A catalogue of the bishops of England, since the first planting of Christian religion in this island together with a briefe history of their liues and memorable actions, so neere as can be gathered out of antiquity. By F.G. subdeane of Exceter.

46. Boniface.

THe monks of Canterbury at the instance of the king [ 1244] elected vnto the Archbishopricke Boniface, the sonne of Peter Earle of Sauoy, and vncle vnto the Quéene: a man not greatly to be commended for any thing but the no∣bility of his stocke, and the comelinesse of his person: For in other respects he was thought vtterly vnfit, and vnwoorthy of that place. The king therefore doubting least the Pope would reiect him, caused in a manner all the Bishops and Ab∣bots of England to write their letters commendatory in his behalfe, and so sent him to Lyons, where he quickly obtained consecration at the Popes owne hands. At his first entrance into this Sée, he found the same indebted by the ouerlashing of his predecessors, to the value of 22. thousand marks, which he tooke for an occasion of both absenting himselfe from his charge, and also of raking money togither by all kinde of meanes. Departing therefore into his owne country; by fel∣ling of woods, making leases and other such like meanes, he made an infinite deale of money, promising to imploy the same and whatsoeuer he could saue by liuing priuately at home, in the payment of his churches debt. By the same pre∣tence also he induced the Pope to graunt him in Commen∣dam the Bishopricke of Ualentia in Prouence and diuers other spirituall promotions. But he gaue himselfe to war∣ring, and spent all he could make in hyring of soldiers. When therefore (notwithstanding all these helpes) the debt was ne∣uer the lesse, he was glad by bribing the Pope with a great summe of money, to procure of him a graunt of the profite of all spirituall preferments that should be void within his pro∣uince for the space of seuen yéeres. The king a while spurned at this graunt, but in the end halfe for feare of the Pope (of whom he stood in great awe) and partly by sute and interces∣sion, he ratified and allowed of the same. Hauing béene many yéeres absent, he returned into England the yéere 1250. and tooke vpon him to visite all his Prouince in some extraordi∣narie manner. All men knew it was rather to make mony, then for any desire of reformation, and that caused it to be ta∣ken

the more odiously. He began first with his owne Dioces, which he so hampered with straight & vnreasonable orders, such as he knew men would rather buy out then endure to obserue; that euery one said the monks of Canterbury were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 iustly rewarded for their folly in electing an vnlearned stranger, that was more fit and likely to make a souldier then an Archbishop a great deale. Comming then to London, he tooke a small occasion to deface the Bishop there with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and reprochfull spéeches; and being resisted by the Deane and Chapter of Paules (who had appealed from his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the Pope) he made no more adoo but excommunicated them euery one, Going the next day about the same businesse to the Priory of Saint Bartholomewes in Smythfield, he was met very honorably by the Subprior and all the Co∣nent in their coapes. Telling them by and by he came to vi∣site them, one of the company answered him reuerently, he was very welcome vnto them, but they were sory he came for that purpose, wherein they must disappoint him: They knew their Bishop (whose onely office it was) to be a very sufficient man for his place, and so long they must not enter∣taine the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of any other. This answere (though gen∣tle inough) so enraged this lusty Archbishop, as not being able to containe his anger within any bounds of discretion, he ranne violently not to him that had spoken, but to the Sub∣prior that was next him, strucke the poore old man downe to the ground, kicked him, beate and buffeted him pitifully, tore his coape from his backe, rent it into a number of péeces, and when he had done stamped vpon it like a madde man. In this conflict it hapned the Archbishop to stumble and fal back∣ward, by meanes whereof his apparell loosening, in any per∣ceaued a priuy coate vnder the same. His seruitors and atten∣dants taking example of their Lord, gaue much like inter∣tainment to the rest of the monks as he had giuen to the Sub∣prior. By this time the Londoners were vp, and taking the matter very 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the behalfe of their Bishop whom this iniury did originally concerne, laid such wait for the Archbishop, as with much adoo he stole secretly to the Thames side, and was conueied by a wherry prouided for him to Lambhith. If they could 〈◊〉〈◊〉 met with him, they had

surely hewen him into 1000. péeces. He was no sooner come home, but he thundred out his excommunications against not onely the whole Couent of Saint Bartholomew, but the Bishop of London also, as a fauourer of theirs. They all agreeing togither, determined to send the Deane of Paules a graue and wise man to Rome, and by the letters of certaine Bishops (they knew the Pope would credite) to aduertise him of this strange disorder. The Archbishop vnderstanding heereof, followed thither apace, and entred Rome with great pompe, nothing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but the King and Quéenes letters which he had brought, his nobility and great linage, or if all failed, his purse, should beare him out in this matter well inough. But vnderstanding how odiously it was taken by all that heard it, & how hardly the Pope was informed against him; he fell to intreatie of his aduersaries, the Deane of Paules and the rest, whom partly by faire promises, and partly by threates, at last he subdued and made them content to stay their complaint. That matter being so ended, he dealt earnestly with the Pope to ratifie the dooings of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The Bishops of his prouince vnderstanding thereof, and knowing how great an inconuenience it would be to them and all their Clergy; they made a collection of two pence in the marke out of all spirituall promotions in the Prouince to be expended in sute of lawe against the Archibishop. In the meane time the king had written his letters earnestly to the Pope in the Archbishops behalfe, which so inchanted him with partialitie, as the Bishop of London vtterly despairing of any iustice, gaue ouer the matter in the plaine field: Onely thus much was obtained, that he, the Chapter of Paules, and the Couent of S. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 should be absolued from their excommunication. Soone after this it hapned that the Archbishop (the old malice still boyling in his brest) taking a small aduantage, excommunicated againe the Deane and Chapter of Paules; the indignitie whereof so mooued all the Cleargy, as they tooke order to méete at Dunstable, and there laying their purses togither, gathered the sum of fower thousand markes, which they determined to bribe the Pope withall, so he would deliuer them from the misery of this vn∣reasonable kinde of Uisitation. The Pope tooke their mony,

and promised them faire: And the Archbishoppe séeing no remedie but he must 〈◊〉〈◊〉 clauo pellere, by taking the same course, fedde him as well on the other side. He whose affection was euer woont to be measured according to his rewards, so diuided his fauour, as he tooke not away from the Archbishoppe all authority of visiting, and yet so moderated the same with circumstances, as it was like to prooue tolerable inough. As soone then as he returned, he went forward in his visitation, wherein he dealt at the first somewhat mildly, but soone falling to his old byas, caused eue∣ry where such stirs and tumults, as it was long after called by the name of the troublous Uisitation. At Lincoln he fell out with the Chapter there (the Sée being then voide) about the gift of prebends and benefices which he chalenged, and had euer heretofore in the vacacy belonged vnto them. One William Lupus Archdeacon of Lincoln especially resisted him in this matter, and appealed vnto the Pope. This poore man he so vexed and hurryed with his excommunications, and all manner of molestation he could deuise, as at last he enforced him to hide himselfe and to steale secretly to Rome, where he was so pitied, as the Pope was entreated not only to absolue him, but to protect him from the violence of Boni∣face, and at last to iudge the controuersie of his side. So home∣wards he got him with assured hope of restoring his church to her auncient priuiledge. But being worne out with con∣tinual trauel and vexation which he had indured three yéeres, vpon the way he died. Now while he was abroad in the rest of his prouince, his monkes of Christ church in Canterbury had procured of the Pope a Charter of immunity from all visitation. This being tendred vnto him at Saint Albons, he made no more adoo, but cast it in the fire. The matter be∣ing complained of both to the Pope and the king, no redresse could be found. The king durst not disgrace him for feare of offending his Quéene to whom he was vncle, and the Pope, partly for his kinreds sake (that were mighty men and his néere neighbours) partly because he was his instrument for polling of England, and brought him in much money, would hardly giue eare vnto any accusation against him. This boi∣sterous visitation ended, he got him beyond sea, and with

the money he had scraped togither in the same, hired a great number of soldiers to rescue his brother Thomas, sometime Earle of Sauoy that was kept in prison by the citizens of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, who could not indure his tyranny. In this war he had the Popes Buls and excommunications at comman∣dement to assist him, of which hauing spent a great many, all his money, and no smal number of his soldiers to no purpose, with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and sorrow for his losse and disgrace, home he came. Toward the later end of his time he waxed more mo∣derate, and applied himselfe in some reasonable sort to the go∣uernment of his church. The realme being filled with stran∣gers of the kings blood by his mother side and their atten∣dants, that still snatcht vp all places of preferment, especially 〈◊〉〈◊〉: He was content to ioine with the rest of the Bishops in a request to the king, wherein he besought him to hauc some regard of his owne countriemen, among whom he might sinde choice ynough of wise, vertuous and learned men. The king taking this speech of his in very euill part, told him he was content to do as he wished him, and because saith he, it is indéed great reason that I should fauour woor∣thy men of my owne nation before any vnwoorthy stranger. You and my brother Aethelmar of Winchester (men vtterly vnlearned and altens, whom I haue preferred for no other respect then kinred or affinity) shall do well to giue ouer your places; and you shall see I will soone fill them with men you shal take no exceptions against. By this and diuers other ma∣nifest tokens perceiuing the kings mind to be alienated from him, and knowing himselfe very ill beloued of all the com∣mous and clergic in generall, waxing weary of England, he selled his woods, let leases, forced from his tenants and others what money he could possibly; and hauing gathered great summes by one meanes or other, caried it all with him into Sauoy, whence he neuer meant to returne againe. He liued not long after his arriuall there, but deceased in the castle of Saint Helen, July 18. 1270. after his first consecration 26. yeeres sixe moneths and sixteene daies, and from the time of his first election nine and twenty yeeres. He performed three notable things woorthy memory; he payed the debt of two and twenty thousand markes that he found his Sée indebted

in. He built a goodly hospitall at Maidstone called the New workes, and indued it with large reuenewes. (William Courtney long after translated the same into a colledge of se∣cular priests.) And lastly, he finished that most stately hall at Canterbury with the buildings adioining, which had onely béene begun by Hubert, and little or nothing continued by them that followed, but by him at last was throughly per∣fited.