AN ADDITION To the former Treatise of SOVRAIGNETIE.
AT the first institution of the Ciuill, and Ecclesiasticall authoritie in the Church,Exodchan. 4. vers. 15. & 16. God saith to Moses: Thou shalt speake to Aaron and put the wordes in his mouth, and J will bee with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you ought to doe. And hee shall be thy spokesman vnto the people: and he shall be, euen he shall be as the mouth, and thou shalt bee to him as God.
Aaron obeyed Moses: Exod. 32. and Moses called for an account of Aaron.
Salomon being King according to his Fathers appointment,2. Chron. c. 8 vers. 14.15. ordained the Offices of Priests in their Ministeries, [Page 56] & Leuits in their orders, that they might giue thankes, and minister before the Priest after the order of euery day: For so commanded Dauid the man of God; neither did the Priests, or Leuits omit any thing of all that hee had commanded.
2. Chron. 19. vers. 8.So it is written of King Iehosaphat, that hee appointed the Leuites and Priests.
2. Chro. 35.2.And of King Iosias likewise, that he appointed Priests to minister in their seuerall Offices.
Luc. c. 2. v. 7.In the New Testament, our Sauiour Christ at his birth acknowledged subiection to Augustus the Emperor being borne vnder his tribute; and setting the example of his owne subiection before his Disciples, asketh, Who is Superior, hee that sitteth at the Table, or hee that serueth? Js not he Superior that sitteth? but J am among [Page 57] you as hee that ministreth and serueth.
Before Pilate he disauowed to haue any earthly kingdome,Ioh. 18.36. and acknowledged that the Roman Empire had authoritie ouer his body & life; for both were then in question, and for blasphemy too, which is a spiritual crime.
After the death of Christ, Act. 25.11. his Apostle Paul appealed from the Iewes to Cesars iudgement, and saith in expresse termes, That there he ought to be iudged; And his cause was for preaching the Gospel.
Peter likewise patiently endured Nero his Swoord, for teaching the truth. This was the condition of Christ and his Apostles, they professed themselues subiects to the Romane Emperour. About the yeare of our Lord. 150.
Eleutherius B. of Rome did write vnto Lucius then king of the Britans to take [Page 58] Lawes for the Gouernement of his kingdome out of the Olde Testament and the New, which were then in the Kings hands, & giueth this reason of his aduise: Yee are Gods Vicar within your owne kingdome.
A.D. 220 Ad Scapul. About the yeare of our Lord. 220. Tertullian: Wee Christians worship the Emperour as man next vnto God, & inferior onely to God. For so is the Emperour greater then all men, when hee is lesse then the onely true God.
A.D. 225 Cyprian libr. 1. Epist. 3. Cyprian would not giue way to Cornelius Bishop of Rome, to absolue any of Africk excommunicated there.
A.D. 340 Before the Councell of Nice, there was small or no regard had of the Church of Rome; but euery Church was ruled by their owne Canons, or by the common aduise of Bishops, vntill the Emperors became Christians:Lib. 5. in pro [...]mio. Then Socrates testifieth in his Ecclesiasticall [Page 59] Historie in this wise: We haue also herein comprised the Emperours liues; for that since the Emperours were first Christened, the affaires of the Church hath hanged on them, and the greatest Councells both haue bin, & are kept by their aduise.
Eusebius writeth:In vita Constant. orat. 1. Constantine the Emperour appointed Councells of Bishops to assemble together, & disdained not to sit in the middest amongst them, & to be pertaker of their doings. This great Constantine about the yeare of our Lord, 340. called a generall Councell at Nice.
So Theodoret writeth:Lib. 1. cap. 9. A great and holy Councell was gathered to Nice by the grace of God, & by the godly Emperor.
So Eusebius also testifieth,De vita Constant. orat. 3. that Constantine gathered a generall Councell, and by honourable Writs called the Bishops of all Countries to repaire together. And the same Author witnesseth, that the Emperor [Page 60] Constantine confirmed the determinations of the Councell of Nice.
More also,
De vita Constant. libr. 3. cap. 10. The whole Councell sate in Reuerend & comely order, quietly & in silence, looking for the Princes comming; and when the watchword was giuen that the Emperor was come, the Bishops stood vp from their places, and his Maiestie passed a long through the middest of them, as if hee had beene an Angel of God.
In that Councell of Nice, the whole bodie of Christendome was deuided into foure Patriarcheships: whereof the first place was giuen to the Bishop of Rome; the second to the Bishop of Alexandria; the third to the Bishop of Antioch; the fourth to the Bishop of Ierusalem; afterward came in the B. of Constantinople in the place of the B. of Antioch: these foure Patriarches had [Page 61] their peculiar Circuites & Precincts appointed in such sort, as one of them should not meddle within anothers Iurisdiction, to confound their authorities. The cause why the Fathers, assembled in Councell, gaue the first place to the See of olde Rome, was not for that either Christ, or his Apostle Peter had so appointed: but that the Citie of Rome was the most noble Citie, and of greatest renowne in all the World; as appeareth in the Councell of Calcedon, which writeth, That the Fathers in the Councell of Nice did worthily giue the chiefetie to the See of olde Rome, because that Citie had the Soueraignetie ouer others.
Saint Ambrose, speaking of himselfe and other Bishops, which were at the Councell of Aquileia, saith thus: Wee are met together at Aquileia by the [Page 62] commaundement of the Emperour.
About the yeare of our Lord. 383 In the Councell of Constantinople, the Bishops wrote thus vnto Theodosius the Emperour: Wee are come to Constantinople by your Maiesties Commission.
And afterward at the end of that Councell: We beseech your Maiestie, that as you haue honoured the Church by your Letters, wherewith you haue called vs together; so it may please you to Confirme the finall Conclusion of our Decrees with your sentence and with your Seale.
About. 420 To the Councell of Carthage, where S. Augustine was present, Sozimus B. of Rome sendeth Legats, Faustinus, Philippus, and Asellus, in fauour of Apiarius a Priest, that fled to Rome for ayde against Vrbanus his Diocesan, who had depriued him both of his function, & the Cōmunion for his lewdnesse: To these Legates the Pope gaue charge, [Page 63] to claime this Priuiledge for him & his See; That if anie Bishoppes were accused, or deposed, which appealed to Rome, the Bishoppe of Rome might eyther write to the next Prouince to determine the matter, or send some to represent his Person, and to sit in iudgement with the Bishoppes. And to proue his desire lawfull, he alleaged in writing vnder his hand, a Canon of the Councell of Nice, tending to that purpose. The godly Fathers assembling themselues out of all Affricke, to the number of 217, & finding no such Canon in their Bookes, either Greeke or Latin, writ to the Patriaches of Alexandria, Constantinople, & Antioch, for true and authenticke Copies of the Nicene Councell: & finding their owne Copies agree word for word with those that were brought, and no such [Page 64] prerogatiue to bee seene in anie Canon there; First, by their Decree they cut off all appeales to Rome, viz. That Priests, African. Concil. c. 92. Deacons and inferior Clerkes, if they complained of the iudgement of their Diocesians, should be heard by the Bishops adioyning; and if they thinke to appeale from them also, let them not appeale but to the Councells of Africa, or to the Primates of their owne Prouince: and hee that aduentureth to appeale ouer the Sea, let him be receiued of no man within Africa vnto the Communion.
After this Decree, with which they had withstood three Bishops of Rome, Sozimus, Boniface, and Celestinus; to the last, when the Bishops of Affrica had gotten Copies of the Nicene Councell, they writ on this wise: Wee writ & earnestly prayed you that hereafter you would not lightly giue audience to [Page 65] those that come from hence to you, neither any more receiue such to the Communion, as wee haue excommunicated; because your Reuerence shall easily perceiue the order taken by the Nicene Councell: For if there appeare a prouiso for inferior Clerks or Laymen, how much more would the Synode haue the same obserued in Bishops, that being excommunicated in their owne Prouince, they should not sodainely, hastily, or vnduly be restored to the Communion by your holinesse? And likewise your holynesse must repell these wicked refuges of Priests and other Cleargie men, as becommeth you; for that by no determination of the Fathers this is derogated from the Church of Africa: and the Nicene Canons doe most euidently commit both inferior Clergie men and the Bishops themselues, to their owne Metropolitans. No doubt they most wisely and rightly prouided that [Page 66] all matters should bee ended in the places where they did first arise. Neither will the graces of the Holy Ghost bee wanting to any Prouince; by which equitie may bee grauely weighed, and stoutly followed by the Priests of Christ; especially where euerie man hath libertie, if he mislike the iudgement of those that heare his cause, to appeale to the iudgement of his own Prouince, or to a generall Councell. Or how can the iudgements ouer Seas bee good, whereto the necessary persons of witnesses, either for sexe, or for age, or sundrie other impediments, cannot be brought? For that any should bee sent from your Holinesse side, wee finde decreed by no Synod of the Fathers. That which you sent vs hither by Faustinus as a part of the Nicene Councell; in the truer Copies which wee haue receiued from holy Cirill B. of Alexandria, and Reuerend Atticus Bishop of [Page 67] Constantinople, taken out of the Originalls, which also we sent to Boniface your predecessor; Jn them, we say, we could finde no such thing. As for your Agents or Messengers, send them not at euery mans request, least wee seeme to bring the smokie pride of the world into the Church of Christ, &c.
Marke how many wayes the Bishops of Affrica withstood the Bishop of Rome: Appeales to Rome, which Sozimus claimed by the Councell of Nice, they cōfute by the same Councell, & impugne them by other graue & pithie reasons; Legates à latere they reiect as neuer spoken of in any Coū cell, though hee claimed them; Running to Rome they call a wicked refuge, and sending Messengers from Rome a smokie pride of the World; The corrupting of the Nicene Canons [Page 68] by Sozimus, they disproue by Copies that were true & authenticke. Appiarius, whom the B. of Rome had harboured to the Church the second time, they banished from the Church of Christ. What would those men haue done if Sozimus had claimed to be head of the Church, or Vice-God vpon Earth by Christs appointment? If any Scripture had sounded that way, neither the B. of Rome would haue left that certaine proofe, & trusted only to the testimonie of a Canon in a Councell, which could not bee found but in his owne Librarie; nor yet Augustine with his holy & learned companie, would haue resisted this demaund; if it had either been grounded vpon Scripture, or determined in the Nicene or other Councell, or had stood with equitie, good order, or reason. [Page 69] So the Church of Affrica continued vntill Boniface the second came to bee Bishop of Rome. Hee by communications, threatnings, and allurements brought Eulalius the. Metropolitane of Carthage, About the yeare. 534. & certaine other Bishops of Affrica, to submit themselues to the Bishop of Rome, and to anathematise the sixt Councell of Carthage where S. Augustine was present.
A.D. 440 Polychronius Bishop of Jerusalem would haue had his See first & greatest, because it was the holy Citie which God had chosen of olde; because Christ taught there, suffered there, rose againe there, gaue the Holy Ghost there, Peter, James, and John taught there who were pillars of the Church. The B. of Rome, Sixtus III. not brooking this well, gathereth a Synod at Rome, questioneth Polychronius [Page] for violating the Canons, suborneth Euphemius a Priest of Jerusalem, to accuse Polychronius. Accusers were sent to Ierusalem with the Emperour Ʋalentinianus Letters, and he was deposed; but afterward was restored againe by the same Emperour, when his innocencie was knowen, and Euphemius his accuser had sentence of perpetuall condemnation.
A.D. 450 Hilarius Viennens. did vsually discourse, that Peter himselfe was not prince of the Apostles, or had any authoritie ouer them; neither ought the Pope to haue any power or right ouer the Churches in France.
A.D. 460 Pope Leo writeth thus to the Emperor Theodosius: Epist. 24. All our Churches, & all our Priests most humbly beseech your Maiestie with sobbs and teares, that yee will commaund a generall Councell to bee [Page] holden within Italie. This notwithstanding, the Emperour, contrarie to the Popes humble petition, kept the Coū cell at Chalcedon, not in Italie; Concil. Calce. Act. 1. & thither Pope Leo was summoned to appeare by the Emperours commaundement, with other Bishops: So that the Emperor commanded Councells when, and where hee pleased, whether the Pope would or no. And when that Councell of Chalcedon had made the Bishop of Constantinople equall in priuiledges and respects with the Bishop of Rome, Lucentius (Pope Leo his Legat) intreated to haue that blotted out but the honourable Iudges made him answere negatiuely. At the end of that Councell, the Emperor Martion saith, Wee confirme the Reuerend Councell by the holy edict of Our Maiestie.
A.D. 583 Iohn Bishop of Constantinople went [Page 72] about to illustrate his See by consent of the Emperour & Councell of Constantinople, wherein the said B. was stiled Oecumenicall Patriarch, before any such Title was in the Citie of Rome; and in Constantinople it was brought in not by any Law of God, but by the fauour and graunt of the Emperours. Pelagius Bishop of Rome withstood it first, & would haue no Bishop or Patriarch to bee vniuersall, because that if any one man bee called vniuersall, the name of Patriarch or Bishop is derogated from all others; but let this be farre from all faithfull men, to take that vpon him, whereby the honour of his brethren is diminished.
Gregorie the great, Bishop of Rome also opposed that Title with more vehemencie, prouing that no man ought to bee called vniuersall Bishop, which [Page] hee tearmeth a new, foolish, proud, peruerse, wicked and prophane name: and to consent vnto it, is as much as to denie the Faith. Hee addeth further, Whosoeuer goeth about to extoll himselfe aboue other Bishops, therein followeth Sathan, who was not content to bee equall or like vnto other Angels. Gregorie also affirmeth, That none of his Predecessors did euer vsurpe to himselfe that Title, concluding, That whosoeuer doth so, declareth himselfe to bee a forerunner of Antichrist. When Iohn, before mentioned, was preferred from the degree of a Moncke, and made Patriarch of Constantinople, and obtayned of Mauritius the Emperor also to be extolled aboue all other Bishops with the name of Vniuersall Patriarch; hee requested Mauritius likewise to write vnto Gregorie then Bishop of Rome for his consent [Page 74] thereunto:It appeares by the storie of those times and by his own Epistles, that hee was willing enough to haue to doe with other Churches. but Gregorie, whether in detestation of that Title, or for affectation to the thing it selfe, I cannot tell; would not agree. And vnderstanding that he was in the Emperors displeasure for dissenting from it, he writ to Constantina the Empresse, declaring Iohn his presumption & pride therein, to bee both against the rule of the Gospel, & the Decrees of the Canons, namely, the sixt Canon of the Nicene Councell; and that the noueltie of that new found Title did declare nothing else, but that the time of Antichrist was neere at hand.
In the ambitious pursuites for this Supremacie, as well by Iohn Patriarch at Constantinople, as also in those which Boniface 3. Bishop of Rome vsed afterward, it is worthie to be obserued, that neither of the pretenders insisted vpon [Page 75] anie right in Scripture; but both made their addresses to seuerall Emperours: Iohn to Mauritius, Boniface to Phocas; both implying thereby, that it was in the Emperours power, and did belong to him in right, to translate or conferre the Primacie of the Church. It is certaine that in Pelagius, and Gregories time before mentioned; there was no challenge of Supremacie openly made for the Bishop of Rome, but a contestation to the contrarie:Gregor. Epist. 32. & 30. None of my Predecessors Bishops of Rome euer consented to vse this vngodly name, no B. of Rome euer tooke vpon him this name of singularitie, Wee the Bishop of Rome will not receiue this honour offered vnto vs. And it is not credible, that the holy Fathers in the Councell of Nice could or would haue Decreed that three other Patriarchs should bee [Page 76] equall, or haue like authority with the B. of Rome: neither might they haue restrained the B. of Rome his authoritie to a certaine limit, with this Prouiso, that he should not inuade the Diocesse of other Bishops; but content himselfe with the authoritie of his owne circuite, if Christ had giuen vnto him the vniuersall gouernement of the Church or world. As to the words of our Sauiour Christ: Thou art Peter, & vpon this rocke will I build my Church. Origen writeth:About the yeare. 233. In Matth. tract. 1. Jf wee speake the same that Peter spake, wee are made Peter, & vnto vs it shall be said, Thou art Peter: For hee is the Rocke that is the Disciple of Christ.
Cyprian: when Paul had reproued Peter,250. Ad Quiri [...]. 2. Gal. Peter neither reuenged himself, nor tooke any thing proudly vpō him; as to say that he had the Primacie, Or that [Page 77] others that were but nouices and after cō mers (as Paul was) ought to bee obedient vnto him.
A.D. 350 Hilarius: This is that onely blessed Rocke of faith that Peter confessed with his mouth. De Trinit. l. 2.
A.D. 380 Ciril: The rocke is nothing else but the strong and assured faith of the disciple. De Trinit. in dialog [...] 4
A.D. 5__. Ambrose: Of Peter and Paul; who ought to be preferred is not known. Serm. 66. If you say that the charge &c principalitie of the whole Church was cōmitted vnto Peter, Chrysost answereth, Vnto Paul the whole world was committed, Paul gouerneth the Church of the world, Paul ruleth the whole world.
The same Father writeth: Not vpon the person of Peter,16. Ser. fest Pontecost. but vpon the faith of Peter Christ hath builded his Church: and what is the faith? Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God. What is [Page 78] it to say, Vpon this Rocke? that is, Vpon the confession of Peter: for if wee should say the Church is builded vpon the person of Peter, we should haue another foundation of the Church then Christ; which is directly against S. Paul:1. Cor. 3.11. No man can lay anie other foundatiō but that which is laid alreadie, which is Iesus Christ.
A.D. __0. Augustine, who died about the yere 432. at which time S. Patrick liued in great respect,De verb. Domini sed Matth. Serm. 13. August. I say, doth write; Christ was the rocke, vpon which foundation Peter himselfe was built also: & addeth, Christ saith to Peter, I wil not build my selfe vpon thee, but I will build thee vpon mee.
Asia and Affrica, professing Christ as well as wee, did not consent to the Bishop of Rome his Supremacie.
I confesse that the Eastern churches and Bishops, for debates of matters of [Page 79] faith amongst themselues, made suites to the Bishops of Rome: but that was not for the superioritie of Iurisdiction that the See of Rome had ouer them, but for the diuision that was within themselues; by reason that the whole Easterne countries, as well Bishops as others, were much infected with the heresies of Arrius, whereof the West was in a manner cleere. So as amongst the Orients none were counted indifferent to decide those debates; but all were suspect of affection for one cause or other: wherefore they desired the opinions of the Bishops of the west as indifferēt, & not intangled with affections of anie of those parts, & vncorrupted of the Arrians. Which appeareth by the Epistles of S. Basile, written in all their names for that purpose: wherein it is especially to be noted, [Page 80] that their suit was not to the Bishop of Rome singularly by name, but, as the titles doe shew, to the whole congregation of the BB. of Italy and France, or of the whole West: & sometimes preferring the French BB. Gallis and Italis, and neuer nameth the Romanes.
About the yeare of our Lord 610. Boniface 3, obtained of Phocas the wicked Emperor that slew his Mr. Mauricius, his wife and children, That hee, the saide Pope, might bee called the Prince of all Bishops.
Then the peoples deuotion to Religion, and the beleefe which was setled in their minds of the power of the Keyes, which were said to open and shut paradise, to binde & loose sinnes; laid the foundatiō of the Popes greatnesse, and authoritie.
About the yeare 680. Agatho B. of Rome, writ to Constantine [Page 81] the 4. Most gratious Lord, your sacred Letters encouraging vs to shew forth effectually our prompt & diligent seruice, for performing that which your Edict cō manded, & for discharge of our duty &c. And in a second Epistle: All the Bishops of the North and West partes, seruants of your Christiā Empire, giue thākes to God for this your religious intēt in calling of a Councell.
A.D. 850 Leo the fourth, Bish. of Rome, writ likewise to the Emperor: As touching the chapters & imperiall precepts of your Highnesse, and the Princes your predecessors, irrefragably to be kept and obeyed, as much as in vs did or doth lie, Wee by all meanes professe that wee will, by Christs helpe, now and for euer obserue the same.
Certainely the vaine Titles of the Pope, as, Ʋniuersall Bishop, Prince of Priests, supreame head of the vniuersall [Page 82] Church, and Ʋicar of Christ here vpon earth: likewise his vast pretended Iurisdiction, came not into the Church altogether, but with long working & continuance of time, by little & little, as occasions were giuen. Partly by Boniface the third, about the yere 610. partly by Pope Gregorie the seuenth, called Hildebrād, about the yere 1170. partly by Innocentius the third, about the yeare of our Lord 1215. and finally by Pope Boniface the eight, about the yere of our Lo: 1300. Of which foure popes, the first brought in a Title; the second brought Iurisdiction; the third, pope Innocent with his Monkes and his Friers, corrupted & obscured the sinceritie of Christs doctrine: and lastly, pope Boniface the eight, & Clement the fift after him (ouer and besides the Iurisdiction sufficiently aduanced [Page 83] before by pope Hildebrand) added moreouer the tēporall Sword, to be carried before him: and that no Emperor, were he neuer so well elected, should be sufficiēt or lawfull, without the popes admission. A confident and high challenge, differing so much from the obedience and humilitie of Christ; of the Apostles of Christ, of the good and holy Bishops of Rome, which did speake & write to the Emperors in a milder language, full of acknowledgements and respects; that men vnpartially affected, neede not doubt it proceeded frō another spirit. But whē pope Boniface came to make experiment of the possession of this challenge, and how Christian princes would giue way vnto his claim; Philip the Faire, King of France, returneth to the popes insolent demaund, an answere [Page 84] swere full of royall magnanimitie, as appeareth by their Letters ensuing.
feare God, and obserue his cōmandements. Wee will thee to vnderstand, that thou art subiect to Vs both in spirituall and temporall things; and that it belongs not to thee to giue any Prebend or Benefice: If thou hast the keeping of any of them being vacant, thou must reserue the profits of them to the successors: if thou hast giuen anie, Wee iudge thy gift to be void, and doe reuoke all that hath beene done; and whosoeuer beleeueth otherwise, We iudge them heretickes.
Giuen at Latran the 4. of the Nones of Decemb: the sixth yere of Our Popedome.
The King answereth him thus:
Let thy great Fool-ship be aduertised, that in temporall things Wee acknowledge no Superior but God; & that the gift of Prebendes, being voide, belongs to Ʋs, by Our Royall Prerogatiue, and the fruites that growe thereby; the which Wee will defend by the Sword against all them that shall seeke to hinder Our possession: esteeming them fooles, and without iudgement, that shall thinke otherwise.
The Realme of England certainely was neuer by Lawes, or long submission, subiect to the Popes authority. For when the Bishops of Affrica prayed Innocentius, either to send for Pelagius the Britaine, or to deale with him by Letters, to shew the meaning of his lewd speeches, tending to the derogation of Gods grace: the B. of Rome made answer; When will he commit [Page 86] himselfe to our iudgemēt (write what letters I will) when as he knoweth he shall bee condemned. And if hee were to bee sent for, they may better doe it, that are neerer to him, and not so farre distant from him as I am. Jnnocentius 400. yeres after Christ, confesseth that hee had no sufficient authoritie to call one poore Britaine out of this realme. And 200. yeres after that the Bishops of Britaine would yeelde no subiection to Austine the Moncke, neither did they accept him for their Archbishop. Indeede their maner of Baptizing, obseruing Easter, and other Ecclesiasticall constitutions, contrary to the rites and customes of the Church of Rome, (as Augustin then obiected vnto them) make manifest proofe, that they were neuer vnder the Iurisdiction of the B. of Rome.
[Page 87]Take a view of the Kings of England, & you shall finde that from the Conqueror vnto this day, most of them haue either resisted, or abated the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction which the Pope claimed in this land, by right of the Crowne.
A.D. 1067 William the Conqueror said in a Parliament: For asmuch as the King is the Ʋicar of the High King, hee is therefore appointed to that purpose that hee should rule and defend the Kingdome and the people of the Lorde, and aboue all things the holy Church. And when the Popes eyes were fixed vpon the Bishopricks of England to bring them, & all spirituall promotions, to his owne donation, his Holinesse receiued admonition from the same Conqueror; that hee should goe against the most auncient Lawes of his kingdome, if he did [Page 88] admit or acknowledge the power of any forreiner, as the Pope was.
A.D. 1088 So William Rufus, sonne to the Conqueror, did strictly forbid Anselm, Archbishop of Canterburie; and charged all other Bishops to haue no respect to Rome, or to the Pope, saying, J cannot endure any equall in my kingdome so long as J liue.
A.D. 1114 Henry the first, by his Atturney did forbid Anselm, returning from Rome, to enter his land, vnlesse he would faithfully promise to keep all the customs, both of William the Conqueror his Father, and of William Rufus his brother.
A.D. 1164 Henrie the second made all the Bishops, &c. sweare in a generall assembly at Cloredon, that these liberties of the Crown, amongst which one was, That no Archbishop, Bishop, or any other person, should goe out of the Realme without [Page 89] the King his leaue. Another did direct Appeales, That if any were made, they should come from the Archdeacon to the Bishop, from the Bishop to the Archbishop, and if the Archbishop fayled in doing Justice, it shall bee lawfull at the last to come vnto the King, that by his commaundement the matter may bee ended in the Archbishop his Court: So that no person shall presume to appeale further, without the King his consent. And hee writ letters to all his Shiriffes, & Lieutenants in England in this manner: I commaund you, that if any Cleargie man, or Lay man in your Countie appeale to the Court of Rome, you attach him, & hold him fast-ward till Our pleasure bee known.
Henrie the third: when it was propounded in Parliament, whether one borne before Matrimonie may inherit, [Page 90] in like maner as they that are born after: And the Bishops intreating the temporall Lords to consent to the affirmatiue, because the Canons & Decrees of the Church of Rome are so; all the Earles and Barons answered with one voyce, That they would not haue the Lawes of England changed: and so the statute passed with the Lords temporall against the orders of Rome.
The same King writeth in this wise to the Bishops seuerally, to euerie one in his Diocesse. Henry the third, by the Grace of God, to the Reuerend in Christ B. of N. Whereas Wee haue heretofore written vnto you once, twise, thrise, as well by Our priuie Seales, as also by Our Letters Patents, that you should not exact or collect for the Popes behalfe, anie tallage, or other helpe of Our Subiectes, either of the Cleargie, or of the Layetie: for that no [Page 91] such tallage or helpe, either can or is vsed to bee exacted in Our Realme, without the great preiudice of Our Princely dignitie; which Wee neither can, nor will suffer or sustaine: Yet you contemning and vilipending Our Commaundement, and contrarie to the Prouision made in Our last Councell at London (graunted & agreed vpon by Our Prelates, Earles, and Barons) haue that notwithstanding, proceeded in collecting the same your taxes and tallages. Whereupon, Wee doe greatly maruaile & are moued (especially seeing you are not ashamed to doe contrarie to your owne Decrees) whereas you and other Prelates in the said Councell, in this did all agree and graunt, that no such exactions should bee heereafter vntill the returne of Our and your ambassadors frō the Court of Rome, sent thither purposely of Vs, and in the name of the whole Realme for the same, [Page 92] to prouide for redresse against these oppressions. Wherefore, Wee straightly will and commaund you, that from henceforth, you doe not proceede any more in collecting & exacting such tallages, or helpes, as you will enioy Our fauour, and such possessions of yours as within this Our kingdome you haue and hold. And if you haue alreadie procured, or gathered any such thing, yet that you suffer it not to bee transported out of Our Realme, but cause it to bee kept in safe custody till the return of the said Ambassadors, vnder the paine of Our displeasure in doing of the contrarie: and also of prouoking Vs, to extend Our hand vpon your possessions, further thē you will thinke or beleeue. Moreouer, willing & charging you, that you participate & make knowen this Our Inhibition with your Archdeacōs & Officials, which We here haue set forth for the liberties of the Cleargie and of the [Page 93] people as knoweth God, &c.
A.D. 1212 When King John had refused the disordered election of Stephen Langton to the Archbishopricke and See of Canterburie, Math. Paris. Jnnocent the third forced the King to resigne his kingdome and to take it of him againe, the said Pope, at the yearely rent of 1000. Markes: But the Barons & the Bishops were so much displeased therewith, that in plaine contempt of the Popes keyes & curses, they did choose them another King, and chased King Iohn, the Popes fermor, in dispite of all his new Landlord could doe.
A.D. 1291 King Edward the first, made a Statute at Carlile, that the Pope should exercise no Iurisdiction in England; and in his time one bringing an excommunication from Rome, against a Subiect of England, and the same being [Page 94] brought by complaint before the King, and his Councell, the fact was adiudged high Treason, & the offendor had suffred death, but by the mediation of the Chauncellor & Treasurer the King was content with his banishment.
Edward the second, would not suffer the Peter-penie to bee collected otherwise then had been accustomed.
A.D. 1360 Edward the third, reuiued the Statute of Premunire, made by Edward the first. Pope Gregorie the eleuenth writ to him, that this Law might bee abrogated, but preuailed not. Shortly after this time Richard fitz Ralfe liued, & was made Archbishop of Armagh, a holy & learned man, as appeareth by his labours, and disputations against the begging Friers.
A.D. 1413 Henry the fourth made a Law, that [Page 95] no Popes Collector thenceforth should leuie any money within the Realme, for first fruites of any Ecclesiasticall liuing, vnder pain of incurring the Statute of Prouisions or Premunire.
An. 5. Henr. 5. Act. 17. It was enacted in a Parliament, That the Church & all estates should enioy all their liberties which were not repealed, or repealeable by the common Law, meaning the excluding of the Popes forreine power, which hath alwayes beene excluded by the common Law.
A.D. 1428 As King Henry the sixt, with Duke Humfrey Lord Protector, & the rest of the Councell, were in the Dukes house in the Parish of S. Bennets by Pauls Wharfe, one Richard Candray, Procurator, in the Kings name & behalfe did protest, & denounce by this publike instrument, That whereas the king, [Page] and all his Progenitors Kings before him of this Realme of England, haue beene heretofore possessed time out of minde with speciall priuiledge & custom, vsed and obserued in this Realme from time to time; that no Legate, from the Apostolike See, should enter into this Land, or any of the K. dominions without the calling, petitiō, request, inuitement, or desire of the King. And forasmuch as Henry B. of Wintō Cardinall of Eusebius, hath presumed so to enter as Legate from the Pope, being neither called, sent for, required, or desired by the King: therefore the said Richard Candray, in the Kings name, doth protest by this Jnstrumēt, that it standeth not with the Kings minde or intent, by the aduice of his Councell, to admit, approue or ratifie the comming of the said Legate in anywise in derogation of the right, customs & Lawes of this his Realme; or to recognise, [Page] or assent to any exercise of this his authoritie Legantine, or to any actes, attempts, or hereafter by him to be attempted in this respect, contrarie to the foresaid Lawes, rights, customes & liberties of this Realme, by these presents, &c.
In the same K. Henry the fixts time, there is a Record in the 17. yeare of his raigne in Easter tearme, 28. April, That all the temporalties of the Archbishoprick of Armagh within the realm of Ireland, were taken & seised into the hands of the King, by his Barons of the Exchecquer, by reason of a resignation, & an admission therof by the Pope; which resignation was made by Iohn Bote, Archbishop of the Archbishopricke aforesaid.
In England there be verie auncient Lawes, That no Legate from the Bishop of Rome; or other religious person, should enter the bounds of the kingdome, vnlesse [Page] first hee did promise by solemne oath that he will bring in nothing to derogate from the King, or Lawes and customes of the kingdome.
The practise hereof was seene in the late raigne of Q. Mary, notwithstanding all her deuotion to the Pope: For when she did vnderstand that his holinesse was not well minded to Cardinall Poole Archbish. of Canterbury; but to abate his power in England, was readie to make Frier Peto a Cardinall also, & had a Nuncio with the Hat purposely to giue opposition to Cardinall Poole, Q. Mary, by the aduise of the Peers, Councellors, & Iudges, disparched a messenger to Calis with cōmandement to the Popes Nuncio, That he should not come neere her Coasts, nor stirre one foote from Calis towards England. I could tell you of Charles the fift, that [Page] was Emperor, and grandfather to the K. of Spaine that now is, who besieged Rome it selfe, & did take it maugre all the Popes Bulls & curses; yea, & imprisoned Clemēt then Pope, & 33. Cardinals with him, seuen moneths space in Adrians tower; neither would hee dismisse them till Clement made agreement of 400000. Duckets for his own ransome, & a greater summe was imposed vpon the Cardinals. In like sort I might relate how Philip the second, Clarles his sonne, inuaded Italy with an armie vnder the cōduct of duke D'alva, wasted the countrey, spoiled the people, & cast a trench about Rome it selfe; but for breuitie sake, I rest onely vpon the acts and rights that our own kings & Princes haue euer challenged and vsed. All these examples, whether they be forrein or domesticall, tend to [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] this one point, That howsoeuer Princes be cōtent somtimes, for their own behoofe, to giue way to the B. of Rome, for the exercises of his superstitions in their kingdomes, and dominions; yet all of them, out of their magnanimities and heroicall spirits, do scorne that the Pope should vsurpe or intrude any Iurisdiction ouer their people and subiects, further then they themselues like of, and thinke to stand with the safetie and good of their countries. So it appeareth, that the Pope was neuer anie long time in full & quiet possessiō of his pretēded power in the realm of Engl. and that his Iurisdiction was neuer made a matter of cōscience: withall this deduction sheweth, that it was not Hen. 8. Edw. 6. Elizabeth his sister (all Princes of happy memorie) or his Matie that now reigneth most gratiously ouer vs, that disclaimd the popes [Page] authoritie & power first; but all their most noble progenitors haue done it cōstātly in a perpetual discent frō the Cōqueror. And for the K. that now is, besids his right, his piety, his iustice, his Clemencie, his learning, and other Princely indowments (which are able to gain him honor & respect amongst meere strangers) hee hath a particular aduantage, for which hee may worthily challenge more honor & obedience frō you, then any of his famous predecessors could expect at the subiects of this kingdome, in their seueral times: first, he is extracted out of your owne bloud, descending lineally from Fergus. Yee are his brethren, his bones & his flesh are yee: why then are yee the last that giue the King his right? Secondly, he hath added much more honor & dignity to your bloud thē he [Page] receiued by it: for wheras formerly the Seas had boūded it within this Islād, so as it had no additiō or accesse of glory elswhere; his Matie hath now giuē lustre & brightnes vnto it with the best & highest blouds of Engl. Scotl. Frāce, Dēmark, Germany, & out of al the greatest houses of christēdom. will you thē diminish his honor, that hath aduāced & made yours to shine? will you take away his right, that is of your owne kindred, & transfer it to a meer stranger, that seeketh for yours, and not for you? will you strip a iust King of his birth-right or due, & bestow it vpon an Italian Priest, vnsent of God, vncalled by man, vnfit for place; that hath no maner of claime or warrant for it from Scriptures, holy Councels, or learned & auncient Fathers? Let no such ingratitude be found in your generous [Page] minds. Know ye not that your obedience to the K. begetteth & bringeth forth his protection & defence of you? and can you desire, or in equitie expect absolute & general protection frō the K. whē you giue him but partiall obedience in tēporal things only, not in busines Ecclesiasticall? There is no reason, no iustice, no proportion in that reciprocatiō. Protectiō & obedience are of like & equall extent: therfore by the rules of nature (wch wills you to do as you would be done to) if you will haue the K. to protect you, your wiues & childrē, lands, goods, & houses; whilst you are in the exercises of your religiō, euen there also you must acknowledge the king his power, and yeeld your obedience to his lawes, for they are strengthened by the lawes of God: or if you will apply your selues [Page] [...]acie to the popes pleasure in those affaires, the K. by way of retaliatiō, might withdraw his protection, & leaue you for those times to spoile, or to his defence whom ye obey. Therefore I beseech you in the bowels of Iesus Christ; euē I that must giue accoūt for your miscarriage to the chiefe Bish. of your soules, with sobs & teares intreat you again & again, to take this matter into serious cōsideratiō, to aduise with the word of truth, & vncorrupted antiquitie, euen with the godly writers that liued & gouerned the Churches whē your holy B. St. Patrick cōuerted this coūtrie to the faith of Christ; that you may honor the K. with that Soueraignetie which is due vnto him, illustrat your own noble families, & make mee happie in the winding vp of my dayes, who will neuer cease to pray for you all, whilst I am