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.

HIc in interdicto multas pressuras, & tribulationes perpessus est, quarum unam huic libello duximus inserendam; significavit ei Rex Johannes, ut spre to Papali mandato in Interdicto divina celebraret. Et super hoc, habito consilio in Capitulo, ait, Fratres oportet obedire magis Deo, (the celebrating of Divine Service as he commanded, had been to obey God, not to intermit it on the Popes Inhibition, when both God and the King commanded it) quam hominibus; sustineamus iram principis, dabit Deus his quo{que} finem. Et sic Domino Papae obediens, quamvis Magister Alexander filius Cementarii (tunc Minister Regis) consuluisset in contrarium, noluit Regi in hoc casu obedire, Iratus igitur Rex vehementer de contemptu sui man∣dati (accipiens sic sponte malignandi occasionem) occupavit in manu sua totam Abbatiam.

Et ejectis nostris suos per omnia apposuit custodes seculares videlicet, Magistrum Robertum Londoniensem, Clericum suum superiorem, virum versutum & per omnia Regi Johanni Domino suo conformem, qui etiam inter ipsum Regem & admira∣bilem Murmelinum, Crebra internuncia & secreta (de Apostasia ut dicitur) inter∣means detulerat Ipse igitur Robertus, ejecto & deposito nostro Cellerario institu∣it suum, quendam scilicet secularem, virum versutum, & avarum nimis, suae quae dum potuit avaritiae consulentem. Similiter ignominiose nostro janitore ejecto, subrogavit alium, Robertum nomine, qui sustigatis ingredientibus & egredienti∣bus, & perscrutatis, erat conventui quasi spina in oculo. Aegre igitur nimis haec ferens Abbas Johannes, ut videlicet tam libera, tam nobilis domus in suo tem∣pore, tali Laicorum jugo praemeretur, Regem (imo Tyrannum) justus injustum, agnus adiit Leopardnm (thus doth the venemous Monck••bespatter King John) de∣ditque sexcentas Marcas, ut Custodes nos opprimentes amoveret, & liberam in pace cum suis pertinentibus totam sineret Abbatiam.

The same year the white Monks complyed with God and the King, in saying* 1.1 divine service, for which presumption this Antichristian Pope suspended them the second time. Albi Monachi in principio Interdicti cessantes, postea ad mandatum sui principalis Divina celebrare presumpserunt, sed haec praesumptio cum ad summi Pontificis noticiam pervenisset, ad sui maiorem confusionem denuo sunt suspensi.

And when as the next year (1209.) procurante Stephano Cautuariensi Arciepiscopo, indultum est Ecclesiis conventualibus in Anglia (but not to parish Churches, on pur∣pose to please the Monks, and engage them on the Popes and Archbishops side, against the King who sequestred their lands, for not celebrating Divine Service, according to the Charters of their foundation and rules of their respective orders) ••emel in hebdomada celebrare Divina, * 1.2 Albi autem Monachi hoc privabantur indulgentia, eo quod in principio interdicti cessantes postea ad iussionem sui Ab∣batis principalis, Papa inconsulto, celebrare praesumpserint: Most partial Pa∣pal Justice.

The King perceiving that the Pope, and Bishops, intended not only to seduce but to absolve his Subjects from their alleagiance to him, like a wise Prince, re∣quired pledges from all the great men he suspected, to be delivered to him for their future fidelity, which most of them submitted to, others refused, thus re∣lated and aggravated by our Moncks to render him odious.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An. Dom. 1201. Mat. Paris, p. 218. Mat. West. p. 86. 87. Speeds History. Book. 9. ch. 8. Sect. 40. p. 571
• * 1.2

  Mat. Paris, p. 218.