Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book · Chapter 1 · Document 40 – Document 52

Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3 · Volume 2 · Book · Chapter 1 · Document 40 – Document 52

p. 393REX Dublinenſi Archiepiſcopo, Juſticiario Hiberniae ſalutem. Ad ea quae vobisClauſ. 8. H. 3. m. 29. dorſo. nuper noſtris dedimus in mandatis, ut nobis reſcriberetis quatenus fuiſſet proceſſum in cauſa Nicholai de Felda, qui contra Abbatem & Canonicos ſarcti Thomae Dublin. in Curia noſtra Coram Juſticiariis noſtris petiit duas Carrucas terrae cum pertinentiis, in Kelredheri per Aſſiſam de Morte anteceſſoris; Cui etiam coram eiſdem Juſticiariis objecta fuit baſtardia, per quod ab ipſis Juſticiariis ad vos fuit tranſmiſſus, ut in foro Eccleſiaſtico de ejus Baſtardia ſive legitimitate agnoſceretis; nobis per Literas veſtras ſignificaſtis, Quod cum foro Civili terram praedictam peteret per Literas noſtras, de morte Anteceſſorum verſus memoratos Abbatem & Canonicos, obiecta et fuit nota Baſtardiae, quare in foro eodem tunc non fuit ulterius proceſſum; Memoratus etiam Nicholaus, de Mandato Juſtic. noſtrorum in foro Eccleſiaſtico coram vobis volens probare ſe eſſe Legitimum, teſtes producit, et publicatis atteſtationibus ſuis poſt diutinas altercationes et diſputationes, tam ex parte Abbatis quam ipſius Nicholai, cum ad Calculum diffinitivae ſententiae procedere velletis, comparuerunt duae puellae minoris Aetatis, filiae Richardi de la Felle, Patris praedicti Nicholai, et appellaverunt, ne ad ſententiam ferendam procederetis, quia in hoc manifeſtum earum verteretur praejudicium, eo quod alias praecluderetur eis via petendi Hereditatem petitam, nec poſſit eis ſubveniri per reſtitutionem in integrum, unde de Conſilio virorum prudentium, ut dicitis, appellationi deferentes, cauſam ſecundum quod coram vobis agitata eſt, Domino Papae tranſmiſiſtis inſtructam; De quo plurimum admirantes, non immerito movemur, cum de legitimitate praedicti Nicholai per Teſtium productiones et atteſtationum publicationem, puellarum praedictarum contra quas non agebatur, vel etiam de quibus nulla p. 394fierat mentio in Aſſiſa memorata, nec fuerunt aliquae partes illarum in Cauſa praedicta, ſententiam diffinitivam pro eo diſtuliſtis pronunciare, et male, quaſi noſtrum declinantes examen, et Volentes id quod per noſtram determinandum eſſet Iuriſdictionem et dignitatem, Nota.ad Alienam tranſferretur dignitatem. Quod valde pernicioſum eſſet exemplo. Cum etiam ſi adeptus eſſet praedictus Nicholaus poſſeſſionem terrae praedictae per Aſſiſam praedictam, beneficium petitionis Haereditatis predictis puellis plane ſuppeteret in Curia noſtra per breve de Recto, maxime cum per Literas de morte Anteceſſoris agatur de poſſeſſione, et non de proprietate, et ex officio veſtro in Caſu propoſito nihil aliud ad vos pertinebat niſi tantum de ipſius Nicholai Legitimitate probationes admittere, et ipſum cum Literis veſtris teſtimonialibus ad Iuſticiarios noſtros remittere: De conſilio igitur Magnatum et fidelium nobis aſſiſtentium, Vobis Mandamus firmiter injungentes, quatinus non o…te appellatione praemiſſa, non differatis pro eo ſententiare, ipſum ad Iuſticiarios noſtros remittentes cum Literis veſtris teſtimonialibus, ut eis de loquela poſtmodum agitata, poſtmodum poſſint ſecundum Legem et Conſuetudinem terrae noſtrae Hiberniae Iuſticiae plenitudinem exhibere. Teſte H. apud Glouc. Decimo Nono die Novembris.

The Pope and Biſhops by their Canons had prohibited all ſecular Powers, Juries, Oaths, and Suites at Law, **Britton. c. 34. Surius Concil. Tom. 3. p. 467. b.during the time of Advent, Sexageſima and Lent, upon pain of excommunication, as times devoted for prayers unto God, and to appeaſe and accord diſcords, to the great obſtruction of Juſtice, eſpeciall in Aſſiſes and Inqueſts before the Kings Juſtices in Eires, requiring ſpeedy remedy: whereupon the King was enforced to procure this ſpecial Licenſe only for this year, for his Juſtices to take Oaths and proceed to trials of Aſſiſes of Darreign Preſentment, Novel-diſſeiſin, Grand Aſſiſes, and Inquiſitions, and to promiſe that it ſhould not be drawn into conſequence for the future, as this Patent reſolves.

REX univerſis praeſentes literas inſpecturis ſalutem. Cum venerabilis Pater S. Cantuarienſis Archiepiſcopus, Authoritate Domini Papae, Pat. 8. Hen. 3. m. 2. vel 1. intus.et de conſilio fratrum ſuorum, fecerit nobis gratiam de Iuramentis praeſtandis, coram Juſticiariis noſtris de praecepto noſtro itinerantibus, ab inſtanti Adventu Domini uſque ad vigiliam ſancti Thomae Apoſtoli, & a principio ſeptuageſimae uſque ad Dominicam qua Cantatur: Isti ſunt dies, duntaxat in cauſis ſubſcriptis, videlicet: in Aſſiſis ultimae praeſentationis, de Morte Anteceſſoris, Novae diſſeiſinae, de Magna Aſſiſa, & Inquiſitionibus quae de terris emergent, coram eiſdem Juſticiariis noſtris, vel per Judicium, vel de Conſenſu partium; Ita quod haec conceſſio tantum hoc anno durabit uſque ad diem Dominicam ſupradictam; Nos per has Literas Patentes eis proteſtamur, quod haec conceſſio nobis ad praeſens facta uſque ad diem dominicam praedictam, non trahetur ad conſequentiam poſt diem eundem: In cujus rei Teſtimonium eidem Domino Cantuarienſi Archiepiſcopo dedimus has Literas noſtras Patentes ſigillo noſtro ſignatas. Teſte meipſo apud Weſtmonaſterium Viceſimo Quarto die Novemb. Anno regni noſtri Octavo.

This reſtraint **Britton c. 35. Cookes 2. Inſtit. p. 264. 265.continued (unleſſe ſpecially diſpenſed with) till aboliſhed (as to theſe Actions) by the Statute of 3. Ed. 1. c. 48. (or 50. as ſome diſtinguiſh it) being a very high uſurpation upon the Juſtice, Rights, Prerogative of the King, and prejudicial to the ſubjects.

Our Kings by reaſon of their manifold affaires in the Court of Rome, relating to their own tranſactions, Warres, Treaties, Realms, and Correſpondences with the Pope and other forreign ſtates, uſually conſtituted ſometimes general, othertimes ſpecial Proctors by their Letters Patents, to implead and defend in their p. 395names and rights all matters there depending for or againſt them, of which there are many different formes and praeſidents in our Records, take this (the ſhorteſt of any) for one.

DOmino Papae Salutem. Dilectos & fideles noſtros Magiſtrum Stephanum dePat. 8. H. 3. m. 3. Lucy, & G. de Crancumb. Militem, Conſtituimus Procuratores in Curia veſtra, ad impetrandum et contradicendum. In cujus rei Teſtimonium has Literas noſtras Patentes fieri fecimus, duraturas uſque ad feſtum ſancti Johannis Baptiſtae Anno, &c. Octavo. Teſte meipſo apud London. Duodecimo die Decembris coram H. de Burg. Juſticiario & Bathonenſi & Saresburienſi Epiſcopis.

King John had granted a Penſion of 50. Marks by the year to Stephen a Cardinal in Rome, to promote his affairs there: King Henry the 3d. withdrew it, whereupon Pope Honorius ſent this impotunate Bull to the King, to continue this penſion to him for the good ſervice he had done his father and him, and which he might do him for the future, with menaces to croſſe him in his deſignes and proceed rigorouſly againſt him, if he refuſed to continue this ſalary. By which we may clearly diſcern, that our Kings could do nothing at Rome in their affairs, but by granting penſions and mony both to the Pope and Cardinals.

HONORIƲS Epiſcopus ſervus ſervorum Dei, Chariſſimo in Chriſto filioAn. 8. H. 3. Illuſtri Regi Anglorum, ſalutem & Apoſtolicam benedictionem. Etſi beneficiorum collatio principaliter de gratia provenire habeat liberali gratia, tamen in juſtitiam tranſeunte, nequeunt revocari collata, quin utraque manifeſte ledatur. Quare honori ſuo conſulit liberalis, cum donata munifice nulla patiens poenitudine deformari, ea ſolvit hilariter & libenter, cum nonnunquam affectus effectui praeferatur. Sane dilectus filius noſter Stephanus, ſancti Adriani Diaconus Cardinalis expoſuit coram nobis, quod cum Clarae memoriae Pater tuus ei adhuc in minori officio conſtituto, Annuum redditum Quinquaginta Marcarum contulerit, tu eum ſibi, quod non decuit, hactenus ſubtraxiſti; & licet ut eum ſibi exolveres te rogantes pluries, & moventes etiam per alium ſecerimus commoveri; Nihil tamen nobis exinde reſpondere curaſti. Qui ſi **For wreſting his Crown and Kingdom from him.beneficia quae faelicis recordationis, Innocentius Papa praedeceſſor noſter patruus ejus, patri tuo contulit recoleres, ut deceret, & attenderes grata obſequia quae tibi dictus Cardinalis impendit, & potèſt impendere in futurum; multo majora ſibi deberes offerre, ne dum quod debitum ſubtraheres requiſitus, quod ſine turpatione gratiae praecedentis & turbatione ſubſequentis Juſtitiae, nec non abſque offenſa noſtra non poteris retinere. Ut igitur ex iteratione precum expreſſius agnoſcas precantis affectum, Serenitatem tuam rogamus, monemus & hortamur ſicut iterum, ſic attentius, quatenus prudenter advertens, quod dona & gratiae ſine poenitentia debent eſſe, dicto Cardinali ſubtractum redditum facias ſine aliqua difficultate perſolvi, Ita quod de Juſtitia gratiam ſibi faciens, ipſum ad devotionem tuam reddas merito promptiorem, & nos tuam debemus munificentiam commendare: alioquin praeter id quod ipſum a tua devotione perturbans, rem amittes & meritum; nos (qui eidem in ſuo jure deeſſe non poſſumus, cui potius volumus gratiam impertiri) aliter exinde contra te procedere compellemur, & potuiſſemus procedere; Niſi nuntii tui nunc apud ſedem Apoſtolicam exiſtentes aliud ſuaſiſſent. Dat Latteran 4. Kal. Martii, Pontificatus noſtri Anno Octavo.

In dorſo, Scribendae quia redditu annuo Stephan. de ſancto Adriano.

The like Bull verbatim, and of the ſame date, he directed; Dilectis filiis Nobilibus viris, Huberto de Burgo, Juſticiario, & Willielmo Brigwer, Conſiliario illuſtris Regis Anglorum; concluding it thus Quocirca Nobilitati (veſtrae) per Apoſtolica ſcripta mandamus, quatenus dictum Regem ad hoc moneatis attentius, & efficaciter inducere procuretis. So importunatly eager were theſe Roman Harpyes to detain all penſions once granted by the King, though determined by King Johns death, who granted them, not binding his ſucceſſor in Law or conſcience to continue them.

The Pope and See of Rome reaping much advantage by addreſſes from England, the King of France putting ſome ſtop to the King of Englands Meſſengers free paſſage p. 396to Rome through his territories, thereupon Honorius diſpatched this Bull to his Legate in France, to remove this obſtuction as very prejudicial to his intereſt, the originals both of the former and this Bull I found in the Tower.

HONORIƲS Epiſcopus ſervus ſervorum dei, Dilecto filio R. ſancti Angeli An. 9. H. 3.Diacono Cardinali Apoſtolicae ſedis Legato, ſalutem & Apoſtolicam benedictionem. Cum hii qui ad Apoſtolicam ſedem accedunt abſque ipſius Injuria nequeant impediri, diſcretioni tuae praeſentium Authoritate mandamus, quatinus provideas Efficaciter, quod Nuncii Chariſſimi in Chriſto filii noſtri Henrici Regis Anglorum Illuſtris ad noſtram praeſentiam venientes, tranſitum habeant per Regnum Franciae veniendo, ac redeundo ſecurum: habens ſuper hoc cum Chariſſimo in Chriſto filio noſtro Lodovico, Rege Francorum illuſtri, tractatum, & ſtudens ita diſponere cum eodem, quod Nuntios ipſius Regis Angliae non contingat in Franciae impediri, quia id in noſtram redundaret injuriam manifeſte. Dat Laterani 16. Kal. Julii, Pontificatus noſtri anno Decimo.

in ſigill.Honorius Papa 3.

King Henry the 3d. ſtanding in need of a ſubſidy from the Biſhops and Clergy, who of themſelves were very unwilling to ſupply him, Pope Honorius thereupon ſent this Bull to the Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Priors and Clergy, intreating them to grant him a competent ſubſidy, to be diſpoſed off by common conſent only for the publick benefit of the Realm▪ and not vainly expended, promiſing that this grant of his and theirs ſhould not be drawn into conſequence for the future, leaving the grant free to the Biſhops and Clergy to impoſe and proportion it.

HONORIƲS Epiſcopus ſervus Servorum Dei, Venerabilibus fratribusPat. 9. Hen. 3. part. 1. dorſ. 3. Archiepiſcopis & dilectis filiis Abbatibus, Praepoſitis, ac aliis Eccleſiarum Praelatis atque Rectoribus per Regnum Angliae conſtitutis, ſalutem & Apoſtolicam Benedictionem. Cum Eccleſia ſecularium Principum neceſſitatibus ſponte communicat, neceſſarium eis ſuſidium liberaliter impendendo, non eſt id liber tatis Eccleſiaſticae praejudicium, ſed officium potius charitatis. Cum ergo Chariſſimus in Chriſto filius noſter Henriens Rex Angliae Illuſtris, noſtrae ſubventionis auxilio dicatur plurimum indigere; Univerſitatem veſtram rogamus et hortamur attentius, ac per Apoſtolica vobis ſcripta Mandamus, quatinus juxta facultates, Eccleſiarum veſtrarum competens ei ſubſidium impendatis; proviſo ut in ſingulis Dioc. congruae fiant hac de cauſa Collectae, et quae collecta fuerint ſub teſtimonialibus literis Dioceſani Epiſcopi et aliquorum Abbatum, aliorumve Praelatorum Dioceſis, aſſignentur viris fidelibus et diſcretis, quos hujuſmodi curae videritis deputandos, ipſique illa illibata conſervent, donec deliberato conſilio expendant ubi, quando, et quo modo Regi et Regno videbitur amplius expedire, unde, quem ad modum de receptis ſic Literas teſtimoniales recipiant de Redditibus vel expenſis, quatinus omnis ſuſpitionis tollatur occaſio. Et collecta pecunia non in ſuper fluas et inutiles prodigatur expenſas, ſed in neceſſarias et utiles provide convertatur. Nolumus autem quod haec noſtra gratia, noſtra que Charitativa ſubventio, trahatur in Conſequentiam vel exemplum. Ueſtraigitur ſollicitudo provideat ut haec fiant ita **Hilariter.illariter, fideliter, diligenter, quod veſtra Charitas et prudentia ex hoc merito debeat commendari. Dat Lateran. 3. Non. Februarii. The iſſue hereof you ſhall hear in due place.

This year the Archbiſhop of Canterbury and his Suffragans, inſtead of grantingAn. Dom. 1225 the King a Subſidie, or puniſhing incontinent leacherous Clerks, paſſed theſe ſevere Decrees againſt their Concubines only, principally intended againſt the Wives of Clergy-men, whom they deemed and ſtiled Concubines in that age.

p. 397EOdem Anno exivit decretum ab Archiepiſcopo Cantuarienſi & Epiſcopis ejus SuffraganeisMat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 313. in hunc modum. Concubinae Sacerdotum & Clericorum, qui infra ſacros ordines conſtituti & beneficiati ſunt, Eccleſiaſtica careant ſepultura: niſi ſane ſe correxerint, & (quia ſcriptum eſt, Vivens, vivens, ipſe confitebitur tibi) incolumes, vel tanta earum in extremis appareat poenitentia▪ propter quam non immerito cum eis debeat diſpenſari. Item, non recipiantur ad oſculum pacis▪ nec panem benedictum percipiant in Eccleſia▪ quamdiu Concubinarii eas detinent in domibus ſuis, vel publice extra domos. Item, ſi pepererint, non purificentur, niſi prius ſufficientem praeſtiterint cautionem Archidiacono, vel ejus Officiali, de ſatisfactione in proximo Capitulo, poſt purificationem earum▪ facienda. Item, Sacerdotes, in quorum Parochiis Concubinae talium commorantur, ſi non hoc oſtenderint Archidiacono, vel ejus Officiali, ſuſpendantur. Et priuſquam relaxentur, gravi poenitentiae ſubjaceant. Item▪ quae convinci poterit, quod Sacerdos eam carnaliter cognoverit, publicam agat poenitentiam, & ſolennem, ac ſi de adulterio eſſet convicta, tanquam pro duplici adulterio puniatur, ne tanti reatus impunitas, aliis tranſeat in materiam delinquendi.

The Biſhop of Cork in Ireland, having obtained the Kings Royal aſſent, at the Popes requeſt, to be Archbiſhop of Caſſel, taking a Journey to Rome to procure it, received this Writ for the reſtitution of his Temporalties after his return.

MAndatum eſt Juſticiario Hiberniae, quod reddi faciat Archiepiſcopo Caſſel, eaClauſ. 9 H. 3. m. 13. intus. quae Ballivi coeperunt de Archiepiſcopatu & terris Clericorum ſuorum, poſtquam Dominus Rex praecepit ei ſeiſinam fieri de eodem Archiepiſcopatu, & terris, & poſſeſſionibus ad eundem Archiepiſcopatum pertinentibus, poſt iter ſuum arreptum verſus Curiam Romanam. Teſte Rege apud Weſtmonaſterium, Quinto die Februarii.

Some perſons in Ireland detaining the Kings Caſtles from him, Pope Honorius thereupon ſent this Bull (extant under his Seal) to **Here p. 378, 379.excommunicate ſuch who refuſed to deliver them upon demand to the King, far different from ſome Bulls of latter ages to the Iriſh Rebels.

HONORIƲS Epiſcopus ſervus ſervorum Dei, Venerabili Fratri ArchiepiſcopoAnno 9 H. 3. Dublinenſi, ſalutem & Apoſtolicam Benedictionem. Cum Caſtra quaedam Hiberniae, ad dominium illuſtris Regis Angliae, ut dicitur, pertinentia contra voluntatem detineantur ejuſdem, ſicut ex parte ſua fuit propoſitum coram nobis, fraternitati tuae per Apoſtolica ſcripta mandamus, quatinus ipſorum Caſtrorum Illicitos detentores, ut ea ipſi Regi, vel ejus Nunciis ſine difficultate reſignent, moneas efficaciter & inducas. Eos ad id ſummonitos ſi acquieſcere non curaverint, per cenſuram Eccleſiaſticam, appellatione remota, cognita veritate compellens. Dat. Lateran. ii. Idus Maii. Pontificatus noſtri Anno Decimo.

in ſigill. Honorius Papa 3.

There being a controverſie concerning the Liberties and Franchiſes of the Biſhoprick of Ely, the King iſſued forth this Writ of Inquiſition, to make diligent enquiry thereof by the Oathes of twelve indifferent Knights, and to ſettle the Biſhop in quiet poſſeſſion of them after the Inquiſition made.

REX Vicecomiti Norff. & Suff. ſalutem. Praecipimus tibi quod diligenter inquiriClauſ. 9 H. 3. m. 11. facias in pleno Com. tuo per Sacramentum duodecim de legalioribus Militibus Ballivae tuae, qui non ſint de Libertatibus Elienſis Epiſcopi, qui melius ſciant ac velint dicere veritatem, qualem ſeiſinam Eccleſia ſua Elienſis habuit de Libertatibus ſuis, in initio guerrae motae inter Dominum J. Regem Patrem noſtrum, & Barones ſuos, & qualem Praedeceſſores ſui habuerint tempore R. Regis Avunculi noſtri, & tempore Domini J. Regis Patris noſtri, ſcilicet, de Returno brevium, & de averiis captis, & de placitis infra Hundredum & Dimid. de Midford. & infra quinque p. 398Hundreda & Dimid. de Wickelaw, & Trelig. de Winestim. & de Amerciamentis colligendis, tam de aliis feodis, quam ſuis, exceptis Theſauro & murdro, de quibus idem Epiſcopus nullam Libertatem vel Curiam habere poteſt; & ſicut idem Epiſcopus cognovit placita illa debent praeſentari ad Comitat. de omnibus Hundredis praedictis, ſicut de Hundredo Midford. Inquiſitione autem illa diligenter facta ſicut praedictum eſt, habere facias dicto Epiſcopo talem ſeiſinam de Libertatibus praedictis, qualem ſecundum eandem Inquiſitionem inde habere debuerit & praedicto modo.

Teſte Rege apud Weſtmonaſterium, Decimo ſeptimo die Februarii. Anno, &c. Nono. Per ipſum Dominum Regem, & Juſtic. coram London. Bathon. & Sarr. Epiſcopis, & M. de Pateſh. & aliis de Conſilio Domini Regis.

Pope Honorius having formerly courted King Henry with a grant of a competent Subſidy from the Clergy to ſupply his neceſſities, ſoon after diſcovered his deſign therein, by diſpatching Otto his Legate into England with Letters to the King for his own filthy lucre; the King knowing their contents, refuſed to give him any anſwer alone, it concerning the whole Church and Kingdom of England, but only in a Parliamentary Council of his Prelates and Nobles; thus related by Matthew Paris.

EOdem Anno, Magiſter Otto, Domini Papae Nuncius, in Angliam veniens; proMat. Paris, Hiſt. Angl. p. 313, 314. magnis Eccleſiae Romanae negotiis Regi Literas praeſentavit: Sed Rex cognito Literarum tenore, reſpondit, quod ſolus non potuit diffinire, nec debuit, negotium quod omnes Clericos et Laicos generaliter totius Regni tangebat. Tunc per conſilium Stephani Cantuarienſis Archiepiſcopi, datus eſt dies a Rege in octavis Epiphaniae; ut convocatis omnibus Clericis et Laicis, ſuper praefato negotio tunc tractarent apud Weſtmonaſterium, et ibidem fieret quod juſtum ſingulis videretur.

In the mean time the Pope and his Legate, bribed by Falcatius, made interceſſion for him to the King, for his return into England, from **Here p. 392.whence he was judicially baniſhed, adjured, and reſtitution to his Wife, and what lands and goods he had loſt.

EOdem tempore, Magiſter Otto, ex parte Domini Papae, Regem Angliae humiliter Mat. Paris, Hiſt. Angl. p. 314.rogavit, ut Falcaſio … ▪ bi reconciliato, Ʋxorem cum terris, & omnibus rebus amiſſis ad integrum reſtitueret, & ipſum, qui Patri ſuo, & ſibi in guerra ſua tam fideliter ſervierat, pura, ut decebat, diligeret charitate. Ad hoc quoque reſpondit Rex, Quod propter proditionem manifestam ab omni Clero & populo Regni, per judicium Curiae ſuae, ab Anglia fuerat in exilium pulſus; & licet Regni cura ſpecialiter ad ipſum ſpectare videretur, debet legis quidem & bonas Regni conſuetudines obſervare. Haec autem cum audiſſet Magiſter Otto, ceſſavit ulterius de Falcaſio ſollicitare Regem, (having gotten his money before hand.) And then like a Popes Legate ſent to fleece the Clergy, tunc idem Otto, cepit ab omnibus Eccleſiis Angliae Conventualibus, nomine Procuratoris, duas Marcas Argenti. Et ſciendum eſt, quod tempore quo Magiſter Otto venit in Angliam, Dominus Papa miſit Nuncios per orbem univerſum, exactiones ubique indebitas exigens, ſicut inferius dicetur: Not fiſhing with St. Peters net to catch ſouls, the leaſt of his care, but to extort monies from the Clergy and Laity throughout the world, by indirect and unapoſtolical means, to maintain his Pomp, Pride, Wars, and Antichriſtian deſigns.

When the Parliamentary Council aſſembled, Otto read the Popes Letter and Propoſals, An. Dom. 1226.wherein the deteſtable Bribery, Symoney, Extortion, Avarice, Rapine of the Pope and Court of Rome, are ſo clearly confeſſed, diſcovered, and ſuch a remedy to prevent them for the future preſcribed by the Pope and Cardinals, as might juſtly induce all conſcientious Chriſtians, Kings, Kingdoms, for ever to abominate both the Court and Prelates of Rome: thus recorded by our Monkiſh Hiſtorians.Mat. Paris, Hiſt Angl. p. 316. Mat. Weſtm. Anno 1226. p. 188.

ANno Domini 1226. Venit terminus Concilii ad feſtum Sancti Hillarii apud Weſtmonaſterium praefixus, ubi Rex cum Clero & Magnatibus Regni comparere p. 399debuerat, ut Domini Papae mandatum audiret. Multis igitur in loco praefato congregatis Epiſcopis, cum aliis Praelatis & Laicorum turbis; Magiſter Otto, Domini Papae Nuntius, Literas apertè coram omnibus recitavit. In quibus idem Papa allegavit, ſcandalum Sanctae Romanae Eccleſiae, et opprobrium vetuſtiſſimum; notam ſcilicet concupiſcentiae, quae radix dicitur omnium malorum; Nota.et in hoc praecipue, quod nullus poteſt aliquod negotium in Romana Curia expedire, niſi cum magna effuſione pecuniae, et donorum exhibitione. Sed quoniam ſcandali hujus et infamiae Romana **St. Peter was far poorer then any of his Succeſſors, yet took no bribes.paupertas cauſa eſt, debent matris inopiam ſublevare, ut filii naturales. Quia niſi a vobis et aliis viris bonis et honeſtis dona reciperemus, ††Popes cannot live without bribes.deficerent nobis neceſſaria vitae, quod eſſet omnino Romanae incongruum dignitati. Ad iſtud itaque ſcandalum penitus eradicandum, per conſilium fratrum noſtrorum, Sanctae Romanae Eccleſiae Cardinalium, quandam providimus formam: cui ſi volueritis conſentire, a ſcandalo matrem veſtram poteritis liberare, et in **What ſecurity had they for this?Curia Romana ſine donorum obſequio exhibitionem juſtitiae obtinere. Forma autem proviſa haec eſt: Petimus in primis ab omnibus Eccleſiis Cathedralibus, duas nobis praebendas exhiberi, unam de portione Epiſcopi, et alteram de Capitulo. Et ſimiliter de coenobiis, ubi diverſae ſunt portiones Abbatis et Conventus: a Conventibus, quantum pertinet ad unum Monachum aequali facta diſtributione bonorum ſuorum, et ab Abbate tantundem. (All theſe (if granted) muſt certainly be ſold by the Pope, to thoſe who would give moſt money for them to him, (which was moſt notorious Symoney) or elſe the Pope and his Succeſſors muſt receive the Annual profits of them, without performing any Divine Service to God or the Church for them, contrary to all rules of Piety, Equity, Juſtice, Beneficium propter Officium, being the very dictate of Nature, as well as Law.)