The first-[third] tome of an exact chronological vindication and historical demonstration of our British, Roman, Saxon, Danish, Norman, English kings supreme ecclesiastical jurisdiction from the original planting, embracing of Christian religion therein, and reign of Lucius, our first Christian king, till the death of King Richard the First, Anno Domini 1199 ... / by William Prynne, Esq.

To the Candid and Ingenuous Readers, especially Professors, or Students of the Common Laws, in England and Ireland.

Kinde Readers,

I Here present to your View and Censure, The Second Tome of An Exact CHRONOLO∣GICAL VINDICATION, and HISTO∣RICAL DEMONSTRATION of our Bri∣tish, Roman, Saxon, Danish, Norman and English KINGS SUPREAM ECCLESI∣ASTICAL JURISDICTION over all Prelates, Persons, Causes within their Kingdomes and Dominions, &c. A Sub∣ject heretofore cursorily handled, debated by Sir Edward Cooke, in the First Part of his Fifth Reports, Of the Kings Ecclesiastical Law; by Sir John Davis in his Irish Reports, The Case of Praemunire; by Sir Christopher Sybthorp Knight, one of His Majesties Iustices of the Court of Chief Place in Ireland, in his Friendly Advertisement to the pretended Catholicks of Ireland, Dublin 1621. Part 1. Concerning the Kings Supre∣macy, and the Oath in that behalf to be taken: and of late by my learned Friend, Sir Roger Twisden, in his elaborate, acute Vindication of the Church of England, in point of Schism, as it stands separate from the Church of Rome, and was reformed 1 Elizabethae, London 1663. But never yet Chronologically and Historically Vindicated, Demonstrated, by any Lawyers, Antiquaries, Historians, Chronologers, or Divines, in such ample manner, as the Dignity of the subject matter, demerits; or as some learned (a 1.1) French, and (b 1.2) German Lawyers, An∣tiquaries, Writers, have Vindicated the Soveraign Ecclesiasti∣cal Prerogatives, Rights, Liberties of the Kings, Emperors,

Churches of France and Germany, in large Folio and Quarto Volumes; when as our Histories, Annals, Records afford us more copious Presidents, more numerous, eminent Monuments of this kinde, then France, Germany, or any other Christian King∣dom throughout the World, as I hope to evidence in due time, for the Honour of our Kings, Kingdoms, Churches, Nation, if God send life, health, oportunity, encouragements to accomplish such an heroick Undertaking, not hitherto essayed by any of our own or other Nation.

If any shall demand, why I preposterously (against my Chrono∣logical Method) published this Second Tome before the Edition of the First? I answer; Because in my primitive undertaking of this Subject, (upon the motion of an Honourable Great Officer of State) I designed it to be the First, beginning my Collections from the First Year of King John, when the Charter, Clause, Fine, Liberate, and Patent Rolls in the Tower begin; All the rest, (ex∣cept some few Chartae Antiquae of former Kings reignes never transcribed into Rolls,) being long since perished, or lost beyond recovery: and accordingly fitted it for the Presse; But afterward upon second thoughts, and motions, mounting my Chronological Col∣lections, (in relation to the Kings of our Isle) as high as the first prea∣ching, embracing of the Gospel therein by the Apostles, or their Dis∣ciples, and to Lucius our first Christian King, and deducing them down to King John, in a more copious manner then I originally in∣tended; (a Work of much pains, search, study, difficulty, requiring farr longer time to compile then this Tome, & swelling to another large Folio Volume;) and my Chronological Introduction to it from Adam, (the first Monarch in the World) till Christs Ascention into Heaven; and from thence, (in relation to the Roman, Greek, German Emperors, and other Christian Kings in forreign parts, till our modern age, thought fit to be superadded) amounting to a∣nother Volume, requiring a larger proportion of time then I can yet promise to my self, had I no other publike or private Divertions to interrupt its progresse: I was thereupon not only induced, but in some sort necessitated to praepone this Second Tome in point of publi∣cation, before the First, lest death or sickness should deprive poste∣rity of both. Whereas if God shall preserve my life, bealth; afford leisure and encouragement, I intend to publish the First, with other ensuing Tomes with all convenient expedition.

What the General▪ and particular Contents of this large Vo∣lume are, the Title Page, the Table of the Books and Chapters,

and Index in the cloze thereof, will fully satisfie the perusers. If any require an account from me, What persons may probably receive information or benefit thereby? I answer with all humility, and sobriety, That (if I be not much mistaken,) Our KINGS Them∣selves, their Great Officers of State in England and Ireland, the reverend, learned Prelates, Divines, Judges, Lawyers, Nobili∣ty, and Gentry in both these Kingdoms; and all studious professors of the Protestant Faith, or Romish Religion, may receive more or less advantage thereby in these particulars.

First, our Kings and Counsellors of State may herein discern, the antient Ecclesiastical and Civil Prerogatives, Jurisdictions, Rights, Liberties of the Kings, Crowns, kingdoms, Churches, Clergy, Subjects of England and Ireland, herein vindicated; and by what Papal artifices, frauds, conspiracies, policies, treacheries, violences, instruments they were gradually invaded, undermined, encroached, usurped upon, and trodden under foot by Popes, their Legates, Nun∣cioes, Agents, Confederates; how they were countermined, oppo∣sed, and those recovered from them by degrees.

2ly. Our Protestant Bishops, Clergy may here learn and dis∣cover, how treacherous, rebellious, seditious, undutifull, their Po∣pish predecessors frequently were to our Kings, Kingdoms, Curches, yea to their own interests; how oppressed, fleeced, tyrannized over, vexed, squiesed, enforced to trot to and from Rome, and other for∣reign parts, whiles under the Tyrannical Ʋsurped Jurisdiction, Ci∣tations, Censures, arbitrary Power, Rapines, Provisions, Oppressions of Popes, their Legates, Nuncioes, and other Agents sent from Rome; and what just cause our Kings, Kingdomes, Churches had, in point of conscience, as well as policy for their publick ease, liberty, safety, tranquillity, prosperity, to cast off their Ʋsurpations, Innovations, Oppressions, and renounce all subjection to, or communion with the Roman Pontifs, See, Court, for their manifold Corruptions, Extorti∣ons, Abuses, Frauds, unsatiable Avarice, detestable Tyranny, Bri∣bery, Simony, Injustice, Ambition, Pride, Treachery, antimonarchi∣cal, and antichristian practises, which even our Popish Kings, No∣bles, Commons, yea sundry of our most conscientious Romish Prelates, Monkes, Priests, Historians publikely abominated, and prote∣sted against, with highest detestation. Which if now duly pondered by those of the Romish perswasion, may justly move, perswade them to reject both the pretended Authority, Sanctity, Infallibility, and real Corruptions of the Popes, Court, See, Church of Rome, and return to

their due Allegiance to our Kings, and unto the bosom of our Refor∣med Church; wherein the true worship of God is more sincerely performed, his Word more orthodoxly, powerfully preached, his Sacraments more purely administred, then in any of the Roman Churches, or in the Popes own Chappels.

3ly. All Judges, Practisers, Students of the Common Laws in England or Ireland, may here peruse some memorable resolutions and Records concerning points of Law; many Excellent Rare Writs, Prohibitions, Patents, and other Records not formerly pub∣lished, (for the most part hitherto unknown;) against the illegal Con∣stitutions, Canons, Assemblies, Oathes, Inquisitions, Interdicts, Ex∣communications, Provisions, Extorsions, Rapines, Oppressions, Vexa∣tions, Citations, Appeals, & other Ʋsurpations of Popes, Legats, Nun∣cioes, Delegates of Rome; yea some of our Popish Archbishops, Bi∣shops, Archdeacons, and their Ecclesiastical Officers, Courts, upon the Rights, Prerogatives of the Crown, the Kings Temporal Courts, Lawes; the Advowsons, rights, Properties of Patrons; the Liberties, consciences of the Subjects in England and Ireland, when ever in∣vaded, or endangered by them.

4ly. The learned Nobility and Gentry of both Nations studious of History, Antiquity, Church or State-affairs, may herein peruse many rare, usefull Records, never formerly brought to publike view, illustrating divers obscure, rectifying some mistaken passages, supplying sundry defects in our Histories and Annals in the reigns of King John, and Henry the III. especially concerning the Arch∣bishops, Bishops, Bishopricks, Affairs of Ireland, and sundry tran∣sactions between these Kings, their Embassadors, Procurators, and the Popes, Cardinals, Legates, Nuncioes, Court of Rome, not ex∣tant in former Histories or Authors.

Perchance some Readers may demand, why I printed all the Re∣cords in their proper Latin or French Dialect, and most of the Hi∣storical passages interwoven with them out of Matthew Paris, Matthew Westminster, and other Latin Historians, Writers, in their own Language? I answer, I did it upon 3. accounts, 1. Be∣cause I conceived they would be more authentick, usefull, gratefull (especially to Lawyers and Gown-men) in their original proper Dialects, then in the best English Translation. 2ly. To avoid all cavills, exceptions of Criticks, or Romanists, against their translations, wherewith they would evade, when as now they can∣not deny nor disprove their authority, being presented to them in

their proper words. 3ly. To make them more communicable and diffusive to Statesmen and Scholars in forraign parts.

If any Chronologers shall find fault, that some few Records and Historical passages herein mentioned are inserted out of their due Chronological series, or years to which they relate; If they con∣sider, that this was occasioned, either by the continued series of the History to which they relate, hapning in divers years, which could not well be dis-joyned without greater inconveniences; or to unite some Records or Stories of the same kind together, illustrating or ra∣tifying each other, though different in time; or else by casualty or over∣sight at the Press; and withall if they observe how the distinct years, rolls of every Record, and of most Historians, are truly cited, quo∣ted in the Text or Margin: I hope it will be reputed no Solecism, nor just ground of complaint.

Perhaps some other curious Perusers of this Work, may charge me with Tautologie, or surplusage, for inserting several Letters, Procu∣rations of our Kings to Popes, Cardinals, and Proctors sent to Rome, or several Patents, and Prohibitions to distinct persons, Courts, run∣ning almost in the same words; But I hope the rarity and novelty of them, never formerly published in print, their confirmation and ex∣planation of each other, (especially in cases of Prohibitions) and the matters conteined in them, not mentioned in Story, together with my care to avoid the censure of omitting or concealing any records of this nature wherewith others might upbraid me: And the constant Pra∣ctise of the Clergy, Popes, Prelates, Church and Laicks of Rome, (most likely to pick quarrels with me) in repeating sundry dozens, scores, if not hundreds of Pater-Nosters together on their Beads, (though that prayer was purposely instituted by Christ himself, * 1.3 to avoid and condemn all such repetitions) and likewise Reite∣rations of Ave-Maries, of the name of Jesus, and other Petitions, ejaculations in their Primers, Letanies, Missals, Jesus Psal∣ters, Breviaries, Offices, Howers of the Virgin Mary, Ma∣nuals of Prayers, and other their Bookes of publike and private Devotion; will at least acquit▪ if not justifie me against this ex∣ception.

That which I deem some polite, dainty Readers will most cen∣sure me for, is want of Elegant, lofty, eloquent language, embellish∣ments and transitions: But this defect, my declining age, want of competent time to review, polish every passage; together with the gra∣vity, variety of the subject matter, the usual Vulgar stile of most of

our Records and Law-books, will apologize for this defect: A plain English Garbe, modest natural beauty, bush, being in Gods and wise mens judgements, better, decenter, commendabler, then any fantastick * 1.4 outlandish habit, a painted, spotted face, or effeminate, powdred, frizled head, not of Gods or Natures making, but the Barbers or Tyre-womans.

To conclude, all I shall desire of my ingenuous Readers, is, a friendly construction and kinde acceptation of these my Lucu∣brations, a free pardon of all defects, or involuntary oversights, (if any shall occurr therein) together with their cordial prayers for Gods assistance, and enablement of me in the compleating of the remaining Tomes, if they shall be judged usefull for the publike, or gratefull to posterity: there being few or none I know, or hear of, who will probably be at the pains or cost to carry on or compleat them, when I am translated hence to a better world, and shall rest from all my studies, labours in this. Farewell.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Carolus Mo∣linaeus Com∣ment. ad Edict. Hen. 2. contra parvas Da••as et Abusus Curiae Romanae. De Excellentia Regni Franco∣rum, et Coro∣nae Franciae, Claude Fau∣chet, & Pierre Pithou Preuves des Libertez de L'Eglise Gallicane. Philippus de Morney Historia Papatus: Laurentius Bochellus. Decreta Eccles. Gallicanae.
• b 1.2

  Melchior Goldastus, Monarchia Romani Imperii, Tom. 3. Antonii de Rosellis, Monarchia, and others.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• * 1.4

  Zeph. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 3.