſdam, de facto fantum quia de jure non potuiſti, certam a caeteris extorſiſti pecuniae quantitatem, ſtatum ejus et Clericorum ſuorum turbans in pluribus et confundens. Quia vero tantae praeſumptionis exceſſum, incorrectum nec volumus, nec debemus relinquere tuae fraternitati, per Apoſtolica ſcripta Mandamus, atque praecipimus, quod taliter, quae praedicta ſunt corrigas per teipſum, quod adverſum te nos non cogas durius commoveri, qui tolleravimus hactenas temeritatem tuam in multis. Alioquin noveris nos Venerabili fratri Elienſi Epiſcopo dilecto filio Abbati de Waltham, per ſcripta noſtra praecipiendo mandaſſe, et ut praedictus excommunicationis ſuſpenſionis, et interdicti ſententias talfter a te illatas nullas eſſe denuncient, et te ad reſtitutionem eorum quae vel a Clericis, vel ab Eceleſ…is Archidiaconatus ejuſdem poſt appellationem ad nos legitime interpoſitam extorſiſti, et recompenſationem damnorum per Cenſuram Eccleſiaſticam, appellatione remota compellerint, et quicquid per te vel tuos in prejudicium ejus, vel ſuorum invenerint immutatum, in ſtatum priſtinum noſtra freti authoritate reducant, et ſub praemiſſa te diſtrictione compeſcant, ne Archidiaconum vel ejus Clericos injuſte moleſtes, aut ſtatum vel libertates eorum audeas perturbare. Sciturus procerto, quod cum durum ſit tibi contra ſtimulum calcitrare, niſi abſtineas ab hujuſmodi, et mandatis noſtris reverenter obedias, manus noſtras in te ultra forte quam timeas curabimus aggravare, ne tui nobis imputentur exceſſus. Datum Laterani, 3. Nonas Februar…, Pontificatus noſtri anno.
I find not that this Archbiſhop was any wayes daunted with this high menacing Epiſtle, but proceeded ſtill againſt Honorius, till reſtrained by the Kings Writs, Appeals to Rome being but then in their very Infancy, and that not as to a Supream Judicature, but only by way of complaint, as a Voluntary perſwading Arbitrator, and that by the Kings licenſe firſt obtained, as Learned *An Hiſtorical Vindication of the Church of England, in point of Schiſm p. 28, to 40.Sir Roger Twiſden truly obſerves.
This Pope in his Epiſtle to the Biſhop of Ely, (who did nought therein) relates, That K. Henry the I. when he would create a new Biſhoprick at Karleol, becauſe the Archdeaconry of Richmond would be prejudiced thereby, obtained from the then Archbiſhop of York ſome Privileges, in recompence of part of the Archdeaconry then ſubſtracted from it, which the Archdeacons enjoyed ever ſince, which Jeoffry then endeavoured to ſubſtract, confeſſing hereby that the King had an inherent power without the Pope, to create new Biſhopricks, ſubſtract, alter the Dioceſſe, Privileges both of Archbiſhops, Biſhops, & Archdeacons, ſo as to bind their ſucceſſors thereby.
In this ſecond year of King John, bHoveden Annal. pars poſterior, p. 806, 807, 808.Hubert Archbiſhop of Canterbury, againſt the Kings Royal Prerogative, intending to celebrate a generall Council at Weſtminster, without the Kings ſpecial Writ, thereupon (the King being then in Normandy) Geoffry Fitz Peter, Earl of Eſſex, being then chief Juſtice of England, ſent a Prohibition to inhibit it; yet the Archbiſhop, contra Prohibition em Gaufridi, held the Council, wherein he made and promulged ſeverall Decrees, ſtatuens ea a ſuis ſubditis inviolabiliter obſervari. Two of them are very memorable:
The firſt prohibiting Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Archdeacons or Deans, in their Viſitations, cSee Octoboni Conſtitutiones apud Johan. de Aton, f. 88, 89. De procurationibus non exigendis.Ne ſubditos ſuos talliis & exactionibus gravare praeſumant, ſuſtinemus autem pro multis neceſſitatibus, quae aliquotiens ſuperveniunt, ſi manifeſta & rationabilis cauſa extiterit, cum charitate modicum ab eis valeaent auxilium postulare. Cum enim dicit Apoſtolus, Non debent filii Theſaurizare parentibus, ſed parentes filiis, multo longe a paterna pietate videtur, ſi praepoſiti ſubditis ſuis graves exiſtant, quos in cunctis neceſſitatibus pastoris more debent fovere. Archidiaconi, aut ſui Decani nullas exactiones vel tallias in Presbyteros ſeu Clericos exercere praeſumant.
The ſecond, Sicut in Lateranenſi Concilio ſalubriter a ſanctis Patribus eſt proviſum, inhibemus, ne a perſonis Eccleſiaſticis deducendis ad ſedem, vel Sacerdotibus, vel aliis Clericis inſtituendis, aut ſepelendis mortuis, aut benedicandis nubentibus, ſeupro chriſmate, ſeu quibuſlibet aliis Sacramentis aliquid exigatur. His adjicimus, ne pro licentia celebrandi divina a Sacerdotibus, vel docendi a Magistris aliquid exigatur, & ſi ſolutum fuerit, repetatur: De ejuſdem etiam Concilii auctoritate prohibemus, ne novi cenſus ab Epiſcopis, vel Abbatibus aliiſve Praelatis imponantur Eccleſiis, nec veteres augeantur; Si quis autem contra hoc venire praeſumpſerit, portionem cum Gihezi, ſe noverit habiturum, cujus factum exactione turpi muneris imitatur. By what Law ſuch exactions of Procurations, Fees for Orders, Inſtitutions, Inductions, Licences of Miniſters and Schiſmaticks, are ſince taken and claimed as duties, I cannot yet diſcover. It ſeems theſe Decrees were not eſteemed obligatory, nor regarded, (Lyndwood, Aton, and moſt Hiſtories taking no notice of them) becauſe made againſt the Kings Prohibition, and Biſhops and their Officers profit, though much for the peoples eaſe.
Geoffry Archbiſhop of York, having the year before (as you *Here p. 230, 231.heard) much incenſed the King againſt him, for oppoſing the levying of Carvage, for which he compounded and made his peace with the King; the Sheriff and his Officers having exceeded their Commiſſion, not only in ſpoyling him of all the Goods and Mannors of his Archbiſhoprick, but likewiſe violently entring into the Lands, and taking away the Goods of other Clerks and Religious perſons: Upon their fore-mentioned agreement, and the Archbiſhops humiliation and ſubmiſſion, the King iſſued forth this Writ to preſerve the Rights of his See of York.
JOhannes Dei gratia, &c. Venerabili Patri E. eadem gratia Elyenſi Epiſcopo, Abbati Pat. 3. Johan, Regis m. 25Rufford, & Archidiacono Northampton. Meminimus quod durante diſcordia inter Nos, & Venerabilem Patrem in Chriſto, & Fratrem Chariſſimum, G. Eborum Archiepiſcopum, quedam per Ballivos noſtros in damnum ipſius Archiepiſcopi ſunt attemptata, quae ob rancorem tempore diſcordiae conceptum fieri ſuſtinuimus; verum pace poſtmodum apud Porcestriam, inter nos reformata, omnia in praejudicium juris ipſius tempore diſcordiae attemptata caſſavimus, & adhuc caſſamus. Nolumus enim quod occaſione eorum quae durante diſcordia in diſpendium juris ipſius Archiepiſcopi vel Eccleſiae ſuae facta fuerint, idem Archiepiſcopus vel Eccleſia ſua dampnum ſuſtineat, vel aliquod detrimentum incurrat, Teſte meipſo apud Bangy, duodecimo die Januarii.
This King in the ſame year and Patent Roll, iſſued forth theſe two memorable Patents in the behalf of Hubert Archbiſhop of Canterbury, for his Juſtices to aſſiſt him in his Courts, for the recovery of the demeſne Lands unjuſtly alienated from his Archbiſhoprick, by due courſe of Law.
JOhannes Dei gratia Capitali Justiciario Angliae, & Juſticiariis de Banco, &c. VolumusPat. 3. Johan. Regis m. 5. n. 24. quod cum Venerabilis Pater noſter in Chriſto, Hubertus Cantuarienſis Archiepiſcopus, voluerit revocare in Curia ſua ea quae injuſte alienata fuerint ab Archiepiſcopatu Cantuarienſi, unus vel duo de vobis qui fueritis Juſticiarii de Banco, in Curiam ſuam veniatis, cum ex parte ſua requiſiti fueritis, ad auxilium ei impendendum in hiis quae ad Curiam ſuam pertinent, quod ea poſſit ſicut justum fuerit revocare. Et ideo vobis mandamus & firmiter praecipimus quod ita faciatis. Teſte meipſo apud Toarc, decimo quinto die Februarii.
REX, &c. Capitali Juſticiario ſuo, & aliis Juſticiariis ſuis Angliae, &c. VolumusPat. 3. Johan. Regis, in. 4. n. 20. quod Venerabilis Pater noſter in Chriſto Hubertus Cantuarienſis Archiepiſcopus revocet in Curia ſua ſecundum conſuetudinem & libertatem Curiae ſuae omnia dominica ſua injuſte alienata, per Sacramentum liberorum & legalium hominum de Viſneto. Volumus etiam quod ſi requiſierit duo de Juſticiariis noſtris, in Curiam ſuam mittantur ad illud videndum, & auxilium ei impendendum ſi neceſſe fuerit, ſalva dignitate noſtra. Et ideo vobis mandamus & firmiter praecipimus quod ita faciatis. Teſte meipſo apud Vernol. ſexto die Marcii.
In this third year of King John, the Dean and Chapter of Sagion, (within his DominionsAn. Dom. 1201 in France) knowing that no Biſhop ought to be elected or admitted but by his previous conſent, nominated four perſons to him, petitioning his Majeſty to elect one of them for their Biſhop, which he did by this Record.
REX Capitulo Sagienſi, &c. Acceſſerunt ad nos quidam Canonici veſtri apudPat. 3. Johan. Regis m. 3. intus. Andel. pro electione Epiſcopi veſtri, & ex parte Univerſitatis veſtrae nominaverunt nobis has perſonas, ſcilicet, Abbatem Sancti Edrulfi, Abbatem de Trepa, Johannem de Oilleya, Herbertum filium Radulfi, Labbe, poſtulantes ut ex hiis nominatis reciperemus ad Epiſcopatum Sagienſem quem vellemus et idoneum videremus. Nos autem Communicato Conſilio virorum magnorum & prudentium conſenſum in perſonam Herberti filii Radulfi nominatam, qui inter caeteras perſonas, Nobis magis ſdoneus videbatur et potius ſecundum Deum eligendus. Mandamus igitur vobis ut eundem Herbertum, in quem jam conſenſimus, in electum veſtrum gratanter recipiatis, & ejus electionem ſollempniter celebretis, intendentes ei ſicut electo veſtro de cetero. Teſte meipſo apud Andet. viceſimo nono die Marcii.
The ſame year of King John, Geoffry (as ſome records) or Gilardus Archdeacon of Brechunon, as Hovedon ſtiles him, pretending himſelf to be elected Biſhop of St. Davids in Wales, with the Kings conſent, by Proviſion from Pope Innocent the 3d. intruded himſelf into poſſeſſion of the Temporalties thereof, and likewiſe endeavoured to make it an Archbiſhoprick, as antiently it was, to the prejudice of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, citing Hubert Archbiſhop to Rome, and procuring a precept to him to conſecrate him Biſhop of St. Davids. This being the firſt Papal Proviſion of any Biſhoprick I meet with; I ſhall recite the whole proceedings of the Pope & Cardinals therein, & the Archbiſhops and Kings oppoſition againſt it. The ſtory whereof is thus related at large by *Annal. pars poſterior, p. …97, 798, 799.Roger de Hoveden, Gervaſius Dorobernenſis, & our Records.
EOdem Anno Magiſter Gilardus Menevenſis Electus, ſuſcitavit controverſiam ſuper jure Metropolitico Eccleſiae Menevenſis, jus ejuſdem Eccleſiae, & priſtinam Metropolitani dignitatem coram Domino Innocentio Papa tertio, & Cardinalibus videlicet, Octaviano Hoſtienſi, & Portuenſi, & Johanne Albanenſi, Epiſcopis Cardinalibus, & Jordano de Foſſa Nova, & Sephredo, & Johanne de S. Paulo, & Johanne de Salerno, & Gratiano, & Hughelno, & Huguncione Cardinalibus, publice proteſtando: Eſt autem *See Giraldus Cambrenſis, Itin. Cambriae l. 2. c. 1.ſciendum quod Poſtquam Beatus Dubricius, urbis Legionum Archiepiſcopus heremum eligens, Beato David ſuae dignitatis ceſſit honorem; Beatus David extunc ſedem Archiepiſcopalem uſque Meneviam tranſtulit, & ibidem Archiepiſcopus factus eſt, & poſt Illum Vigenti quatuor ibidem pallio uſi ſunt, & plena Metropolitica dignitate, quorum ultimus fuit ſanctus Samſon, qui propter Ictericiam paſſionem qua peſte catervatim homines in Wallia tunc temporis occubuerunt, navigio in Armonicam Britaniam tranſiens in Eccleſia Dolenſi, tunc forte vacante praefectus eſt, & Pallio S. David quod ſecum aſportaverat, ibidem uſus eſt, qua occaſione illa Dolenſis Eccleſia continue Turouenſi Eccleſie pallium affectando rebellis extiterat uſque ad tempore praedicti Innocentii Papae tertii; cujus anno ſecundo *Recorded at large by Hoveden, Annalium pars poſterior, p. 797. Mat. Paris p. 191.cauſa eſt deciſa, & illa adventitia Dignitas Dolenſi Eccleſia eſt adjudicata Menevenſis autem Eccleſia eadem occaſione, vel propter ignaviam, vel paupertatem pallio ſemper hactenus caruerunt. Omnes tamen Epiſcopi Menevenſis Eccleſiae, ſcilicet. Novemdecim Epiſcopi a diſceſſu Samſonis uſque ad tempus Henrici Regis Angliae primi, omni dignitate Archiepiſcopali uſi ſunt, *Therefore a Pall from the Pope was not neceſſary to the creating or eſſence of an Archbiſhop.excepto pallio, et habuerunt ſuſſraganeos ſeptem, ſcilicet Landavenſem, & de Sancto Paterno in Ker dikan. quae ſedes, quia Parochiani paſtorem ſuum interfecerunt, olim obſolevit, & Menevenſi Dioceſi eſt adunata, & Bangorenſem, & de S. Aſaf, in Wallia, vero ab Anglis dudum occupata; trans Sabrinum Ceſtrenſem, & Herefordenſem, & Wigornenſem. Praedictus vero Rex Henricus Walliam ſuo Regno ſubjugavit, & (dTherefore it was then the Kings (not Popes) Prerogative to put down, create Archbiſhops, Biſhopricks, enlarge, divide or unite their Provinces and Dioceſſes.) ideo praedictam Menevenſem Eccleſiam, et alias Walliae Eccleſias ſuffraganeas Menevenſis Eccleſiae, Eccleſiae regni ſui ſcilicet Cantuariae ſubjicere cupiens, Bernardum Clericum de Camera ſua, quem in Menevenſi Eccleſia Wilfrido Epiicopo ſubrogari procuravit, & apud Cantuariam, per regiam (ePraerogativam had been truer, fitter.) violentiam conſecrari fecit: Et hic ſuit primus Menevenſis Eccleſiae Epiſcopus a Cantuarienſi Archiepiſcopo conſecratus; & poſt eum David, & Petrus, a Regibus Angliae compulſi, ſimiliter a Cantuarienſi Archiepiſcopo ſunt conſecrati, praeſtitis Sacramentis contra Canones extortis de non ſuſcitanda lite ſuper iure Metropolitico contra Cantuarienſem Eccleſiam in perpetuum. Bernardus tamen defuncto Henrico Rege primo, movit queſtionem ſuper jure Eccleſiae ſuae Metropolitico contra Theoballum, Cantuarienſem Archiepiſcopum: Unde Papa Eugenius in hac forma ſcripſit Theobaldo Cantuarienſi Archiepiſcopo.