The antipathie of the English lordly prelacie, both to regall monarchy, and civill unity: or, An historicall collection of the severall execrable treasons, conspiracies, rebellions, seditions, state-schismes, contumacies, oppressions, & anti-monarchicall practices, of our English, Brittish, French, Scottish, & Irish lordly prelates, against our kings, kingdomes, laws, liberties; and of the severall warres, and civill dissentions occasioned by them in, or against our realm, in former and latter ages Together with the judgement of our owne ancient writers, & most judicious authors, touching the pretended divine jurisdiction, the calling, lordlinesse, temporalities, wealth, secular imployments, trayterous practises, unprofitablenesse, and mischievousnesse of lordly prelates, both to King, state, Church; with an answer to the chiefe objections made for the divinity, or continuance of their lordly function. The first part. By William Prynne, late (and now againe) an utter-barester of Lincolnes Inne.

The Bishops of Carlile.

* 1.1 * 1.2 Walter Malclerke, in the yeare 1223. was conse∣crated unto the Bishoppricke of Carlile, which hee ac∣knowledged to have obtained by evill and corrupt meanes, and therefore resigned the same (moved in conscience so to doe as hee alledged) Iune 29. 1246. and tooke on him the habit of a Fryer Preacher at Oxford, in which he continued till his death. Being Treasurer of England under King Henry the third; the King upon a sudden, at the instigation of Peter, Bishop of W••nchester, not onely displaced him from that of∣fice, but revoked certaine Grants made unto him heretofore, & charged him with the debt of 100. pound. which hee acknowledged not. For redresse of these wrongs (as he tooke them) he determined to travell to Rome, but was stayed at the waters-side by the Kings

Officers; whom Roger, Bishop of London excommuni∣cated for the same; and riding presently to Worceter, where the Court lay, renewed that Excommunicati∣on in the Kings presence•• How he thrived with these businesses afterward I find not. But likely enough it is, that these troubles rather made him weary of the world, than any such scruple induce him to leave his Bishoppricke.

Sylvester de Everdon,2 1.3 the 5th. Bishop of this See, was elected in the yeare, ••••46. but not consecrated till February 5th. 1247. because he refused to accept of the election,* 1.4 alledging his owne unworthinesse; but at last upon better deliberation, yeelded: he was one of them that joyned with Boniface the Archbishop, and Ethelma••re the Elect of Winchester in their request to the King that remembring his promise often made, here∣after he would not impeach the Libertie of Elections by interposing his armed requests, &c. The King ac∣knowledged hee had indeede offended that way, and that especially (quoth he) in making meanes for you your selves, that thererefore of all other should least find fault with it. To this man particularly hee used these words. I remember how I exalted thee Sylvester of Carlile unto a Bishoppricke, having hankered a long time about the Chancery, and being a petty Chaplaine to my Chaplaines, preferring thee before many grave and reverend Divines, &c. His conclusion was that if they would give over their places which they had obtained by so undue meanes, he would hereafter for∣beare to commend any so unworthy. This was the yeare 1253. The yeare following, May the 13th This Bishop riding a horse somewhat too lusty for him, was cast, and so brused with the fall, as he died by and by, to wit, May 13•• 1254.

3 1.5 * 1.6 Thomas Merkes the Fiftenth Bishop of this See, amongst many unworthy preferred to Bishopprickes in those dayes, was undoubtedly a man well-deserving that

honour; for he was both learned and wise, but prin∣cipally to be commended; first, for his constant and unmoveable fidelity unto his Patrone and preferrer King Richard, then for his excellent courage in profes∣sing the same, when he might safely, yea, and honestly also, have concealed his affection. Some other there were of the Nobility that remembring their duety and allegiance, when all the world b••s••de forsoke this un∣fortunate Prince, followed him with their best assi∣stance, even till the time of his captivity. This man nothing regarding the danger might ensue, not onely refused to forsake him when he had forsaken himselfe, but defended him and his cause the best he could, when he might well perceive, his endeavour might hurt him∣se••fe much, without any possibility of helping the o∣ther, when the furious and unstable multitude, not contented that King Richard had resigned his Crowne to save the head that wore it, and their darling Henry the fourth. seated himselfe in his royall throne, importuned the Parliament assembled to proceed yet farther against him, desiring no doubt that to make all sure, his life might be taken from him. This worthy and memora∣ble Prelate stepping forth, doubted not to tell them, that there was none amongst them meete to give judge∣ment upon so noble a Prince as King Richard was•• whom they had taken for their Soveraigne and Leige Lord, by the space of twentie two yeares and more, And proceeding further, I assure you, quoth he (I re∣port his words as I find them in our Chronicles) there is not so ranke a Trayter, nor so arrant a theefe, nor yet so cruell a murtherer, apprehended or detained in pri∣son for his offence, but he shall be brought before the justice to heare Judgment; and will you proceed to the judgment of an annointed King, hearing neither his answere nor excuse? I say and will avow, that the Duke of Lancaster (whom ye call king) hath more tres∣passed to King Richard and his Realme; the King Rich∣ard

hath done either to him or us: for it is manifest and well knowne, that the Duke was banished the Realme by King Richard and his Councell, and by the judgement of his owne Father•• for the space of tenne yeares, for what cause ye remember well enough•• This notwithstanding, without Licence of King Richard, he is returned againe into the Realme, and (that is worse) hath taken upon him the name, title, and pre∣heminence of King: and therefore I say that you have done manifest wrong to proceede against King Richard in any sort without calling him openly to his answer and defence. This Speech scarcely ended, he was at∣t••ched by the Earle Marshall, and for a time committed to ward in the Abbey of St. Albanes. Continuing yet his loyall affection unto his distressed Master, soone af••er his inlargement, he trayterously joyned with the Hollands, and others in a conspiracy against King Henry the 4th. which being bewrayed to the destruction of all the rest, he onely was pardoned, peradventure in regard of his calling (for it had seldome or never been seene hitherto, that any Bishop was put to death by order of Law;) peradventure in some kind of favour and admiration of his faithfull constancy (for vertue will be honoured, even of her enemies;) peradventure also to this end, that by forcing him to live miserably, they might lay a punishment upon him more grevious than death, which they well saw he despised. The Pope (who seldome denied the King any request that hee might afford good cheepe) was easily intreated, to translate forsooth, this good Bishop from the See of Carlile, that yeelded him honourable maintenance, unto Samos in Greece, whereof he knew he should never receive one penny profit: he was so happy, as neither to take benefit of the gift of his enemy, nor to be hurt by the masked malice of his counterfeit friend, disdai∣ning (as it were) to take his life by his gift, that tooke away from his Master, both life and Kingdome, hee

died shortly after his deliverance, so deluding also the mockery of his Translation, whereby (things so falling out) he was nothing damnified. Hall reports, that hee died for feare, more than sicknesse, as one rather desi∣rous to die by deaths dart, than the temporall Sword, which this his Treason deserved, being a great ble∣mish to his former fidelity.

4 1.7 * 1.8 Owen Oglethorpe the 31. B. of this See, was deprived with divers other Bishops for withstanding Q. Eliza. proceedings, and refusing to take the Oath of Allegi∣ance, in the yeare 1559. Of other Bishops of this See, since his dayes, I find little mention, most of them be∣ing translated to other Sees; I shall therefore proceede to the Bishops of Norwich.

Notes

• * 1.1

  WALTER MALCLERKE••
• * 1.2

  Godw. p. 538.539. Matth West. An. 1233. p. 134.
• 2 1.3

  Sylvester de Everdon.
• * 1.4

  Matth. Westm. Anno. 1246. 1247. p 216. Godw. p. 539.
• 3 1.5

  THOMAS MERKES.
• * 1.6

  Godw. p. 540••541.542. Walsing. Hist. Ang. An 1490. p. 404. Gra••ton. Chron. p. 407.408.409. Speeds Histo. p. 764.765.766. Halls Chron. 1. H. 4.. F. 11. to 15. Holinsh. p 514.516.512
• 4 1.7

  OWEN OGLETHORP
• * 1.8

  Godw. p. 543. Martyns Hist. p. 452.453.454.