Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

* 1.1 Notes of the 50. yeare of king Edward the third.

IN processe of the foresayd Actes and Rolles, it followeth more, that in the 50. yeare of the reigne of king Edward the 3. the yeare of our Lorde 1376. an other great Parlia∣ment was assembled at Westminster the xxiiij. of Aprill: Where, Syr Iohn Knyuet being Lorde Chauncelour of England, a certaine long Bill was put vp against the v∣surpatiōs of the Pope, as being the cause of all y^• plagues, murrions, famine, and pouerty of the realme, so as there∣by was not left the third person, or other cōmodity with∣in the realme that lately was.

2. That the taxes payed to the Pope of Rome for Eccle∣siasticall dignities,* 1.2 doe amount to fiue fold as much, as the taxe of al profites as apperteine to the king by the yeare of his whole Realme: And that for some one Byshoprike or other dignitie, the Pope by way of translation and death, hath 3.4. or 5. seuerall taxes.

3. That the brokers of that sinfull Citie,* 1.3 for money pro∣mote many caitifes (being altogether vnlearned and vn∣worthy) to a 1000. markes lyuing by yeare, where the learned and worthy can hardly obteine 20. marks, where∣learning decayeth.

4. That aliens (enemyes to this land) who neuer saw ne care not to se their parishioners,* 1.4 haue those liuings wher∣by they despise Gods seruice, & conuey away the treasure, and are worse then Iewes or Sarasens.

5. Also it was put vp in the said Bill to be considered, that the lawes of the church, would such liuings to be bestow∣ed for charitie, onely without praying or paying.

6. That reason woulde that liuings geuen of deuotion, should be bestowed in hospitality.

7. That God had committed his sheepe to the Pope, to be pastured and not shoren or shauen.

8. That lay patrones perceiuing the couetousnes and si∣mony of the pope,* 1.5 do therby learne to sell their benefices to beasts, none otherwise then Christ was sold to the Iewes.

9. That there is none so rich a Prince in Christendome, that hath the fourth part of so much treasure, as the Pope hath out of this realme, for churches most sinfully.

10. Ouer and besides in the sayd Bill,* 1.6 repeting againe the tendering zeale, for the honor of the Church: was declared and particularly named, all the plagues whych haue iust∣ly fallen vpon this realme, for suffering the same church to be so defaced, wyth declaration that it will daily encrease wythout redresse.

11. Wherupon,* 1.7 with much persuasion this was desired, to helpe to reedifie the same: and the rather for that, this was the yeare of Iubiley, the 50. yeare of the kynges reigne, the yeare of ioy and gladnesse, then the whych there could be no greater.

12. The meanes howe to begyn this, was to wryte 2. let∣ters to the Pope: the one in Latine vnder the kyngs scale, the other in French vnder the seales of the nobles, impor∣ting their particularities, & requiring redres, of the which letter of the Lordes, the effect may be seene in a like letter mentioned before, pag. 479.

13. And for a further accomplishment hereof to enact,* 1.8 that no money were caried foorth of the realme by letter of Lū∣bardy or otherwise, or paine of forfaiture and imprison∣ment, and to enact the articles hereafter ensuing.

14. The king hath heretofore by statute prouided sufficiēt remedy, and otherwise pursueth the same with the holy fa∣ther the Pope, & so mindeth to do from time to time, vntill he hath obteined aswel for the matters before, as for the ar∣ticles ensuing being in a maner all one.

15. That the popes collector & other straungers the kings enemies,* 1.9 and onely lyger spies for English dignities, and disclosing of the secretes of the realme, may be touched.

16. That the same collectour being also receauour of the popes pence, keepeth a house in London with clerkes and officers therto, as it were one of the kings solēne courtes, transporting yearely to the Pope xx. M. markes, and most commonly more.

17. That Cardinals & other aliens remaining at Rome, wherof one Cardinall is Deane of Yorke, an other of Sa∣lisbury, an other of Lyncoln, an other archdeacon of Can∣terbury, an other Archdeacon of Duresme, an other arch∣deacon of Suffolk, an other Archdeacon of York, an other prebendary of Thame & Nassington, an other prebenda∣ry of Buckes in the Church of Yorke: Haue diuers of the best dignities of England,* 1.10 & haue sent ouer to them yere∣ly xx. M. marks ouer and aboue that whych English bro∣kers lying there, haue.

18. That the Pope (to raunsome the Frenchmenne the kings enemyes, who defond Lumbardy from hym) doeth alwaies at his pleasure leuie a subsidy of the whole Cler∣gie of England.

19. That the Pope for more gaine maketh sundry transla∣tions of all the Byshoprickes and other dignities wythin the Realme.

20. That the popes collector hath this yeare taken to hys dic the first fruits of all benefices, by collatiō or prouision.

* 1.1121. To renue all the statutes against prouisors frō Rome, sith that the Pope reserueth all the benefices of the worlde for hys owne proper gift, & hath thys yere created 12. new Cardinals, so as nowe there are thirty, where was wont to be but 12. and all those Cardinals, except 2. or 3. are the kings enemies.

22. That the Pope in tyme, wil geue the temporall man∣nors of those dignities to y^e kings enemies,* 1.12 sith he so daily vsurpeth vpon the Realme, and the kings regalities.

23. That all houses and corporatiōs of religion, who vn∣to the kings raigne nowe had free election of heades, the Pope hath encroched the same to hymselfe.

24. That in all legacies from the Pope, whatsoeuer: the English clergie beareth the charge of the legates,* 1.13 and all for the goodnesse of our money.

25. And so it appeareth, that if the money of the Realme were as plentiful as euer it was: the Collectors aforesaid, wyth the Proctors of Cardinals, would soone conuey the same.

26. For remedy heereof it may be prouided, that no suche Collector or Proctor doe remayne in Englande, on payne of lyfe and member. And that no Englysh man on the like payne, become any such Collector or Proctor, or remayne at Rome.

27. For better information hereof, and namely touchyng the Popes Collector, for that the whole clergy beyng obe∣dient to him, dare not displease hym: It were good, that syr Iohn Strensale, parsone of S. Botulphes in Holborne, may be sent to come before the Lordes and commons of this Parliament. who beyng straightly charged, can de∣clare much more, for that hee serued the same Collector in house 5. yeares.

* 1.14¶ And thus much of this bil touching the popes mat∣ters: wherby it may appere, not to be for nought that hath bene vpon vs reported by the Italians and other straun∣gers, which vsed to call English men good Asses: for they beare all burdens that be layd vpon them.

* 1.15Item, in the said parliament it was prouided also, that such order as is made in London against the horrible vice of vsury, may be obserued throughout the whole realme.

The commons of the dioces of Yorke complaine of the outragious taking of the Byshop and his clarkes,* 1.16 for ad∣mission of priestes to their benefices.

To these recordes of the parliament aboue prefixed of the 50. yere of thys king Edward: we will adioyne also o∣ther notes, collected out of the parliament, in the yere next following, which was 51. and last yeare of this kings life and raigne, An. 1377. the 27. of Ianuary: Although in the printed boke, these statutes are said to be made at the par∣liament holden, as aboue in the 50. yeare whych is muche mistaken, and ought to be referred to the 51. yere, as by the recordes of the sayd yere, manifestly doth appeare.

In which Parliament, the Byshop of S. Dauids be∣ing Lord Chauncelour, making a long oration, taking his theame out of S. Paul: Libenter suffertis insipientes. &c. De∣claring in the sayde Oration many thyngs, as first, in she∣wing the ioyfull newes of the olde kings recouerye: then declaring the loue of God toward the king and realme, in chastising hym wyth sickenesse: Afterwarde shewyng the blessing of God vpon the king, in seeing hys childrēs chil∣dren: Then by a similitude of the head & members, exhor∣ting the people as members to cōforme themselues to the goodnesse of the head. Lastly, hee turned his matter to the Lordes and the rest, declaring the cause of that assembly: that for somuch as the Frenche kyng had allyed hymselfe wyth the Spanyardes and Scottes the kyngs enemyes, whych had prepared great powers, conspiring to blot out the English tonge and name: the king therefore was wil∣lyng to haue therein their faithfull counsaile.

* 1.17This being declared by the Bishop: Sir Robert Ash∣ton the kings chamberlaine, declaring y^t he was to moone them from the king, for the profit of the realme (the whych wordes perca••e lay not in the Byshops mouth, for that it touched the Pope) vz. By protesting first, that the Kyng was ready to do al that ought to be done for the pope. But for that diuers vsurpations were done by the Pope to the Kyng hys crowne, and Realme, as by particular billes in thys parliament should be shewed,* 1.18 he required of them to seeke redresse.

In thys present parliament petition was made by the commons, that al prouisors of things from Rome, & their ministers, should be out of the kyngs protection.

Whereunto the kyng aunswered, that the Pope had promysed redresse, whych if hee did not, the lawes then should stand.

It was also in that Parliament required, that euery person of what sexe soeuer,* 1.19 being professed of any religion, continuing the habite of 15. yeares, may vpon the triail of the same in any of the kings courts, be in law vtterly for∣barred of al inheritaunce, albeit he haue dispen••ation from the pope. Against which dispensation, is the chief grudge. whereunto the king and the lordes answered, saying, that they would prouide.

Item, in the sayde Parliament was propounded, that the statute of prouisors made at any time may be executed, and that remedy may be had agaynst such Cardinalles, as haue wythin the prouinces of Caunterbury and Yorke, purchased reseruations,* 1.20 wyth the clause of Anteferri, to the value of xx. or xxx. thousande Scures of golde agaynst the Popes Collector: who was wont to be an Englishman, and now is a mere French, residing at London, & conuei∣eth yearely to the Pope xx. M. markes, or xx. M. pounde, who thys yeare gathereth the first fruites whatsoeuer. Al∣ledging the meanes to meete wyth these reseruations and nouelries, as: to commaund all straungers to depart the Realme during the warres, that no English man to be∣come their farmour, or to send to them any mony without speciall licence, on payne to be out of the kings protection: whereunto was aunswered by the kyng, that the statutes and ordinaunces therefore made, should be obserued.

In these rolles and recordes of such Parliamentes as was in thys kings time continued,* 1.21 diuers other thynges are to be noted muche worthy to be marked, and not to be suppressed in silence. Wherein the Reader may learne and vnderstand the state of the kings iurisdiction here wythin this realme, not to be straightned in those daies (although the Pope then seemed to be in his chief ruffe) as afterward since in other kings dayes was seene. As may appeare in the parliament of the 15. yeare of thys king Edward the 3. and in the 24. article of the sayde Parliament: where it is to be read,* 1.22 that the kings officers and temporall Iustices did then both punish vsurers, an•• impeached the officers of the Church for bribery, and for taking mony for tempo∣rall paine, probate of willes, solemnitie of Mariage. &c. al the pretensed liberties of the popish church to the contrary notwythstanding.

Furthermore, in the Parliament of the 25. yeare, ap∣peareth:* 1.23 that the liberties of the clergie and their exempti∣ons in claiming the deliuerance of men by their booke vn∣der th•• name of Clerks, stode then in litle force, as appea∣red by one Hauketyne Honby knight: who for imprison∣ning one of the kings subiectes, till hee made fine of 20. li. was therefore executed, notwithstanding the liberty of the Clergie, whych by his booke would haue saued hym, but could not.

The like also appeared by iudgement geuen agaynst a priest at Notingham, for killing of hys maister.

And likewise by hanging certaine monks of Combe. Ex Parliam. An. 23. Ed. 3.

Item, in the Parliament of the 15. yeare, by apprehen∣ding of I. Stratford,* 1.24 Archbishop of Canterbury, and hys arrainment: concerning which his arrainment, all things were committed to sir William of Kildisby.

Besides these truthes and notes of the kings Parlia∣ments, wherin may appeare y^• toward procedings of this king & of all his commons against the pretensed church of Rome: Thys is moreouer to be added to the commenda∣tion of the king, how in the volumes of the actes & rolles of the king appeareth. That the sayd king Edward the 3. sent also Iohn Wickleffe,* 1.25 reader then of the Diuinitie lec∣tor in Oxford, wyth certaine other Lords & Ambassadors ouer into the parts of Italy, to treat wyth the Popes Le∣gates concerning affaires betwixt the King and the Pope w^t ful cōmission: the tenor whereof here foloweth expressed.

REX vniuersis, ad quorum notitiam presentes literae peruene∣rint. &c.

In English thus.

The King to all and singuler to whome these presentes shall come greeting. Know ye, that we reposing assured confidence in the fidelitie and wisdome of the reuerend father Iohn Bishoppe of Bangor, and other our louing and faithful subiects, M. Iohn Wic∣kliffe, reader of the diuinitie lecture, M. Iohn Gunter Deane of Segobyen. and M. Symon Moulton doctor of the lawe, Syr Willi∣am Burton Knight, M Iohn Belknappe, & M. Iohn Honnington, haue directed them as our Ambassadors and special Commissio∣ners to the partes beyond the seas. Geuing to the sayde our Am∣bassadors and Commissioners, to sixe or fiue of them, of whome I will that the sayde Bishop shalbe one, full power and aucthoritie, wyth commaundement speciall, to treat and consult mildely and charitably with the Legates and Ambassadors of the L. Pope tou∣ching certaine affaires. Where upon of late we sent heretofore the

sayd Bishop, and M. William Vghtred monke of Duresme, and M. Iohn Shepie to the see Apostolicall: And hereof to make ful rela∣tion of all things done and past in the sayd assembly, that all such things which may tend to the honor of holy Church and the ad∣uauncement of our crowne and this our realme may by the assi∣staunce of God and the wisedome of the see Apostolicall bee brought to good effect, and accomplished accordingly. Witnes our selues. &c. at London dated the 26. day of Iuly in the 48. yeare of our raigne.

By the which it is to be noted, what good wil the king then bare to the sayd Wickleffe, and what smal regarde he had to the sinfull sea of Rome.

Of the whych Iohn wickleff, because we are now ap∣proched to his time: remaineth consequently for our story to entreat of, so as we haue heere to fore done of other lyke valiant souldiours of Christes Church before him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ex Archiuis re∣giae maiestatis. an. 50. Reg. Ed. 3. tit. 94.
• * 1.2

  Against the vsurpati••n of the pope.
• * 1.3

  The Pope cause of all mischiefes in England.
• * 1.4

  The tresure of the Realme cō∣ueyed away by the pope•• meanes. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 97.
• * 1.5

  The Pope geueth ex∣ample to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 benefices, tit. 99.
• * 1.6

  Inestimable that the P. hath here out of Eng∣land, tit. 1••0
• * 1.7

  Reseruation of the church of England desired in the Parlia∣mēt. tit. 111.
• * 1.8

  Actes made for no mo∣ney to be transported. tit. 103.
• * 1.9

  Again•••• the Popes lyge: spies, & col∣lectors, tit. 104. The Popes collection what it cō∣meth to. tit. 205. The best dignities in England, in the Cardi∣nals. tit. 106.
• * 1.10

  The Pope maintaine•• the kings e∣nemies with the kyngs money. tit. 207. The Popes practise in ••ngland to make m••∣ney. tit. 101.
• * 1.11

  The law of 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.12

  Against the popes vsur∣ption, tit. 112.
• * 1.13

  Englishe money pay∣eth the Popes lega∣tes, t••t 113. No good money in the realme for the pope and Card. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 114. The Popes colector or proctor dri∣••••n out of the realme, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 115. The Popes collector to be exami∣••ed.
• * 1.14

  English mē ••ood asses.
• * 1.15

  Order takē in London against vsu∣ry, ••••. 158.
• * 1.16

  Complaynt against the B. of Yorke and his offi∣cers for their excelsiue ••••ing for their admis∣sions. tit. 171 Ex Archi∣•••• Reg. ••••••. 3. an. regni. 51. tit. 36. Against the popes pro∣••••sions from Rome, ann. reg. ••1. tit. 36 The effect of the Chā∣cellors O∣ration.
• * 1.17

  The cause of this par∣liament chiefly for the Popes vsurpation against the king.
• * 1.18

  Against the pope his prouisions from Rome ••n. reg. 51. ••it. 35 The kynges ••••swere.
• * 1.19

  Against the P. his disp••tations tit 62.
• * 1.20

  By this Ante∣ferri, that is, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the pree∣minence 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the kyng. The popes lawe of preminer••, which now we corruptly call premi••ine, de∣ba••ed by the K tit. 78.
• * 1.21

  Ex Actis parli∣aments in an. reg. Ed. rer••g. 15 tit. 24.
• * 1.22

  Punishment of the clergie in the temporall mens handes.
• * 1.23

  Clarkes subiect to temporall lawe.
• * 1.24

  The raynment of the Archb. of Cant. an. 15. Ed. 3. tit. 49.
• * 1.25

  Iohn Wickliffe sent with the kings Ambassa∣dours by the K.