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.

HIS peractis & ex utraque parte approbatis, exultaverunt omnes, credentes De∣um,* 1.1 misericorditer Cor Regis tetigisse, Cor ab eo lapideum abstulisse, & Cor Carneum addidisse, & ut in eo fieret optima dextrae Excelsi permutatio. Speraveruntque omnes & singuli Angliam quasi Aegyptiaco Jugo, quo diu ante premebatur, per Dei gratiam suis temporibus liberatam, tam per Romanae Ec∣cesiae protectionem, cujus alis se credebant obumbrari, & sic velut sub Clypeo Divinae Militiae, cui servire regnare est, pace & libertate gaudere, tum prop∣ter Regis humilitationem desideratam; quam speraverant omni mansuetudini & paci faeliciter inclinatam. Sed longe aliter, proh pudor, et proh dolor, et nimis dissimili quam speratum fuit evenit. (Treachery, Perjury, Fraud, Rebellions, Hyporcrisy and Accords obtained by wicked Machivilian Policies, never en∣ding in expected Tranquillity and security) Credebatur fortuna arridendo Nectar pro∣pinasse, cum fellita pocula, & venena preparavit. Ecce enim filii Belial (diabolo procurante) qui successibus hominum ex antiqua sua consuetudine, videlicet rup∣tarii nequissimi qui bella potius quam pacem voluerunt, regiis auribus verba dis∣cordiae susurrando instillarunt. Dixerunt enim grunniendo et derisioni∣bus multiplicatis subsannando: Ecce vigesimus quintus Rex in Anglia, ecce jam non Rex nec etiam Regulus, sed Regum op∣probrium: malle deberet non Rex: quam sic Rex esse. Ecce Rex sine regno: Dominus sine dominio: Ecce Alficus nauci et an∣gularis, rota quinta in plaustro: Regum ultimus, et populi ab∣jectio. Heu miser et servus ultimae conditionis, ad quam servitu∣tis miseriam devolutus es? Fuisti Rex, nunc faex: fuisti maxi∣mus, nunc minimus. Nihil infaelicius quam fuisse foelicem. Et sic iram provocantes, addendo flammam vento ab igne sulphureo scin∣tillas excitarunt. Therefore there was certainly no common universal consent to this surrender, Charter, but a generall detestation of, and declaration against it in the higest degree; which made it null in Law.

10ly. Whereas it is recited in the Charter: Nos gratia Spiritus Sancti inspirante, non vi inducti▪ nec timore coacti, sed nostra bona et spontanea voluntate offe∣rimus et libere concedinius Deo et Sanctis Apostolis. &c. & Domino nostro Papae Innocentio tertio, ejusque Catholicis Successoribus, totum Regnum Angliae, & to∣tum Regnum Hiberniae, &c. This is most false and untrue: For as King Iohn was

enforced to it sore against his will to his great grief, as the premises evidence; So he was so much ashamed of, and exceedingly discontented at it, that rejecting all the English, he deeply lamented that ever he was born into the world, or that ever his mother nursed him to do such detestable, unroyal, shamefull actions, and was almost quite distracted with the thoughts thereof; which Matthew Paris thus expresseth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. Paris Hist. Angl. p. 253. 254.