Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Document 90 – Document 97
DOmino Papae ſalutem, & debitam tanto Domino ac Patri cum devotione reverentiam.Clauſ. 17 Joh. Regis, m. 32. dorſo. Sanctitati veſtrae grates referimus multiplices, de Literis veſtris pro nobis a paternitate veſtra Domino Cantuarienſi Archiepiſcopo & ejus Suffraganeis porrectis, ne… non Magnatibus & Baronibus terrae noſtrae, pro certo ſcituri, quod Barones ipſi Literas veſtras in nullo exaudierunt; Dominus vero Cantuarienſis Archiepiſcopus, et ejus Suffraganei mandatum veſtrum executioni demandare ſuperſederunt. (Though they were very forwards to pronounce the Popes Interdict againſt the whole Realm, and Excommunication of King John himſelf, and promote his depoſition at the Popes command.) Nos vero attendentes praemiſſa, aſſerebamus Baronibus noſtris▪ Quod terra noſtra *Patrimonium ſignifies only an inheritance actually veſted in the Father, and from him deſcending or bequeathed to his Children, not to his Succeſſors or meer ſtrangers, as Popes are to St. Peter.Patrimonium erat Beati Petri, (A groſſe miſtake, ſince St. Peter was never actually poſſeſſed of it in his life time, nor tranſmitted the inheritance thereof to Popes, as his Children or Succeſſors.) et eam de Beato Petro et Eccleſia Romana, et de vobis tenebamus. (When as the Barons would never acknowledge England to be St. Peters Patrimony, nor yet this King but only in complement and policy, to gain the Popes aſſiſtance to ſuppreſſe the Biſhops and Barons inſolencies and Rebellions, St. Peter having no Patrimony at all therein.) Adjecimus etiam, Quod cruce ſignati eramus, & pet…bamus beneficium & privilegium cruce ſignatorum, ne turbaretur terra hoſtra, (therefore the Kings, not St. Peters Patrimony, nor the Popes) & ne conſumeretur in malos uſus quam in ſubſidium terrae Sancta expendere propoſueramus, & appellavimus, per W. Maraſchallum, Comitem Pembrock, & W. Comitem Warren. contra perturbatores pacis terrae noſtrae. Verum quia cruce ſignati fuimus volentes in omnibus cum humilitate & manſuetudine procedere, ſalva appellatione noſtra, obtulimus Baronibus illis, quod omnes malas conſuetudines ſuſcitatas, et per quemcunque introductas temporibus noſtris penitus aboleremus, nec non et malas conſuetudines tempore Regis Richardi, fratris noſtri, ſubortas extirparemus; de conſuetudinibus autem tempore Patris noſtri ſuſcitatis, ſi quae eſſent quae eos gravarent, per conſilium fidelium noſtrorum operare…ur. Sed nec hiis nec aliis ſupradictis contenti, omnia praemiſſa recuſarunt. Videntes igitur quod ipſi manifeſte nitebantur ad turbationem Regni noſtri, rogavimus Dominum Cantuarienſem Archiepiſcopum, et ejus Suffraganeos, quod exequerentur mandatum veſtrum, ſcilicet, quod ſecundum tenorem Literarum veſtrarum conſueta nobis exhibere et ſervitia. Et poſtea ſi quae a nobis petere vellent, cum humilitate et ſine armis ea a nobis peterent, denunciantes eos excommunicatos qui p…ſt praedicta eis oblata pacem Regni noſtri perturbarent. Et videbatur Epiſcopa Exon. et Magiſtro Pandulfo qui praeſentes erant, quod de jure per ſententiam excommunicationis eos compeſcere debebant: ſed Archiepiſcopus reſpondens ait, quod ſententiam excommunicationis in eos nullo modo proferret, quia bene ſciebat mentem veſtram, et videbatur nobis ſimiliter, quod ita facere debebat, quia mandavimus gentem copioſam de terris extraneorum ad ſuccurſum terrae noſtrae. Et promiſit nobis quod ſi eos revocare vellemus, non ſolum ſententiam excommunicationis in eos inferret, verum etiam in quantum poſſet eis reſiſteret: Vnde gentem noſtram revocavimus. Poſtmodum autem obtulimus eis per Literas noſtras Patentes, per Dominum Cantuarienſem Archiepiſcopum, & duos vel tres Suffraganeos ejus eis delatas, quod nos eligerimus, ex parte noſtra quatuor, & ipſi ex parte ſua quatuor; Ita quod vos ſuperiores conſtitueremini, de omnibus querelis Libertatum quas ipſi proponerent et ad ſuas nos reſponderemus, quod quicquid vos una cum illis Octo ſtatueretis ſuper omnibus quae ipſi peterent a nobis, nos gratum haberemus et teneremus. Et quamvis ſe humiliare noluerunt verſus nos ſicut debuerunt, nos tamen pro ſervitio Dei, et ſuccurſu Terrae Sanctae in tantum nos humiliavimus, quod haec praedicta eis obtulimus. Et praeterea eis obtulimus quod de omnibus petitionibus ſuis per conſiderationem Parium ſuorum Iuſtitiae plenitudinem eis exhi…eremus. Quod ipſi recuſarunt. Ad haec Domine, die Veneris in craſtino Aſcenſionis Domini, venit ad hos frater Willielmus de Camera veſtra, veſter familiaris, deferens nobis Literas veſtras continentes, quod diſpoſito peregrinationis noſtrae itinere ſanctitatis veſtrae pedibus aliquem de noſtris in Concilio repreſentaremus, paternitatem veſtram de proceſſu noſtro et itineris noſtri expeditione certificantes, ſuper quo pie paternitati veſtrae taliter reſpondemus, quod cum perverſis Baronum praedictorum inquietationibus ut ex praemiſſis vobis innotuit affligamur, nec poſſumus in eis bonum pacis invenire, quoſal…em concordes afficiamur, ut ſic facilius propoſito inſiſteremus, vos de itinere noſtro, et itineris noſtri expeditione certos reddere non poſſumus: Unum pro certo ſcientes, quod multi ſignatorum qui ad Terrae Sanctae ſuccurſum ſe accinxerunt de partibus longinquis, viri magni & nobiles ut in conſortio noſtro eos reciperemus benigne per ſuas Literas & Nuncios poſtulaverunt, quos pro praedictis incommodis ſuper mandatis ſuis adhuc certificare non potuimus. Praeterea Pater Reverende in praeſentia praedicti fratris Willielmi veſtri familiaris, nec non & Venerabilium Patrum Wygornienſis & Coventrenſis Epiſcoporum, obtulimus praedictis Baronibus, quod de omnibus petitionibus ſuis quas a nobis exigunt in vos benigniſſime compromitteremus, ut vos qui plenitudine poteſtatis gaudetis, quod juſtum foret ſtatueretis, et haec omnia efficere renuunt. Igitur pie Pater dominationi veſtrae praeſentia duximus declaranda, ut de conſueta benignitate veſtra quod nobis videritis expedire inde ſtatuatis. Teſte meipſo apud Odiham, xxix. die Maii.
Soon after this Letter of complaint to the Pope (whoſe power and uſurpations increaſedAn. Dom. 121… by the Barons Rebellions) there was a General Council held at Rome, to which the Archbiſhop was ſummoned, and there ſuſpended from his Archbiſhoprick upon the Kings complaints againſt him.
EOdem Anno celebrata eſt Romae, Sancta & univerſalis Synodus in Eccleſia SanctiMat. Paris Hiſt▪ Angl. p. 262, 263, 264. Salvatoris, quae Conſtantiana appellatur, menſe Novembri, praeſidente Papa Domino Innocentio tertio, Pontificatus ejus Anno Decimo octavo.
In hoc Concilio ſteterunt contra Stephanum Archiepiſcopum Cantuarienſem, procuratores Regis Anglorum; Abbas videlicet de Bello loco, Thomas de Hundintona, & Godefridus de Croucumbe, Milites, conſtanter accuſantes eum de conniventia Baronum Angliae, quodque ipſius favore et conſilio iidem Barones dictum Regem a ſolio depellere molirentur. Et cum a ſede Apoſtolica Literas accepiſſet, ut dictos Magnates per cenſuram Eccleſiaſticam a perſequutione Regis refraenaret, ipſe id facere diſſimulans, ab Epiſcopo Wintonienſi, et ſuis conjudicibus a divinorum celebratione et ingreſſu Eccleſiae ſuſpenſus: ſicque ad Concilium prop…rans, manifeſtis indiciis ſe fuiſſe praeceptis Apoſtolicis rebellem oſtendit. His & aliis multis, in hunc modum allegatis, Archiepiſcopus quaſi convictus, & non mediocriter confuſus, nihil respondit; niſiquod a ſuspenſione petiit abſolvi. Cui Papa cum indignatione tale fertur dediſſe reſponſum: Frater, *Popes can ſwear publickly▪per Sanctum Petrum non ita de facili beneficium abſolutionis impetrabis, qui non ſolum ipſi Anglorum Regi, (This was no crime in him heretofore, but a virtue, by this Popes reſolution) verum etiam Romanae Eccleſiae, tot et tales injurias irrogaſti. (This indeed was the only cauſe of his indignation, not his injuries to the King.) Volumus quoque cum plena fratrum noſtrorum deliberatione decernere, qualiter tam temerarium puniamus exceſſum. Tandem habito ſuper hoc cum Cardinalibus tractatu, ſuſpenſionis ſententiam in ipſum Archiepiſcopum ſubſcriptis Literis confirmavit. (A juſt, divine retaliation for all his former Treaſonable compliances with this Pope, and after that with the Barons againſt King John, from whom he had received ſo many obliging favours.)
When this ſuſpenſion of the Archbiſhop was executed, the Pope commanded all his Suffragans and Subjects to diſobey him, till by his humiliation and giving ſufficient caution for his future deportment, he ſhould demerit it, as this Bull, or Letter to all the Clergy and Laity of his Province evidenceth.
INNOCENTIUS Epiſcopus, &c. Dilectis filiis Clericis & Laicis per Cantuarienſem Clauſ. 17 Joh. Regis, m. 17. dorſo.Provinciam conſtitutis, ſalutem & Apoſtolicam Benedictionem. Ad communem volumus notitiam pervenire, quod nos ſuſpenſionis ſententiam quam Venerabilis frater noſter P. Wintonienſis Epiſcopus, & dilectus filius P. Subdiaconus, & familiaris noſter Norwicenſis electus, in Stephanum Cantuarienſem Archiepiſcopum authoritate Apoſtolica protulerunt, ratam habemus, & praecipimus inviolabiliter obſervari, donec idem Archiepiſcopus, qui eam humiliter ſervat, mereatur ipſam juxta formam Eccleſiae Canonice praestitam relaxari, uno vinculo in aliud commutato. Quocirca univerſitati veſtrae per Apoſtolica ſcripta mandamus quatenus & vos ipſi praeſcriptam ſententiam firmiter obſervetis, cum interim nullam debeatis eidem obedientiam exhibere. Datum Laterani, 2. nonas Novembris. Pontificatus noſtri Anno xviij.
Here we cannot but with admiration conſider, the juſt retaliation inflicted by Gods wonderfull providence on this Arch-traytor to King John. 1. The whole Kingdom muſt be Interdicted by the Pope at this Arch-prelates inſtigation, for the Kings not admitting him to the actual poſſeſſion of the See of Canterbury, againſt the rights of his Crown and Kingdom. 2ly. The King himſelf muſt be perſonally Excommunicated and not converſed with. 3ly. All his Subjects abſolved from their allegiance and obedience to him, till his humiliation to the Pope: And now this Pope even at Rome it ſelf, not only ſuſpends, but ratifies this Archbiſhops actual ſuſpenſion from his Archbiſhoprick, abſolves all Clerks & Laymen in his Province from their obedience to him, and commands them to yeild him no obedience at all, till he ſhould humble himſelf to, and give ſatisfaction and caution to him for his future good behaviour. 2ly. That this Archbiſhop (the Popes chief inſtrument to humble, depoſe K. John, & ſet up the Pope in his Throne) ſhould become the greateſt ſtickler againſt this Pope, the contemner, ſlighter of his Interdicts, Excommunications, Cenſures, wherewith himſelf ſo much terrified the King and Kingdom before. 3ly. That this Pope who had been the Kings profeſſed Enemy and Dethroner, ſhould now become his prime Protector againſt thoſe Biſhops and Barons which himſelf firſt engaged to Rebell againſt him; though not upon King Johns own account as their lawfull King, yet as his Vaſſal and Tributary to the Church of Rome, much againſt his will, which providentially proved his greateſt advantage in ſome reſpects, though moſt prejudicial and diſhonourable to him in others. 4ly. The juſt puniſhment inflicted by God and this Pope upon Simon the Archbiſhops Brother, a great ſtickler for him, and profeſſed Enemy to the King, and that at this very time, upon this occaſion.
The Archbiſhoprick of York becoming void, the King by his Letters Patents granted the Chapter of York a Licenſe to elect a new Archbiſhop, in the preſence of five Commiſſioners, therein ſpecially named, and with their conſents, to prevent the election of this Simon Langhton, the Archbiſhops Brother, a great Enemy to the King, this being the firſt Licenſe granted by him, after his *Her… p. 336, 337.forecited Charter to the Archbiſhop and Biſhops for the freedom of Elections.
REX Decano & Capitulo Eborac. &c. Cum Eccleſia veſtra jamdiu Paſtorali fueritPat. 15 Johan. Regis. pa…s 1. m. 5. intus. regimine deſtituta, nos in hoc compatientes, Paſtorem ſibi praefici idoneum, Deo acceptum, et nobis et Regno noſtro utilem, ſalva dignitate noſtra, vehementer afectamus, unde Venerabiles viros R. Eborum, H. Belli loci Regis, & R. de Seleby, Abbates, una cum fidelibus noſtris Willielmo Briwer, & Willielmo de Cantilupo, Seneſcallo noſtro, loco noſtro ad vos tranſmittimus, ut ipſis praeſentibus et aſſenſum praebentibus Paſtorem vobis eligatis idoneum, et nos ratum habebimus et ſtabile quicquid in praeſentia ipſorum de aſſenſu eorundem, ſuper hoc factum fuerit. Quod ſi non omnes intereſſe valeant, quod inde factum fuerit in praeſentia praefati W. Briwere, una cum uno vel duobus praedictorum Nunciorum de aſſenſu eorundem, ratum eſſe volumus et inconcuſſum. Et in hujus rei Teſtimonium, &c. Vobis mittimus. Teſte meipſo apud Porec. Viceſimo ſexto die Januarii, Anno Regni noſtri xv.
…odem modo ſcribitur
Priori & Conventui Coventr.
Priori & Conventui Rames..
Capitulo Exon.
Decano & Capitulo Ciceſtr.
Priori & Conventui de Sancto Edmundo.
Priori & Conventui de Burgo.
Priori & Conventui Dunolm.
…n relation to Elections to be made by them of Priors and Biſhops, to their then vacant Churches.
After which the King ſent this Patent of Appeal to the Chapter of York, in general termes, not to elect any perſon for their Archbiſhop ſuſpected to be an Enemy to him, to avoid all miſconſtructions of his former Charter for freedom of Elections.
REX dilecto ſibi in Chriſto Capitulo Eboracenſi, ſalutem. Sciatis nos appellaſſe, Pat. 16 Johan, Regis, pars 2. m. 3. dorſo.ne quis de gremio Eccleſiae veſtrae, vel alterius in Archiepiſcopum Eboracenſem eligatur, vel poſtuletur, qui nobis ſit ſuſpectus. Hancque appellationem noſtram per has Literas noſtras Patentes renovamus. Teſte meipſo apud Waling. Decimo tertio die Maii. Anno Regni noſtri xvi.
And becauſe theſe two former inhibitions were generall, the King by his expreſſe Charter ſecretly prohibited them to elect Simon La…ghton by name, to whom he would never give his Royal aſſent.
UNiverſis & ſingulis Capituli Eboracenſis ſalutem. Prohibemus ne quis veſtrum Chart. 16 Joh. Regis, m. 10, doiſo.S. Decanum Eboracenſem, eligat in Archiepiſcopum Eboracenſem, quia hoc eſſet contra honorem noſtrum, et commodum Regni noſtri: ſi quis autem ipſum elegerit, nunquam poterit ſperare ſe pacem aut amorem nobiſcum habiturum. Hoc autem ſecretum eſſe volumus.
The Chapter notwithſtanding the Kings and Popes inhibition likewiſe, to gratifie Stephen Archbiſhop of Canterbury, elected Simon La…ghton his Brother Archbiſhop of York: *Mat. Weſtm. Anno 1216. p. 99.Vir quidem parum habens gratiae popularis, …tinam Dei: ſed procurante Rege citò caſſatus eſt. Poterat enim Rex jam factus Tributarius Papae, difficilia impetrare; Timebat autem Rex, ne ſi Stephanus Cantuariae Archiepiſcopus in Auſtralibus, & frater ejus Simon Ebor. Archiepiſcopus factus in ſeptentrionalibus dominarentur, quaſi maximi Praelati in Anglia, omnia ad votum eorum diſponerentur, et alter alterius auxilio fulciretur. So Matthew Weſtminiſter. Of which Matthew Paris renders us this larger account.
CIrca dies iſtos, Canonici Eboracenſis Eccleſiae, m…lto jam tempore Paſtore viduati,Mat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 261. impetrata a Rege licentia, ad electionem faciendam pariter convenerunt. Et licet a Rege multis precibus fuiſſent rogati, ut Walterum de Gray, Wigormenſem Epiſcopum, ſibi ſuſciperent in Pastorem; tamen reclamantes illiteratum, ipſum eligere diſtulerunt. Veruntamen in electione procedentes, elegerunt Magiſtrum Simonem de Langetona, fratrem Archiepiſcopi Cantuarienſis, ſterantes in eo ſcientiam, quam appellant ſapientiam, ſcilicet morum aromate conditam ſcientiam, inſuper favorem Domini Papae obtinere. Sed cum facta electio ad Regis audientiam perveniſſet, miſit Nuncios ad Curiam Romanam, qui contra electionem illam in praeſentia Domini Papae exceptiones hujuſmodi induxerunt. Allegabant enim Archiepiſcopium Cantuarienſem Regis Angliae hoſtem eſſe publicum, ut qui Baronibus Angliae incentivum contra Regem eundem praebuit et conſenſum. Vnde ſi dictus Simon, qui frater ejus eſt Archiepiſcopi memorati, ad Archiepiſcopatum Eboracenſem promoveretur, par Regis et Regni diu ſtare non poterit. Haec igitur & ſimilia allegantes incommoda, Papam ad conſenſum induxerunt: Unde Capitulo Eboracenſi ſcripſit in haec verba.
INNOCENTIUS Epiſcopus ſervus ſervorum Dei, &c. Cum Magiſter Simon de Langetona, cum quibuſdam aliis Canonicis Eboracenſibus, in noſtra nuper eſſet praeſentia conſtitutus, nos ei viva voce interdiximus, ne ad obtinendum Archiepiſcopatum Eboracenſem intenderet, quia id certis ex cauſis minime pateremur, & ipſe quidem, quantum verbis expreſſit, huic annuit reverenter. Vnde mirari cogimur et moveri, ſi ipſum ambitio adeo ercaecaverit, ut cum ſciret ſe poſt noſtram prohibitionem, et ſuam promiſſionem expreſſam de jure eligi non poſſe, ſi tali praeſtiterit electioni conſenſum, quam, nullo alio contradicente, nos irritam haberemus. Sed ne hac occaſione fiat in Anglia noviſſimus error pejor priore, vel Eboracenſis Eccleſia diutius maneat paſtore viduata, de communi fratrum noftrorum conſilio, per Apoſtolica vobis ſcripta praecipiendo mandamus, et in virtute obedientiae diſtricte praecipimus, quatenus electione hujuſmodi non obſtante appellatione, cum inſolentias et machinationes hujuſmodi ſuſtinere nolumus, nec debemus, omni occaſione ac tergiverſatione ceſſantibus, aliquos ex vobis cum communi *omnium.omni poteſtate ad inſtans Concilium deſtinetis, qui ſaltem uſque Calendas Novembris noſtro ſe conſpectui repraeſentent, perſonam idoneam, cum noſtro electuri vel poſtulaturi conſilio in paſtorem. Alioquin extunc nos ipſi curabimus de idoneo vobis Praeſule *By way of Proviſion.providere, contradictores, ſi qui fuerint, vel rebelles, per diſtrictionem Canonicam graviter punituri. Si vero praefatus Simon electioni de ſe factae conſenſit, nos poenam, in poenam ſuae praeſumptioni ſtatuimus, ut intelligibilis fiat, ne de caetero, abſque diſpenſatione ſedis Apoſtolicae ſpeciali, ad Pontificalem eligi valeat vignitatem. Datum Idibus Septembris, Pontificatus noſtri Anno xviij.
The Canons of York, notwithſtanding this Bull, appearing in the Council at Rome, were ſo bold as to juſtifie their election, and preſent Simon Langhton to the Pope for their Archbiſhop elect, and preſſe his confirmation of him: Which Matthew Paris thus relates, together with its event.